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ADVICE ON WORKING WITH TRAVEL AGENTS

As a consumer of goods & services one always wonders if they are getting the best deals, the best advice, the best service possible.  The best way to get expert advice and great deals is to check with a bona fide specialist with years of experience and certifications proving their expertise.

This is the case across the board regardless of the profession; doctors, lawyers, interior design, etc. and is most certainly the case with travel agents.

~ It’s a great big world out there, be a bit skeptical of any agent who claims they know the entire world intimately.  Specialization is the key, find a certified specialist with years of experience and corresponding affiliations with travel industry associations ~

When you call a cruise line or tour operator you typically reach an entry level call center agent who has a very limited script to follow speaking of their products & services only, with management instructions on what to “push”.  They typically can only provide very limited options if you want them to also assist with air, extra time added to a package, sightseeing or any other options.  The price is firm with any and all promotions built right in.

Compare this to the assistance of a travel agent specializing in the cruise type or destination you have chosen…

~ Consulting with a travel specialist provides you with a higher level of knowledge and experience which includes their ability to offer similar products / trips offered by competitors of your original request that may save you money and enhance your experience.  Specialists are very knowledgeable, flexible and service oriented in their quest to assist you in full with additional travel components.  They have a many more options, ways and ability to provide promotions and / or discounts from other sources such as their host agency that the travel vendor cannot offer ~

Time, the precious commodity that we cherish and try to use fully is saved when utilizing the services of a professional travel specialist.  You express your desires and give the expert time to look into options, some of which are available only to travel agents with a password protected login, not available to the public.

Saving time also translates into this next benefit to you when working with travel agents; we understand the fine print, take the time to learn it and present it to you concisely and make sure you are fully aware of them.  Cancellation / change fees, deadlines for payments or paperwork needed for visa’s and official requirements, etc.; we keep on top of that for you which saves you time, simplifies the process and potentially saves you from big problems while traveling.

Travel Specialists can provide invaluable, fantastic, and crucial advice and are rewarded for their time and efforts by the vendors which they have chosen along with you to provide you with the best vacation experience customized for your needs, tastes and desires.  Many agents will charge a slight fee up front to make sure you are serious and to provide some income for the time spent researching and advising; many will then waive the fee if you do book a travel package with them.

~ Travel Agents are most interested in your complete satisfaction and building a lifelong relationship to assist you for years to come.  They work hard to make sure that their suggestions are what’s best for you, not for some quota set by upper management to push ~

Once you find a travel agent that you have confidence in, there will be many other types of trips or destinations that you desire that he or she can assist you with.  A good travel agent knows the areas which they are lacking and if a good client asks for a trip to somewhere or on a type of cruise ship they aren’t familiar with, they will draw on the network of travel specialists who assist each other out when this happens.

There are many many reasons to rely on the expertise, advice and services of a travel specialist.  Do yourself a favor and engage one at the very early beginning of the travel planning experience, you will be ever so glad that you did…

For assistance from our network of cruise specialists, click www.For-Cruising.com



Happy Travels! 

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