How do You book?

[geniseg_2000]

I'm getting ready to book my second cruise with RCC. The first time my husband surprised me and book through a TA. The process was very smooth but I felt we could have gotten a better deal. I've been pricing our cruise (4 day on the Majesty) for weeks with no significant price change. I'm really trying to pinch the pennies on this trip because we are taking all four children (20,15,14,8). The TA is able to book our cabins next to each other but the price is higher. When I book through RCC.com I get a better price but our cabins aren't close. When I call RCC I get a totally different price all together. So here are my questions:

 

How do you book? online, TA, phone?

 

Are there any tricks I can use online for it recognize I'm booking for 6 and not 4 and 2

 

Where can I look for deals? I heard something about promowave and Tuesdays but I don't know where to look.

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

[isujim]

Local Travel Agent............price may be higher but service outstanding and someone to fight for you if you need it.......

[TRadle]

Why would the prices be higher through a TA? It could be taxes and port fees which you have to pay regardless of how you book. If not I’d find a different TA! :eek:

We also are paying for a large group and our TA is giving us on board credits, which I know I would not have gotten if I had booked myself.

[Sue L]

I'm getting ready to book my second cruise with RCC. The first time my husband surprised me and book through a TA. The process was very smooth but I felt we could have gotten a better deal. I've been pricing our cruise (4 day on the Majesty) for weeks with no significant price change. I'm really trying to pinch the pennies on this trip because we are taking all four children (20,15,14,8). The TA is able to book our cabins next to each other but the price is higher. When I book through RCC.com I get a better price but our cabins aren't close. When I call RCC I get a totally different price all together. So here are my questions:

 

How do you book? online, TA, phone?

 

Are there any tricks I can use online for it recognize I'm booking for 6 and not 4 and 2

 

Where can I look for deals? I heard something about promowave and Tuesdays but I don't know where to look.

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

 

Rccl does not allow TA's to discount their cruises so the price will be the same whether you book directly or through a TA. Though a TA could have group space that could have the discount passed down to you. Some TA will offer free insurance, bottle of champagne or other little token gifts.

 

 

Promowave link

 

http://www.creative.rccl.com/sales/promowave/RCL.pdf

 

Happy Hour Link

 

http://www.creative.rccl.com/sales/happy_hour/HappyHour_rci_tues.pdf

 

The Happy hour specials are for NEW bookings only.

 

Make sure if you do decide to use a TA, that you check out their cancellation policies and if they charge any fees? If they will honor price drops? RCCL will lower your price if it drops and you are locked in if it goes up. Make sure the TA will do the same for you, multiple times if needed.

 

Also keep in mind that if you use a TA, RCCL will NOT talk to you if you have a question, want to change anything, or to get a price drop. They own your booking. You might also want to check their hours or operation, because many times price drops happen over the weekend.

 

If you book directly, then it is up to you to check for price drops, which is very easy to do, just go to the website and pretend book your cruise to see what the current price for you category. Many people check even if they have a TA because their TA's don't. If you book directly then any issues, question,etc that arises you can call and get it taken care of.

 

 

If you haven't guessed yet, I book directly!!!

[isujim]

Why would the prices be higher through a TA? It could be taxes and port fees which you have to pay regardless of how you book. If not I’d find a different TA! :eek:

 

We also are paying for a large group and our TA is giving us on board credits, which I know I would not have gotten if I had booked myself.

 

Not higher.......vs what you can book on line direct through RC......but we may not get online TA incentives like shipboard credits, gift cards and that type of thing..........didn't mean higher prices than what RC offers.......sorry for the confusion.:)

[johnjen]

How do you book? online, TA, phone?

 

Are there any tricks I can use online for it recognize I'm booking for 6 and not 4 and 2

 

Where can I look for deals? I heard something about promowave and Tuesdays but I don't know where to look.

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

This will be our first cruise where we haven't used a TA. We will never do that again due to the waste of time it takes going over details over discounts and our TA not doing her job. So, we'd rather book direct henceforth.

 

Deals - follow those links the other poster provided.

 

ALWAYS periodically check the prices of your cruise on the RCL website. Just look it up. If the price drops, call RCL and tell them.

 

Another tip: periodically, someone on these boards will post coupon codes; look out for them because as soon as they go up, someone pulls them down.

[geniseg_2000]

Thank you!! All your thoughts/suggestions are very helpful :)

[DCPIV]

I don't understand why your TA can book cabins that are right next to each other, but RCCL cannot. Have you tried calling RCCL to book two rooms at the same time?

 

We travel with small children, so we book adjoining cabins, and that's what we do. The agent identifies which adjoining cabins are available and that meet our desires, and then we handle both reservations on the phone at the same time.

 

 

D