Travel Agents

[SewerUrchin43]

Newbie Cruiser here, A colleague and I were chatting about different vacations and his family is an avid cruiser so I thought, Why Not and booked a cruise a few days after.  I literally went to the RC website and just found a date and destination that worked for us and booked it right then.

 

My questions or concern is: Am I missing out on anything by not using a TA?  I honestly never knew they existed before i found this Blog about two months after booking. Should I contact one now to ensure I didn't screw anything up or would it even matter at this point?

 

Thank You for taking the time to read this and possibly help out

[Neesa]

There is a 30 day clock ticking to transfer to a TA. MEI who sponsors this site will partner with you, and check over all of it. IF there is something that needs to be addressed they will help. [email protected] is always responsive and if your price decreases she will catch it and snag that for you too, saving you $$. MEI has many great TA's. You can fill out the yellow form on the home page also and they will assign you a TA if you wish, or just email @Sharla During these times a TA is priceless, in your corner advocating for you. Sadly Royals reps are sometimes tough to work with, a great TA will make sure they do the heavy lifting, all you do is have a great vacation. * this amazing service costs you nothing additional. 

Oh and welcome, you will find this group will have the answer to any ? you may have. 

[ChessE4]

3 hours ago, SewerUrchin43 said:

Newbie Cruiser here, A colleague and I were chatting about different vacations and his family is an avid cruiser so I thought, Why Not and booked a cruise a few days after.  I literally went to the RC website and just found a date and destination that worked for us and booked it right then.

 

My questions or concern is: Am I missing out on anything by not using a TA?  I honestly never knew they existed before i found this Blog about two months after booking. Should I contact one now to ensure I didn't screw anything up or would it even matter at this point?

 

Thank You for taking the time to read this and possibly help out

TAs are especially useful when your travel plans are complicated.  We had airline baggage problems on a 3-week trip to NZ/Australia, and we were thankful we could rely on a travel agent.  Ditto for COVID cancellations....An agent can save you hours on the phone.    If you are ever dissatisfied with your TA, just change to someone else.

[Moby Dick]

Apparently, MEI, has its own software that can spot price drops in the, at least, Royal website.  To me, that's worth it alone.  Whenever I get into the mode of looking for another cruise, you can bet that I will be giving MEI a call.  Right now, my wife is tethered to her laptop checking for price drops, every morning.  Don't get me wrong, she loves doing it, it's a labor of love, for her.  But, on the rare occasion, she misses a day or two, she will always have it in the back of her mind that she missed something.  She feels guilty for possibly missing something.  She has saved us hundreds of $$$$ by checking often.  That's $$$ that can be spent on adult beverage or a Prime Ribeye bone in...........  

 

[WAAAYTOOO]

5 hours ago, SewerUrchin43 said:

My questions or concern is: Am I missing out on anything by not using a TA?

It depends on what kind of "thing" you are looking for.  There are some agencies that give their clients onboard credit (OBC) and a lot of cruisers really like that.  As a general rule, MEI (sponsor of this site and friend to many of us, here) does not do that....but they more than make up for it with their excellent service. Shouldn't all agents provide excellent service ?  Of course...but with those big agencies you normally do not have a "personalized" relationship with your agent like MEI provides.  If you decide to use a TA, make sure BEFORE you enlist their help, you know whether or not there are every any fees or potential penalties (cancellation penalties, etc.) involved.

Frankly, TA's aren't really all that critical until things go sideways or are very complex (group bookings, etc.).  MANY cruisers found that out the hard way when the pause in cruising hit us a year-and-a-half ago.  THAT is when they really earn their commission (which is entirely paid by the cruise lines....at least, in the case of MEI).  Not only do they save you hours on the phone, but they have their little "ways" of making things happen that you normally would not even know to ask for.

My evolution was from a self-obsessed do-it-all-myself cruise planner to an occasional agency user to a full time no-way-will-I-ever-do-this-myself-again MEI faithful.

Michelle Cunningham

Michelle Cunningham, CTC-ECC, affiliated with MEI-Travel
Email to [email protected]
Or Call 703-881-2727

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

I was thinking about this the other day…when I was telling someone my harrowing story from earlier this month.
 I do not book using a TA because I enjoy…very much…handling it myself and spending the time researching and finding lower prices, etc.    This story centers around several airline delays and cancellations which almost ended with us not making it to the cruise ship!  I spent hours upon hours calling airlines and looking online trying to find a way to Miami…between Saturday afternoon and very early Monday morning for our Monday cruise!  As I was going over the details I wondered…had I used a TA would he or she spent all those hours (Saturday afternoon…night…and Sunday morning AND most importantly between 1am and 3:30am Monday) trying to get us to our destination?  I would like to believe the answer is a yes but I really am not sure.  I mean when these things happen in the middle of the night are TA’s supposed to be called to fix the issues?  I probably would have not known what to do (call or not) but since I was my own TA I knew what I needed to do!

Anyway…I have read such great stories of how TA’s have worked miracles for so many on these forums.  My recent situation may or may not have been unique, so I was just wondering what might have happened had I not been able to do it myself.

 

 

[Moby Dick]

28 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

It depends on what kind of "thing" you are looking for.  There are some agencies that give their clients onboard credit (OBC) and a lot of cruisers really like that.  As a general rule, MEI (sponsor of this site and friend to many of us, here) does not generally do that....but they more than make up for it with their excellent service. Shouldn't all agents provide excellent service ?  Of course...but with those big agencies you normally do not have a "personalized" relationship with your agent like MEI provides.  If you decide to use a TA, make sure BEFORE you enlist their help, you know whether or not there are every any fees or potential penalties (cancellation penalties, etc.) involved.

Frankly, TA's aren't really all that critical until things go sideways or are very complex (group bookings, etc.).  MANY cruisers found that out the hard way when the pause in cruising hit us a year-and-a-half ago.  THAT is when they really earn their commission (which is entirely paid by the cruise lines....at least, in the case of MEI).  Not only do they save you hours on the phone, but they have their little "ways" of making things happen that you normally would not even know to ask for.

My evolution was from a self-obsessed do-it-all-myself cruise planner to an occasional agency user to a full time no-way-will-I-ever-do-this-myself-again MEI faithful.

Michelle Cunningham

Michelle Cunningham, CTC-ECC, affiliated with MEI-Travel
Email to [email protected]
Or Call 703-881-2727

That's me, I really like the OBCs the "Big Box" TA companies give.  But, I am becoming more and more disenchanted with them.  The OBCs that the "Big Box" TAs give can't be used until you are onboard, which means you miss out of purchasing, pre-cruise, many items, like excursions, spa treatments, etc., at sale prices.  And chances are, they won't be available when you do get onboard.  Yes, there are always ways to use the OBCs but are you using them as you would like to use them?  Probably not!  So, count me in as far as at least shopping for a "real" TA.  Not just an OBC provider.

[Pooch]

When my brother’s flights were cancelled due to weather in the northeast last month, (you all know the story), our MEI agent said she was unable to help with flights.  I have one more cruise booked with her then I will be looking for another agent.

[Moby Dick]

54 minutes ago, PPPJJ-GCVAB said:

I was thinking about this the other day…when I was telling someone my harrowing story from earlier this month.
 I do not book using a TA because I enjoy…very much…handling it myself and spending the time researching and finding lower prices, etc.    This story centers around several airline delays and cancellations which almost ended with us not making it to the cruise ship!  I spent hours upon hours calling airlines and looking online trying to find a way to Miami…between Saturday afternoon and very early Monday morning for our Monday cruise!  As I was going over the details I wondered…had I used a TA would he or she spent all those hours (Saturday afternoon…night…and Sunday morning AND most importantly between 1am and 3:30am Monday) trying to get us to our destination?  I would like to believe the answer is a yes but I really am not sure.  I mean when these things happen in the middle of the night are TA’s supposed to be called to fix the issues?  I probably would have not known what to do (call or not) but since I was my own TA I knew what I needed to do!

Anyway…I have read such great stories of how TA’s have worked miracles for so many on these forums.  My recent situation may or may not have been unique, so I was just wondering what might have happened had I not been able to do it myself.

 

 

I was just thinking of asking that question, are TA's available 24/7 if problems arrive.  If I get notification on Sunday morning that my flight has been canceled and I've got a cruise going on Monday, are they available to handle the situation.  Of course, I'm asking about arrangements that they made for me.  

[CruiseGus]

1 hour ago, Pooch said:

When my brother’s flights were cancelled due to weather in the northeast last month, (you all know the story), our MEI agent said she was unable to help with flights.  I have one more cruise booked with her then I will be looking for another agent.

From my experience, I think you will find this to be true with most Travel Agents, not just the MEI agents.  

Unless you are a business traveler where your company has a specific agency on contract, most agents don't handle enough airline traffic or have the specific tools to provide this service.  Even when traveling for work, I found a lot of the times I was far better off dealing direct with the airline and handling it myself, of course at some point Status always helped. The main times that I need the Agency was when I had to switch to another airline, these big business agencies have a way of getting either a refund from the airline or a credit that they can then use with any other passenger they are booking, mostly do to the scale of their operation.

The main exception is if you book your flight though Air to Sea (Royal's flight program) they can help and my also be able to provide alternate airline..

Wish you luck in finding an agent that can not only promise,but then deliver on your desires.  Just continue to enjoy your cruises

[Moby Dick]

I just got off the phone with my TA.  Of course it wasn't the lady that I'm most familiar with and have established a working relationship with.  She was busy and my call was diverted from her extension to another unknow person.  I wanted to change my cabin as another desirable cabin became available on RCCL's site, same category, no additional cost.  To be honest, it was one of the easiest thing I've done in a long time.  The guy said no problem, put me on hold for a few minutes, came back and "ALL DONE".  I asked him to email a copy of the TA's invoice and Royal's invoice to me.  Before we hung up, there they were in my inbox.  Tooooooooooo easy.

Being the skeptic I am, I emailed the lady that I have the familiarity with and an established working relationship with and asked her to look into the change and make sure all looks good.  Oh, I also had to ask her why all the documentation looked great but the luggage tags were the old ones.  But, everything else looked great.  Well, she emailed me back in just a few minutes and said that all was well, no problem.  She also said to check back on the luggage tags in about 48 hours and they should be the right ones.  I hope so.  

 

From: Carleen XXXXXXX
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2022 10:45 AM
To:  Jay XXXXXXXXXX
Subject: RE: Changed Suites

 

Just looked and the cabin was changed and the luggage tags will need to be printed out in the the next 48 hrs. All looks good on my end

 

Carleen XXXXXXXX

Senior Expert Agent

I work Monday-Friday from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm eastern time.My ext. is 76507.

[Sharla]

4 hours ago, Pooch said:

When my brother’s flights were cancelled due to weather in the northeast last month, (you all know the story), our MEI agent said she was unable to help with flights.  I have one more cruise booked with her then I will be looking for another agent.

If the flights weren't booked with Air2Sea this is true. 

[DunkelBierJay]

5 hours ago, 1st Mate said:

Apparently, MEI, has its own software that can spot price drops in the, at least, Royal website. 

 

Agree...I work with Brock at MEI and benefited from this on my sailing later this year when he contacted me about it. Saved about $200

[Pooch]

1 hour ago, Sharla said:

If the flights weren't booked with Air2Sea this is true. 

So MEI agents don’t book flights for their clients outside of Air2Sea?  You have no access to airline sites?

[Sharla]

18 hours ago, Pooch said:

So MEI agents don’t book flights for their clients outside of Air2Sea?  You have no access to airline sites?

Nope. Most agents don't- because we'd have to charge fees and we're not allowed to do that. Maybe @Beci would have a better answer as to why we can't book air outside the supplier, but mainly we can't have the liability.

[recogneyes]

18 minutes ago, Sharla said:

Nope. Most agents don't- because we'd have to charge fees and we're not allowed to do that. Maybe @Beci would have a better answer as to why we can't book air outside the supplier, but mainly we can't have the liability.

Even though it is stressful when flights are cancelled/changed by the airline, there are advantageous to not have to rely on a TA to deal with it.  We were set to fly home from FLL in January.  We did our online check in around 1AM and when we woke at 6AM we had an email saying our fights were cancelled and rebooked for 2days later.   I certainly would not expect a TA to be dealing with flight changes at 6AM.  By 8AM I had us all rebooked out of MIA and still got home that night.   Yes it's a headache and lots of wait times but if an agent isn't making any money on that part of our holiday I would not expect that service from them.  I also prefer to have the control to make decisions on any changes rather than going back and forth - in the end that just takes longer.

[Sharla]

22 minutes ago, recogneyes said:

agent isn't making any money on that part of our holiday

Right- we don't get commission on flights no matter how they are booked. That's why agents who deal with flights charge fees. 
That's not to say I wouldn't help if I could, but I also can't make decisions for you that you may need to deal with yourself. 
 

[Pooch]

My, apparently unreasonable, thought was she could help look for an option.  My brother & nephew spent hours on the phone, on line, at airport ticket counters trying to get an alternate flight that would get them to the cruise on time.  In a previous lifetime, our local TA booked, or could book, every facet of our trips.  I guess I just assumed this was still the case.

[Lovetocruise2002]

I know this is slightly off topic but I really want to chime in here.  My last experience getting to my cruise last month was beyond stressful as some of you know. @Pooch we were in the exact same situation as your brother, Delta cancelled our flights, I spent a considerable amount of time on the phone with them, they rescheduled us, then they cancelled that flight too.  When I got back on with them the second time, they flat out told me, "Sorry, we cannot get you to Miami on time."  This is the point in the story where having a good TA makes a world of a difference.  It is true, most TAs don't handle flights, nor do they get commission off of them.  However, sometimes they can point you in the right direction.  I would have missed my cruise and lost thousands if it were not for my TA and Hubby (who is the calmest person ever lol). I will be forever grateful.

In short, after 20 years of cruising, I learned two lessons last month.  Deal with a good TA (not one the lures you with OBC or low prices), and always book through Air2Sea in the future (at least on the way there).

[Pooch]

My TA is with MEI. I expected what you apparently received.  I would happily have tipped her for her assistance.  I got none.  It’s pretty much left a bad taste in my mouth.  So do I switch to a different MEI agent (is that possible?) or a totally different agency?  Just don’t know yet.

[Sharla]

17 minutes ago, Pooch said:

My TA is with MEI. I expected what you apparently received.  I would happily have tipped her for her assistance.  I got none.  It’s pretty much left a bad taste in my mouth.  So do I switch to a different MEI agent (is that possible?) or a totally different agency?  Just don’t know yet.

I'm not sure who your agent is but you can switch, you can email [email protected] and tell them you're not jiving with your agent and ask for a new one.

[Pooch]

Thank you Sharla.  Appreciate the help.