Luxury Cruises & Premium Cruises Preferred Cruise Agent
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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. You have to consider how much you're willing to pay, whether to book an inexpensive inside cabin or splurge on a suite, and which cruise line and ship are right for you. Add dinner seatings, shore excursions and cabin location to the list, and planning a relaxing getaway suddenly seems like a second job. We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews.
Vacation Deals
Companies such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line provide online directories to help you find an experienced cruise travel agent near you. Plus, the price of your cruise includes accommodations, meals, entertainment and activities — and in some cases drinks, tips, shore excursions, Wi-Fi and other extras. There's a lot bundled into some fares and not as much with others. A travel agent can help you determine what your cruise fare gets you.
Destinations & Ports
Our travel experts craft the perfect trip for every traveler through our award-winning customer service. Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection elevates the river cruising experience with its boutique-style ships and itineraries that take travelers to Europe, Egypt and China. If you're used to booking travel independently, consider these reasons why you might want to make use of a travel agent to book your next holiday at sea.
Imagine Cruising
Additionally, being able to book other parts of your trip — like flight and excursions — on the same site, or offering access to a travel agent, distinguishes some of the best cruise websites. Outside of personal recommendations from friends and family, your best bet for finding a good travel agent is to visit the website of the cruise line(s) you're interested in. There you'll find a "Find a Travel Agency" search option, usually listed in the links toward the bottom of the homepage. You can also go to the Cruise Lines International Association's website and search the Cruise Expert Finder.
If you are calling a cruise agency for the first time, the agent should be interviewing you as much as you are interviewing him or her. The agent should be focused on helping you choose the cruise line, ship and cabin that is right for you. Making the correct choices is very important to your overall cruise experience.
Travel agents continue to book independent cruise excursions - Travel Weekly
Travel agents continue to book independent cruise excursions.
Posted: Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:09:35 GMT [source]
There’s also a dedicated 800 number that lets you speak to Expedia’s cruise experts and, often but not always, a generous amount of onboard credit thrown in for good measure. On Expedia, it’s common to find bookable cruises for 70 percent off face value, with the ability to sort by price so the best cruise deals come up at the top of the list, saving you the scrolling. Costco is a retailer that offers exclusive products and pricing to its members. Through its Costco Travel website, members receive exclusive prices and benefits when booking hotels, rental cars, cruises and travel packages.
For booking travel experiences beyond the cruise: TripAdvisor
Others will send information about your cruise line, ports you're visiting, packing lists and tips for an enjoyable cruise. Upon returning home from your cruise, some agents may reach out to see how the trip was; a rare few may even send you a welcome home gift. If this type of service is important to you, make sure to ask about it before booking. A good travel agent will also get to know your travel style and guide you to the cruise line, ship and even room type that are best for you.
Uniworld River Cruises
The Best Ways to Book a Cruise - NerdWallet
The Best Ways to Book a Cruise.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:01:35 GMT [source]
When prices are the same, we recommend cruise bookers compare the perks being offered, then book on the site with the most appealing bonuses, like onboard credits, airline miles, hotel points or cash back. American Airlines AAdvantage members can earn airline miles when booking cruises at BookAACruises.com. All members earn one mile for every dollar they spend on cruise reservations, up to 10,000 miles. Some cruise specials offer up to 100,000 miles based on your selected cruise. Travelers can filter search results by destination, cruise line or departure port on various ships.
The Luxury Cruise Company
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. Use the search tool to locate agents in your area with a variety of levels of CLIA training. Most cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, have some version of a "Find a Travel Agency" search tool on their homepage. In most cases, its located in one of the menus located near the bottom of the page.
Celebrity Cruises make traveling on sea a pleasure, with impeccable customer service, high-end amenities and amazing ship design layout. Sail in boutique luxury with AmaWaterways, discovering hidden gems and captivating cultures across Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Let their personalized service and exquisite comfort become your passport to unforgettable adventures. Expert travel tips, dream destination inspiration, and timely travel news delivered to your inbox daily. This may be the best approach if you know which cruise line you want to book and which cities you want to visit. However, you may miss out on promotions offered by third-party sites.
As a cruise-only company, CruiseDirect doesn’t deal in flights, hotels, or rental cars, allowing it to focus its full capacity on helping you find the best cruise deal possible. On the site, you can search by destination, departure port, month, length of cruise, and cruise line. There’s real-time online chat and a contact number for support from a cruise expert.
Ships boast dazzling amenities, including 5-star accommodations and dining, onboard thrills from casinos to water slides, and unique cultural opportunities. Explore the high seas on an ocean cruise or experience a country’s interior on a river cruise. Liberty Travel’s cruise packages make it easier than ever to discover the world. 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.
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. Question the agents on cruising trends or up-and-coming destinations, and ask them to explain the differences between cruise lines. Find out how many cruises they've taken that year and with which lines they've personally cruised. The more knowledgeable an agent is, the better advice you'll get. If the agent has rarely cruised, you might want to take your business elsewhere.
Keep in mind that you may not be able to book your preferred destination or routing if it is sold out. United Airlines MileagePlus members can earn up to 25,000 miles when booking a cruise through United at Cruises.United.com. The downside is that online pricing is not "live." Therefore, you must speak with a travel planner to get the latest prices and book your cruise. Before you book, though, have a look at these credit cards that come with cruise benefits to sweeten the pot even more. While you may find comparable prices on different sites, each site has its own benefits, offers and cancellation policies. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research.
But Tripadvisor is also an excellent site for travel deals, including on cruises. Plus, Marriott cardholders can earn an extra 2x points when they use that card for their purchase. While most cruises max out at 25,000 Bonvoy points earned, some luxury cruise lines offer up to 250,000 Marriott points. The best place to book a cruise will vary depending on what you're looking for out of the experience. We've broken out cruise booking sites based on common booking goals.
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