Booking direct vs. using travel agent

[AndrewL]

I imagine this is probably a pretty common question but I couldn't find an answer on here.

We're pretty inexperienced cruisers and looking to book another one for August 2024. We know exactly which date, cruise and cabin, just trying to figure out whether we should book direct (P&O) or through an agent.

From what I can see the main difference is the agent path enables us to select a certain cabin at time of booking compared to booking direct where a cabin isn't assigned until weeks or even days before departure. Are there any other considerations to keep in mind? Pricing seems the same from what I've seen so far. At this stage I'm leaning towards booking through Qantas Cruises for the quality to lock in a cabin and a few Qantas points as a sweetener.

Thanks in advance.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Most cruise companies give you the option to either have them assign the cabin, or you can choose, at the time of booking. Often the ability for you to choose is an option once you have selected you cabin category and fare, and there’s a small supplement to lock a specific room.

If that’s not the case with P&O, and the cost and everything else is the same, sure… get the extra points! Make sure the TA is also offering the same cancellation conditions and fees, and any extras like onboard food credits, etc.

 

[odysseus]

As above, you should be able to lock in the cabin with P&O as well. There's probably a link somewhere in the booking process that enables you to do that, but worst case you can call P&O and they can book it i.e there's no special rate that a travel agent will have that the cruise line won't that enables them to book a specific cabin that the cruiseline can't.

The main benefits of TAs here:
- some you may personally know so be comfortable with, and may give suggestions other times (doesn't sound like it applies in this case)
- they may have promotional incentives that you may prefer e.g. low deposits (But still the same fare in the end), sometimes extra OBC, rarely special availability of cabin grades or sailings
- some have certain perks/benefits of booking through them e.g. sometimes very small fare discounts, or FF points (as in this case)
- sometimes high volume agents have good relationships, plus their own channels, that may get a special request or matter resolved easier

Main downsides to agents here:
- Extra middleman to deal with, meaning the TA may have reduced hours to cruiseline, or getting exceptional issues resolved takes longer, as cruise line has to process THEN TA processes added on top e.g. I had a cruise some years back that the cruise line cancelled. They issued refunds immediately, so if I'd booked directly I'd have gotten straight away, but the TA had its own process that it had to wait for the refund for the cruise line, do its monthly+ accounting, then issue its own cheque refund, so took 7 weeks to get it.
- your contract is with the TA, not the cruiseline. TAs have their own fees on top of cruiseline costs, so e.g cancellations/changes that may be free by the cruise line will almost always have a cost with a TA. Some TA costs (usually cancellation) are quite substantial.
- per above point any queries/changes you need to make need to be done by the TA, even if simple or some special reason. The cruiseline can't do it. Sometimes something happens at a time you could do something with the cruiseline but the TA is closed.
- bookings/changes often take longer due to the extra handling
- sometimes when something weird happens, there's finger pointing and it's harder to get resolved as the TA points to the cruiseline, but you can't speak to the cruiseline about the booking, so it complicates resolution.

Pros and cons. Choose which you value more, or which risks are more likely for that booking.