Travel Agent vs NO Travel Agent

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jbland

Earning My Ears

Joined

Aug 19, 2013

• Oct 6, 2015

• #1

Hello,
My family and I have decided to go on our first Disney Cruise. We live on the West Coast and were thinking of going out of Galveston TX to be able to visit family that lives near by after the cruise.

I did not use a travel agent for DL, because we go so often and I found enough info for our first trip on DIS boards. Is it easier to use a travel agent? Especially since now I can make a Disney account and chip away at the payments for a year!

Thank you for the info,
Jenn

 

bumbershoot

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 5, 2007

• Oct 6, 2015

• #2

I use a TA if I get something out of it. Since there's no really good deals to be had from a TA (unless they block out rooms, which then changes my ease in changing things), that means onboard credit or other financial benefits.

So check out Dreams Unlimited to see what they give. I personally like costcotravel.com for the Costco cash card you get after your cruise.

I don't know how the DVA works with TAs.

 

ludari

DIS Veteran

Joined

Dec 4, 2010

• Oct 6, 2015

• #3

I live on the West Coast as well and for all my eight Disney Cruises I've used a TA. I find it very convenient to let the TA do all the research for me and provide me with options based on my cruise parameters (budget, dates, destination, etc). I also get a little shipboard credit and on two occasions I have been on the same cruise with the owners of the TA and it was great to meet them in person and chat. I would highly recommend using a TA.

 

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yogamom

Earning My Ears

Joined

Jul 29, 2009

• Oct 6, 2015

• #4

I use Kelsie from Dreams Unlimited Travel for every cruise. We get great on board credits and she keeps all of my information and booking/rebooking is a breeze. In fact, today she sent me the new cruise itineraries so that I can take advantage of opening day pricing (we are Gold Castaway members). I highly recommend DU!

 

Bree

Runs on Coffee

Joined

Jan 5, 2009

• Oct 6, 2015

• #5

I also use Dreams Unlimited for the sole purpose of Onboard Credit. I have a Costco membership, but I don't think I've spent $200 there this year. It's hit or miss as to whether or not they will let you turn in the cash card for actual cash. Some managers will and some won't. I don't want to be stuck with a cash card worth hundreds of dollars that I'll probably not use.

 

MunFam

DIS Veteran

Joined

Dec 10, 2014

• Oct 6, 2015

• #6

Bree said:

I also use Dreams Unlimited for the sole purpose of Onboard Credit. I have a Costco membership, but I don't think I've spent $200 there this year. It's hit or miss as to whether or not they will let you turn in the cash card for actual cash. Some managers will and some won't. I don't want to be stuck with a cash card worth hundreds of dollars that I'll probably not use.

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$200 this year!? That is impressive. I spend that at least once a week there. Its so bad.

 

Corwin

DIS Veteran

Joined

Apr 28, 2009

• Oct 6, 2015

• #7

I've used a travel agent just once (because they had a special rate for a 3-night stay at the Polynesian). I absolutely hated it. I'm just too much of a control freak to turn everything over to someone else. I've planned 8 trips to WDW and 5 DCL cruises (including a Mediterranean cruise out of Barcelona, followed by 3 nights in Paris), and have never felt I needed a travel agent. You can find just about anything online, and planning is part of the fun, as far as I'm concerned!

 

Bree

Runs on Coffee

Joined

Jan 5, 2009

• Oct 6, 2015

• #8

MunFam said:

$200 this year!? That is impressive. I spend that at least once a week there. Its so bad.

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My Costco is awful. It is tiny and always crowded. I mostly go in there for the huge bags of Starbucks coffee beans. I get better deals at Whole Foods and SuperTarget.

 

OKW Lover

Retired and living 2 miles from The Castle.

DIS Lifetime Sponsor

Joined

Apr 29, 2004

• Oct 6, 2015

• #9

As some above have noted, there can be a real advantage to using a TA to book your DCL cruise. You'll pay the same anyway, but some TA's (like Dreams Unlimited, the sponsor of the DIS Boards) will give you an on board credit which effectively reduces the total cost.

 

nancyjo1998

DIS Veteran

Joined

May 2, 2008

• Oct 6, 2015

• #10

We are using DU for the first time (our second cruise) for the on board credit. We already researched which cruise, category, and stateroom we wanted. Put all that in our request and let the TA do int booking.

 

C

CM Dad

DIS Veteran

Joined

Feb 8, 2003

• Oct 6, 2015

• #11

jbland said:

Hello,
My family and I have decided to go on our first Disney Cruise. We live on the West Coast and were thinking of going out of Galveston TX to be able to visit family that lives near by after the cruise.

I did not use a travel agent for DL, because we go so often and I found enough info for our first trip on DIS boards. Is it easier to use a travel agent? Especially since now I can make a Disney account and chip away at the payments for a year!

Thank you for the info,
Jenn

Click to expand...

If you use the Disney Vacation account, you need to make the payments directly to Disney, rather than through your TA. The FAQs on the DVA site will have the phone number to use.

 

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RachelST

Earning My Ears

Joined

Sep 27, 2015

• Oct 6, 2015

• #12

This is my 1st time trying a TA. I'm disappointed. I don't know if people have luck with Expedia but they offer the same onboard credit. The only time I was available to pay during the TA's hours, the TA was unavailable. TA also didn't hold my reservation when I asked and the price went up about $60 for the cruise and I'm afraid she didn't hold the hotel reservation either and that will cause me to lose another $70. So, I thought it would be an easy process where I could count on someone who knew the industry and wants to give good customer service but I just ended up losing $130 waiting to keep trying to pay at their convenience, not mine....sigh

 

bumbershoot

DIS Veteran

Joined

Mar 5, 2007

• Oct 6, 2015

• #13

Another reason I like costcotravel. I'm not asking them to make a booking; I'm making a booking through their website. Same with paying. I do it through their site and it's paid.


Rachel what hotel are you having her reserve? Can you just do it yourself?

 

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RachelST

Earning My Ears

Joined

Sep 27, 2015

• Oct 6, 2015

• #14

I should've done it myself but seeing if she did hold the original reservation...standard room at the Caribbean with 20% off which is now unavailable. Learning my lesson with trying to use a TA...
Anyone recommend Expedia for booking cruises? or any TA's that you can pay at any time and don't need them available at the time you wish to do so? I've seen some hotels have issues with Expedia and it seems customers have a problem with hotels overbooking as well.
It's been pretty frustrating so far...I've only booked Disney vacations directly through Disney before but have seen the TA I'm trying recommended by a few people. This one just doesn't work for my convenience and has just wasted my time and $ so far.