Purchasing my first cruise!

I was wondering if it's better to purchase a cruise directly from the cruise line or from a different website or from a TA. Any help would be great!...looking for the best deal I can get!:D

Check prices for both ways....some TA's will give you a little something....obc or gift....you won't get that by booking thru the cruiseline....HOWEVER, if you book thru a TA, you can't contact the cruiseline to make changes or ask questions about your reservation.. The travel agency "owns" it until you board. Just check around and compare prices!

I prefer booking with the cruise line directly because then I have more control over the reservation. Many others book with TAs with no issues at all.

You should be able to find a TA that will offer either a nice discount from the cruise line price or some other perks, things like OBC, bottle of wine, etc.

I prefer booking with the cruise line directly because then I have more control over the reservation.

Ditto for us.

Hi We booked at XXXXXXX about a month ago and have made changes on line without problems ?

On CC its against the rules to say a specific TAs name, but we can talk generically. Carnival and RCL do not allow discounting, so unless you find a TA that offers perks, its just as good or better to book direct.

On Carnival, for some thing like early saver rates, if you book direct, you can put in for the price drops yourself, and you have access to the billing tab online to see the details, which you dont have if you use a TA and have to go thru them for everything.

A friend claims she booked directly with Carnival & doing it that way she got many "perks" like free champagne, strawberries & chocolates in her room & something else can't remember what. Anybody else experience this?

You will find a better deal with a travel agent. I have researched many cruises and i have always got a cheaper price with an agent. The cruise i just booked was the exact same price from both places, but the travel agent gave me 140$ shipboard credit. ;)

I checked the price for both and eventually booked through website because it was cheaper. The TA did not offer any perks so I guess it all depends who you talk to

Without listing names, my parents have used an online TA (discounter). When planning our cruise, I shopped them, the line's website, the travel sites you see advertised on TV, and a membership store I belong to that has a travel department. For our trip, I found the best pricing with the membership store, but another trip might be better elsewhere.

We always use a TA

Hi we booked with Cruise 1st we are traveling from the uk. We got 3 nights in vegas and a trip to grand canyon and 2 nights in NY thrown in! Sail on carabeaen princess in sept to Canada and new england.

This was my first cruise to book as well and I had the same question as you. Friends told me to go to the travel agent because she would get me a better rate. I made sure I had all the rates from the website with me and found that the TA was about to book me for a more expensive rate for the same room that Carnival was going to give me online for less.

I hate giving up control, but when she finally got the rate down to what I was quoted online, I went ahead and let her book it. I asked her about cabin upgrades...said she couldn't, I asked her for some collateral on our ports, she referred me to Barnes and Nobel or the Internet. I've had to ask her about restaurants, etc., she's only thrown a couple out there, but not really gone any sort of extra mile.

I haven't complained yet, but if there isn't something in my room when I get on the ship, I will complain. Also, when I tried to get Carnival to change a misspelled name on our reservation, they wouldn't do it over the phone and made me go through our TA.

So far, not impressed with the TA. I'm a better travel agent then her.

We always us a TA

We booked our first cruise in 1994 with a TA. Ever since I book with my Credit Card Co. Our current cruise had an On Board Credit of $100 booking with the ship line, but a $300 credit with the CC and a bottle of Bubbly instead of a Glass of bubbly. Oh, and Yes, we check Cruise Critic Boards for info on issues before choosing the cruise. We also got spoiled on our first cruise in a Penthouse Suite, and it has been the same ever since.....