Discount web sites. Are they really discount?

[Jim Henry]

I'm not a big time traveler but fly a couple times a year. In every case I can get a equal price directly with the airlines as compared to the discount travel websites. Same for booking hotels. Very rarely do I see significant discounts from the dozens of discount sites out there. When I visited Vegas I got my best deal working with the Flamingo Hotel. Searching for cruises, some sites are out right misleading. They quote the cruise lines "Brochure price" and then show their deep discount. What a crock! Their prices are more then the Carnival website. Currently looking at summer cruise and I've looked at several sites. All are more or equal to Carnival's own site. So my question is... can you really find great or even good cruise deals through the discount cruise websites?

[Vitamin_Sea]

Yes you can on certain sailings.

 

Some websites buy blocks of cabins and pass the discount on to the customer.

 

Also, often times you can get OBC with a TA.

 

I usually book with a TA. Mostly, for the extra OBC I dont get with CCL.

 

We cannot tell you actual websites on this board. But plenty of good ones out there.

Edited December 23, 2013 by limoguy1

[Tapi]

Carnival specifically doesn't allow TA's to deeply discount, although you may get some perks from some, like onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, etc. Also, as someone mentioned above if a TA purchased a block of cabins at a lower rate, you may be able to secure the lower price by booking directly with that TA.

 

It DOES pay to ship around when sailing on OTHER cruise lines since they will offer different pricing. Rates can vary considerably from one TA to another. For example, our Holland America cruise last summer was priced almost $800 less through the TA we chose than directly with Holland. same thing with our upcoming Princess cruise (not as drastic, but still a lower price than the Princess website).

[poison7fl]

Not for Carnival. They have a tight lock on their prices. You won't find one lower anywhere.

[Vitamin_Sea]

Not for Carnival. They have a tight lock on their prices. You won't find one lower anywhere.

 

I got a better deal from a TA on our Freedom cruise last July.

[CarnivalPlatCruiser]

Carnival has "Level Pricing". Price is the same if you buy it direct from Carnival or a TA.

[RuthlessBoss]

I got a better deal from a TA on our Freedom cruise last July.

 

I doubt it. You might have booked during a price dip. TA's cannot offer lower than Carnival's price at the moment.

[Lace]

Not for Carnival. They have a tight lock on their prices. You won't find one lower anywhere.

 

The only difference is they can't ADVERTISE the lower prices. But you can certainly GET the lower prices. I STILL get a better price from my TA, who infant mention.

[glrounds]

Carnival has "Level Pricing". Price is the same if you buy it direct from Carnival or a TA.

 

I'm sure Carnival appreciates you believing that, however, in some "desperate" areas (California) where they no longer have the EVERY week run to the Mexican Riviera and have difficulty filling even the cheapy 3 and 4 day cruises on their old Fantasy class ships, you have to mention another site to get that site's NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT price in order for Carnival to agree to that price. Otherwise, Carnival will continue to price single cruisers at Double the DO rate.

 

Cruising the Imagination on a 4-dayer to Catalina and Mexico for $199 with NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT on January 26th (know of a couple that paid $199 each for the same cruise).

Edited December 23, 2013 by glrounds

[DreaminofOz]

I'm sure Carnival appreciates you believing that, however, in some "desperate" areas (California) where they no longer have the EVERY week run to the Mexican Riviera and have difficulty filling even the cheapy 3 and 4 day cruises on their old Fantasy class ships, you have to mention another site to get that site's NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT price in order for Carnival to agree to that price. Otherwise, Carnival will continue to price single cruisers at Double the DO rate.

 

Cruising the Imagination on a 4-dayer to Catalina and Mexico for $199 with NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT on January 26th (know of a couple that paid $199 each for the same cruise).

 

 

That is the same price that is available on Carnival's site for a solo traveler. Starting in October, they had many short cruises with no single suppliment. I took one of them in Nov to the Bahamas. $169 for an oceanview on Sensation.

[poison7fl]

The only difference is they can't ADVERTISE the lower prices. But you can certainly GET the lower prices. I STILL get a better price from my TA, who infant mention.

 

OK, sure. :rolleyes: Keep thinking that.

[Tapi]

The only difference is they can't ADVERTISE the lower prices. But you can certainly GET the lower prices. I STILL get a better price from my TA, who infant mention.

 

You know why they can't ADVERTISE lower prices? Because it's against Carnival's fair pricing policies. If a TA is caught undercutting Carnival, they can loose their ability to sell Carnival cruises permanently.

 

Are there TA's that will cut their own commission behind Carnival's back to offer a lower price to a customer? Sure. But I would be VERY weary of doing business with a TA that conducts these practices to be able to attract customers. It's unethical and speaks volumes of what one can expect from a TA like that.

Edited December 24, 2013 by Tapi