Travel agent?

[tfiga1]

We booked the 8-24 Eastern Fantasy while on our cruise. We received the reduced deposit, shipboard credit etc. It appears we will need to purchase our insurance and flights separately as the Disney price is crazy high. Does it make more sense to transfer our booking to a travel agent? Can a travel agent accept the transfer and get us cruise insurance, flights, etc? If so, what are the drawbacks to using an agent? We have gone to Disney 9 times and just went on our 1st cruise last week and have never used a travel agent. Can someone please give me the advantages/drawbacks of using an agent? If an agent is the correct choice, do anyone have a specific agent they had a good experience with?

TIA.

 

[bumbershoot]

I personally would just do it on my own. Check out places like insuremytrip.com for the insurance products you want, and find flights on your own. I wouldn't use a TA for a domestic flight at all, anymore, personally. And probably not for an international flight; DH let his company's well known TA book his flights to Australia once, and the TA didn't realize how Sydney airport was set up, which caused him to miss his connecting flight on to Canberra. The TA might have access to flight info but it doesn't mean they've ever flown there.

Anyway, we *had to* use insurance from elsewhere, since Disney can't sell travel insurance to WA residents (their insurance doesn't cover pre existing conditions, and in WA insurance companies *have to* or they can't sell there), and I found the people at insuremytrip to be really easy to talk to.

 

[Four Bears]

I also would book my own airfare and insurance (insuremytrip.com) because only you know what works best for you family (flying in day before vs day of, time of day, direct vs. lowest price, etc.)

The advantage of a TA is additional on board credits (over an above what you got from booking on board). If you are looking for price comparisons there are websites where you can get multiple quotes from different TAs. Just remember that Disney does not allow discounting off fares and some agents will list taxes and port fees and others do not.

Also, if at all possible, make sure you list your TA when you re-book on board because they get a different compensation rate (or so my TA says). We were able go get more OBC when she is listed vs when we list her after-the-fact.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I also would book my own airfare and insurance (insuremytrip.com) because only you know what works best for you family (flying in day before vs day of, time of day, direct vs. lowest price, etc.)

The advantage of a TA is additional on board credits (over an above what you got from booking on board). If you are looking for price comparisons there are websites where you can get multiple quotes from different TAs. Just remember that Disney does not allow discounting off fares and some agents will list taxes and port fees and others do not.

Also, if at all possible, make sure you list your TA when you re-book on board because they get a different compensation rate (or so my TA says). We were able go get more OBC when she is listed vs when we list her after-the-fact.

This is true. DCL pays a smaller commission when it's a transfer vs. TA booking from the start. Onboard booking when you name your TA at the time isn't considered a transfer. The OBC is half from my TA if we transfer.
I like having a TA handle it. Not that I can't, but when I book a dummy date onboard and I know DCL will soon be releasing cruise dates that I want, I can email her in advance and when I get home, the email is waiting for me and it's all taken care of. I don't have time at work to sit on hold with DCL.

For 7-nt cruises, our TA offers $200 OBC in addition to what DCL offers. So for our Med cruise, our teens will have their own cabin across the hall from ours so it will be $800 OBC combined.
Not nearly as good as when we sailed Alaska & DCL would offer $350 for platinum members + $200 from TA. $550 per cabin, $1100 total!
We love OBCs!!