Square Agencies Vary in Attention to Students

For those looking to go away for spring break but who have not gotten around to booking flights and reserving hotels, crunch time is here. If you want to travel to Cancun, the Bahamas or anywhere outside of New England, now is the time to visit a travel agent.

There are five travel agencies conveniently located in the Square--STA Travel, OMNI Travel, Let's Go Travel Agency, American Express Travel and Harvard Travel. The Crimson inquired about spring break travel options at the first four in order to find out which ones serviced students best.

STA Travel

The most welcoming atmosphere from a student's point of view was STA Travel, located at 65 Mt. Auburn St. The arrangement of the desks and waiting area give the agency a personable feel. You will most likely have to wait before being helped, but the many student-friendly travel pamphlets available allow you to explore your options even before you meet with an agent. For example, when you walk in, there are Eurail pass maps and information packets available, as well as student tour and backpacking information.

After a five-minute wait, this reporter sat down with travel advisor Erin Greene and asked her for information on spring break package deals for students. Greene took out a list of hotel prices and said the cheapest place to go would be Cancun. She then circled the best deals for students in a magazine all about tropical vacations. Greene provided prices, hotel information and a card with her number. STA Travel was efficient, informative and fast--perfect for students with busy agendas.

Service charge: none. 576-4623.

OMNI Travel

OMNI Travel at 3 Bow St. provided equally efficient service and attentive, patient help.

Although the atmosphere was more for- mal than at STA, OMNI immediately immediatelywelcomes you and treats you with respect.

This reporter sat down, expecting a wait, butconsultant Cheryl Cinelli called over right away.When asked for spring break information, Cinelliprovided the phone numbers of what she said werethe two best agencies to call--Student TravelService and Spring Break Travel. Cinelli's answerswere straightforward and honest. She gaveconstructive feedback to low-budget concerns, andadvised calling the companies directly because herresearch required a $50 service fee, and wouldonly produce general travel information, not dealsgeared specifically towards students.

Service charge: $50 for research. 864-3600.

Let's Go Travel

Let's Go Travel, located at 17 Holyoke St., isthe only student-run agency in the Square. Let'sGo has comprehensive packets prepared with studentrates specifically for the week of Harvard'sspring break. The packet covers the followingdestinations: Jamaica, starting at $459; Cancun,starting at $399; and the Bahamas, starting at$429. Let's Go also has packets on specific hotelsand student packages strewn across the main deskfor interested travellers to grab. Students leavewith packets and pamphlets, and the advice to plannow because hotels are booking up quickly.

Service charge: none. 495-9649.

American Express Travel

American Express Travel's welcoming sign at Mt.Auburn and JFK Streets--"Please Go AwayOften"--always catches attention. Upon visitingAmerican Express, however, the student willrapidly get the feeling that they should goaway--to another agency.

The women here treated student questions likethey did not matter. In addition, they seemedstumped by the term "spring break." They gave nospecific information, only recommending takingthree pamphlets from the wall-- one of them beinga brochure for Club Med, whose prices far exceedthe average student's travel budget. AmericanExpress' agents gave no helpful advice, not evensuggesting where to start looking in the thick,overwhelming pamphlets. American Express Travelgoes at the bottom of this list of agenciesbecause students certainly seem to be at thebottom of theirs.

Service charge: none for research; $10 forairline ticket sales. 868-2600

This reporter sat down, expecting a wait, butconsultant Cheryl Cinelli called over right away.When asked for spring break information, Cinelliprovided the phone numbers of what she said werethe two best agencies to call--Student TravelService and Spring Break Travel. Cinelli's answerswere straightforward and honest. She gaveconstructive feedback to low-budget concerns, andadvised calling the companies directly because herresearch required a $50 service fee, and wouldonly produce general travel information, not dealsgeared specifically towards students.

Service charge: $50 for research. 864-3600.

Let's Go Travel

Let's Go Travel, located at 17 Holyoke St., isthe only student-run agency in the Square. Let'sGo has comprehensive packets prepared with studentrates specifically for the week of Harvard'sspring break. The packet covers the followingdestinations: Jamaica, starting at $459; Cancun,starting at $399; and the Bahamas, starting at$429. Let's Go also has packets on specific hotelsand student packages strewn across the main deskfor interested travellers to grab. Students leavewith packets and pamphlets, and the advice to plannow because hotels are booking up quickly.

Service charge: none. 495-9649.

American Express Travel

American Express Travel's welcoming sign at Mt.Auburn and JFK Streets--"Please Go AwayOften"--always catches attention. Upon visitingAmerican Express, however, the student willrapidly get the feeling that they should goaway--to another agency.

The women here treated student questions likethey did not matter. In addition, they seemedstumped by the term "spring break." They gave nospecific information, only recommending takingthree pamphlets from the wall-- one of them beinga brochure for Club Med, whose prices far exceedthe average student's travel budget. AmericanExpress' agents gave no helpful advice, not evensuggesting where to start looking in the thick,overwhelming pamphlets. American Express Travelgoes at the bottom of this list of agenciesbecause students certainly seem to be at thebottom of theirs.

Service charge: none for research; $10 forairline ticket sales. 868-2600