How best to shop for a cruise? Need guidance

[mijoy]

Fundamental question. My wife and I are interested in taking a cruise. We are from the east coast (Boston area) and have it at least partially narrowed down.
Either an Alaskan Cruise or a European Cruise. I know that is hardly narrowed down...lol.

My question is: I am not now and never being much of a traveler, how best do I go about shopping for a cruise? I realize I can go to various websites and begin there but I have no way of knowing if I am being a prudent shopper. I feel like I do when I walk in a jewelry store. The people behind the counter know they have a sucker in the shop. They can just tell by looking. I know nothing about jewelry and likewise I know nothing about cruises.

Can someone suggest a website that they have used and trusted perhaps? Should I visit a tourist joint? Do they even still exist? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

--Mike (The unsophisticated traveler)

 

[Lewis Clark]

My wife and I enjoy cruising. One excellent resource we have discovered is a website called Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.com).

Cruise Critic provides an enormous amount of information about everything related to the cruising industry. This includes the different cruise lines, most of the individual ships, the most common itineraries, the common ports of call, and the common shore excursions available in each port. There was also a section about tips for new cruisers that even veteran cruisers can benefit from.

There is also a "roll call" section which allows cruisers to connect with other individuals who will be on their particular sailing. Somebody will often organize a number of socials on board the ship for other Cruise Critic users.

Most of the people posting on the Cruise Critic website are veteran cruisers. Of course, we should always be cautious about blindly accepting information from any source as being truthful, but our experience has been that whenever there is a general consensus of opinion on a topic on the website, the general consensus is pretty accurate almost all the time.

If you are not familiar with the Cruise Critic website, give them a look!

 

[njhowie]

I will second Cruise Critic. When you've got things narrowed down to your itinerary, and the cruise line, generally, whatever price you can find online at various websites, the cruise line's own website can match or beat it. Additionally, when you book with the cruise line, if there are any problems, you'd be dealing with the cruise line directly, not some third party middleman who may or may not be able to assist you.

Be forewarned - the cruise lines are reporting record demand, part of the whole "Revenge Travel" thing. So, you're going to need to book far in advance, prices are going to be relatively high, and don't be surprised if the cruise line overbooks your cruise and you potentially get bumped. This was unheard of in the past. However, it's happened a number of times (that we know of) with Royal Caribbean this year.

 

[Venturer]

^^^+ 3 on Cruise Critic. Their site is great. You can get a lot of info for free there. Then get prices and use the cruise company website or as we do call in and talk to a live person to make the booking.

 

[PandaBear]

My husband and I have been on a number of cruise lines. I’ve sailed on all the major cruise lines that sail out of the US since 2019. I’ve done a couple of Alaskan cruises and planning my third for next summer. Have done the Boston to Quebec Eastern cruise, Caribbean and Mexican Rivera.

I say that because if you’d like to private message me, I’d be glad to talk to you more about destinations, the varied cruises lines and excursions to help you figure out what you may want. There are different lines I like for different things for different reasons. Even how I choose cabins.

I also highly recommend cruise critic! Great resource.

 

[Luvtoride]

Mike,
I know you asked for a website, but I would suggest talking to a travel agent who specializes in cruises. If you find the right person who understands your important criteria (type of traveler you are, with kids or without etc) they can be extremely helpful in narrowing down the myriad of cruise choices for you. Then Go to cruise critic (which I use too) and get all the detailed reviews, descriptions and feedback from others about the possible cruise choices.

We took this approach for an upcoming Xmas week Caribbean cruise we are taking our kids and grandkids on. Our travel agent has already saved us hundreds of dollars (if not more) when the prices of some of the cabins dropped from our initial booking several months earlier.
In addition, every time we or one of our adult kids has questions (about dining times, ship amenities, kids ages for activities, etc) they call or text her and get answers promptly.
She has been excellent to deal with.

DM me if you want details on whom we used.
Brian

 

[mystang52]

Mike,
I know you asked for a website, but I would suggest talking to a travel agent who specializes in cruises. If you find the right person who understands your important criteria (type of traveler you are, with kids or without etc) they can be extremely helpful in narrowing down the myriad of cruise choices for you. Then Go to cruise critic (which I use too) and get all the detailed reviews, descriptions and feedback from others about the possible cruise choices.

We took this approach for an upcoming Xmas week Caribbean cruise we are taking our kids and grandkids on. Our travel agent has already saved us hundreds of dollars (if not more) when the prices of some of the cabins dropped from our initial booking several months earlier.
In addition, every time we or one of our adult kids has questions (about dining times, ship amenities, kids ages for activities, etc) they call or text her and get answers promptly.
She has been excellent to deal with.

DM me if you want details on whom we used.
Brian

+1 We used a cruise travel agent for our first few cruises. He was invaluable in finding the right cruise for our wishes. After several cruises we felt comfortable booking our own because we knew what we wanted at that point. We will use him again in a few months, though, because we are considering a cruise in Europe next year. I can give 2 different agent suggestions, if you're interested.

 

[levindb]

We booked our REALLY BIG cruise directly with the cruise line, and they asked us if we wanted to transfer the booking to a travel agent...which surprised us. The price did not change, but the travel agent got a sale commission and since the travel agent was linked to EXPEDIA CRUISES, we got points/$$ on Expedia. We made all of our payments with our COSTCO card, and got a rebate there as well.
The travel agent was so thankful, she paid over $1000 for one of our premier excursions.
The above just talks about paying for your cruise if you elect to use a travel agent.

 

[DrRoy]

We use CruisePlanners.com (travel agent).

 

[Texas Proud]

I use Vacations to Go website...



One of my sisters has used it for years... I just started last year...


They have a LOT of cruises and discounts... you probably can get the same somewhere else but take a look...

 

[DuluthGA]

I also use Vacations to Go to find deals then use an online TA to book. I’m not able to book V-2-Go online, have to call.

I highly recommend the cruise critic mentioned earlier.

 

[brett]

In 20 plus cruises we have only booked with the cruise line twice.

Once, when the cost of booking and Australia/NZ with Royal Caribbean in Australia was 30 percent less for the same cruise booked through our US TA. We called RCI's Sydney call center and had it booked in 10 minutes.

Second time, when Princess had a one day sale with Canadian dollars at par for a South American cruise. Our on line TA could not come close to matching it.

Other then that we have always used an on line cruise TA who gave us anywhere from 5-10 percent of the commissionable fare back in the the form of an on board credit.

But...we only use a TA to book the cruise. We do the research, etc ourselves. The final step is calling the TA to book and pay.

Most of our cruises have been booked within the 60 or 90 day final payment window. So we pay for the entire cruise when booking.

Some cruise lines allow you to sign up for specials. We also use a number of cruise TA web sites to shop.

We have not cruised since before covid. Things could have changed since then.

 

[qwerty3656]

Costco has some good deals

 

[mijoy]

I want to thank everyone for all the great advice. It helps a great deal.

 

[Dash man]

Costco has some good deals

I’d suggest avoiding Costco Travel. We had a cruise booked through them that we wanted to cancel when the Omicron version of Covid first began spreading. Spent hours trying to call them and they would just hang up after a brief recording saying they weren’t able to answer the call. After two weeks of trying, we called the cruise line directly, who told us to call Costco. I ended up calling the Crown and Anchor number for repeat cruisers to explain the situation and they cancelled the cruise for us.
Now we just go through the cruise line for all reservations.

 

[brett]

For the basics you might want to research

-what size of ship you might prefer. 5000 passenger, 1200, or 2500etc.

-what cruise line you might prefer...there are differences however these may not be as important to you on a stop intensive itinerary like the Med.

-itinerary...time in each port, how far are the attractions from the port/how to reach them

-some ships are all inclusive, others are pay as you go, still others sell uplifted packages for drinks, internet, etc.

You might want to get a recommendation for a good TA who specializes in cruises vs an order taker who does little more than enter you order on the cruise ship web site.

Always use your credit card to book, not debit or cash. If you deal with a TA make certain that the credit card charge will be processed by the cruise line NOT by the travel agency. Ask about any agency costs for changing or cancelling your booking (different than the usual cruise line T's and C's.

-expect two things from the TA. An invoice listing details of the cruise, cost, etc. and cruise line reservation code.

-when you get the cruise line reservation code, go to the cruise line web site and verify that your details are correct and that you are assigned to the cabin type that you purchased.

 

[FlaMariner]

Yes to Vacations to Go.....We've used them for years and I'm all about comparing prices and they always are the lowest. And the agent we have is good. Easy email back and forth.

Yes to CruiseCritic.....Very helpful over the years. And folks are serious about cruising on cruise critic. You will become an expert quickly.

Get out there....cruising is the way we like to fly!

 

[brett]

Yes to Vacations to Go.....We've used them for years and I'm all about comparing prices and they always are the lowest. And the agent we have is good. Easy email back and forth.

Yes to CruiseCritic.....Very helpful over the years. And folks are serious about cruising on cruise critic. You will become an expert quickly.

Get out there....cruising is the way we like to fly!

We have never booked through vacationstogo but we do use them for identifying last minute cruises. We typically book anywhere from 3 days out to 60 days out.

One thing. Our experience is that the price on a travel web site price page is seldom what you pay. Often there are additional discounts to be had simply by asking.

Also, more than once when we have inquired about booking a cruise our former TA gave us a heads up to a more competitive offer that had not been published or was about to be published. On a few occasions she added us to a group that her agency was sending our cruise that resulted in a larger OBC or, in one instance, a gratis full day shore excursion.

When booking for travel products outside NA we shop on international web sites. In the past we have realized substantial discounts buys such as all inclusives or air fare in certain countries.

 

[Sunset]

I’d suggest avoiding Costco Travel. We had a cruise booked through them that we wanted to cancel when the Omicron version of Covid first began spreading. Spent hours trying to call them and they would just hang up after a brief recording saying they weren’t able to answer the call. After two weeks of trying, we called the cruise line directly, who told us to call Costco. I ended up calling the Crown and Anchor number for repeat cruisers to explain the situation and they cancelled the cruise for us.
Now we just go through the cruise line for all reservations.

We also had a bad time cancelling a cruise bought via Costco when Covid began.
Finally disputed the charge to force Costco to pay attention.
They will have to offer a killer deal before I use them again for traveling.
We did get our refund.

 

[Luvtoride]

We also had a bad time cancelling a cruise bought via Costco when Covid began.
Finally disputed the charge to force Costco to pay attention.
They will have to offer a killer deal before I use them again for traveling.
We did get our refund.

I’m glad to see that others have soured on using Costco for most travel.

Other than using their discount codes for rental cars (and a free 2nd driver) I don’t use Costco for travel arrangements.

I do have friends that use them for all of their arrangements including flights, hotels and even tours for a European trip, but I wouldn’t.

 

[brett]

I’m glad to see that others have soured on using Costco for most travel.

Other than using their discount codes for rental cars (and a free 2nd driver) I don’t use Costco for travel arrangements.

I do have friends that use them for all of their arrangements including flights, hotels and even tours for a European trip, but I wouldn’t.

We have shopped Costco for travel opportunities. Other than rental cars in certain locations we have never found Costco to offer prices that would encourage us to book with them.

As an example, in the past we have booked a number of all inclusive resorts in Mexico through a UK travel agency and/or direct with the hotel. Then arranged our own air. Costco was never competitive on a net same for same comparison basis.

 

[BlueberryPie]

Our cruise travel agency retired (COVID was hard on them), but they were super invaluable especially when we were first-time cruisers. They had been in the industry and knew the ins and out of every voyage they sold.
It starts as simple as helping you choose the right cruise line for your style. Like bucket of beers and hairy leg contests? you might love carnival! Need lots of kids activities and don't mind a premium? Disney! etc...
Except that it goes well beyond my oversimplification above.
They helped us chose the stateroom based on our preference (this one is too close to the elevator, this one has a door to communicate with a sister room so it's less private even when the door is permanently locked...). Heck they even helped us pick which side of the ship and why.

It's going to be hard to replace them, but nowadays you can do stuff over video, etc... so you're not limited to local travel agencies like we were when we started 20 years ago.

 

[Happyras]

The only time I have felt we got a bad deal on a cruise was when I did not use Costco Travel. Having cruised on many lines over 50 cruises, most bookings have been done either on board or through the cruise line or directly booked with Costco. We always play the rules and transfer the booking to Costco, which typically adds some perk OBC and provides a 7 to 8% cash card rebate for commission discount. Our next trip is on Regent Seven Seas, which we booked through the cruise line and transferred to Costco for a large discount. For us, we like to have a full pre-paid experience and doing the math, I believe you get a higher level for similar cost with the Luxury rated cruise lines.

Covid was an exception to all for Costco travel which was very short staffed. We maintained a regular cruise pattern from late 2020 through the covid time and had only initial issues canceling when required and re-booking.

Vacations to go looks like a deal until you dig deeper. I found much better pricing net using Costco. However, VTG does show you the opportunities to research further.

 

[sengsational]

For a first time cruiser, I'd say what kind of cruise is a bigger decision than who to book it with. If you want cheap, then just pull up vacations to go and sort by price. You'll end-up on a mega ship where they nickle and dime you for everything and unless you pay more for an upgrade, you become a second class citizen behind the passengers that upgrade. This is the cruise lines' following the annoying airline pricing models of bundling checked bags, seat selection, and early boarding. On the cruise, they bundle prepaid gratuities, preferred theater seating, beverage package, specialty dinning, etc.

 

[Helen]

If you can go in September or October to Alaska you can get some incredible deals; some are 90+percent off. I plugged in Seattle for a departure port.

https://www.vacationstogo.com

Check out the deal on September 3rd for the suite $1,203 with a lot of extras:

FastDeal # 14340
7 nights departing September 3, 2023
Norwegian ❘ Norwegian Encore
Brochure Inside$6,322
Our Inside$660
You Save90%
Brochure Balcony$14,642
Our Balcony$1,203
You Save92%
Brochure Suite$14,642
Our Suite$1,203
You Save92%

Balcony Offer! Book select categories by August 31 and receive FREE pre-paid gratuities for two plus the first two guests in each cabin will receive ALL of the following offers.
1. Unlimited Open Bar (service charges are additional)
2. Specialty Dining; includes 2 meal(s) at select restaurants onboard (service charges are additional)
3. Free Wifi; 300 minutes of free internet per cabin
4. $50 per cabin Shore Excursion Credit on each excursion booked through cruise line
5. Friends & Family Sail Free as 3rd or 4th passenger in cabin (port fees & taxes are additional)

Suite Offer! Book select categories by August 31 and receive FREE pre-paid gratuities for two plus the first two guests in each cabin will receive ALL of the following offers.
1. Unlimited Open Bar (service charges are additional)
2. Specialty Dining; includes 2 meal(s) at select restaurants onboard (service charges are additional)
3. Free Wifi; 300 minutes of free internet per cabin
4. $50 per cabin Shore Excursion Credit on each excursion booked through cruise line
5. Friends & Family Sail Free as 3rd or 4th passenger in cabin (port fees & taxes are additional)