It can be overwhelming to evaluate the options on your own if you've never cruised before. Booking with a travel agent gives your transaction a personal touch -- you have a resource for asking questions and someone to contact if something goes wrong during your travels. But, your relationship with an agent doesn't tend to end after one trip. The agent will keep you in his or her database, alert you to deals or sales and can even suggest future trip ideas. Above all, remember the age-old rule that if something sounds too good to be true, it likely is. Be wary of any websites advertising cruise deals that are significantly less than the same cruise priced elsewhere.
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You can book a cruise through a huge travel retailer with branches around the country, a local cruise agency or even a home-based agent who will talk cruising with you at your local coffee shop. You'll find pros and cons of working with the different types of agencies; for example, you might get more personal service from an independent agent but better deals from a large company with a high volume of bookings. Avoya’s team of staffers and wide network of independent agencies make for a cruise booking website that’s a bit different from the rest. Its front page shows the “Best Travel Deals,” which might include half-off cruise fares, onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, and free or reduced airfare.
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There’s real-time online chat and a contact number for support from a cruise expert. If you aren’t quite ready to buy, you can “heart” cruises to save them as favorites to refer back to later. Expedia is an obvious first mention in a list of the best cruise booking sites, in part because it’s an absolute juggernaut (Expedia also owns Travelocity and Orbitz).
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Let us do the hard part and take the stress away from planning your next group event. We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication.
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Most cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, have some version of a "Find a Travel Agency" search tool on their homepage. In most cases, its located in one of the menus located near the bottom of the page. If you're used to booking travel independently, consider these reasons why you might want to make use of a travel agent to book your next holiday at sea. In that case, you’ll want to contact the website that you booked through — not the cruise line (unless you booked through the cruise line’s website). For example, if you book through CostcoTravel.com, then contact them first for any price drops you see. So if you want to sail from Miami, you’ll see all the options from the port for every cruise line.
Luxury Cruises
Booking Your Cruise – Fodors Travel Guide - Fodor's Travel
Booking Your Cruise – Fodors Travel Guide.
Posted: Wed, 28 Jul 2021 21:42:46 GMT [source]
However, when it comes to booking the cruise, we recommend you still contact a travel agent who specializes in cruises to help you learn a few tips and avoid any rookie mistakes. Agents with a CLIA Certification icon below their name have passed a rigorous program of courses designed to elevate their cruise travel expertise. Refer to the key on the right side of the results page to understand CLIA Certification levels.
That's where specialized cruise travel agents come into play. Their expertise can help you avoid mistakes, whether you are a first-timer or a repeat cruiser checking out a brand you have not tried before. If you're interested in a specific type of cruising (such as river cruising or luxury travel), look for agencies that specialize in the line or type of cruising you prefer.
Reasons to Consider a Travel Agent
If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but be aware if the agent seems to be putting you off the line you were originally considering, as this could be the reason. On the plus side, an agent who is a preferred supplier might have negotiated rates with the cruise line and be able to call in favors, such as that bottle of Champagne or a cabin upgrade.
No matter where in the world you choose to wander, cruises can take you deep into top-rated cruise ports and off-the-beaten-path gems, so you can experience each one like a local. Get on island time and unwind on some of the best beaches in the world, venture deep into the rainforests, and snorkel the most vibrant reefs on a Caribbean or Bahamas cruise getaway with the whole family. Cruise Planners travel agent is merely a selling agent and makes no warranty expressed or implied. Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, has a tremendous reputation for quality, service, and very competitive pricing for ALL of your travel needs. Cruise Planners travel advisors will help you discover exciting adventures around the world. To learn more about Cruise Planners and the executive team, click here.
This DIY approach might not be the best way to find your dream vacation at sea. Many agents become accredited cruise counselors through CLIA's Cruise Academy or take courses through the different cruise lines to become more expert at selling their products. Inquire whether the agent has attended any of these training programs. In addition, you can look for affiliations with the National Association of Cruise Oriented Agencies (NACOA), Better Business Bureau (BBB), American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) or even AAA. For instance, one recent search promoted free gratuities on trips booked through the site, but we couldn’t find any mention of this once we actually started the booking process.
You have to consider how much you're willing to pay, whether to book an inexpensive inside cabin or splurge on a suite, and which cruise line and ship are right for you. Add dinner seatings, shore excursions and cabin location to the list, and planning a relaxing getaway suddenly seems like a second job. There are dozens — if not hundreds — of websites that you can use to book your cruise. Frankly, not all of them look professional, so it is understandable you might question the legitimacy of a website or their deals.
A good cruise travel agent will not only help you navigate these tricky questions they will hopefully provide you with some reassurance. When you book a cruise, you are making a vacation decision that goes way beyond a flight or hotel nights. Which ship you choose determines your dining and evening entertainment choices for the duration of your vacation. Which itinerary you choose impacts which destinations you'll visit and which shoreside activities will be available to you.
At Cruise Planners, our cruise travel agents are dedicated and fully committed to providing their clients with the world-class service they deserve. Cruise Planners is a licensed, bonded, and insured travel agency with local travel agents in all 50 states. We are members of CLIA (Cruise Line International Association), NACOA (National Association Of Cruise Oriented Agencies), and ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents). Take advantage of the partnerships we have throughout the travel industry with top cruise lines.
Using the site’s cruise price prediction alerts, travelers can save up to 71 percent just by booking at the right time. When you think of Costco, you probably think of bulk food and toilet paper. But the next time you’re booking a cruise, it’ll be worthwhile to pull up Costco Travel, which is, unexpectedly, one of the best cruise websites. Using the seven-night Alaska example, Priceline brought up an itinerary aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas that starts at just $374 for the full week—roughly $53 per night. Hard-to-believe cruise deals like this show up on Priceline with regularity, which is part of what solidifies it as one of the best cruise websites. The initial interface comes off a bit clunkier than, say, Expedia’s or Kayak’s, but the tradeoff is that you can quickly search by cruise line, both standard and luxury, as well as by cruise length and departure port.
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