Read on for tips to book your cruise at a super price, along with the highest level of satisfaction..

Your Travel agent can make your vacation more enjoyable by offering the right cruise to suit your needs and by helping you to choose the right cabins, hotels and sightseeing excursions.  For example, they will suggest that you book a Balcony cabin for an Alaskan itinerary to take in the breathtaking scenery & unique animal sightings.

By explaining about the cabin types that are available, a Professional agent will enable you to accommodate your family reasonably & comfortably.

 Pre-book most of your travel arrangements, to save precious time when you reach your destination, so you can use it to have fun instead! After all, you’re travelling to places so that you can explore them, and their local cuisine, art, culture, shops, etc. Read in advance about the countries that you plan to visit and short-list the places you simply must see & the things you absolutely have to do. You’ll find the best cruise destinations & loads of interesting sights & things to experience on https://www.24x7cruise.com/destinations

The best advice regarding booking your cruise is to do it as far in advance as you can, more than a year ahead of your travel if possible.  We usually see that early booking rates are the lowest, because cruise lines aim to reward the early booker. They call this ‘pricing integrity.’  Prices tend to increase as the ships fill up.  You could book two years prior to travel & pay your deposit, and in case you have to cancel up to 90 days before your sail date, you can get your money back, unless you had booked a ‘non-refundable’ fare. You have nothing to lose and much to gain by booking early.

Fares may drop as the departure date gets closer. But, think twice if you wish to cancel and then rebook your cruise at reduced fares, as that can get very messy. I recommend that you rely on your travel agent to guide you through it. Note that the most desirable cabins are the first to get booked. When you cancel, your cabin goes back into open inventory. When you rebook, it’s very likely that you will not have any good cabins to choose from.                                                               Besides, when you cancel a cruise—even if you rebook straight away—your dining times, excursions, and other preferences are wiped out. So, you start all over from the beginning. Suppose you purchase a cruise through a promotion that includes bonus offers such as a free beverage package, free onboard spending credits, or included gratuities. If the cruise fare falls and you rebook, you can lose those add-ons. You have to weigh the pros and cons. Then, decide if it’s worth saving a few hundred dollars to lose up to $1,000 in value-added bonuses? In many cases, rebooking does not make sense. If the price does go down, cruise lines could change your booking to the new price, if you have not yet made your final payment. Your travel agent is the right person to advise you and work with the cruise line to do this change.

Understand the timing of price drops.. In general, you can expect the first price drop at about six months before departure. There will likely be a second price drop, just over 90 days prior to the sail date, when the final payment is typically due. At that time, cruise lines often lower fares significantly with a last-minute deal, but only on entry-level, lowest category cabins, if there is space available. This will not happen on cruises for which there’s a good demand, such as Mediterranean cruises. A price drop or the lowest fares don’t always mean a better deal. Check the OVERALL VALUE that your cruise fare provides, when the Free Offers are applied.  When you select a slightly higher fare, you often get added value in the form of complimentary Add-ons.

It’s also important to work with an experienced cruise planner.  More than eight in 10 cruisers book with a travel agent, according to Cruise Lines International Association - the cruise industry’s largest trade association. A cruise specialist will do make sure that you get a good stateroom, not one with an obstructed view. An expert agent will go through the available cruise fares & show you the Free offers that go with different fares.  Clients often are under the misconception that there’s an extra cost when you use a travel agent, but travel agents generally don’t charge the passenger extra. You’re almost certain to get a better deal by working with an agent in your region, because travel agents have access to local deals and discounts that aren’t available to consumers who book directly.

Your travel agent may also be able to add you onto a group booking, to give you extra perks which are available for the group.  You will have the added bonus of good company & better prices for hotels & shore excursions which may have been negotiated for the group.

Contact us at cruise@24x7cruise.com for more ideas and fantastic deals.

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