TIP: Travel agents deal in service

My doctor, my hairdresser and the man in the print shop all asked me, "How are you surviving with the Internet?" My answer is always the same - "We deal in service." That is true - because those travel agencies that don't consider service their most important commodity are probably no longer in business.
I realize many people feel that they are saving money when going online to book a cruise, a tour package, airline tickets, hotel reservations, train reservations, cars, etc. I'm not going to lie and say travel agents always get the lowest prices, but the majority of time we do. Plus, we care.

When my clients call me to book a week in Maui, I make sure that the hotel or condo property I selected, or they selected, is not under construction, the room has the proper bedding (king bed, two doubles, etc.), it's non-smoking (unless otherwise requested), what is included (and not included) in the package, hidden fees that are charged directly by the property and other information that can help make a trip trouble free and enjoyable. If problems do arise, we are here to take care of them. Plus, you have the backing of a reliable company that has real people answering questions, not a computer screen to look at or a dozen buttons to push in hopes of getting a live individual.

I can understand going online to book a flight going from point A to point B, i.e. Ontario to Las Vegas (on Southwest), Ontario to New York (Jet Blue) or even a nonstop flight to Europe, though a travel agent may find a better fare using a consolidator. Travel agents today, in order to survive, have to charge a ticketing fee because the airlines no longer pay them commission. In fact, the airlines even charge the travel agency a fee per segment for booking flights in their airline computer.

What I can't understand are people who book directly with the cruise companies or tour companies and then complain when they can't always get their questions answered or don't get exactly what they wanted. Once again, the price is no different when you book through a travel agent.

The cruise companies don't always tell you that when you book a "guarantee" cabin category rather than a specific cabin number, 95 percent of the time you will end up very forward or very aft. I think their terminology is, "by guaranteeing an ocean view cabin category, you will either get the category you pay for or a higher category." That is true, but it will rarely be in the middle of the ship. If being in the middle is important to you, do not book a category guarantee. Cruise companies will also ask, "can we upgrade your clients if a higher category cabin becomes available?" That sounds terrific, but once again, be prepared to be at either end of the ship.

Those are the cabins that will be left and available for upgrade. If I have chosen a specific cabin on a specific side of the ship, it's because that's what my clients want. A good example is an Alaskan cruise from Vancouver to Anchorage, or vice versa. Being on the land side of the ship is important and I will look at the ship's floor plan to make sure that I have selected the correct side (port or starboard, depending if it's north- or south-bound sailing). When the cruise company calls to ask if you want to be upgraded, most people get excited and automatically say yes. When the cruise company calls me, I want to know the exact cabin number and the location on the ship. Most often it is a higher cruise category, but no longer in the middle of the ship and sometimes they even switch sides from port to starboard, or vice versa. Very often, it's better for the client to keep the original cabin, even if it is a deck or two lower. According to my clients and people in general who use travel agents, it's really nice to have a professional on your side who will fight your battles and make sure you get exactly what you want and what you paid for.

As long as I'm touting the benefits of using a travel agent, don't forget experience. Most travel agents have traveled extensively and have "real" experiences to draw from. If you're considering an African safari and aren't sure which country in Africa would be best, ask me. I've been on safari four different times and have visited Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. If you aren't sure if you should purchase a meal plan when going to Bora Bora, ask me. I still remember paying $25 for a hamburger and $5 for a Diet Coke. Yes, a meal plan is important when staying in the Tahitian Islands. Is it important to pay for reserve seats on the trains in Europe? Absolutely, especially during peak travel times. Is August a good time to go to the Caribbean? If you like hot and humid weather and realize you're right in the middle of hurricane season (July through November), August is fine.

Should I purchase travel insurance? I always recommend travel insurance if you have health issues, young children at home or older parents who are in ill health. I don't have any of those three and I buy travel insurance for all of my trips. Several years ago I got very sick just hours before getting on a plane to Vietnam. I was thankful that I had travel insurance and was able to get all of my money back.

The list goes on and on. If you have travel questions or are planning a trip, take advantage of your travel agent's knowledge and experience. Remember, travel agents deal in service and are there to help you with all your travel needs.