Top 5 Reasons to Plan Your Next Vacation with a Travel Agent

PRLog (Press Release) – Sep 21, 2008 – There are plenty of myths about the travel industry.  One of the biggest is that travel agents and their agencies have gone the way of the dinosaur – in other words become extinct.  Actually, that thinking is as archaic as the dinosaur, which was recently pointed out by Christopher Elliot, National Geographic Traveler’s ombudsman and a travel columnist for MSNBC.com, in his March 2008 article “Four secrets for finding the right travel pro,” in which he stressed that “a competent travel adviser can be your greatest asset when you’re planning a trip.” Other recent articles in the New York Daily News Smart Money magazine and USA TODAY have also touted the benefits of using a travel expert.

Cruise Holidays debunks the “dinosaur” myth every day and offers Orange County-area travelers the Top 5 Reasons to Plan Your Next Vacation with a Travel Agent:

1. “Destination Dream-Doctor” (Expertise) – Particularly when looking at a cruise vacation, there are an infinite number of combinations of staterooms, ships, itineraries, costs, dates, and excursions.  Travel experts can sift through the endless options and design the vacation you’re dreaming about.  Ultimately, travel planning isn’t between places, it’s between people. It’s about the right vacation for the right person.

2. “Well-Off Wallet” (Savings) – Some consumers have been lulled into believing the Internet offers access to all prices and discounts.  The best deals, especially with a cruise vacation, are often through travel agents who have access to special incentives and travel industry partner discounts and net rates that are not available to the general public.

3. “Travel Safety Net” (Customer Advocate) – Travel agents are there for their customers before, during and after a trip. When the unexpected happens, and it sometimes does, travel agents are your safety net – they’ve “got your back.” With that comes peace of mind.

4. “In Your Backyard” (Local & Personalized) – You aren’t dealing with an individual sitting in a call center halfway across the country or halfway around the world.  You are planning a trip with a travel expert in your local community. The planning is tailored and personalized – not a one size fits all method.  The relationship travel professionals build with their customers allows for this very personal and individualized approach to travel.

5. “Very Valuable” (Value) – Price without service is not value. The knowledge and expertise travel agents have, particularly those with Cruise Holidays, can save you time and money, and can help you avoid the hassles that are possible with travel planning.  Is a dirt-cheap rate worth it if your vacation experience is dismal?  Perhaps the old axiom, “You get what you paid for,” is true.

“There was a time when some proclaimed the Internet would replace travel experts,” said Carrie Finley-Bajak of Cruise Holidays.  “Quite the opposite has happened in large part due to the knowledge, expertise and personal service travel agents offer and because the Internet is not the panacea it was predicted to be for the 21st century traveler.  We are the ace in our travelers’ back pocket.”

“We take great pride in our relationships with our customers and the exceptional service we provide to travelers whether they are a first-time customer or a long-time client,” added Finley-Bajak.  “We love travel and cruising, and it is our aim not just to satisfy our customer, but to exceed all their travel planning needs.”

Cruise Holidays is North America’s oldest and largest cruise-specialty travel network with locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.  For more information or to start planning your next cruise vacation, call 949-215-6700 today; or visit us at 27760 Santa Margarita Parkway, Mission Viejo, CA 92691 or online at www.cruisebuzz.net.