Booking 8 cabins- Group Booking

[CyberTag]

Has anyone had any experience doing a group booking of 8 cabins with Princess?  We usually book our cruises with a big box store, but there will be a total of 15 going this time.  Wondering if the perks would be better going through Princess directly or we should just do the Big Box store and have the cabins linked.  Any experience from anyone???

Edited July 26, 2022 by CyberTag

[Steelers36]

11 minutes ago, CyberTag said:

Has anyone had any experience doing a group booking of 8 cabins with Princess?  We usually book our cruises with a big box store, but there will be a total of 15 going this time.  Wondering if the perks would be better going through Princess directly or we should just do the Big Box store and have the cabins linked.  Any experience from anyone???

You are never going to get the best deal with Princess.  Personally, I prefer our agency that has online presence and agent that I deal with instead of generic reps from a BB.  Also, I like to get cash discounts off our cruise fares instead of OBC or store GC's.  Even if you might prefer to check into another agency choice, you may not have time given you want to secure 8 cabins - perhaps in proximity on the ship. 

 

If you have found you are getting benefits from the BB, I'd continue with that as Princess doesn't match TA pricing.  Even if not the best pricing out there, the BB is beating Princess.

[Lizabu]

I booked a group for my family and once we hit 10 rooms we will get our room for 50% off.

[CyberTag]

1 hour ago, Steelers36 said:

You are never going to get the best deal with Princess.  Personally, I prefer our agency that has online presence and agent that I deal with instead of generic reps from a BB.  Also, I like to get cash discounts off our cruise fares instead of OBC or store GC's.  Even if you might prefer to check into another agency choice, you may not have time given you want to secure 8 cabins - perhaps in proximity on the ship. 

 

If you have found you are getting benefits from the BB, I'd continue with that as Princess doesn't match TA pricing.  Even if not the best pricing out there, the BB is beating Princess.

Thanks.

[Mike45LC]

Find a “cruise specialist” travel agent, who might already have passengers booked on your cruise.  If so, your group will be combined with others for better volume discounts (if your eight is not enough).

[caribill]

26 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

Find a “cruise specialist” travel agent, who might already have passengers booked on your cruise.  If so, your group will be combined with others for better volume discounts (if your eight is not enough).

 

What this refers to is that TAs can reserve a group of cabins on various cruises and thus get a group rate which lowers what the TA must pay Princess for the cruise. The good TAs will share that discount with you. Other TAs will just consider the discount as more commission for themselves.

 

It is only a group in that the TA has set up set sell x number of cabins. The people who book them do not in any way, shape or form need to be associated with anyone else in the group.

 

For what the OP needs, a TA who has cabins like this set up can just sell slots to the OP's group or set up a special group for them.

[caribill]

2 hours ago, CyberTag said:

Has anyone had any experience doing a group booking of 8 cabins with Princess?  We usually book our cruises with a big box store, but there will be a total of 15 going this time.  Wondering if the perks would be better going through Princess directly or we should just do the Big Box store and have the cabins linked. 

 

Part of your decision for this needs some questions answered first:

 

o Will you be booking all the cabins or will the other people in the group be making their own reservations? If others will be making their own reservations, it would be better to use a non big-box TA (that discounts and/or adds perks). If this is the case, you would work with the TA to set up the group, but let the others contact the TA to make their individual reservations.

 

o Are the others going also experienced cruisers? If they are first time cruisers and will have a number of questions when booking and may need some "hand-holding" along the way, better to use a non big-box TA that is used to such "hand-holding" and will be better able to work with the various people in your group than a big box rep usually can do.

 

[skynight]

TAs can handle group bookings. It's what they do. They will set up the group, and usually provide some OBC or other benefits. Then each person books separately trough the TA. Let the TA do the work.

[sfsd]

We have booked several cruises with 10 or more cabins for our family from different parts of the USA. Find a great Travel Agent.They can be very helpful especially with new cruisers. I would not suggest a big box agency we did that once NEVER again. What a mess. We enjoy the personal contact with our agent and she is available most hours in emergencies. 
Good luck in finding the perfect TA for yourself. We got lucky our’s was recommended by some people we met on a cruise..I called her and chatted asked questions and she answered all of them honestly and explained what she could do for us.

[cr8tiv1]

The largest "group" I ever gathered was 4 cabins, but the same would (almost) apply to 10.

 

*  I convinced 6 people to go on a cruise with me.  (Think herding cats).

*  I did the leg work to find cabins all in the same area (insides/Plaza Deck/adjacent).  

*  I worked with my TA to give her a heads up.  

 

*  Here's where it gets tricky.  You need to do this early before the cruise starts to sell out (to get the same location).  I had a friend who booked 4 Window Suites for their brothers.  There are only 6 available (not counting the accessible cabin).

 

*  Each person was told to contact my travel agent with a credit card for the deposit.  

*  Once that is done, then you can relax and do the rest of the planning.  I made a "brochure" on how to get on the ship and find their cabin.  Most were new cruisers AND "old".  

 

IF...you have brand new cruises, make sure you get them signed up for the refer a friend promotion....BEFORE..taking any steps.

 

If cabin location/all on the same deck is not important, just tell them to contact your travel agent.  

 

I would never attempt to be responsible for getting everyone booked.  Let your travel agent get the commission and the headaches.  

 

[Ombud]

I book for my whole family thru my CVP as I want a mixture of adjoining cabins / non-adjoining cabins all linked together so no one will be moved / extra OBC / discounted price / EZAIR. Of course all this was pre-covid with my now retired one. But I bet my current one could do just as good of a job.