Cruise2488

Thanks to everyone for their responses! Like some of you mentioned/asked, I merely want a TA to book the cruise, help me get the best rate possible and take care of any problems with the cruise that might arise. I already handle the air and hotel bookings on my own.

I am looking for a new TA for many reasons. I currently use a local TA (have used her for 20 years for various trips; now mostly for Royal/Celebrity cruises). Has anyone made the switch from a local TA to an online TA, like MEI? If so, any regrets about the change? (Like not having an agent you can go to in person with questions/problems.) My TA has drastically reduced her office hours and is gone on trips A LOT! I at least want to be able to reach someone during normal Mon-Fri business hours when I see a price change, etc. I have missed out on price drops because they were gone by the time she was back in the office. Any recommendations besides MEI if I decide not to use someone local to me?

Our last cruise was on Oasis in November 2023.

On our last cruise I was able to use my iMessaging without the internet package but my husband was not. We don't know what we did that was different that allowed me to be able to use it and he couldn't. Getting ready to cruise again in July and want to do it "right" this time. Suggestions?? Hints?? Also, we will be trying out Celebrity for the first time in November 2024. Will iMessaging work on those ships, too, without an internet package?

Thank you for all of the info. My TA offered to quote the refundable deposit prices for me, but like FionaMG said, I hate to ask her to do all of that extra work until I am pretty confident which cruise(s) I want to take. I was hoping there was an easier way that I hadn't come across yet.

When pricing a cruise where/how do I find the price to book with a refundable deposit?

How is the commission my travel agent earns on my RC cruises figured? When I ask her to do a price adjustment because the price goes down, does that ultimately cut into her commission from Royal?

Does anyone know how a person could figure out whether or not Canada will allow them on a cruise sooner than finding out when the passenger manifest is submitted? A family member wanting to do an Alaskan cruise isn't sure if something on her record will cause her to be denied. She would like to find out now--not 30 days (or less) pre-cruise if possible.

We are Diamond level. Booked in April 2023 for August 2024 on Ovation of the Seas in a Junior Suite. No Diamond discount shows on invoice

Is the balcony and suite discount that is listed as a Crown & Anchor benefit for Platinum and above only beneficial if you book when no other promos/discounts are being offered?

We would love this, too! We are not morning people at all and even having another hour before having to disembark would be wonderful for us. We would gladly embark one hour later at the start in order to leave one hour later at the end.

Thank you. They are both vaxed and boosted.

We are taking a 3-night cruise over Labor Day weekend (Nassau and Coco Cay). 2 members of our traveling party recently recovered from COVID (one was PCR positive July 21, the other July 24). Since the 3-night cruise no longer has a pre-test requirement, do they even need certificates of recovery just in case?

We will be sailing out of the Port of LA in November. Suggestions on pre-cruise hotel? Also, we are flying back home via Long Beach Airport. Royal does not offer a transfer to that airport. Suggestions on how to get from the port to airport post-cruise? We are not Lyft or Uber users.