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CruiseDirect is a leading online cruise travel company dedicated to providing customers with better deals than any other cruise website and access to great deals on cruise vacations. Offering special rates and savings on cruise bookings with some of the most popular cruise lines in the world, we are so confident in our cruise packages that each and every deal is backed by a price guarantee. Contrary to what you might expect, travel agents might actually be able to get you better deals than internet retailers or even the cruise lines themselves. The best travel agents have access to discounted group rates and exclusive cruise pricing that's not found anywhere else. In addition, agents occasionally give you extra value on your booking -- such as prepaid gratuities, a free bottle of Champagne or onboard credit -- to sweeten the deal. And if the price of your cruise drops after you book, a good agent will notice and refund you the difference in fare.
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In addition to sharing their expertise, the agent may have negotiated group space at lower rates with the cruise line, which could save you money on the cruise fare. The agent might also have first access to sale prices because the cruise lines notify their agent partners and loyalty club members first before they announce a sale to the public. If you'd like to book a cruise through a travel agent, you can pop into a downtown storefront or search for cruise sellers online. If you want to look for agents registered with travel organizations, here are some resources for finding agencies near you. Once you've chosen your cruise and, with the agent's help, matched your style with your vacation goals, you've got to book the trip.
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Expert travel tips, dream destination inspiration, and timely travel news delivered to your inbox daily. In addition, cruise fares can be hard to understand and compare. You might, for instance, see a fare listed online without the port charges, taxes and fees, which you only see after you give your personal details. CLIA Certifications require core curriculum training, cruise line product training, ship inspections and cruising experience. Attainment of each ascending level of Certification reflects a greater commitment on the part of the Certified Agent to acquire the expertise to better assist you in planning your next cruise.
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Question the agents on cruising trends or up-and-coming destinations, and ask them to explain the differences between cruise lines. Find out how many cruises they've taken that year and with which lines they've personally cruised. The more knowledgeable an agent is, the better advice you'll get. If the agent has rarely cruised, you might want to take your business elsewhere. In addition, you might want to look for an agent who is a cruise specialist -- either at a cruise-dedicated agency or within a larger general agency -- to get the best service. It makes sense that if a cruise cabin is about to sail empty the price would drop to fill it up.
You should also ask if the travel agency offers 24/7 assistance (usually an 800 number) in case you have last-minute questions or something goes wrong before or during your trip. You will also want to ask the travel agent if they have a preferred relationship or negotiated agreement with any specific lines that could lead to special perks for you. You aren't just booking general passage on a ship, either, as you will be asked to pick a specific cabin and when you prefer to dine. Making a mistake in these categories can ruin your cruise experience, as there are such thing as "bad" cabins and dining times (think noisy or claustrophobic cabins, dinner at 8 p.m. with cranky children, etc.). You should consider booking a cruise through a travel agent because a knowledgeable agent can help you understand the nuances of a cruise purchase and help you make the best decisions for your vacation preferences. The best cruise agents will do a thorough job of interviewing potential clients to find out which ship, line and itinerary would be the best fit.
13 expert-approved tips for saving money when booking a cruise - CNN Underscored
13 expert-approved tips for saving money when booking a cruise.
Posted: Fri, 07 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Look for travel agencies that are cruise-only or a home-based agent who specializes in cruises. If you are using a full-service travel agency, ask for the cruise desk. It all starts with the boldest cruise ships at sea — and ours have won awards for everything from world class dining and spectacular entertainment, to record-setting onboard thrills and groundbreaking innovation. In choosing a cruise travel agent, you will want to tap into the person's specific expertise about the cruise line and ship you are considering. Anyone can read a ship deck plan outlining ship spaces (which you can find online), but you are looking for people who really know their stuff. Companies such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line provide online directories to help you find an experienced cruise travel agent near you.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
Cruise Critic has tons of filters and sort options to help you find what you want, including everything from cruise line to cruise style (family cruises, luxury cruises, cruises for the disabled). Each itinerary clearly lists what is and isn’t included in the fare; Wi-Fi, alcoholic drinks, gratuities, and port taxes and fees are among the common exclusions. Its front page is clunky and sort of in your face, but CruiseDirect is still one of the best cruise sites for a variety of reasons. As a cruise-only company, CruiseDirect doesn’t deal in flights, hotels, or rental cars, allowing it to focus its full capacity on helping you find the best cruise deal possible. On the site, you can search by destination, departure port, month, length of cruise, and cruise line.
Finally, as cruise lines pay agent commissions, you don't have to worry about paying extra for their planning services. At Cruise Planners, our cruise travel agents will work with you to plan the cruise vacation of your dreams. We have great relationships with all the major cruise lines including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess, and more. Not only do our cruise travel agents provide an invaluable travel service, they can also save you money on your next cruise vacation. Your cost for booking a cruise through a Cruise Planners travel agent may include exclusive amenities and upgrades that are not usually available with many online travel booking services.
Book a Cruise Online with the Best Cruise Finder and Cruise Booking Website
They have done a great deal of research through familiarization trips and cruise line seminars, so you don't have to do the work yourself. Even better, agents often have access to special discounts or perks -- or know best where to find them -- and as the cruise lines pay their commissions, you don't pay more for their services and expertise. On Expedia, it’s common to find bookable cruises for 70 percent off face value, with the ability to sort by price so the best cruise deals come up at the top of the list, saving you the scrolling. A sample search for a mid-June cruise to Alaska, for example, quickly came up with a seven-night itinerary starting at $389 per person—that’s less than $56 per person, per night for a mostly inclusive weeklong vacation.
For instance, a cruise might be priced the same as another website, but will have an offer of free onboard credit as an incentive to book through them. Every major cruise line allows you to book online and do everything from find a cruise to make upgrades, buy extras like drink packages, and pay for the trip. In other words, you can book your spot on the ship completely online at any time of the day. Thanks to this comprehensive price history, Cruisewatch can predict cruise prices and drops with an accuracy rate of around 80 percent.
Remember, you won't just be using the ship as a home base, like you do with a hotel; it will be your home, restaurant and entertainment venue for a week or more. The right ship and itinerary can make your vacation that much more enjoyable -- and an agent can help you determine the best selection for your tastes. In addition, an agent can answer any questions or assuage any apprehensions you might have about taking a cruise for the first time. With everyone attached to their phones, laptops and tablets, many people assume that online is the only way to book travel. But, as booking online can often be confusing, a travel agent might be just what you need. So, you've decided to go on a cruise -- perhaps your first venture on a vacation at sea -- and you're a little overwhelmed.
Like other cruise-buying websites, Costco offers rates that are in line with what you’ll find anywhere else. However, the big difference is that Costco offers special incentives to book through their site. Each of these cruise line websites will allow you to be as narrow or as broad with your search as you wish. You can search all cruises, or search for trips on a specific ship, leaving a specific date, and from a specific port.
The cruise travel agent should have questions for you as well, to better understand your dream vacation desires. If you are calling a cruise agency for the first time, the agent should be interviewing you as much as you are interviewing him or her. The agent should be focused on helping you choose the cruise line, ship and cabin that is right for you. Making the correct choices is very important to your overall cruise experience.
From booking your first cruise to understanding onboard perks -- the questions can be overwhelming, especially for anyone that is new to cruise. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. You can search for a CLIA-certified travel agent on the organization's website. Use the search tool to locate agents in your area with a variety of levels of CLIA training.
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