Help Finding A Cruise Agent

[brego]

I am in the process of trying to book a cruise to Alaska for our extended family. I have recently not been satisfied with the cruise agency I used in the past (errors in bookings). I have read the thread concerning online booking agencies. However, I would prefer to talk to an agent and not book on line. Any recommendations for a particular agent who works hard to find good rates and is meticulous in their booking details?

 

[Dave M]

Consider one of our own TUGgers, Sandy Lovell. That's her real name and her TUG BBS user name. You can contact her by finding her in the Users List. Click on the link on the blue bar above and then use the "Search Users" feature. Then click on her user name to access opportunities to send her a private message and/or an e-mail message.

Sandy was the travel agent for each of the TUGgers' cruises over the past two years, including our cruise to Alaska last month that included almost 90 people. She worked tirelessly to compare alternatives on various cruise lines, obtain the best group rates, negotiate add-on benefits and hound the cruise line for specific arrangements that we wanted (e.g., our free group cocktail party on the first evening of the cruise).

There was a good reason why we selected Sandy to handle our second TUGgers' cruise this summer. She did a great job the first time.

 

[EZ-ED]

Plus she is an extra nice person.

 

[brego]

Great suggestion! I will definately get in touch with her.

Thank You.

 

[daventrina]

Or if you know what you want, how to ask for what you need, and what the options are you could book direct with the line. The Agents always seem to get something wrong, or miss something, or don't have an answer (and in all fairness sometimes the agent from the line doesn't get it right either but that is rare) and have to get in touch with the cruise line. We've found that in many cases it is easier to book direct and eliminate the middle man.

We booked Princess direct and while it was $25/pp more, we got a $100/pp on-board credit that AAA didn't offer and an additional 2 cat upgrade.

If you don't book direct, any changes additions, corrections, notes, etc. usually have to be made by the booking agent.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Thanks TUGgers for the kind words and the referral

Hi

I am Sandy Lovell. I am the agent that the TUG group has used to book their group cruise with the last two year.

Call me if you like and I can see if I can help you out.

My direct number is 214-505-9654.

Sandy

P.S. I just booked 89 people for our last cruise, and I don't recall a single booking error in the bunch. However take their word, not mine.

 

[EZ-ED]

The only error I recall was hearing about someone forgetting to wear shorts on their balcony, but then maybe that was not an error.

LOL

 

[pvangordon]

Go with Sandy first, but if you need another suggestion, send me a message. I've worked with a great cruise agent based in FLL since 2004. She's handled 4 cruises so far and I've got two more booked with her. I can't recommend her enough!

 

[daventrina]

P.S. I just booked 89 people for our last cruise, and I don't recall a single booking error in the bunch. However take their word, not mine.

Sandy,
Didn't mean to imply that you had errors on that cruise or any other for that mater. Just our experience over the last 30 years and a big reason that we became travel agents.

We can book it if you like...

Just wanted to let people know that they have the option to book direct if they want, know what they want, and how to ask for it.:ignore:

The cruise that came to mind was our last year to Alaska that we booked through for trip for 11 AAA.

We book an air deviation (we always book an air deviation and almost always for our clients) with 2 different itineraries. The agent books air for the 2 passengers that are driving.
We get our itinerary and the air is out of OAK not SFO like it should be. HAL can't fix it for us direct so we call AAA back and they fix that.
Second, then the flights were booked wrong and took a week to fix, and then he didn't get any our seats reserved. We were able to fix our return flights but had to travel out with no seat reservations.

HAL shipped our docs 20 day prior and we get them 6 days before departure.
The hotel was to be booked at the Pan Pacific. When the docs show up we're booked at the Fairmont Waterfront across the street. So the agent says that HAL can put us in any downtown hotel and we have to explain that we book the air deviation with the Pan Pacific specifically. We call HAL and the agent never asked for that hotel. AAA calls back and says that HAL will issue new docs and they would arrive shortly.
The morning before we leave we finally get a call from AAA saying that the new docs are finally in and he’ll mail them out right away. Hello!!! We’re leaving for the SFO hotel tonight. So we drove over and picked them up and finally all was well (except that we still had no seats for our morning flight so we had to get to the airport earlier than planned. BTW: Air Canada was great – fixed us right up when we got there.

 

[Sandy VDH]

The only error I recall was hearing about someone forgetting to wear shorts on their balcony, but then maybe that was not an error.

LOL

OK that was not MY error, but my husband's.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Sandy,
Didn't mean to imply that you had errors on that cruise or any other for that mater. Just our experience over the last 30 years and a big reason that we became travel agents.

I know exactly what you mean and it is the little details that will get you.

I find that more often that not, AAA and other franchise chain travel agents have many (I am not saying all, but rather many) agents who are basically order takers. They have not been on trips and have not travelled themselves.

I always tell people if you have a good agent that you like and who does pay attention to details, keep them. They are worth every penny of commission they receive.

 

[daventrina]

I always tell people if you have a good agent that you like and who does pay attention to details, keep them. They are worth every penny of commission they receive.

And hard to find...

 

[Jimster]

cruising

Conde Naste Traveler last month had a pull out article on "crusing 101-everything you will ever need to know" It made some very good points. It also had a list of 100 cruise agents (not that you shouldn't contact Sandy but you did ask for names). Depending on where you are traveling some are obviously better than others according to the article.