Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Travel Agent for Australia and NZ

I'm trying to plan out my honeymoon in Australia and New Zealand for Oct/Nov and I find myself having very little time for research.

Could any of you recommend a good travel agent preferably based either in Australia or New Zealand?

Many thanks.

I'm spending 3.5 weeks in Australia in August and am looking to possibly work with a TA as well. If someone ends up PMing the op, would they mind PMing me as well, please.

Also, I'm open and looking for suggestions of ideas of what to do/where to go.

Thanks.

Flight Centre is Australia's largest TA but they have several brands - including Flight Centre itself (caters for middle market), Student Flights (hmm- student market though more of their market is now generated by young professionals), Escape Travel (middle markets holidays) and Travel Associates (the boutique travel brand). All brands have access to the same packages and deals because they all come under the FC banner and ultimately, are ticketed by Flight Centre's ticket centre.

I will PM both posters with an email address for my TA at Travel Associates.\

Hope this helps.

Hi littl_flier - hope work hasn't been too hectic after the joys of cruising the Derwent!

Just a note of caution with FlightCentre - colleague had a bad experience with them when trying to obtain a refund ... took weeks and weeks of to-ing and fro-ing, with them clearly hoping she'd just go away and they could keep the $$ ... if you're clear what you want/need from them it should be OK ... just not what I'd call 'honourable' ...

My brother had a bad experience with Flight Centre also..went in to get two domestic tix between Sydney-Bangkok ..told they were confirmed on very cheap fares, but it would appear they were only waitlisted for the cheap tix which subsequently did not happen. When alternate flights did not fit into their plans they wanted a refund on the deposit (as they were told confirmed etc) however, FC would not refund the money at first, and it took several weeks of negotiations/threats for them to refund it. As FC staff work on commission rumour has it that this is ploy they regularly undertake hoping the pax will simply go away and they keep the deposit. Remember its only a rumour that my brother was told after his research.

Hmmm ... maybe it is only a rumour but seems to fit the pattern!

Thanks for the info. Anyone have any recommendations on some other TAs then?

If you have a set itinerary and don't need much help from TA's then I find bestflights.com.au have the best price. Otherwise I find Voyager Travel have competitive quotes and great service.