blog post

#1.  That they receive the same commissions regular travel agencies do.  Internet sites are nothing but “do it yourself” booking engines.  Imagine if you came to my office and I said “Here, sit down at this computer and do all the work yourself — I’ll just wait over here and collect the commission when you’re done!”  When I make a booking for you I do the research and make sure I have found the best option that’s right for your needs and desires, and that I have found the lowest price.

#2.  That they don’t actually have any service.  You’d be lucky to find a phone number on their website, and if they have one there isn’t likely to be a person to answer your call, and if you do get hold of someone they are in a call center in India or Guatemala and can’t help you anyway!  You’re on your own if you have a question, an issue comes up, you need to make a change, and so on.  When I make a booking for you I am available for service after the sale, you can call me with questions, and I’ll take care of anything you need.

#3.  That the airlines shove off to them the WORST flights which they then try to sell to you as some kind of a great deal.  You can really get me going on this one — one of the most recent disaster-schedules I came across was a flight back from Cancun in the middle of the night with a 3-hour layover in Mexico City!  When I make a booking for you I look at EVERYTHING that is available.  You’d be amazed by how little more it can cost to get good flights that maximize your vacation time and minimize your time spent on a plane or sitting around an airport.

#4.  That their bookings command zero respect from suppliers.  If you’ve ever made a booking through one of these 3rd party internet sites such as Expedia then called the supplier (say a hotel or resort) directly with a question, then you’ve heard that sneering, contemptuous “Oh you made this booking on Expedia…”   The tone of that voice lets you know right away you aren’t exactly going to get the VIP treatment.  When I make a booking for you, Cruise Planners is welcomed as an American Express preferred agency and suppliers treat you like the star client they know you are!  You are much more likely to get that coveted upgrade, the nicer room location, better amenities, etc. 

#5.  That their price isn’t any cheaper than what a travel agent can get.   Maybe it’s because of Cruise Planners’ preferred-account status or high-volume purchasing power, but I can always match or beat the internet offers.  As consumers, we kind of get lured into the “buy direct and save” gimmick that store-front retailers use, but that kind of pricing structure does not exist on the internet.  Logic says, if what you’re buying costs the same with or without service, then take the free service of the travel agent.