Post # 1
Member
39 posts
Newbee
Hi everyone–
My Fiance and I are pretty set on Hawaii for our honeymoon so I am very excited for that!
However, my Fiance is against getting a travel agent. I feel a travel agent would really help us figure things out. Theer are so many things to do in Hawaii and 5 different islands, we haveno clue where to stay and such. My Fiance says travel agents just look things up online and then get back to you, but I’m sure they do more! That’s their profession!
Does anyone have any opinions??
Post # 3
Member
5295 posts
Bee Keeper
Get a travel agent – they know so many of the ins and outs, especially if you get one who specializes/has travelled multiple times to Hawaii. They can help you get better deals and help you avoid the pitfalls. For us (and it sounds like commonly) they were free! So why not? At the very least they can help you narrow down what island(s) and activities you’d be interested in.
Post # 4
Member
7587 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
@LoveBug1: it doesnt’ cost you anything to go talk to one. Stop in see what they say and what they have to offer. Show Fiance what you’ve found and when he’s on board tell him you got some of the info from a travel agent 🙂 Maybe he’ll agree to go talk to them at that point.
Post # 5
Member
6572 posts
Bee Keeper
We used a travel agent to book our cruise. She couldn’t save us money on the actual cruise, so she got us $240 to spend on the ship. It was def. worth having the travel agent.
Post # 6
Member
404 posts
Helper bee
We went to Hawaii for our honeymoon last October and we LOVED our travel agent. We actually never met him in person, but we did a search online for travel agents and we found him. He specializes in honeymoons and DWs. He’s personally gone to Hawaii several times, so he knew which Luau was the best, suggested what area we might like based on what kind of honeymoon we wanted and was just down right fantastic! Plus, he got us a GREAT deal! It was better than what we could have booked on our own through a travel website.
He was able to get us VIP seating for the Luau (our table mates had to book theirs months before we did), included breakfast buffet, and 2 free room upgrades.
I would highly reccommend using one!
Post # 7
Member
39 posts
Newbee
thank you all!! i’m showing him this page and he will agree! hehe
Post # 8
Member
10366 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
I’m very anti-travel agent. Everything you need is on the internet. I hate packaged deals, as well – so much better to explore a new place on your own. I’ve been to 25 countries and never used a travel agent – and don’t ever intend to start!
Post # 9
Member
405 posts
Helper bee
My parents helped me with this one. Fiance and I are going to Hawaii and booked it through Pleasantholidays.com. You get to choose multiple islands and different hotel options etc. It was really affordable too. We are booking tours when we get there, but the have the option to add stuff on right away. Plus they give you an island intro i.e. selling tours the day after you arrive.
Post # 10
Member
39 posts
Newbee
@mkewed2010: Oh wow, I have to check out that website as well…we def. want to have an agenda when we go. Of course we want to relax and soak up the sun but I do want to swm w/ the dolphins, go on tours, lauas, etc…
I also hope I can find restaurants that are basically on the water, where the water comes at your feet…anyone know of one???
Post # 11
Member
10287 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
We actually just booked our Honeymoon today through a TA. Honestly, I don’t think that I would travel without using one. They’re free and they do all of the leg work for you so why not utilize that? If you find better rates somewhere else, most TA’s will match whatever you were offered and sometimes even throw in some added perks.
I’ll tell you a little story of why I think TA’s rock…
My friend and her husband honeymooned in Jamaica during hurricane season a few years ago. The day that they were supposed to leave to come home they got hit with huge hurricane (can’t remember the name). My friend & her hubs made it to the airport only to find that they had shut down (duh!). They had no choice but to go back to their resort and check back in. Problem was, my friends were broke. They literally had nothing to their name and no means of paying the resort for the added time that they would be staying there. Neither of their families were well off so unfortunately, no one was able to help them. They were stuck in Jamaica will no money and no roof over their heads during a hurricane.
My friend called her TA and the TA paid for my friend and her husband to check back into the hotel using her own personal credit card. They ended up having to stay an extra 3 days which amounted to well over $1000 worth of charges at the resort. If they wouldn’t have booked with their TA, they would have been completely screwed. Ever since, my friend swears by them. Actually, we’re using the same TA they did. She’s wonderful and knows her stuff.
Post # 12
Member
39 posts
Newbee
@UpstateCait: Wow, that is crazy! Thank goodness for your friend’s TA…That’s really good to know though because you never know when you may need that kind of help…
I am really wanting a TA, so my Fiance and I just need to find 1 in our area and it’ll happen lol.
I think for your wedding, you need to really take the extra steps to ensure the best trip you could have, because this will be one of the most important/special trips of your lifetime…it’s not like I am just going on a fun getaway you know?
thanks again for all of your bee comments, I really appreciate it!
TA it is!
Post # 13
Member
10 posts
Newbee
We’re looking into having a Sri Lanka wedding (since my husband-to-be’s family lives there) and I’ve been running the gamut of researching the least expensive way to do this. I think hiring a travel agent depends on whether they can use their professional credit to get you deals you couldn’t get yourself. For example, there is a whole list of destination wedding specialists on http://www.gatheringguide.com/event_categories/destination_management.html that we have been researching, and some will just help you buy the ticket, but some will go through every aspect of the experience you want to have, and show you the best way to do it. So I’d recommend calling at least a few people and see whether they can save you money on the whole. You’ll know after talking to them whether it seems like a waste or a good investment.
Post # 14
Member
746 posts
Busy bee
As a graduate of the Travel & Tourism program at Ohio University, I can tell you there’s far more to be a travel professional than just looking things up online. A good travel agent will have knowledge about what the best way is to get you from one island to the next, activities to enjoy while you’re there, best rates, and more. A good travel agent should also be able to tell you what things to avoid, such as a hotel that may be under constrution, when not to go based on weather, and more.
When you’re planning a multi-stop trip such has Hawaii, I think it’s important to find a consultant who has actually been to the islands within the last three years. Things in any destination change quickly. And while there are a lot of great destination certification programs than an agent can take advantage of, there’s no substitute for being there.
Here’s some other questions to ask when looking for an agent:
-how long have they been in business?
-what certifications do they carry?
-are they able to acurately explain the insurance to you?
-do they have current testimonials or recommendations on their site from past clients?
A great agent really can make or break your trip! What ever you chose to do, have a wonderful time in Hawaii!
Post # 15
Member
4546 posts
Honey bee
Darling Husband was aganist it at first when we planned our honeymoon. But once he realized they didn’t cost anything and saw how much she helped us and how easy it made the whole thing, he was on board!
Post # 16
Member
699 posts
Busy bee
Seconding mkewed2010 on Pleasant Holidays for a Hawaii trip–I have not used them, but friends have, and they often have amazing rates on flights and hotel packages. Their best deals are for last minute trips, which of course you wouldn’t want to wait until the last minute, but even booking normally it’s at least worth looking into.
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