deep1 Posted March 31, 2022 Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 Ok I recently vented my spleen how I'm really tired of dealing with increasingly undertrained RC phone reps directly. I don't mind a little "spirited exchange" now and then but its sadly becoming the only thing I run into. In that thread, many I read on here gave glowing suggestions of using a particular agency that is friendly with this site. I have always enjoyed doing my own booking and looking after my own best interests but as I am nearing retirement and lots more cruising it may be time to pass that torch. I was looking at Alaska stuff then Europe today. The deeper I dug the more unanswered questions surfaced. I've always lived near cruise ports and with the exceptopn of one I did years ago to Alaska, no transfers , flights, hotels etc were involved. Now with the ones I'm looking at all that stuff is part of what needs to be done. Do travel agentts have a good grip on all that side stuff? For example. Somebody in our ranks mentioned that there is transfers through RCL to a train from Anchorage to Seward. The trains website says that as well but I couldn't find details anywhere. Would the reccommended agents I see mentioned here be versed in that? I found a way to burn some time at the end that cruise.... Its an RCL sanctioned excursion but details of the "transfers to airport" at the end of it are really not clear.... Would they be able to translate the unclear to clear? Europe set other questions into motion? Fiance' wants to check out Rome. Is there enough time to do that from a port stop or do we need to make that our base and spend a couple days there? Questions like that.... Can they help? Do they charge extra for all that expertise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted March 31, 2022 Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 11 hours ago, deep1 said: Ok I recently vented my spleen how I'm really tired of dealing with increasingly undertrained RC phone reps directly. I don't mind a little "spirited exchange" now and then but its sadly becoming the only thing I run into. In that thread, many I read on here gave glowing suggestions of using a particular agency that is friendly with this site. I have always enjoyed doing my own booking and looking after my own best interests but as I am nearing retirement and lots more cruising it may be time to pass that torch. I was looking at Alaska stuff then Europe today. The deeper I dug the more unanswered questions surfaced. I've always lived near cruise ports and with the exceptopn of one I did years ago to Alaska, no transfers , flights, hotels etc were involved. Now with the ones I'm looking at all that stuff is part of what needs to be done. Do travel agentts have a good grip on all that side stuff? For example. Somebody in our ranks mentioned that there is transfers through RCL to a train from Anchorage to Seward. The trains website says that as well but I couldn't find details anywhere. Would the reccommended agents I see mentioned here be versed in that? I found a way to burn some time at the end that cruise.... Its an RCL sanctioned excursion but details of the "transfers to airport" at the end of it are really not clear.... Would they be able to translate the unclear to clear? Europe set other questions into motion? Fiance' wants to check out Rome. Is there enough time to do that from a port stop or do we need to make that our base and spend a couple days there? Questions like that.... Can they help? Do they charge extra for all that expertise? Any cruise through Civitavecchia will allow you to visit Rome, although it is an all-day affair. With Med cruises, one needs to watch out for "port fatigue" from back-to-back port visits. We enjoyed Rome, but to see it thoroughly one needs extra days. We have purchased airport transfer tickets from Royal before (OK) and price varies with port Haven't done the excursion that drives you to a tourist venue before airport drop-off. For those you must be sure your departure time isn't too early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fa-li Posted March 31, 2022 Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 My MEI agent Michelle can also book all sorts of European trips and add ons. In addition to her own extensive travel experience, she has a huge network she can reach out to for answers. You are not charged for a TA’s services, they are paid on the other side through commissions Jolly Ogre, ellcee, teddy and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted March 31, 2022 Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 Michelle just arranged a great Disney World trip for us !! teddy, Ampurp85, Neesa and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianB Posted March 31, 2022 Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 A good TA can not only answer questions and help with coordinating travel and excursions…but can also make suggestions based upon their experience and client feedback. They either know the current conditions and restrictions for most places, or they can find out a lot easier with their contacts in the business. The really good ones who deal with multiple clients on a regular basis (not a part-time friend or family member who dabbles as a TA) can make sure you get the best deal, the best advice and have the answers you need to make the best decisions for you and your family. Their goal is to help you have the best vacation possible…so that you become a repeat customer and tell others of your experience. And it costs you nothing. WAAAYTOOO and deep1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted March 31, 2022 Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 I think using a TA when you are navigating unfamiliar territory can be helpful, especially if you find one that has the personal travel experience in the areas that you wish to cruise. Even for the Florida cruises, I'd rather just let my TA deal with all the back and forth with Royal when it comes to bookings and price changes and all that. I still have control over the things I'm interested in doing such as the research and all the incidental things that come along with traveling. 12 hours ago, deep1 said: I found a way to burn some time at the end that cruise.... Its an RCL sanctioned excursion but details of the "transfers to airport" at the end of it are really not clear.... Would they be able to translate the unclear to clear? If you're talking about an RCL sanctioned excursion purchased through the Cruise Planner at the end of a cruise, this typically isn't something the TA is going to know about unless they have specific knowledge of that particular excursion. I can tell you from personal experience with one of those post-cruise excursions with transport to the airport that I booked through the Cruise Planner, that it will handle everything you need for that process from luggage storage and transport to the airport dropoff. It's all wrapped up in the excursion which is why they give specific details in those about the flight times necessary to ensure there are no problems. My experience was that we met as a group on the ship on embarkation day in a designated area. We were walked out to collect our checked luggage and through customs and then we handed over the luggage where it would be stored and meet up with us at the airport (some excursions are just as simple as placing it on the undercarriage of a motorcoach that will be taking you on the excursion). We did the excursion and it ended with dropping us off at the airport at our luggage collection point. These excursions are a good way to kill time after a cruise before a later flight and you don't have to worry about what to do with your luggage during that time. 12 hours ago, deep1 said: Somebody in our ranks mentioned that there is transfers through RCL to a train from Anchorage to Seward. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/what-is-the-grandview-train-transfer The FAQ explains the way you can book the train transfer, which does require contacting Royal directly or according to the FAQ you can wing it and book from the airport or the train depot directly. When we did a Seward departure we did the DIY version of this train trip which is the same exact route, but just the early morning departure. You can purchase the trip through the Alaskan Railroad on your own but the only times available are early AM and afternoon. https://www.alaskarailroad.com/ride-a-train/our-trains/coastal-classic Taking the earlier train gives you more time to explore Seward on your own. Once you arrive in Seward you can take your luggage to the port and drop it off with the porters just like any other cruise and then take the Seward shuttle around the city. The dedicated Royal train runs a little bit later and is designed to coincide with a later arrival time for cruise ship passengers. When you take that train you drop your luggage off in a collection area and it is taken directly to the ship for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neesa Posted March 31, 2022 Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 We recommend @Sharla she is active here and very invested in your vacation. [email protected] WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted March 31, 2022 Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 9 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said: If you're talking about an RCL sanctioned excursion purchased through the Cruise Planner at the end of a cruise, this typically isn't something the TA is going to know about unless they have specific knowledge of that particular excursion. Just an FYI (nothing to do with this subject !!) but Agents can now see your Cruise Planner purchases (they could not in the past). I have not actually tried to do this yet but I know that CruisingPower has finally put that capability into the booking database. I suspect that Agents are not going to be interested in making changes to anyone's CP purchases but they finally can at least see them now. Sharla and AshleyDillo 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharla Posted March 31, 2022 Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 12 hours ago, deep1 said: Do they charge extra for all that expertise? Some may, but MEI-Travel does not. teddy, deep1, Jolly Ogre and 3 others 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharla Posted March 31, 2022 Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 8 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said: Just an FYI (nothing to do with this subject !!) but Agents can now see your Cruise Planner purchases (they could not in the past). I have not actually tried to do this yet but I know that CruisingPower has finally put that capability into the booking database. I suspect that Agents are not going to be interested in making changes to anyone's CP purchases but they finally can at least see them now. This is a brand new and much needed feature- because so many people have questions on it and I could never be of any use on it. . deep1, ellcee, teddy and 2 others 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deep1 Posted March 31, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2022 2 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said: Just an FYI (nothing to do with this subject !!) but Agents can now see your Cruise Planner purchases (they could not in the past). I have not actually tried to do this yet but I know that CruisingPower has finally put that capability into the booking database. I suspect that Agents are not going to be interested in making changes to anyone's CP purchases but they finally can at least see them now. Not about changes just a clearer presentation of how the transfers at the end of the tour are handled.... And other similar questions.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deep1 Posted April 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 10 hours ago, Sharla said: Some may, but MEI-Travel does not. Great... I hate being nickle and dimed (Which unforunately is part of cruising). We have a bunch in mind. Gotta try western caribbean again so we can do Roatan and "she" gets her sloth fix. Then trans Atlantic rolling rolling Rome in it. Another Euro pean involving Spain. ABC islands and can't forget St. Lucia. Alaska southbound then even a trans Pacific in the mix. May need to get creative to include Bora Bora.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 I started using a TA (Sharla) when we booked Italy/Greece. That ultimately was cancelled but we’ve rebooked for this October. We also have Alaska southbound with land tour end of May. When using a TA you can do as much or as little planning as you want. For our Holy Land/Greece, I booked our transfers myself. I booked our Airbnb in both Rome and Civitavecchia. sharla handled the cruise and Air2Sea bookings. I feel better having someone stateside that can help should something go sideways. I also bought an annual travel insurance policy that covers all our trips in a calendar year Last, Facebook groups have been a HUGE wealth of information. I’m in a couple Alaska cruise groups and several Mediterranean groups. This is where I found the best private hire for transfers, tours etc. I’m Type A. I have to know everything! Sharla 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby Dick Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 3 hours ago, Jill said: I also bought an annual travel insurance policy that covers all our trips in a calendar year WOW, I've heard of those but haven't been able to get good information about them. Maybe you or Sharla could DM me with a website or where I can get some good info and pricing. I have lots of questions about this. Please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 Not Jill, but if you are cruising/traveling more than a couple of times per year, I would definitely recommend an annual travel policy. Not only is it less expensive (per cruise) but it will almost certainly provide better coverage than a onesies policy for an individual cruise. We use Allianz and have the AllTrips Premier Plan. Below is the summary of our coverage (there are options for different coverage levels (read that: $$)). Even though we have not cruised in over 2 years, we have continued to keep this coverage current. The Premium for this coverage is $623/year and there is a random $77 fee (forget what it's for at the moment), bringing the annual cost of this coverage to $700/year. Considering that this policy has a very important COVID rider (even though we never used it !), I think the cost is extremely affordable. As others have mentioned, this policy is good for more than just cruises. It covers all travel (thus, the name of the policy). Contact information for Allianz is located at the bottom of this image. BrianB, VirtKitty, teddy and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharla Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 9 hours ago, jay1021 said: Just look at Allianz, they have options. Moby Dick 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby Dick Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 Thanks folks, that helps a lot. At first, WAAAYTOOO, I thought $600.00+ was very expensive. But then, I'm thinking how much I pay buying the insurance for each trip/cruise I take, it really "ain't" that bad. Thanks again! Edited in: An after thought and I am fairly sure I know the answer but, is that price per person or for 2? I'm sure it's for per person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 25 minutes ago, jay1021 said: Thanks folks, that helps a lot. At first, WAAAYTOOO, I thought $600.00+ was very expensive. But then, I'm thinking how much I pay buying the insurance for each trip/cruise I take, it really "ain't" that bad. Thanks again! Edited in: An after thought and I am fairly sure I know the answer but, is that price per person or for 2? I'm sure it's for per person. That price is for both of us. ...and as others have mentioned, this kind of insurance is based on the insured's ages....so someone younger than us would have a less expensive price tag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moby Dick Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 10 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said: That price is for both of us. ...and as others have mentioned, this kind of insurance is based on the insured's ages....so someone younger than us would have a less expensive price tag. Well, I guess it sucks to be me. 70+. But, that is great coverage and for 2, that's icing on the cake. Thanks again! WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 6 minutes ago, jay1021 said: Well, I guess it sucks to be me. 70+. But, that is great coverage and for 2, that's icing on the cake. Thanks again! You're very welcome ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted April 1, 2022 Report Share Posted April 1, 2022 6 hours ago, jay1021 said: Well, I guess it sucks to be me. 70+. But, that is great coverage and for 2, that's icing on the cake. I have the same plan and it's just under $500 for me solo...the claim limits aren't per person when buying a family policy so there's a cost savings as the number of people the policy covers increases. They consider any time you travel more than 100 miles from home to be a trip so it can be used for even short road trips all throughout the year. WAAAYTOOO and Moby Dick 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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