Are we allowed to discuss best way to buy cruises?

[luckyprincess]

Hi all,

I can't wait to plan another cruise. I bought the last one from a large, popular online travel site. I didn't get anything special with it but did have the pleasure of paying a $10 booking fee..:o.

If I just buy from RCCL, is there a benefit there? People always talk about their travel agency giving them on board credits or champagne or stuff like that. I am a Crown and Anchor member, maybe that will help, and also, I got the RCCL Visa hoping for some benefit from that.

Can anyone share their buying secrets so I can get the most bang for my bucks (read so my bf won't kill me)? I feel like I don't know how to use the card or Crown and Anchor thing to help myself.

Please tell me some of your experiences or tips....Thanks!:)

[Cheryl H]

Hi all,

I can't wait to plan another cruise. I bought the last one from a large, popular online travel site. I didn't get anything special with it but did have the pleasure of paying a $10 booking fee..:o.

If I just buy from RCCL, is there a benefit there? People always talk about their travel agency giving them on board credits or champagne or stuff like that. I am a Crown and Anchor member, maybe that will help, and also, I got the RCCL Visa hoping for some benefit from that.

Can anyone share their buying secrets so I can get the most bang for my bucks (read so my bf won't kill me)? I feel like I don't know how to use the card or Crown and Anchor thing to help myself.

Please tell me some of your experiences or tips....Thanks!:)

 

I booked through Royal Carribbean myself this time (no travel agent). Then I watch the price almost daily to see if it goes down or if there is a resident discount applied. You can check your pricing by doing an advanced search and typing in your state, and then see if your cruise has a discount for that state. If the price goes down, you just call Royal Carribbean for a credit refund. I think they normally put the credit back on your credit card.

 

As far as perks from Crown & Anchor, as soon as you are platinum level, you get a discount on balcony and above cabins. I think platinum is 5+ cruises completed.

 

Also you can watch for coupons (crown & anchor certificates) for the sailing you are thinking of booking. You can usually use the certificate plus your balcony discount at the same time.

 

My best advice on the Royal Carribbean Visa card is not to request your certificates too early. For instance, the minute I booked our cruise 18 months in advance, I called to cash in enough points to get two 500$ vouchers. So then I sent in both $500 vouchers, and the balance of my cruise went down by $1000, which is great. However, I did this over a year in advance. Luckily nothing has happened and we did not have to cancel our cruise. The Visa vouchers are not transferable if we had to cancel and rebook another cruise.

 

Does that help you? I've heard of an online site where different companies bid on your cruise (in that they give different perks hoping you'll book with them). However, I've never done that. I'm not sure how I would choose a reputable company not having any personal experience with them.

 

Cheryl

[geojobes]

We use a "brick & mortar" TA who gives us an OBC on the lines that don't discount & a great price on lines that do. On our Princess Cruise in October, they saved us over $400 off the Princess website price. I've checked on the competition based sites & my agency came in the same or lower than them all, except one, who was $8 total cheaper! For $8 I ain't changing!

[AF-1]

I booked thru Delta Airlines. They have a cruise agency they contract with. For my cruise next year I get 5,000 skymiles. The agency is very nice, I have spoken with two cruise specialists and they were both helpful as far as picking out my cabin, requesting a dining time and table.

[lablvr2]

I am in the dog house for posting a certain agency. I forgot the rule :confused: This next cruise I booked thru RCI and was happy with the price.

[love2relax]

Don't forget about booking your cruise while onboard which will get you an on board credit. If you want to transfer it to a TA later, you'll be able to keep the credit. Even if you don't know where you want to go, you can book a "next cruise" by putting $100 down. You'll still be eligible for the OBC, which varies depending how many days your cruise is. I have received $50 for a 4 day, and $100 for a 7 day. I hope this helps.

[luckyprincess]

Wow, great advice from everyone so far! Thanks! I know my price went down once on my last cruise a little, but I couldn't change it through the internet agency, so that is a real benefit for booking through RCI. I'll have to go back to check out my Visa card and see whats on there.

I'll be sure to check in on those other certificates and things...... Thanks.:)

[mangotangopls]

Getting the Royal Caribbean card is a great idea - you will also get double points if you pay for your cruise on it - also for any thing you buy while onboard your cruise. We already earned a 7 day cruise for two :D :D :D and are well on our way to another. We pay off the balance every month and could also use our points for OBC if we chose. Wonderful painless way to save on your cruising costs! It was very hassle free procedure to use the certificates for our cruise too! Surprising too how fast the points add up too.

 

The Crown & Anchor certificates change every few months too so keep checking (I believe next change on those is due July 1 - so check for new coupons then) Also sometimes Royal C has special promotions that they email you.

 

You asked if there was a benefit in booking with Royal Caribbean - YES! I am a staunch believer in booking directly with them - I book on the phone. Our very first cruise was "booked" thru a TA that worked with an airlines employee travel program. He lied to us and we found out after a number of phone calls that he had never reserved our cruise. This came to light about three weeks before sailing. We had called many many times asking for our tickets.

He wouldn't/couldn't stand behind his word and yes he had taken our money. He also bad mouthed Royal C too. Well, Royal Caribbean Customer Service not only listened to our whole sad tale they put us on that cruise, upgraded our room and greeted us with champagne and even onboard credits. I have always booked right thru them since then. (By the way - after they looked into everything wrong he had done he was restricted from booking anymore Royal C cruises ) I know this was the extreme but they sure won my loyalty. That was our first cruise and they sure saved the day for us. If you have a problem and you call Royal Caribbean you get referred back to your Travel Agent if that's who you booked with. Sign me LOYAL TO ROYAL!

[willysgrandma]

Wow, great advice from everyone so far! Thanks! I know my price went down once on my last cruise a little, but I couldn't change it through the internet agency, so that is a real benefit for booking through RCI. I'll have to go back to check out my Visa card and see whats on there.

I'll be sure to check in on those other certificates and things...... Thanks.:)

 

I can only suggest that in the future, if you book with ANY TA, ask what their policy is if there is a price reduction - do they try and get it for you or won't they? Also ask about any booking fees or cancellation fees before you book.

 

When you see low internet rates, some times you find they have some kind of hidden fees or they won't honor price reductions because they have "discounted" so low that honoring a price drop may result in no commission to them. I find it difficult to fathom why they would have the audacity to charge a booking fee when they are getting paid by the cruise line.

 

Ask about any of these things before you book with ANY agent.

[FL_Cruiser64]

I booked through Royal Carribbean myself this time (no travel agent). Then I watch the price almost daily to see if it goes down or if there is a resident discount applied. You can check your pricing by doing an advanced search and typing in your state, and then see if your cruise has a discount for that state. If the price goes down, you just call Royal Carribbean for a credit refund. I think they normally put the credit back on your credit card.

 

As far as perks from Crown & Anchor, as soon as you are platinum level, you get a discount on balcony and above cabins. I think platinum is 5+ cruises completed.

 

Also you can watch for coupons (crown & anchor certificates) for the sailing you are thinking of booking. You can usually use the certificate plus your balcony discount at the same time.

 

My best advice on the Royal Carribbean Visa card is not to request your certificates too early. For instance, the minute I booked our cruise 18 months in advance, I called to cash in enough points to get two 500$ vouchers. So then I sent in both $500 vouchers, and the balance of my cruise went down by $1000, which is great. However, I did this over a year in advance. Luckily nothing has happened and we did not have to cancel our cruise. The Visa vouchers are not transferable if we had to cancel and rebook another cruise.

 

Does that help you? I've heard of an online site where different companies bid on your cruise (in that they give different perks hoping you'll book with them). However, I've never done that. I'm not sure how I would choose a reputable company not having any personal experience with them.

 

Cheryl

 

5+ cruise credits, not cruises.

 

;)