So much to learn....

[KSGal]

My husband and I want to take a cruise in June. Due to my fear of flying, we would prefer a cruise out of Galveston. We've never cruised and I have no idea where to begin.....should we book ourselves or go thru a TA? Any suggestions or need to know information is appreciated...... Thanks!

(I actually feel bad even discussing a vacation during this time, but I'm afraid not to schedule it as soon as possible.)

[hajekfam]

My husband and I want to take a cruise in June. Due to my fear of flying, we would prefer a cruise out of Galveston. We've never cruised and I have no idea where to begin.....should we book ourselves or go thru a TA? Any suggestions or need to know information is appreciated...... Thanks!

(I actually feel bad even discussing a vacation during this time, but I'm afraid not to schedule it as soon as possible.)

 

Don't feel bad about thinking about a vacation. After all, your mental health is important and a cruise vacation is a great stress reliever.

I would recommend a good TA who has actually been on different cruise lines to help you plan your first cruise vacation. For our first cruise, we went in and talked to the TA who asked us all sorts of questions about ourselves and the kinds of things we like to do. Based on our responses, he suggested that we might enjoy Celebrity cruise line. We went and had great time and promptly became hooked. Celebrity was a perfect match for us.

Our TA was a local TA with an office where you could stop in and talk. We might not have gotten as great a price as some of the huge internet agencies offer, but we did get personalized service with the agent talking us through the ins and outs of cruising so that we really felt comfortable with this new vacation idea (we had only done land based vacations before).

[clackey]

Hola KSGal,

 

We have always booked our own cruise online, but we are cheapskates. If this is your first cruise, it might be best if you used a good TA. That way if things do not go smoothly you can hunt them down and beat them. We have never had any problems booking on our own, but we do research upon research and do not leave much to chance.

 

Galveston has been a good departure port for us. Easy to navigate and plenty to see and do, but it may change with more ships sailing out of there.

[familycruzer]

I book on my own for two reasons ... I have cruised enough times to know what I want and because of the new pricing policies there are not so many deals to be had by using a TA.

Since this is your first, ask around and find a TA that is good and a cruise specialist. A would also suggest you spend some time surfing the boards to get a feel of the ship, and ports you would like to visit.

Planning a cruise is so much fun, enjoy.

[serene56]

I agree with the above posters-- since its your first time-- see a local agent.

 

Read these boards to learn all there is to know. I have learned tons of information and feel comfortable in booking my own.

 

 

Booking a cruise out of Galveston for next June

Carnilva: Conquest, Elation, Ecstasy

Royal Caribbean: Rhapsody of the Seas

 

(Royal caribbean does not allow any agent to offer discounted prices- the price you see for that cruise will be the same across the board)

[RachelD]

Shop around online and then go see a TA. Do your homework. The best thing that you can do is to educate yourself about the different cruise lines and then to evaluate what you are looking for in a cruise. You are already doing the right thing by asking quistions on this board. It is very helpful!

 

As someone has already mentioned, the prices for cruises are pretty muched locked in. But, with a TA you can get special attention and added security that if something goes wrong, you can point the finger at them! Don't go to them blindly thinking that they know everything... know your stuff before you go and don't settle!

 

Good luck and have fun planning your cruise!

[rkacruiser]

I, too, strongly recommend that you use a travel agent, and, preferably one who is a cruise specialist. Going to the library and checking out a travel guide about cruising may also help. These books have lots of information that a first time cruiser would find helpful. Information is included about the various ships and cruise lines as well as about what to expect aboard the ship during your cruise.

 

As to your fear of flying: may I share a personal story? My Mother also was afraid to fly. We had booked a Hawaiian cruise out of Los Angeles and the only way we were going to make it to the ship on time due to my work schedule was to fly to Los Angeles. Since this was her first flight, I wanted it to be as comfortable and pleasant as possible. So, I booked First Class. She was fascinated and thrilled by the experience! I have often wondered if they were ever able to get her nose print off the plane's window. Even Mother Nature cooperated: as we flew over the desert near Los Angeles, off in the distance there was a thunderstorm with lovely lightening displays in the clouds. She was never hesitant to fly again. Moral of the story: Book First Class for your first flight!

 

Have fun planning!!!

[celbercrz333]

KS,

We've done 2 cruises. One from NYC to Bermuda and one from Miami to Nassau (which never made it there, hurricane Jeanne was in Nassau). For both cruises, what we did was go to the popular travel discount websites. You know, the ones that advertise on tv. Then we gave the port we wanted to leave from and our destination. We saw all the cruises going from that port to the desired destination. Then we called the cruise line (1-800 #) and told them the price we saw online. The cruise line itself gave us the best deal. We chose the room we wanted and the level we could afford. The websites showed the ship's layout so we knew where we'd be before we booked. For our second cruise, which was on Carnival, we were upgraded 2 levels than what an e-mail offer from another source has given us. So instead of being on the bottom of the ship, we were 3 levels up. Our first cruise was with Celebrity and they asked if we were celebrating anything special. We were going for our 25th anniversary. They invited us to the anniversary party. No extra $$ and a very nice party. If you do your homework, you won't need a TA and you'll be just fine and save money too.

--Jo

[kenandlaura06]

We booked the cruise ourselves, but switched it to a TA so that we could have some assistance if, god forbid, our ship is delayed, there are weather issues, etc. We also purchased insurance, but it is nice to have someone in your corner!

[Host Walt]

Suggest you give this thread a read as well for some further ideas.

[spoonful]

try *****.com which can hook you up with a TA based on your preferences (time of travel, port, ect). They all "bid" with their best offer and you can choose.

[KSGal]

I'll check them out, thanks!!

[serene56]

*****- you have to know the date you want to sail and the ship plus know the category.

 

 

For a new comer who doesnt know the ins and outs of cruising this is not a good site to use.

[Stacylee]

I always used a TA for my cruises ... until this trip.

There was no internet when I started cruising and I had no choice. Even on my last cruise in 2001, I used a TA because I didn't have good access to the web at that time. We paid over 4k for a 7 night Carnival trip with airfare for 4 - that was just the cruise and airfare! I was crazy! Since I have had better web access I have made several different land trips since then because I can save a bundle this way. If you have money to spend, a TA does save alot of time.

If you can drive to the port, then airfare isnt a concern. All you have to pay for is the cruise. There is no reason why you can't find a deal online - with the cruise line direct or a reputable online travel site and save the middle man. We are here to answer any questions you have.

No flaming - I have nothing against TA's and I know they are getting a bum rap lately, but in order for me to indulge in my passion for travel, I have to save every dime I can. For this cruise, I got 100.00 r/t airfare (on a big sale) and a fantastic cruise price. I have never been able to say I got a deal on a cruise before! If I hadn't found the airfare deal, the cruise wouldn't have even happened :) .

[smolt]

Hi KSGal,

 

I wanted to offer a couple of suggestions to you so at least you would have had a chance to see them.

 

Our first cruise was thru a TA who suggested that since we live in a heavy snow area we travel a day ahead and stay over-night at a hotel near the port (arranged by the cruise line). That gives us a little slack in case the weather interferes with flights or traffic. We relax and thaw out for a day before getting on the ship. The cruise line nicely sends a bus to take us to the pier so its a breeze to get to the ship in the morning. Yes, I know I pay for these amenities but it sure makes the vacation start out nicely. Even if you are arriving by auto, you might enjoy an over-night stay in a hotel rather than worry about arrival time at the pier on the same day you drive down to Galveston.

 

The cruise line will probably send you a booklet with your luggage tags (including room number) and a page that functions as your boarding pass. Its a good idea to bring the booklet with you. The major cruise lines maintain online sites where you can fill in some needed paper work. As soon as you get the reservation number you can sign in and provide the information. This includes things like your passport number, your emergency contact information and so forth. You may also make special requests online, things like dietary restrictions can sometimes be arranged.

 

If you drive yourself to the pier, check your bags with a porter and go park the car. Its good to give the porter a tip for hauling them for you. Since you wisely put those luggage tags on :D , the bags will be delivered to your room sometime during the afternoon or evening. This does mean that you might want to keep a carry-on bag with a few neccessities in case the luggage takes a while to arrive. Those poor guys do have to deliver a couple thousand bags.

 

One thing that seems to cause a lot of misunderstanding and frustration for first time cruisers is the way in which "Tenders" are scheduled in ports that don't have piers and require smaller launches to get passengers from the ship to the shore. The cruise line sells excursions and obligates itself to those people to get them to the right place at the right time. This means that people who buy excursions someplace else or people who just want to stroll and shop may have to wait a while to get on a tender. "Open Tendering" usually starts a couple hours after scheduled tendering. This is not necessarily a problem but if you don't understand the policy you might get frustrated.

 

Cruising is wonderful!! I sure hope its the best vacation you could imagine!

[KSGal]

Thank you for all the info!!! After watching your site for a couple of weeks and searching the web, we decided to book direct with the cruise line. We are scheduled for the Conquest in June. (That's so far away!)

I am sure I will have plenty of time (with the help of this site) to prepare for our trip. Now I need to decide what to do in Montego Bay, Cozumel, & Grand Cayman. I've been monitoring those ports on this site too. I am excited and look forward to whatever happens on our cruise. My husband says he doesn't want to swim with any "animals/fish". Oh well, I guess he can watch!!