Where do you book your cruises?

[bigque]

I always book online. I have never experienced the horror stories about the website that I reasd on here. I have never used a travel agent. :cool:

[WetToes]

DW and I always use Royal Caribbean, easier that way. No hassels trying to get in touch with a TS. Besides you get the same price with RCI that you would with a TA. Any perk you get from a TA comes out of their pockets.

 

We have used a big box travel agent until recently. I got tired of paying our agents $25 fee for changes. Our most recent and 2 upcoming cruises we have booked directly through the cruise line. It's easier to make changes if there are price drops. Plus, the cruise line is open longer hours than the agency we were using.

 

jndsilver31 - You won't always get the same price. We usually get our booking cheaper by using a TA. I get some OBC and paid insurance, ... at a minimum.

If it comes out of their pocket, ... so(?). If they're offering, I'm accepting. ;)

 

Also want to add that the agency I use has an online form that you can fill out with price drop info, that you send when they aren't available. Haven't lost a drop yet. ;)

 

CyberTag - I pay nothing for changes. I did just that last week.

 

The change I made last week, to an already booked cruise (I changed the cruise and the date), and the one I booked for 2015, were both cheaper through the TA, even without using the BOGO 1/2 sail that is going on.

Edited June 30, 2014 by WetToes

[Wilda]

We book directly with RCI. I am a bit of a control freak :D so a 3rd party doesn't work for me. Long time ago we used a TA when we were cruising Princess and we received no perks from them. Once we smartened up we realized we could do just fine on our own:D

[grandgeezer]

prepaid gratuities, which is 168.00 plus 2oo obc plus at least 50 for dinner...thats four hundred out of their pocket...seems a bit high

 

It's higher than normal, but a long way from the max. we've received. They are a high volume dealer who makes their money off of the big number of cruies they book. They were Celebrity's top seller in both 2012 and 2013. I'm sure they get a bigger percentage of commission than most others. I wouldn't book anything, except transatlantics, for less than 10% of the total cost and we've done 31 cruises.

[dacsmom]

prepaid gratuities, which is 168.00 plus 2oo obc plus at least 50 for dinner...thats four hundred out of their pocket...seems a bit high

 

The online TA's can offer these perks because of group bookings. I usually get pre-paid gratuities, $200-$250 OBC, dinner at a specialty restaurant or a spa credit, and 1/2 off travel insurance. Sometimes I book with the big box TA and sometimes I book through the cruise line. Whichever you choose be sure to get all the details and never assume anything. Some charge for any changes, and some charge a cancellation fee. Just know what you are getting and any penalties you may face. Not all TA's have the same policies.