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Which cruise line . . .

Which cruise line or specific ship would anyone recommend to a family that is upscale with interesting ports of call?

Hi Barb, See your local cruise professional travel agent and talk for a hour or so. He will tell you the difference in ships and match you up according to your lifestyle and budget. Paul

Disney. Despite what Celebrity touts as being upscale, I've sailed both, and Disney had by far the more well heeled passenger list, not to mention fantastic facilities for kids and better treatment of it's guests. I take issue with Celebrity's silly dress code enforcement policy as well as the fact that they will confiscate until debarkation any liqour you purchase in port. They don't seem to have as much respect for their passengers.

I take issue with cruisen. I've sailed Celebrity 8 times and have bought booze on board and have NEVER had it confiscated. I was discrete about it, and as long as you are discrete security could care less.

I love the Mediterranean area for its history, but not knowing the age of your family, I don't know if that is the correct area yet for them. What area of the world are you considering?

Barb--what are you intersted in? South America, Baltic, Hawaii, Alaska, Med, Mexican Riviera, or Caribbean. Expand on what you are interested in, and I will respond as I have experienced them all. Also, please further define "family that is upscale" with some notion of ages. Just to run off to a TA without these definitions will only serve to confuse you. There are many options. Keep in mind that a TA is a commissioned agent working for the cruise line, and will steer you towards that line running a sales contest.

Xnay Lew. A travel agent has to depend on repeat customers. To sell a person a cruise that does not match his/her lifestyle is cutting his/her own throat. Paul

i would recommend radisson.. they're upsacale.. very neat itineraries.. the price upfront is a little higher than SOME other lines.. but it's well worth it and in most cases you'll wind up spending less $$ on board. and it's not mass market.. very individualized service.

Come on Lew, get a life. You do not even know what you are talking about. It is funny, you never know how little someone knows till they start talking.

Bob--and how did this contribute? How do you know [quote] "You do not even know what you are talking about." And your expertise is from.........? Oh yes, I see, a TA by your email address. Are you saying you are not a commissioned agent? Are you telling me there is never a SPIF from the cruise lines that sways you? What are you saying? Or are you just sniping? So, if you want an intelligent conversation about the quality and knowledge of TAs, start a string, argue your point. Sniping is a way to side-step legitimate discussion.

Lew....you made a blanket statement and I quote, "keep in mind that a TA is a commissioned agent working for a cruise line, and will steer you towards that line running a sales contest" That just is not true. First of all the TA does not WORK for a cruise line. The TA is an independent agent. There simply is not enough "over ride commission" to put a client on a ship that is not what they want. Maybe by booking on line this may happen, where the line agency will never have to contend with the client when they come back. The TA has to come face to face with the client after the cruise. Everything better have fit the needs of the passenger. I will agree with you 100% that there are a lot of bad TA out there, just like there are bad lawyers and doctors, etc. It is up to the passenger to make a choice on an agent that they meet face to face and have some referrals from their friends. When you deal with someone on line you have no idea what they are like, plus the on line agents are TA also. We may agree to disagree but I still think you a wrong to lump all TA into one group and to suggest that they have their interest above that of their clients.

I agree, a good TA will take a new cruiser and detail their entire vacation experience from the time that person leaves home to the time that person returns. Keep in mind .... ask the TA what he will do for YOU to make your vacation the best ever. A good TA will spend quite a bit of time with you for his little commission. Paul

Bob, that was a very rational reply, although it only covered the “best case scenario.” I said, “Just to run off to a TA without these definitions will only serve to confuse you. There are many options.” I think my primary point is valid. If someone goes to a TA without knowing where they want to go or what they want to do, they will not get the best results. Your point is “First of all the TA does not WORK for a cruise line.” I never said an independent TA is an EMPLOYEE of a cruise line. The TA is in business to be paid by someone. It is either the service provider or the customer. When airlines stopped paying commissions to TAs, TAs started charging their customers a direct “handling fee” and some are starting to turn away air reservations. For cruises, a TA gets his compensation from the cruiseline in the form of commissions, and may be swayed by promotions designed to do just that. I find this statement somewhat idealistic. “…but I still think you a wrong to lump all TA into one group and to suggest that they have their interest above that of their clients.” In a perfect world, this may be true. But if a client shows no indication of buying something, for which you would be paid a commission, you will lose interest quickly. You are not in business to amuse yourself. My statement was directed to the original poster to do some homework before they went to a TA. The TA’s interests and the client’s interests may not be the same. Altruism went out 2000 years ago. I'd love to see a string on TAs...the good, the bad and the ugly [with apologies to Clint Eastwood].

Just what we need. Another string about TA's. How boring.