Online Travel Agents

I am booking a cruise to Bermuda for July out of NJ and the local TA that
I've used before is about $300 more than the lowest quote I got through
Cruisecomplete.Com. My question is, are the online agents reliable and is
there any downside to booking through them rather than a local TA.

Thanks
Tom

In article , Tom W
wrote:

I am booking a cruise to Bermuda for July out of NJ and the local TA that
I've used before is about $300 more than the lowest quote I got through
Cruisecomplete.Com. My question is, are the online agents reliable and is
there any downside to booking through them rather than a local TA.


Many use online TA's instead of local TA's. As to whether online TA's
are reliable I don't think there is a blanket answer. Depends on the
agent. Make sure the price quotes you got from both got includes all
taxes. Sometimes that accounts for getting different price quotes when
in reality there is no end difference in price.

--
Charles

"Charles" wrote in message
d...
In article , Tom W
wrote:

I am booking a cruise to Bermuda for July out of NJ and the local TA that
I've used before is about $300 more than the lowest quote I got through
Cruisecomplete.Com. My question is, are the online agents reliable and is
there any downside to booking through them rather than a local TA.


Many use online TA's instead of local TA's. As to whether online TA's
are reliable I don't think there is a blanket answer. Depends on the
agent. Make sure the price quotes you got from both got includes all
taxes. Sometimes that accounts for getting different price quotes when
in reality there is no end difference in price.

--
Charles

We've been using the online TA's on & off for the last few years although
the local TA does come up with some good deals every now & then. If you're
using one of the popular online TA's & they weren't trustworthy I doubt if
it would take long for the word to spread around.

Boomer wrote:

We've been using the online TA's on & off for the last few years although
the local TA does come up with some good deals every now & then. If you're
using one of the popular online TA's & they weren't trustworthy I doubt if
it would take long for the word to spread around.

We've used George Leppla for all of our privately booked cruises and the
GGC's and other group cruises with which he's associated. The response
time for George to answer an inquiry is about the same as when we've
talked to local storefront TA's, and it's far easier to email him a
question anytime than it is to go to or phone a storefront TA during
only their business hours. George's in the top tier of TA's for all
major cruise lines, so that tells me he's doing things right. That's
not to say other TA's here in the newsgroup are not equally accessible
or competent. All I'm saying is that we've gotten 100% satisfaction
from George and recommend him highly.
--
---Nonnymus---
You don’t stand any taller by
trying to make others appear shorter.

Nonnymus wrote:
Boomer wrote:


We've been using the online TA's on & off for the last few years
although the local TA does come up with some good deals every now &
then. If you're using one of the popular online TA's & they weren't
trustworthy I doubt if it would take long for the word to spread around.


We've used George Leppla for all of our privately booked cruises and the
GGC's and other group cruises with which he's associated. The response
time for George to answer an inquiry is about the same as when we've
talked to local storefront TA's, and it's far easier to email him a
question anytime than it is to go to or phone a storefront TA during
only their business hours. George's in the top tier of TA's for all
major cruise lines, so that tells me he's doing things right. That's
not to say other TA's here in the newsgroup are not equally accessible
or competent. All I'm saying is that we've gotten 100% satisfaction
from George and recommend him highly.

Just a minor note, Nonny,

Unless I am mistaken, George is not a "Seller of
travel" and is not registered with the State of
California as such. This may not be important to
you, unless you live in California. He appears to
give good service, but if you read his website
carefully you will note that he actually is part
of "Cruise Shoppes."

I agree that the on-line agents can give really
good service, and after being ripped off BIG TIME
by our good ole, local boy with all the club
plaques, etc. on the wall, we have used an online
agent exclusively for several years, with very
satisfactory results.

I would suggest that before one releases a firm
hold on one's purse strings, checking out any
agency with the BBB and the local and state
regulatory agencies is a MUST DO step. Make sure
you know just who and what you are dealing with.

Cheers,
John in LALALand (On the Left Coast)

J Carnaghie wrote:


Nonnymus wrote:
Boomer wrote:


We've been using the online TA's on & off for the last few years
although the local TA does come up with some good deals every now &
then. If you're using one of the popular online TA's & they weren't
trustworthy I doubt if it would take long for the word to spread around.


We've used George Leppla for all of our privately booked cruises and
the GGC's and other group cruises with which he's associated. The
response time for George to answer an inquiry is about the same as
when we've talked to local storefront TA's, and it's far easier to
email him a question anytime than it is to go to or phone a storefront
TA during only their business hours. George's in the top tier of TA's
for all major cruise lines, so that tells me he's doing things right.
That's not to say other TA's here in the newsgroup are not equally
accessible or competent. All I'm saying is that we've gotten 100%
satisfaction from George and recommend him highly.

Just a minor note, Nonny,

Unless I am mistaken, George is not a "Seller of travel" and is not
registered with the State of California as such. This may not be
important to you, unless you live in California. He appears to give good
service, but if you read his website carefully you will note that he
actually is part of "Cruise Shoppes."

I agree that the on-line agents can give really good service, and after
being ripped off BIG TIME by our good ole, local boy with all the club
plaques, etc. on the wall, we have used an online agent exclusively for
several years, with very satisfactory results.

I would suggest that before one releases a firm hold on one's purse
strings, checking out any agency with the BBB and the local and state
regulatory agencies is a MUST DO step. Make sure you know just who and
what you are dealing with.

Cheers,
John in LALALand (On the Left Coast)

George is not CA based but is a seller of travel, (as I am for that
matter and I am exempt from SOT laws in FL as an outside agent for a
registered agency GTM Travel) You are thinking of John Sisker who is CA
based but for some reason not registered.

I am not an agent but have a great one that I have referred to a lot
of people and gotten nothing but rave reviews. If you want I can send
you her info or ask her to contact you. She is local to me in RI.
Works for a national agency so gets great rates but gives out her home
phone and email to make it easy to get her anythime. Just remove
nospam to get my real email. She has always met the online prices so I
have never had to use an online agent so I can't help with that part.


On Sun, 27 May 2007 12:37:29 -0400, "Tom W" wrote:

I am booking a cruise to Bermuda for July out of NJ and the local TA that
I've used before is about $300 more than the lowest quote I got through
Cruisecomplete.Com. My question is, are the online agents reliable and is
there any downside to booking through them rather than a local TA.

Thanks
Tom

J Carnaghie wrote:


Nonnymus wrote:
Boomer wrote:


We've been using the online TA's on & off for the last few years
although the local TA does come up with some good deals every now &
then. If you're using one of the popular online TA's & they weren't
trustworthy I doubt if it would take long for the word to spread around.


We've used George Leppla for all of our privately booked cruises and
the GGC's and other group cruises with which he's associated. The
response time for George to answer an inquiry is about the same as
when we've talked to local storefront TA's, and it's far easier to
email him a question anytime than it is to go to or phone a storefront
TA during only their business hours. George's in the top tier of TA's
for all major cruise lines, so that tells me he's doing things right.
That's not to say other TA's here in the newsgroup are not equally
accessible or competent. All I'm saying is that we've gotten 100%
satisfaction from George and recommend him highly.

Just a minor note, Nonny,

Unless I am mistaken, George is not a "Seller of travel" and is not
registered with the State of California as such. This may not be
important to you, unless you live in California. He appears to give good
service, but if you read his website carefully you will note that he
actually is part of "Cruise Shoppes."

I agree that the on-line agents can give really good service, and after
being ripped off BIG TIME by our good ole, local boy with all the club
plaques, etc. on the wall, we have used an online agent exclusively for
several years, with very satisfactory results.

I would suggest that before one releases a firm hold on one's purse
strings, checking out any agency with the BBB and the local and state
regulatory agencies is a MUST DO step. Make sure you know just who and
what you are dealing with.

Cheers,
John in LALALand (On the Left Coast)

Thanks for the observation, John. We live in a different state than CA,
but even if we lived in CA, I'd not change.

--
---Nonnymus---
You don’t stand any taller by
trying to make others appear shorter.

"J Carnaghie" wrote

but if you read his website carefully you will note that he actually is
part of "Cruise Shoppes."

FWIW, Cruise Shoppes is a consortium of travel agents. Bt belonging to that
group, I can get access to more group space/rates and they do some marketing
things to help members. Membership in Cruise Shoppes is voluntary and in my
case, free... and Cruise Shoppes has no say in how I run my business. All
the bookings I make are directly through my own accounts with the cruise
lines, not through a third party.


--
George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com

October 14, 2007 MOAGC 3 - http://www.moagc-3.com
January 20, 2008 - GGC2008 - http://cruisemaster.com/adventure.htm

Joseph,

Not registered? Indeed I am! And under the same terms and conditions as you
are, except in this case, my host agency is Joystar Travel Network.

Happy sailing,
John Sisker, SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY®
(714) 536-3850 or toll free at (800) 724-6644 & (Agency No. 714.536.3850)
www.shiptoshorecruise.com




George is not CA based but is a seller of travel, (as I am for that matter
and I am exempt from SOT laws in FL as an outside agent for a registered
agency GTM Travel) You are thinking of John Sisker who is CA based but for
some reason not registered.