Group Cruise Booked through CCL

[rdrseller]

Any good advice about booking group cruises directly through Carnival? I have locked in 8 cabins for a family cruise next June on the Glory. Just wondering if we are better off booking directly through CCL or should we use a TA?

 

I am not worried about staying on top of price changes etc., just wondering if we would get more form a TA than we are from CCL.

 

Any suggestions are truely appreciated.

[Cruisegoer]

Hi, I am an ex-TA, so I booked directly thru Carnival. It worked out very well, any issues you have a Groups dept you can call for quick and easy resolution. They send you "Group Detail Workups" and other documents directly to your email via EFax. I liked having the ability to choose our groups ammenities (thought I would not reccommend the 2 category upgrade ammenity! It locks everyone in the group into a max 2 cat upgrade with no chance of anything better).

 

Basically if you are comfortable speaking for your group you'll be fine...the Groups Vacation Planners are pretty much the same as TA's but they don't make commission on the sailing...I like that personally, this way you don't have a TA potentially "putting you off" if yours is not a huge commission maker.

 

The only drawback might be that a TA could potentially throw in a little added "thank you" in your cabin (ie bottle of wine), Carnival won't do that on their own. Sorry.

[neatokimmo]

My TA groups had $50 deposits and Carnival requires the full deposit. My TA was also less than Carnival!

[TennisLover]

I've worked with the group dept at Carnival and that worked out great. I've also worked with an on-line TA for a group (and using the same guy again for Feb. 08).

 

Either way is fine, as long as find someone who is responsive and knowledgeable. There are good and bad everywhere.

 

Not sure this give you a definite answer, but I've booked both ways and has worked fine.

[rdrseller]

That is what they said, I did check through a TA just to make sure that we were getting the best price and the TA said the same thing. So that is an issue I don't get to worry about.

 

Guess it is a turkey shoot and either way can be better than the next at any given time.

 

I will probably stay with CCL for now. Thanks for the help.