In the age of online booking, why use a travel agent? The answer might surprise you — especially when it comes to price.
When Expedia and Google Flights put the entire travel market at your fingertips, it's fair to ask: why would anyone use a travel agent? The answer comes down to access, expertise, and price — and in all three categories, a good travel agency still wins.
Access to wholesale pricing. Travel agencies that are part of larger consortiums — like our affiliation with A.S.A.P. Cruises and Amavi Travel Group — have access to bulk and wholesale rates that are never published publicly. When you find a price on Expedia, you're seeing the retail rate. We're often working from a wholesale rate that's 10–30% lower.
Expertise that saves you from expensive mistakes. A good travel agent knows which resorts have been renovated recently, which cruise ships have the best family amenities, and which 'deals' are actually overpriced for what you get. That knowledge is hard to replicate with a search engine.
Perks you can't book online. Travel agencies often have preferred supplier relationships that come with added value: onboard cruise credit, room upgrades, resort credits, or complimentary amenity packages. These perks are invisible on booking sites.
Someone in your corner when things go wrong. If your flight is cancelled, your room isn't ready, or there's a hurricane threatening your destination, a travel agent advocates for you. Booking direct means you're on hold with a call center. Booking through an agent means you have a person.
The bottom line: the best approach is to do your research online, find the best price you can, and then submit it to a travel agency like ours. We'll either beat it or add enough value to make our booking the obvious choice.