And then there s my own glass half-empty perspective, or the expect-problems-with-your-pleasure mind

Question:  I m planning to take my first cruise — a seven-day Alaska voyage. I m an Auto Club member and am wondering whether there are advantages to booking the cruise through orleans hotel and casino the Auto Club instead of directly through the cruise line.
Answer:  If you re hoping for an unbiased answer, you ll not find it from me. I would rather poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick than book a cruise without a travel agent. Indeed, I have never booked a cruise, orleans hotel and casino of the dozen or so I ve taken, without an agent. I have, however, poked myself in the eye with a stick, and I do not recommend orleans hotel and casino it.
You re not only choosing the place where you ll stay — all cruise lines gear themselves to different travel styles, and sometimes even within a cruise line the ships themselves can attract different types of passengers — [but] you re also picking an itinerary that could have, on an average seven-night trip, as many as four or five different ports, not to mention the city from which your ship will depart.
And here s what Stewart Chiron of CruiseGuy.com said: There isn t one advantage to booking cruises directly with a cruise line. I also recommend people research online, but don t book online as the very best fares and discounts are not always available online .
Some cruise lines are famous for having a much older clientele, some are famous for great children s programs, some are famous for older men in Speedos and older ladies who want to sunbathe orleans hotel and casino without their tops on. Some cruise lines are fabulous but rather stuffy; some are designed for people who are more active and like more adventure. Most of us have boarded a lot of ships and can give you a pretty detailed account of what the clientele is and what the cabins look like.
And then there s my own glass half-empty perspective, or the expect-problems-with-your-pleasure mind-set, addressed by (two other travel consultants). They echoed many of the positive points of using an agent and also added this: Let s not forget that travel agents also help during the trip if something goes wrong, orleans hotel and casino and can follow up afterward to assist … clients. A professional travel agent is also a vacation concierge that handles all the details before, during and after a vacation.
(The travel agents) likened the booking experience to the DIY choices we make — representing yourself in small claims court, doing your own taxes or even booking a simple airline ticket. But, they added, When you re booking a cruise, you really need the services of a professional. The only difference between tax professionals, legal professionals and travel professionals is that in most cases, travel professionals don t charge (or charge very little) since they get credit from selling the cruise or vacation package.