JimGA
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2012
With any Disney vacation, if you're a Disney fan and know or are interested in doing your own research and planing then I would book directly through Disney. I have always found Disney CMs are more than willing to give you info. on any special deals or offers if you ask and always have the patience to price your trip using different scenarios. If you enjoy the planning I think this is the best way to stay on top of your trip.
I am going on my first Disney Cruise in a few weeks (Have been to Disney World many, many times and have also been on many non-Disney cruises). This cruise was a suggestion of an inlaw who is using her friend travel agent and I am not happy at all as this travel agent doesn't seem to know squat and I know I could have planned everything much better on my own through Disney. But I'm keeping my mouth shut as to not "cause any waves". In fact I called DCL directly to confirm my reservation number and some information as it was less than a month from my trip and I had heard nothing from the travel agent. The DCL agent was very helpful, but could only do so much as my trip was planned thru a travel agent and they had to take care of certain things.
This travel agent is so daft that when we finally got our cruise books I read thru it and went online to do all the pre-registration and check out the shore excursions and register my son etc. as suggested. When my husband spoke to his sister asking if she looked at the book yet and if she had any opinions on the shore excursions she said her friend the travel agent told her she didn't have to do anything all she needed was the book. My husband said technically you don't have to do anything, but if you want to preresgister for things and have everything together for when you check in and board you should read the book.
I want to prepay my tips, but it says if you book with a travel agent you have to prepay through them and I don't trust her at all so I'll wait until we get on the ship.
So my opinion is do it yourself if you want the control or make sure you find a very good and reputable travel agent to help.
Intersting, I booked my cruise through a travel agency and have wonderful results so far, 5 months away from my cuise so I have not had the opportunity to book excursions yet. Before I booked through them they gave me a 5 day hold on a room to what I specified I wanted, so I got to research the location before I committed.
After I committed, I asked for my DCL reservation number and confirmation so I could log onto to the Disney Cruise Line web site under my reservation, I got that number. So I make my payments through them, but I got my DCL cruise line reservation number as well. I have had no issues, plus $150 on SBC waiting on me.