UK Passengers have you booked through US Agent?

[dalyn]

Just trying to find out if any UK passengers have booked through a USA based travel agent (Not NCL.com), and how did you find it?

 

We have two NCL cruises under our belt both booked through a local travel agent in our home town.

 

I am getting prices for next years cruise - Jade, Med round trip from Southampton.

 

We have two adults and a 12 year old in our party, my travel agent has quoted £4500, this is exactly the price that NCL UK gives on their website, NCL.com quote $7800, yet and on-line cruise agency in USA is quoting me $6000!

 

Is this too good to be true? Would like to hear your experiences booking this way.

[calmac]

It is possible to book with a US-based TA, although we've only used ncl.com. What I would say is, be careful when comparing prices. Those quoted on ncl.com include all port taxes, fuel surcharges etc (and also travel insurance which can be removed). A TA may not be including all of these when quoting their headline rate.

[dalyn]

Thanks for your quick reply. I've checked all that, all service charges, fuel tax surchages etc are included.

 

If I book with them I'll be looking at an approx £1500 saving!

 

It also states on their site that any payments made are direct to the cruise line and that the cruise line issues you with a confirmation number.

 

How can NCL.uk charge more than NCL.com?

[LegalEagle2012]

We have used some US agents - email me on karenrayleigh@talktalk.net and I may be able to assist.

 

K

[dalyn]

Thanks Karen - you've got mail!

 

Lyn.

[Bouff]

We too have booked with US Agents and it has proved to be most satisfactory. You can cancel up to final payment date without penalty!! There may be a nominal charge by the Agency though. Also bear in mind that at the present time £ is crashing through the floor which may eradicate any cost saving.

[calmac]

Wasn't it great (for us in the UK) when the exchange rate was £1=$2.

 

Not so great at the moment BUT I did find a short cruise where the US cost was a lower $ figure than the £ figure e.g. $1500 compared to £1600. No idea who came up with that pricing!

 

There are some instances when the UK price is cheaper (e.g. Pearl inaugural TA, some Jade sailings this winter/spring) so it's always worth checking out both options.

[dalyn]

Yes. I know what you mean. We were in the US last year when £1 = $2!

 

With things how they are at the moment with the £ we really want to get this booked!

[insidecabin]

There are a few threads on this if you search around.

 

generaly an on-line US agent will be best but there are some beifits of booking direct and being in total control of a booking..

 

For a view on the UK cruise market and booking various places try holiday truths most of the best deals available to UK people end up on there especialy those for UK only cruse lines that are vary rare on here like Thomsons, Island and OV.

 

 

We bagged $2.10 on one lot of payments, latest was $1.85 and it is getting worse.

 

even if the rate moves the $ cost through the US will often undercut most UK pricings.

[dalyn]

Nearly got there in booking tonight through a US agency. Found one that would match previous price and also give us $100 on board credit.

 

Mentioned that I had a Cruise Reward Deposit that I wanted to use as deposit, then it got a bit complicated.

 

Because the reward has an amount of £130 (UK sterling), this cannot be used through a US agent, it can only be used direct with NCL.uk or a UK travel agent?? Anyone know otherwise?

 

I realise that it's only £130 and we are more than saving that if we book through US. This is the only cruise we will book in the next 12 months so it will expire!

 

So we decided in the end to mull it over a bit more. Plus, husband is now thinking about the exchange rate. If we only pay the deposit now and when the balance is due next May if the £ has fallen a lot more it will end up costing more anyway!! Think the only way to get round this is to pay the full amount at the quoted price which we don't really want to do.

 

Have any of you been caught out with regard to exchange rates?

[insidecabin]

I had a cruise reward transfered to the US from the UK office took about a week to get the money(it was a refund because I had allready paid in full)

 

They should be able to do it at the $250 that you actualy paid, but they have changed the wording on the rewards.

 

Try a call to NCL US, and see what they say the rewards are attached to the latitude No. and are transferable so if you transfered to a US person they should be able to use it.

 

There are always the short UK cruises you could use it for one of them or transfer it to someone.

 

ON the exchange rate, Is the cruise liable to get full you could just delkay booking. Check the cancellation costs with the US agent, if the rate does move against before final cancell and rebook through the UK.

[OhPinchy]

I'm considering booking a 7-day cruise on the Norwegian Pearl and was a bit miffed that I couldn't avail of the cheaper USD $ prices that I have seen online as I'm based in Ireland.

 

From this thread it seems possible that I might be able to use a US travel agent to book on my behalf. I'm also looking for flights so I'm sure the travel agent would be interested in quoting for that too.

 

Appreciate any PMs with suitable travel agent suggestions. I'm going to drop OsmondFan/Karen a mail now too. Thanks!

[bluesea777]

Just book thru ncl.com. I did so for our 3 cruises so far and have been able to make cc payments online ncl.com, and we're in Bermuda.

 

The prices include insurance.

 

Last month we had to cancel the South America/Cape Horn cruise (due to unavailablity/sold-out of cheap seats on AA) and book the Med cruise and it took a phone call to cancel, book and have the deposit transferred - no sweat!

 

Plus you can book excursions online ncl.com.

[Ginny, not Hermione]

does the GB or European price include the "service charge"?

 

I have noticed that Americans EXPECT to tip, Europeans don't. If you book through a US travel agent you WILL be billed an additional $10 - $15 per day for the tip (or service charge) That MAY be included in the base fare when you book with a European travel agent. (I'm really not sure, but I would like to know)

 

Whatever the answer, I did notice that when I read the reviews from a European they complain about NCL because they got grief about removing the tip.

 

So let me just say, if you use a USA travel agent, be fair and realize that you WILL be billed for the "Service charge" or "tip" on you on board credit account and you should pay it. No excuses. It is part of the cost of the trip IMHO

[OhPinchy]

Good points there. I'm expecting to pay the tips one way or the other (either up front or onboard) but normally I would not expect an Irish travel agent to build these into the invoice amount so I would say it's separate.

 

I saw a message on NCL.com that said it was for North American/Rest of World users only and that UK and Europe users should use NCL.co.uk so I wonder would there be a problem further down the road if I tried to go that route.

 

Based on a quick look it actually seems that the initial price I saw on NCL.com was exclusive of everything and increased when I tried to look at what the final amount would be whereas the NCL.co.uk price stays the same throughout, so there may not be much of a saving afterall.

[OhPinchy]

Acually, that said, I've just noticed the NCL ad on this page saying there's $200 of onboard credit for any cruises booked today. We're probably going to book tomorrow so it would be a shame to miss out on that by a day.

 

It's not available on NCL.co.uk though.

[insidecabin]

ncl.com US headline pricing will be without TX,fuel,tips.

uk.ncl.com UK headline pricing will be with TX,fuel,tips.

 

These extras vary cruise to cruise but the US will normaly come out cheaper but not for all cruises, US TAs will give you lower prices as will UK TA's.

 

UK TA prices seen on line or in adds will generaly NOT include tips unless it says they do they should include TX and fuel these days(thats the rules)

 

Rest of EU not so sure, can be worth checking other locations for cheaper prices in Eur as well as checking UK £ and US $.