Uk resident booking with US agent any advice?

[happy cruisin]

Hi I would welcome any advice on booking a cruise through a US agent.

I previously enquired and was told I could not book Princess or Hal as I was not a US resident.

Can anyone give their expert advice please?

Thanks

 

Linda

[Mapu]

To my knowledge you would need to have an address in the US as well as a US credit card.

[ourlol]

Linda,

 

Princess actively discourage UK residents from using an American Travel Agent. Over the years there have been many, many threads on the subject (many of which are archived now so no longer available through the search facility).

 

As a result I would say the majority of Travel Agents from the USA will no longer take a booking from the United Kingdom. However, it is not impossible and I believe as long as the TAs themselves don't solicit custom from overseas and you make the approach 'some' will make the booking. Unfortunately the rules of the board prevent anyone from passing on information of those Travel Agents that do.

 

I have, in the past, made bookings using overseas agencies and I don't have a US address.

 

Whatever you do you must do your homework. Whilst I have always had considerable saving on Med sailings during the peak summer season, this does not necessarily apply for itineraries further afield. By the time you add the cost of booking your own flights, pre and post cruise hotel, transfers to the ship etc. there is often not much in it.

 

Good Luck

 

Laura

 

 

[Nylsor]

Linda,

 

 

Whatever you do you must do your homework. Whilst I have always had considerable saving on Med sailings during the peak summer season, this does not necessarily apply for itineraries further afield. By the time you add the cost of booking your own flights, pre and post cruise hotel, transfers to the ship etc. there is often not much in it.

 

Good Luck

 

Laura

 

 

Hi Linda

I would agree with ourlol. There isn't much to be gained after everything is taken into account. Depends on the popularity of the cruise. One real advantage in booking with a US TA is the choice of stateroom. Princess sells its cruises in the US months before they go on sale in the UK and if you are trying to book a mini-suite / suite or a specific cabin then the chances they will still be available are virtually nil by the time they go on sale in the UK. We were very lucky indeed to get a mini-suite on our Asia cruise for October 2008 and that's only because our excellent TA pulled in a favour. We looked to book with a US TA but the cost of airfares to Beijing was prohibitive (£1750) and the return from Bangkok would have made our airfares in excess of £2500. While it is always claimed that US citizens pay less for cruises than us in the UK I think it is debatable. They have to pay taxes, airfares and all transfers, hotels, etc in addition to the cruise fare. There are US TA's who will accept your booking. One even has no cost phone line for bookings from the UK. Good luck.

Ros

[SheltieLady]

When does Princess normal put there Caribbean sailing out in the UK. For the 2009/2010 Caribbean season Princess will open up the booking in July 2008 here in the States, when do you think they will come out in the UK. Have a sister and brother-in-law that will be joining us from the UK would like to give her some idea when they will be out.

 

And before you ask I did suggest that I book her cruise but her hubby said no that they had already planned to do a fly cruise to Barbados and that they would book over there so money was not a issue.

 

On more question can you book just cruise only or do you have to book the fly/cruise package from UK?

 

 

Christine

[JPRLHR]

Hi Linda

I would agree with ourlol. There isn't much to be gained after everything is taken into account. Depends on the popularity of the cruise. One real advantage in booking with a US TA is the choice of stateroom. Princess sells its cruises in the US months before they go on sale in the UK and if you are trying to book a mini-suite / suite or a specific cabin then the chances they will still be available are virtually nil by the time they go on sale in the UK. We were very lucky indeed to get a mini-suite on our Asia cruise for October 2008 and that's only because our excellent TA pulled in a favour. We looked to book with a US TA but the cost of airfares to Beijing was prohibitive (£1750) and the return from Bangkok would have made our airfares in excess of £2500. While it is always claimed that US citizens pay less for cruises than us in the UK I think it is debatable. They have to pay taxes, airfares and all transfers, hotels, etc in addition to the cruise fare. There are US TA's who will accept your booking. One even has no cost phone line for bookings from the UK. Good luck.

Ros

 

Ros, the savings very much depend on the grade of room booked. We last saved just over £1,500 on a Full Suite by booking through our US T/A rather than a UK T/A or Princess UK and that's after paying airfares and hotels too.

[uktraveller]

 

On more question can you book just cruise only or do you have to book the fly/cruise package from UK?

 

 

Christine

 

I'd like to know the answer to this too!

We're looking into doing an Alaska cruise and have been told that Princess do Alaska better than anyone else, but on the UK website they only price cruises including the flight and we want to book cruise only and use BA miles for the flights! Anyone know if you can do this?

[JPRLHR]

I'd like to know the answer to this too!

We're looking into doing an Alaska cruise and have been told that Princess do Alaska better than anyone else, but on the UK website they only price cruises including the flight and we want to book cruise only and use BA miles for the flights! Anyone know if you can do this?

 

Absolutely you can.. However, you probably wouldn't get a discount on the cruise comparable to what Princess pay for the airline tickets but that wouldn't matter to you if you're getting freebies with air miles.

[antsp]

Ros, the savings very much depend on the grade of room booked. We last saved just over £1,500 on a Full Suite by booking through our US T/A rather than a UK T/A or Princess UK and that's after paying airfares and hotels too.

We have just booked the emerald princess for may and saved £1800 compared to discouted princess prices, we do have to buy air to barcelona and return fom venice for 3 pax but if we budget for £500 we will still be well in.

[Host Caroline]

Just a reminder: You can't give out names of travel agents OR ask people to email you for the name of your TA etc...

:::don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger::::;) :eek:

[Scottie Girl]

We have booked cruise only with Alaska with Princess through our travel agent as we are spending a week in Ontario before flying on to Vancouver.

We certainly saved money on the airfare booking through Air Canada.

[antsp]

with the dollar so weak at the moment i cannot understand why any uk passenges would not book in the usa

[Khepri]

I'd like to know the answer to this too!

We're looking into doing an Alaska cruise and have been told that Princess do Alaska better than anyone else, but on the UK website they only price cruises including the flight and we want to book cruise only and use BA miles for the flights! Anyone know if you can do this?

We booked direct with Princess for an Hawaiian cruise, also booked our own flights and accommodation in Long Beach. Used BA Manchester - Heathrow- LA.

[English muffin]

Hi I would welcome any advice on booking a cruise through a US agent.

I previously enquired and was told I could not book Princess or Hal as I was not a US resident.

Can anyone give their expert advice please?

Thanks

 

Linda

Hello Linda

We have booked many cruises with HAL through an American TA no problem arranged our own flights etc worked out a lot cheaper. We have just returned from a Celebrity cruise which we booked through my agent in US arranged own airfare, saved about £300 per person, plus we choose our own hotels and we can add days on if required, Princess,Cunard P&O NO No unless you have an address in the US they will do everything to block it , WHY! Because US Princess cruises normally have better deals.

Longer hauls may not be cheaper as Princess get concessionary fares, but if you are wanting Carribean, Alaska. Med , New England go for it. We live in Manchester and we get our own flights either via Heathrow or direct from Manchester.

Hope this helps. Anita

[Shogun]

Hi Folks,

 

What we do is book through Princess including flights as soon as prices for UK folk are out, which does not need to be the same as when brochure appears.

 

Then at some point in the future go around TA's to get them to take over booking, on our Alaska trip we saved £2000 of our booked Princess cruise.

 

I have even had a TA give me a small cheque back because he could not go any lower on the Princess price but could give me back some of his commission.

 

What you want is a small TA willing to take the booking on for only £100 or so margin, it is still easy money for a couple of phone calls and a letter.

 

To date never been able to get flights as cheap as Princess, but again this is often because Princess is using a charter flight.

 

Do not think Princess do charter flights from US to Europe, may folks in US can tell us.

 

Again because of package anything goes wrong Princess has to put it right, flights are not an add on they are part of the holiday.

 

As such my direct flight in a few weeks has been cancelled so Princess are having to fly me to England put me up in a hotel over night and get me to the airport in the morning all at there cost.

 

Where they over a cruise only price it is very poor compared to the packade deal.

 

 

yours Shogun

[uktraveller]

Thanks for the advice.

I will contact my TA for a cruise only quote. We want to do the Alaska cruise as part of an extended stay in the Seattle/Vancouver area and we have airmiles for the flights so the package deal doesn't work for us.

[antsp]

Hello Linda

We have booked many cruises with HAL through an American TA no problem arranged our own flights etc worked out a lot cheaper. We have just returned from a Celebrity cruise which we booked through my agent in US arranged own airfare, saved about £300 per person, plus we choose our own hotels and we can add days on if required, Princess,Cunard P&O NO No unless you have an address in the US they will do everything to block it , WHY! Because US Princess cruises normally have better deals.

Longer hauls may not be cheaper as Princess get concessionary fares, but if you are wanting Carribean, Alaska. Med , New England go for it. We live in Manchester and we get our own flights either via Heathrow or direct from Manchester.

Hope this helps. Anita

 

Having cruised with Princess 6 times with another 2 booked we have never booked in the uk, i have used several diffrent us T/A and not one has refused a booking from ourselves

[English muffin]

Having cruised with Princess 6 times with another 2 booked we have never booked in the uk, i have used several diffrent us T/A and not one has refused a booking from ourselves

 

Hello astsp

Thank for that information.

Did you use a US address? we have booked through a US Ta but it was several years ago , our credit card had to be put through 10 times as it would only accept a certain amount on a UK credit card it was touch and go right until the end whether or not it would accept the booking, and we didnt get any credit on our Princess Captain Circle card. Why is it that Princess treats the UK customers so poorly compared to the US customers. I would rather deal with the US agents any day they give excellent service and usually you always get a welcome gift, not much from the UK agent. We are sailing on the Pacific Princess 26 days Dec 15 absolutley nothing off our agent in the UK. We just couldent get the cruise through a US agent, thats one of the reasons we change to HAL, maybe next time.

 

Anita & Phil

[antsp]

Hello astsp

Thank for that information.

Did you use a US address? we have booked through a US Ta but it was several years ago , our credit card had to be put through 10 times as it would only accept a certain amount on a UK credit card it was touch and go right until the end whether or not it would accept the booking, and we didnt get any credit on our Princess Captain Circle card. Why is it that Princess treats the UK customers so poorly compared to the US customers. I would rather deal with the US agents any day they give excellent service and usually you always get a welcome gift, not much from the UK agent. We are sailing on the Pacific Princess 26 days Dec 15 absolutley nothing off our agent in the UK. We just couldent get the cruise through a US agent, thats one of the reasons we change to HAL, maybe next time.

 

Anita & Phil

No never used a us address, always used a nationwide cc and i have platinum status with captain circle.

[terrierjohn]

with the dollar so weak at the moment i cannot understand why any uk passenges would not book in the usa

Just priced a Caribbean Princess cruise for Feb 2008 with both US and UK TA's, and surprisingly the cruise only prices are almost identical.

[antsp]

Just priced a Caribbean Princess cruise for Feb 2008 with both US and UK TA's, and surprisingly the cruise only prices are almost identical.

Carribean Princess 7 nts $528 on the 17 feb thats £255 who in the uk does it anywhere near that price

[English muffin]

No never used a us address, always used a nationwide cc and i have platinum status with captain circle.

 

We have the same card same status.

We want to go on a world cruise next year and would like to go with Princess. Our Captains Circle status gives more benefits than the same level with Hal.

Let me into your secret.

 

Anita

[antsp]

:eek:

We have the same card same status.

We want to go on a world cruise next year and would like to go with Princess. Our Captains Circle status gives more benefits than the same level with Hal.

Let me into your secret.

 

Anita

[Nylsor]

Was sent an e-mail today by a large UK TA who advertises every week in the UK Sunday newspapers. One of the cruises advertised was 15 night Australian Odyssey on the Sapphire Princess departing on 31.03.2008. I decided to do a price comparison and see if any money could be saved by booking with a US TA. Here's what I found. The costs are for two passengers:

US TA (Internet and has a free call line for UK clients)

Advertised as 12 days - $4396 for balcony stateroom ($2198 x 2)

No flights but checked on BA site and return flights would be $4532

Total $8928 (at $2 =£1 =£4464)

No transfers included

UK TA

Total £4598 (£2299 x 2)for balcony stateroom (all flights, transfers, etc included)

The difference is: £134 out of which you would have to pay for transfers, hotels, etc.

I'm pleased that at least some UK clients have managed to make significant savings but I still think that if its a long haul destination ( Australia, NZ, Asia) where flights are expensive then you don't gain too much.

If the destination is the Med then significant savings can be made by booking with a US TA as you can book cheap flights with budget airlines

Ros

[antsp]

Was sent an e-mail today by a large UK TA who advertises every week in the UK Sunday newspapers. One of the cruises advertised was 15 night Australian Odyssey on the Sapphire Princess departing on 31.03.2008. I decided to do a price comparison and see if any money could be saved by booking with a US TA. Here's what I found. The costs are for two passengers:

US TA (Internet and has a free call line for UK clients)

Advertised as 12 days - $4396 for balcony stateroom ($2198 x 2)

No flights but checked on BA site and return flights would be $4532

Total $8928 (at $2 =£1 =£4464)

No transfers included

UK TA

Total £4598 (£2299 x 2)for balcony stateroom (all flights, transfers, etc included)

The difference is: £134 out of which you would have to pay for transfers, hotels, etc.

I'm pleased that at least some UK clients have managed to make significant savings but I still think that if its a long haul destination ( Australia, NZ, Asia) where flights are expensive then you don't gain too much.

If the destination is the Med then significant savings can be made by booking with a US TA as you can book cheap flights with budget airlines

Ros

i must agree with you there, also if the cruise is not round trip it can make a big differance on flt prices, med and caribbean us t/a i think is the way to go