Double booking cruises?

[bdcbbq]

Im recovering from serious liver cancer surgery right now and Alaska is a bucket list item. I'm at fairly high risk for a recurrence and transplant eligibility is iffy. We were going right now but the MRI in Feb shut that down quick.

 

I'm trying to figure out the best way to book 2 crises? We would like to book a Caribbean Cruise over New Years? We would also like to book an Alaska cruise out of Seattle early July 2017.

 

We enjoyed our only previous on HAL 14 years ago. I know things have changed. I pretty much know what I want to book.

 

Our choice of line are HAL, Princess, and Celebrity which seem comparable. We are Mariner Society with HAL.

 

Should we book through a travel agent and book both at the same time on the same cruise line? Or book our Caribbean cruise and try to get a better deal booking on board.

 

I'm not wedded to the same cruise line for both but I do value loyalty.

[Scrapnana]

Not sure of the policy on Princess and Celebrity but if you book onboard on HAL you can get extra onboard credit in addition to whatever promotions may be on at the time. You can have HAL automatically transfer the booking to your travel agent so you can get whatever perks they may offer as well.

 

I would book the first one, check out what kind of cabin and where for the second one, and then book it on the Caribbean cruise.

[Shorex]

Assuming there is an on-board booking discount, sometimes it helps the bottom line to wait. However, consider that the on-board booking discount may be offset or worse if the prices for Alaska increase overall between now and January. Princess is having a "sale" (whatever that means) for Alaska in 2017 right now.

 

Alaska is very popular destination, the more variables that matter to you the more difficult it will be to get the combination of itinerary, ship, dates, and cabin that you want. Personally, I would book them both now with a travel agent, and not be concerned about my choices of the above variables being long gone in January. A good TA should throw some perks your way for booking two cruises. Best of luck to you.

[Bonnie J.]

We were booked on Carnival last January and had to cancel for medical reasons but we didn't lose any $$. My husband's DR. wrote a letter saying it was unsafe for my husband to travel at that time. Carnival gave me a fax number where I faxed this letter.

WE were then given a cruise credit that we can use for any other cruise. We have cruised twice since my husband was given the OK (he had 6 1/2 hour open heart surgery.) WE are using the credit for our anniversary cruise in January.

I don't think most people know they can get cruise credits for medical reasons so just cancel their cruise.

I don't know if other cruise lines do this. Keep this in mind if you have to postpone your cruises.

 

As far as 'double booking' we have 6 more cruises booked at the moment. Book as many as you want.

Edited July 3, 2016 by Bonnie J.

[Markanddonna]

Be sure your travel agent doesn't charge a cancellation fee.

[bdcbbq]

I think I would enjoy the process of doing this myself. But, a TA would be helpful with many minor details that I might miss. I think my wife's anxiety won't raise more than normal..

[geoherb]

A good travel agent will also save you money. We paid around $180 less per person by booking with a good travel agency rather than booking directly with HAL for our upcoming cruise to Alaska next month.

 

I'd consider all three of the cruise line you mentioned. Princess and HAL seem to be our favorites. Having just one past cruise shouldn't sway your decision much. There's not that great a past-passenger benefit until you've made it a lot higher in the ranks.

 

If this is a one-in-a-lifetime cruise, consider itineraries that go to Glacier Bay over those that don't. Our upcoming cruise goes to Hubbard Glacier instead, and some of the cruises we took from Seattle went to Tracy Arm. But we got to enjoy Glacier Bay on our southbound cruise from Whittier to Vancouver.