booking cruises

[cabinboy1945]

Good day fellow cruisers. Living in Florida and having many cruise ports available to us, I have been booking my own cruises and hotels and knowing the ports and surrounding areas by driving there. We are thinking of going on an Alaska cruise very soon and having to fly to Seattle from Florida. my question is...would it be best to go through a travel agent or cruise line for this cruise and round trip flight because of not knowing when to leave and get there, which hotels to stay in the day before the cruise and when to leave for the return flight home or is it something that I still should be able to do myself? we would like to get there the day before the cruise and would like to know where to stay (hotels in the port area) and transportation to and from airport . happy cruising

[LHT28]

With a little research you should be able to find a hotel & flights on your own

Check the West Coast forum for tips

[Illyria]

We usually book our own air arrangements, even when booking the cruise through a TA. There's no mystery in embarkation and debarkation times, and you should be able to find flight time guidelines on cruise lines' websites. For example, here are Princess's recommendations for Seattle flights:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/travel_transportation_faq/flight_guideline_ports/seattle_flight_guidelines.html

 

Here are Carnival's:

 

http://www.carnival.com/cruise-transfers/seattle.aspx (scroll a bit down on the page)

 

If you decide to fly in a day early, there are plenty of Seattle hotel recommendations under West Coast Departures.

[Suite N Salty]

Due your due diligence and if you still don't feel comfortable contact a TA or your cruise line for arrangements

[GUT2407]

I always suggest flying in a day early if you can, not just to avoid problems caused by possible delays, but because then your holiday also starts early.:D:D

[Krazy Kruizers]

We use a TA to take care of the cruise details.

I book our hotels, flights and other arrangements. We always fly in a couple of days early and fly home the day after the cruise ends.

What cruise line are you considering? There are a couple of different piers and that makes a difference when booking a hotel.

We use AlreadyThereTownCar (a limo service) to get from the airport to the hotel, etc. It costs just a little more than a Taxi which can get expensive if you got stuck in traffic.

[bakersdozen12]

I'm in the camp that it's better to book everything yourself. But then again, maybe it's because I'm a control freak. I don't like that you lose control over things when you are booked with a TA. Right now I have two cruises booked, the first one through a TA. Anytime I want to make changes or submit a price drop claim, it has to go through her. I hate that. But, I had no choice because we are sailing as part of a theme cruise, and it has to be through her.

 

As far as flights are concerned, it shouldn't be a problem to book those yourself. You know what time the ship leaves and returns back to port, so just leave yourself enough time. Fly in at least one day before, and make sure your flight home is later in the day if you are going to fly home the same day.

 

Anyway, good luck!

Edited April 30, 2015 by bakersdozen12

[cruznjan]

I'm in the camp that it's better to book everything yourself. But then again, maybe it's because I'm a control freak. I don't like that you lose control over things when you are booked with a TA. Right now I have two cruises booked, the first one through a TA. Anytime I want to make changes or submit a price drop claim, it has to go through her. I hate that. But, I had no choice because we are sailing as part of a theme cruise, and it has to be through her.

 

As far as flights are concerned, it shouldn't be a problem to book those yourself. You know what time the ship leaves and returns back to port, so just leave yourself enough time. Fly in at least one day before, and make sure your flight home is later in the day if you are going to fly home the same day.

 

Anyway, good luck!

 

If can't leave the day before because of work or other reasons, book the earliest flight that day.

[Cruisin' Chick]

If can't leave the day before because of work or other reasons, book the earliest flight that day.

 

I would rather wait until I can add the extra day if traveling more than an hour's drive to a port (most of the time we do leave from our home port). If you're on a northbound Alaska cruise out of Vancouver, you need to be on time for that sailing -- you usually don't hear of one of these cruises leaving late (tidal conditions play a factor) and if you miss getting on the ship in Vancouver, you can't get on the ship in any of the other ports.

[FlaGirl13]

We've done the Seattle to Alaska cruise, flying from Fla. Definitely plan on arriving a day early, figure in 3 hour time difference too. Found an airport hotel with free shuttle from airport and then free shuttle to pier the next day (taxi to pier is $30-$40). They also had free shuttle back to hotel/airport after the cruise. Hotels in downtown are closer but much costlier even when you do the math.

 

Have a great cruise. Alaska is AMAZING.