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We've taken care (of taking care) of your servers, so we cover the gratuities for your onboard experiences. That’s where having the phone number to call an agent of the company directly is a big help in getting things explained. 4.7 Overall Satisfaction Rating based on over 10,000 Ratings from our customers. Travel agents will never leave you in the dark regarding how much is left to pay off and how much longer you have to do so. Plus, if your cruise fare is eligible for repricing, they will continuously check the rate to see if decreases.
Find a Travel Agent
Cruise Critic also recommends you look for agents with CLIA-accredited designations like ACC, MCC or ECC, as these indicate the agent has invested a lot of time and money into his or her cruise education. Also look for any training the agent has done with individual lines. Other affiliations that are good signs an agent is legitimate are affiliations with the National Association of Cruise Oriented Agencies (NACOA) and the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA).
Best possible rates and perks
The level of service and interaction you can expect to receive from a travel agent after booking your cruise varies significantly. Some travel agencies will simply send you a booking confirmation letter within a day or two of booking and a payment reminder as the final payment date nears. Others will send information about your cruise line, ports you're visiting, packing lists and tips for an enjoyable cruise. Upon returning home from your cruise, some agents may reach out to see how the trip was; a rare few may even send you a welcome home gift.
Contact a travel agent today!
You have to consider how much you're willing to pay, whether to book an inexpensive inside cabin or splurge on a suite, and which cruise line and ship are right for you. Add dinner seatings, shore excursions and cabin location to the list, and planning a relaxing getaway suddenly seems like a second job. Like other cruise-buying websites, Costco offers rates that are in line with what you’ll find anywhere else. However, the big difference is that Costco offers special incentives to book through their site. For instance, one recent search promoted free gratuities on trips booked through the site, but we couldn’t find any mention of this once we actually started the booking process.
The best travel agents have access to discounted group rates and exclusive cruise pricing that's not found anywhere else. In addition, agents occasionally give you extra value on your booking -- such as prepaid gratuities, a free bottle of Champagne or onboard credit -- to sweeten the deal. And if the price of your cruise drops after you book, a good agent will notice and refund you the difference in fare. Finally, as cruise lines pay agent commissions, you don't have to worry about paying extra for their planning services. A cruise travel agent will guide you through choosing your cabin and dining times, deposits and final payment, and options for shore excursions and specialty dining. If you need to cancel the trip, the agent will also help you through the refund process.
Sell 3 & win a Tauck Euro river cruise with agent incentive - KarryOn
Sell 3 & win a Tauck Euro river cruise with agent incentive.
Posted: Sun, 21 Apr 2024 22:55:07 GMT [source]
If the agent has rarely cruised, you might want to take your business elsewhere. In addition, you might want to look for an agent who is a cruise specialist -- either at a cruise-dedicated agency or within a larger general agency -- to get the best service. If you book a cruise online, you take on all the responsibility for doing the research, making decisions and figuring out who to contact in case of a problem. No one is going to alert you to a factor you forgot to consider or remind you to book excursions (or, in some cases, alert you when your final payment is due). Also, if you book online through a cruise line's website, you might miss out on agency-specific promotions that could get you extra perks and savings.
If you're a do-it-yourself type, and you have the time and inclination to thoroughly research your own trip using resources like Cruise Critic, then go right ahead. By waiting until the last minute you aren’t likely to find great deals, but it will mean that you have fewer cabin choices. However, if there is a reason where you need to change your booking or get a refund, then it could be a little more complicated than booking directly through the cruise line. One thing to note is that many websites in this space are actually owned by a single company — Expedia.
CEO of luxury travel agency Avenue Two Travel in Villanova, Pennsylvania, and member of the AFAR Travel Advisor Council, Joshua Bush is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to luxury travel both on land and at sea. And as an added bonus, Bush is an avid adventure traveler and can also be of service in helping you add an adventure element to your trip. The key is finding a travel advisor who really knows and understands the cruise industry and who will ultimately relieve you of added stress and work.
Carnival Cruise Line updates portal following agent feedback - Cruise Trade News
Carnival Cruise Line updates portal following agent feedback.
Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 09:02:58 GMT [source]
What to Expect on a Cruise: Booking a Cruise With a Travel Agent
The cruise travel agent should have questions for you as well, to better understand your dream vacation desires. If you are calling a cruise agency for the first time, the agent should be interviewing you as much as you are interviewing him or her. The agent should be focused on helping you choose the cruise line, ship and cabin that is right for you. Making the correct choices is very important to your overall cruise experience.
You’ll want to keep Henry on your travel advisor list when your group wants to set sail on an ocean cruise, and particularly if your crew is interested in personally traveling with a travel advisor. Henry hosts a number of group trips throughout the year, helping to ensure her travelers have the peace of mind they’re looking for through a hands-on experience with their trusted travel professional. Outside of personal recommendations from friends and family, your best bet for finding a good travel agent is to visit the website of the cruise line(s) you're interested in. There you'll find a "Find a Travel Agency" search option, usually listed in the links toward the bottom of the homepage. You can also go to the Cruise Lines International Association's website and search the Cruise Expert Finder. You can search by geographic location if you want someone who lives near you or by expertise if you want someone who specializes in a specific line or type of cruise.
They have done a great deal of research through familiarization trips and cruise line seminars, so you don't have to do the work yourself. Even better, agents often have access to special discounts or perks -- or know best where to find them -- and as the cruise lines pay their commissions, you don't pay more for their services and expertise. Travel agents -- cruise specialists, in particular -- have been onboard many cruise ships and can offer first-hand advice, like which cabins to avoid because they're under the main theater or across from a crew-only access door. A good travel agent will also get to know your travel style and guide you to the cruise line, ship and even room type that are best for you. Agents with a CLIA Certification icon below their name have passed a rigorous program of courses designed to elevate their cruise travel expertise.
Do you want to book any shore excursions or specialty dining experiences? Working with a good travel agent provides so much value and service, and they are an invaluable asset to all cruisers. Under normal circumstances, you may only transfer a booking from the cruise line to a travel agent, and that transfer must be done within a certain timeframe after the booking is made. Generally, the transfer must be made before final payment is due and before the cruise is paid in full. Keep in mind you can also transfer a booking made onboard a cruise ship to a travel agent, as well.
If the site offers a good incentive for booking through them, then know that you’ve found a good deal. If the incentive isn’t that strong or you don’t want to go through a third-party to your reservation, then booking directly through the cruise line is your best bet. We think so as they can help you look at every cruise available to find one that fits.
Beyond the excellent advice and onboard perks cruise sellers can provide, one of the greatest things about working with a travel agent is she or he will have your back if something goes wrong. Travel agents, on the other hand, have much more of an incentive to keep you coming back, as their customer list is significantly smaller than the cruise line's. If something goes wrong with your booking or on the ship itself, a good travel agent will be on the phone with his or her contact at the cruise line immediately to try to get everything fixed. Some cruise travel agents even throw in booking perks, such as a complimentary bottle of Champagne, awaiting your arrival in your cabin. Their expertise can help you avoid mistakes, whether you are a first-timer or a repeat cruiser checking out a brand you have not tried before.
