1St post..planning 1st cruise..hiya

[soggy1975]

Hello

We are a family of 4 planning our 1st cruise in the med next summer school holidays.

I've booked previous summer holidays independently but i know q a lot of people recommend using a travel agent for booking cruises

Do internet cruise sites offer a good way of booking with the possibility of online advice or do we really need to see someone in person

Or with some advice on here can i just book it myself

Can anyone recommend some good websites for booking through

We've already had a look and fancy a 7nt western med cruise taking in Barcelona and Italy. This has left me with a few options that seem to fit the bill;

Ncl epic from Barcelona or Rome

Royal Caribbean freedom of the sea from Barcelona

Royal Caribbean jewel from Rome

Tui discovery highlights of med or cosmopolitan classics from Palma

 

Any thoughts??

 

Thanks in advance

[Essiesmom]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. As a new member, one of the things you need to do is read the Guidelines for the forum. One of the rules is that we can't recommend or discuss travel agents or agencies. Even asking members to contact you about agents is not allowed. If you ask a lot of questions, and do a lot of reading on the forums here for the cruise lines that you are considering, you might eventually feel comfortable booking online or on the phone with the website. but with your first time, it is often best to visit a travel agency where you can meet face to face with an agent.

Keep in mind when calling the cruise line website that many of their booking agents cannot give precise answers to your questions, because they have never set foot on a ship. That's where forums like this come in handy.

It never hurts to go to a travel agency, or call an internet agency, and ask a bunch of questions. They would like your business, but you are under no obligation to book with them. EM

Edited December 6, 2016 by Essiesmom

[wampuscat7]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

Unfortunately, the rules here mean we are unable to recommend specific sites or agents, since CC is owned by a travel agent company.

 

I've not done the Med, but there are some excellent boards for each cruise company as well as the various ports. Maybe start with some reviews of the ships and itineraries you are interested in?

 

If you do your research, I don't think you need an in-person travel agent, but that's just my opinion. Some people enjoy that personal service.

 

 

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[cb at sea]

You don't NEED a travel agent, especially if you already know what you want! A travel agent (preferably brick and mortar close to you!) can give you brochures, and advice, if you need it. You can book directly thru the cruise line, if you like!

[jocap]

You don't say where you're based, but I'm guessing the UK?

We use travel agents who are listed as cruise agents, and to whom we can speak on the phone.

If your Tui cruise is with Thomson, then you will buy a full package of flights and cruise on their own planes - the same with P&O's Med based ship, which use Thomson flight or similar as a charter- but that is based in Malta next year. This is the easy way. I believe that Cunard do something similar?

Other lines will offer you scheduled flights, but check first- NCL once booked us from Newcastle to Barcelona, but a 2 hour flight took all day as we had to go via Amsterdam with a long wait. We could have booked on Easy Jet ourselves.

Rome is a long way from the port of Civitavecchia, so you will have to find transport for the 60 or so miles. Barcelona there and back might be easier for a family the first time.

A cruise TA should be able to tell you the flight arrangement for any of the ships mentioned, or be able to book them separately.

Enjoy hunting! :):)

Edited December 6, 2016 by jocap
sp.

[Bernie by the sea]

Since this is your first, I recommend finding a travel agent. A good one will ask you questions about what you want and recommend a. Cruise line to meet those needs. Also they will be able to explain requirements (passport, visas, ID, etc) and on board credit, specialty dining, my time vs fixed dining, etc.

 

It can be overwhelming the first time and having someone that knows is so helpful

 

 

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[GottaKnowWhen]

Hello

We are a family of 4 planning our 1st cruise in the med next summer school holidays...We've already had a look and fancy a 7nt western med cruise taking in Barcelona and Italy. ... Any thoughts??

 

Thanks in advance

 

One thing to be clear on is that the ports in the Med are not necessarily as advertised. For example, when a cruise itinerary takes you to Rome or Florence, they really are offering Civitavecchia or Livorno. The actual "destination" cities are 60-90 minutes away from the port. So keep this in mind in planning where to go and what to do. If you begin or end in Rome, then you can schedule extra time in the city, book a B&B there, and explore. If you stop over in Rome for a day, you are actually stopping in Civi and you will be facing a long roundtrip bus or train or tour-group trip which won't leave you much time in Rome itself. So, in short, make sure that you look beyond the big-name cities shown on the itineraries when you are deciding where to go.

 

For myself I prefer to do my own arrangements directly with cruise lines, airlines, hotels etc rather than using agents or "discount" web sites. Buy or borrow from the library a good book like Anne Vipond's on cruising the Med and you may not need the support of a TA. But, as others have said, if you can find a trusted knowledgable TA on High Street, that would be a safe bet for a first timer and likely better advice and support than from an online TA group.

 

The good news is that it is hard to go wrong. Whatever you choose to do, wherever you go, however you do the booking, you will be on a cruise ship visiting new places, seeing new things, meeting new people... How bad can that be?

[soggy1975]

A fine welcome..thanks

Yes we're based in uk

I think i'll research a bit more then maybe consider booking online

[John Bull]

A fine welcome..thanks

Yes we're based in uk

I think i'll research a bit more then maybe consider booking online

 

Hi,

 

Yes, I kinda figured that. ;)

 

You've had excellent advice, especially from Jo.

For travel agents we can't name names, but check out "cruise agents UK" on the web - cruise specialists know their subject far better than High Street agencies, and can give tolerably more impartial advice than cruise lines. Not only for the booking process, but also for cabin location, choice of dining arrangements and a range of other matters.

Don't rely on just booking on the 'net, use the phone. Talk to a few, and when you've decided which cruise best suits you ask for a better deal than advertised. An upgrade to a better cabin? A free drinks package ? Free port or airport parking? Some on-board credit (spending money)?

Then when you've found the best deal, go back to the agent who's been most helpful & ask them to match it. A good agency is worth its weight to a first-timer.

 

Sail from the UK?

Usually cheaper, no worries about airports & flights, no luggage restrictions. But more sea-days, and something I'd recommend only for summer months.

 

Or fly to the Med?

More ports & fewer sea-days.

Charter flights (Thomson (TUI) and some P&O cruises), make life simpler. For US or Italian ships it's usually scheduled flights - sounds better but it's not, because cruise lines use their pet airlines and that often means indirect & convoluted flights such as Jo's example. Can also be much more expensive than booking your own flights, though you'll need transfers from airport to ship. We once took a Royal Caribbean cruise out of Istanbul - booked our own direct BA flights & got to Istanbul lunchtime. Others had booked Royal Caribbean's fly-cruise, they too went via a change at Amsterdam, they too had a long layover, and arrived early evening.

The sole advantage of a fly-cruise package (but doesn't apply to simply booking the two separately thro the same agent) is that if the flight is delayed & you miss your sailing it's the cruise line's problem, not yours. For that reason many folk fly out a day or two early. That also gives the opportunity to spend time at the embarkation port - if you fly out on sailing day & back on disembarkation day usually all you see of that city is the main road between airport and port.

 

UK or US / Italian ship?

A Brit-orientated ship like Thomson or P&O would be a better bet for a first cruise.

A US ship is fine (and they tend to be more glitzy), but you need to be forewarned about high on-board costs.

I'd caution against an Italian ship (MSC or Costa) for a first cruise despite some great bargains. They're an acquired taste, very "Italian", and a high proportion of Italian & continental passengers with associated multiple languages, a degree of good-nature bumping & barging (I don't think there's an Italian word for "queue" ;) ) multiple small courses for dinner and an awful lot of pasta.

 

All first cruises are great, have a good one

 

JB :)

[soggy1975]

We q fancy the idea of a few nights in our departure port so i guess this would cut out the risk of missing the boat if we book our own flights

Whats the chance of missing our return flight if we book it evening time..ie..what's the chance of the cruise finishing late

[RSLeesburg]

Having sailed on Freedom of the Seas, I would highly recommend her for a first time cruiser - beautiful ship with lots to do and great entertainment. I believe that Independence, her sister ship, is a favorite in the U.K.

 

 

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[John Bull]

We q fancy the idea of a few nights in our departure port so i guess this would cut out the risk of missing the boat if we book our own flights

Whats the chance of missing our return flight if we book it evening time..ie..what's the chance of the cruise finishing late

 

The ship is very very unlikely to return late - too many passengers would have the same problem, and those problems would also back up onto those embarking to take your place & all the other logistics of a turnaround (the day when one cruise finishes & the next one starts).

So in the unlikely event of, say, a mechanical or weather issue delaying the ship they'll miss the last port of call rather than get back late for that turnaround.

 

And exploring the embarkation port is a great start to your holiday, whereas at the end of a cruise folk tend to be more inclined to want to get back home.

 

Though just to add a further complication there are one-way cruises.

For instance a lot of cruise lines offer Rome (Civitavecchia - yes, as GottaKnow's post it's actually over an hour from the city) to Venice. Or Venice to Rome. Which gives you the opportunity to extend your holiday in different cities before & after your cruise.

I can also think of a great many other ways of spending other people's money, you only have to ask :D

 

JB :)

[soggy1975]

Think im gonna need a bigger bank balance

[jocap]

One way to extend your cruise is a fly/cruise/stay with Thomson (or stay/cruise) We have done this, and everything was smooth, as you're in T's hands from check in at the regional airport (we went from Doncaster), even the transport between ship and hotel. Palma's a good place for that, although you're going at the most expensive time, as everyone tries to go abroad during the 5 week summer holiday, and Mallorca is incredibly popular.

Thomson has reasonable prices on board, and all tipping is included.

Also, think about P&O from Southampton, as you'll have plenty of ports to see; again the prices on board are reasonable, especially for bar sales, with no tipping on top, and I believe that tipping doesn't start for children until they're 12 yrs old. The tipping and alcohol on some lines can be very high. Look at a massive ship, such as Britannia.

If you want to stay at Barcelona, have a look at accommodation in nearby holiday resorts... the name escapes me, but where the big theme park is (Porta Ventura?)

[Ellusionz]

I've never booked with an agent before, but I'm really into researching things (prices, extras included, etc..) and I always book directly thru the cruise line. I've heard from other reviews they sometimes have issues since they can't speak directly to the cruise line once they've booked thru an agent. But if you find a good agent that can get you a good deal (via rooms they've prepurchased or other gifts they've decided to include) I'd say go for it.

 

We always book last minute tho too and I feel that I might have a harder chance at a great deal going thru an agent that way. You may speak to an agent you feel comfortable with and compare what they offer with what you could do on your own? And see what works best that way? :)

[jocap]

Sorry- of course it's Port Aventura, Sitges, an hour from Barcelona. Just as an idea if your children like theme parks.