Where to book my cruise

[Morris4me]

What is the best website you've used for booking a cruise? I'm (of course) looking for the best prices but also a reliable source.

[Plant]

It's against the rules here to discuss or recommend TA's or cruise booking web sites. Sorry :( .

[paul929207]

Sorry, but Cruise Critic rules prohibit naming TA's. There is a wide range of prices from different online TA's. Keep searching.

[cb at sea]

We just book directly thru the cruiseline--that way, if we want to make changes, ask questions, etc....it can be done by US--not a 3rd party!

[silentbob007]

Booking can be very easy if you use a large, multi-pupose travel site, but keep in mind that they may charge you a fee at the end to book with them. These sites also tend to have more restrictive cancellation rules than with the cruiselines directly. Wherever you book, make sure you read the fine print.

[DonnaK]

We just book directly thru the cruiseline--that way, if we want to make changes, ask questions, etc....it can be done by US--not a 3rd party!

 

I agree. The best place to book is directly with the cruiseline, so that you are in control of your reservation. If there's a price drop, you can call them directly to have the price difference refunded. If you decide that you want to change cabins, or move to a higher level cabin because the price dropped, it is so much easier to do this by calling the cruiseline directly. Same with asking questions, changing dining assignements, etc. If you book through a TA, the TA must call the cruiseline on your behalf. Some TA's will not honor cruiseline price drops, or will charge you a fee to make any changes to your initial reservation. A TA has never done anything for me that I couldn't do myself, with very little effort on my part.

 

Most cruiselines do not allow TA's to discount cruises, so the price is pretty much the same. However, some TA's offer perks, such as onbaord credit, paid gratuities, bottle of wine, etc. If this is important to you, right before final payment, when you are pretty sure that you're not going to make changes, and price drops are unlikely to apply to you (because they will be for lower categories and new bookings only, to fill the ship), then you can transfer your reservation to a TA that offers perks.

[Lookingforfacts]

My understanding is TAs are allowed to discount cruises, but they're not allowed to list the lower price. Passengers have to call, email or put the cruise in their "cart" to see the lower price. Alternately providing an on board credit is equivalent to a discount. Tips, photos, adult drinks, shore trips, spa--is there any doubt you'll use it? Don't you get a refund if your final account is positive?

 

Some TAs have group bookings. Passengers that are able to take a cruise on the applicable dates might get a good deal.

 

I called Princess, and was given a price that was more expensive then the fare I got from my TA (about $400). The Princess told me many TAs offer lower prices then the best price Princess offers direct.

 

My cruise was booked as part of a special Princess cruise land group package through the TA division of a shopping club. I don't need to tell you the name, if you're a member you already know they book cruises.

 

Look for group bookings in cruise critic and every organization you belong to (AAA,AARP,membership stores). Check carefully, some offer a good deal but the cynic in me suspects some may just be a way for the TA to make more money.

 

I'm glad these boards don't allow the posting of specific information. The boards are spam free and the deal one poster got on their cruise, from a vendor, may not be the best deal for the dates you're cruising. I have no interest in reading posts regarding which TA is offering the "best deal" only to find out the nominal difference is due to one agency rebating a slightly higher amount of their commission.

 

Excepting a group booking you can expect similar rates from online TAs. Make sure you're comparing apples and apples. Some places give you bottom line pricing (including fuel surcharges) and some give you a rate before the extra charges.