Which point of view is right? It depends on what you want out of a cruise. If you live near a major cruise port, and enjoy snagging last-minute deals as cruise lines strive to fill beds, you may prefer the DIY style of cruise booking. But if you like to plan cruises far in advance and seek to have a memorable travel experience each time you board a ship, then a good travel agent is essential.

Most LGBTQ folks are picky about who cuts our hair. Be equally choosy about your travel agent. Shop around, rather than just going with the first agent whose ad you see. Find someone who understands and appreciates your travel goals. If you and a spouse/partner or friend are booking a cruise, you want someone who is both LGBTQ-friendly and knowledgeable about the cruise industry. (Recommendations from friends are a great place to start, as is this list. )

You’re careful about not opening possible spam emails or falling for phishing scams, and you certainly don’t believe everything to see and read on Grindr. But do you automatically believe the hype that the automated websites claim about offering the best deals? Travel agents often have inside info on when fares will drop, and so can save you money.

Everyone knows that a job applicant who knows someone who knows the company vice president has a better chance of being hired than someone replying to a blind ad online. The same is true with travel. A travel agency’s relationship with hotels, airlines, and cruise lines benefits you in the form of upgrades and perks which aren’t advertised online.

Lower rates are often available to cruisers who use a travel agent who is part of a consortium.  Due to volume buying power, the client can benefit on not only the cruise rate itself, but onboard credit, upgrades, and other valuable perks.

Anticipating a cruise is wonderful, and your life is busy.  Most of us have work, family and other pressures. Your travel agent has the expertise to handle all the details for you. A travel agent who knows how you like to travel can filter through the details quickly and efficiently on your behalf. Your cruise experience should be pure pleasure, with someone else handling the details.

When we talked with our agent about a 25th anniversary voyage he suggested a nine-day repositioning cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Quebec City. The itinerary wasn’t even on our radar, and we had second thoughts because the ship was older. Our agent knew the vessel had been newly refurbished, had seen the ship, and he knew the itinerary would excite us. Not only did this cruise exceed our expectations, it ranks in our top 3 of all time!