| From a customer service aspect, arranging a | | | | arise. |
| vacation using a popular bulk travel website can | | | | As a travel agent, when I am involved in the |
| easily be a nightmare. Most discount websites | | | | planning of my clients vacations, I can offer many |
| require that once you go through the stages of | | | | beneficial extras and services that are unavailable |
| making a vacation reservation you have to pay in | | | | to you when booking through a discount internet |
| full right up front. I do not agree with this for | | | | travel website. For example, if you book a cruise |
| many reasons: | | | | with me and the price of the cruise drops before |
| * First, these payments are non-refundable-if you | | | | you sail, I can turn this into valuable shipboard |
| are unable to travel at the specific time you have | | | | credit or a cabin upgrade. The professional |
| planned for, you lose most if not all of your | | | | relationships that I have cultivated over the years |
| money. | | | | with cruise line and vacation representatives give |
| * Second, if you need to contact someone | | | | me the best advantage of giving my clients value |
| regarding your reservation you will more than | | | | and extras that cannot be found online. |
| likely be run through the mill of trying to find a | | | | The bottom line is that travel agents are better |
| human being to talk to about your problem or | | | | informed and are able to make appropriate |
| concerns. | | | | recommendations based on their expertise and |
| * Third, a computer-generated reservation | | | | experience. They bring their knowledge of travel |
| program will not "have your back" and will not | | | | to their clients and are in a better position to |
| provide you with the quality and personalized | | | | become a valuable part of travel planning and |
| service that you receive when you utilize the | | | | arranging, ensuring a worry-free vacation. There |
| services of a seasoned travel agent. | | | | may be a small cost involved when using a travel |
| As an experienced travel agent for many years, I | | | | agent, but from a customer service aspect, this |
| have seen and heard it all. So many of my clients | | | | service is definitely worth it. |
| have come to me with horror stories and have | | | | For more information and assistance on travel |
| begged for my help. Unfortunately, once the | | | | planning and the best discount cruise pricing in the |
| discount travel websites have your money there | | | | industry, feel free to contact me! |
| is very little I can do to resolve any issues that | | | | |