With the exception of luxury travel agencies and specialty services, youll never pay more for booking with an agent vs direct, and in many cases you could get additional perks, upgrades, onboard credit, or even lower pricing. Cruises should i use a travel agent to book a cruise. Although each ta goes about doing it somewhat differently, the reality is that a substantial piece of your payment comes back to the ta and with the best ones for us this means many hundreds of dollars or. Im making plans for a carnival cruise to caribbean in feb. If you book with an agent, you must use that agent for all questions and modifications. Frankly, i dont think id be willing to book with any agency that charged a cancellation fee. Should you use a travel agent to help you book your cruise. When an agent books a hotel room, cruise, tour, etc, this means the provider doesnt have to sell, market, or service the booking the agent takes care of all of that. We booked directly with the resort as the excursion wasnt available through the cruise line. I ve booked cruises and other vacations through expedia and never had any issues and the on board credits have always shown up in our account without issues. Even if youre sure youd like the help of an agent, there are many different types agents to choose from.
Whether sailing the warm caribbean or historic mediterranean, youll likely want some sort of plan for while youre in port. If there are no incentives its best to book direct. Do you use a travel agent or book directly through rcl. Should i use a travel agent or book directly with a cruise. Reserving your excursions ahead of time will allow you to take part in the activities you want, and ensure your cruise is stressfree. Yes, there are differences between booking directly with the cruise line versus using a travel agent. Calling the cruise line directly to get all of this info takes time and quite often that person doesnt know the answers. Have you ever asked, should i use a cruise travel agent to book my cruise. Even more important look for the accomplishments besides clia etc. If you like adventurous activities like zip lines, glacier hiking, or diving you may want to book directly through the cruise line.
Booking shore excursions directly through your cruise line. Most cruises are about both the fantastic onboard experience as well as the ports of call you visit. We recommend booking through united cruises on our shore excursions website, or directly on the cruise line website, as the excursions are designed to match your cruise itinerary. We recommend booking through via our shore excursions website or directly on the cruise line website, as the excursions are designed to match your cruise itinerary. Aida cruises is there any website to book aida cruises. Are there cons to booking directly with the cruise line. One of them decided to call the cruise line directly, the other, my travel agent. One of the biggest questions about shore excursions is whether you should book them independently or book them through the cruise line. But when you use a decent agency you often have the change to form a bond of sorts with specific agents who can handle bookings with any cruise line. Dec 06, 2019 there are several ways for cruise guests to book a shore excursion with certain pros and cons.
You really have to shop around but i tend to book directly trough the cruise line. If going direct, contact the carnival group booking number instead of the. Right now, the value offered by cruise lines is exceptional as they battle to secure bookings for future voyages. As well, the cruise line has the ability to round up dozen of choices all at once including tours you might. Here are some insights that might prove useful, should you choose to book excursions the next time you go on a cruise. In fact, when the cruise lines call center is closed your agent can still handle many of the changes you may have directly through online access to the cruise line database. You can book directly with the cruise line youve chosen, either via its website or by picking up the phone and calling, or you can use a travel travel notice. You will get better service, more attention, and a wise veteran you can bounce questions off of. Cruises can be booked online through the cruise line directly or via a thirdparty online cruise seller. Why you should use a travel agent to book a cruise. Bottom line you should book your cruise with a travel agent if youre a first time cruiser, have a lot of special requests or want to get the best deals. Should you use a travel agent or book directly with a cruise line. A good cruise consultant with the passion for cruising is priceless.
Every day travel agents receive email updates from cruise lines. While the cruise line will have dozens of things to do, there are so many more things you can actually do. Ill tell you right out the gate that whether youre looking into your first cruise or well on your way to the highest levels of a. You will get the same rate, and sometimes a better rate. That is right if you book third party and do not make it bake to the port and onto your ship on. Each cruise line has certification programs with different levels. Its worth checking prices however because there have been a few occasions weve found cruise lines. Booking directly with cruise lines doesnt necessarily mean that you get the cheapest price or the best deal. Book your cruise with a travel agent 6 reasons why you should. The river cruise companies that allow you to book through a travel agentbroker expect that this agentbroker will bring them business. Booking shore excursions independently vs booking through. Why book with priceline cruises vs directly with the cruise line. Should i book my cruise with a travel agency or should i. Think of all the options you have to consider the length of your trip, the cruise line, the ship, the date, ports of call, and more.
Call carnival at 18007647419 and book your cruise over the phone if you know your preferences and needs but arent comfortable with the internet, or simply dont want to use it for booking. Booking directly with your chosen cruise line can be efficient, if and this is a big if you know exactly what you want from the cruise. Learned this lesson personally, the hard way, or the expensive way in my. By then i just began booking everything online directly with the cruise line. A few cruise lines, especially the luxury or specialty cruise lines, do not support this direct link functionality to their reservation systems. You are ready to set out on your first cruise, but now you must decide how to go about actually booking it. Should i book my cruise with a travel agency or should i book. Is it better to book a cruise through expedia, or through. Feb 19, 20 ready to take the plunge and book a cruise. Should you book shore excursions through the cruise line. The cruise professionals is a luxury cruise specialist, and they do an enormous volume of business with all the 4star and 5star lines, especially crystal, regent seven seas, and seabourn, all of. Booking shore excursions independently vs booking through the.
Sep 14, 2018 i am not a travel agent and have never been. Even though i have booked directly through the cruise line, i find i can get better deals with a travel agent. Not only are they easy to book, but if you book through the cruise line, there is usually a guarantee that you will make your return before the ship departs. Now some online agents like vacationstogo buy blocks of cabins and thats fine. Our experience was phenomenal and wouldnt have been available if only looking at what the cruise line offered. You can easily compare fares and special deals across. The only time i would recommend a travel agent is for cruising, as a cruise specializing travel agent gets discounts, onboard spending credits and other perks paid for by the cruise line, not you because the get volume discounts that you cannot get independently by either booking online or calling them directly. Is it better to book the cruise through agents rather than. Its peace of mind to know that the tour provider has been vetted for liability insurance and other legalities. Our experience was phenomenal and wouldnt have been available if only looking at. With all of that in mind a good question to ask is, should i book airfare on my own or through the cruise line. In my experience, i have had no reason to book directly with the cruise line. If anyone feels they should not use a ta just to get a bottle of wine, i would say they are using the wrong ta. From guided tours to resort passes, or even helicopter rides to glaciers, you can book a number of tours through the cruise line but should you book.
When looking on the cruise lines website i noticed i had the option to book our airline tickets directly with the cruise line. Go on the disney cruise line website, search around through all the options until you come up with the cruise you want to book. That is right if you book third party and do not make it bake to the port and onto your ship on time it will not wait for you. Get to know the planned activities each port has to offer prior to your departure. Ill tell you right out the gate that whether youre looking into your first cruise or well on your way to the highest levels of a cruise lines loyalty program, i highly recommend using a good travel agent, but lets talk about why by addressing some common questions. Jun 30, 2011 even if you know all these things, which few people do, when you book your cruise directly with crystal, or with almost any other agent, you are not going to get as good a deal. Jul 27, 2015 should i book flight through cruise line. Should i book my shore excursions on my own or through the. If the cruise line is not going to charge you, then why should the agency. Learn about our cruises from 2020 to 2021, vacation deals, and more, or call us at 18776654655. Should you book your cruise excursions with your cruise line. Expedia usually has the same price as the cruise line but sometimes has incentives like on board credits that the cruise line may not offer.
Whats your experience andor preference booking directly with the cruise line or utilizing an online booking agent. Should i book my excursion through the cruise line. Booking directly with cruise line or through an agency. While there are many avenues where you can purchase your airfare, here are benefits of purchasing your plane tickets directly through the cruise line. We recommend booking through via our shore excursions website or directly on the cruise line website, as the excursions are designed to match your cruise itinerary get to know the planned activities each port has to offer prior to your departure. What are the advantages, if any, of booking a cruise. Your cruise booking helps bolster a local business. You can always book ships excursions directly with the ship online, or onboard.
Feb 18, 2020 it is not surprising that world brands like msc cruises, carnival cruise lines, royal caribbean or norwegian cruise line are among the shipping companies with the future most fully booked sailings. Once your cruise is booked, you can view the flight options and book your air anytime. Aug 02, 2010 i prefer to book directly with the cruise line and retain full control of my reservation. Or maybe, why should i use a travel agent to book a cruise when i can simply do it myself. People still believe to book their cruise, if they do it themselves and go direct through a cruise line reservationist, theyll save the money that would have gone to pay a travel agent. Benefits of booking your airfare through the cruise line. I am planning my first cruise and am debating on who to book through my cruise through. From health reports and new menus to refurbishments and changes in itineraries. When youre ready to purchase your cruise, you can either go directly to the cruise line youve chosen, or you can book a cruise with a travel agent. Aug 22, 2019 youll have to contact the airline directly to manage those aspects of your reservation if you book your airfare through a cruise line. Apr 05, 2012 even though i have booked directly through the cruise line, i find i can get better deals with a travel agent. Book carnival cruise direct or through travel agent. The cruise line will not deal with you directly for anything except booking excursions. Should i use a travel agent or book directly with a cruise line.
Aug 11, 2016 you dont save money when you book your cruise direct through the cruise line. So your decision on whether to purchase your air directly with the airline or through the cruise line is up to personal preference. That eliminates any middle man if i want to modify my booking. Should i book airfare on my own or through the cruise line. Get to know the planned activities each port of call has to offer prior to your departure. One of the most common questions i find myself passionately answering both in person and on online communities im looking at you reddit, is about how to actually book a cruise. I also took a quote from on line web site of the cruise company celebrity and found that the on line quote was a. A good travel agent who books lots of cruises on a particular line can often offer perks that you dont get booking directly through the cruise line. It is a little different than planning a resort getaway, so here are a few tips to help you consider your options. Heres a guide to the many booking options, from going directly to a cruise line by phone or online to using a cruise focused travel agent. Yes, after you make the final payment on your cruise, you can pre book your shore excursions directly with the cruise line or online with. Cruise line air can be booked directly on your cruise lines website, which makes it a very convenient option for your flights. Last year i noticed the price had dropped and after a short phone call to rci they adjusted my price.
Or maybe, why should i use a travel agent to book a cruise when i. The main reason folks book shore excursions through their cruise line is for convenience and the fact that they wont get left behind. We wouldnt be surprised if after a little bit of searching, your head is spinning a little bit. The downside to booking excursions through the cruise line are primarily cost and options. Cruises booking directly with cruise line or through an agency. I personally dont see the difference between me having to call rci directly versus having to. Theres no onesizefitsall answer to whether you should use a travel agent or book your cruise directly with the cruise line. Is there any benefit to me booking through disney vs costco. Dont book a cruise without asking your travel agent these. So, youve just learned you have a few extra days off work next month and the idea of sailing away sounds perfect. For those who like to book their own spa appointments, shore excursions, specialty dining, etc.
When you book with priceline cruises, you will receive all of the promotions and discounts offered by the cruise line, as well as our exclusive offers and benefits. Most specifically, travel agents are known for giving more. There are definitely pros and cons to booking yourself vs. Hi guys me and my better half are planning a first time cruise this summer. Mar 15, 2016 you are ready to set out on your first cruise, but now you must decide how to go about actually booking it. Msc cruises offers cruise vacations all around the world. It has never been advantageous for us to book directly with the cruise line either. When you book directly with a cruise line you are a lone customer dealing with a large company. I also agree with kuki that you should seek a cruise consultant rather than a general ta. Reasons you should never book a cruise through a travel agent. Some travel agents keep prices low by using their commission to fund discounts. Should i book a cruise through a third party website.
Exclusive promotions offered by the cruise line only for our customers. Jan 26, 2018 you can always book your sailing directly with the cruise line, but consider turning to a travel agent, who will bring insider information to the table. Book your cruise with a travel agent 6 reasons why you. Pros and cons on the best ways to book a cruise cruise hive. For most people, we believe it makes the most sense to simply book an excursion through the cruise line. You ask for quotes from various tas and you can pick which one has the best offer. Which cruises are likely to sell out within 10 weeks. Cruzely has advertising relationships with tripadvisor and avoya travel, mentioned below. But if you want a specific cabin you may have to use a regular travel agent. For instance, royal caribbean runs wow sales, cruise planner specials, and various other promotions. They normally book with the line but i did all the arrangements so their booking was through my agent. For instance, we booked a trip to maya chan in costa maya.
118 1446 424 1004 868 931 756 142 515 1021 873 95 1309 1518 1175 1079 1128 1390 1435 695 662 745 1373 393 991 1274 608 1209 990 37 414 892 1398 1294 1416 467 1112 675 314 123 196 1200 156 395 134 1352 1477 587 1015