Best way & time to book your next cruise, & choosing TA, online TA, PVP, or Carnival

Just curious what's everyone's best/most efficient way to book your next cruise.

How do you do the research?

Through Travel Agent, online booking site, PVP (how do you find a good one), or directly through Carnival.com?

How far ahead, over 1 year, 6 - 9 months, or a few months/wks before?

& how do you find the best rate(s)? ie: Early Saver, Military, Past Guest, etc...

For example, here's how we do it for our past 24 cruises: (not the best/most efficient way, but it works OK for us so far, so looking for better ways to book...)

- initial research on online travel site, just to get basic info, availability of cabins, pricing, etc... (booked 2 cruises with them)

- book through our military association Travel Agent, since their service is pretty good & price is usually $100 - $200 cheaper up front. No OBC. used to get bottle of wine/champaigne, but not lately.

We usually book 3 - 6 months ahead.

But lately, been reading on these forum boards that most of you use PVP or directly through Carnival's website. So now we're asking for advice for how to find a good PVP or other advantages of booking directly through Carnival... (is that where you get OBC's...?)

Thanks,

For most of my cruises, I've booked online on Carnival's website. I check prices frequently (I'm retired, so it's a hobby looking at cruises) I use Manage/VIFP for my cruise offers and start looking. When a cruise appeals to me, and the price is low, I book it. Sometimes that's a pack-n-go rate, sometimes one of the others. For any of the other rates, I always watch for price drops and call and ask for OBC. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't. If I'm not eligible for OBC, and the price has dropped significantly, I ask for my cabin to be upgraded. I get that frequently. Since I can travel whenever, I tend to get really good deals on cruising. I haven't used a travel agent in a very long time since it's easier for me to deal directly with Carnival. Regardless of whether I get OBC or an upgrade, I'm always happy because I booked cheap to begin with. I don't really care where the ship is going, just let me enjoy the peace of the ocean.:D:D

To find a good pvp ask cruising friends. Or join a roll call for your next cruise and discuss while on the ship.

Not allowed to give out that info here.

I always book directly with Carnival. My reasoning ia that its cheaper to simply cut out the middle man (TA) and book direct. Also, Carnival's website allows you to control/edit every aspect of your cruise according to your preferences.

To find a good pvp ask cruising friends. Or join a roll call for your next cruise and discuss while on the ship.

 

Not allowed to give out that info here.

^^^ What he said.

We normally book a few months in advance. Always with our PVP. We have used her since 2007 and she does good work.

We chose the sailing, ship, etc we want and either call, email, or Text message her to book it.

Unless on the odd chance you get in on some type of "Group" cruise, Carnival pricing will be the same where ever you go. That is one of the rules Carnival has. We use our PVP due to the fact she knows what can be done and all the ins and outs of different rate structures and "Sales".

As for OBC... Most often that is obtained by watching the rates and asking for any price drops. If you get these before final payment they give you the discount. If you book Early Saver, and see one after final payment then you get OBC. A few other ways to get OBC is to book while on a cruise, Own 100 shares of CCL stock and request it ($100 on 7day, $50 on 4-6 day trips), or other promotions as they come available.

HTH,

Don

We can not say the sites..perhaps a google for travel agencies that do 'whatever' will get you to options...I study well with two or three TA sites to narrow down my 2 or 3 cruise preferences, I then keep watching prices, then I book with an online TA where I get airmiles pts and that gets the deals and special offerings that are legit with each line..i always call instead of do it online without them to complete the booking in case anything special has happened and they check,,,sometime it is even less...I always then have a 24 hr to this agency for issues and can have someone remind me of rules...I get very good people there and if not i just call back and get someone else...

Sarah