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Book thru a Travel Agent or Royal Caribbean


mschaetz123

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As I'm looking online to book our next cruise, I see that other websites have great deals like: free pre-paid gratituties, 30% off 3rd and 4th guest and onboard credits.  I usually book thru RC and never booked anywhere else .

 

Just looking for some suggestions??

 

Thank you

 

Past

 

01/16/2016  Oasis of the Seas   :) 

 

01/21/2017  Freedom of the Seas   :) 

 
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As I'm looking online to book our next cruise, I see that other websites have great deals like: free pre-paid gratituties, 30% off 3rd and 4th guest and onboard credits. I usually book thru RC and never booked anywhere else .

 

Just looking for some suggestions??

 

Thank you

Past

01/16/2016 Oasis of the Seas :)

01/21/2017 Freedom of the Seas :)

The price will be the same whether you book through a TA or Royal. For example, the 30% off is a current sale offered by Royal. However, dinner online agencies will throw in perks to sweeten the deal from their commission, but they aren't allowed to discount the price.

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Guest toodle68

I recently was looking at cruise.com and saw they had things like pre-paid gratituties and some even lower overall prices.  Then I did some digging on reviews for cruise.com and decided it was not worth it. Way too many people having issues.  The website is great though for finding the perfect room though, so much better than RC.

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I recently was looking at cruise.com and saw they had things like pre-paid gratituties and some even lower overall prices. Then I did some digging on reviews for cruise.com and decided it was not worth it. Way too many people having issues. The website is great though for finding the perfect room though, so much better than RC.

Any discount or even the warehouse clubs TAs are going to sacrifice service for a lower price. That's the compromise for saving a few bucks. While I've had very good experience with land vacations with Costco, you never are able to speak to the same agent and my typical hold time was 20 minutes. And when I looked into booking a cruise with them, I discovered that if the priced dropped, I'd be charged a $75 change fee to reprice, so I decided against using them for cruises.

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Guest toodle68

Any discount or even the warehouse clubs TAs are going to sacrifice service for a lower price. That's the compromise for saving a few bucks. While I've had very good experience with land vacations with Costco, you never are able to speak to the same agent and my typical hold time was 20 minutes. And when I looked into booking a cruise with them, I discovered that if the priced dropped, I'd be charged a $75 change fee to reprice, so I decided against using them for cruises.

Ah yes.. that was the other tip-bit from reviews.. most charge a cancellation or rebooking free. That alone made them not worth it..

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Any discount or even the warehouse clubs TAs are going to sacrifice service for a lower price. That's the compromise for saving a few bucks. While I've had very good experience with land vacations with Costco, you never are able to speak to the same agent and my typical hold time was 20 minutes. And when I looked into booking a cruise with them, I discovered that if the priced dropped, I'd be charged a $75 change fee to reprice, so I decided against using them for cruises.

This is exactly why NOT to use warehouse clubs and/or big websites.  The #1 reason to use a TA is for the added service you should be receiving.

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I have read a lot of folks saying to use a TA but I just cant get comfortable with the idea.  I suppose if some TA website said right up what benefits" they throw in I would be tempted, but so far they all require I call first.  In the meantime, like one person wrote above, I almost went with cruiseit.com after watching some really good videos of theirs on-line (specifically fro Liberty of the Seas) but then read awful reviews (of cruiseone.com which seems to be the parent company).  I just know with my personality if I actually call someone I will stick with them even if I am not thrilled by the offer (I know, I have no spine!).  I will most likely book straight with RC later this week when my credit card finally shows up.

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I will most likely book straight with RC later this week when my credit card finally shows up.

 

It's pretty easy to make your own reservations - get the best deal you can and are happy with and then have the booking transferred to a TA. That way you get the best of both worlds.  You make your own deal and then get the bennies that the TA can get you (OBC, for the most part).

 

This is exactly what I do.

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