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Asking friends who have cruised to recommend a travel agent is another good idea. If you're concerned that working with an agent will make your cruise more expensive, don't be. Cruise travel agents receive the bulk of their income via commission from the cruise lines. Their service to you is usually free, though some might charge first-time clients a minimal fee.
The 9 Best Sites to Book a Cruise
Life has a way of pulling you in a million directions each and every day. You might be heading up important projects at work, keeping the family and kids on track, caregiving for an older relative or committing to a full schedule of activities and community service during your retirement. So when you really need to get away on a cruise vacation, you've got no time to sit down and plan one. That's why the next time you want to book a voyage, you need to rely on a luxury travel agent who specializes in cruise travel. A savvy professional will handle all the details and help craft the cruise of your dreams -- helping you find the best cruise line, ship, itinerary and suite.
Cruise Specialists provides a personalized approach for your travel planning services.
In other words, if you’re looking for the absolute best deal or the most flexible schedule, you aren’t likely to find it searching only one cruise line. In choosing a cruise travel agent, you will want to tap into the person's specific expertise about the cruise line and ship you are considering. Anyone can read a ship deck plan outlining ship spaces (which you can find online), but you are looking for people who really know their stuff. Before you launch into your search for a travel agent, let's discuss why you should specifically use an adviser that specializes in luxury cruises. Once you've chosen your cruise and, with the agent's help, matched your style with your vacation goals, you've got to book the trip. Again, it's a bit more complex than you might think, but a good agent will make the process go smoothly -- from securing the right cabin type and location to booking the dinner seating that will suit you and your party.
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You don't want to get caught in an agent's agenda if the cruise line isn't right for you. Like several of the other best cruise websites, Avoya offers a low-price guarantee; if you book a cruise with Avoya and then find a lower rate on another website within 24 hours of booking, Avoya will refund the difference. Expedia is an obvious first mention in a list of the best cruise booking sites, in part because it’s an absolute juggernaut (Expedia also owns Travelocity and Orbitz).
Answered: What’s the Cheapest Time to Take a Cruise?
Most cruise lines have a database of agents with whom they work. Those databases can be a good place to find an agent if you haven't received a recommendation form a friend. Cruise lines that maintain online databases of agents specializing in their cruises include Azamara, Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn and Silversea.
Top Cruise Takeaways from Seatrade's "State of the Industry" - Travel Agent Central
Top Cruise Takeaways from Seatrade's "State of the Industry".
Posted: Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:15:59 GMT [source]
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Select "cruises" or "cruise lines" under Specialties to find agents that focus on selling cruise travel. Its front page is clunky and sort of in your face, but CruiseDirect is still one of the best cruise sites for a variety of reasons. As a cruise-only company, CruiseDirect doesn’t deal in flights, hotels, or rental cars, allowing it to focus its full capacity on helping you find the best cruise deal possible. On the site, you can search by destination, departure port, month, length of cruise, and cruise line. There’s real-time online chat and a contact number for support from a cruise expert.
Think of all the options you have to consider — the length of your trip, the cruise line, the ship, the date, ports of call, and more. And that’s before you even decide on which website to use to book your cruise. Cruise.com has been connecting travelers with the perfect cruise vacations since 1998.
A cruise travel agent will guide you through choosing your cabin and dining times, deposits and final payment, and options for shore excursions and specialty dining. If you need to cancel the trip, the agent will also help you through the refund process. You'll have a lot less stress before and during your vacation if you book with an experienced agent.
🔥 Hottest cruise deals
It can be overwhelming to evaluate the options on your own if you've never cruised before. One of the most important things to determine when vetting agents is whether this person's communication style meshes with yours. Are you the type that wants your agent to answer the phone on the first ring?
They've traveled on all of the luxury cruise lines, they've taken cruise line-sponsored workshops to learn more about each ship and destination, and many have even hosted trips aboard these luxury vessels. Many luxury cruise travel agents will specialize in a few lines, and all can explain how the cruise lines and their ships and itineraries differ. Their industry knowledge is especially useful if you're relatively new to luxury cruising or are indecisive about which lines, ship, suite or itinerary you should choose. In the travel business, there are organizations called "consortiums" that are considered status symbols for professionals.
Oftentimes, a luxury cruise travel agent can find you discounted cruise fares or offer value-added perks you can't get from booking through the cruise line or an online booking site. Your agent might be able to find a lower cruise fare or get you an upgraded stateroom or suite for the same price as the entry-level cabin. He or she might have access to special discounted group rates or exclusive pricing that the lines only offer to their top agents. The travel agent has a top-down view of pricing and availability, and can identify the best deals and pass along that data to you. Good travel agents also watch for fare drops and do their best to snag you a refund or upgrade you to a better cabin/suite. Agents that focus on the luxury cruise niche will have a level of firsthand knowledge about the industry that you could never be expected to match.
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