Do you prefer booking directly with cruiseline/hotels, or other online services??

[jamaica71594]

I was just wondering how do most of you book your cruises and hotels, do you book directly with the hotel/cruise line websites, or do you use other sites such as expedia, travelocity or an personal travel agent??

 

I am looking at airfare/hotel packages pre-cruise and expedia is offering better rates, than travel agents. However, when booking just hotels I have found better rates directly with the hotel websites. Do you prefer one over the other, or are you specifically looking at who offers the better deal???

 

 

Thanks

[babakookie]

I was just wondering how do most of you book your cruises and hotels, do you book directly with the hotel/cruise line websites, or do you use other sites such as expedia, travelocity or an personal travel agent??

 

I am looking at airfare/hotel packages pre-cruise and expedia is offering better rates, than travel agents. However, when booking just hotels I have found better rates directly with the hotel websites. Do you prefer one over the other, or are you specifically looking at who offers the better deal???

 

 

Thanks

 

I use the web for booking almost everything, but I do check with my TA to see if they have any "specials". I have found that while I can get great hotels via Hotwire, my TA has upgrades, free drink chits, etc that I just don't get when I book online. I compare and go with the best total offering.

[katier825]

I research everything first so I have a general idea what the prices are. I always use a TA for cruises. They usually give me better prices than booking online, and I have someone to go to bat for me if there's a problem.

 

Now that I'm living in FL, I don't need to fly to catch my cruise. When I lived up north, I always booked my own air - I fly Southwest whenever possible. If you sign up for the email specials, and be patient until they have a deal, you can do really well. I just flew my son from RI-FL for $135 R/T. You can't book Southwest through Expedia or Travelocity. Those sites charge a fee for booking too, you need to keep that in mind if you book through them.

 

For hotels, it varies. If I'm booking a specific hotel, it's often cheaper to book directly with the hotel. If I just want something in the vicinity of the port, I try my luck w/Priceline. Got lucky getting Embassy Suites in FLL really cheap a few times! ;)

[boowaaccaa]

Has anyone used www.thecruisestore.ca ?

 

I just booked with them (I got them off belair travel's website) and I couldn't believe the deal I got so I was a bit worried. It was priced better than the Carnival site and other discount travel sites.:o

[bouhunter]

We prefer to book airlines and hotels direct, haven't used a third party site in a long time. More and more you can match the prices at third party sites direct with the motel or airline. And with hotels you can make the reservations and PAY WHEN YOU STAY, instead of up front (car rentals too). It's a LOT easier to cancel or change a reservation if you haven't already paid for it:)

 

If you have to make changes later, it's easier and/or cheaper to be able to deal direct. There was a thread at a travel forum recently where a guy had to change some expensive airline tickets he'd bought through a third party website and was going through a nightmare. The third party wasn't cooperating, airline was saying he had to deal with the third party.....etc etc. If he'd bought direct from the airline they would have made the change quickly with a modest fee:rolleyes:

 

As for cruises, there can be deals to be had from travel agents and other providers, so it pays to shop more for them.

[luvcruzen]

I was just wondering how do most of you book your cruises and hotels, do you book directly with the hotel/cruise line websites, or do you use other sites such as expedia, travelocity or an personal travel agent??

 

I am looking at airfare/hotel packages pre-cruise and expedia is offering better rates, than travel agents. However, when booking just hotels I have found better rates directly with the hotel websites. Do you prefer one over the other, or are you specifically looking at who offers the better deal???

 

 

Thanks

 

I have booked with travel agents (AAA), Expedia, Cheap Tickets, and directly. I booked the last 2 cruises directly with the cruiseline, RCL, but heard that transferring to TA's can get you good incentives. I used *****.com and had the TA's compete for the incentives and for 2 rooms that we have booked for next Mar26th, I am getting $1250 in OBC or cash back. Which ever I prefer. AAA was nice but the only incentives they give are travel diaries or small backpacks. They were nice but I would much rather have the $1250.

I booked my airfare on my own because I watch the prices and pick the schedule that is best for us. I booked our pre-cruise hotel on Priceline.com and got a great deal. I found that it is best to shop around and don't jump at the first thing that you see.

[sauvichick]

:rolleyes: Before I book, I look online for a general idea for the price. I was told (by someone who cruises 3 times a year) never go through the cruise line because it's much higher. Then I call several TA's through the cruise websites. I was able to haggle(like buying a car) a much lower price(approx. $300 savings) when I told one agent his price was too high. (No one came close to this TA's price.) Of course he had to speak to his boss. He also threw in dinner at HAL's specialty restaurant, and 2 bottles of wine. Not bad.;)

[triathlete]

Despite what the cruise lines claim, prices & deals vary significantly depending on which agency you book with. There is a web site out there where you can select your CRUISE and let agencies COMPETE for your business. (Gee, I can't think of the name).

 

Not only does this site do the shopping arond for you, the agencies know they're competing--so they start with the best offer they can come up with for your CRUISE. COMPETE-ition is always good for the consumer.

 

Good luck!

[CPCruiser4Life]

I just booked my first cruise ever for our honeymoon in July. We booked the Caribbean Princess for Western route...

 

I researched online, millions of different sites looking for the best deal

 

Princess wanted $1400 for Cat BE (Balcony)

Other sites wanted 1200 or 1300

I found one for 1164, and was in a little awe.

 

So I went to my local TA that my parents recommended...and on their website, it says they will beat any competitor price...took a while for them to beat it, because at first they said they couldnt, and they didnt understand how this company was offering it so low....eventually they not only matched the price, upgraded us to CAT BC and offered us a free picture and champagne on the boat!

 

To make a long story short, i wouldnt book through the cruiseline unless they got a better deal than other online sites.

[croozymooner]

We've booked three cruises on travelocity which has always seemed to have good prices to me (I do shop around significantly). AAA couldn't beat their price. Travelocity frequently has special incentives, too. On our first cruise, we got upgraded from an inside cabin on the lowest deck to an outside cabin on the main deck plus cash back. Got cash back on the second cruise for using mastercard. Got onbard credit for the last one we booked.

[gizmo]

I do research first. I book cruises with TA's that I find through the internet. One rule is I must be able to talk to the TA by phone. I will not use email only type TA's.

 

Air I always book with the airline. There is no way in the world that I would ever book air any other way. If there is a problem, I don't want to hear "you have to call travelocity or whomever".

 

Hotels, I have always booked through the hotel. Many times I am using FF points, but a couple of times I did not. Many hotels chains guarantee the lowest price ( but not including any bidding prices).

[P.A.]

I generally book most of my travels directly with airline/hotels and/or car rentals agencies. I have never used Travelocity, Expedia, etc, because they always charge a change or cancellation fee. I booked directly with Princess on the cruise we are getting ready to take in Oct., however, I then transfered it to a TA because I did get a better deal. But I had already made the deposit to the cruiseline directly.

 

I used to work for SW airlines and they are the easiest airlines for changes and cancellations without a doubt. So as long as they go to where ever I am going, I fly SW. The only other airlines I have ever flown is Champion which is a charter for Worry Free Vacations and that was to Cancun.

 

I, like the poster above, always do extensive research for my travels. That is another reason I book with SW because if the fare goes down and you have already booked, you can make a change without penalty (as long as you meet the restrictions of the new fare) and the difference will be held for future travel up to a year from the orignial date of purchase. SW DING fares are great! I have even canceled and rebooked a car rental reservation like 6 times on one trip, becaue the rate kept going down every week, so I just rebooking it.

 

For people who have more money than time, then Expedia, Orbitz, etc are probably best for them. But for me, I have more time than money, I prefer to do it myself! :)

[Sea Hag]

If you're a Costco member, find the exact cruise you want and then call Costco to see what price they'll give you. I've always gotten a lower price from them than I was able to find anywhere else.

[cruisinbuddy]

I used my TA for the cruise. Now when I was just looking around on a travel web site for a flight, I found a good deal, it included one stop & plane change and it was a decent price, 1/2 of the price for a direct flight. I didn't book it right away. I happened to go back the next day and got a direct flight for less than the 1 hopper I saw the day before, so I booked it right away.2 direct flights round trip, for less than $1100.00, Ottawa Canada to Ft. Lauderdale. I Did the same for the hotel except I just found a decent deal close to the airport and the cruise port and booked it right away. I think my TA will be a little upset,that she doesn't get the commision for these, but hey you have to jump on it when you KNOW it's good.

[AAAAmerican]

Is air fare really fare?

 

They have really taken the commissions out for the T/A's making it more competitive for us consumers.. but sometimes I do give our T/A in Manhattan Borough, NYC the flights...

 

Cruises I find are competitive as well booking them with the larger agencies online via a LandLine I find is best especially since they say the Lowest prices .. Proof is in the pudding and I show them the recipe for the Pudding... Yes Price match..

 

The so called agencies I see mentioned here have a so called Low Price Guarantee... BUT you have to Book/PAY with them before they honor it and ..since I do not believe they will as we find LOW Prices they would charge us a cancelation fee and not give us the Price matching which would be the Lowest Price Available..

 

 

I have called them on it and the agents say I have to Book/PAY first... what are they kidding?:mad:

I do hope the News Networks Consumer ..CBS NBC..ABC... FAX... etc..Advocates... gets that on the air..

[lovemylab]

I book my cruise and airfare through a TA and book my hotel directly with the company usually through their website.

 

The TA I deal with offers excellent service and the price for the hotel/airfare is the same as places like Expedia, etc. offer.