Booking your last cruise

[Honolulu Blue]

Hi everyone.  Here's today's question:  in thinking of the last cruise you booked, through whom did you book it?  The options I have are through a travel agent or agency that is independent of any cruise line, direct with the cruise line without a rep involved, direct with the line with one of their reps, through the charter, and other.  

 

My story is simple and probably unique:  The last cruise I booked was a charter and I booked it direct with the charter company.  I'm sure there will be advice given on how everyone's way to book is the best.  Maybe I'll hear something new.  But whatever you say, try to be nice to others.  Thank you.  And thanks in advance for your votes!

[puppycanducruise]

We always book through a local travel agent.  She throws in extra OBC as a bonus for us.

[Essiesmom]

My last is a combination of two.  One night I booked a 3 day cruise, online.  But I was thinking of tacking on the previous 4 day cruise as a B2B.  The next day I was called by a rep of the cruise line who had no idea I was already booked, so I went ahead and booked the second cruise.  A few days later I got a call from a travel agent friend, and I would have booked another cruise through her if she could have found one that would book a single, but no luck.  EM

[Ashland]

I always look at the RCI website and know all the details of the booking I'm going to make and then call the C&A desk to book it. If it's late at night I book online.

[SPacificbound]

I always book direct with the cruise line, most have been call and book, but some I have booked online. No interest in using a TA.

[jsn55]

16 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

Hi everyone.  Here's today's question:  in thinking of the last cruise you booked, through whom did you book it?  The options I have are through a travel agent or agency that is independent of any cruise line, direct with the cruise line without a rep involved, direct with the line with one of their reps, through the charter, and other.  

 

My story is simple and probably unique:  The last cruise I booked was a charter and I booked it direct with the charter company.  I'm sure there will be advice given on how everyone's way to book is the best.  Maybe I'll hear something new.  But whatever you say, try to be nice to others.  Thank you.  And thanks in advance for your votes!

I am incredibly fortunate to have a good friend who is a cruise-expert TA, we met working together on a Travel Consumer Advocacy Forum.  I do enough research to know what we want, then she books it.  She comes up with so many goodies and positives that I can't imagine ever booking for myself again.  I have booked hundreds of trips, organized special events around the world ... so it takes a really amazing TA to do things just the way I want them.   She is completely meticulous and perhaps more detail-oriented than I am!

[lenquixote66]

We called the cruise line for our last cruise.The person who answered the phone had the same name as me.We took it as an omen and booked with him.He said it was the first time he ever conversed with someone who had an identical name to him.

[Essiesmom]

I’ve already voted, and commented,  it I just booked another cruise this morning, online.  Sometimes I think it depends on how familiar you are with the cruise line, and how well their website works.  EM

[9tee2Sea]

i always book with the cruise line.  

[cruisemom42]

I use a variety of booking pathways. I've learned to look around and see what the best option for me is -- as a solo traveler, sometimes a cruise line will offer a reduced solo supplement if I book directly through them (a price not available from a TA). Other times a TA will have a group booking that offers a better -- or at least equal -- price and loads more extras such as OBC, gratuities, etc.

 

For my last cruise I used my TA. The one before that I booked via the cruise line website. Before that one, TA again. And so on...

 

[DarrenM]

Booked on the ship last year for this years cruise.

 

I have priced next years two choices on line, and I will getting the same priced up on the ship this year.

 

I am told the prices are cheaper if you book whilst on your cruise, so going to be fun and interesting to compare.

[Mary229]

Booking onboard has advantages, so I always book while sailing and it is automatically transferred to my agent (my sister).  This is for my grand voyages.  
 

if I couldn’t find anything on the current cruise then I look for a deal.  My agent will match any deal I find 

 

Edited May 12, 2023 by Mary229