jean rueschman
New Member
If you have a May '21 Viking cruise which you are pretty certain will be canceled, is it better to use a travel agent for booking a new cruise or just use Viking.
Travel agent vs. company agents
- Thread starter jean rueschman
- Start date
I having no personal experience with Viking and I assume you are in the same boat. I would find a TA that has first hand knowledge of that specific line and is up to date on the Covid conditions and ramifications of such a cancelation. If you can not locate a TA you are comfortable with. Use the company and just ask for all written materials on the subject of cancellations be send to you via email. If Viking is as I have heard all of that stuff would be online on their River site I'm sure.
How did you book the May cruise? See how they handle the cancellation and if you are happy with it don't re-invent the wheel.
One recommendation I would make is no matter which way you go and you are sure that your next cruise will be Viking, if a they are offering rolling your booking into a future cruise credit make sure and find out what perks they are offering, your money will be safe with Viking.
When our first of of the year cruise was cancelled when all the Covid stuff hit we got a 75% of our fare spiff for leaving out money with Princess, when our second was cancelled we picked up another couple hundred for rolling over, when the coming up third one was cancelled we picked up another 15% or so, somewhere around $700 each in all.
BTW we use a Princess Cruise Planner and have for several years since our friend and travel agent passed away. This guy treats his clients like a Travel Agent would and but I get pick of the litter if he thinks there is something I would be interested in. If the company is reputable and has a good history of putting their customers first nothing wrong with an inside job, when something happens at Princess that affects me, I get a phone call and my CP doesn't have to check with somebody and call me back.
I think Viking is pretty reputable .......
I prefer a dependable full time agent who has a history in the business and also specializes in the brand (Viking). Many companies have recently had to lay off inside vacation planners/agents. So this is another reason to build a business relationship with a professional travel agent.
Ginabauta
New Member
Our planet has so many beautiful places that are worth visiting and I think that each person deserves to travel and know as many places as possible. I personally have a unique attraction to emirates. That's why I took Burj khalifa tickets this week for my wife and me and I can't wait to go there again in the summer. We have been there twice and each time we were amazed by it. Burj Khalifa is such a big and beautiful building that it is well worth visiting many times. Have you ever been there?
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DrKoob
Photograher
NO THEY WILL NOT! No reputable TA ever charges you for booking a cruise. TAs get commission from the cruise line that is not paid if you book directly with Viking. Having a good, local TA is the best way to book a cruise. It is true that some charge for booking air (not cruise air) because the airlines no longer pay commission. But booking air is so easy you should be doing yourself anyway.
DrKoob
Photograher
Find yourself a local travel agent who knows cruising and work with them. Do a little interviewing before you choose that agent. If you live in a town too small to have a brick and mortar travel agency, try your county seat. Take a day trip and meet a your new TA. Make sure it is someone you can trust. Ask for referrals. And guess what, it doesn't cost a penny to use a TA. Not a cent. They will fight for you if you have any problems with the cruise line.
Marilami
New Member
There are many companies on the internet where you can find a good travel agent. Still, it can be sometimes risky, and if talking about me, I'd better do everything by myself to assure myself that everything will be ok. It is not that hard to plan a trip by yourself. For example, if you want to buy a train ticket, you can easily do it online . Find more on the internet.
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boldorin
New Member
The most important argument for booking in a travel agency is the human factor. Agree, it's nice when all the work on a booking will be taken over by a professional, and at this time, you are drinking delicious coffee and leafing through catalogs. The travel agent accompanies the tourist until the return from the trip. He will print out the documents, inform you about all the nuances that the tourist may not know about, remind you before departure, track the change in departure time. And if something happens on vacation: overbooking or an insurance event, will accompany you, petition the tour operator, always be in touch, and always on the side of the tourist. However, the most important thing is to find a hotel . Although, of course, this will also be handled by an agent.
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VoltaTarchok
New Member
The travel agency is a good option for traveling, but it’s not if you want to save some money
VoltaTarchok
New Member
I once tried to travel around Europe on my own and I can say with confidence that there are so many new travel apps and services available now that in some cases an agency is not such a necessity. I use a booking service to buy train tickets and it was easy to use. Today we also have many apps showing where the nearest hotels are, food prices, etc. I like to travel on my own now, and I can recommend that you spend a little effort finding a ticket and hotel rather than paying a lot of money to agencies.
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Money is always an issue of course. But Everyone starts with the same basic price. You get what you pay for but some sites and agents offer lower prices due to volume . I recommend a knowledgeable travel agent every time.
I'm an agent with a large travel company, and as some here have mentioned, you really shouldn't be paying a travel agent more than you'd pay the cruise line for the same reservation. Depending on how you book (via a certain brand through a hotel membership using points, Credit Card company, Insurance carrier like USAA, or the like.. or by yourself) can also make a difference and some brands have stipulations/limitations on discounts they can offer. We always get clients a cheaper rate than what they'd pay the CL, so I'd recommend shopping around for a TA who gets discounts as per volume... as mentioned above.