ABOUT TRAVEL AGENTS

It has been shown many times by independent studies that travel agents can find better cruise, vacation and travel deals than what is available at the online travel agencies. The technology savvy travel agents listed here have the knowledge and tools to find exactly what you want at a lower price and the experience to provide the high quality service that you cannot get at an online travel agency.

TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS

To ensure that only professional travel agents are listed, all applicants must submit copies of their training and professional certificates for our review before their application for listing is approved. See the TRAVEL AGENT INFORMATION section for a detailed description of the minimum requirements for listing.

TRAVEL SPECIALISTS

Travel agents today are travel counselors, not just order takers. They work with you to find exactly what you want at the lowest possible price. However, the travel industry today is much more complex than it was even a few years ago. There are cruise ships sailing every ocean in the world and just about every large navigable river. There are hundreds of tour companies offering thousands of vacation packages to just about everywhere. There are new resorts and hotel chains springing up all around the world. Regions and countries where no one would have considered going to a few years ago are quickly becoming popular vacation destinations. In addition, there are cruises, tour packages and resort destinations catering to just about every interest and lifestyle imaginable. This large selection of travel products and destinations makes it impossible for any one person to be an expert at everything. That’s why many travel agents today specialize in specific destinations, types of travel and lifestyles.

To be listed as a specialist for a destination, the travel agents must have lived in or traveled to that destination or have taken a specialist training course to enhance their knowledge of that destination. To be listed as a specialist for a specific lifestyle, they must have completed a lifestyle-training course or personally experienced a particular lifestyle through their travels.

Any full service travel agent can easily book any type of vacation to any destination. However, travel agents that specialize in a particular destination or lifestyle have the additional knowledge and experience to make your next cruise or vacation a very special one. You will never get this benefit if you book through an online travel agency.

TYPES OF TRAVEL AGENTS

We list travel agents in one of three categories based on their training, experience and type of travel products they sell.

1. Cruise Only Travel Agents: These are travel agents that specialize in cruises and cruise destinations. Their training and experience is focused on the products and services offered by the cruise lines.

2. Cruise and Vacation Travel Agents: These travel agents specialize in cruise and vacation packages. They are either cruise travel agents with a broader knowledge and experience to include vacation packages or former full service travel agents that chose to specialize only in cruise and vacation packages.

3. Full Service Travel Agents: Full service travel agents can book any type of vacation or travel to any destination in the world. They have the broadest knowledge, training and certification.

HOW TO USE OUR SERVICE

The four drop down search categories on our home page can be used to find a travel agent anywhere in the United States specializing in any type of vacation anywhere in the world. Below is a description of each category and how to use them.

Select Type of Travel: Allows you to select the type of travel or vacation. You must select this option first.

1. Business Travel: This will ensure that only travel agents specializing in business travel will be listed.

2. Cruise Packages: Cruises can be booked individually or in packages that can include flights, pre or post cruise hotels and excursions at the ports of call. It is generally cheaper and strongly recommended by travel professionals that everything, especially your flight, be booked as a package with your cruise.

Just about any travel agent can book a cruise or cruise package. However, if you would like to book everything separate, or add activities or destinations that are not part of the cruise package, you may need a full service travel agent.

3. Vacation Packages: Travel agents have access to vacation packages to just about any destination in the world. You can save up to 30% or more compared to booking separate flights, hotels and car rentals. They are the best way to travel if you are on a tight budget or to a destination you are not familiar with.

4. Vacations – Custom Air, Car & Hotel: Select this if you want to book a custom itinerary. It may be a bit more expensive but it will provide the most flexibility and largest selection of options.

Search by Destination: Select your destination and we will list all the travel agents that are specialists on that destination.

Search by Lifestyle: Use this to narrow down your search to travel agents that specialize in the lifestyle and activity that interests you.

Search by Agent location: This allows you to search by travel agent location. You can use it to find a travel agent close to where you live, work or your destination.