Have any UK residents ever booked direct through the USA?

[UKLady]

Hello to all our fellow UK cruisers!!

 

We were just wondering has anyone ever gone independent and booked their cruise via a US travel agent rather than a UK one.

 

We have booked both with UK travel agents and direct via Princess in Southampton.

 

When on our cruise on the Star princess we made friends with an American couple and the cost of cruises came up. We had paid nearly 4 times the amount they had paid for a balcony cabin - and we were in an inside cabin

 

We went to the future cruise rep and was told it is cheaper to book via the US but we would need a US mailing address and to book our flights direct.

 

We are considering renting a PO Box and booking via the US from now on so we can get better deals.

 

Just wondering if anyone has gone down this road before, or has tried and it didn't work, or is currently doing the same thing successfully

[ourlol]

Yes, I do. I have booked 3 cruises successfully using a US Travel Agent. There are, unfortunately, changes afoot (since the Carnival takeover) to stop this practise and my USA TA, until she gets authority to continue to accept UK bookings, has had to put everything on hold. I'm hoping this is just temporarily!!

 

Laura

[UKLady]

Laura - did you book your flights with your TA or did you book them by yourself in the UK.

 

Also if you need a US mailing address you can rent them - the best deal I have found so far is from parcel2go and its £10 for 2 years.

 

Reina - thanks for letting us know - I cant find your email address (I am pretty new to this) I did try to click on send email in the profile but it wont let me.

[ourlol]

UKLady,

 

No, they are not allowed to book flights. You will have to do that yourself and factor in the price of the flight (and airport transfers) when making any cost comparisons (UK vs US).

 

It is definitely more complicated but not impossible. Todate I haven't needed a US address or PO Box, but that of course may change. It takes time and you need to do the maths very carefully, converting the $$s into £s etc. You will pay in $$s. I use a Nationwide credit card which doesn't charge a commission fee for making the conversion. As I said a US Travel Agent can't book flights, the cancellation policies are different, you need to make your own transfers between the airport and port etc. That said, it's always been worth my while doing it because I need to go during school holidays when prices typically stay high in the UK. Last minute deals in the UK tend to be very competitive with the US. You need to weigh it all up - the pros and cons.

 

When booking I just pay the going deposit only (i.e. you don't pay everything up front). For my upcoming cruise this was $200 per cabin. Final balance normally falls due 60 or 90 days before sailing. I also keep a check on the exchange rate and when it's good I pay off some of the money owing on our cruise ahead of the final date... as if I'm paying in instalments. I always leave a balance in case the fare drops. This happened to us in 2001 when the price of the cruise dropped twice and the reduction was passed on to us. That doesn't happen over here does it!!

 

Generally, I look at the UK brochures i.e. do my homework first... choose the ship, sailing and category cabin I want and ask my US TA to quote. You normally automatically get some sort of onboard credit as well. Then I work out the price in £s and do some comparisons with British TAs. My Greek Isles cruise in July is working out at about £400 ($773) per person cheaper than over here... even after I've deducted the cost of my own flights, own transfers etc. With 8 of us going... it's some saving!

 

As I mentioned before a US Travel Agent is not allowed to book flights so we book those ourselves. Given that we are headed to the Mediterrean then we just use low cost airlines like Easyjet.

 

Assuming the 'current' problem with UK bookings continues indefinitely, then I have a friend in the US and I will approach her to ask if I can use her address for any future bookings. I certainly don't want to go back to paying UK prices (for peak season sailings).

 

BTW the contact a member function on Cruise Critic is disabled. However, if you click the name of a member a lot of people list their personal email address.

 

Laura

[ourlol]

I was also told that we can ask Princess to quote for a cruise without air travel if we want to. Probably costs the same unless anyone knows different.

 

I've even tried that as well. The reduction in price was minimal... like £30 off. Certainly not enough to encourage me back to booking over here.

[Globaliser]

It's always worthwhile checking, though. I priced a Princess cruise for later this spring via both US and UK channels. Rather to my surprise, the UK price was about 10% lower than the US price. So I didn't in fact have to lose my virginity about the process of booking via the US, even though I have a close friend who's a cruise specialist TA over there who can do everything for me.

[UKLady]

Im booked on the Sea Princess next March and they said I couldnt book it without air fares as the flights were chartered!!

[phillipahain]

Thoroughly agree the prices that Princess UK try to charge UK residents is total extortion and the reduction for cruise only is a joke

 

Yes you can book thru USA agents ......several online agencies will deal with UK bookings and if you can use a friends USA address all the better

Many UK people have homes in Florida too

 

We even have a USA bank account and being airline staff we simply do not need the inclusive airfare option

 

If Carnival does try to stop UK people booking thru USA agents all our USA cruising friends are also stockholders so some very nasty questions will come up at AGMs thats for sure

 

The matter will land up being a huge political football because i can just see USA folks reaction if we loaded all UK and European cruises with a 300% tax

[barriedavis]

It's interesting to note that my earlier message was automatically edited and did not permit me to name my US agent although it did allow me to name another one. Interesting.

[phillipahain]

yes dont know why they find it nessecary to censor the names of agents

 

Given our experience with several USA agents bad mouthing a few lousy TAs might make them pull their socks up

 

When i have to wait 4 days to get an e mail response and a brick wall from a big online TA they need bad mouthing

 

The tricks and games that cruise companies play are quite enough without being unable to get answers via e mail from a TA

[Ms Jo UK]

I havn't sailed Princess yet but I am thinking of doing so.

 

I contacted Princess UK for a cruise only price on a balcony cabin on Tahitian Princess and they quoted me the same rate in £s and US TAs quoted me in $s that is one huge rip off.

 

I have found some US TAs willing to still take on UK booking for princess as I have just had a quote for a Caribbean Princess Cruise I used cruise compete and stated in the comments box that I was a UK resident. Several agents sent me quotes back.

 

I have booked 2 royal caribbean cruises with US on line agents. UK TA quoted £1200 per person for 7 night southern caribbean cruise with indirect US flights. Booking with US agent I have spent the same amount of money but have managed get airfare to New York, 3 nights hotel accommodation, flights to San Juan, my 7 night cruise, 2 nights hotel in San Juan and flights to Miami and 2 nights in my Miami. I booked a BA open jaw ticket in the BA sale in January. On top of this I will get $150 mastercard gift card. So much more for my money than I could get in the UK.

 

I don't know why everyone doesn't use US booking agents, not only can we save money, but we get price reductions past on and can cancel right up to 60 days out with no loss of deposit. I think we get a bit of a bum deal in the UK.

 

Well that's my two pennies worth.

 

Jo

[inaspin]

Obviously all the Cruise Lines see the UK / Europe as a good source of rip offs to subsidise the USA market

 

The USA wanted UKs help in the Iraq war etc but seems the USA businesses see Europeans as money pits

 

I understand from UK friends that Americans have much higher disposable incomes than anyone in Europe

 

This kind of behaviour from cruise lines does nothing to foster good relations

[spongerob]

Obviously all the Cruise Lines see the UK / Europe as a good source of rip offs to subsidise the USA market

 

This kind of behaviour from cruise lines does nothing to foster good relations

 

It can't have anything to do with regulations and free (freer?) market, can it?

 

For example, people in the UK are required to purchase travel insurance.

 

But let's just blame those mean old cruise lines.

[phillipahain]

Sorry but you are INCORRECT

UK travellers are not required to buy travel insurance .........they are stupid if they dont but theres no regulations to force them too

 

Many UK people get free travel insurance as part of their Bank package

 

Even Walmarts both in the UK and elsewhere in the world hike the prices well above those in the USA

 

and yes I have adjusted things to account for the UKs VAT at 17.5% against USA sales tax of anything up to 8%

 

I have travelled to and from the USA for many many years and can assure you that prices in the UK are twice the price of the USA and our salaries are often half that of equals in the USA but our taxes are way higher and our housing costs are double too

[Globaliser]

It can't have anything to do with regulations and free (freer?) market, can it?

 

For example, people in the UK are required to purchase travel insurance.

 

But let's just blame those mean old cruise lines.

No, it's very little to do with regulations, although the consumer protection in place here will inevitably increase costs somewhat.

 

Although I don't agree with the notion that we are "Rip off Britain" for all things, the cruise market is one in which we get a raw deal.

 

Competition between the cruise lines is much more intense in the US because the market (ie the number of people who would actively contemplate buying a cruise) is much bigger and much more active.

 

But in the UK, cruising is still seen as a rather exotic (if not quixotic) type of holiday. Partly this is history (we've just got a lot of catching up to do to this idea), and partly this is because the type of cruising which has really made the volume market in the US - the short (up to 7 day) Caribbean cruise right on the market's doorstep - is just not available. Even if we do one of these short cruises, it's two nights extra just to get to Florida and back. So the market perception of cruising is still "expensive" and "luxury", and the cruise lines play on that as much as they can for the purposes of their bottom line.

 

So the cruise lines don't have the same incentive to compete against each other inside the UK market. And they are now trying to artificially insulate the UK market from cross-border competition by making it more difficult for us to buy from the competitive and lower-priced market in the US.

 

Sorry, this is probably too serious a reply for a Friday afternoon.

[spongerob]

No probs, thanks Globaliser. I was under the mistaken impression that travel insurance was a requirement in the UK. I got a little steamed at the comments that cruise pricing was somehow related to geopolitical realities. You'd think you guys would get some kind of break since exchange rates are more in your favor though, eh?

 

Any maybe we are still a little cranky over that whole tax on tea thing. :)

[phillipahain]

Oh hear we go again " Boston Tea Party "

 

As for exchange rates ........i have not forgotten when for a long time it was $2.50 to the pound .........The USA was definitely a cheap place to shop then

 

currently its $1.90 but its only been $1.50 for quite a long while before that

Any airline can tell you though that the luggage going London to USA is half of the amount which comes back USA to the UK ............many people either buy extra cases or leave home with one inside another

 

So the UK is supporting the USA economy BIG TIME ,,,,,,,,if the cruise lines dont recognise that fact they are fools

[ourlol]

Spongerob,

 

Re insurance. The exact wording in the UK Princess brochure says:-

 

All passengers are required to have travel insurance as a condition of travelling. If is the responsibility of the passenger to ensure that their travel insurance is valid and conditions and warrenties have been complied with and if you have purchased insurance other than the Fortis Insurance below, you are strongly urged to check that any pre-existing medical conditions have been declared to your insurers to avoid any difficulties with cover in the event of a claim... etc.

The Princess own insurance is very expensive. For an average cruise, for someone under 65 yrs the cost for that single trip is £140 ($268) per person. If, like us you are a family of 6... it adds up.

 

Therefore, we have never taken the Princess 'own' insurance cover. We chose to arrange independent insurance through our local broker at a cost of £69 (for us all). Interestingly, however, when we did this Princess UK insisted that we provide proof/details of the insurance cover at the time of booking. It is another of their booking conditions.

 

Re exchange rates... referring to my cruise payments spreadsheet (LOL). In April 2003 when paying for our cruise (via the US) we averaged a rate of $1.60 to the £. For this cruise in 2005 it's been about $1.90 i.e. 20% cheaper.

 

Laura

[spongerob]

Thanks, Laura.

 

Phillip - it was just a joke, that's why I put a smiley behind my comment. As far as who supports whom, I think that's a two-way street.

[morticia52]

Hi,

 

I have to agree with ourlol - when I tried to complete the formalities for our last cruise with Princess on line, it wouldn't let me complete anything until I had given all the details of our travel insurance.

 

Oh by the way, as a dedicated coffee drinker you can dump as much of the damn leaves in the dock as you want!!:)

[Ms Jo UK]

Well I guess UK lady got more than she bargained for when she asked such an innocent question.

 

What I am wondering is why cruises in the Med are even more expensive for UK travellers than a caribbean cruise????

 

 

Jo

[Tania]

UK Lady. Are you Jenny?

[UKLady]

I was just thinking that as I was reading the replies Jo :D

 

After first posting this question and making some enquiries I have been told I have to own a residence in the US to book via a US agent. One US TA told me that he has been told that Princess have said they will stop any UK passengers who have booked via a US agent boarding the ship!

 

I telephoned Princess and asked why we were getting ripped off in comparison to US customers and was told its because we have the pre/post cruise stays, transfers and flights included. I said ok Ill have my cruise without all those 'extras' and just pay for the cruise and have the cabin for the same price as a US customer please - you can guess what the response was!

 

I guess short of buying a property in the US and booking my holidays from it (slightly extreme!) Im going to be stuck paying obscene amounts of money for inside cabins while our friends over the pond relax on their balconies!

 

I am interested as to why the exchange rate makes a difference, the cost of my holiday is £xxxx pounds regardless of what the exchange rate is, so as I am paying in pounds and not dollars why does it matter. Or do some of you pay to princess in the States? Or are you the lucky ones who have managed to book via the US?

 

Thanks for everyone's input - fingers crossed that cruising will become less of a 'special anniversary' or 'retirement' holiday and we start to get more competitive rates.

[ourlol]

Or are you the lucky ones who have managed to book via the US?

Todate 'fortunately' I have been one of the lucky ones.

 

What I am wondering is why cruises in the Med are even more expensive for UK travellers than a caribbean cruise????

I suspect if may be because of the cost of berthing at major European ports i.e. Monte Carlo, Rome, Athens etc. No doubt they are much more expensive than in the Caribbean. Another factor may be the cost of provisions which I would expect to be cheaper in the US. Other than that, maybe it's because Princess know they can get away with charging more... a different target audience.

 

because we have the pre/post cruise stays

Well, they are not routinely offered on a Med itinerary if you are a British booking, so that argument doesn't stack up.

 

Laura

[UKLady]

UK Lady. Are you Jenny?

 

No Im Debbie