Another cruise question - booking direct with cruise line or through travel agency

[lifeonlake]

I'm planning a Caribbean cruise and we narrowed our selection to a RCL ship and date.So I checked prices on Travelocity / Expedia and got quotes from Cruise Compete. Funny thing is that the Travelocity/Expedia quotes are the cheapest we are getting. We then called Royal Caribbean directly, and the RCL guy quoted the same price as Travelocity. But the guy kept saying that we should book directly with RCL for the following reasons:- After booking service. He claims that travel agents disappear after they're paid, and you no longer receive service, such as price adjustment and/or upgrades if the price drops. RCL can not provide this type of service if booked through a travel agency.- He's the only one who can offer the lowest quoted price, but there are only 5 tickets left. (I see that price every site I go to, so I'm not sure what he's talking about...)- Travel agents pay for promotions out of their pocket, and not everyone who buys the cruise gets them. (Promotions such as onboard credit, gratuity pre-paid, etc.)I get a feeling that he's just trying to make a sale on the spot, and he's blowing hot air. Can anyone share from their experience if this is true? Do travel agents disappear and no longer provide service, particularly for price adjustment? Does everyone get the advertised incentive/promotion, or is it only bait?Thanks in advance.

[Fredericvogler]

Shop for the right one to ensure you a pleasant journey and stress-free. It's best to protect yourself by purchasing travel insurance. Note: If you can not afford travel insurance, you can not afford the trip.