We recently sailed Carnival's Paradise. It was our 6th cruise. We had a great time, but would like to take a Royal Caribbean cruise next time. Can anyone give me some tips on how to get the best price on a RC cruise? Their prices are significantly higher which is why we've always taken Carnival. Thanks!
We recently sailed Carnival's Paradise. It was our 6th cruise. We had a great time, but would like to take a Royal Caribbean cruise next time. Can anyone give me some tips on how to get the best price on a RC cruise? Their prices are significantly higher which is why we've always taken Carnival. Thanks!
Are you looking at the brochure rates? Go to a cruise only travel agent, and you mat be pleasantly surprised. Besides, it's the opinion of many, but certainly not all, "you get what you pay for". Some people are more willing to pay a little extra to get better service, etc.
Try travelocity.com, priceline.com or vacationstogo.com. We've used them all with no problems. You should pay about 30-40% less than the brouchure rates if you book about 60 days ahead. If you are willing to wait until the last minute (30 days or less) you might be able to get the cruise you want for even less at vacationstogo.com.
Hi Linda!
Have to agree with cruise fan, and certainly not dtexas. While she hasn't had any problem with doing online booking, this is certainly not the way to go. If there is a problem, who do you turn to? A cruise only travel agent will work with you, and get just as good a deals as you can online, and you have someone there if you have a problem. There was much posted about this issue a few months back, and very few would agree with dtexas. If you have an agent and not satisfied, look for another. There's plenty out there, and even some regularly check this site. Good luck.
Sue
Groan. I have received so many complaints from cruisers about their "online" experiences that it isn't even funny. Most recently was a couple from Spain that purchased a cruise online. They were recently married but the wife's passport was in her maiden name. After arriving in Miami and trying to check in for the cruise they were refused boarding because of the discrepancy in her last name between the reservation and her passport. They never got on the ship and ended up returning to Spain after much expense. The cruise line treated them as a no-show and the online agency refuses any responsibility.
Do yourself a favor, find a good cruise professional and stay with them. They will make sure that you will get the best price and/or upgrades. When cruise lines dump rates through the online agencies, your cruise professional will get you price matched or upgraded (generally a better option). However, once you book through an online agency, what you booked is what you going to get.
Well said Tom! It's amazing what people will due to save a buck. We just had friends arrive home today from a cruise that we didn't recommend. They emailed that there were many problems along the way. I would just prefer to save my money and put it into 1 really nice cruise , rather than 3 poor ones. A travel agent is well worth it. Again, just my opinion.
I just booked my cruise for less than 50% of the brochure price. I did it with a local cruise specialist in Britain, www.cruise.co.uk
You can try looking at the website for Royal Caribbean too as the prices there are often quite a bit cheaper than in their own brochure and you can book with or without flights.
We've cruised some 12 times now and have done our fair share of searching for the best supposed prices. Most of the agents we have spoken to in the past all advertise 50-75% off brochure prices which is a real come on.
We've found and used the last 3 times an agency in Albuquerque, yes Albuquerque, NM which discounts the cruise only price by an additional 10%. You can even call the cruise line yourself make the reservation and call them at 800-704-0385 ask for Shelby and they discount your booking by 10%. We've yet to find anyone beating their prices.
The website is cheapertravel.com Tell them Mike from Chicago told you to call them and no I recieve no commission or payments from them. They are great and Shelby their cruise manager is first class to deal with.
I have just recently booked an RC cruise. I looked everywhere for the best price on the internet, and then with just two phonecalls to travel agents (actually one call and one email) found out that you can beat the internet prices by about $40 per cabin! Ask around to people you know who may have cruised before and get the name of their TA! Travel agents love to get calls from people referred by their customers and bend over backwards to give you the best price and service so they won't lose your business, the business of the one that referred you, and the business of any who you might refer in the future! The most important thing is to take your time and don't let them push you into something you're not sure about. They sit in their office all day waiting for people to call and earn them their money, so it won't hurt them to wait for you to call back after you take the time to check out anything that concerns you- or to call another agent to see if they offer a better deal!!! Happy cruising!
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