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Just like searching for a hotel room, you can search these websites for a cruise across all of your options. They also give you the ability to narrow searches to specific dates of cruising, length of trip, destination, port of departure and more. Each of these cruise line websites will allow you to be as narrow or as broad with your search as you wish. You can search all cruises, or search for trips on a specific ship, leaving a specific date, and from a specific port. You will not be able to research and book everything in a single sitting. Let a travel agent save you time by giving you personalized suggestions or handling the booking themselves.
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That means you don’t have to run yourself ragged trying to find the best deal. Travel professionals are there to help you plan your next vacation aboard a Carnival fun ship. Viking Cruises sails its passengers in truly revolutionary vessels with routes in Europe, Russia, Egypt, China, and more.
Final Recommendation for the Best Websites to Book a Cruise
They'll often have more complete knowledge of your choices than a generalist. For example, if you want to cruise one of Europe's rivers in an intimate riverboat, you might not want to book with an agent who specializes in selling holidays on 3,000-person mega-ships. You should book your cruise with a travel agent if you're a first time cruiser, have a lot of special requests or want to get the best deals. At Cruise Critic, we tend to think that most people should use a travel agent for the best experience.
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As well, these sites often have deals and incentives to entice you to book. With a focus on cruising, they are able to better serve cruise passengers — including having staff that you can call directly to help you book. In addition to the large cruise aggregators, there are a number of smaller websites focused solely on cruises. So if you want to sail from Miami, you’ll see all the options from the port for every cruise line. That gives you a better chance of finding something that matches your budget and schedule versus just searching one line. That means you’re going to find the same prices across these sites, along with similar search functions.
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Digging further, the incentive applied only to certain cruises, despite being heavily promoted. That’s because some sites can offer perks like onboard credit or even a direct phone number to call to talk to someone with any questions you might have before you cruise. Unless you book a last minute cruise after the final payment date, you will most likely pay an initial deposit and pay it off over a period of time. If you handle the cruise booking yourself, you will have to remember to make these payments.
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Generally speaking, the prices that travel agents can provide are the same as what the cruise lines offer. Travel agents are prohibited from rebating their commissions -- in order to lower pricing or give significant onboard credit rewards -- by almost every single cruise line. Some agents still practice rebating, but if they're caught by the cruise lines, they could lose their selling privileges. The upside to booking a cruise online is you have many options and can do your travel research and purchasing at whatever time is most convenient to you.
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The agent might also have first access to sale prices because the cruise lines notify their agent partners and loyalty club members first before they announce a sale to the public. In addition, while aggregator websites will almost always have the same prices you’ll find everywhere else, they often offer perks you won’t find on the cruise lines websites. If you are loyal to one specific cruise line, then that’s ok for you. But if you want to see all your options, it’s better to do a search on an “aggregator” website that will search all the cruise lines for that perfect vacation. Late last year, I booked a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise for two for February 2023.
The agent will keep you in his or her database, alert you to deals or sales and can even suggest future trip ideas. With everyone attached to their phones, laptops and tablets, many people assume that online is the only way to book travel. But, as booking online can often be confusing, a travel agent might be just what you need. So, you've decided to go on a cruise -- perhaps your first venture on a vacation at sea -- and you're a little overwhelmed.
With an overwhelming world of choices, we understand you may need some personal assistance to plan your perfect vacation. From finding the right destination to choosing the best departure date, we're here to help. Plus, our experienced travel consultants have access to exclusive vacation deals to make sure you get the best value for your time and money. In addition to sharing their expertise, the agent may have negotiated group space at lower rates with the cruise line, which could save you money on the cruise fare.
Here's why you should always, always use a travel agent when booking a cruise. CLIA Certifications require core curriculum training, cruise line product training, ship inspections and cruising experience. Attainment of each ascending level of Certification reflects a greater commitment on the part of the Certified Agent to acquire the expertise to better assist you in planning your next cruise. From booking your first cruise to understanding onboard perks -- the questions can be overwhelming, especially for anyone that is new to cruise. You can search for a CLIA-certified travel agent on the organization's website.
When you need an advisor who understands the needs of not only group travel but specifically traveling as a family, Darlene McClung of Frosch Vacations has got you covered. McClung has a wide variety of expertise in ocean, river, and small-ship cruising, and extensive experience sending families of all shapes and sizes on successful trips around the world. Attentive, patient, and detail-oriented, no stone will be left unturned when it comes to planning the trip of a lifetime with your loved ones with McClung by your side. For LGBTQ+ travelers, including travelers of color and those who are traveling solo, Mike Henderson is a great travel advisor to help you get started on your path to exploring the world of cruising with other like-minded travelers. Henderson crafts trips around social events in destinations all over the world, such as Pride festivals, New Year’s Eve, and Oktoberfest, in hopes of creating a safe, inclusive, and interactive environment for travelers.
Carnival Cruise Line unveils agent portal upgrades - TravelMole
Carnival Cruise Line unveils agent portal upgrades.
Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 07:56:37 GMT [source]
Look for agents offering discounts, free perks and other incentives. If you don't see a sign or advertisement, always ask -- the agent may have fabulous offers the cruise lines won't let him or her publicize. In addition, ask if the agent can meet or beat the best price you've seen elsewhere. Find out if the travel agent has preferred status with any cruise lines or whether he or she belongs to travel consortiums that would enable him or her to get you better deals, upgrades, etc. But watch out -- some agents will push a particular line too aggressively for your tastes.
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