It is as hard to find a good cruise agent as to find a good doctor or tailor or other professional. In our age of information overload there are situations when you can’t do without a travel agent.

First of all, when you, an inexperienced traveler or first time cruiser, decide at last to take the risk and at the same time want to be sure about the details, another situation is that you do not have the time or interest to search the suitable cruise, or you just have a large group cruising, in these cases getting a good travel agent is a must. It is much easier to buy a plane ticket or call a hotel for a room than to book a cruise. As with any vacation, there should many decisions you must make. The one you should look for is an experienced in cruising travel agent. There are lots of cruise agencies, and many other full-service agencies have cruise specialists and who sell nothing but cruises. You should be sure that your agent is able to do the next things, as to find the best deals, answer all your questions, and have comprehensive knowledge about all cruise lines and the cruise industry in general; offer several options for you if you are not sure, and give you booklets and data from different cruise lines; tell you how you will get your baggage from the airport to the ship and back. The agent should also answer questions for those with special needs (on-board child care, dietary restrictions, and medical conditions) and know the answers about the cruise lines' cancellation and payment policies.

The best way to find a professional travel agent is to ask your frequent-cruiser friends, relatives, or co-workers who they have used. When that does not work, check out the ads in your Sunday newspaper and interview them over the phone or in person. Of course, you are looking for an agent who has lots of cruise experience and knowledge and with personal experience about the cruise line you are interested in. Find out which cruise lines they have traveled on and how much they know about cuisine, accommodations, entertainment, fellow passengers, amenities and common areas, or anything else, such as ballroom dancing or playing bridge. Find the one who seems to be interested to know you and wants to suit your interests with the variety of cruise lines and destinations available to cruise travelers.
Check whether the travel agency is cruise-only or a member of a professional organization such as CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) , ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents), or NACOA (National Association of Cruise Oriented Agencies).

It is possible that sometimes large cruise discount agencies can find deals not available to a local agent, but the problem is that the person you may be dealing with is thousand miles away and inexperienced cruiser.
It is much easier to work with a good local travel agent you when you return from your cruise with complain, as it is more important for them to have a good reputation locally than for a large cruise discount agent.
But you also should be aware of any travel agent who is emphasizing on one ship or one cruise line more than on others. It may be so as he\she gets higher commission.

For about 10 years ago it was a rule to turn to a travel agent for information and their service. Those days have passed and today due to Internet one can do the planning yourself and design the perfect cruise vacation. Or you can contact an online discount cruise broker, a cruise line or a travel agency and book your dream vacation.