Quick question about booking a cruise

Hi all

We returned yesterday from our 1st cruise on Azura and loved it so much we have spent today looking for next years cruise and have found one on Aurora for 13 nights around the canaries.

Question is, is it better to book direct or use a travel agent?

We booked a saver fare direct for our 1st one

Any advice appreciated as I'm being dragged off to town tomorrow which may well end up being a day at the travel agents :)

I would not use a high street travel agent, but I would use a cruise specialist. Unfortunately I cannot put any names on here, but just search "cruise travel agents" on google and you should find quite a few. A travel agent will usually give you some more discount than P&O direct.

also, don't forget there are lots and lots of Canaries cruises, so you may well be better off waiting for a saver fare.

I book direct and don't think it makes any difference, We either by internet or phone. There are some really good Cruise Specialists.

We did use a high street TA once for our first cruise and we have never paid anywhere near that again.

I consistently get between 5 and 7 percent off the P&O price, so would never book direct. Always get my choice of cabin too.

I always say to my TA that I have seen it cheaper elsewhere - always get something off

You can also do the cruise deposit payment scheme while on board with or without specifying a particular future cruise. It gives a bit of additional OBC on the next cruise and you can book anywhere with anyone. Having shares in Carnival Corporation is helpful to in securing yet more OBC. The investment required is around £2000 I believe but this nest egg may well increase over the years.

Regards John

This may well be a quick question, lol but never gets a quick answer or answers.

I would certainly not use a High Street TA and have never found an online agent whose offer has been any better for us than booking direct with P&O.

I like booking direct as I feel I have some control and I have also got an excellent Personal Cruise Specialist who, like the english lady with hers, knows exactly what we like and advises us on what to go for.

I think you will find that we all have different opinions on this one!

This may well be a quick question, lol but never gets a quick answer or answers.

 

I would certainly not use a High Street TA and have never found an online agent whose offer has been any better for us than booking direct with P&O.

 

I like booking direct as I feel I have some control and I have also got an excellent Personal Cruise Specialist who, like the english lady with hers, knows exactly what we like and advises us on what to go for.

 

I think you will find that we all have different opinions on this one!

Well known high street TA 7% discount off P&Os website price, only difference is you pay your balance 4 weeks earlier everything else the same...it's a no brainier.. [emoji106]

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I book direct and don't think it makes any difference, We either by internet or phone. There are some really good Cruise Specialists.

We did use a high street TA once for our first cruise and we have never paid anywhere near that again.

6-7% off P&O prices this year at several travel agents.

Things have changed since your first cruise. In fact, they change every year.

Scriv, I don't understanding your reasoning? The TA is there to help if you have any trouble and will normally do a lot more for you than P&O themselves. The one I use gives me 5-7% off the P&O price, plus has access to all cabins. They want your business, therefore will give a discount. Why would you refuse that?

Yes, usually on the phone. The price on the website will be the same, the discount is given personally.

Yes, usually on the phone. The price on the website will be the same, the discount is given personally.

Thanks, I'll try it the next time I book.

We get 10% off P&O price going though our Bank account travel services. We do pay monthly for our account but the free worldwide travel insurance is covered by this payment.

Regards

P&W

I used to work with a bloke whose wife was "cruise specialist" for her branch of a well known national TA and she has never cruised on a ship at all. They just arrange for branch staff to visit P&O ships in Southampton for a day visit which is actually 2-3 hrs and she is then "cruise specialist" for that branch. I have found that they know very little about cruising or the ships and if you have a problem are useless. I would stick with a specialist cruise TA who know what they want and are independent from any cruise line.

You can also do the cruise deposit payment scheme while on board with or without specifying a particular future cruise. It gives a bit of additional OBC on the next cruise and you can book anywhere with anyone. Having shares in Carnival Corporation is helpful to in securing yet more OBC. The investment required is around £2000 I believe but this nest egg may well increase over the years.

 

Regards John

Having shares in Carnival Corporation to get more OBC you need 100 shares and there current value is over £3000 and you only get one lot of OBC per cabin however many of you have shareholdings.

If you look at the "Find a cruise" on the Cruise Critic website (at the top) the results are about £100 lower than other online agents I have found.

Having shares in Carnival Corporation to get more OBC you need 100 shares and there current value is over £3000 and you only get one lot of OBC per cabin however many of you have shareholdings.

The dividend alone is the same as the return on £3,000 2% ISA, the OBC is just a bonus.

I generally book direct and on line as prices are generally the same, but you can currently get an extra 4.25% discount with P&O if you link to the P&O web site through a cashback site and pay in full. If you prefer to just pay a deposit via this method you will only get the discount on the deposit. I also usually find that if I do go down the pay a deposit route the final payment date is a bit later than if you go via an agent.

Wull192... It sounds like the same bank account we have...but exactly how does it work. Do you have to phone someone somewhere in the bank?? It's some sort of Premier Account so I think we may have a dedicated "person"! Thanks in advance.

If you say so.

 

Yes. Ring them up, aiming at 6-7% off P&O online price.

Thanks, I'll check that out for my next booking.

Simply jean - I have never been offered anything to refuse from an agent.

I like to opt for certain cabins and sittings, so very rarily am just looking for the cheapest deal and as I have an excellent Personal Cruise Specialist with P&O that suits me better than going through a middleman.

Horses for courses ;)

Thanks, I'll check that out for my next booking.

Some can be persuaded to give 6-7%, some give less, but they'll all offer something off; don't give up after the first call, don't believe anyone who tells you that P&O won't let them discount (this applied a year or two ago, but no longer, and the agent with a lot of advertising in the Saturday papers actually publishes their lower price; however, their lowest is never good enough).

You need to enjoy negotiating!

Simply jean - I have never been offered anything to refuse from an agent.

 

I like to opt for certain cabins and sittings, so very rarily am just looking for the cheapest deal and as I have an excellent Personal Cruise Specialist with P&O that suits me better than going through a middleman.

 

Horses for courses ;)

I was completely like you until they let TAs discount again, we have to book disabled cabins always on the select we choose dining,

I don't want any advice because I know which cruise I want to book, all I just want is someone to book my cabin, one phone call to my TA just like calling P&O and bosh all booked £100s saved, same terms as P&O same OBC in fact same everything.. Give it a go [emoji106]

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'Re : I was completely like you until they let TAs discount again, we have to book disabled cabins always on the select we choose dining,

I don't want any advice because I know which cruise I want to book, all I just want is someone to book my cabin, one phone call to my TA just like calling P&O and bosh all booked £100s saved, same terms as P&O same OBC in fact same everything.. Give it a go

'

H Jason - I also never need advice on which cruises to book, but I do often have many questions about the ships I am considering and whereas I know exactly what kind of cabin/location I want, I like to discuss at length all that is available with someone who really knows the ship and what's going on.

I have now built up a great relationship with my excellent PCS at P&O and I like going straight to him with any questions I have. He knows exactly what we like and don't like and I like the direct personal contact too rather than dealing with a middleman. Any issue we have had has been immediately sorted too.

And considering I have never been offered any deal better than booking direct with P&O and certainly not a better personal service, I am very happy and see no reason to change. :)

H Jason - I also never need advice on which cruises to book, but I do often have many questions about the ships I am considering and whereas I know exactly what kind of cabin/location I want, I like to discuss at length all that is available with someone who really knows the ship and what's going on.

 

I have now built up a great relationship with my excellent PCS at P&O and I like going straight to him with any questions I have. He knows exactly what we like and don't like and I like the direct personal contact too rather than dealing with a middleman. Any issue we have had has been immediately sorted too.

 

And considering I have never been offered any deal better than booking direct with P&O and certainly not a better personal service, I am very happy and see no reason to change. :)

It is, of course, entirely up to you with whom you book. However, my t/a, with whom I now always book, knows considerably more about cruise ships than anyone I've ever spoken to at P&O or Cunard, and gives an excellent personal service. To be fair, though, most t/as are pretty hopeless.

You'll never be offered a deal. You have to haggle.