Repeat Customer

[pinkie1]

I'm searching for our next cruise next year and I'm finding that there isn't much of a price difference between all the different places I've looked.

Just out of curiosity, for those who have done numerous cruises, do you use the same travel booking site or do you search around for the best deal?

 

Another question: are travel agencies (actual businesses, do they even have those anymore) actually have that much better deals than booking your own on a website?

[GUT2407]

I shop around.

[hallasm]

I’m checking the different options and book where I will get the best deal - I have booked most cruises direct at the cruise line web.

 

 

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[crystalspin]

I do not shop around! I wait for the right price or the right cabin (hopefully both) and deal with my PCC at HAL. She saved my bacon on a Christmas Eve cancellation and whatever tiny savings or perks I might get somewhere else, it would take the rest of my life to make up for that safety net.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It took us a while to find a good TA. But we finally found one.

We have used her for over 26 years. We can call her any time we want to -- stop by and see her any time.

[RocketMan275]

Took me three cruises to locate the TA I use currently. This TA (not any of the normally mentioned big box TA) has two employees. She is a certified by major travel companies. Does not advertise prices, you have to call/email for a quote. This TA discounts any cruise line offer by 10% and gives all the perks the cruise lines offer. No booking fees. No cancellation fees, etc.

 

You won't find cheaper prices using internet searches. You have to call/email for the good deals. I found my TA by talking to other people who cruise.

[marco]

I do shop around, but seems that whatever the "best deal" out there that I find, the TA we always use will match it.

[LHT28]

most cruiselines do not allow TA's to advertise cheaper prices than the cruise line prices

You can however get perks from TA's & if you contact TA's they can offer a better price but you need to call/email them

 

many online places have order takers so if you run into a problem do not expect them to help you out

 

 

 

Find a good TA & work with them

 

JMO

[Roz]

I look at more than price. Sometimes my TA will throw in onboard credit or a specialty dining meal. Also, they're often aware of unadvertised sales or special promotions their agency is offering.

 

Roz

[MCC retired]

Since most all cruise lines prohibit TA's from "advertising" their better deals , you must contact them to get their deals on the cruise that you wish.

That is why merely comparing prices on the internet , you see the same $$$.

A TA should always offer something better than the current offers from the cruise lines.

Booking direct , you are paying current retail seal for your cruise . You can do better.

[iancal]

We shop. We never book with the cruise line. We get better pricing, better offers from on line TA's.

 

If we are cruising outside of North America (where we live) we also price the cruise on various international sites-cruise line and others. In some cases they can be less money. DS saved 15 percent by booking a baltic cruise with a UK agency. We saved 30 plus percent by booking a last minute Aus/NZ cruise with the cruise line direct in Australia rather than booking in North America.

It pays to shop.

 

Most times, the better pricing offers are not advertised.

[Heidi13]

We tend to stay with a cruise line, provided they continue providing the standards, quality and service that we expect. This basically simplifies the research for a cruise.

 

When looking for a cruise, we research itineraries and cabin availability, selecting a specific cruise. Providing a cabin we want is available at a price we are prepared to pay, we normally call the cruise line, making a provisional booking, which they keep for 2 - 4 weeks.

 

We will then visit our TA, who contacts the cruise line agent, confirming the booking and getting it transferred to her. The cruise line does not permit TA's to retail any cruise cheaper than current website pricing and the TA is limited on any perks they can offer. Therefore, the TA provides us the max OBC she is permitted to offer.

 

If we book flight, hotels, etc we get very favourable pricing, as they make a reasonable commission from the cruise line.

 

Having worked aboard cruise ships and visited most ports, I know more about the industry and itineraries than most TA's, so I don't need to use them for research.

[teknoge3k]

We just book directly with the cruise line and if we see the price drop we get the lower price on their lowest price guarantee.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I shop around the various travel sites, then use the site that lets travel agents compete for cruises. Almost always the same agency has the best prices and perks; we've used the same agent from that firm for several cruises now.

 

I can never match their prices using the cruise line itself and have never had any problem getting price reductions if they occur. Saving 10% or so and getting more perks or OBC works for us.

[iancal]

We view a cruise purchase as a commodity buy. We do not need any help or guidance. Just like buying a bag of flour.

 

Once we know what we want the rest is just bottom line math. We only deal with a TA who gives us good service at the level of service that we need. Not looking for a new best friend or someone to have coffee and a chat with.

 

We are not high mtce. nor do we buy into the notion that booking with the cruise line give us more control over our booking. That is a bad rumor started by the cruise line reps to protect margin. We actually find the opposite is true.

[lenquixote66]

I'm searching for our next cruise next year and I'm finding that there isn't much of a price difference between all the different places I've looked.

Just out of curiosity, for those who have done numerous cruises, do you use the same travel booking site or do you search around for the best deal?

 

Another question: are travel agencies (actual businesses, do they even have those anymore) actually have that much better deals than booking your own on a website?

 

 

We have booked with the same agent the past 5 cruises.She gives Loyalty points which can be accumulated and used toward the cost of a future cruise .We have 500 thus far .

[gooch47]

We used to use the same TA until we realized she wasn't watching for price drops. It was a one-person operation.

 

We started booking directly with the cruiseline. Well, actually we book through the casino-associated cruise line phone lines since we do get good deals through our casino activity.