blog post

Why work with a cruise travel agent/specialist? (preferably me- your friendly Cruise Planners travel agent).

-Agents will go to work for you both before, during and after the booking process

-Agents have years of experience in the industry most of it as cruise line consumers. They know what to look for in a cruise vacation

-Agents work on straight commission so we are vested in your investment to book a vacation with us.

-Agents think outside the box and do not adhere to the "party line" of the cruise lines. To agents "rules" are guidelines and we work for you-the customer not the cruise line

-Pricing is the same if not better with Cruise Planners agents. Deals found online are often misleading and do not tell the whole story.  All the major players in the cruise industry get the same basic pricing for the cruise lines

-Why give commission to someone you do not even know- ie- the cruise line or some discount web site

-Online booking feels rewarding and empowering but there are no online "resolutions" when problems arise or changes are needed. Eventually you will have to call the cruise line and take your chances on who you get as sales agent......"Roll the dice"

-Groups are the best way to travel for cruising and only agents can setup groups properly with the cruiseline. There is too much information that consumers do not know about group bookings that will be a detriment in the booking process

A good lesson:

-Cruise Planners agents leverage the company's top rated status with all the major cruise lines. Basically the cruise lines kiss our ass and they don't even know us. It's awesome! I have access to top level managers within all the major cruise lines to assist my customers if problems arise.  My friend's parents are American Express Platinum card holders for years and the Platinum Service desk gave the couple poor advice and service when a health condition arose with the father.  The couple ended up needing to book two separate cruises and worked for months to get credits on the first booked cruise.  Why no service? The person at the desk was just doing her job and was not vested or commited to resolve the problem.  Plus, desk sales people are trained to follow the "party line" when it comes to cancellations and other unforseen problems.

More to come..................