How do you book your cruise?

[PictureMom]

I have taken three different cruises and have booked with a travel agent all three times. It looks like it's easy enough to just book online with Royal Caribbean. I'm curious how most people book their cruises? Are there any benefits to either? I'm not cruising until next February so I have some time. Would it be wise to watch for a sale...or just get it booked?

 

Thanks!

[bighairtexan]

I have taken three different cruises and have booked with a travel agent all three times. It looks like it's easy enough to just book online with Royal Caribbean. I'm curious how most people book their cruises? Are there any benefits to either? I'm not cruising until next February so I have some time. Would it be wise to watch for a sale...or just get it booked?

 

Thanks!

 

I book with a TA. I get preferential pricing (group pricing) on many of the cruises as well as other perks such as dinner for 2 in specialty restaurant, OBC's and/or prepaid gratuities. Usually equal to approx 10% of the price of the cruise is I booked directly w/ the cruiseline. That being said I do "give away" absolute control over my booking so if I want to make most changes I have to go thru my TA but so far that's never been a problem for the TA or me.

[Oak Hill Cruisers]

Most of them while on-board with the 'Loyalty Ambassador'.

[Bases5]

That being said I do "give away" absolute control over my booking so if I want to make most changes I have to go thru my TA but so far that's never been a problem for the TA or me.

 

Can you do most thing online like making reservations, Book shore excursion or does everything have to go thru your TA

 

Sorry op for a jump in. I have always booked direct.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Bases5

[cb at sea]

I book direct, too...I like "owning" my own booking!

[toxicfairy]

Over the phone directly with Royal Caribbean. Would love the perks of a big TA company but I like to be able to get price drops as soon as i see them and with no penalty. May try a TA some day. Did it in the past but got no perks as it was a small private business.

[airmanship]

Direct..online

[George C]

I look online, then call RCCL, so many travel agents have fees , find it easier just booking direct for all lines

[PictureMom]

Over the phone directly with Royal Caribbean. Would love the perks of a big TA company but I like to be able to get price drops as soon as i see them and with no penalty.

 

So, if I book directly with RCI are you saying that if the price drops, then they will honor the better price?

[josumello]

First decide cruise and date we want. Then I go to a web site that let's different agency's compete for your booking. Usually get about 7-10 quotes. Then I call the agency that has best price and

perks. Always get excellent OBC and good pricing. Our upcoming cruise we saved $1000 ( the agency had a group booking rate ) and got $500 OBC. Our traveling booked with their trusted agency, paid &1000 more and only got $300 OBC. To answer another question I go online and book excursions, specialty restaurants, and anything else I need. Have been doing this for years. The Cruise companys just can't match this.

 

 

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[Cruzin-K]

I find the cruise and cabin I want using a large online TA (because I can't stand RCI's website) and then I call my TA to book. She's a small business, but I've never had a problem getting price drops. She offers a few perks, not as many as some of the larger online TA's but I get more personal service with my TA. When I used a large TA, they were difficult to reach and it wasn't possible during odd hours. My TA will answer e-mails pretty much up to the time she goes to bed at night, weekends too.

[kontraxed]

Even though Royal Caribbean are not very good communicators, I really don't like to have a third party middleman in my cruise bookings. I don't want to call RCI and be told I can't talk to them because I went through a travel agent. My preference has probably cost me a few dollars worth of missed cruise perks but this is how I prefer to book.

[toxicfairy]

So, if I book directly with RCI are you saying that if the price drops, then they will honor the better price?

 

Yes! As long as it is before final payment.

You just call as soon as you see it. Last August i called right before final payment was due just to have them check if it had gone down at all since it was my last chance ...wow was I happy, it had gone down $500!

[whitshel]

First decide cruise and date we want. Then I go to a web site that let's different agency's compete for your booking. Usually get about 7-10 quotes. Then I call the agency that has best price and

perks. Always get excellent OBC and good pricing. Our upcoming cruise we saved $1000 ( the agency had a group booking rate ) and got $500 OBC. Our traveling booked with their trusted agency, paid &1000 more and only got $300 OBC. To answer another question I go online and book excursions, specialty restaurants, and anything else I need. Have been doing this for years. The Cruise companys just can't match this.

 

 

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I love this site, literally 6 to 8 online t/a compete for your biz with all their perks. On our Navigator cruise in 2 weeks we booked the cheapest balcony and got Royals $200 obc, plus the t/a $200 obc and a dinner for 2 in a specialty restaurant. So that's basically $470 in obc. Ill give up my booking for an extra $270 :D

[PaintedBird]

I booked out upcoming cruise through a TA but generally I would book online as I will with the flight. With a little patience you can find spectacular deals.

[cdwh1902]

Yes! As long as it is before final payment.

You just call as soon as you see it. Last August i called right before final payment was due just to have them check if it had gone down at all since it was my last chance ...wow was I happy, it had gone down $500!

 

Except if you live outside the USA - I know Aussies can't and I have read others in the UK and Scandinavia can't access them either! I feel as if my gratuities have been prepaid...:)

[goodycruising]

It certainly depends what the conditions are for the country you book in. We book direct online as we also like to control our booking and pick our cabin. We don't like the penalties the TAs put on for changes and cancelations here. We do look on some of the overseas online TA sites for cabin info availability. We used a large online TA a couple of times in the early days but they were within a dollar of direct and gave us nothing extra at all.

We have some fellow cruisers that recommend their TAs, but we are just a bit reluctant. One of them has a TA that books through another wholesaler, and another has one that seems to offer good packages which we might look at for an overseas cruise down the track.

You have to do what you are comfortable with. Being relaxed is the idea of a holiday, so while being on the phone direct can be annoying, we do get to argue our point without the travel agent putting their own spin on the facts. Which we hear at times also.

Edited March 17, 2015 by goodycruising

[Summerknight]

We have used a local travel agent for over ten years. She doesn't give us any perks and that's fine with us. Everyone has to make a living. She stays on top of price drops for us and has even answered our calls and texts when she was on vacation. Love her!!

[BonnieSte]

My first cruise (many moons ago) I booked through a travel agency and got some nice perks. Next we didn't get anything so I started comparing different sites. Now I book online through the cruise line.

[Philly Steve]

I always book months ahead of embarkation, direct. I check the deck plans and make three cabin choices. I also make it a point to check for price reductions down the road.

 

We booked our very first cruise through a local TA and enjoyed a few perks. Sadly, they later went out of business. :(

[trev71]

I used to use a TA, now I just book while on board 'Loyalty Ambassador' I guess they are called. Well I know my next cruise wont be booked while on board but , When I do book it I know i will be using royal direct probably over the phone or website, depending if their website will work

[njm5378]

I have always used a Royal vacation planner. On our first cruise we saw someone with an issue denied boarding. The agent kept saying to the couple "I'm sorry but if you cannot get a hold of your travel agent then there is nothing we can do". The lady was in tears. I do not know if the eventually got on, but it was enough to make me continue to book direct. Probably paranoia more than anything else.

[Karma5]

I book with RC……I like having complete control over my bookings.

[jtdlmc]

After a bad experience with a TA years ago I swore I would never use a TA again. I did all my own bookings and friends bookings as well for whatever travel we did. I recently booked a cruise using RCI directly but then transferred the booking over to a TA for incentives. I recently had an issue and this TA was able save me a few bucks (I've read many times on here that what he did cannot be done). Now I will probably use him for all my vacation bookings. I was fortunate to find a TA who will go above and beyond, but if you can't find a TA like that then my feeling is that it is better to go on your own.

[forschreiber]

What are the benefits of booking while on board??

 

 

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