What are the pros and cons to using a travel agent?

Question

I'm going on my honeymoon this summer and everyone tells me that I should use a travel agent. I was just wondering, are they really worth it?? I know that they are supposed to tell you of any hidden fees, but what kind of fees do you have to pay them?? I've never traveled before so I'm really new to this. If I've already found a couple of packages that I think are pretty good deals is it worth using one?

Answer 1

As an agent, I have to disagree with some of the items mentioned in the above answer. A trael agent is your best bet to handle all your details and make sure you have all the paperwork, visas, documents, etc. that you will need.

Agents receive commissions from just about all forms of travel suppliers, except airlines and most will charge a ticketing fee for booking airline tickets. Some agents also charge a planning fee and usually apply the fee toward your trip once you book it. However, agents must do a lot of work to research and plan a trip for you. If you contact them, ask them to plan a vacation for you and then you decide not to do the vacation, then the agent has put in a lot of time and effort for nothing. That's why most will charge a planning fee. After all, you don't work for free, do you?

The gentleman above seemed to believe that agents only steer clients towards a cruise because that's where they earn the most commission - also not true. That's not to say that there aren't that type of agents out there, but then its your responsiblity to find a good agent - and its not necessarily the one offering this week's "$200 around the world vacation" deal in the newspaper.
Ask friends for recommendations, call of these agents and work with the one that you are most comfortable with. If your friend had a good experience working with the agent, odds are you will too.

Booking on-line is risky unless you know that you have a legitimate site and know what you are doing. You are planning a very important trip - a honeymoon - and you have a lot of other things on your mind, so do yourself a favor and find a travel agent. Give the agent an idea of where you would like to go or what you would like to do on your honeymoon (don't just plop down in a chair and expect them to read your mind). Give the agent a realistic budget for your vacation and the dates you are available to travel. You might have to compromise - perhaps fewer days at a destination - to fit your budget, but that's what an agent can help you with.

Congratulations and good luck in the future. Hope you have a wonderful honeymoon.

Answer 2

The biggest benefit to using a travel agent is that person will save you time in searching for what you want. Travel agents generally do not charge a fee as they get paid by the commissions from the travel company, cruise line and/or hotel. The exception is on airline tickets many agents charge a fee because the airlines no longer pay commissions. So many agents will charge $5.00 or $10 for booking airline reservations. Some agents specialist in certain types of travel and/or certain destinations and/or honeymoon travel. So they can tell you what others are doing and what your options are.

The downside of using an agent is you generally leave it up to the agent to find what you want and the results can depend on how contientious, dedicated and thorough the agent is. SO you never really know 100% whether the options presented to you are the only and best ones for what you want. Agents make mistakes just like everyone else. I once booked a cruise with an agent and when the documents arrived discovered that the agent had booked the wrong itinerary. Changes were on me.

The agent does not guarantee or insure your trip. You still have to buy travel insurance.

I travel all of the time and have the time to look at web sites for places that I want to go. You can use Google or other search engines and find all types of hotel and transportation information about almost any destination. I have reserved air, train, hotels, tours and cruises right on my PC; do it all of the time. I do it myself because then I know that I can pay $30 more for an airline ticket and get a flight leaving or returning at a reasonable hour, vs not paying it, getting the cheapest ticket, and getting home at 2:00AM. I can look at the various options and pick a train time that gets me to my destination close to a time that I can check into my hotel, rather than having to wait several hours. I can pick a cruise date and cabin, maybe for just a few dollars more, that will be better for me than just the cheapest priced. I can pay online and make payment for my cruise when I'm ready, rather than waiting for the agent to get back to me. I print our all of my travel documents right on my PC rather than waiting for them in the mail. All of this is just so much more convenient for me. It may not be for you.

You may want to do some internet research and then if you don't have more time have the agent book what you have found.

Answer 3

Here's the deal. If you use a travel agent you have some insurance if anything goes wrong or you need to change anything. If you do not, as in you book online yourself, there is no one to help you if you need it - you're on your own.
They are also supposed to know the quality of where they book you. We travel a lot and feel that even if we pay a bit more - and we don't always - it is well worth it in the event we have a glitch that needs to be fixed. That is what you pay them for - they are the specialists in travel. Happy travels, be safe and have fun.

Answer 4

I have to disagree with one thing in the first reply. You do NOT have additional insurance, or service (once departed), from a travel agent. Hiring a travel agent will only simplify something during a hectic time of your life, ie. wedding plans and onset of Bridezilla symptoms. Travel agents typically charge $25 or more per person, per booking. They do not earn commissions from airfare, unless they get you a "consolidator" ticket (if you're travelling internationally). Cruises pay them big commissions, 12 to 15% typically, so they'll likely steer you to a cruise. It's probably worth it in case of a honeymoon, just don't expect much in terms of service once they've got your money.