Booking cruises via UK sites from Australia

[Cursa]

We are looking at taking one or two cruises in the coming months in the Med.

 

Specifically, we are keen on the HAL 25-Day Greek Isles & Adriatic Dream cruise (J369A) or the Holy Land, Ancient Kingdoms & Greek Isles from Athens, 1 October 2023 departure. In Australia, the general pricing for a verandah room is $5500pp+ (assuming rooms are still available). 

 

However, via UK sites, the price for the same category are 18-1900GBP ($3500AUD approx) for either sailing.

 

Looking for others who have successfully booked via reputable UK cruise sites (appreciate recommendations on best) and used either Australian issued Visa credit card or Wise travel money card.

 

Cheers!

[VMax1700]

Just make certain you are comparing like with like as those UK prices are cruise only (no Have it All).

An obstructed verandah for J369A is showing at £1939 (you can select stateroom) and a regular verandah is from £2099 (HAL selects room) and from £2339 if you select.

(Just fyi, the current price showing for an obstructed verandah in euros is €2449)

 

I have used UK travel agent (by telephone) and no problems, but I would hesitate to use online only, without the security of someone to call if necessary.

[John Bull]

Yes, prices in the UK are lower than in Aus - we paid a chunk less than the Aussies for a cruise out of Sydney.

But you could go the whole hog, and check the much better prices in the USA (you might not be able to access their prices from an Aus  ISP - I'm surprised that cruise line web-site didn't automatically route you thro their .au website).

When booking via the US there are often compulsory add-ons like port fees, there's no industry-backed guarantees - for instance if an agent goes bust or runs off to the South Seas with your money, and cruise lines' US terms and conditions are less customer-friendly than UK  or Aus, which have stricter consumer protection legislation.

Nonetheless, US prices are usually seriously lower.

 

We've found US agents very helpful, including phoning us back to save us from pricey international call charges - you might find it's the same with UK agents.

 

Sorry, Cruise Critic rules forbid mentioning cruise agents' names but googling something like "cruise agents UK" should get you started.

 

Like @VMax1700 we wouldn't touch a cruise line or agent which didn't provide a phone number for enquiries. We only book by phone.

 

JB 🙂

[Cursa]

Appreciate the prompt replies!

 

Yes, I made sure to check the finer details (even down to the tipping inclusions etc). It was a rude awakening to see the price difference, even factoring in full gratuities, exchange rates and credit card charges.

 

I very much appreciate your insights into using a 'bricks and mortar' establishment. On your advice, I found a list of UK agents and am currently wending my way through their offerings.

 

Cheers!

[Aussieflyer]

Here is an article from 2020 noting that some cruise lines do not allow Australian residents to book using US sites. I have booked Celebrity through the UK and Azamara through US but that was a while ago. I am not sure if anything has changed but I think it pays to do your homework.

Booking a cruise through US agent

[yarramar]

Just checked a well known US OTA that I have used several times and found to be excellent. The 25 day cruise on the 15th in a balcony starts at $3233.

The 28 day cruise on the 1st is sold out for balconies with only oceanview or inside available.

The agent which I cannot name is disclosed in the above article linked by Aussieflyer.

[John Bull]

5 hours ago, Aussieflyer said:

Here is an article from 2020 noting that some cruise lines do not allow Australian residents to book using US sites. I have booked Celebrity through the UK and Azamara through US but that was a while ago. I am not sure if anything has changed but I think it pays to do your homework.

Booking a cruise through US agent

 

An enlightening article, thanks for the link.

It's dated Jan 2020, so some terms (but not excuses 🙄) may have since changed.

 

But some excuses are laughable.

Comparing it to toys being more expensive as Christmas approaches?  Christmas cruises are also more expensive in the US, the UK, Aus, and most of the western world - that's about dates, not the cruiser's country of residence

 

Another cruise line concern is currency fluctuation. By selling cruises to Australians in Australian dollars, Australian residents are not subject to price fluctuations caused by currency movements, 

When booking thro a US agent the cruise line is paid the agreed sum in USD, so unlike cruises sold in Aus and priced in AUD, currency fluctuations has zero affect on the cruise line - and the non-US cruiser might lose or gain from any fluctuations between the date of booking & final payment date.. 

 

"Pricing depends on the nature of the destination and itinerary, the demand in that market, and how much inventory we have left to sell."

Yes, of course - but that too has no relevance to the cruiser's residency.

 

"By restricting the deal to a certain market or traveler type (like seniors, military or past guests), the cruise lines can offer titillating discounts without invoking price protection policies, which would force them to honor the price drop on every single booking".

That might have some relevance but it has nothing to do with the massively higher brochure prices in Aus.

 

Certainly the stronger customer protection laws in many countries outside the US, including the UK & Aus. Unless caused by force majeure, if the cruise is not essentially as advertised their residents have more rights and from time to time that will cost the cruise lines in some compensation, but only a fraction of the difference in fares.  

 

I can also understand the cruise lines' wishes to strengthen their relationships with local agents. But isn't it their policy of gouging Australians which has resulted in this loss of business for their Australian agents?

 

US agents seem to share my views on the reasons for differential pricing "Cruise lines rely heavily on their revenue management strategy and tactics," says Burke (Terri Burke, senior vice president of relationship marketing at Cruise Planners). "They like not having to expose one price to the entire world." If the cruise lines allow international travellers to book U.S. rates, they will lose the ability to manipulate pricing based on different markets".

............................

 

A trusted friend or relative who lives in North America can be very useful.

And many US agents will gladly flout the policies of those cruise lines which require them to only accept bookings from North American addresses.

And I'm pleased to see that industry experts have rubbished the rumour that cruisers will be refused boarding if they contravene

 

But do be aware of the pitfalls mentioned on this thread & elsewhere. 

 

JB 🙂

[cruiser3775]

I have booked a cruise this year with Princess through a US agent, saving many thousands of dollars, mainly because they got me a solo traveller discount I could not get through any of the big Australian cruise travel specialists.  The agent I used is mentioned in the article in post #5, and I found their service to be excellent. They did tell me that they could book only a few cruise lines for Australians, and others were not possible.

[lyndarra]

I noticed the article in post #5 was just pre COVID. I wonder if anything has changed since.🤔

[cruiser3775]

I made my booking in May this Year, post-Covid.

[Cruisers47]

Hi

 

i have also booked a cruise with Celebrity although it is not until early 2025!  When our dollar was the same as the US dollar it was wonderful.

although our dollar is terrible just now, I just checked and I found that the cost even at this stage is half the price than if I booked it in Oz.   I also got $500 US OBC.  
I am hoping that our dollar improves by then!
they also offered me Travel insurance, they must of thought I was mad because I wrote twice and asked given our ages and not being US citizens could I still have it at that price.  Yes was the answer.  I then asked is this only for cancellation prior to the cruise, no it is full travel insurance.   
I still have my credit card insurance but it does not have cancellation attached.

 

we met a couple from South Africa on our last cruise and they said they always book with US TA even though their rate of exchange is worse than ours.

 

Eileen

 

 

[joejoe 59]

On 9/12/2023 at 11:38 AM, cruiser3775 said:

I have booked a cruise this year with Princess through a US agent, saving many thousands of dollars, mainly because they got me a solo traveller discount I could not get through any of the big Australian cruise travel specialists.  The agent I used is mentioned in the article in post #5, and I found their service to be excellent. They did tell me that they could book only a few cruise lines for Australians, and others were not possible.

Had you previously booked with them in the past?

I know prior to covid when I tried looking up prices on that us site I was denied.

[Cruisers47]

15 minutes ago, joejoe 59 said:

Had you previously booked with them in the past?

I know prior to covid when I tried looking up prices on that us site I was denied.

Yes I booked with them but must be more than 6 or 7 years ago.   Don’t know why you would be denied!   
just logged into their website and have a look.

 

I assume you have read the previous CC mail and it is the same website.

 

I have noticed that any Australia cruises are not any cheaper, the one I booked was from Singapore to India.   Good luck.

[cruiser3775]

This was the first time I had booked with them, but I was advised by somebody who has done so before, and recommended them. They seem to specialise in last minute booking discounts, where 'last minute' means about 100 to 90 days before the cruise. This is when US final payments become due, and people cancel because their circumstances have changed since they paid the deposit, leaving the cruise line with some vacant cabins. 

I think this will only work for cruises that do not start in Australia, but can finish here.

On their opening page, you can convert the currency from USD to AUD. It's just an estimate, of course, but gives you an idea.  I double checked what was included, like port fees, for example. I dealt with the same agent from start to finish. The agent they assigned me went out of his way to be helpful, including ringing me outside regular working hours in the US, because of the time difference with Australia.   He also offered me a choice of cabins, and discounted shore excursions and some extra OBC. Then he sent a detailed invoice, so I was able to work out how much it would actually be, using the current foreign exchange rate. I did have to pay in full within 7 days of booking as it was relatively close to sailing.  It only took 24 hours for my booking to show up correctly on the cruise ship webpage.

 

[yarramar]

5 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

The agent they assigned me went out of his way to be helpful, including ringing me outside regular working hours in the US, because of the time difference with Australia.   He also offered me a choice of cabins, and discounted shore excursions and some extra OBC. Then he sent a detailed invoice, so I was able to work out how much it would actually be, using the current foreign exchange rate.

I have had the same experience with them a number of times. Their service is the best I have seen anywhere.

[jland]

12 hours ago, yarramar said:

I have had the same experience with them a number of times. Their service is the best I have seen anywhere.

We have had the same experience with them over a number of years. I am always telling the guy we deal with he is needed in Australia. His reply is he has been told that many times by his overseas clients. Tremendous service, great prices.

[Aussieflyer]

On 9/13/2023 at 1:36 PM, joejoe 59 said:

Had you previously booked with them in the past?

I know prior to covid when I tried looking up prices on that us site I was denied.

I have heard (sorry can't remember where) that if you had in the past booked a Princess cruise through the US agent, you could continue to do so, but that new bookers were denied. 

[cruiser3775]

No, I hadn't booked with the US agent previously. I had been on a Princess cruise before, and had some future cruise credits. They didn't show up so the US agent chased them up for me, another part of the good service.