Travel Agent

[tcu2003]

DH and I are looking at taking a cruise in Northern Europe (Denmark, St. Petersburg, Norway and Sweden) later this summer. Last year when we did a cruise around the Greek islands, we used a travel agent to arrange it (though we did the flights ourselves since I had enough frequent flier miles). We didn't particularly like our travel agent, so we don't want to use her again. Is it worth it to find another travel agent to help book our vacation, or are we better off doing everything ourselves? Anyone have any pros/cons?

Thanks!

[tskeeter]

Cruise lines will often offer shipboard credits etc. to travel agents to allow them to sweeten the deal and reduce the overall cost of the trip. Travel agents may be able to use bulk or group airfares to reduce the cost of getting to and from the port of departure. A knowledgeable travel agent can help match you with a cruise line that specializes in your travel expectations (a young, party through the night crowd, a kid friendly family cruise, a more sedate, retiree heavy cruise, a small ship experience, etc.) .

Then again, cruise lines frequently offer discounts to cruisers who have traveled with them before.

While they don't specialize in cruises, Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door specializes in European vacations, offering tours that include St. Petersburg and tours of Scandinavia, as well as European travel consultation services. While I haven't' used anything beyond Rick's travel guides and web site, my inclination is to think they are much more knowledgeable and competent when it comes to European travel than the typical travel agent. And it doesn't hurt that Rick is Scandinavian with Aunts and Uncles still in, I think, Norway.

[tcu2003]

Thanks, tskeeter. We ended up not doing a cruise, and booking our own travel, but it all worked out pretty well. We flew in/out of Helsinki, but also visited Stockholm, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I'm kind of in a conundrum about this right now. TD and I are going to Mexico in Feb. with my family and are getting our travel arrangements done now.

If I go to the online travel site where I booked this trip a couple years ago (bookit.com), I can get it cheaper (about $200) than what I've been quoted by my sister's travel agent, but the flight times suck horribly.

If I try to piece together the vacation using the flights we want and the days at the resort we want, the price is about what the travel agent quoted us, but the price does not include taxes, nor the transport from the airport to the resort.

Looks like we may be using the travel agent this time....