Should You Use a Cruise Travel Agent?
If you have never been on a cruise, you might not know where to go for information about how to book your tickets, what to expect onboard, and how much it will cost. You can go to a cruise travel agent for some of that information, because most of them have actually travelled on many of the different cruise lines, but if you use them to buy your tickets, you probably will not get the best deal.
The cruise lines pay cruise travel agents on a commission basis to get you to come to their cruise line. They know that once you cruise on their line it is highly unlikely that you will ever try another cruise line, unless of course you were completely disappointed with what you got. Most people who cruise once will do so again, so just getting you on board their ship one time means that they probably have a customer for life.
The cruise travel agent is certainly a wealth of information but they have no incentive to offer you a great deal. For that, you should look online. By getting your information on the cruise lines – where they go, what to wear, how the dining is arranged, what to expect for free while on you are on the ship – you will have a head start on your shopping. Then, and only then, go shopping online for the price that you want.
The key is to be as flexible as possible with your dates. If you are comfortable booking your travel a week or two in advance, you will be amazed at some of the fantastic deals you can get on cruises all over the world. Even if you can travel within the next month, you will still get deals that are at least half off what a travel agent would quote you.
Agness Mumbi is an expert on cruise package deals. Click this link for honest tips and recommendations on how to find a cruise travel agent!
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