Best fares. HAL web site or Travel Agent?

[vozzie]

Hi,

Is it generally considered that the best fares are available direct from HAL on their site, or do you normally get better elsewhere? Especially interested in responses from Australian cruisers.

thanks

[Grumpy1]

HAL is not going to undercut the travel agents by offering better deals than the TA's can give. If the TA's commission is enough that they can give some back to the customer and still make money, they will do so to improve their volume. You can ALWAYS find a price that is better than HAL direct. The question is... can you trust the TA that is offering the lower price to take care of the details. Some are good, some aren't.

[FRANKIEDNYC]

:cool: i've consistently found that the travel agents prices are lower than HALs. Over the past couple of years I have been booking my cruises on the internet with much success. One site in particular, If you know the ship, date and exact type of accomodations you want is especially good. it is www.*************.com (http://www.*************.com) they will refer your request to several agents who will come back to you with quotes and special offers.


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[kryos]

I'm probably in the minority on this, but in the end I think all cruise fares basically work out pretty much the same ... give or take a hundred bucks or so.

Yes, HAL will always be the highest ... simply because as Grumpy1 says, they will NOT undercut the TA's. The TA's are the ones who fill their ships week in and week out. Without them, HAL would be in big trouble. So the TA's will always give better pricing ... some better than others.

However, what I've found is that in the end, the pricing is always close ... no matter with whom you book. True, HAL's prices may be higher, but then they will give you some bennies that the TA's can't ... such as nice shipboard credits, ammenity credits for things like the cruise DVD, photos, bathrobes, wine, etc. I also hear that your chances of a free upgrade are MUCH better if you book through HAL. I know of a couple of people who book through HAL and are upgraded almost every cruise ... and I'm talking nice upgrades too ... like a balcony cabin to a deluxe veranda suite. I rarely hear of people who book through travel agents getting those kinds of upgrades.

So, it all depends on what you are looking for. If a bottom line price is your concern ... go through the TA. If you like to walk off the ship at the end of the week with a VERY small onboard bill to pay, then book through HAL ... cause you might wind up with a $500 per person onboard credit. That pays for a lot of drinks in the lounges, spa treatments, etc.

But ... whoever you book through ... have a great cruise.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[maggiekam]

I agree with the past post. I have used this clearing house very successfully. My most recent cruise, however, I found an even better deal with estra goodies (bottles of wine and Pinnacle dinner) through a particular internet site I found looking at a lot of sites. Different agents also offer better prices on certain cruises because HAL offers them a good price or they sell groups of cabins (you are not in a group, they just sell a group lot). Other agents cannot meet these prices. You have to find the agent with high volume or specials on the cruise you want or one who will match another agents price which many try to do.

[Navy_Chief]

I also agree. I've shopped around before buying. I can get some deals from the TA and for maybe 20 - 50 more buy from HAL. I've had excellent customer service from both. It realy depends on the deal. For instance, HAL's site shows quite a different price on some Maasdam cruises this summer than the flyer I just got from them in the mail. So looking at the web site, it looks a great deal higher in price when in fact it's not. I never book from the web, I call HAL directly.

As it was said, either way, have a great cruise!

[caltnl]

We have booked with HAL for our upcoming Panamal Canal trip on the Westerdam.

When I have spoken with the HAL people nothing has been said about shipboard credits. I did hit them up for the Carnival one as we have stock there. Guess that we will find out after we board.

In two weeks if the Documents arrive.

[HeatherInFlorida]

You will always do better with a TA than HAL ... always. Personally I use an internet site and half the people here will say that's best and the other half will say to go with brick and mortar. It's a personal choice.

Don't go with an internet site that you don't know something about. There are some who advertise right here on CC ... just click on "Cruise Agencies" just under the blue banner. Check around and compare with the HAL site's pricing and then decide what you want to do.

I have to disagree with Rita. I have found vast differences in pricing with different TA's ... hundreds of dollars difference. I've used the same internet TA for the past 6 years.

While I won't disagree that upgrades happen, don't plan on it. It's a small minority who get bumped up. You may read here over and over about the upgrade fairy, but if you plan on it you will most probably be disappointed. Time and time again people post that they couldn't believe they weren't upgraded. Never book a cabin you won't be happy staying in ... most likely it's where you'll end up.

No matter what you do, you'll have a wonderful cruise!:)

[jimmy2x]

While on the Ryndam in February, four of us booked the 14 day Veendam cruise for Feb 2007 in order to get the on-board booking credit. The fare was quoted to us by the on-board consultant (very nice and helpful) and was automatically transferred to our TA. HAL's quoted price was app $3140/pp for a "B" verandah which comes to $6280 total. The actual fare that we are paying is $5195. We can get a lot of "extras" for the money saved.

Our TA is a member of a large "group" that sells a lot of HAL cruises, so your mileage may differ, but I would respectively disagree that it's not worth dealing with a TA. That said, I would strongly agree with the principle of establishing a solid long-term relationship with someone you can trust. We have been fortunate in not encountering problems on any of our cruises, but if all hell broke loose, I want someone in our corner that we can count on.

[vozzie]

Thank you all for replying. Some ineteresting food for thought there. And, no matter which way we go, I'm sure we'll enjoy our "virgin" cruise on HAL next year.

[DesertDiva]

I recently sailed with a fare that was given on selected cruises by HAL to "Community Service Professionals." HAL direct gave me the best rate hands down. I contacted several travel agents and they couldn't beat the rate. The HAL representative told me it was their "very best rate."

HAL is not going to undercut the travel agents by offering better deals than the TA's can give. If the TA's commission is enough that they can give some back to the customer and still make money, they will do so to improve their volume. You can ALWAYS find a price that is better than HAL direct. The question is... can you trust the TA that is offering the lower price to take care of the details. Some are good, some aren't.

[cutelittle]

Desert Diva, can you tell me how you heard about the "Community Service Professionals" rate? My DH and I are CSP's too, but didn't start thinking about taking a cruise until a week or so ago.