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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. These websites are similar to the large aggregator websites in that they can help you search through every cruise out there to find the best deal. Every major cruise line allows you to book online and do everything from find a cruise to make upgrades, buy extras like drink packages, and pay for the trip. In other words, you can book your spot on the ship completely online at any time of the day. As a testament to our dedication to excellence, we are a member of Travel Leaders Group, leveraging industry benefits and direct travel agent cruise line connections.
Do your research to see if you’re eligible for additional discounts or benefits.
Thanks to this comprehensive price history, Cruisewatch can predict cruise prices and drops with an accuracy rate of around 80 percent. Using the site’s cruise price prediction alerts, travelers can save up to 71 percent just by booking at the right time. Note that a Costco membership (starting at $60 per year) is required to book with Costco Travel, and that Costco doesn’t accept American Express. Many people think of Tripadvisor mainly as a travel review site, where you go to get real talk on hotels and attractions, and to see non-glamorized photos of places as seen through actual travelers’ eyes.
Cruises
If your travel plans are flexible, these deals can save you a lot of money. Keep in mind that you may not be able to book your preferred destination or routing if it is sold out. You can get even more perks by booking your cruise with the right card. If you find a better deal within 24 hours of booking, CheapCaribbean will price match and beat it by $25.
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If you’re looking for a sailing that is a bit more thrilling than what traditional ocean and river cruising may offer, look to Perl to book your next expedition cruise. 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.
Just as airlines and hotels offer travel rewards programs and perks to loyal customers, most cruise lines do the same, too. As previously mentioned, wave season runs from January through March. During this months-long stretch, sometimes referred to as the Black Friday of cruise deals, many cruise lines — from budget lines to small-ship luxury ones and beyond — offer some of the most competitive deals of the year. Nadia Henry, owner of Travel With Sparkle in West Orange, New Jersey, is an expert when it comes to coordinating luxury group travel trips, including group getaways at sea. She’s even fashioned a title for herself as a ‘CCIG specialist,’ concentrating on the Caribbean, cruises, and international group travel. 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.
Some of these are already reflected in the price and some are extras like onboard ship credit or discounts on shore excursions. The big drawback when booking directly on a cruise line’s website is that you can miss out on extra deals that online travel agencies (OTAs) may offer. We combed through the most popular websites used to book cruises to look at their pros and cons and to do some head-to-head price comparisons. 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.
But Tripadvisor is also an excellent site for travel deals, including on cruises. Using the seven-night Alaska example, Priceline brought up an itinerary aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas that starts at just $374 for the full week—roughly $53 per night. Hard-to-believe cruise deals like this show up on Priceline with regularity, which is part of what solidifies it as one of the best cruise websites. The initial interface comes off a bit clunkier than, say, Expedia’s or Kayak’s, but the tradeoff is that you can quickly search by cruise line, both standard and luxury, as well as by cruise length and departure port.
To find the ship and sailing right for you, go through a cruise specialist. CruiseDirect and One Tree Planted have partnered to plant a tree for every cruise booking that sails with us. When looking for the best way to book a cruise, the price is virtually the same on every website.
By waiting until the last minute you aren’t likely to find great deals, but it will mean that you have fewer cabin choices. 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. Cruising is big business, and that’s why you have dozens of websites at your disposal, all competing for your travel dollars. Avoya is the site for the digitally savvy who like to book their cruises online but want personal attention if need be—which is where Anderson comes in. If you're searching for cruises on a third-party website, you may question the legitimacy of that site.
The Best Ways to Book a Cruise - NerdWallet
The Best Ways to Book a Cruise.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:01:35 GMT [source]
Travelers who book a cruise with Priceline receive up to $2,000 to spend at sea, plus waived deposits on their reservations. Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but be aware if the agent seems to be putting you off the line you were originally considering, as this could be the reason. On the plus side, an agent who is a preferred supplier might have negotiated rates with the cruise line and be able to call in favors, such as that bottle of Champagne or a cabin upgrade.
We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. Cruise with your nearest and dearest — and get rewarded for it, too. According to Palmer, cruise lines are often willing to extend a discount “for groups of six or more.” For example, Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages, and Princess offer group discounts.
The best place to book a cruise will vary depending on what you're looking for out of the experience. We've broken out cruise booking sites based on common booking goals. Before you book, though, have a look at these credit cards that come with cruise benefits to sweeten the pot even more. You will also want to ask the travel agent if they have a preferred relationship or negotiated agreement with any specific lines that could lead to special perks for you. Look for travel agencies that are cruise-only or a home-based agent who specializes in cruises. If you are using a full-service travel agency, ask for the cruise desk.
Then Expedia does the heavy lifting for you, with comprehensive results that make it one of the best cruise search engines. Mary Curry, another T+L A-list travel advisor and small ship specialist, echoes these sentiments. Rob Clabbers is a Travel + Leisure A-list travel advisor who specializes in cruises. Consider Michelle Allen, owner of Travel Magic in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, the fairy godmother of your next family vacation. Allen is a specialist in all things Disney travel, from Disney’s iconic theme parks, to ocean cruises with Disney Cruise Lines, to European river cruises and land tours with Adventures by Disney. Multigenerational trips and bucket-list group adventures are some of the most in-demand types of trips Allen handles regularly.
Even if you’ve already experienced a river cruise or two, it’s helpful to have someone like Suzy Schreiner, owner of Azure Blue Vacations in Bothell, Washington, on your side to navigate such choice-filled territory. 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. These are, after all, professionals, and this is what they do day in and day out. Costco is a retailer that offers exclusive products and pricing to its members. Through its Costco Travel website, members receive exclusive prices and benefits when booking hotels, rental cars, cruises and travel packages. Travelers can filter search results by destination, cruise line or departure port on various ships.
Avoya’s team of staffers and wide network of independent agencies make for a cruise booking website that’s a bit different from the rest. Its front page shows the “Best Travel Deals,” which might include half-off cruise fares, onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, and free or reduced airfare. 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.
Despite repeated promises over a span of nearly four months, our issue was never resolved. I strongly advise against using this service—it's been nothing short of a nightmare. If the site offers a good incentive for booking through them, then know that you’ve found a good deal.
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