Is It Best To Use a Travel Agent or Book Directly With The Cruise Line? (Money-Saving Hints and Tips For Booking, and Much More…)

In this article, we look at whether or not it is best to use a travel agent.

I’ve been on 87 cruises but still use a Travel Agent when I book my cruises. It doesn’t cost any extra compared to booking directly. They have a lot more knowledge than me and as it saves me any problems should something go wrong!

Knowing my travel agent will be there for me saves lots of unnecessary stress, and booking costs no more (and sometimes less) than booking directly with the cruise company.

** Note: Since writing this post, I have launched my own Travel Agency with agents in the UK and USA. After a decade of creating cruise content online, I know how important a good travel is and I’m SO happy to now be able to provide you with the experience I’ve always wanted for you. **

Should You Book Through a Travel Agent?

Always Use A Reputable Travel Agent! Make sure they are members of a reputable trade body (such as ABTA in the UK).

• No travel agent should charge you more than booking directly with the cruise line.
  • They earn their money from the sale of the cruise and get a commission from the Cruise line for doing that.
• You don’t have to pay to use a travel agent.
• At the very least, it should be the same price as booking directly.

Extra Perks You May Get Through Booking With A Travel Agent

• Free upgrades.
• Onboard Credit.
• Freebies – like a bottle of champagne in your room on arrival.

The Pros of Booking with a Travel Agent

• A travel agent has great buying power, so they may be able to get a better price as their company can sell multiple cabins on that cruise.
• They provide free advice and support to those wishing to book.
• They have early access to offers – cheap deposits, etc.
• Freebies and perks are often included.
• They may have a hold on certain cabin types – for example, you may not be able to book an inside cabin directly with the cruise line, they may say they are sold out. The agent may still have some of that grade of cabin available for them to sell to you.
• You can tell the agent if there is any particular grade or type of cabin you want to avoid – for example, cabins with interconnecting doors to the next cabin.
• They will notify you if there have been any changes to your itinerary or flights after booking.
• If you have any problems after booking, the agent will contact the cruise line on your behalf. This saves you from being on hold for hours – particularly useful for cruise lines where customer service is not a high priority!
• They will give you impartial advice about the cruise you are booking. Cruise lines will want to sell you their cruise – whether it is suitable for you or not!

The Cons of Booking with a Travel Agent

• You may not have as much control over your cruise booking. With the way that most cruise lines have their own portals/apps, this isn’t so much of a con anymore, I haven’t had any issues with not being able to do something with my booking at least since 2020. I don’t think I’d count this one as a con anymore, but I’m leaving it here because it might be for some people on some cruises, maybe.

Reasons to Consider Booking Directly

Sometimes I do book directly with the cruise line, but only if I have a very good reason to do so. Some of the reasons I have booked directly are below:

• Booking directly can be very quick and easy
• Booking onboard to get extra perks
  • I booked a Marella cruise on my last Marella cruise. They were offering extra onboard credit, only by booking direct. When I got home I was able to transfer the booking to my travel agent anyway. Win win!
• If you are using Tesco Clubcard points (UK Only)
  • If you shop in Tesco in the UK, you can sometimes use “Clubcard points” earnt to get money off your cruise. These clubcard points can usually only be used if you book directly with the cruise line, but if you do want to do this, a good travel agent will be able to tell you more about if it’ll be worth it.

Have a look at the last ocean cruise I took with Marella below, we got great value for money:

Have a look at the Christmas Markets cruise I took with TUI below.

The cruise wasn’t without its problems, but I had a lovely cabin as there was a TUI discount running for booking suites, which made it a similar price to a standard balcony cabin.

Other ways to save money on your booking or get money back

• Cruise Line Credit Cards
  • Many cruise lines have their own credit cards. When you spend money your earn points which can be exchanged for onboard credit. These last for around five years. Do make sure you pay off your credit card bill as soon as possible though, as the interest rates can be very high. I don’t personally use any of these.

Other Important Things to Check Once You Have Booked

• Check your paperwork to make sure that everything you are expecting is included
  • flights, transfers, etc.
• Make sure your personal details are correct.
  • This is particularly important if you have an unusual name like me! it will cause problems further down the line if there is a misspelling of any kind.

Since writing this post, I have launched my own travel agency with teams in the UK and USA!

Before You Go

People often say that cruising is more affordable than it has ever been. To find out if that is true, read this article next:

Was Cruising More Affordable in the 1990’s? Or Is It More Affordable Today?

When you book a cruise, you might expect the port to be within easy reach of the main attractions, but that isn’t always the case! Find out more here:

Don’t Be Fooled: These 16 Cruise Ports Are FAR From The City