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Planning ahead is a great way to score big savings, as Royal Caribbean often runs early saver deals to guests booking well in advance. It’s also pretty safe to assume prices usually go up as availability goes down the closer you get to your sail date, so booking ahead is a surefire way to lock in a great rate. That said, booking a cruise at the last minute can also yield some unexpected savings — but only if the itinerary you’re interested in hasn’t sold out yet.
Booking Direct Through Cruise Line Websites
For Royal Caribbean, a ship isn't just a ship, but rather, a collection of amazing experiences that challenge all limitations. But, its incredible fleet also features a wide variety of activities that most people would never expect to find on a cruise ship, unless, of course, they've ever cruised on Royal Caribbean. Above all, remember the age-old rule that if something sounds too good to be true, it likely is. Be wary of any websites advertising cruise deals that are significantly less than the same cruise priced elsewhere. There are dozens — if not hundreds — of websites that you can use to book your cruise. Frankly, not all of them look professional, so it is understandable you might question the legitimacy of a website or their deals.
Alaska Cruises
Smart cruise shoppers use them to look at all their options and see what sort of incentives they have for booking through their site. 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. That means you’re going to find the same prices across these sites, along with similar search functions. So should you just find any random site and book your cruise? Below we lay out the advantages and disadvantage of booking with each different type of website. We are a team of global travelers and cruise enthusiasts with several combined decades of experience in providing world-class luxury travel to our clients.
Mitigate cancellation policy risks with travel insurance
However, things that have to do with your own vacation planning are left up to you. As an example, reserving your shore excursions, making specialty dining reservations, and even booking your cruise line air flights are able to be done online, within your cruise reservation. If you know what cruise ship, itinerary and cabin you want, and prefer to do a lot of your own research, you may want to book directly with the cruise line. In my experience, they are passionate travelers themselves, and can offer excellent first person advice. However, when it comes to cruising, you need a travel agent that specializes in cruise travel.
Additionally, being able to book other parts of your trip — like flight and excursions — on the same site, or offering access to a travel agent, distinguishes some of the best cruise websites. When you have a United Airlines credit card, you'll earn up to 45,000 miles. By offering up to 4x miles per dollar spent (or 7x as a cardholder), this site is the best way to book a cruise and earn airline miles on your purchase. If you have Premier status, you receive additional perks on select cruise lines, like wine and onboard credits.
The Best Ways to Book a Cruise
Travel agents can bring our attention to other cruise lines and travel experiences, especially as you may want to plan some of those bucket list cruises. When you book a cruise several months or even a year or more in advance, cruise lines will ask for a deposit (which may or may not be refundable). Cruise line final payment dates range from 120 days before your cruise, to 60 days before your cruise. Always check the cruise line confirmation and note the payment dates. When you do book online with a large website like Expedia Cruises or Vacations to Go, these are large travel agencies. In some cases, depending on the company, you can work with a specific cruise specialist for every cruise.
It’s worth exploring the available payment options to find the one that works best for you. When comparing cruise line booking platforms, you should consider the pricing and availability options offered by both direct and third-party sites. It’s important to have the freedom to choose the best option for you, without any hidden fees. Costco is a retailer that offers exclusive products and pricing to its members.
Couples Cruises
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If you’re a first time cruiser or booking a group cruise, booking with a travel agent is probably best. Travel agencies often hold inventory on cruise ships that are likely to be popular with their clients. They reserve several cabins at the earliest and lowest rates, and can continue to sell them even as prices increase with the cruise line. This will come as a surprise to many, but when you book a cruise, the service of your travel agent is free. The price will not be higher than booking with the cruise line directly. Now this doesn’t mean they don’t get paid, but rather that the cruise line pays a commission to them directly.
Caribbean Cruise Deals
If you find a better deal within 24 hours of booking, CheapCaribbean will price match and beat it by $25. The company's customer service is available seven days a week, from 9 a.m. But, Royal Caribbean has not stopped there and they continue to innovate with their NEWEST cruise ships, the Anthem, Quantum and Ovation of the Seas. These high-tech NEW cruise ships are pushing the limits of cruising to an entirely new level with interactive virtual balcony staterooms, sky diving at sea, bumper cars and much more. That’s a big help if you’re not entirely sure about which cruise you should book. As well, these sites often have deals and incentives to entice you to book.
These brands offer a wide range of travel itineraries to popular destinations such as Alaska, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Hawaii & Europe. No matter which luxury brand you select, you will be sure to be pampered throughout the entiretly of your cruise vacation. And for a truly unique experience, Direct Line Cruises recommends river cruising which has grown tremendously popular in recent years. Another advantage of using a travel agent or cruise specialist, is being able to book when they have a special promotion with the cruise line.
Travel agents who specialize in selling cruises are often called Cruise Specialists or Cruise Consultants. They are usually passionate cruisers themselves who have a keen interest in learning about cruises and sharing that knowledge with their clients. If you’re a first time cruiser, the process of how to book a cruise might seem confusing. However, even for repeat cruisers, some of this information may be helpful as well. Others have more lenient policies, allowing you to accumulate points over a longer period.
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Through its Costco Travel website, members receive exclusive prices and benefits when booking hotels, rental cars, cruises and travel packages. If you have an American Airlines credit card, you'll earn 2x miles, up to 20,000 miles. These miles and Loyalty Points count toward airline elite status.
In addition, earning points can unlock exclusive member perks. These perks can include priority boarding, complimentary upgrades, and access to special events. Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. If you want to earn hotel points on your cruise, Marriott Cruise with Points is the best cruise website for you. You'll earn up to 6x points on your cruise purchase, or you can redeem Marriott Bonvoy points to pay for your trip.
With a focus on cruising, they are able to better serve cruise passengers — including having staff that you can call directly to help you book. In addition to the large cruise aggregators, there are a number of smaller websites focused solely on cruises. If you’re a deal-hunter, there isn’t some magic website that has cruise fares for dramatically cheaper than everyone else (that we’ve ever found).
To book a cruise, you can easily navigate through the booking process on both direct and third-party sites, ensuring a seamless experience every time. Whether you choose to book directly with the cruise line or through a third-party site, you’ll have the freedom to explore different options and make the best choice for your travel preferences. But you might not even need to pay out-of-pocket for trip insurance because many credit cards offer travel insurance as a built-in benefit to customers who pay for travel expenses on that card.
When booking through third-party sites, you may wonder about the level of protection and guarantees. With cruise line loyalty programs, you can earn points for every dollar spent on cruises. These points can then be redeemed for future bookings or onboard amenities. The best place to book a cruise will vary depending on what you're looking for out of the experience.
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