i always refer friends to Theresa Odom at Expedia Cruise Ship Centers in their new builging along side walmart off of 466 (the street past walmart going toward 301) she has helped me a lot planning a family trip to italy. please tell her dianne sent you :)

a travel agent should offer you a lot of information and will always be there to 'hold your hand' if that is what you need. cruise pricing from travel agents is identical to what is offered directly from the cruise lines which is also identical to any/all on-line agencies. what you get from a travel agent is knowledge, suggestions, reminders of what you need to do to have a successful cruise, information on ports, and much much more. i heard of a tale that an on-line agent told the client that they needed a visa to get off at a particular port. the client told them that they would take care of it themselves, and when they got to the port, they showed the officials their visa card, along with their mastercard and american express. needless to say they were denied entry to the port......a travel agent would have insisted on taking care of the correct VISA for the client.
as far as getting brochures from travel agents, most mainstream cruiselines have discontinued printing brochures.....the agent should have told you that.
as a home based outside sales travel agent I provide services that you would never get from booking directly with a cruise line or with an on-line agency. remember, you will never or rarely get to speak to the same person twice. and that is a problem.