Booking with a travel agent

Is it better to book a vacation with a travel agent vs. booking it yourself online?

Re: Booking with a travel agent

depends on the type of travel.

If it's just an air, hotel or car then getting it on line is ok to do however I've learned a lot from working with my agents. Their are often times we can get waivers on things that a traveler can not. We have gotten payment dates extended, have purchased items to go into someone's cabin, and if their is any type of changes that are going on we know about it first. Often at times if something comes up we'll deal with it first before getting the traveler spooked. For example my coworker has been working on this huge group to bermuda and the fuel charges were increased by $42. Something that is completely not ours or the travelers fault. Final payment was approaching and the agent worked with the vendor on a compromise with the fuel increase. The travelers never knew about it. Could you imagine getting a call by your agent saying ok well your $900 trip that you have mostly paid off has just increased because of the price of fuel.

TA also get the inside scoop on certain things. I get daily emails from Disney and other TA only sites of deals going on that I can extend to my customers. Such inside things like Carnival and RCCL send me emails of when they are launching hot dates, lower rates on cabins, increased amenity points, etc...I get other emails from vendors for last minute travel deals.

I've seen the hard work and research the agents I work with do for their customers. I had a lady call and this was her first real vacation and wanted something special. My first thought was this lady has no clue of what things cost and I shouldnt put a lot of effort into looking at many things because she wont book. Bad thought I know. But the fact that I took the time to research, get brochures, put together all her different options and alternate travel dates she said I made her feel like she was the only customer I had. She booked this wonderful vacation and had a great time.

I am a big supporter of TA only because I have been on the TA side and I see what my agents do for their customers. TA will do all the research for you and if you ask for more they'll do it. If you have doubts they'll reassure you.

We had a customer want to go horseback ridding in Mongolia. No kidding. It took one of my agents 3 days but she found a vendor that specialized in that and got it booked. If you want to do it they'll find a way for it to be done.

TA I think are truely wonderful and really enjoy their professions.