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Travel Agent or No Travel Agent?

brenda2011Wed139476brenda2011Wed139476
10 Comments
in Honeymoon Discussions
Okay, I have heard a lot about using an agent to book honeymoon travel plans.  FI and I are stuck on what to do.  We LOVE planning things like this, but feel it may be too much to take on since we have never booked a trip like this before.  I like organization, being in control of things, but I don't want to mess up the most important vacation of our lives!  Is a travel agent a good idea?  You hear horror stories and good things.  Is it cheaper to use one?  Will they get you the best deal?
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Re: Travel Agent or No Travel Agent?

  • MrsMeganL2012MrsMeganL2012
    100 Comments
    I think it depends on where you're going.  If it's a just flight/hotel, I think you can do that on your own.  If you're looking at multi city/islands, tours, etc, it might be easier to have a travel agent handle it for you.
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  • brenda2011Wed139476brenda2011Wed139476
    10 Comments
    We really have no agenda as of this point.  Our activites are going to vary.  We will be honeymooning for about three or four days, then visiting his parents for the remainder, since that is where he is from. 
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  • Beads921Beads921 member
    1000 Comments Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I always use a travel agent. Ours is free through CAA (the Canadian version of AAA) so there is absolutely no reason not to! We still do our own research, but we also ask her for suggestions and it gives us peace of mind that if something goes wrong we have someone we can call. 
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  • NshiversNshivers
    100 Comments
    I think it depends.  We booked our HM through the company that's providing the tour of Europe, BUT there as a travel agency we went to to find that company.  To book through the agency would've cost more.
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  • K&P414K&P414 member
    Tenth Anniversary 10 Comments
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_travel-agent-or-no-travel-agent-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:11Discussion:022fa47a-5a13-451d-a804-f4908fa2ee29Post:75002b36-cb3c-48f3-8b67-6c82e5349685">Travel Agent or No Travel Agent?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Okay, I have heard a lot about using an agent to book honeymoon travel plans.  FI and I are stuck on what to do.  We LOVE planning things like this, but feel it may be too much to take on since we have never booked a trip like this before.  I like organization, being in control of things, but I don't want to mess up the most important vacation of our lives!  Is a travel agent a good idea?  You hear horror stories and good things.  Is it cheaper to use one?  Will they get you the best deal?
    Posted by brenda2011Wed139476[/QUOTE]

    <div>I haven't posted on this board in a while but still lurk.  I actually just recently started working with a travel agency and regret now that I didn't understand before how beneficial they actually are.  We've planned several trips ourselves (Sandals Whitehouse, several Disney trips, a Carnival Cruise, 2 Disney Cruises, etc.) and I never bothered with using a travel agency because I figured that cutting out the middle man would save us money that could go towards our trip.  </div><div>What I've actually learned is that travel agencys usually have the same published rate as the resorts (like Sandals), you get the same perks that are advertised on the websites (like resort credit or room upgrade) and plus travel agents have access to tons of unpublished deals.  Sometimes the agency may have to charge a nominal fee but for the most part, at least in my experience, the commissions are on the back end and not charged to the client.  </div><div>And the truth is, when you book direct with the bigger resorts you are dealing with their inhouse sales department.  Meaning they are working on behalf of the resort, not the client.  That's a pretty big difference in position than if you deal with an agency that has your interest in mind.  I've also found that (at least our agency) has less expensive insurance packages that have better coverage than most of the ones offered from cruiselines or resorts.  </div><div>As a wife and mom that always booked and planned our own trips I wish that I would have passed some of the stress of that responsibility on to someone else. Like for example, the first Disney Cruise we took our girls on....we showed up at the port on the wrong day!  Not even kidding, I thought the boat left on a Thursday but it really left on Friday.  Thank goodness we were a day early and not a day late!!  My husband was thrilled that we had to book an unxpected hotel room for one night and my children cried their eyeballs out that we weren't getting on the Mikey Boat that day.  It sucked. My point is I'm pretty sure if we'd have used an agent they would have mentioned to me at some point in the planning the day the boat left!!  And if they hadn't, I could have a least passed the blame on them, haha.</div><div>Anyway, sorry this has turned into the longest post in the world but the last thing I wanted to point out is that I also like to support small business owners and this is a great way to do it.  It really doesn't cost you anymore and in some cases it could save you a lot.  </div><div>So my vote is to go with an agent :)  </div><div>
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  • alithebridealithebride member
    Ninth Anniversary 2500 Comments 25 Love Its Name Dropper
    you can still plan everything-ask them for help if you need, and have them book it.

    just because you use a TA doens' tmean they HAVE to plan it for you.

     

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  • brenda2011Wed139476brenda2011Wed139476
    10 Comments
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_travel-agent-or-no-travel-agent-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:11Discussion:022fa47a-5a13-451d-a804-f4908fa2ee29Post:a6e271e9-2128-49f4-a40a-b7115f0c487f">Re: Travel Agent or No Travel Agent?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Travel Agent or No Travel Agent? : I haven't posted on this board in a while but still lurk.  I actually just recently started working with a travel agency and regret now that I didn't understand before how beneficial they actually are.  We've planned several trips ourselves (Sandals Whitehouse, several Disney trips, a Carnival Cruise, 2 Disney Cruises, etc.) and I never bothered with using a travel agency because I figured that cutting out the middle man would save us money that could go towards our trip.   What I've actually learned is that travel agencys usually have the same published rate as the resorts (like Sandals), you get the same perks that are advertised on the websites (like resort credit or room upgrade) and plus travel agents have access to tons of unpublished deals.  Sometimes the agency may have to charge a nominal fee but for the most part, at least in my experience, the commissions are on the back end and not charged to the client.   And the truth is, when you book direct with the bigger resorts you are dealing with their inhouse sales department.  Meaning they are working on behalf of the resort, not the client.  That's a pretty big difference in position than if you deal with an agency that has your interest in mind.  I've also found that (at least our agency) has less expensive insurance packages that have better coverage than most of the ones offered from cruiselines or resorts.   As a wife and mom that always booked and planned our own trips I wish that I would have passed some of the stress of that responsibility on to someone else. Like for example, the first Disney Cruise we took our girls on....we showed up at the port on the wrong day!  Not even kidding, I thought the boat left on a Thursday but it really left on Friday.  Thank goodness we were a day early and not a day late!!  My husband was thrilled that we had to book an unxpected hotel room for one night and my children cried their eyeballs out that we weren't getting on the Mikey Boat that day.  It sucked. My point is I'm pretty sure if we'd have used an agent they would have mentioned to me at some point in the planning the day the boat left!!  And if they hadn't, I could have a least passed the blame on them, haha. Anyway, sorry this has turned into the longest post in the world but the last thing I wanted to point out is that I also like to support small business owners and this is a great way to do it.  It really doesn't cost you anymore and in some cases it could save you a lot.   So my vote is to go with an agent :)  
    Posted by K&P414[/QUOTE]

    Thank you, a lot of insight!
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  • K&P414K&P414 member
    Tenth Anniversary 10 Comments
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_travel-agent-or-no-travel-agent-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:11Discussion:022fa47a-5a13-451d-a804-f4908fa2ee29Post:382b99fb-e471-4300-8a8b-a3b9a57b2701">Re: Travel Agent or No Travel Agent?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Travel Agent or No Travel Agent? : Thank you, a lot of insight!
    Posted by brenda2011Wed139476[/QUOTE]

    <div>Thanks!  I was hesitant to post because I wouldn't want to violate any board rules but I just wanted to share the things I've recently learned!</div>
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  • skpurnellskpurnell
    100 Comments
    We booked through a travel agent and saved no money, and it actually ended up being more of a headache I think than if we had done it ourselves.  
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