Finding a Cruise Travel Agent
Table Of Content
It can be overwhelming to evaluate the options on your own if you've never cruised before. Avalon Waterways offers serene river cruises through Europe, Egypt, Asia, and South America along with captivating Expedition cruises to the Galapagos Islands. Ideal for travel enthusiasts seeking a fresh perspective, these journeys offer a unique way to explore the world from a new angle. A good cruise travel agent will not only help you navigate these tricky questions they will hopefully provide you with some reassurance. Many agents become accredited cruise counselors through CLIA's Cruise Academy or take courses through the different cruise lines to become more expert at selling their products. Inquire whether the agent has attended any of these training programs.
Cruise Search
Beyond the excellent advice and onboard perks cruise sellers can provide, one of the greatest things about working with a travel agent is she or he will have your back if something goes wrong. Travel agents, on the other hand, have much more of an incentive to keep you coming back, as their customer list is significantly smaller than the cruise line's. If something goes wrong with your booking or on the ship itself, a good travel agent will be on the phone with his or her contact at the cruise line immediately to try to get everything fixed. The cruise travel agent should have questions for you as well, to better understand your dream vacation desires.
Booking the Trip
Editor's Letter: Have Group; Will Travel, Someday - Luxury Travel Advisor
Editor's Letter: Have Group; Will Travel, Someday.
Posted: Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:16:51 GMT [source]
Learn about the ship before you book, so you know what shows to see, what food to eat, and what experiences will enhance your trip. Use ASTA's consumer website to locate a travel agent who has agreed to conduct their business activities in accordance with the organization's code of ethics. Select "cruises" or "cruise lines" under Specialties to find agents that focus on selling cruise travel.
Card Type
For example, we found a cruise offering a $45 Costco Cash Card for booking the cheapest stateroom for just $409. In other words, that deal is like getting 11% off the price of your cruise. Like other cruise-buying websites, Costco offers rates that are in line with what you’ll find anywhere else.
That's where specialized cruise travel agents come into play. Their expertise can help you avoid mistakes, whether you are a first-timer or a repeat cruiser checking out a brand you have not tried before. 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.
This DIY approach might not be the best way to find your dream vacation at sea. Follow our social media and blog for the latest cruise and travel news, including our best vacation deals. The best cruise agents will do a thorough job of interviewing potential clients to find out which ship, line and itinerary would be the best fit. We’re incredibly proud to receive Utah's Best of State 2022 award for Best Travel Agency for our sixth time. Our travel specialists are truly passionate about helping you experience the best vacations possible. Thank you for allowing us to deliver excellent service before, during, and after your travels.
Generally, the transfer must be made before final payment is due and before the cruise is paid in full. Keep in mind you can also transfer a booking made onboard a cruise ship to a travel agent, as well. When you're ready to purchase your cruise, you can either go directly to the cruise line you've chosen, or you can book a cruise with a travel agent. Bookings can be made online or over the phone with either the cruise line or the travel agent.
CruiseDirect does, however, offer bonuses for travelers booking through its site. Cruise line websites only have cruises from that line, so you are limiting your options of prices, ships, dates, and itineraries. 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. Agents often have access to group pricing (buying cabins in bulk at lower per-room rates), which the agency consortium or franchise group they belong to has been able to negotiate with the cruise lines. Along with group pricing, they might have special perks to offer like onboard spending money, prepaid gratuities, a free bottle of wine or comped dinner in a for-fee restaurant. Even if the price is the same, these additional perks are often where the savings come in.
Rates are subject to change without notice and cannot be guaranteed until a specific cabin category has been confirmed and a deposit on final payment has been applied. If you're worried your trip plans being disrupted by bad weather or a change of plans, travel insurance might help. This optional standalone insurance can be purchased separately from your cruise bookings. These websites are similar to the large aggregator websites in that they can help you search through every cruise out there to find the best deal. 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.
You might, for instance, see a fare listed online without the port charges, taxes and fees, which you only see after you give your personal details. Going online to book an airline ticket or hotel stay is a familiar and fairly easy transaction. When you book a cruise, however — particularly your first cruise — you might want to reconsider the impulse to handle the transaction yourself through a cruise line website or an online advertiser with cheap prices.
And that’s before you even decide on which website to use to book your cruise. You should also ask if the travel agency offers 24/7 assistance (usually an 800 number) in case you have last-minute questions or something goes wrong before or during your trip. You will also want to ask the travel agent if they have a preferred relationship or negotiated agreement with any specific lines that could lead to special perks for you.
Digging further, the incentive applied only to certain cruises, despite being heavily promoted. That’s a big help if you’re not entirely sure about which cruise you should book. As well, these sites often have deals and incentives to entice you to book. We think so as they can help you look at every cruise available to find one that fits. Smart cruise shoppers use them to look at all their options and see what sort of incentives they have for booking through their site. If you are worried about finding the best price for your cruise, there’s some good news and bad news.
By offering up to 4x miles per dollar spent (or 7x as a cardholder), this site is the best way to book a cruise and earn airline miles on your purchase. If you have Premier status, you receive additional perks on select cruise lines, like wine and onboard credits. Generally speaking, the prices that travel agents can provide are the same as what the cruise lines offer. Travel agents are prohibited from rebating their commissions -- in order to lower pricing or give significant onboard credit rewards -- by almost every single cruise line. Some agents still practice rebating, but if they're caught by the cruise lines, they could lose their selling privileges. 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.
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