My interpretation of
this expert advice is to recognize that credentialing cannot
insure
nothing
will ever go wrong. On the other hand, when you're spending
the kind of money it takes to go on a cruise, don't you want
to deal with people who you can trust, who have demonstrated
an exceptional level of expertise, and who have earned the
highest industry recognition? As an additional thought, my
impression is that only about one percent of travel or cruise
agents earn the coveted "Master Cruise Counselor" distinction.More
information for travelers
About Service After the Sale...
What you are "buying" in a sense, is the peace of mind and confidence that
when you deal with someone who you trust...someone who is interested in tailoring
their services to meet your needs (and from their point of view, building a
long term business relationship). Their real competitive advantage lies in
sharing their ethical standards and expertise about cruise lines (and how the
products/ships/cruises can dramatically differ), as well as understanding your
underlying needs (as opposed to feeding the emotional of a dreamy cruise that
the glittery photos and cruise industry brochures induce). More
information for travelers
To summarize:
We pass on these recommendations because there are marginal
travel or cruise agents who are nearly clueless about the
cruise industry (although they will gladly take your money
and try to convince you otherwise with elaborate puffery
and BS). If you doubt that statement, read through some of
the sad stories on America on Line. They run the gamut from
true rip-off stories and scam artists to the more common
letdown that people experience when their dream cruise turns
out to be not so dreamy after all. There are dozens, if not
hundreds, of these embittered tales of woe posted in the "Worst
Cruise Experience" area, as well as other area on AOL cruise
board. If you're a regular reader of Conde' Nast, you can
also read about the "cruises-from-hell" experiences that
their ombudsperson periodically responds to. More
information for travelers
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