Table Of Content
The agent will keep you in his or her database, alert you to deals or sales and can even suggest future trip ideas. Remember, you won't just be using the ship as a home base, like you do with a hotel; it will be your home, restaurant and entertainment venue for a week or more. The right ship and itinerary can make your vacation that much more enjoyable -- and an agent can help you determine the best selection for your tastes. In addition, an agent can answer any questions or assuage any apprehensions you might have about taking a cruise for the first time.
Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific
Cruise travel agents receive the bulk of their income via commission from the cruise lines. Their service to you is usually free, though some might charge first-time clients a minimal fee. Plus, the price of your cruise includes accommodations, meals, entertainment and activities — and in some cases drinks, tips, shore excursions, Wi-Fi and other extras. A travel agent can help you determine what your cruise fare gets you.
Transatlantic Cruises
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. Then you click off to the site of your choice to make your purchase. Expedia’s cruise deals tend to come paired with other enticing offers, including steep discounts on pre-departure hotels when you book both your cruise and hotel through Expedia. There’s also a dedicated 800 number that lets you speak to Expedia’s cruise experts and, often but not always, a generous amount of onboard credit thrown in for good measure. In choosing a cruise travel agent, you will want to tap into the person's specific expertise about the cruise line and ship you are considering. Anyone can read a ship deck plan outlining ship spaces (which you can find online), but you are looking for people who really know their stuff.
Best for planning a luxury cruise
In most cases, its located in one of the menus located near the bottom of the page. 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. Inquire whether the agent has attended any of these training programs. 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. World cruises are a great way to explore different countries while enjoying the comfort and luxury of a cruise ship. These cruises usually last longer than regular ones, ranging from 5 to 20 nights, and often depart from United States cities like Ft.
A Pacific Coastal cruise is an incredible experience that is sure to leave you amazed. With the best of both worlds – the natural beauty of the Pacific coast and the luxury of a cruise – this trip is undoubtedly an unforgettable one. We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review.
Night North America CruiseDetails
The group is Frosch – Classic, which has well-established, and influential relationships with the executives of most major luxury cruise and premium cruise lines. 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.
Questions to ask a cruise travel agent
Nadia Henry, owner of Travel With Sparkle in West Orange, New Jersey, is an expert when it comes to coordinating luxury group travel trips, including group getaways at sea. She’s even fashioned a title for herself as a ‘CCIG specialist,’ concentrating on the Caribbean, cruises, and international group travel. You’ll want to keep Henry on your travel advisor list when your group wants to set sail on an ocean cruise, and particularly if your crew is interested in personally traveling with a travel advisor. Henry hosts a number of group trips throughout the year, helping to ensure her travelers have the peace of mind they’re looking for through a hands-on experience with their trusted travel professional. Among her upcoming group cruise trips is a 7-day luxury yacht cruise exploring Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast from Split to Dubrovnik aboard the 18-cabin MV Auriela yacht, owned by Katarina Cruise Line, that will depart on August 3, 2024. Remember, you might be a DIY type when booking airlines and hotels, but booking a cruise is more complex.
These are just some of the Luxury Cruise Travel Agencies that have done splendid work in the travel industry. We know we barely scratched the surface, it will be great if you let us know more about your experience in getting assistance from luxury cruise travel agencies. The key is finding a travel advisor who really knows and understands the cruise industry and who will ultimately relieve you of added stress and work.
For your first cruise, you might need help in matching your lifestyle and budget with a cruise line and destination. Choosing a cruise is not the same as picking a hotel or flight, as there are many more options to consider. Connect with other travel lovers, gain valuable travel advice, and make unforgettable memories through our events, meet-ups, and luxury getaways. If you have questions or advice to share with our readers, please leave these in the comments below.
The 9 Best Senior Travel Insurance Companies of 2024 - MarketWatch
The 9 Best Senior Travel Insurance Companies of 2024.
Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
To keep up with the latest travel trends, and be in a position to provide notable advice to their clients, they frequently travel by both land and sea. Their travel specialists take at least two cruises a year and one land tour, to ensure that their service comes from firsthand experience. 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. 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.
Every member of the Poseidon team from the expedition team to the hospitality and room staff were absolutely exceptional. The on shore experiences were frequent and so interactive and amazing. The team worked overtime behind the scenes to make sure we had several amazing experiences every single day.
If you’re looking for a luxurious and hassle-free vacation, a cruise might be the perfect choice for your next girls’ getaway, family trip, or couples trip. 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. From booking your first cruise to understanding onboard perks -- the questions can be overwhelming, especially for anyone that is new to cruise. If you're a do-it-yourself type, and you have the time and inclination to thoroughly research your own trip using resources like Cruise Critic, then go right ahead.
You can book a cruise through a huge travel retailer with branches around the country, a local cruise agency or even a home-based agent who will talk cruising with you at your local coffee shop. You'll find pros and cons of working with the different types of agencies; for example, you might get more personal service from an independent agent but better deals from a large company with a high volume of bookings. The best time to cruise in the USA will vary greatly depending on the region. Cruises sailing from or stopping in Florida or Southern California are available year-round, but regions like Alaska, New England and the Pacific Northwest are primarily summer and early-fall destinations. Beyond ocean cruises, river cruises also depend greatly on the region.
Or, if you prefer a quieter experience, they can find that for you too. Using the seven-night Alaska example, Priceline brought up an itinerary aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas that starts at just $374 for the full week—roughly $53 per night. Hard-to-believe cruise deals like this show up on Priceline with regularity, which is part of what solidifies it as one of the best cruise websites. Whether you’re keen on an arctic expedition cruise or a laid-back barge cruise in the South of France, here are the best travel advisors who can match you to the cruise that’s right for you. His specialty is cruise lines most American-based travel experts don't handle—such as Hapag-Lloyd, Ponant, and Scenic. Be aware that not all agents work with all cruise lines; some represent only a few preferred suppliers or specialize in higher-end cruises.
But the next time you’re booking a cruise, it’ll be worthwhile to pull up Costco Travel, which is, unexpectedly, one of the best cruise websites. The initial interface comes off a bit clunkier than, say, Expedia’s or Kayak’s, but the tradeoff is that you can quickly search by cruise line, both standard and luxury, as well as by cruise length and departure port. 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.
Like several of the other best cruise websites, Avoya offers a low-price guarantee; if you book a cruise with Avoya and then find a lower rate on another website within 24 hours of booking, Avoya will refund the difference. In addition to sharing their expertise, the agent may have negotiated group space at lower rates with the cruise line, which could save you money on the cruise fare. The agent might also have first access to sale prices because the cruise lines notify their agent partners and loyalty club members first before they announce a sale to the public. A good cruise travel agent will not only help you navigate these tricky questions they will hopefully provide you with some reassurance. Look for agents offering discounts, free perks and other incentives.
No comments:
Post a Comment