Table Of Content
That gives you a better chance of finding something that matches your budget and schedule versus just searching one line. That means you’re going to find the same prices across these sites, along with similar search functions. Cruising is big business, and that’s why you have dozens of websites at your disposal, all competing for your travel dollars. We are a team of global travelers and cruise enthusiasts with several combined decades of experience in providing world-class luxury travel to our clients. CruiseDirect and One Tree Planted have partnered to plant a tree for every cruise booking that sails with us. Keep Cruisewatch in strong consideration—more than a typical cruise booking website, Cruisewatch bills itself as a “digital cruise advisor” that couples data power with personalization.
Cruise Critic
Its cruise-booking interface is simple and straightforward, only requiring you to enter your preferred sailing destination and date range, as well as how many passengers you’ll be bringing along. Then Expedia does the heavy lifting for you, with comprehensive results that make it one of the best cruise search engines. Sometimes the best cruise website is actually a cruise line’s own site—since technically, cruise booking websites aren’t allowed to undercut the prices that the cruise lines set. You can also find experienced and certified cruise travel agents through CLIA, the Cruise Lines International Association, which is the industry's main marketing group. Asking friends who have cruised to recommend a travel agent is another good idea.
Why you should book through a cruise travel agent
You don’t always find that with the large aggregation websites. Their staff are also focused on cruises, giving you someone who knows what they are talking about compared to someone with more general travel knowledge. In other words, these sites are more akin to having your own travel agent to help you with the booking process compared to only a website. If you’re a deal-hunter, there isn’t some magic website that has cruise fares for dramatically cheaper than everyone else (that we’ve ever found). Below is a list of travel agencies in your area who are knowledgeable and experienced in cruising.
Expert guidance with no booking fees!
In fact, cruise lines consistently have occupancy rates above 100% — meaning that more than two passengers are in some cabins. Once you’re ready to book, Cruise Critic shows you a variety of offers from some of the best cruise booking sites, including bonuses such as onboard credit and prepaid gratuities. Then you click off to the site of your choice to make your purchase. A subsidiary of Tripadvisor, Cruise Critic has similar search results to that site, but it offers a bit more comprehensive information for seasoned cruisers who want more details before they book.
Exclusive Rates
The contact information below is provided by the travel agents. Carnival does not verify that the contact information below is accurate or complete. A cruise travel agent will guide you through choosing your cabin and dining times, deposits and final payment, and options for shore excursions and specialty dining.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
The good news is that cruise prices are usually the exact same across every single website you search. All prices are per person, in US Dollars, based on double occupancy. Rates are subject to change without notice and cannot be guaranteed until a specific cabin category has been confirmed and a deposit on final payment has been applied. To save you the hassle, SmarterTravel investigated the glutted space of cheap cruise sites to determine which are worthy of listing as the best cruise websites; below are a few that come highly recommended. Earn your wilderness badge as you cruise between the Alaska glaciers, pan for gold in prospecting towns, and trek across the rugged tundra on an Alaska vacation. And savor a burst of flavors throughout culture-rich ports in the Mediterranean, the British Isles, Scandinavia and beyond on an unforgettable cruise through Europe.
You might get more personalized care from smaller agencies than from the huge online agencies, though websites such as icruise.com, Cruise.com and Cruise411.com also have experienced cruise agents. These larger online travel agencies can be a good option for those who prefer to make decisions and ask questions via chat. Just make sure you get the name and phone number of the representative for any follow-up questions.
Princess Cruises Travel Agent Resources - Travel Market Report
Princess Cruises Travel Agent Resources.
Posted: Fri, 13 Jan 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
For instance, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, and Orbitz.com, are all part of the Expedia family. So should you just find any random site and book your cruise? Below we lay out the advantages and disadvantage of booking with each different type of website. We are the one of the few agencies in the world with a team dedicated solely to planning complex, large and/or activity-intense groups to work. With an unparalleled track record we have seen through hundreds of groups of varied and diverse needs.
That’s where having the phone number to call an agent of the company directly is a big help in getting things explained. However, if there is a reason where you need to change your booking or get a refund, then it could be a little more complicated than booking directly through the cruise line. That means you don’t have to run yourself ragged trying to find the best deal. It can be a complicated, time-consuming process that involves dozens of open tabs and maybe a spreadsheet or two. Our directory offers listings for Celebrity Cruises' offices and representative worldwide.
These websites are similar to the large aggregator websites in that they can help you search through every cruise out there to find the best deal. 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. And that’s before you even decide on which website to use to book your cruise. Many people think of Tripadvisor mainly as a travel review site, where you go to get real talk on hotels and attractions, and to see non-glamorized photos of places as seen through actual travelers’ eyes. But Tripadvisor is also an excellent site for travel deals, including on cruises. Follow our social media and blog for the latest cruise and travel news, including our best vacation deals.
Select "cruises" or "cruise lines" under Specialties to find agents that focus on selling cruise travel. In addition, while aggregator websites will almost always have the same prices you’ll find everywhere else, they often offer perks you won’t find on the cruise lines websites. If you are loyal to one specific cruise line, then that’s ok for you. But if you want to see all your options, it’s better to do a search on an “aggregator” website that will search all the cruise lines for that perfect vacation.
Though Tripadvisor is technically a meta-search site for cruises, which means that it will send you elsewhere to actually book, its search engine lets users sort by destination, length, cruise line, and month of travel. The default search results are ordered by “best value”, unless you specifically click that you’d rather see the results organized by price, cruise length, departure date, or cruise ship. Tripadvisor Cruise, which launched in April 2019, is among the best websites for cruise deals—it lets you nab the lowest price by comparing more than 70,000 ocean and river cruises from some 60 of the best cruise websites.
If you need to cancel the trip, the agent will also help you through the refund process. You'll have a lot less stress before and during your vacation if you book with an experienced agent. Some cruise travel agents even throw in booking perks, such as a complimentary bottle of Champagne, awaiting your arrival in your cabin. One of the most important things to know is that agents -- in particular, cruise specialists -- have been onboard the ships and can really give you firsthand advice about different cruise options.
If the site offers a good incentive for booking through them, then know that you’ve found a good deal. If the incentive isn’t that strong or you don’t want to go through a third-party to your reservation, then booking directly through the cruise line is your best bet. In addition, these sites feature their phone number prominently for those who wish to talk to a person about their reservation.
There you can search by cruise line, ship, destination, departure date, and departure port. With an overwhelming world of choices, we understand you may need some personal assistance to plan your perfect vacation. From finding the right destination to choosing the best departure date, we're here to help.
Travel Advisor Directory: Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? - American Society of Travel Agents
Travel Advisor Directory: Where do you want to go? What do you want to do?.
Posted: Sat, 07 Oct 2023 18:16:43 GMT [source]
If you're a do-it-yourself type, and you have the time and inclination to thoroughly research your own trip using resources like Cruise Critic, then go right ahead. For your first cruise, you might need help in matching your lifestyle and budget with a cruise line and destination. Choosing a cruise is not the same as picking a hotel or flight, as there are many more options to consider. The other disadvantage is that you need to be a member of Costco to book. In addition, the Costco Shop Cards are only valid at the store.
No comments:
Post a Comment