December 16, 2008

If you were to take a cruise, which would you enjoy more: an art history lecture or wet T-shirt and hairy chest contests?

Do you know what kind of insurance to buy? Is it better to book excursions with the cruise line or find your own? Is the airfare being offered as a package a good deal? Did you know you can get a refund if the price of the cabin you booked goes on sale? If you encounter problems on the trip, is there someone you can call?

A good travel agent will answer those questions and even pose some you might not consider on your own. Let's say that an elderly woman walks into Destinations Inc. in Ellicott City intending to book a cruise. If she's thinking of a large ship, agent Lynda Maxwell will either talk her out of it or at least make sure her cabin isn't a half-mile from the dining room.

Why use a travel agent instead of booking yourself online? Why not, respond travel agents, who note that since cruise lines still pay commissions, the expertise of a travel agent is usually free, at least for the cruise portion of a trip.

Finding a good travel agent is like locating a good doctor: A word-of-mouth recommendation from a friend or relative is probably most reliable. Barring that, try:

? Cruise Line International Association, http://www.cruising.org/ . The Web site has a "Find a Travel Agent" section on the home page. Type the first three digits of your Zip code to find a list of agents near you who book cruises.

On Oct. 19, association members will hold special events at travel agencies across the country, offering information about 150 cruise ships on 19 cruise lines. You can find events near you at the Web site above.

? American Society of Travel Agents, http://www.travelsense.org/ . The Web site also has a Zip code-based search option for finding an agent, but click on "advanced search" to narrow the field to cruise specialists.

? Many individual cruise lines have places on their Web sites to search for a travel agent who can walk you through the decisions you need to make to maximize your cruise experience.

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