Need advice on booking

[SweetBride13]

Hi All!

 

I'm new to the forum but I've been a lurker for quite some time! My fiance and I are getting ready to book our Carnival cruise wedding, but we were wondering how to go about doing so.

 

We were thinking about going through a travel agency, but we were also thinking of just booking the cruise directly through Carnival ourselves and just giving our guests our booking number to book with a travel agency themselves. How did you all book your cruise, invidually or as a group? Was is through a TA or directly with the cruise line? What are the pros and cons? Thanks in advance! :)

[muah3iluvzu06]

We booked our cruise & wedding directly with Carnival. We then allowed our guests to book with whoever they prefer. Once they are booked they let us know their booking number and I call to get our reservations linked for dining. It was easier doing it this way for us because we didn't want to have to call and hunt people down for deposits and due dates. So far we have 35 people booked and some booked with Carnival, others with online travel sites and some with private travel agents.

 

With group bookings you do get perks depending on how many rooms you book, so that may be an incentive to you! To us it just wasn't worth the hassle.

 

Good luck! :)

[Carnival_Brides]

We booked our cruise & wedding directly with Carnival. We then allowed our guests to book with whoever they prefer. Once they are booked they let us know their booking number and I call to get our reservations linked for dining. It was easier doing it this way for us because we didn't want to have to call and hunt people down for deposits and due dates. So far we have 35 people booked and some booked with Carnival, others with online travel sites and some with private travel agents.

 

With group bookings you do get perks depending on how many rooms you book, so that may be an incentive to you! To us it just wasn't worth the hassle.

 

Good luck! :)

 

We did exactly what you did. We wanted our guests to have the flexibility to chose whatever cabins they wanted at whatever rate they wanted. Most of the group is booked into obs. balconies, but we have some in interiors and a few looking at suites.

[jul1221]

Before you book your cruise you need to call the wedding department and see if your date is available, then put it on a 48 hour hold. Once that's done, you can book your stateroom. This part is the most important. I say that because I missed my 1st and 2nd choice dates by literally 5 minutes.

 

As for group rates and extra perks, you and your guests can't book with the early saver discount. Early saver pricing does not qualify for a "group rate". Like the previous post, I booked my cruise then sent out a pre-invitation package with all of the booking info., including my booking number and dining preference. Then anyone who wanted to book just had to tell their TA or PVP to link their booking number to mine.

 

I always book with my PVP at Carnival, where as my mom always books with www.directlinecruises.com because they offer free travel insurance.

 

Good luck with booking your wedding.

[SweetBride13]

Before you book your cruise you need to call the wedding department and see if your date is available, then put it on a 48 hour hold. Once that's done, you can book your stateroom. This part is the most important. I say that because I missed my 1st and 2nd choice dates by literally 5 minutes.

 

As for group rates and extra perks, you and your guests can't book with the early saver discount. Early saver pricing does not qualify for a "group rate". Like the previous post, I booked my cruise then sent out a pre-invitation package with all of the booking info., including my booking number and dining preference. Then anyone who wanted to book just had to tell their TA or PVP to link their booking number to mine.

 

I always book with my PVP at Carnival, where as my mom always books with www.directlinecruises.com because they offer free travel insurance.

 

Good luck with booking your wedding.

 

I called the Wedding Dept this afternoon and luckily, my date was still available for the package I wanted :)! I already have that date on hold, now we are trying to figure out whether to go to a TA tomorrow or just book through Carnival. It looks like I may just book through Carnival since you all have had success going this route!

[IslandBride102012]

I also booked directly through Carnival. It was so easy and the PVP I booked my stateroom with gave me her direct information and everyone else booked through her as well! Everyone has been very helpful!

[cruiseonthebrain]

I called the Wedding Dept this afternoon and luckily, my date was still available for the package I wanted :)! I already have that date on hold, now we are trying to figure out whether to go to a TA tomorrow or just book through Carnival. It looks like I may just book through Carnival since you all have had success going this route!

 

 

We booked the wedding directly with Carnival first, then we all used the same TA to book the cruise. We had a few small perks like photo certificate and champagne in each room by doing it that way. But the biggest plus was that my TA gathered all the birthdates and booking numbers and I didn't have to worry about that. I was so overwhelmed by the time of the wedding I would have gone bonkers if I had to put together the guest list information myself from different parties. Just a thought. Congratulations!