A Tale of Two Booking Choices: What would you do?

[ams cruiser]

This will be the first cruise I have ever booked myself, and I'm having a tough time making decisions. (Only my third cruise ever, and the last one was in 2008! ) Cruise Critic was so helpful to me 8 years ago as a complete newbie, so I'm hoping to get some advice.

 

Here goes:

 

Option A

 

Book cruise through well-known wholesale club travel agency.. Cost of cruise is the Princess published price, but with $405 OBC ($355 from the agency, $50 from Princess.) (I’ve read through some cruise blogs that any unspent OBC from this travel agency-not the Princess OBC- could be put on our credit card, although I’m not sure how to verify that.)

 

or

 

Option B

 

Book cruise through recently discovered online TA (have read a few good reviews, and they have a brick and mortar agency in another state). I spoke with a very pleasant travel agent on the phone. She seemed very competent and said she works in the agency office and gave me her personal extension. Their actual discounted price is about $110 less than Option A with the OBC.

 

My first inclination was to go with Option B, because it is $110 cheaper. But there are two factors that have me leaning towards Option A:

 

1) They are a well-established business. The travel agency is just one part of their divisions, so I have complete confidence in them. (Option B is probably reliable. It seems to be a regular travel agency that also does a lot of online business.)

 

2) It seems (and I could be completely wrong about this) that if there were to be a price drop, I could get it more easily through Option A, since the rate is Princess’s regular fare. The person I spoke to at Option A said that if I saw a price drop before final payment, I should just give them a call and they would get the adjustment for me, with no fees for changes. I’m not sure how a price drop would translate into Option B's already discounted fare.

 

I don’t know what the likelihood is of there being a price drop as this is for a B2 Balcony on a July 2017 Alaska cruise (round trip out of Seattle.) Do summer Alaska cruises ever have price drops before final payment is due?

 

Neither agency charges a fee for changes or cancellations.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am suffering from a serious case of analysis paralysis, and would like to move forward!

[moki'smommy]

A few thoughts...

 

Option A is not likely to give you any level of personal service UNLESS your local store has an agent that takes a personal interest in you. If you are dealing with their national office....yeah, it is all about price and perks, but not personal service.

 

Option B is giving you the better price either by having access to a group booking or by basically giving you a rebate on some of their commission/points. If there is a price drop, they will likely be able to get you some sort of an adjustment. It will certainly be easier to make it happen thru them because they want to make you happy. They want your return business. Are you aware of the referral credit? If you know someone who has cruised Princess, they can "refer" you to Princess--a very easy on line transaction. If you book a cruise within 24 months of the referral, both you and the person who referred you get $25 in OBC. OK, it isn't a huge amount, but it all adds up. And they don't have to be your BFF...just someone you know who has cruised Princess! I THINK this credit is per person, so if there are 4 in your family, that's another $100 in OBC on top of anything else you are getting!

 

Will there be price drops or last minute specials? No one can say for sure as it depends on sales prior to that time. If the ship is filling their balcony cabins, there won't be discounts. Right now, there is a "Sip and Sail" package that includes a "free" All inclusive Beverage Package for the first 2 people in a balcony cabin. Whether this is good on your dates, I don't know. If you don't drink much alcohol (the package includes sodas, specialty coffees, juices, bottled water, etc also), you can usually get some more OBC instead of the package. There are also some "last minute deals" for Alaska this year including balcony cabins. How these prices compare to the "regular" prices you are seeing for next year, I don't know. You'll have to do your own looking.

 

What you can do--book now. If a better deal comes out before the penalty date, you can cancel and rebook the new deal. But I like the concept of working with an individual in a smaller agency. For that reason, I'd pick B.

[GUT2407]

Personally I'd take B.

[Lucky TGO]

I just flipped a coin and it came up heads take option A. :eek:

Tony

[bigenna]

Here is my experience, based on several cruises using an online agency that competes for your business - the price is always less than princess regular fare and always some OBC in addition, based on the cost of the cruise I assume.

Depends if the price I initially booked at was already quite low and then dropped more, there is less room to cut their commission so the drop they get for me is smaller, but still less than the posted rate. If I have booked when rates were higher then any future drops in price would result in my getting more of a discount.

[ams cruiser]

A few thoughts...

 

Option A is not likely to give you any level of personal service UNLESS your local store has an agent that takes a personal interest in you. If you are dealing with their national office....yeah' date=' it is all about price and perks, but not personal service.

 

Option B is giving you the better price either by having access to a group booking or by basically giving you a rebate on some of their commission/points. If there is a price drop, they will likely be able to get you some sort of an adjustment. It will certainly be easier to make it happen thru them because they want to make you happy. They want your return business. Are you aware of the referral credit? If you know someone who has cruised Princess, they can "refer" you to Princess--a very easy on line transaction. If you book a cruise within 24 months of the referral, both you and the person who referred you get $25 in OBC. OK, it isn't a huge amount, but it all adds up. And they don't have to be your BFF...just someone you know who has cruised Princess! I THINK this credit is per person, so if there are 4 in your family, that's another $100 in OBC on top of anything else you are getting!

 

Will there be price drops or last minute specials? No one can say for sure as it depends on sales prior to that time. If the ship is filling their balcony cabins, there won't be discounts. Right now, there is a "Sip and Sail" package that includes a "free" All inclusive Beverage Package for the first 2 people in a balcony cabin. Whether this is good on your dates, I don't know. If you don't drink much alcohol (the package includes sodas, specialty coffees, juices, bottled water, etc also), you can usually get some more OBC instead of the package. There are also some "last minute deals" for Alaska this year including balcony cabins. How these prices compare to the "regular" prices you are seeing for next year, I don't know. You'll have to do your own looking.

 

What you can do--book now. If a better deal comes out before the penalty date, you can cancel and rebook the new deal. But I like the concept of working with an individual in a smaller agency. For that reason, I'd pick B.[/quote']

Thanks for the quick reply! Yes, Option A would have me speaking to a different person each time I call. It is only because it is a well-established large big box warehouse company with a travel service, that I, at least, feel secure in knowing that they would be reliable, if not necessarily the least expensive.

 

I much prefer the idea of working with an individual TA who would be looking out for my best interests. Because I found Option B through an internet cruise bidding referral service, I don't know much about them and how responsive they would be.

 

I would love to find a TA from a smaller agency recommended to me by a friend - the kind of TA with a personal touch who would alert me to possible drops in prices or new promotions, but I don't know if Option B is too large to provide the "smaller agency" experience. Their website says they are the "three-time winner as North America's Leading Cruise Travel Agency - World Travel Awards" and that they are "trusted by over one million cruise consumers since 2003". So even though I have the name of a specific agent, who was very personable and helpful, I'm not sure how much of an interest she would have in keeping me happy, given the volume of business do. (I guess one small test would be for me to try to call her back and see how easy she is to reach!)

 

I definitely want to book soon, and take advantage of the "Sip and Sail". Princess told me that in lieu of the beverage package, we would get a $300 (150 per person) OBC. I'm not sure what to do, because, although my DH drinks alcohol, I don't - but that is a question for another thread!

 

I have heard of the Princess referral program, but we did go on our first Princess cruise around 8 years ago.

 

One thing the Option B TA told me was that if there was a price drop and they were able to get me a lower price, we'd have to weigh it against the value of the "Sip and Sail" promo, which I guess we would have to give up.

Edited July 6, 2016 by ams cruiser
spelling

[ams cruiser]

I just flipped a coin and it came up heads take option A. :eek:

Tony

It may come to that!

[ams cruiser]

Here is my experience, based on several cruises using an online agency that competes for your business - the price is always less than princess regular fare and always some OBC in addition, based on the cost of the cruise I assume.

Depends if the price I initially booked at was already quite low and then dropped more, there is less room to cut their commission so the drop they get for me is smaller, but still less than the posted rate. If I have booked when rates were higher then any future drops in price would result in my getting more of a discount.

Yes, this was a part of my dilemma. Option A (big box warehouse) clearly has room to drop. In an ideal situation, the fare would drop $400 and I would still keep the $400 OBC (I think!)

 

But if Option B's price is already $400 less (they aren't offering any additional OBC) , I don't know how a published $400 price drop by Princess would make a difference.

 

One thing I should ask Option B is why Option A told me that Princess would give me a $50 OBC (past passenger perk?) and why Option B didn't mention this at all. Also, Option A's quote factored in an AARP discount, which Option B's did not.

 

Thanks for your thoughts!

[moki'smommy]

Definitely if you rebook for a lower price you will lose the perks of Sip and Sail. You have to factor that into the equation--are you better off with Sip and Sail and the perks/price of that deal or with picking up whatever the new deal/price is.

 

There is a thread here of different people getting different results of those calculations depending on the cruise dates and what promotion they got initially.

[Lvteks]

Beware the kindly online bid agent. Went that route once with misinformation and communication gaps resulting in having to contact owner. Even though the agent was "in" the office.

 

I am more confident in choice A. Can you ask to contact a specific agent at A? I found that while any agent could help in hurried situations, I had one to update an check in with for most contacts.

 

Blessings,

[Coral]

I prefer to use a real TA. My TA is located in another state but I can easily call or email her.

 

I would not book with a big box store.

 

Also, I prefer to have money off my booking price and not OBC on the ship.

[e050377]

I am currently booked with big box store and have had no issues receiving price drops. I've talked with 3 customer service people since I booked and all have been great. The OBC does adjust based on actual price paid. My last adjustment dropped $145 and lost $15 obc. You also adjust to promo offered at the time, so if Princess isn't offering the $50 obc you would lose that too

[ams cruiser]

Definitely if you rebook for a lower price you will lose the perks of Sip and Sail. You have to factor that into the equation--are you better off with Sip and Sail and the perks/price of that deal or with picking up whatever the new deal/price is.

 

There is a thread here of different people getting different results of those calculations depending on the cruise dates and what promotion they got initially.

Thanks, I think I skimmed through the thread a couple of days ago. I'll have to read it more carefully, as I was a little confused as to how some of the posters managed to keep their old perks and get the new. (I think it was the Sip and Sail promotion.)

 

The Princess rep told me we could get $300 OBC in lieu of the beverage package, (I'll have to look through my notes to verify), so we'd definitely have to factor this into any price reductions.

[ams cruiser]

Beware the kindly online bid agent. Went that route once with misinformation and communication gaps resulting in having to contact owner. Even though the agent was "in" the office.

 

I am more confident in choice A. Can you ask to contact a specific agent at A? I found that while any agent could help in hurried situations, I had one to update an check in with for most contacts.

 

Blessings,

This is my greatest fear with Option B. (I wonder if your experience was with the same "three-time winner" agency! The owner of this one actually posted a response to a poster on TripAdvisor and offered to help directly with any of her travel plans, which I thought was rather impressive.)

 

Actually, I was really impressed with the young woman I spoke with at Big Box Option A. She seemed very knowledgeable, was very enthusiastic and helpful, but said that, if I called back again, I would get a random agent.

[ams cruiser]

I prefer to use a real TA. My TA is located in another state but I can easily call or email her.

 

I would not book with a big box store.

 

Also, I prefer to have money off my booking price and not OBC on the ship.

Unfortunately, Big Box Option A, (who I know is, at least, trustworthy), only offers OBC. If you don't mind my asking, would you prefer paying the lower upfront price for Option B, even if it meant you might not get the price drops for Option A?

 

If Option B were a smaller travel agency with good customer service (similar to the out-of- state agency you mentioned) recommended by a friend, I wouldn't hesitate to go this route. I wish I had this "Option C"! :)

 

I was at a BBQ recently where I met a couple of very frequent cruisers, over 50 and 100 cruises, respectively (the latter was a very youthful 90 year old!). Surprisingly, neither one had a specific recommendation for a TA, and one even said he likes Big Box TA. (I think his wife used to do all of the travel arrangements, however, and he is now a widower.)

 

I know that we are not allowed to discuss specific TA's, but was hoping someone could recommend a way to find an "Option C" type TA.

 

I greatly appreciate the wisdom of Cruise Critic posters!

Edited July 6, 2016 by ams cruiser

[ams cruiser]

I am currently booked with big box store and have had no issues receiving price drops. I've talked with 3 customer service people since I booked and all have been great. The OBC does adjust based on actual price paid. My last adjustment dropped $145 and lost $15 obc. You also adjust to promo offered at the time, so if Princess isn't offering the $50 obc you would lose that too

That's good to hear! (The $50 OBC is from Princess, according to Big Box TA, so we wouldn't lose that.)

 

In a related question, do you find the price drops just by checking frequently, or is there an easier way to do it? I think I remember running across a website in which you put in your cruising info and they notify you of price drops, but I've been doing so much "research", it's all becoming a blur. (sigh)

 

The much hoped-for price drops wouldn't be a deal breaker. I would love to pay a lower price up-front with a TA I knew I could trust. Giving business to a smaller agency, with someone who provides personal attention, would be idea!

Edited July 6, 2016 by ams cruiser

[Krozulo]

I don’t know what the likelihood is of there being a price drop as this is for a B2 Balcony on a July 2017 Alaska cruise (round trip out of Seattle.) Do summer Alaska cruises ever have price drops before final payment is due?

 

I use a site to track current prices (it has a paid option, but I check it manually for free) and it also has past prices so you can see if a cruise has a history of price drops. There's no way to know for sure if your cruise will drop, but you can look at the history and if you see that the price for your cabin consistently drops 4-6 months before the cruise date, chances are good that it will again. Or maybe you'll see that other cabins see price drops but not the one you're interested in.

 

I don't know if I'm allowed to say the name of the site.

 

I'm planning on booking through your Option A after the current sales end (Sip and Sail doesn't apply to the cabin we're interested in and the Red White & Blue has a non-refundable deposit) and after viewing the price history using the site above I anticipate a $300-500 price drop pp while keeping the OBC.

[OCruisers]

Plan B for sure! :)

[geoherb]

I flipped a coin and it came out tails--Option B. I just booked our next cruise through a large internet agency. The charge on your credit card is just like it would be for a hometown agency--put through by the cruise line. The agency receives its commission from the cruise line.

 

The big difference between the OP and me is that my cruise was booked after the final payment date. I booked it at a price I'm happy with and don't expect to be eligible for any possible price drops.

 

You may see price drops even for balcony cabins for an Alaskan cruise in July. Be sure to monitor prices for any acceptable level of cabin. For instance, we got to upgrade ourselves from an inside cabin to an obstructed view for our first cruise to Alaska when the price came down. You might get lucky and be able to move up to a mini.

[ams cruiser]

I use a site to track current prices (it has a paid option, but I check it manually for free) and it also has past prices so you can see if a cruise has a history of price drops. There's no way to know for sure if your cruise will drop, but you can look at the history and if you see that the price for your cabin consistently drops 4-6 months before the cruise date, chances are good that it will again. Or maybe you'll see that other cabins see price drops but not the one you're interested in.

 

I don't know if I'm allowed to say the name of the site.

 

I'm planning on booking through your Option A after the current sales end (Sip and Sail doesn't apply to the cabin we're interested in and the Red White & Blue has a non-refundable deposit) and after viewing the price history using the site above I anticipate a $300-500 price drop pp while keeping the OBC.

 

That sounds great!

 

I don't know if you're allowed to post the site here. Maybe you could send me a private message, if that's allowed? Thanks!

 

I did a little Google search, and found something on Cruise Critic called "Price Drop" which sends emails every Friday, which doesn't sound often enough! I may sign up for another one I read about that will track one cruise for 99 cents. Their website reviews have some happy campers, and others upset that the updates aren't always current, so I'm not sure how reliable it is.

[ams cruiser]

I flipped a coin and it came out tails--Option B. I just booked our next cruise through a large internet agency. The charge on your credit card is just like it would be for a hometown agency--put through by the cruise line. The agency receives its commission from the cruise line.

 

The big difference between the OP and me is that my cruise was booked after the final payment date. I booked it at a price I'm happy with and don't expect to be eligible for any possible price drops.

 

You may see price drops even for balcony cabins for an Alaskan cruise in July. Be sure to monitor prices for any acceptable level of cabin. For instance, we got to upgrade ourselves from an inside cabin to an obstructed view for our first cruise to Alaska when the price came down. You might get lucky and be able to move up to a mini.

 

I will keep checking, thanks! I'm somewhat limited in cabin choice due to my tendency towards seasickness (I actually got seasick one time standing on a dock watching the boats bob up and down!) - thus the need for something mid-ship with a balcony.

 

Question: If you had booked before final payment and had seen a price drop in the regular posted rates, would the big internet company have been able to offer a price reduction, or would they tell you that you were already getting a good rate?

 

I may need to borrow your coin! :)

Edited July 6, 2016 by ams cruiser
added a question

[Krozulo]

That sounds great!

 

I don't know if you're allowed to post the site here. Maybe you could send me a private message, if that's allowed? Thanks!

 

I did a little Google search, and found something on Cruise Critic called "Price Drop" which sends emails every Friday, which doesn't sound often enough! I may sign up for another one I read about that will track one cruise for 99 cents. Their website reviews have some happy campers, and others upset that the updates aren't always current, so I'm not sure how reliable it is.

 

The 99 cent one is probably the same one I'm talking about. You have to buy 5 credits minimum, but even if you only use it on one cruise, spending $5 to save hundreds is a pretty good deal.

 

I found my cruise and bookmarked that page, then I check it every day or so. If you go to "Stats" on the top then you can go to the Past Prices tab to find the history. Hover over the price of your cabin choice to see a list of prices, click it to see a nice graph.

 

If that's not the same site (like, my instructions don't make sense), send me a PM.

[JF - retired RRT]

The 99 cent one is probably the same one I'm talking about. You have to buy 5 credits minimum, but even if you only use it on one cruise, spending $5 to save hundreds is a pretty good deal.

 

I found my cruise and bookmarked that page, then I check it every day or so. If you go to "Stats" on the top then you can go to the Past Prices tab to find the history. Hover over the price of your cabin choice to see a list of prices, click it to see a nice graph.

 

If that's not the same site (like, my instructions don't make sense), send me a PM.

 

No PM ability on Cruise Critic.

Be careful not to mention the tracking site. Even hints are against the rules.

[JF - retired RRT]

Book cruise through well-known wholesale club travel agency.. Cost of cruise is the Princess published price, but with $405 OBC ($355 from the agency, $50 from Princess.) (I’ve read through some cruise blogs that any unspent OBC from this travel agency-not the Princess OBC- could be put on our credit card, although I’m not sure how to verify that.)

 

 

I'm pretty sure it isn't possible to get OBC on your credit card. IF the OBC is refundable (most types are not), the refund would be in the form of a check 4-6 weeks after the cruise. Be sure to open all the junk mail, the envelope does not come from Princess.

 

If you should happen to end up with non-refundable OBC, you can spend it on excursions, specialty dining, etc. or go to the casino and open an account, play as long as your nerves can stand it, then cash out.

[ams cruiser]

No PM ability on Cruise Critic.

Be careful not to mention the tracking site. Even hints are against the rules.

Okay, thanks for the heads-up. (I guess I'm thinking of Facebook.)

 

Just out of curiosity - not as a way to circumvent the rules(!) - how do posters get in touch with each other if they want to have conversations that aren't public? (Not against the rules, just private!) Several years ago (the last time I was active on Cruise Critic) I think I remember seeing notes about posters sharing their Facebook in order to "friend" each other.

Edited July 6, 2016 by ams cruiser
spelling