USVI-On-Line

I was wondering who uses a travel agent? What are the advantages and disagvantages? We sometimes have used one and other times not.

There are still travel agents (lol)

To answer - no except when I book my cruise and then use Vacations To Go an online "travel agent" but more like a booking company

Pia

I haven't used a travel agent in years.

The exception being our last STJ trip. I was having trouble booking tickets on line so I called AMEX travel (we have plat cards) and I ended up being very pleased with what the agent did for us. The short version of the story is I was trying to coordinate a trip for 3 couples, two islands and multiple flights. She got us on what appeared to be a sold-out flight and took care of our San Juan hotel arrangements with some favorable perks. She did in one hour what I was messing around with for a couple of days. For that type of trip, I would use that company again.

Travel agents can help if you are looking for deals/specials at the Westin or Caneel. If you know a travel agent and say "let me know when Caneel is offering a special (free upgrade, free meals, etc)" and they alert you at the appropriate time, it can benefit you but you would have to be flexible with your dates and the booking window for the deals.

Booked a week in Jamaica the travel agent was 700.00 more the the resorts website so you know which way I went.

I am a travel agent so I'm a bit biased. But I tell people that it depends on what kind of trip you are looking at and how comfortable with booking on line, doing research, etc. For some people, they just don't have the time to do the research and find the deals. But if you are simply booking a flight and renting a condo there may be no need. But if you are planning a family reunion Mediterranean cruise with the cousins, then it may be easier to book with an agent. And I don't know about everywhere in the world, but at our agency our services are free except for air tickets where there is a service charge. There's not many places in the world where you get the services of a professional for free.

I, like PIA, did not know that there were still people who called themselves travel agents.

We were sent to STJ for the first time by a travel agent named Lisa. Thanks Lisa.

JIM

Thanks for the replys. We too first heard of St. John thanks to a Travel Agent.