Why Use a Cruise Travel Agent? 8 Reasons I Always Book With One

Despite having been on more than 133 cruises, I still use a cruise-specialist travel agent to book every single one.

You might think that after all those cruises I would simply book directly with the cruise line. I know the ships, the cruise lines and the booking process well enough.

But I don’t.

The more I cruise, the more convinced I have become that using a good cruise travel agent is one of the smartest things a cruiser can do.

And notice I said a good cruise travel agent.

I prefer dealing with an individual cruise specialist who knows me, understands the way I travel and takes responsibility for my booking. I use a self-employed/home-based agent working within a larger travel organisation rather than relying on an anonymous online booking site or call centre.

Here are the main reasons why.

1. A Cruise Travel Agent Can Help You Choose The Right Cruise

This is probably most important for people who are relatively new to cruising.

Choosing a cruise is much more complicated than simply choosing a destination. There are huge differences between cruise lines, ships and even different classes of ship within the same cruise line.

One ship may be ideal for families, while another is better suited to couples. Some cruise lines focus heavily on entertainment and activities, while others are much quieter. Some include drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities and speciality dining, while others charge extra for virtually everything.

Then there are differences in cabin location, dining arrangements, dress codes, entertainment, excursions and the passengers each line tends to attract.

A genuine cruise specialist should understand those differences.

That is particularly important because cruise lines naturally want to sell you their cruises. An independent cruise agent can look across several cruise lines and help identify which one suits what you actually want.

That can prevent a very expensive mistake.

2. They Can Save You An Enormous Amount Of Time

This is one of the biggest reasons I continue to use an agent.

Finding the cruise is only the start.

There may also be flights, hotels, transfers, insurance and sometimes complicated pre- or post-cruise arrangements to organise.

Then imagine the cruise changes.

If you have booked everything independently, you could find yourself contacting the cruise line, airline, hotel, transfer company and perhaps several other companies separately.

If my arrangements have been made through my travel agent, I have one person to contact.

They do the chasing.

And anyone who has spent hours listening to hold music while waiting for a cruise line call centre will understand why I value that.

3. When Things Go Wrong, I Have Someone To Sort Them Out

For me, this is where a good cruise agent really earns their money.

I’ve had cruises affected by weather, airline disruption, strikes, cancellations and itinerary changes.

One incident in particular showed me why I use an agent.

I was on a Windstar cruise heading towards Athens when a lengthy airport strike meant flights were going to be disrupted for days. Passengers around me were suddenly trying to rearrange everything themselves. Some were spending their sea days trying to contact airlines and hotels. They were upgrading their ship Wi-Fi packages, sitting on hold and desperately trying to work out what to do.

My travel agent was already dealing with it.

In fact, she had started working on alternative arrangements before I even realised how badly I was going to be affected.

She reorganised flights, a hotel stay, transfers and the other arrangements around them.

I carried on enjoying the cruise.

That experience alone reinforced why I like having a named person responsible for my booking rather than discovering during a crisis that I have to sort everything out myself.

4. A Cruise Agent Should Get You A Better Overall Deal

This is an area where there is quite a lot of misunderstanding.

I often hear people say they book directly with the cruise line because they assume using a travel agent must cost more.

That has not been my experience at all as cruise lines do not undercut or offer lower fares than agents.

Also cruise travel agents often have access to promotional fares, agency group rates or additional benefits that the line does not advertise to direct bookings.

They may also be able to add things such as onboard credit, reduced deposits or other amenities.

5. They Know The Questions You Don’t Know You Should Ask

Experienced cruisers know that there can be a big difference between two apparently identical cabins.

One may be underneath the pool deck. Another might be above a nightclub. There could be a connecting door, obstructed balcony, unusual cabin layout or crew area nearby.

An experienced cruise agent will be able to guide and help you get the right cabin for you.

The same applies to itineraries.

They may point out that a particular port requires tendering, that a seemingly attractive itinerary has unusually short port stays, or that the airport you are flying into is much further from the cruise terminal than you realise.

This is particularly valuable when cruising somewhere for the first time.

You don’t know what you don’t know. A cruise specialist agent usually will be able to advise and tell you what to watch out for.

6. They Can Help Pull The Whole Trip Together

Cruise holidays are increasingly complicated.

My cruises often involve international flights, hotels before or after the cruise, transfers and sometimes additional independent travel.

A cruise agent can help turn all those individual pieces into one coherent trip.

That can include:

• Flights.
• Pre- and post-cruise hotels.
• Transfers.
• Travel insurance.
• Additional land arrangements.

Having someone who understands the whole itinerary can help identify problems that are easy to miss when each part is booked separately.

For example, is the flight arriving early enough before the cruise? Is there enough connection time? What happens if one element changes?

Those are much more important questions than simply asking which website has the lowest advertised fare.

7. A Good Agent Should Keep You On Top Of The Detail

There is a lot more administration involved in cruising than there used to be.

Depending on where you’re travelling, you may need to think about passports, visas, entry requirements, vaccinations or other documentation.

Ultimately, it remains the traveller’s responsibility to ensure they have the correct documents and meet the official requirements.

And a good travel agent should flag the issues you need to investigate.

They should remind you about important deadlines and help point you towards the appropriate official information.

That extra pair of eyes can be extremely useful, particularly if you’re travelling to an unfamiliar part of the world.

Should You Always Use A Travel Agent To Book A Cruise?

I do.

That doesn’t mean everyone has to.

If you are booking a straightforward cruise on a line you know extremely well, you may be perfectly comfortable booking directly.

But I would particularly recommend considering a cruise-specialist travel agent if:

• You are booking your first cruise.
• You are trying a cruise line you don’t know.
• You’re planning an expensive cruise.
• You’re booking a complicated itinerary.
• International flights are involved.
• You’re booking several cabins or a family group.
• You’re taking a luxury or expedition cruise.
• You want somebody to deal with the cruise line if things go wrong.

For me, the question isn’t really “Can I book this cruise myself?”

Of course I can. The question is: what advantage do I get by doing it myself?

After more than 133 cruises, I have yet to find enough advantages to persuade me to stop using a good cruise travel agent.

How To Choose A Good Cruise Travel Agent

This is important because simply using a travel agent doesn’t guarantee good advice.

I look for an individual agent rather than simply a booking website or anonymous call centre.

Most importantly, they should genuinely specialise in cruises.

Ask them which cruise lines they know best and which ships they have sailed on or inspected.

A good cruise agent should also ask you lots of questions. They should want to know what cruises you have enjoyed before, what you disliked, your preferred cabin, how important food and entertainment are, whether you like large or small ships and what sort of budget you’re working with.

If every enquiry immediately produces whichever cruise they happen to be promoting that week, I would be cautious.

I also prefer an agent who is backed by an established agency, consortium or travel organisation rather than somebody operating completely alone.

That combination gives me the personal relationship I want while also providing the infrastructure behind the booking.

My Recommended Cruise Travel Agents

People regularly ask me which cruise travel agents I recommend.

These are agents I suggest based either on my own experience or on ongoing feedback from Tips For Travellers followers who have used them.

I receive no commission or referral fee for recommending any of these agents.

UK – Sarah Bolton

Sarah Bolton books all my cruises and also handles my Tips For Travellers Group Cruises.

I originally got to know Sarah because she was a follower of Tips For Travellers and a regular cruiser herself. She has extensive cruise-industry experience and training and, importantly for me, understands the way I travel.

She has also dealt with some decidedly complicated situations for me over the years.

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Travel Counsellors – Sarah Bolton
• Facebook: Sarah Bolton Travel Counsellor
• X / Twitter: @TCsarahbolton

USA

Walter Biscardi

I got to know Walter through social media, YouTube and TikTok, where he has created a great deal of cruise content.

He subsequently turned his cruising knowledge and enthusiasm into a cruise-focused travel business.

Walter is based in Florida and has considerable knowledge of North American cruising while also arranging an increasing number of international trips.

• Website: Where’s Walter Travel
• Contact: Where’s Walter Travel Contact Page
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: Where’s Walter Travel
• YouTube: Where’s Walter TV

Gary Pluck

Gary Pluck is the US-based agent I have been recommending for the longest.

Like Sarah, I originally got to know Gary through Tips For Travellers. He was a follower and active contributor to my livestreams.

Over the years I have received consistently positive feedback from US travellers I have referred to him.

He is particularly knowledgeable about river cruising, Cunard and premium cruise lines, as well as European and North American travel.

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Travel By Red – Gary Pluck

Canada

Samuel Spencer

Samuel Spencer is with Ocean & River Cruises Travel.

• Website: Ocean & River Cruises Travel
• Email: [email protected]

Australia

Jake Hower

I got to know Jake through Tips For Travellers and his enthusiasm for cruising.

He particularly focuses on luxury, expedition and worldwide cruising.

• Website: Pan Australian Travel
• Email: [email protected]

The Bottom Line

The internet has made booking a cruise incredibly easy.

But making a booking and booking the right cruise are two very different things.

A knowledgeable cruise travel agent can help choose the right ship and itinerary, compare offers, coordinate the rest of the trip and, perhaps most importantly, give you somebody to call when things don’t go according to plan.

That’s why, despite having taken more than 133 cruises and knowing the industry extremely well, I still book every cruise through a travel agent.

For me, having an experienced cruise expert in my corner is simply more valuable than clicking the “Book Now” button myself.

 

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