How do you book a cruise with all of these sketchy travel agencies?

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

If it's before final payment they can book directly through HAL and then transfer to an outside agency who may give them some OBC or a free excursion etc. Sometimes I keep my bookings direct and sometimes I transfer them. I won't transfer if its a cheap cruise and the benefit is less than $100.00. One time I went through an agency and daughter and friend I booked and stayed direct. That's because the agencys booking fee was the same price as the OBC they were giving me but I had the added risk of $75.00pp cancelation fees.

 

If they use an agency confirm on email that the agency will charge the credit card directly to the cruise line.

 

I would recommend using a TA that doesn't charge a cancellation fee. Mine doesn't.

[PMJ]

I booked directly with HAL. I called them 2 weeks before my final payment was due; they checked on the rate, which had gone down, and I was credited $250.

[brucory]

Online TA's are great, if you know what you want and don't need all the bells and whistles. Its important to be aware of possible booking/cancellation fees, and that all payments are direct to the cruise line, not to the agency's own account...

 

:D:D:D