Is it better to go with a travel agent or the actual company when going on a cruise?

Question

My wife and I are wanting to take a cruise to the bahamas and mexico. We weren't sure if it was better to go through a travel agent or the actual cruise line. We found cheap tickets on expedia and other similar sites, but have never been on a cruise. Can someone please give me their experiences?

Answer 1

You should totally go with expedia, our first cruise with them we saved money and got beach towels, a beach bag, a picture frame and other cool stuff delivered to our room. It was a very nice surprise, they really took care of us.

Answer 2

In the travel argent  you have to go with there programs, so you will not have a really freedom to do or to go or even to relax as you wish so that is the picture and  I leave it to you to decide

Answer 3

My wife and I travel a lot, and have used both. Go with your least expensive if you like adventure....If you prefer comfort....go with the highest price tickets you can afford....If you have a travel agent you like and trust go with them...The main thing is to shop around and be prepared for speed bumps.....things happen.....roll with the punches.....laugh and have a good time .....don't you dare ruin your trip by getting mad....if things go bad...ask for a refund ...if they tell you no refund....keep asking.....laugh and ask again....keep asking and they will give in....but enjoy yourselves....have fun....no matter what happens.....enjoy

Answer 4

I have been on 14 cruises and have never booked directly with the cruise company.  Here is what I do and I always save money...

1. Be flexible. Always book well in advance, try to cruise in periods other than Christmas, New Years, March breaks and so on.

2. Start at CruiseValue.com and search for fares and jot down two or three cruises that you are interested in.

3. With this information go to CruiseCompete.com and fill out their form for your desired cruises. If you are not yet registered with Cruise Compete you can register for free.

4. Within minutes you will receive competitive quotes sent to you by email from a wide range of cruise travel companies and cruise wholesalers.

5. Contact the company with the lowest fare and ask them if there is a charge for cancelling later and if they say no then I proceed to 'book' the cruise with them.

Answer 5

The company itself, by going to a travel agency you have to pay more money for them to make some money off of it to.

Answer 6

I have been on almost 20 cruises and I now do all of my own bookings online.  I did use an agent for my first several cruises about 10 years ago.  The agents do not charge a fee (unless you have them book your air they may charge a $10 fee) since they are paid by the cruise line for each booking.  

The cruise line web sites have all of the information and instructions that you need to find a cruise, select the right cabin and price, book the cruise and make payments on the cruise.  You can also elect to include, or not include airfare, transfers, and/or travel insurance.  Then they also have a phone number that you can call for assistance with your reservation, or to make a reservation if you are not comfortable doing it online..  When you book online you can then complete all of the precruise forms required and print them.  When you book online you pay the minimum deposit of about $250 per person (for a 7 day cruise) and then you can make payments on the web site and pay the final payment about 60 to 75 days before the cruise.

I suggest that you go to the cruise line's web sites first and look at the cabin prices, port stops, the features for the ships and select a cruise that will do what you want to do.  Then you can decide based on knowing what your options are whether you want to book your self or have an agent do it for you.  I would not suggest going through a site like Expedia or Travelocity because you will not get ALL of the information that you get dealing directly with the cruise lines, and those sites are going to add a profit markup.

What I like about the web sites also is that you can look at the ship and decide which cabin you want from the options available.  You can look closely at the differences in the itineraries of similar cruises.  And you can look also at the tours available in the ports of call.  I have on several cruises gone through the process of booking a cruises, i.e., selecting a date and  cabin, and then going so far as to see what the final cost will be.  Then if its not what I want I simply end the reservation process without confirming it.

If you are  lucky you may find a travel agent who will give you as much information that is available on the internet.  But my experience is the internet is your best bet for booking.

Answer 7

i say go with a agent for the first couple of times any way..but do you homework and be flexible .The same cruise cost vary greatly, depending when you want to go..a agent has all the answers you want..see one ...doesn't mean you have to book that day..