The Best Websites to Book a Cruise in 2024
Not from where I sit, I paid, they said they can’t deliver, just pay me what is owed. On or about April 26 date this horror story started. While booking your cruise, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential hidden charges that can quickly inflate the cost of your vacation. One common hidden charge is gratuities and service charges. While it’s customary to tip the staff on a cruise, some cruise lines automatically add a daily gratuity charge to your bill. Make sure to read the fine print and understand the tipping policy of the cruise line you choose.
Booking Scams
However, it’s crucial to be cautious of onboard solicitations and potential fake charity scams. Lastly, port fees and taxes are often added to the cost of your cruise. These fees can vary depending on the ports of call and are typically not included in the initial price you see when booking. Make sure to inquire about these fees upfront and factor them into your budget before making a final decision on your cruise. Or you could use a travel adviser to help you find a ship that best matches your preferences, make spa and restaurant reservations and help with flights, hotels and shore excursions. These professionals will often charge a fee for their services.
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If you need to cancel or modify your cruise reservation, it is recommended to contact Cruise.com’s customer support. They will guide you through the process and inform you about any applicable fees or restrictions imposed by the cruise line. It is important to review the specific terms and conditions of your reservation to understand the cancellation and modification policies. Third-party vendors can also offer questionable shore excursions. It’s crucial to research these operators to ensure they are reputable and licensed.
The 'free cruise' scam
Booking through the cruise line may seem like a convenient option, but it often comes with a premium price tag. Cruise lines often partner with tour operators and mark up the prices significantly. It’s worthwhile to explore alternative options, such as booking with independent tour operators or organizing your own excursions, to potentially save money without compromising on the quality of the experience.
He has also written for Business Traveller magazine (London). Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion. We suggest you stick with the websites mentioned here or other well-known spots.
Great first experience with…
That gives you a better chance of finding something that matches your budget and schedule versus just searching one line. So should you just find any random site and book your cruise? Below we lay out the advantages and disadvantage of booking with each different type of website. Cruising is big business, and that’s why you have dozens of websites at your disposal, all competing for your travel dollars. Companies displayed may pay us to be Authorized or when you click a link, call a number or fill a form on our site. Our content is intended to be used for general information purposes only.
Cruising is back. A new law has made lowriders legit - Los Angeles Times
Cruising is back. A new law has made lowriders legit.
Posted: Tue, 14 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
But at least with Royal Seas, no one is reporting their credit card number stolen or that they put down the deposit and never received the voucher to book. When it comes to booking your dream cruise vacation, it’s important to be aware of the potential scams that lurk in the digital world. One common scam involves fake cruise websites that mimic legitimate ones, tricking unsuspecting travelers into making bookings and payments. These websites often offer enticing deals and discounts that seem too good to be true, and unfortunately, they usually are. To avoid falling victim to this scam, always double-check the website’s URL and make sure it is secure (look for the padlock symbol in the address bar) before entering any personal or payment information. It was to be my first cruise and I foolishly paid in advance for a Royal Caribbean New Year's Eve excursion.
Cruise.com has built a strong reputation as a reliable and trustworthy platform for cruise bookings. They have an extensive network of partnerships with leading cruise lines, ensuring customers have access to the best deals and options. Additionally, Cruise.com offers a secure online booking platform, protecting customer information and ensuring a safe transaction. So you’ve finally decided to embark on a well-deserved cruise vacation, but before you set sail, it’s crucial to arm yourself with knowledge about the unfortunate reality of cruise scams.
A cruise is both a means of transportation and a destination resort with its own passport requirements. As a result, it can suffer some of the problems of both—especially if you fall victim to certain cruise scams. Cruise line websites only have cruises from that line, so you are limiting your options of prices, ships, dates, and itineraries. In other words, if you’re looking for the absolute best deal or the most flexible schedule, you aren’t likely to find it searching only one cruise line. I passed your information so one of our supervisors can contact you immediately and help you solve this problem. Expect the call from one of our team members today or tomorrow.
They also offer a Price Drop Guarantee, which protects you in case the price of your booked cruise drops after your reservation is confirmed. BEWARE of cancellation fee rule to confuse everyone. I paid cancellation insurance to protect me from cancellation fees but nope. A couple of days after I made the reservation I decided to cancel since I could not get a good air fare to and from the cruise dock. Cruise.com even had a promotion of $500 airfare savings for each passenger but nope. So I ended up paying $100 cancellation fee anyways.
It goes against our guidelines to offer incentives for reviews. We also ensure all reviews are published without moderation. We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and they’ll be displayed as long as an account is active. You can -- and should -- check out the company's reviews and complaints history on BBB.org. Anytime someone says you must accept the offer now or it's gone forever, walk away or hang up the phone.
Consider using a secure payment method, such as a pre-paid travel card, to minimize the risk of fraud. What about booking last-minute cruise deals on websites? It makes sense that if a cruise cabin is about to sail empty the price would drop to fill it up. In fact, cruise lines consistently have occupancy rates above 100% — meaning that more than two passengers are in some cabins. Further, I purchased the premium insurance from Holland America because of health issues. The insurance cost over $500 and provided that 10% would be the penalty in case of cancellation.
Read reviews from other travelers and consider reaching out to well-established travel forums for recommendations. While these vendors often provide competitive prices, it’s essential to prioritize safety and quality when making your decision. Some cruise lines may limit drink options included in beverage packages, excluding premium brands or specific types of beverages.
I was told it was in contract who reads everything in small print. If anything sounds suspicious or if your questions are not being answered to your satisfaction, ask to speak to a supervisor or higher-up. Especially when dealing with customer service requests, they are often authorized to offer more than the first-line phone reps. I had called and asked about promotion and was told that it applied to my booking. When my cruise was actually booked and I looked at confirmation it did not include gratuities like I was told it would. When questioned why it was not included was told it didn’t apply to my booking even though earlier in the day was told it would.
If something feels off or the agent pressures you into making a hasty decision, it’s best to walk away and find a more trustworthy agent. There are so many great cruise deals out there from legitimate travel agents and cruise lines, you might be better off booking your vacation that way. A free cruise offer might be cheap, but you can waste hours of your life trying to put the package together, and might not end up with a cruise, or at least the vacation you imagined, in the end. Educate yourself on tips and tricks for getting the best cruise price, and then pick the trip you want. It's definitely better value for your time and money.
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