My buddies and I plan the upcoming season ourselves. We try for 1 big dive trip a month, with smaller local trips here and there. I`ve found that while travel agents may know how to book flights, cruises, etc., they have little understanding of diving. Also, by planning the dives ourselves we can rent the boat we want, dive the sites we want and do the profles we want. On organized dive trips there seems to be some resprt DM telling everyone what they can and cannot do.