Booking a CRUISE---where is the best place to look?

[davephillyj]

Never been on a cruise, but the ladies at work love them. Where in the world is the best place to look to get a good deal?

[tokanm]

I always use cruiseone.com and they are great. Iirc it is cheapest to book on Tuesdays.

[davephillyj]

So Tuesdays are some sort of discount day???? And what is Iirc????

[tokanm]

Iirc= if I remember correctly

 

My cruise agent from Cruise One tells me that the "deals" are released/posted on Tuesdays and that is the best day to buy

[oneannm]

vacationstogo.com

[mysschevous]

I have used cruisecompete.com. You put in the cruise you want and travel agents bid for your vacation.

[letsbeon]

i've used vacationstogo.com several times. you might also want to see what people are posting on trip advisor, too.

[davephillyj]

Thanks for the trip advisor note. I sure don't want to book cheap and be ticked off that it isn't good. I want to save, but I want a good experience!

[llist]

I've always used cruise.com to check prices and then book directly with the cruise line...that way I am in complete control of my booking... we usually cruise carnival and if you book through an agency carnival will only talk to them about your booking... I am way too much of a control freak for that lol...not sure if thats the case with other lines too or if thats a concern for you

[davephillyj]

Are excursions worth it?? I saw on trip advisor that some people said you can do the same activities at dock with the locals for just75% off what the cruise charges..... What is your expereince

[letsbeon]

I have had nothing but great experiences booking tours from tour companies not affiliated with the cruise line....have done so in Fiji, Mexico, and Tahiti and have saved a lot of money. The on-shore tour operator's business depends on them being on time, providing good service, and referrals. Before cruising, I spend a lot of time on trip advisor reviewing the destination and tours. When I decide on an excursion, I then book it on-line before I leave on the cruise. That way when I arrive in port I'm good to go. However, you need to remember that if something goes wrong, and you miss the ship, you are responsible for meeting up with the ship at the next port destination.

[llist]

depends on your comfort level and activity... in mexico going to any of the ruins I personally would go through the ship for that just due to time constraints... but we've booked our own excursions both on the dock (in st thomas) and online prior to the cruise (cozumel and freeport)

[AndreaInNC]

It depends on what you are looking for. The cruise line stopped offering a shore excursion that we wanted to do the last time we cruised. When I started looking into it - they stopped offering it because they had someone die doing that shore excursion and several people had gotten hurt. They didn't want to be liable for that any longer. We also had an issue traveling with me step dad and a shore excursion, the cruise line said he was too old (he was 70) in that shore excursion (kayaking). He had a good laugh at that one as he is a kayak instructor!

 

If you have to travel far from the port, I would definately book with the cruise line as anything can happen. If the bus breaks down, and you booked it on our own - you are SOL - the ship will sail without you. However, if you booked it with the cruise line, they will hold the ship for you.

 

There are some places in the world that I would be very careful about going off without having someone on the ship know where I am going.