Is it worth it to use a travel agent?

I rarely if ever use travel agents since I research my trips so thoroughly and obsessively, that I find I actually have more information about my intended destination than most travel agents can offer.  In my opinion, a truly valuable travel agent should be one who can offer:  good values, good first-hand recommendations on transportation and accommodations, and insider tips on restaurants recommendations and things to do.  In my experience, travel agents tend to only do the first and/or second, but have very little to offer in terms of recommendations on food and things to do.

In the last ten or so years, I've used travel agents a handful of times.  There have been times I considered using one for a trip but decided against it after speaking with the agent and realizing that - they didn't really know very much about the destination and was relying on tripadvisor too OR worse, pushing whatever package would give them the largest commission.  Some seasoned travel agents will do a free consultation and if you decide to proceed, they will charge a fee to create and book a package for you.  I can't say I've had amazing results when I've gone this route, because no matter how much they claim they "customize" for you and your interests, I got the feeling that they were regurgitating the same packages for almost everyone.

But I don't want to be such a downer on travel agents.  There are times when I've found them useful.  (And I'm sure there are speciality travel agents out there that I've just not had the pleasure of encountering personally who are splendid.  If you know of any, let me know!)  So when would I recommend using a travel agent?

•  You don't like planning trips yourself.  Obviously if (unlike me), you don't find planning and researching your trips, then by all means, pay someone else to do it!  I don't mind doing a lot of research so the only time I am willing to pay someone is if I'm getting something of actual value for me (like insider tips or a special deal, etc.).
• Cruise bookings.  I've generally found that travel agents do have an inside link to the best deals for cruise ships.  Travel agents who specialize in cruises will usually have lots of good information on the best cabins (locations) to book and which ships have better amenities, food and activities.  The service is also usually better because I think they assume cruisers are more likely to be repeat customers.
• When you get a rebate!  For my trip to Italy, I planned the trip myself, but for hotels that were available on expedia.com, I asked Elite 5 Star Travel to book them because they are willing to share a little bit of their commission with you, which translates to additional savings!  The guys who run the agency are very nice and eager to assist.  They might not be able to offer you a lot of first-hand recommendations or insider tips, but they are happy to book your transportation and accommodations (whether or not they actually get a commission from those bookings).   They booked about 4 hotels for my stay in Italy and about a month after I returned from my trip, I got a nice little rebate check for $253.   If you are going to use expedia to book your hotels anyways, why not have an agent take care of it if you can get some cash back?

 If you have any good recommendations on travel agents, please share below!  I think my next international trip will be to Japan so any special tips there would be appreciated!