Tips for on-line booking

[jodster]

I'm pretty new to cruising (2 cruises) and in the past I have used a home-based travel agency but they can't or won't meet the pricing I've seen on the internet. I have never booked a cruise on-line and am a little nervous. So what I'm wondering is if there are some standard questions that I should be asking the on-line agency prior to booking. Any help/suggestions would be most welcome. I'm not sure if you are allowed to tell me what agencies that you have used and your experience(good or bad) with them but if you can, I would love to hear.

 

Thank you in advance,

Jodster

[jcanino]

I have never booked a cruise on-line and am a little nervous.

 

If you are that nervous, you really need to deal with a real person in a real travel agency that can allay your fears and hold your hand through the entire process.

[jodster]

So just because I'm a little nervous you think that I should have someone hold my hand? I'm sure that there are other cruisers who were apprehensive their first time booking a cruise on-line. I can't be the only one. That's why I posted my message in the hopes of receiving some helpful tips so that I could book on-line with confidence since I have never done it before. Sorry for trying to educate myself.

 

Thank you for making me feel foolish.

[jcanino]

So just because I'm a little nervous you think that I should have someone hold my hand?

Thank you for making me feel foolish.

 

I wasn't trying to make you look foolish. You admitted you were nervous.When you are spending several thousand dollars of your hard earned money, do you really want to be experimenting with booking online. If you are nervous, don't go with the unknown. If you didn't like the service your home based agent gave you, find another local TA who will help you.

[sunluva7]

Jodster -

 

Of course you're a little apprehensive - so was I. I booked my first 2 cruises through a brick & mortar TA. With my first cruise I did not seek out these boards until after I booked so was not that well informed. For my second cruise, after checking prices and gaining all the info I could, I went through the same TA only because she was able to match the least expensive rates I found on the web for my cruise. For my upcoming cruise on the Caribbean Princess in August, she would not come close to the price I could get on the internet. So armed with all the knowledge I have gained from these boards, I felt comfortable enough to book on my own through an internet-only website. (It also helped that I booked at a time when we could still discuss specific TA's. :) ) So far, I have not been disappointed. All I can say is do your research. If you find an agency on-line, speak with them and ask your questions. If you like what you hear, go with your instincts, and check them out with the BBB or some other source. Good luck! :)

[scooby4048]

Jodster - try this thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=67535.

It has some very good information on online TA's and may answer some of your questions.

The best thing to do like Sunluva7 suggested is to do your research and compare. Ask if there are any penalties that you should be aware of regarding price matching. You do not want to go with a TA that will not price match after final payment, because prices may continue to drop. In that situation, you want the savings or a ship board credit.

I'm some what like yourself, I have 3 cruises under my belt, and I was a little apprehensive about online TA's too. But researching, comparing, asking questions and reading these boards helpded so much. Get over the 'foolish' feeling. You're not.

Good luck, and happy future cruising :D

[ciana]

HI Jodster. IN 2003 we returned to cruising and used a regular travel agency. The following year I checked on-line info and found how much less we would pay if I did the booking myself. Since then I do all my homework,find the best price and then call . I haven't put my credit card directly on -line for a cruise..(but have lots of times for flights, products, etc.) The company I use guarantees to match the lowest on-line price.. for our Nov. Oosterdam cruise I found a low price special.. they had to be able to check it our on-line (while I talked to them) and then they matched the price. Another time I used an agency which had all the remaining balconies booked..there was a fee if you called but I already had a deposit with Princess so had to call. The fee was $25 but they gave me a $100 shipboard credit so that worked out better. I have also called Princess and they checked on a company for me as I had never heard of them.. they replied that the company had been doing business with them since 1988 so that was good enough for me. Hope this helps. Good luck!

 

Cheri:)

[sunluva7]

The best thing to do like Sunluva7 suggested is to do your research and compare. Ask if there are any penalties that you should be aware of regarding price matching. You do not want to go with a TA that will not price match after final payment, because prices may continue to drop. In that situation, you want the savings or a ship board credit.

Be aware, though, that in my experience it has been very difficult to get a TA to match a price decrease after final payment. In this case, a good TA might find you an upgrade or shipboard credits. The price drops after final payment are generally made in an effort to fill the ship with new bookings and not necessarily for already-booked passengers. With that said, I WAS able obtain big savings when the price dropped BEFORE final payment. Just be sure to watch the prices in case the TA doesn't catch it. And like Scooby said, check the TA's cancellation and change policy - some charge a fee for this and some don't. Good luck. :)

[jodster]

Thank you to everyone who took the time to post all the helpful information, I appreciate it!

 

Jodster

[luv2travel2beaches]

A couple of additional things I have learned (mostly through these boards): Make sure that the online agency will not be the one charging your credit card, that the charges will actually be made by the cruise company directly. This is a bit of additional comfort that it is all on the up-and-up. Also, some online agencies have cancellation fees (in addition to the cruise lines cancellation fees). Check those out and be prepared or purchase insurance to guard against these loses in case of cancellation. After using a brick & mortar TA for my first cruise I decided I was wasting money....I knew more about the cruise than she did (by far). I was able to find out the questions to all of my questions 10 times faster than she could (or would) get back to me. I would much rather save the money by going through a reputable online service and do the research myself. You are not foolish for researching the options and making an informed decision.

[jodster]

Luv2travel2beaches,

 

Thank you for the great tip about the credit card...........I feel like you that I know more about cruising than the home based travel agency I've used. My guess is since they are a travel agency that books many vacations they don't always have the expertise for cruising.

 

Jodster.

[sunluva7]

Luv2travel2beaches,

 

Thank you for the great tip about the credit card...........I feel like you that I know more about cruising than the home based travel agency I've used. My guess is since they are a travel agency that books many vacations they don't always have the expertise for cruising.

 

Jodster.

I, too, remember going to a brick and mortar general TA, who was really quite clueless. :rolleyes: A cruise-only TA is probably your best bet. :)

[jcanino]

I, too, remember going to a brick and mortar general TA, who was really quite clueless. :rolleyes: A cruise-only TA is probably your best bet.

 

It does not matter what type of agency the TA works in. What matters is how educated the TA is. I know of TA's that have been in the business for 30 years but do not keep up on education and have no clue of what is current. Find a TA that has a certification from CLIA. Also look for someone that has a certification from the Travel Institute. Travel Institute graduates (CTC, CTC and a new CTE) also have to earn 10 CEU's every year to stay certified.

[sunluva7]

It does not matter what type of agency the TA works in. What matters is how educated the TA is. I know of TA's that have been in the business for 30 years but do not keep up on education and have no clue of what is current. Find a TA that has a certification from CLIA. Also look for someone that has a certification from the Travel Institute. Travel Institute graduates (CTC, CTC and a new CTE) also have to earn 10 CEU's every year to stay certified.

Excellent advice from someone in the field - thanks!

[ctbrehm]

I was always nervous about the TA going out of business. I alway check the Better Biz Bureau site (www . bbb . org). This site is extremely helpful in determing what type of agency you're dealing with. A helpful hint... I tried to enter the url and company name for the TA and it wasn't coming back with anything. Then I tried entering their 800 number. That provided lots of detail about the agency I was dealing with including a BBB rating, add'l phone numbers, licenses and type of complaints (if any) received about this company.

[LeftatGator]

I don't like to be ignorant, and I don't like relying on someone who seems to be ignorant (like a car saleman who knows NOTHING about the car you want). So I researched through CC boards and other online review forums, and watched the online travel services. With a little research, I found the ship I wanted, and even the best cabins. (these boards are great for knowing what cabins are noisy, how you can get a better balcony for the same price, etc..)

 

I found the cabin I wanted, then booked it online. It was a great experience - so much so that I booked another cruise the same way for september. I am now in the price watching stage for a 2006 cruise on an RCCL Voyager class, aft cabin (#7688) - a so-called "secret cabin."

 

Check this out: Cool Balcony!

 

I asked two TAs about this cabin and neither could help me. I love booking online! :D

[Mr_Cruise]

Hi,

 

I am a TA for an online cruise only agency. (not one of the "big ones"). I must agree with all advice already posted and do have one thing to add.

 

Ensure that the online agency is registered with the BBB online (and in good standing). It's also better if they are a CLIA member too, and check to see if they have any awards/accolades from the cruise lines. Also, read their terms of use/user agreements and privacy policies.

 

Doing these things will provide added peace of mind, and similar things should be checked for any online purchase.

[zebra36]

For those that do book online be sure to check prices with and without "freebies". I was just looking at a cruise for later this fall and 1 of the online agencies which has the option to price with and without was offering a "free" gourmet meal on board but when I selected to get rates without the "free" item the price was about $170 cheaper, go figure. So, be sure to check all options.

 

 

Frank

[kenandlaura06]

A "free" gourmet meal? Aren't all of the meals included in the price of the cruise?