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With an overwhelming world of choices, we understand you may need some personal assistance to plan your perfect vacation. From finding the right destination to choosing the best departure date, we're here to help. Plus, our experienced travel consultants have access to exclusive vacation deals to make sure you get the best value for your time and money. In addition to sharing their expertise, the agent may have negotiated group space at lower rates with the cruise line, which could save you money on the cruise fare.
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They'll often have more complete knowledge of your choices than a generalist. For example, if you want to cruise one of Europe's rivers in an intimate riverboat, you might not want to book with an agent who specializes in selling holidays on 3,000-person mega-ships. You should book your cruise with a travel agent if you're a first time cruiser, have a lot of special requests or want to get the best deals. At Cruise Critic, we tend to think that most people should use a travel agent for the best experience.
Reasons to Consider a Travel Agent
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.
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This Week in Cruise: Baltimore Diversions; Carnival Earnings - Travel Agent Central
This Week in Cruise: Baltimore Diversions; Carnival Earnings.
Posted: Mon, 01 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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.
What’s the Best Length of Time for a Cruise?
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.
When you need an advisor who understands the needs of not only group travel but specifically traveling as a family, Darlene McClung of Frosch Vacations has got you covered. McClung has a wide variety of expertise in ocean, river, and small-ship cruising, and extensive experience sending families of all shapes and sizes on successful trips around the world. Attentive, patient, and detail-oriented, no stone will be left unturned when it comes to planning the trip of a lifetime with your loved ones with McClung by your side. For LGBTQ+ travelers, including travelers of color and those who are traveling solo, Mike Henderson is a great travel advisor to help you get started on your path to exploring the world of cruising with other like-minded travelers. Henderson crafts trips around social events in destinations all over the world, such as Pride festivals, New Year’s Eve, and Oktoberfest, in hopes of creating a safe, inclusive, and interactive environment for travelers.
American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA)
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.
Is it better to book a cruise through a travel agent? We say yes
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.
That means you don’t have to run yourself ragged trying to find the best deal. Travel professionals are there to help you plan your next vacation aboard a Carnival fun ship. Viking Cruises sails its passengers in truly revolutionary vessels with routes in Europe, Russia, Egypt, China, and more.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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