Thursday, November 13, 2008
Welcome New Readers!/Some Cruise News
First off, I would like to welcome you to my little blog. It seems I broke some news with Cruise Value Center's demise and although its an unfortunate event that brought you here, I hope you can find some advice and some news worth coming back for. In particular, given the reason many of you are here in the first place is because a major travel agency went under. If you aren't affected by this particular mess, you could easily be affected by another as the economy continues to crumble. Here's some information on how you can take steps to protect your travel investment.
Also, earlier this year, I talked about the different kinds of travel agents that exist and what you should expect from each. Remember all travel agents are not created equal.
Finally, if you are looking for the information about Cruise Value Center, just scroll down or click here.
Norwegian Spirit to get facelift
In other cruise news, "freestyle" cruisers NCL is bringing the Norwegian Spirit in for drydock this month and going to do a top to bottom refurbishment of the ship. Frankly, its about time. I had the chance to take a tour of the ship when it was in New York last summer, and I was less than impressed.
Although the public areas were a little faded, I thought that the space was tastefully decorated and generally OK. Big plus in my mind was the private karaoke rooms that were inexplicably located in their British pub type restaurant. This holdover from when the ship was Superstar Leo was one of the few features that set it apart from any other ship and was a genuine plus. Overall, the Spirit looked and felt generic but serviceable in the public space.
Then we got to the staterooms.
Norwegian rooms look and feel tiny, and on the Spirit the beds certainly didn't help. The comforters appeared somewhat threadbare, the beds seemed as though they were from 1998 and insanely small. Their "twin bed" looked like a kids bed to me. Some inside cabins had a pole through the middle of the cabin as well. Apparently structural, it would clearly prohibit putting the two beds together to make a full size bed.
The balconies felt small, tin-can like and poorly kept and the Penthouse suites were some of the most gaudy things I've ever seen. The bedroom area literally felt like an adult movie set, and the bathroom, inexplicably had no door. There's a lot of work to do on that ship and let's hope they get it right. Although I haven't been on the newer build ships recently, friends of mine who have say that the Freestyle 2.0 concept has made for some really nice accomodations.
The Spirit doesn't have the advantage of being built for freestyle, but any improvement should be a big one in this case. When the ship reenters service in ten days or so, we'll get the idea.
Also, earlier this year, I talked about the different kinds of travel agents that exist and what you should expect from each. Remember all travel agents are not created equal.
Finally, if you are looking for the information about Cruise Value Center, just scroll down or click here.
Norwegian Spirit to get facelift
In other cruise news, "freestyle" cruisers NCL is bringing the Norwegian Spirit in for drydock this month and going to do a top to bottom refurbishment of the ship. Frankly, its about time. I had the chance to take a tour of the ship when it was in New York last summer, and I was less than impressed.
Although the public areas were a little faded, I thought that the space was tastefully decorated and generally OK. Big plus in my mind was the private karaoke rooms that were inexplicably located in their British pub type restaurant. This holdover from when the ship was Superstar Leo was one of the few features that set it apart from any other ship and was a genuine plus. Overall, the Spirit looked and felt generic but serviceable in the public space.
Then we got to the staterooms.
Norwegian rooms look and feel tiny, and on the Spirit the beds certainly didn't help. The comforters appeared somewhat threadbare, the beds seemed as though they were from 1998 and insanely small. Their "twin bed" looked like a kids bed to me. Some inside cabins had a pole through the middle of the cabin as well. Apparently structural, it would clearly prohibit putting the two beds together to make a full size bed.
The balconies felt small, tin-can like and poorly kept and the Penthouse suites were some of the most gaudy things I've ever seen. The bedroom area literally felt like an adult movie set, and the bathroom, inexplicably had no door. There's a lot of work to do on that ship and let's hope they get it right. Although I haven't been on the newer build ships recently, friends of mine who have say that the Freestyle 2.0 concept has made for some really nice accomodations.
The Spirit doesn't have the advantage of being built for freestyle, but any improvement should be a big one in this case. When the ship reenters service in ten days or so, we'll get the idea.
Labels: cruise value center, cruises, meta, travel, travel agents
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
3 Ways to Protect Your Travel Investment
Travel costs money. Whether the cost is for a simple one-way flight or an elaborate cruise or tour, what you spend is an investment. In education, enjoyment or business, and it deserves to be protected. As economic times get increasingly difficult, protecting your investment is more important than ever. There are three simple things that you can do to make sure that your travel dollars are well spent and well protected.
1. Take Travel Insurance
Nobody views insurance as important when it comes to vacation. It is. Not just in case you get sick abroad and your insurance doesn't cover you, but also in case unforeseen events prevent your travel. Maybe you've gotten laid off? Travel insurance will have you covered. In the hospital, or stuck in a hurricane? Ditto. Those are obvious scenarios, but there is one that merits more consideration these days. What if your travel provider goes out of business?
Insurance covers that, and if you can't get your cash back from what used to be Skybus, or ATA, or any of the other airlines that folded? If you have insurance, you can get it back and get it back fairly easily. Sure, it costs some money, in many cases between 5 and 10% of the cost of your travel but the protection is worth it.
After all, this year so far saw the end of over a dozen airlines, and the Italian flagship airline - Alitalia got within hours of a complete shutdown. A cruise line, Majestic America said goodbye as well.
2. Use Credit Cards
Although credit cards don't offer the same comprehensive protection that travel insurance does, credit card companies will protect and refund your money if the travel provider doesn't actually provide travel. In many cases, when airlines have given notice to shut down, rather than actually processing refunds, they urge clients to go through their credit cards to be refunded.
The process is complicated, stressful and frustrating but it will ultimately be successful for you in most cases. Did you pay with cash, money order, or a check by phone? These methods of payment may not offer you the same protections a credit card will, because in many cases, the credit card company is withholding a significant portion of funds brought in by credit cards to companies who are in shaky positions financially.
3. Ask The Right Questions
Sometimes the problems aren't with the airline or the tour company, sometimes the problem is with the travel agent that you use. Travel agents can be an incredibly worthwhile resource to use, and able to get you some great pricing and good advice on what to expect on a trip. However, these businesses work on extremely low profit margins and when business turns south, business goes from profitable to marginable and it isn't unreasonable to expect many smaller and mid-size agencies to close their doors during the economic downturn. However, you can avoid problems by asking questions.
Try to use agencies that forward payments to the travel provider directly rather than the agency. If you see an agency that charges itself exclusively for a cruise or a tour, that should be a major red-flag. Doing this is this generally a sign of the agency floating your money before they send payment to a travel provider. Sometimes that money is floated for just a couple days, but in times of trouble, it's not uncommon to see that float last for upwards of 6 to 8 weeks which can put your vacation in jeopardy with the travel provider.
It might be nice to save that extra $50.00 on that cruise, but in the end - the hassle may not be worth it. This is another instance where travel insurance is vital. Your travel provider and your travel agency are not the same things. So if your agency fails, your vacation may still exist - but if the agency floated your money, that final payment on your tour may never be posted to the actual travel provider - leaving your actual vacation unpaid.
This is something that can be managed by the consumer, though. Just ask where the money goes when its charged. Is the cruise line paid directly with your credit card? Or does the agency charge the card themselves and forward payments later? A little research before the charge is made can save you a lot of headache after the fact.
1. Take Travel Insurance
Nobody views insurance as important when it comes to vacation. It is. Not just in case you get sick abroad and your insurance doesn't cover you, but also in case unforeseen events prevent your travel. Maybe you've gotten laid off? Travel insurance will have you covered. In the hospital, or stuck in a hurricane? Ditto. Those are obvious scenarios, but there is one that merits more consideration these days. What if your travel provider goes out of business?
Insurance covers that, and if you can't get your cash back from what used to be Skybus, or ATA, or any of the other airlines that folded? If you have insurance, you can get it back and get it back fairly easily. Sure, it costs some money, in many cases between 5 and 10% of the cost of your travel but the protection is worth it.
After all, this year so far saw the end of over a dozen airlines, and the Italian flagship airline - Alitalia got within hours of a complete shutdown. A cruise line, Majestic America said goodbye as well.
2. Use Credit Cards
Although credit cards don't offer the same comprehensive protection that travel insurance does, credit card companies will protect and refund your money if the travel provider doesn't actually provide travel. In many cases, when airlines have given notice to shut down, rather than actually processing refunds, they urge clients to go through their credit cards to be refunded.
The process is complicated, stressful and frustrating but it will ultimately be successful for you in most cases. Did you pay with cash, money order, or a check by phone? These methods of payment may not offer you the same protections a credit card will, because in many cases, the credit card company is withholding a significant portion of funds brought in by credit cards to companies who are in shaky positions financially.
3. Ask The Right Questions
Sometimes the problems aren't with the airline or the tour company, sometimes the problem is with the travel agent that you use. Travel agents can be an incredibly worthwhile resource to use, and able to get you some great pricing and good advice on what to expect on a trip. However, these businesses work on extremely low profit margins and when business turns south, business goes from profitable to marginable and it isn't unreasonable to expect many smaller and mid-size agencies to close their doors during the economic downturn. However, you can avoid problems by asking questions.
Try to use agencies that forward payments to the travel provider directly rather than the agency. If you see an agency that charges itself exclusively for a cruise or a tour, that should be a major red-flag. Doing this is this generally a sign of the agency floating your money before they send payment to a travel provider. Sometimes that money is floated for just a couple days, but in times of trouble, it's not uncommon to see that float last for upwards of 6 to 8 weeks which can put your vacation in jeopardy with the travel provider.
It might be nice to save that extra $50.00 on that cruise, but in the end - the hassle may not be worth it. This is another instance where travel insurance is vital. Your travel provider and your travel agency are not the same things. So if your agency fails, your vacation may still exist - but if the agency floated your money, that final payment on your tour may never be posted to the actual travel provider - leaving your actual vacation unpaid.
This is something that can be managed by the consumer, though. Just ask where the money goes when its charged. Is the cruise line paid directly with your credit card? Or does the agency charge the card themselves and forward payments later? A little research before the charge is made can save you a lot of headache after the fact.
Labels: economics, insurance, travel, travel agents
Monday, March 17, 2008
Whither Travel Agents?
Planning a trip used to be so easy. Twenty years ago, it meant a trip to the local travel agent and having an expert to find the best prices and options for you was worth a lot. Today it is a completely different game. There are more options, more products and more services to choose from than ever before. Planning a trip can still be as easy as booking a flight or a cruise and just going, but with all these different possibilities, sometimes it helps to have help. Travel Agents can be a huge difference between a trip that is a royal pain, and one that is a dream. But there are different kinds of travel agents that specialize in different things.
Generally, this can be grouped into three levels of service: Full Service, Discount Service, and Self Service. Each service serves a different kind of traveler, and has its place in the industry. Knowing which one to use puts you well on the way of getting the trip of your dreams for the right price.
1. Full Service
The Full Service Travel Agent, is the travel agency that has always been around. Small staffs of experts in the field help you negotiate through what can be a difficult set of options. If a trip requires multiple visas, a combination of hard to find airfare, train trips or remote hotel stays, this is the agent to use. Although the traditional agent you use might not have the full knowledge base necessary to walk through a complicated itinerary right away, the traditional agent knows how to navigate through the industry to find the best options relatively quickly. The traditional agent will do research, will have glossy brochures and will put together the nice itinerary package, but at a price.
Full Service travel agents work on commission and often charge additional fees for their time. This is a fair trade. Good full service agents share knowledge to smooth out future voyages for their clients and it can be a time consuming process for them. Because full service travel agents work with fewer clients and rely on developing relationships for their businesses, full service agents cost more money.
2. Discount Travel Agencies
Open up any major Sunday newspaper in the United States and the advertisements for low price travel agencies crowd the Travel sections. Although many of these agencies have a chop-shop mentality, they can actually be a good deal. With the low price, comes less service though. These agencies are good for land packages and cruises especially, and these agencies tend to focus on one or two specific features of the travel world, rather than a full range of services. For example, the agent might sell cruises but not airfare, or land packages but not car rental.
The discount agent might be a better expert on specific aspects of the travel world than the full service agent - but the discount agent is there to sell that cruise, not provide hand holding. Discount agencies operate on volume, so doing research before the phone call is important, and after the sale service generally takes a back seat. It might feel cheap, but that is because it is cheap. In many cases, these agencies are discounting up to 85% of the commission that they would otherwise earn on the booking that is being past their way. So, the same booking that makes the Full Service agency 160 dollars, might only make the discount agency 30 dollars. Small margins also tend to mean change and cancellation fees, so be aware of what the commitment is before booking that cruise.
The discount agent is the best agent to talk to for cruises, provided the booking is simple. Some cruise lines, like NCL and Carnival, will not allow advertised discounts, but call a discount agent, and that 1000 dollar price could suddenly be 900 or 925 dollars.
3. Self Service
The internet has opened up a whole new level of travel professionals, the traveler themselves. Thanks to sites like Sidestep and FareCompare, the lowest airfare is available to you with a few clicks of a mouse. Self service is best for ticketing airfare because it's rare (although not impossible) for a travel agent to have a lower rate. Most airlines no longer pay commission for flights booked through agencies, so those agencies tack on extra booking fees that can range from $25 to $60 per ticket. Hotels and Car Rentals can be the same as well.
Some limited service will be given to the Self Service traveler from the Travel Providers themselves, but when using the internet, the phrase "on your own" is especially true. Buyer beware is the rule, and mistakes can be very costly. For example, a misspelled name on an air ticket could basically be a loss of that ticket. So nervous travelers should go full service. The extra money is worth the piece of mind. Also, avoid booking cruises on your own. Discount agencies can get you a better deal and better service with just a few phone calls.
With all the options available to today's traveler, it's no longer a "One Agent Fits All" travel world out there. Choosing the right kind of agent to help with the preparations can make a huge difference both in price and piece of mind.
Generally, this can be grouped into three levels of service: Full Service, Discount Service, and Self Service. Each service serves a different kind of traveler, and has its place in the industry. Knowing which one to use puts you well on the way of getting the trip of your dreams for the right price.
1. Full Service
The Full Service Travel Agent, is the travel agency that has always been around. Small staffs of experts in the field help you negotiate through what can be a difficult set of options. If a trip requires multiple visas, a combination of hard to find airfare, train trips or remote hotel stays, this is the agent to use. Although the traditional agent you use might not have the full knowledge base necessary to walk through a complicated itinerary right away, the traditional agent knows how to navigate through the industry to find the best options relatively quickly. The traditional agent will do research, will have glossy brochures and will put together the nice itinerary package, but at a price.
Full Service travel agents work on commission and often charge additional fees for their time. This is a fair trade. Good full service agents share knowledge to smooth out future voyages for their clients and it can be a time consuming process for them. Because full service travel agents work with fewer clients and rely on developing relationships for their businesses, full service agents cost more money.
2. Discount Travel Agencies
Open up any major Sunday newspaper in the United States and the advertisements for low price travel agencies crowd the Travel sections. Although many of these agencies have a chop-shop mentality, they can actually be a good deal. With the low price, comes less service though. These agencies are good for land packages and cruises especially, and these agencies tend to focus on one or two specific features of the travel world, rather than a full range of services. For example, the agent might sell cruises but not airfare, or land packages but not car rental.
The discount agent might be a better expert on specific aspects of the travel world than the full service agent - but the discount agent is there to sell that cruise, not provide hand holding. Discount agencies operate on volume, so doing research before the phone call is important, and after the sale service generally takes a back seat. It might feel cheap, but that is because it is cheap. In many cases, these agencies are discounting up to 85% of the commission that they would otherwise earn on the booking that is being past their way. So, the same booking that makes the Full Service agency 160 dollars, might only make the discount agency 30 dollars. Small margins also tend to mean change and cancellation fees, so be aware of what the commitment is before booking that cruise.
The discount agent is the best agent to talk to for cruises, provided the booking is simple. Some cruise lines, like NCL and Carnival, will not allow advertised discounts, but call a discount agent, and that 1000 dollar price could suddenly be 900 or 925 dollars.
3. Self Service
The internet has opened up a whole new level of travel professionals, the traveler themselves. Thanks to sites like Sidestep and FareCompare, the lowest airfare is available to you with a few clicks of a mouse. Self service is best for ticketing airfare because it's rare (although not impossible) for a travel agent to have a lower rate. Most airlines no longer pay commission for flights booked through agencies, so those agencies tack on extra booking fees that can range from $25 to $60 per ticket. Hotels and Car Rentals can be the same as well.
Some limited service will be given to the Self Service traveler from the Travel Providers themselves, but when using the internet, the phrase "on your own" is especially true. Buyer beware is the rule, and mistakes can be very costly. For example, a misspelled name on an air ticket could basically be a loss of that ticket. So nervous travelers should go full service. The extra money is worth the piece of mind. Also, avoid booking cruises on your own. Discount agencies can get you a better deal and better service with just a few phone calls.
With all the options available to today's traveler, it's no longer a "One Agent Fits All" travel world out there. Choosing the right kind of agent to help with the preparations can make a huge difference both in price and piece of mind.
Labels: preparations, travel, travel agents
