# [ 2005 ] Booking Cruises--Website Recommendations



## Fern Modena

Ok, I'll start this.  Here is a list of the places I go to when I'm checking cruise prices:

Cruise Shopping 
Cruise Vacation Center 

This is especially good for cruises in the next 90 days, but also has dates further out.
Vacations to Go 

Use this site to request agent bids on a cruise you are considering:
Cruise Compete 

If I want to see what cabins are available on a specific cruise I use
Expedia   You pretend to make a booking and when you get to cabin selection it will show you what is available

I belong to a pay website called Cruise Stateroom .  It has various price points ($11.95 a year, or you can do 3 months, etc).  You can compare cabin configurations, locations, etc. on most ships here.  Its a convenience I feel is worth paying for.

The above is my "short list," and the ones I use.  

I've not used Crucon yet, but they send out mailers with great prices, and I may book with them one day.

I have gotten some interesting flyers from Zoe's Cruises in Sacramento, but while they have good prices, if you want more info they are slow to respond to you.

How about we keep this going with others posting their favorite cruise websites?

Fern


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## PR1NCESSD1ANE

www.cruisecritic.com is a great site to visit to get advice and opinions from other cruisers.  It's a very active message board with lots of information.


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## camachinist

We usually just book a future cruise deposit booking while on board and then transfer it  to the most competitive agency later. It's a good way to double dip on cabin credits. 

I've used icruise, bestpricecruises, and Travelocity in the past with good success. Occasionally, dealing with Princess direct on last minute bookings can prove more cost-effective. Signing up for cruise line and agency notifications can be fruitful, and has been for us. That's where most of our $50/day pp cruises have come from.

I joined CruiseCritic about six years ago and agree that it's like the FlyerTalk of cruising. My postings there during the Norway tragedy were memorable, as the ship and her crew had special meaning to me. If I were an occasional cruiser, it would be the absolute first stop in my research.

Pat


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## Jaybee

We've been getting the best rates (not last minute) from Cruise Tender.
http://www.cruisetender.com/


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## dougp26364

I've found that the best price can vary from one online TA to another depending on what cruiseline you're interested in. I haven't found one online TA that has the best prices, every time for every cruise line.

That said, I've had really good service using http://www.cruisequick.com . They are a little different and definately NOT for everyone. To begin with, you have to know what you want. They a deep discounters and don't give out advice or try to sell you on one line over another. They simply take your order and give you the best price possible.

This is not to say you don't get any service at all from them. We've had them link reservation #'s for us so that all parties could dine at the same table. They will assist you with special requests and are very attentive to any E-mail they receive. 

The one main difference is that they are an E-mail only agency. They do not accept phone calls to service your account. If you have trouble at the pier you can reach them by phone to straighten out any misunderstanding but, for normal matters handled before the sail date, it's all E-mail. 

Personally, I prefer this. I don't have to play phone tag with a TA to get a question answered or problem addressed. They have always been very quick to respond to any E-mail sent on any day of the week, including Sunday. Plus, I have a written record of all correspondence so there is no misunderstandings.

Their site tells you right up front that it's not for everybody but, if you have some experience with cruising, it can be a great site and more often than not offers some of the lowest fares if you request a custom quote.


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## vettebuf

I book through www.buycruises.com after I check the prices on some of the other sites that have been mentioned. I've booked the last 4 cruises with them. They have a friendly staff and I've had no problems.


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## MULTIZ321

*Cruise Info Site*

I read that http://www.cruise-addicts.com/
has a highly rated message board for luxury cruise travel.  

I've never personally used it but some friends told me they use it in addition
to cruisecritic.com


Richard


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## Jan

In searching for our Meditterranean Cruise for 2006 the first 2 that Fern mentioned and BuyCruises all came up with the same price and were the cheapest.  Cruise Tender didn't have ours listed for next year.  I did go with cruise shopping aka South Beach Cruises as they gave the best perks  for our group.  Jan


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## Amy

dougp26364 said:
			
		

> That said, I've had really good service using http://www.cruisequick.com.



I have had similar good experiences with Cruise Quick -- found them to offer best prices (by at least $200-$300 per cabin) on two cruises.


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## imjustme

*Another cruise agent*

I've used Online Vacation Center for our last two cruises.  I used the same agent each time and am pleased with the way she has handled any questions.  They had the lowest price around for a cruise with Celebrity in April, and their price for our next cruise with Oceania Cruises was the best price I found in that it includes airfare.  My only gripe with them is that they charge a $99 adminstration fee per person.  Do all the cruise agencies charge this high a fee?  They are the first internet agency I've ever used so don't have anything to compare the fees with.

Jean


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## Fern Modena

None of the agencies I've mentioned charge a service fee.

Fern


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## Amy

imjustme said:
			
		

> My only gripe with them is that they charge a $99 adminstration fee per person.  Do all the cruise agencies charge this high a fee?  They are the first internet agency I've ever used so don't have anything to compare the fees with.
> 
> Jean



That sounds high.  I think Expedia and/or Travelocity charges around $15 pp fee; I don't think I've seen higher fees.  Many other TAs charge no fees, Cruise Quick is one of them.  I don't think these admin fees are refundable, which is silly; I would not book with an agency that charged an admin fee since there are many others out there who does not.  Note that some TAs also charge for a fee if you cancel the cruise, even if it is during the cruise line's penalty free cancellation period -- so read the fine print!  There are many TAs who charges no services fees whatsoever for changes, cancellations, bookings, etc.


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## imjustme

*I have really been dumb*

not to check with other cruise agencies before going with Online Vacation Center, but their prices seemed so good compared to my local ta. I always read the fine print, so I knew the fee was non-refundable, but I just assumed all these .com bookers charged some kind of fee.  I had booked air several times on Expedia and knew about their $15 fee, but assumed (there's that word again--really gotta learn not to "assume" anything from now on) the fee for a cruise would be more.   Thanks for enlightening me--you all have saved me future $.  I swear, there's NOTHING you can't learn on tug!


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## riverside

One I would personally not recommend is icruise.  We had terrible customer service from them.  They ended up getting things all screwed up and then when we called to tell them their exact comment was "what do you expect us to do about it?"  They also used a $50 coupon we sent them and kept the money for themselves and did not pass the savings on to me.  Besides that they didn't link the reservations from 3 cabins we booked so we ended up with different tables at dinner.  We did get it straightened out on the ship but it was a mess that shouldn't have happened.  Their customer service is terrible.


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## kapear

*Kim's Kruises*

We've used kimskruises.com several times. Her rates have always been the lowest on the cruises we were looking at.


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## vegasgal47

www.cruise411.com, www.cruisesonly.com

Have used both and got good pricing and good service.


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## lovearuba

*cruises*

I've had luck with vacationoutlet.com


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## jjking42

*nice thread anyone try AAA for a cruise*

nice thread anyone try AAA for a cruise


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## ati2d

Try Skyauction. They have some good "Buy It Now" fares:
http://book.skyauction.com/
http://www.skyauction.com/action/search/cat|40


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## Tania

Best pricing for Princess cruises that I've found, excellent service to boot:

www.kimskruises.com

Excellent info about all cruises lines and ports, hotels etc.

www.cruisecritic.com


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## riverside

I had terrible luck with icruise.com.  They like you to think they are a big company when in reality they are a very small operation.  They have A
ZERO customer service.  Very rude and refuse to help.  Other family members booked through them too and also had problems.


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## taffy19

I found this link but do not know if it is any good.


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## Sandy VDH

*Give your local TA a chance*

Shopping online has some advantages but also some disadvantages.  [A live travel agent is] available to discuss options and deal with problems should they arise.  Many online agencies do not have the customer service that you would expect.  If things go wrong, or you need special attention and services you are less likely to get good assistance.

In the future as cruise lines change their pricing policies, and begin to enforce them, you will find that is less variation in the pricing.  The cruise lines want to get to a consistent pricing model.

Sandy Lovell 

_Sandy:  I have edited your post to remove some information which, unfortunately, seems to violate the advertising prohibition on the boards.

Tom_


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## Jerry

jjking42 said:
			
		

> nice thread anyone try AAA for a cruise



Yes, they can be good if you find something they are promoting, but if you have a specific cruise in mind and go to them probably not the best agency to use.  They will buy a block of 50-100 or more cabins from a given cruise ship line and get a deep discount for that volumn purchase.  They will then promote that sailing though their offices, mailings, and web site to their members at attractive prices because of the big discount they got when purchasing the large block of cabins.  If that particular cruise fits your needs it could be offered at a much better price than you will find anywhere else, because of the huge discount they received for purchasing the large block of cabins they booked in the first place.

On the other hand if you come to them for a price on one particular cruise that you selected for a rate on one or two cabins there overhead is too high to be comeptative with other agencies that specialize in that nitch in the cruise marketplace.  AAA can therefore be good or bad to use depending on what you are looking for.  If they have a packagage deal that is exactally what you are looking for chances are the price will be better than you can find by booking the same trip yourself..

Jerry


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## pedro47

Excellent information from this thread on booking cruises!


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## riverdees05

Where is the best place to book Disney Cruises?

Going to start a new Thread for this question.


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## haycat

Any comments on using BJ's, Costco, and such?


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## pedro47

Southwest.com has some good deals on cruises.


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## Carolinian

For a no frills cruise at a rock bottom price - starting at $16 / night - try www.easycruise.com (from the founders of European LCC EasyJet).  They do Southern Caribbean in winter and the Riviera in summer.  Food is not included, and can be bought, pub-style, onboard or at restaurants ashore.


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## Fern Modena

Sorry, but EasyCruise is not my idea of a cruise...its more like a tent vacation or even a "green tortoise" bus ride...It truly is no frills...you pay extra to get your bathroom cleaned (even more if you want the miniscule cabin cleaned).  

Fern



			
				Carolinian said:
			
		

> For a no frills cruise at a rock bottom price - starting at $16 / night - try www.easycruise.com (from the founders of European LCC EasyJet). They do Southern Caribbean in winter and the Riviera in summer. Food is not included, and can be bought, pub-style, onboard or at restaurants ashore.


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## islandman

*cruise agent with great website*

Try out 7blueseas.com for a website with more infomation in a more beautiful format than any I have found.  So much  ship information, destination information, and easy and fun to use...I even print from the website when I cruise.  They give really great deals on cruises, and are very friendly.  Just check their site, and if you like what you see, give them a call to check them out...tell them Jim from Nebraska recommended them.  Kiet is the agent I have booked with before, and sent others his way.  Even if you don't choose them to book with, you will find a VERY NICE web site


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## Indea88

For Disney cruises---Dreams Unlimited, all other cruises-- vacationstogo.com. Also Cosco and BJs.  www.cruisecrates.com


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## BigGag

*Costco*

Go to all of those places and find the cheapest rate.  Then call Costco and they will beat it by 10%.  They also have the cheapest travel insurance by far.


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## skimble

I found another that I think wasn't listed here.
http://res.bestpricecruises.com


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## ladycody

We used Cruisebrothers.com for our cruise and had a ball.  They were excellent to deal with.


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## granpabush

*Question on bookings*

My  wife and I are retired giving us flexibilty with our time.  We  have, on occassion, been be vacationing in cities from which cruises depart from, i.e. San Deigo.  If there are departures at the time we are there - is there a way to make a reservation to get on the cruise?   And if so,  is it any less expensive than planning ahead?

Granpabush to my grandkids , Rich to my friends


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## vlariano

*II*

Has anyone tried II's travel service for cruise pricing?  Not trading y our week, but just using them as a travel agency.  I was wondering how they compare to the others.


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## shrose

*Cruise Compete*

I just used Cruise Compete to get prices for 3 cabins/10 people and recieved a response from genxcruises.com for $2000 less.  has any one have any experience with this company?


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## MusicMan

I'll cast another vote fore cruisequick.com.  While I always check several places, they frequently have sigificant savings over others and I've always received good service from them (with the limited scope of service that they offer...as indicated above it's not for everyone).


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## julle

Do not overlook the cruise compaanies own websites. 

We are going on our first cruise in January and the prices for the particular cruise was the samt on many of the websites quotes as well as on TCCL's own website.

We choose to book directly with RCCL so in case something does not go right, at least we do not have to worry about the reseller.


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## Bee

*Cruise Agents*

I booked a cruise directly with RCI and now I'm thinking of transferring the booking to either Cruse-N-More or Cruisequick.com.  Both are offering shipboard credit as an incentive for the booking with them.  Cruise-N-More is offering slightly more.  I have shopped both agencies, but never booked with either.  I've seen mostly positive comments on Cruisequick, but not much about Cruise-N-More.  Anyone have any experience positive or negative with Cruise-N-More?

Thank you,
Sandy


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## Andar

We are going on our 5th cruise in Feb.  Hard to beat the prices here: http://www.crucon.com/specials.htm


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## Fern Modena

I've booked my last two cruises through Crucon.  They're hard to beat.  Any promotion I've seen elsewhere they also have.  PLUS, they'll discount an additional 5% off _that_, and frequently upgrade to the next highest cabin class.  And they have a loyalty club where you get higher discounts or bonuses on some cruises once you've cruised with them.

They have deals going on all the time, so it is good to get on their mailing lists.  Once you see something you like, you call and leave a message and somebody calls you back.  You book with a real, live person, who will also be available on email once you've booked.

Fern


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## rockedge

*All these are good.*

I like all the responses but I also find that you can get even better prices by talking to some of these companies by phone. This is especially true since a few companies no longer allow agencies to advertise low prices on the web that are not approved by those companies. But; when you talk to them by phone a number of agencies will give you an even better price or upgrades or add ons.


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## Carolinian

There is a good set of links to cruise discounters on the Links Directory at www.timeshareforums.com   The Links Directory is under Website Navigation.


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## Art

*Skyscraper Tours*

We have booked several cruises through www.skyscrapertours.com  and been very pleased.  The only time we had a problem, an on-board credit that did not show up on our account, a check was in the mail as soon as I mentioned it.

The owner, Lori Cunningham, does only cruises, and has a major fan base over on cruisecritic.com   She seems to have connections with the cruise lines that allow her to price competitively. Lori or her assistant are very quick to respond to any questions that are raised. 

The other thing that makes her amazing is that she has built her reputation working from an office in Arkansas.  

Art


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## sean

*skyauction*

Hi-

I used to have a phone number for customer service at sky auction, can't find it. Can anybody help?

Thanks in advance,
Sean


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## icydog

We have used Costco for most of our cruises and have been amazed at their pricing. Also they take the time with you to help you select something you will like (not always the case but most of the time).

My question is: If you book a cruise with say, Costco, and then find a better price on say, Cruises To Go, can CTG switch your reservation to their company without any fuss?


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## pointsjunkie

after you go on all the cruise sites, make a copy of the best price and then go on you favorite airline site(not jetblue or southwest) that you have miles with and go on their site for cruises. they will match the price  and will give you miles for the cruise. i do it every time i cruise.


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## TravlGrl

How does that work?  For example, I have my miles with Alaska, but their cruise prices are more expensive than what I found through www.cruisecompete.com 

I had 6 agents bid on my cruise, and I took the one that was second to lowest in pricing (he had a good customer review rating).  Anyhow, his pricing is $600 lower ($300/person) than Alaska Airlines' price.  Are you saying that if I were to call Alaska Airlines, and show them the pricing he is giving me on the cruise, that they would match it and I would get my miles out of it?  I booked my last cruise (before this one) on Alaska Airlines, but would rather save the $ than get the miles.  If I can get both, I would do it, but logistically, how does that work?

tj


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## pointsjunkie

if you have the quote in writing and give it to the alaska cruise site they should match it and give you miles as long as it the for the same cruise , date ,and catagory.


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## Art

icydog

Once you making a booking thru any agency, it "owns" the booking.  Giving it up to another agency means losing a commission on the order of 10 to 18% of the cruise cost.

Hence, it is up to the original agency to release the booking rather than the new agency to accept it.  However, if they refuse and you are before final payment date, you can cancel it, possibly paying a cancellation fee to the original agent.  Then you can rebook at the new agency with the lower price.

The potential problem with the cancel and rebook approach is that you will have to release any prize stateroom that you may have reserved.  That stateroom may be one that the original agency had "blocked" or someone else may just come and grab it while you are in the process of booking with your new agency.

Another potential problem is that the cruise lines do use capacity controls and yield management on prices so that better price you saw could disappear while you are switching and before you could lock it in.

The best bet for getting new price is to ask your current agency to price match.

Art


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## pointsjunkie

TravlGrl said:


> How does that work?  For example, I have my miles with Alaska, but their cruise prices are more expensive than what I found through www.cruisecompete.com
> 
> I had 6 agents bid on my cruise, and I took the one that was second to lowest in pricing (he had a good customer review rating).  Anyhow, his pricing is $600 lower ($300/person) than Alaska Airlines' price.  Are you saying that if I were to call Alaska Airlines, and show them the pricing he is giving me on the cruise, that they would match it and I would get my miles out of it?  I booked my last cruise (before this one) on Alaska Airlines, but would rather save the $ than get the miles.  If I can get both, I would do it, but logistically, how does that work?
> 
> tj



went on the alaska airlines website and they say they will beat the lowest price and return 110%. go on the site and read it. sorry if this is confusing i am tired.:zzz:


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## TravlGrl

I just read the Alaska Airlines guarantee and it says they will refund the difference if a person books with them and finds a lower price within 48 hours.  I don't see anything on their site that says they do price matching or that they will honor another website's cruise price unless I have already paid Alaska for a cruise.

Nevertheless, I sent them all of my info to see what they say.  I'll report back as soon as I hear!

tj


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## LynnW

Anyone ever use smartcruisers.com? Our daughter booked with them yesterday after checking several sights and finding they had the best price.

Lynn


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## craftemp

*Cruises*

Has anyone booked a cruise for cash (not using weeks) through RCI?
When I was considering a cruise last year, I first got a price from online.. then called RCI to see what their price would be. 
when I told RCI that their price was higher than the quote that I already had, they put me on hold, verified my information and came back with a cheaper price.
They said they will always beat other prices
Unfortunately, the cruise didn't happen but I'll definately check out this option the next time we are ready to book
Judy


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## Kagehitokiri

Virtuoso offers some benefits comparable to those offered by American Express to Platinum/Centurion cardholders, if you book through a member travel agent (at no cost)


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## JRStewart

*PERX*

PERX has very good prices, but you have to be or have a family member employed by an airline.


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## fnewman

From all the discussion here, it is apparent that there are quite a large number of (mostly online) agencies that one could use to book a cruise.  It is also interesting to see that only a few generated negative comments.  For me, I always check cruisecompete.com and use the quotes I find there as the basis of comparison to other possibilities.  Most of the time one of their agencies seem to be the best choice.  Someone asked earlier about cruises-n-more (which is a cruisecompete agency).  In my experience they have had superior deals - in fact my next two cruises have been booked through them.  I haven't made the final payment for either yet, but all of my information appears to be in order on the Princess web site, so I see no problems at this point.  I generally speak to "Laura" but I am sure their other agents are helpful as well.  I have also had good luck with buycruises.com (Bob x 2304).

In the past I have tried to be loyal to my local travel agents, but eventually found them to generally be too busy, unresponsive, unattentive to my specific requests, and unable to compete price-wise with those processing larger volumes.  It is unfortunate - I would prefer to use people with who I can sit and discuss my needs.  Maybe it will change one day.

Once the dust settles on this thread, I do hope 'someone' will summarize the possibilites and post that as a sticky. Yes, I know it is already a sticky, but would probably be more useful in summary form.


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## Elli

fnewman said:


> From all the discussion here, it is apparent that there are quite a large number of (mostly online) agencies that one could use to book a cruise.  It is also interesting to see that only a few generated negative comments.  For me, I always check cruisecompete.com and use the quotes I find there as the basis of comparison to other possibilities.  Most of the time one of their agencies seem to be the best choice.  Someone asked earlier about cruises-n-more (which is a cruisecompete agency).  In my experience they have had superior deals - in fact my next two cruises have been booked through them.  I haven't made the final payment for either yet, but all of my information appears to be in order on the Princess web site, so I see no problems at this point.  I generally speak to "Laura" but I am sure their other agents are helpful as well.  I have also had good luck with buycruises.com (Bob x 2304).
> 
> In the past I have tried to be loyal to my local travel agents, but eventually found them to generally be too busy, unresponsive, unattentive to my specific requests, and unable to compete price-wise with those processing larger volumes.  It is unfortunate - I would prefer to use people with who I can sit and discuss my needs.  Maybe it will change one day.
> 
> Once the dust settles on this thread, I do hope 'someone' will summarize the possibilites and post that as a sticky. Yes, I know it is already a sticky, but would probably be more useful in summary form.


Frank, you mention that you checked the Princess website but booked through cruisecompete.com.  I assume you got a better deal that way, than booking with Princess directly?  Thanks.
Elli


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## lprstn

*I second that!!!*



PR1NCESSD1ANE said:


> www.cruisecritic.com is a great site to visit to get advice and opinions from other cruisers.  It's a very active message board with lots of information.



I am a lover of this site also...


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## Malibu Sky

Any recommendations for a last-minute cruise website?


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## vbentley

*Last Minute Cruise*

We have worked with Cruises Inc. and have always gotten the best price.

I always get the best price with a phone call rather than online.  Their website is www.cruisesinc.com   check it out, then give them a call.


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## traceyjs

*What about ICE Gallery*

Hi all, fantastic information you're sharing - thanks.  Just a question, we live in Australia and will book from here.  I was thinking of using Ice Gallery and exchanging a week - are all these websites cheaper than doing that?  I'm really surprised that timeshare owners would choose to pay for a cruise and not exchange.  I'd really appreciate some advice.


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## Joy1rn

*Crucon for booking cruises!*

I always book with Crucon. I always get the best price and they have offered refunds or upgrades if the price goes down before I cruise. They have friendly staff and good service. They are a very trustworthy site and company. I just booked The Adventure of the Seas for next January and can't wait!!! I love my timeshare vacations but every now and then I rent out my unit and take a cruise.


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## davhu1

Our last cruise in January we booked thru cruise.com 
They were $50 per person lower than the lowest from others (this was show as additional bonus for the epecific cruise on their site and were not avaialble for all ships).  
We were upgraded from Deck 5 to Deck 8.  
Complementary bottle of wine and cholocate coated strawberries.
$20 on board credit per person.


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## Aretha

*Western Caribbean Cruise*

We used cruisetender.com to book our Western Caribbean Cruise.

For our Shore Excursions we used private operators. They are cheap and offer great services. In Mexico we just hired a taxi to drive us around. In Belize we used the services of www.actionboysbelize.com . Their services are great and does not cost much compared to the prices on the cruise ship.


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## cgingrich

*cruise deals*

check out www.ytbtravel.com/lmgetaways

has great specials on all cruises


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## traceyjs

Hi all.  An update.  I ended up booking our cruise from next year with Cruise Vacation Center.  I got them through cruise compete.  Best price by far and I rang them from Australia and they were so helpful.

Can't wait for the big day!


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## Linda74

We did not use them, but also  got a great deal through cruise compete.com


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## cissy

vlariano said:


> Has anyone tried II's travel service for cruise pricing?  Not trading y our week, but just using them as a travel agency.  I was wondering how they compare to the others.


Much to my surprise I just booked a cruise on II.  I got the best prices of all of the multiple websites I use, and no added fee.


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## eakhat

We've had good rates with Costco.


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## SpikeMauler

www.smartcruiser.com.   Best prices I've seen so far.


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## BarCol

Argh I was looking for this thread earlier, but that's okay  found another one where TUGGER CMK (?) recommended Cruises 'N More so I called them, along with Vacations to Go and RCI and here's what I found:

Norwegian Cruise Lines October 29, 2011 cruise embark and disembark in Honolulu around the Islands,  7 days, Cabin category BD - Balcony deck 9 for 2 people
*Vacations to Go $2801* (or so) all in $500 deposity balance by August 2011
*RCI $2734* (or so) all in on RCi perks and the cabin class was not eligible for an exchange (reagdless the exchnge only owul have taken $300 off the better cabin BB) I was always curious about what value they assigned - yuck!
*Cruises 'N More $2515 *all in $269 deposit, balance by August 2011

So now we have a weeks cruise after our week in Waikiki - yup it was a good morning....


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## Transit

BarCol said:


> Argh I was looking for this thread earlier, but that's okay  found another one where TUGGER CMK (?) recommended Cruises 'N More so I called them, along with Vacations to Go and RCI and here's what I found:
> 
> Norwegian Cruise Lines October 29, 2011 cruise embark and disembark in Honolulu around the Islands,  7 days, Cabin category BD - Balcony deck 9 for 2 people
> *Vacations to Go $2801* (or so) all in $500 deposity balance by August 2011
> *RCI $2734* (or so) all in on RCi perks and the cabin class was not eligible for an exchange (reagdless the exchnge only owul have taken $300 off the better cabin BB) I was always curious about what value they assigned - yuck!
> *Cruises 'N More $2515 *all in $269 deposit, balance by August 2011
> 
> So now we have a weeks cruise after our week in Waikiki - yup it was a good morning....



Have you tried booking directly through the NCL sight.I was looking at a March cruise and they had the best price I could find. Some sights had the price per person lower but when everything was tallied (port fees, taxes , processing fees)NCL ended up having the best price.(With no Airfare).


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## socal4me

*crucon*

i am a fan of crucon.com

i found them through the cruisecritic.com emails.

last December we took a HAL Mexican Riviera cruise for the week prior to Christmas. The rates were unbelievably low. and customer service was excellent. all done over the phone and via email.


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## Art

*Skyscraper Tours Up-Date*

Back in 2007, I posted some  very positive  comments about  skyscraper.com for booking a cruise.

I have  been several more  cruises with them with no  problems.

However, they have been relatively slow to  respond to e-mail queries.  Of more consequence, recently the OBC offered by them is  noticeably less generous than that available through  other on-line agencies.

My  most recent booking, a Holland America  cruise to Alaska was done using  smartcruiser.com.  The service seems excellent and the pricing and OBC were  quite good.

Art


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## Judy

*Princess Cruise Specialist*

Can someone recommend a national cruise travel agency that specializes in Princess cruises and an agent who works there who is a "Princess Cruise Commodore Agent"?  I can't use a local agent because I move twice a year.  I'm looking for an agency that books enough Princess cruises to be able to offer the best prices and an agent who is interested in keeping customers informed of new cruises, sales, etc. 
I saw the post about kimskruises.com and will check that one out.


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## LynnW

Judy said:


> Can someone recommend a national cruise travel agency that specializes in Princess cruises and an agent who works there who is a "Princess Cruise Commodore Agent"?  I can't use a local agent because I move twice a year.  I'm looking for an agency that books enough Princess cruises to be able to offer the best prices and an agent who is interested in keeping customers informed of new cruises, sales, etc.
> I saw the post about kimskruises.com and will check that one out.



We booked our last cruise with kimskruises.com and were very happy with their service. We receive a regular newsletter from them with all their specials.

Lynn


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## leonore

*vantage river cruises*

Any reviews of Europe river cruises with Vantage?  We are looking at their MSNavigator ship.  Thanks, Leonore


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## TravlGrl

Judy said:


> Can someone recommend a national cruise travel agency that specializes in Princess cruises and an agent who works there who is a "Princess Cruise Commodore Agent"?  I can't use a local agent because I move twice a year.  I'm looking for an agency that books enough Princess cruises to be able to offer the best prices and an agent who is interested in keeping customers informed of new cruises, sales, etc.
> I saw the post about kimskruises.com and will check that one out.



Just saw this and probably waaaaay too late, but for what it's worth -- TravelGuy Travel (affiliated with Avoya), and is a Princess Commodore.  Alex@travelguytravel.com


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## rfimp

Awesome, for all the cruise info! I have used vacations to go and price checked on http://www.travelzoo.com  We've been on 2 cruises, both w/Norwegian.  They were ok, but didn't blow me away or anything.  

I've heard conflicting info on using TS to cruise.  Is it good for saving money on booking cruises, or do you all just go through these online TA's and not use any TS benifits?


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## PStreet1

It will cost you roughly the same out of pocket money whether you use your timeshare or don't use it.  That's why most people don't use the timeshare to book a cruise:  no gain.


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## jackswanson

Thanks for sharing the information.


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## jjking42

I am also a Princess Commodore. 

Renting your timeshare and paying cash for the cruise will always be a better deal.


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## dominidude

I've been having good luck on intervalworld.com, IIs website. This is NOT using my timeshare as an exchange.


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## hsintang

*Shopping for Alaska Land and Sea package- help request*

I hope this is a suitable forum to ask this question.  I am thinking to plan an Alaska cruise and land tour for next summer (or last minute for this June is possible).  I saw a few websites posted here and will try them.  
Any recommendations on the tour routes (Northbound vs. Southbound) are also appreciated.  Thanks in advance.  Yvette


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## Noper

Cruise.com or Cruisedirect.com are both the best places for finding cruises. Checked for years.


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## Passepartout

We usually use www.vacationstogo.com/ No other cruise agency books more cruises. Period. We have one guy there who really goes the extra mile for us on complex plans and gets us more perks than we ( as Celebrity Captain's Club Elite) can get booking direct with Celebrity.

That said- and bears repeating- for cruise info, www.cruisecritic.com is to cruising what TUG is to timeshares.

Jim


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## DaveNV

hsintang said:


> I hope this is a suitable forum to ask this question.  I am thinking to plan an Alaska cruise and land tour for next summer (or last minute for this June is possible).  I saw a few websites posted here and will try them.
> Any recommendations on the tour routes (Northbound vs. Southbound) are also appreciated.  Thanks in advance.  Yvette



You may also want to check out the cruises at the Travel section of Costco.com.  They have some nice cruises listed.  I've booked an Alaska cruise for Summer 2017 through them.

Dave


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## Luanne

Passepartout said:


> We usually use www.vacationstogo.com/ No other cruise agency books more cruises. Period. We have one guy there who really goes the extra mile for us on complex plans and gets us more perks than we ( as Celebrity Captain's Club Elite) can get booking direct with Celebrity.
> 
> That said- and bears repeating- for cruise info, www.cruisecritic.com is to cruising what TUG is to timeshares.
> 
> Jim



We used them, and Jim's guy (I believe) when we booked a recent cruise on Princess.  Very pleased with their service.  The only thing we needed to do was to monitor changes in cruise prices and possible additional perks being offered by Princess.  When we called we were told that Princess doesn't always notify companies like vacationstogo of these changes.  But he was able to rebook us at one point to take advantage of a drop in pricing.


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## Talent312

rfimp said:


> I've heard conflicting info on using TS to cruise.  Is it good for saving money on booking cruises, or do you all just go through these online TA's and not use any TS benefits?



IMHO, your highest and best use of your TS (or TS-points) is for their original purpose -- TS stays. Anything else typically results in a devaluation of your stock-in-trade. Whatever program is involved will take their cut in some fashion, so you'll lose something in translation. IOW, there is no free lunch.

.


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## Passepartout

Talent312 said:


> IMHO, your highest and best use of your TS (or TS-points) is for their original purpose -- TS stays. Anything else typically results in a devaluation of your stock-in-trade. Whatever program is involved will take their cut in some fashion, so you'll lose something in translation. IOW, there is no free lunch.
> 
> .



Good info, but the guy you were replying to hasn't been on TUG for over 3 years.


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## hsintang

*Costco travel- Alaska land and sea vacation*



DaveNW said:


> You may also want to check out the cruises at the Travel section of Costco.com.  They have some nice cruises listed.  I've booked an Alaska cruise for Summer 2017 through them.
> 
> Dave



Thanks everyone for your inputs.  Dave, I looked into Costco Alaska vacations, and saw a few land and sea 13 day tour packages.  Have anyone taken any land tours in Alaska?
Thanks,
Yvette


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## myoakley

hsintang said:


> Thanks everyone for yoursm sea 13 day tour packages.  Have anyone taken any land tours in Alaska?
> Thanks,
> Yvette



We just returned from a "12-day triple Denali" cruise wih Holland America.  It was fantabulous!  We have fallen in love with Alaska.  I highly recommend several days in Denali if you want to see the park (we saw moose, a grizzly sow with 2 cubs, caribou)  and also do any of the activities offered.  Some people (younger than we) rent a car and drive themselves, but we chose to place ourselves in the capable hands of Holland America and were well pleased.  The highlights were: a 9 -passenger plane ride out of Denali across the Arctic Circle with a stop in Wiseman (population: 12) and a helicopter landing on the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. Also, the aurora borealis (which we saw while at Denali) was unforgettable. These excursions are pricey, but we kept saying "it's once in a lifetime."   Go for it;  you will not regret it.


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## BocaBoy

We have high level elite status on Holland America so I do best when booking directly with them.  Lots of unpublished benefits and offers by doing so in many cases.  The one thing I do not get is the extra loyalty points offered through some of the cruise booking sites, but the trade-off is worth it to us.


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## Germanyboy

Cruisefish.net tracks the price of room category change up and down. Select the cruise line, itinerary and ship, and check before booking.


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## LannyPC

hsintang said:


> *Costco travel- Alaska land and sea vacation*
> I looked into Costco Alaska vacations, and saw a few land and sea 13 day tour packages.  Have anyone taken any land tours in Alaska?



Has anyone used Costco for booking a Caribbean cruise? Is there any advantage to using Costco over any other regular travel agency?


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## VacationForever

LannyPC said:


> Has anyone used Costco for booking a Caribbean cruise? Is there any advantage to using Costco over any other regular travel agency?


Costco returns 8% to 10% of their commission back to you in the form of cash card, amongst the highest in the industry.  Some agents will give you the same if you haggle with them and ask them to match Costco's perks.  So if you know what you are looking for and don't need a travel agent to help you research or hold your hand, Costco offers the best above the table deals.


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## Judy

Do you have to be a Costco member to book a cruise with them?


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## VacationForever

Judy said:


> Do you have to be a Costco member to book a cruise with them?


Yes.


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## LannyPC

VacationForever said:


> Costco returns 8% to 10% of their commission back to you in the form of cash card, amongst the highest in the industry.  Some agents will give you the same if you haggle with them and ask them to match Costco's perks.  So if you know what you are looking for and don't need a travel agent to help you research or hold your hand, Costco offers the best above the table deals.



That's good to know.  I will check that out next time we are looking to book a cruise.


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## EZ-ED

Germanyboy said:


> Cruisefish.net tracks the price of room category change up and down. Select the cruise line, itinerary and ship, and check before booking.



Cruisefish is no longer usable. No accurate updates in months. Titus (the site creator/admin) has not posted or answered emails for the same period of time.


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## pedro47

Please do not use Cruisemate; parts of it is a dangerous website. Please do not click on photos;  you are going to be very surprise what you are coming to see (not cruise photos).


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## Talent312

I'm a moderate cruiser... Lately, in even years, we've done serious cruises (Baltics, Mediterranean, Alaska), and in odd years, more nearby getaways (Caribbean, New England). I used to book directly with the cruiseline to avoid dealing with middle-men. However, more recently, I've been using www.bestpricecruises.com (a/k/a Vacation Superstore Network).

They were consistently competitive with vacationstogo, but offered more perks (extra OBC and specialty-dining certificates)... which BTW, AAA doesn't do (apparently). I've also booked onboard and transferred to bestpricecruises  to get both low deposits and extra OBC.
.


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## timesharejunkie4

I don't cruise often but I use CruiseCompete.com. You let them know the specific cruise and cabin type and they will send it out to agencies in their network. the agencies will then get back to you with a quote. You can get separate quotes for each cruiseline and/or dates that you want. I just checked and the cruise I am in the process of booking was a little cheaper thru the agencies I received quotes than both Costco and best price cruises. I usually book with cruise vacation outlet but like to see their offer thru Cruise Compete to make sure I am getting the best deal.


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## VacationForever

The only potential issue with Cruise Compete is that sometimes the cheapest bidder is a small independent outlet with poor customer support that one realizes only after going with them.  Several cases were report on cruisecritic about agent going MIA and not answering post booking calls and emails.


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## beejaybeeohio

EZ-ED said:


> Cruisefish is no longer usable. No accurate updates in months. Titus (the site creator/admin) has not posted or answered emails for the same period of time.



Thank you for this information!  In the past I've saved money using cruisefish, but for the 3 cruises I'm currently subscribed to with them, nada.  I do use Seascanner, a German site who gives updates in euros (I think you can request USD in requests, but I haven't) and I use it as a guide to check the cruiselines website when it appears prices have dropped. Oh well, at 99c to follow a cruise via cruisefish, it's not a big financial loss.



VacationForever said:


> The only potential issue with Cruise Compete is that sometimes the cheapest bidder is a small independent outlet with poor customer support that one realizes only after going with them.  Several cases were report on cruisecritic about agent going MIA and not answering post booking calls and emails.



After being burned by booking with a Cruise Compete agency which went belly-up, I've never approached cruise pricing via their quotes again.

*COSTCO*- we have used them for 10 cruises and been very pleased. However, a week ago we decided to book a veranda GTY on a HAL cruise on their new ship Nieuw Statendam following our Celebrity EDGE maiden voyage next month.  Checked out Vacations to Go, Costco and Crucon. V2G offered nada, Costco a $165 OBC and Crucon prepaid grats worth @$100 per person and a pricing per person of $105 less than the others Perhaps we'd have found a better deal and in the future will try bestpricecruises, too (Thanks Talent312!)


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## timesharejunkie4

Cruise Compete provides information to BBB ratings and customer reviews. I have used Cruise Vacation Outlet several times with no problem. There are other well known agencies that have replied as well as a few that sounded hokey. Like anything, do your due diligence.


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## marijalas

Fern Modena said:


> Ok, I'll start this.  Here is a list of the places I go to when I'm checking cruise prices:
> 
> Cruise Shopping
> Cruise Vacation Center
> 
> This is especially good for cruises in the next 90 days, but also has dates further out.
> Vacations to Go
> 
> Use this site to request agent bids on a cruise you are considering:
> Cruise Compete
> 
> If I want to see what cabins are available on a specific cruise I use
> Expedia   You pretend to make a booking and when you get to cabin selection it will show you what is available
> 
> I belong to a pay website called Cruise Stateroom .  It has various price points ($11.95 a year, or you can do 3 months, etc).  You can compare cabin configurations, locations, etc. on most ships here.  Its a convenience I feel is worth paying for.
> 
> The above is my "short list," and the ones I use.
> 
> I've not used Crucon yet, but they send out mailers with great prices, and I may book with them one day.
> 
> I have gotten some interesting flyers from Zoe's Cruises in Sacramento, but while they have good prices, if you want more info they are slow to respond to you.
> 
> How about we keep this going with others posting their favorite cruise websites?
> 
> Fern



I was told that the Cruise Lines control the pricing and that it is more the timing of WHEN you book, what the cruise lines are offering at that time for what rooms. That is why Costco gives shipboard credits, it is the only way they can manage a price differential.


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## VacationForever

marijalas said:


> I was told that the Cruise Lines control the pricing and that it is more the timing of WHEN you book, what the cruise lines are offering at that time for what rooms. That is why Costco gives shipboard credits, it is the only way they can manage a price differential.


You are spot on.  However you can get the same deal with many travel agencies although Costco is the one of the easiest to work with.  If there is a price drop you will need to call Costco or whichever travel agency you have booked with and they will also adjust the cash card or refundable onboard credit accordingly.  Beware of agencies which charge change and cancellation fees.  Costco does not charge these fees.


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## Ylinesand

I have never been on a cruise before, do you like it? is it worth it?


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## Judy

Ylinesand said:


> I have never been on a cruise before, do you like it? is it worth it?


That seems like a simple question, but it's really very complicated.  DH and I cruise  a lot.  Some cruises we love and some not. Some are a good value for us, others have not been.  Whether you like a cruise and whether it's worth it depends upon what kind of experience you'd like.  Some considerations:  Where do you want to go?  Do you like to be surrounded by lots of people?  Do you want a large choice of activities onboard? Would you like a hairy chest contest or would you prefer a lecture? How about water slides and rock climbing walls? Do you prefer all inclusive or would you rather pay a lower cruise fare and be charged for extras on board? Do you like to dress for dinner? How long would you want to be away the first time? (I hesitate to recommend a short cruise as a test because they can be a very different experience from long ones) Do you have motion sickness? Would you prefer sea days or port calls?  There are dozens more questions  but I'm asking because whether or not you'd like a cruise depends upon which one you choose.


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## TUGBrian

also remember you can support TUG if you book thru priceline using this link!  

http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-8455784-10392981


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## Alex More

if you need rent a car in nyc try real car


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## eakhat

Judy said:


> Do you have to be a Costco member to book a cruise with them?



I’ve booked for people who don’t have a Costco membership. Recently I booked for 4 people I traveled with. In the past I booked a cruise for 4 people I didn’t travel with. I had to be involved with the initial booking and with the insurance deposit. I agree with the other post that they have great insurance rates.
Costco gives you the  cruise line specials plus their own incentive of on-board credit. You do have to watch for specials and call back if rates have changed. They give the customer the commission other agencies give their agent via onboard credit. If you don’t spend the onboard credit, it can be returned to you after the cruise, unlike the cruiseline onboard credit. (We’ve usually use princess.). In addition you get cash back through Costco for using their credit card( the executive Costco credit card is worth the extra cost in the year you pay for cruise.
I love Costco for cruises but will check out some of the other sites. Thanks for the many replies to this thread.


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## Synergy

I still search on vacationstogo.com to find a cheap cruise.  I've never booked with them, though.  I check Costco as a baseline.  I submit a request on cruisecompete.com and see what agencies are willing to offer as extras.  Lately, I have booked with cruises-n-more.com - but I don't usually go through the link from cruise compete, as I've been able to get the same offer through their website without having to talk to a live person.  I'd try the same with another agency if someone else offered a better deal or more/better perks - but I'd talk to a human if I needed to for the best deal.  If no one can offer a deal, I book with the cruise line directly.


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## Judy

Synergy,  It sounds as if you work with a variety of cruise agencies.  Do you find that one is better than the other, depending upon which cruise line you want to sail with?


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## Passepartout

Necroposting is alive and well. It was good to see some TUG notables usernames from 15 years ago. (sigh)
Fwiw, we -OK, my DW, checks for cruises mostly on www.vacationstogo.com and has a personal agent there who is most responsive. We also use Celebrity's website. We are pretty much Celebrity loyalists. The last few bookings with them have been while onboard other Celebrity cruises. The prices and perks seem better.

Jim


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## Synergy

Judy said:


> Synergy,  It sounds as if you work with a variety of cruise agencies.  Do you find that one is better than the other, depending upon which cruise line you want to sail with?



Nope, I'm completely without loyalty for both agencies and cruise lines.  We almost never book cruises longer than four nights, and we book almost exclusively on price.  If there's a ship we can get on for 2-5 nights for less than $100 per person per night, including drink package and tips, we book it if there's any way we can fit it into our work schedule.  I should probably move my cruise line direct bookings to vacationstogo.com as a thank you for maintaining their wonderful searchable database.

Lately, cruises-n-more.com has been able to offer us the best deals - and they make it easy to view all availability rate codes and specials.  That includes virtuoso, a luxury booking affiliation they are signed on with.  I haven't had to ask anything special of them, so I don't know how they well they handle issues, but they made the booking process completely painless and gave us $75 in credit and tips on a cruise we only spent $500 on.


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## bendadin

I will look at Vacationstogo as they have subpages for the different discount groups: military, teachers, fire/law enforcement, Interline, FL resident, etc. Then I go to a TA who can book our group. They all cannot book everything.


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## DaveNV

bendadin said:


> I will look at Vacationstogo as they have subpages for the different discount groups: military, teachers, fire/law enforcement, Interline, FL resident, etc. Then I go to a TA who can book our group. They all cannot book everything.



I watch Vacationstogo.com a lot.  Currently, the military discounted price they're quoting for a Celebrity cruise in the Med next Spring is the same base fare as Costco's price.  But Costco is giving a cash card back, which reduces the cost.  Tried cruises-n-more.com as mentioned above, and their price for the same cruise is higher. So at the moment, Costco is winning. Next stop is a travel agent we've been referred to, to see if they an provide anything better.

Dave


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## Jodyv

I've used a site called CruiseCompete.com.  Post the cruise you're interested in and you will receive various offers.  Sometimes the offers will be the same amount of money but include a bonus.  I've had good luck with them.  I also like VacationsToGo.com.  The real bargains are in the 90 days last minute cruises.  It will be interesting to see how cruises are going to be priced once we get to sail again.  Another way to save on a cruise is to buy 100 shares of Carnival.  (I don't know about other cruise lines...)  Carnival (and the brands they own)  will give shipboard credit based on how long the cruise is. You can see it at Shareholder Benefit - Carnival Corporation.


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## musknikki09

i think I joined CruiseCritic about six years ago and agree that it's like the FlyerTalk of cruising. My postings there during the Norway tragedy were memorable, as the ship and her crew had special meaning to me.


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## easyrider

What is the recommendation for a Mediterranean Cruise. Maybe one that includes Israel and Egypt ? We haven't been on a cruise for a long time. We used cruise critic on the last cruise. I'm trying to talk my sil out of Ireland. The group we would be going with is family and while I love them I like a little space.

Bill


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## musknikki09

easyrider said:


> What is the recommendation for a Mediterranean Cruise. Maybe one that includes Israel and Egypt ? We haven't been on a cruise for a long time. We used cruise critic on the last cruise. I'm trying to talk my sil out of Ireland. The group we would be going with is family and while I love them I like a little space.
> 
> Bill



Thanks your reply helped me.


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## pedro47

easyrider said:


> What is the recommendation for a Mediterranean Cruise. Maybe one that includes Israel and Egypt ? We haven't been on a cruise for a long time. We used cruise critic on the last cruise. I'm trying to talk my sil out of Ireland. The group we would be going with is family and while I love them I like a little space.
> 
> Bill


We did the Mediterrannean / Holy Land cruise with Celebrity Cruise Lines from Rome (Civitavecchia) Italy with port stops in Egypt,  Haifa & Ashod,Israel, Santorini, Greece,, Mykonkos,Greece, Ephesus, Turkey several years ago. It was Excellent.

Please  check all the cruise lines especially the smaller cruise lines liked Azamara Club cruises because their ships are smaller and can dock in some ports where large cruise ships cannot dock in Italy.


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