Better to book w/ travel agent or online on my own?
2006-07-23 05:38:54 · 17 answers · asked by mrs g 1 in Travel ➔ Cruise Travel
no, it's per person for the length of the cruise, but doesn't include port charges, fees and gratuities. if you have never cruised, then I suggest you start with a TA to get ideas. tell them what you want/like/expect to get out of a cruise, how much you are willing to spend, and they can make recommendations. Nothing worse than wanting a high end gourmet experience and ending up on a Mass market cruise line that caters to party goers. If you do decide to book yourself, go directly tot he cruiseline you choose and use their personal consultants. the prices won't be any cheaper( TAs are nolonger allowed to sell below the cruiseline prices).. about the only thing that a TA might be able to do for you, besides the personalized attention, is smallperks like On board credit or upgrades or in room gifts of champagne that might make the overall price worth it.
Advice.. get the best accomodations you can afford. don't go cheap on the room, like an inside GTY, b/c you might end up very cramped or in an undesierable location. generally speaking.. the higher the deck, the more exspensive the stateroom.
2006-07-23 05:46:37 · answer #1 · answered by Mrsjvb 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends where you are getting the rates. For example, most travel agents will list the total price with all the taxes and fees. However, some don't, you need to read the fine print to see what it says. If you are looking at websites, saw an add online, etc. it will generally be the price per person for the cruise, not per night. Just remember, these base rates are to get people interested, so you can expect to pay a little more per person. Again, you want to read the fine print so you know what the rate is for. Generally, these rates advertised don't include the taxes and fees, for some cruises it can be a good portion of the cost.
I cruise all the time and have used a travel agent for every single booking. Several reasons why. The main reason is that she is able to tell me everything I need to know. She keeps me up to date on what I will need to board, passports, etc. She knows all the secrets and tips. She has lots of good ideas, etc. Some people say you can find this information by looking online, but I disagree. She knows a lot more than any source I have found online. Cruising can be really picky and if you don't have the right stuff, you can't get on the cruise and you have to go home. She makes sure I get the nicest ships, helps me pick rooms, get insurance, and tell me all the information I need to know about everything that is dealing with the cruise.
Second, you can go with an online discounter to maybe get a lower rate. But you really need to know a lot about cruising to make sure that you know what you are doing is correct and that you have all the right documents, etc. Plus, I have heard of many people, not just one or two, that have had problems with the booking. Some found out just before they were supposed to leave that they didn't have a booking, others had problems that weren't able to be corrected because they booked with the online discounter, etc. It can be a real headache and sometimes the cruise lines have difficulty working with your reservation if you book with the discounter.
For a lot of people, price is the first thing and some times the only thing they consider. Taking a cruise is something that can be costly, but either way it should be a wonderful trip. When I book with my agent, I don't have to worry about anything, she takes all the headaches away for me. I could probably do most of the things that she does for me, but it makes it so much nicer to have someone else take care of it. But the way I think of it, most of the time I get a lower rate with my agent, sometimes I don't. But either way, I know I am getting what she has told me and that I won't have any surprises when I arrive. Reading some of the nightmare stories people have had using an online discounter or booking it themselves, I would never want to take that risk. But again, the knowledge that she has is priceless to me. Some of the info I may be able to find online, but it would take more time and I would have to look around for the right answer. Even then, I don't know if the info I found was correct, up to date, or otherwise.
Finally, my agent almost always gets me a much lower rate than I can get either thru the line or with a discounter. She is able to offer a group rate because her agency buys a group of rooms when the rates come out. So they are able to offer the lowest rates until their rooms sell out.
Plus, my agent doesn't charge anything for what she does. If they don't have a group rate, the price is exactly the same as going directly thru the airline. But sometimes Orbitz and stuff will add on a fee.
My agent is an online agent, but not part of the online discounters, there are sites like Expedia, Orbitz, etc. They try to look like they are a travel agency, but they really aren't you are left on your own to take care of most things. I have found that an online agent works great for me because I can take care of everything right from home. I pop her an e-mail with a question, request, etc. and it is taken care of, usually within a half hour or less. That is what I call service!
Finally it is the service that you get. If you get a good agent that specializes in cruises, it will be great. They can take care of everything for you and you don't have to worry about it. You still get to have fun by planning the vacation, but you don't have to have all the worry that is invovled.
Hope this helps
2006-07-23 06:13:50 · answer #2 · answered by tech_fanatic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would book w/ a travel agent. Although, you can call the cruise line and ask for a rate.
It will be per person,,but based double occup.
If you only have 3 people going, it will cost the same as if 4 were going. So, it is better to have an even number because you will be paying as if they were there anyway.
You can't go by the prices in the book,,they fluctuate sooo much.
You could even call one day, and then 2 days later it be higher or lower in price. It is like a game getting the best price due to supply and demand.
2006-07-24 06:58:38 · answer #3 · answered by Paige 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Book direct with the cruise line or check vacationstogo. Expect to pay somewhere around $100 per night for a couple. More popular places cost more. My cruise last year was $428 each for 7 nights on Carnival. This is described as $428 double occupancy for a total of $856 for the week for 2. Tips are nearly required as well as taxes and are in addition.
2006-07-23 05:46:13 · answer #4 · answered by gtoacp 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
95% of all cruisers book through a travel agency. This does included online agencies as well as brick and mortar travel agencies. We offer some fantastic deals through our online booking partners at bctravelcompany.com At our site you can research a cruise and request a free quote or you can research your cruise through one of our online booking partners and book your cruise. No Matter which way you book your cruise with our agency you will still receive our personal service.
To answer the first of your question the cost is per person for the length of the cruise. If you are interested in working with us you can contact us via email or visit our website at bctravelcompany.com for more information. We also have informational pamphlets for first time cruisers available should you contact us we can mail one to you. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
BC Travel Company
2006-07-23 08:51:30 · answer #5 · answered by BC Travel Co. 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The prices listed are per person. If you feel more comfortable you can book with a agent. But there are a lot of web sights you can go to like travelzoo.com who has great vacations for great prices. The advantage to using a agent is they may know the best cruise lines and ship to book with. You will love to cruise. The rooms are not much but who stays in their room.
2006-07-23 07:21:02 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you have an idea of what where and when you want to go and spent some time researching the various ports and ships and cruise info then I would say go ahead and book on your own. If you really don't know anything about cruising, you would do better with a TA who can answer your questions and give advice. Go to cruisecritic.com. A ton of good info there.
2006-07-23 05:43:28 · answer #7 · answered by Sportsterjohn 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Travel agents will have everything planned for you and they know how to advise you of things. For my first cruise, I'd book it though a travel agency. Then after that, you can do it one your own. The cost per ngiht depends on where you are departing from and how long you'll be gone. It also depends on where your berth or stateroom is on the ship.
2006-07-23 05:42:11 · answer #8 · answered by pamela_d_99 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I always go on my own to carnival cruise lines when I book a cruise so I don't have to pay for the agent fees.
2006-07-23 07:42:44 · answer #9 · answered by Karen 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you need background info re: cruising, check out www.cruiseforums.com. There is all sorts of questions/answers there and you can ask for info of cruise addicts. My first cruise I booked with a TA and would recommend that you do that until you are comfortable with cruising.
2006-07-26 10:37:31 · answer #10 · answered by Carol O 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋