Travel Agent

Reasons To Consider a Travel Agent

If you're used to booking travel independently, consider these reasons why you might want to make use of a travel agent to book your next holiday at
sea.

Choosing a Cruise: For your first cruise, you may need help in matching your lifestyle and budget with a cruise line and destination. Choosing a
cruise is not the same as picking a hotel or flight, as there are many more options to consider.

For example, do you want to cruise close to home from ports like New York, Miami, Galveston or Seattle, or are you willing to fly to Europe for
Mediterranean and Baltic sailings? Would you be happier on a large ship -- such as Royal Caribbean's 154,407-ton, 3,634-passenger Freedom of the
Seas -- or on a smaller, more intimate ship -- like Seabourn's's 10,000-ton, 208-passenger Seabourn Pride? Do you prefer a casual and lively vibe, as is
found on Carnival Cruise Lines, or a more formal atmosphere, such as Silversea's?

Remember, you won't just be using the ship as a home base, like you do with a hotel; it will be your home, restaurant and entertainment venue for a
week or more. The right ship and itinerary can make your vacation that much more enjoyable -- and an agent can help you determine the best
selection for your tastes. In addition, an agent can answer any questions or assuage any apprehensions you might have about taking a cruise for the
first time.

Shopping for Great Deals: Contrary to what you might expect, travel agents may actually be able to get you better deals than Internet retailers or
even the cruise lines themselves. The best travel agents have access to discounted group rates and exclusive cruise pricing that's not found anywhere
else. In addition, agents occasionally give you extra value on your booking -- such as prepaid gratuities, a free bottle of Champagne or onboard credit
-- to sweeten the deal. And if the price of your cruise drops after you book, a good agent will notice and refund you the difference in fare. Finally, as
cruise lines pay agent commissions, you don't have to worry about paying extra for their planning services.

Booking the Trip: Once you've chosen your cruise and, with the agent's help, matched your style with your vacation goals, you've got to book the
trip. Again, it's a bit more complex than you might think, but a good agent will make the process go smoothly -- from securing the right cabin type and
location to booking the dinner seating that will suit you and your party. Your agent will also be able to sort out travel insurance, if required, and will
collect payment for the cruise (usually a deposit at the time of booking and the full amount 60 to 90 days before departure). In addition, the agent can
help you with the rest of your travel plans, such as pre- or post-cruise stays, airfare and transfers.

Special Requirements: If you have special needs of any kind -- whether it's help in arranging a wedding ceremony onboard, ordering gluten-free or
kosher meals, or dealing with accessibility issues -- a qualified agent should be able to make the proper arrangements for you or advise you on how to
handle the issue yourself.

Establishing Relationships: Booking with a travel agent gives your transaction a personal touch -- you have a resource for asking questions and
someone to contact if something goes wrong during your travels. But, your relationship with an agent doesn't tend to end after one trip. The agent will
keep you in his or her database, alert you to deals or sales and can even suggest future trip ideas.

How To Select a Travel Agent: So how do you find the right travel agent for you? Look for the following:

Training and Credentials: Many agents become accredited cruise counselors through CLIA's Cruise Academy or take courses through the different
cruise lines to become more expert at selling their products. Inquire whether the agent has attended any of these training programs. In addition, you
can look for affiliations with the National Association of Cruise Oriented Agencies (NACOA), Better Business Bureau (BBB), American Society of Travel
Agents (ASTA) or even the American Automobile Association (AAA).

Cruising Experience and Knowledge: Question the agents on cruising trends or up-and-coming destinations, and ask them to explain the
differences between cruise lines. Find out how many cruises they've taken that year and with which lines they've personally cruised. The more
knowledgeable an agent is, the better advice you'll get. If the agent has rarely cruised, you might want to take your business elsewhere. In addition,
you might want to look for an agent who is a cruise specialist -- either at a cruise-dedicated agency or within a larger general agency -- to get the best
service.

Inventory/Niche: If you're interested in a specific type of cruising (such as river cruising or luxury travel), look for agencies that specialize in the
line or type of cruising you prefer. They'll often have more complete knowledge of your choices than a generalist. For example, if you want to cruise
one of Europe's rivers in an intimate barge or riverboat, you may not want to book with an agent who specializes in selling holidays on 3,000-person
mega-ships.

Interview: The best cruise agents will do a thorough job of interviewing potential clients to find out which ship, line and itinerary would be the best
fit. In that initial interview, they should ask you what kind of vacation you normally take (beach, city, active, for example), who is going (family,
couple, singles), your travel style (entertainment and activity preferences, dining habits) and your budget.

Cruise Line Connections: Find out if the travel agent has preferred status with any cruise lines or whether he or she belongs to travel consortiums
that would enable him or her to get you better deals, upgrades, etc. But watch out -- some agents will push a particular line too aggressively for your
tastes. You don't want to get caught in an agent's agenda if the cruise line isn't right for you.

Special Offers: Look for agents offering discounts, free perks and other incentives. If you don't see a sign or advertisement, always ask -- the agent
may have fabulous offers the cruise lines won't let him or her publicize. In addition, ask if the agent can meet or beat the best price you've seen
elsewhere.

Size: You can book a cruise through a huge travel retailer with branches around the country, a local cruise agency or even a home-based agent who
will talk cruising with you at your local coffee shop. You'll find pros and cons of working with the different types of agencies; for example, you will most
likely get more personal service from an independent agent.

How To Locate an Agent

Cruise Lines International Association: You can search for a CLIA-certified travel agent on the organization's Web site. Use the search tool to
locate agents in your area with a variety of levels of CLIA training.

SupplierReferences: Most Cruise Lines have a "Travel Agent Locator" on their site - you usually need to supply either your address or your zip code
to get a list of local travel agents.