Booking the a new cruise

[newlywedcruisers]

So I'm trying to pull a little shoreguy action and actually book straight the NCL, but the prices were a bit high so I decided to check a few online travel sites. Lo and Behold NCL was about 200/pp higher than the online sites, even with the latitudes discount factored in.

 

How does anyone book direct w/ NCL?

 

Oh, can anyone compliment my awesome grammar skills, "Booking the A new cruise." I skipped my classes last night, I think it's showing.

**EDIT** Post two hundred! wohoo, only 4,800 more to go before I stop being a "cool cruiser"

[alwayssingin]

So I'm trying to pull a little shoreguy action and actually book straight the NCL, but the prices were a bit high so I decided to check a few online travel sites. Lo and Behold NCL was about 200/pp higher than the online sites, even with the latitudes discount factored in.

 

How does anyone book direct w/ NCL?

 

Oh, can anyone compliment my awesome grammar skills, "Booking the A new cruise." I skipped my classes last night, I think it's showing.

**EDIT** Post two hundred! wohoo, only 4,800 more to go before I stop being a "cool cruiser"

 

I think it's all in the timing. We booked through NCL and have yet to find a better deal anywhere than the price we got at that time. However, our cruise has gone up $330pp on the NCL site and I have found a few places slightly lower than on the NCL site.

 

So it does pay to shop around, but if you hit it at the right time, it can be hard to beat an NCL direct price.

[heelfan94]

I think it's hit or miss. When we were planning our last cruise, we had a TA pricing it for us, and the husband ended up calling NCL directly while we were waiting. The TA couldn't come close to the price NCL offered and he told us to get it while the gettin' was good. ;) I have no idea how any of it works. I stay confused and just try to cruise for the least amount of money possible.

[LateCruiser]

And - I've noticed that several of "Discount" sites don't include the mandatory government taxes and port fees in their teaser prices.:(

[newlywedcruisers]

And - I've noticed that several of "Discount" sites don't include the mandatory government taxes and port fees in their teaser prices.:(

 

Thats true, but most (i say most but I think ALL) of the prices I looked at today were lower (including port charges) than NCL's.

 

Oh well, another 22 months to plan this trip out.

[mbisson]

Oh well, another 22 months to plan this trip out.

 

You have much more will power than I.

 

Nothing bad about the grammar. Wouldn't you rather book the "a" cruise than the "b" cruise?

 

-Monte

[newlywedcruisers]

You have much more will power than I.

 

Nothing bad about the grammar. Wouldn't you rather book the "a" cruise than the "b" cruise?

 

-Monte

Ahh... the poor newlywed college couple sized wallet does not count as will power my friend. :D

[Cosmopolitan]

I always book directly through NCL.

 

You have alot of time to watch the prices, if you see them drop after you've made your down payment, you can call and have them adjust the price.:)

 

After final payment is another story:(

[mush71]

We booked while we were on the last cruise and got a great fare for the Gem. We got a balcony on the Gem and an OBC for cheaper than we paid for our Spirit cruise with an inside cabin.

[cruisingbug]

Every time I checked our cruise price on NCL vs. our TA, the online TA was cheaper. Checked against other online TAs and ours was always cheapest. :) We've had great service and this is cruise #3. I just wish I could give them a public kudos!

[petguy]

In my experience, the prices usually work out the same (or very close) when you get down to brass tacks. In case you didn't notice NCL prices the cruise WITH insurance (it can be removed) and with port fees and NCF. Many sites include none of these in their "teaser" price, but tack it on before the end of the booking process.

 

FWIW other well known travel sites seem to give error messages if you try to book an NCL cruise through them when the NCL site itself is down. I don't pretend to know how these booking engines really work but think they must be tied to some central database somehow...

[heelfan94]

FWIW other well known travel sites seem to give error messages if you try to book an NCL cruise through them when the NCL site itself is down. I don't pretend to know how these booking engines really work but think they must be tied to some central database somehow...

I've noticed that, too. It must be a pretty involved process. :)

[shoreguy]

Keep in mind if you click on the price on NCL to get the details it is more then complete. All NCF, taxes, and even overpriced NCL insurance.

 

I would expect any other online agency first view of price to be $200 less. The devil is in the details. Many don't even inclide the NCF until you get to the end of the booking process. None in clude the taxes and insurance until youget to the end of the booking process.

 

I have never posted booking direct is the cheapest but it is always close and allows me to manage my own booking which I enjoy. I have spent the last 4 months managing my Pearl cruise booking - started out cruise only BA to Cruise plus air AE and now an AB with two nights in London and air with transfers. Every change had it's challenges and I love solving them.

 

Booking direct is not for everyone - you can get the same price or even a little better with a TA that will do the "work" for you. That "work" is my current hobby ;)

[chadbt]

I've finally stopped looking at prices for my cruise - because it must be sold out - and I went through the process all the way to the end on several different websites and found the price I paid was EXACTLY the same as the NCL web site. On the other hand, I did find a couple of higher prices on other travel sites. Never did find a lower price.

 

I am very pleased, and am sure I got a very good deal.

 

Now if I can just figure out how to get a countdown timer to work in my signature...as of this posting, we're

 

52 Days, 22 Hours, 11 Minutes or something like that from

 

Bon Voyage #1! NCL Dream 10/28/06:) :)

[SHINEMAN]

They are selling countdown clocks to the next inauguration day. Saw in US News &WR that they have issued such countdown clocks to the White House staff.

All you have to do is line up a cruise that starts on inauguration day, 2009.

[newlywedcruisers]

Ahh, I didn't notice that NCL included insurance in their cost (I did see taxes and port charges etc.), that should really bring their prices closer to that of online travel agents and such. I really don't want to deal w/ the same online company, they were no bueno to me :o .

 

Thanks!

[cdaystravel]

I always book directly through NCL.

 

You have alot of time to watch the prices, if you see them drop after you've made your down payment, you can call and have them adjust the price.:)

 

After final payment is another story:(

 

Is it really that simple? Really?

[tomluvsaida]

I booked the cruse on POH through a TA. While this is the first time booking a cruse through a TA it is not the first time I've done a hotel through a TA. If booking a cruise is anything like booking a hotel, the travel agency price will be lower. I'm not sure why, but I found hotels have lower prices when being booked through a TA. My guess is the travel agencies get more volume by having the lower prices and advertise. To find out for sure I'd ask a TA. New Mexico Nita can probably answer this better than I can.

[MrLee]

Is it really that simple? Really?

 

It has been for me. I use a travel agent though and sometimes she notices a drop and sometimes I do. Either way she calls and takes care of it. :)

[Cosmopolitan]

Is it really that simple? Really?

 

Yes:)

 

Just remember to check the prices whenever you have a chance.

 

I got an unbelievable price on an AA last year.

I had booked an AC and kept checking the prices.

A price came up on an AA that was cheaper than a balcony...I immediately called NCL..they said they could not see that price.

I printed it out and faxed it to them.

They honored the price shown though they did not know how it came up.

 

One thing I did learn, if you book a cabin but have not yet paid FINAL...if a better price comes up on-line for another cabin, you can book that cabin and then just cancel your original reservation.

I really did not have to call them...I could have just booked that suite on-line.

 

Hope this makes sense:)