Booking Liveaboard Direct vs. Agency

[kommisarrex]

It seems like the liveaboard industry is still stuck in 1970s travel planning mode with agencies dominating the marketplace (and presumably taking their cut). Is there any real advantage to using an agency live liveaboard.com or divebooker or PADI travel vs booking with the company directly? Do companies offer discounts for booking directly (saving themselves the commission)? Do I have more or less recourse when something goes wrong booking directly? Other thoughts?

 

[kommisarrex]

I see there was similar thread in 2019. Maybe things are different now because of COVID issues?

Pros & Cons of using a Dive travel agency versus booking direct?

 

[drrich2]

I've done it both ways. If I'm booking a simple trip with a Caribbean destination and I'm comfortable making air travel arrangements myself, then I may do it personally.

But...if I'm looking at a far flung destination (so far, the Galapagos) dealing with foreign airlines I'm not familiar with, possibly different requirements (e.g.: inspections, fees, baggage allowances), somewhat complicated flight arrangements with the need to book a hotel for an overnight stay...then I tend toward using a dive travel agency.

They're not all created equal. I've been happy with Blue Water Dive Travel; their agent I use (Tim Yeo) has been the places I want to go. He has first hand experiential knowledge of what the options are and how to discriminate between them. When I need that, I e-mail him.

 

[Dan]

I've done it both ways. If I'm booking a simple trip with a Caribbean destination and I'm comfortable making air travel arrangements myself, then I may do it personally.

But...if I'm looking at a far flung destination (so far, the Galapagos) dealing with foreign airlines I'm not familiar with, possibly different requirements (e.g.: inspections, fees, baggage allowances), somewhat complicated flight arrangements with the need to book a hotel for an overnight stay...then I tend toward using a dive travel agency.

They're not all created equal. I've been happy with Blue Water Dive Travel; their agent I use (Tim Yeo) has been the places I want to go. He has first hand experiential knowledge of what the options are and how to discriminate between them. When I need that, I e-mail him.

When I started doing liveaboard trips, I found out booking it direct or through agency would yield to the same cost. Then @outofofficebrb mentioned about her agent, Tim Yeo that can work with me to set up a webpage on his agency, Bluewater Travel, for a group trip with group discount like spreading equally the free of charge spot to everyone in the group, and everyone can pay his/her trip via credit card at no additional charge and get additional credit from his/her credit card company in terms of frequent flyer miles and/or free travel insurance.

Then later on I learnt also that some TA who are also SB members, like @dome@DiveAdvice can give additional discount to SB member. He has been in this business for a long time and knows most of the dive operators really really well. I am very very happy with the deals I got from him for the last 4 liveaboard trips (to Cocos, Socorro, Maldives. Malpelo). I tried to book directly and with other TAs, none of them can beat his offers.

I am retired. So I have plenty of vacation time, but limited vacation budget. I need to spend that budget carefully. So, the cost and staying COVID-19 free are the 2 most important goals for me this year if I want to accomplish all of 11 trips I have booked for this year:
1. Socorro in January (with Nautillus Belle Amie, completed)
2. Belize in February (Ramon's Village resort, going there next week)
3. Maldives in March (with Carpe Vita & Emperor Leo)
4. Tiger Beach? (rescheduled from 2020, but still TBD)
5. Socorro in May (with Nautillus Belle Amie - a spot available if you are interested to join)
6. Malpelo in July (with Ferox)
7. Sangalaki in August (with White Manta - a spot available if you are interested to join)
8. Cocos in September (with Argo, rescheduled from 2020)
9. Guadalupe in October/November (with Nautillus Belle Amie)
10. Galapagos in November/December (rescheduled from last year, still TBD)
11. Raja Ampat in December (rescheduled from last year, still TBD)

 

[Scared Silly]

I do my research first as I typically know exactly what we are planning. As a result most often we book directly. However, we are currently planning a trip to the Galapagos and working with Dom @DiveAdvise. Using an agent can be very helpful as that is what they do and have local knowledge so to help fill in the gaps. Or in our case help us book a secondary boat for naturalist tours after a week of diving.

I think the difference in is the agencies. Those with what I would call on the ground experience vs those who are more of an on-line service.

 

[Scared Silly]

I am retired. So I have plenty of vacation time, but limited vacation budget.

Then goes on to list 11 trips planned over the next 12 months

 

[Dan]

Then goes on to list 11 trips planned over the next 12 months

Half of those trips were the already paid from last year (before I retired) and rescheduled to this year. There won’t be as many in 2022.

Some of the liveaboard trips are expensive. I now am rather getting 3 of $2000 ones, instead of a $6000 one.

Lately some operators were giving out 50% off during 4Q ‘20-1Q ‘21, as they were trying to recover from 6-9 months of shutdown. I took advantage of that too.

 

[Dan]

When I started doing liveaboard trips, I found out booking it direct or through agency would yield to the same cost. Then @outofofficebrb mentioned about her agent, Tim Yeo that can work with me to set up a webpage on his agency, Bluewater Travel, for a group trip with group discount like spreading equally the free of charge spot to everyone in the group, and everyone can pay his/her trip via credit card at no additional charge and get additional credit from his/her credit card company in terms of frequent flyer miles and/or free travel insurance.

Then later on I learnt also that some TA who are also SB members, like @dome@DiveAdvice can give additional discount to SB member. He has been in this business for a long time and knows most of the dive operators really really well. I am very very happy with the deals I got from him for the last 4 liveaboard trips (to Cocos, Socorro, Maldives. Malpelo). I tried to book directly and with other TAs, none of them can beat his offers.

I am retired. So I have plenty of vacation time, but limited vacation budget. I need to spend that budget carefully. So, the cost and staying COVID-19 free are the 2 most important goals for me this year if I want to accomplish all of 11 trips I have booked for this year:
1. Socorro in January (with Nautillus Belle Amie, completed)
2. Belize in February (Ramon's Village resort, going there next week)
3. Maldives in March (with Carpe Vita & Emperor Leo)
4. Tiger Beach? (rescheduled from 2020, but still TBD)
5. Socorro in May (with Nautillus Belle Amie - a spot available if you are interested to join)
6. Malpelo in July (with Ferox)
7. Sangalaki in August (with White Manta - a spot available if you are interested to join)
8. Cocos in September (with Argo, rescheduled from 2020)
9. Guadalupe in October/November (with Nautillus Belle Amie)
10. Galapagos in November/December (rescheduled from last year, still TBD)
11. Raja Ampat in December (rescheduled from last year, still TBD)

Some updates:
#1 went well, Trip Report - Socorro Jan 2021 Diving Trip Report
#2. went well, Trip Report - Belize Feb 2021 Trip Report
# 3 went well. Just got home last night. Carpe Vita Real Time Review: March 7-18, 2021 Trip to Maldives Deep South & Emperor Leo Real Time Review, March 21-28, 2021, The Best of Maldives
#4. is still TBD.
#5. is confirmed, including flight & hotel.
#6. is still a GO, but a buddy from Malaysia dropped out due to his country is still in lockdown situation.
#7. is still up in the air as Indonesia is still closed.
#8. would be a GO. I was there last Dec. and all went well, Trip Report - Diving in Cocos Dec. 2020 Trip Report
#9. is rescheduled to Sep. 2022 since Guadalupe Island is still closed.
#10. is still not confirmed.
#11. is in the same situation as #7.

 

[staggsSevin]

I'm similar to drrich2, I do all my own in the Caribbean, but when it comes to something like say the Red Sea....I need the extra help navigating the flights and the timing of things.

 

[ontdiver]

I have good trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and like the challenge of doing my own research and bookings.

On occasion, however, as noted by @staggsSevin, it is difficult to get the right flights w/o going through a travel agent. This is not likely to be any simpler in the coming year with routes being sliced and diced all over the globe.