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Contrary to what you might expect, travel agents might actually be able to get you better deals than internet retailers or even the cruise lines themselves. 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.
Special Offers
Their expertise and remarkable connections work hand in hand, ensuring seamless cruise booking experience for their clients. One is automatically considered a VIP on any luxury cruise if you are a client of Santa Barbara Travel. Specializing in luxury cruises and luxury land travel, Elite Cruises and Travel have been to most of the world’s continents. Elite Cruises and Travel is a member of travel and vacation selling networks, allowing them to provide their clients with a custom approach service that gives their clientele peace of mind.
Imagine Cruising
Their perspective is that a cruise vacation is an investment of the client’s time and money. This philosophy gives them all the more reason to arrange the most exceptional personal service, top industry knowledge, and excellent value for your luxury tour. Having a top-down view of pricing and availability, Luxury cruise travel agencies are keen on identifying the best deals and passing the valuable information on to you. They monitor fare increases and decreases and do their best to secure the one that suits you and your cruising needs the best. When looking for the best site to book a cruise, don’t be put off by CheapCaribbean.com’s overly specific moniker. The site’s vibe is beach-oriented and a bit cheeky, with a front page that can overwhelm—but click on the “Cruises” tab, and a cleaner interface appears.
Don't see a fare you like?
There you can search by cruise line, ship, destination, departure date, and departure port. A good cruise travel agent will not only help you navigate these tricky questions they will hopefully provide you with some reassurance. If you'd like to book a cruise through a travel agent, you can pop into a downtown storefront or search for cruise sellers online. If you want to look for agents registered with travel organizations, here are some resources for finding agencies near you.
So, you've decided to go on a cruise -- perhaps your first venture on a vacation at sea -- and you're a little overwhelmed. You have to consider how much you're willing to pay, whether to book an inexpensive inside cabin or splurge on a suite, and which cruise line and ship are right for you. Add dinner seatings, shore excursions and cabin location to the list, and planning a relaxing getaway suddenly seems like a second job. You should also ask if the travel agency offers 24/7 assistance (usually an 800 number) in case you have last-minute questions or something goes wrong before or during your trip.
Cruise Line Websites
You can sign up for price alerts, which will notify you by email when the fare on your selected itinerary drops. It can be a complicated, time-consuming process that involves dozens of open tabs and maybe a spreadsheet or two. Expert travel tips, dream destination inspiration, and timely travel news delivered to your inbox daily.
Top Fares From
Remember, you might be a DIY type when booking airlines and hotels, but booking a cruise is more complex. If you enjoy doing your own research, focus on what to do and see in the ports of call. However, when it comes to booking the cruise, we recommend you still contact a travel agent who specializes in cruises to help you learn a few tips and avoid any rookie mistakes. The site also lists traveler reviews about each cruise ship (as supplied by Cruiseline), though the reviews often include comments about the ship’s destinations other than the one you’re considering, which isn’t entirely helpful. 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.
Once you’re ready to book, Cruise Critic shows you a variety of offers from some of the best cruise booking sites, including bonuses such as onboard credit and prepaid gratuities. 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. Though Tripadvisor is technically a meta-search site for cruises, which means that it will send you elsewhere to actually book, its search engine lets users sort by destination, length, cruise line, and month of travel. The default search results are ordered by “best value”, unless you specifically click that you’d rather see the results organized by price, cruise length, departure date, or cruise ship.
Many agents become accredited cruise counselors through CLIA's Cruise Academy or take courses through the different cruise lines to become more expert at selling their products. In addition, you can look for affiliations with the National Association of Cruise Oriented Agencies (NACOA), Better Business Bureau (BBB), American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) or even AAA. 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. You might, for instance, see a fare listed online without the port charges, taxes and fees, which you only see after you give your personal details.
They’ll help you find the most romantic spots and events on the ship, and any ship-sponsored excursions. They can also provide you information about when or with whom to book a private tour guide for port excursions. Tripadvisor Cruise, which launched in April 2019, is among the best websites for cruise deals—it lets you nab the lowest price by comparing more than 70,000 ocean and river cruises from some 60 of the best cruise websites.
It is their mission to find the perfect fit cruise, tour, and accommodations for each client. They formed a team capable of providing you with the most competitive prices and services that are knowledge and experience-based. Bertie de L’Arbie founded the agency in 1947 after his service with the United States Army and the O.S.S. during World War II. With 71 years of experience in the travel industry, Santa Barbara Travel is considered the premier luxury cruise travel agency in Santa Barbara County.
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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. Question the agents on cruising trends or up-and-coming destinations, and ask them to explain the differences between cruise lines. Find out how many cruises they've taken that year and with which lines they've personally cruised. If the agent has rarely cruised, you might want to take your business elsewhere.
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