Booking a cruise directly from the cruiseline's website: Yay or nay?

[MrsBugi]

It looks like our family will be going on a Carnival cruise (Ecstasy) from December 21-25. My father distrusts "online deal websites" and insists that it is safer and cheaper to book directly from carnival's main website.

If he does so, it will cost $3,700 for two rooms (!!), which strikes me as an incredible ripoff, even given the holiday season.

Has anyone had experience with a trustworthy, reliable, discount cruise website with good customer service and response time? I will try to convince my father otherwise.

 

[Lola]

DO NOT BOOK DIRECTLY. it is insane for the "rack rate"
i have booked with www.bestpricecruises.com for the past 3 cruieses.

I actually call their offices and speak with someone. They have the best rates out there. PM me if you want a name.

Happy Cruising. We are leaving on Thrusday for our cruise!

 

[MrsBugi]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
DO NOT BOOK DIRECTLY. it is insane for the "rack rate"
i have booked with www.bestpricecruises.com for the past 3 cruieses.

I actually call their offices and speak with someone. They have the best rates out there. PM me if you want a name.

Happy Cruising. We are leaving on Thrusday for our cruise!

It will be our very first cruise. Have fun on your trip, where are you going and for how long? And, YGPM!

 

[richardycc]

isnt ecstasy like really old? I remember trying to book a cruise with that ship over 10yrs ago...and $3700 for 2 rooms for a 5days cruise? thats way too much.

 

[Ameesh]

i would personally call a travel agent, they can find the best rates and when you get a good agent they will know all about the ships, which ones are good and bad.

 

[Codewiz]

you can't beat www.cruisecompete.com

Basically a bunch of travel agencies provide quotes and you pick the best one and book it.

 

[Aquaman]

were are you cruising?

I've wanted to go on a cruise for a while. Alaskan Cruises leave frrom my home town all the time (Vancouver BC).

But I think for my first crusie ........ I'd like to go somewhere warm.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Pepsi90919]

it's not "yay or nay".

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
DO NOT BOOK DIRECTLY. it is insane for the "rack rate"
i have booked with www.bestpricecruises.com for the past 3 cruieses.

I actually call their offices and speak with someone. They have the best rates out there. PM me if you want a name.

Happy Cruising. We are leaving on Thrusday for our cruise!

:thumbsup:


BTW-Where are you two going LolaWiz?

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
DO NOT BOOK DIRECTLY. it is insane for the "rack rate"
i have booked with www.bestpricecruises.com for the past 3 cruieses.

I actually call their offices and speak with someone. They have the best rates out there. PM me if you want a name.

Happy Cruising. We are leaving on Thrusday for our cruise!

:thumbsup:


BTW-Where are you two going LolaWiz?

Turks & Caicos, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Half Moon Cay.

6 days, woot!

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: Aquaman
were are you cruising?

I've wanted to go on a cruise for a while. Alaskan Cruises leave frrom my home town all the time (Vancouver BC).

But I think for my first crusie ........ I'd like to go somewhere warm.

Cheers,
Aquaman

Since you are on the west coast, what about a mexican rivera cruise leave from CA?
or, if you wanted to fly, you could leave from TX or FL for a 7 day caribbean cruise!
Cruises are becoming my favorite form of vacation!

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Originally posted by: Aquaman
were are you cruising?

I've wanted to go on a cruise for a while. Alaskan Cruises leave frrom my home town all the time (Vancouver BC).

But I think for my first crusie ........ I'd like to go somewhere warm.

Cheers,
Aquaman

Since you are on the west coast, what about a mexican rivera cruise leave from CA?
or, if you wanted to fly, you could leave from TX or FL for a 7 day caribbean cruise!
Cruises are becoming my favorite form of vacation!

I've always wanted to catch a cruise from Cali go through the Panama Canal and then cruise around the Caribean

I need to find some people to go with me though

Hey........ anyone want to organize an ATOT Cruise?

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[iamwiz82]

That cruise is $1500 for two suites on Best Price Cruises.

 

[BigSmooth]

Occasionally, you can get a good deal directly through the agency, but most of the time, from what I've seen, the online discount sites are far cheaper. There are many reputable sites, so "safety" shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Since you are on the west coast, what about a mexican rivera cruise leave from CA?
or, if you wanted to fly, you could leave from TX or FL for a 7 day caribbean cruise!
Cruises are becoming my favorite form of vacation!

He'll be stuck with X if he wants to leave the West Coast go through the Canal and wind up on the East Coast.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Turks & Caicos, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Half Moon Cay.

6 days, woot!

Sounds like MS Zuiderdam leaving FLL.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: LolaWiz
DO NOT BOOK DIRECTLY. it is insane for the "rack rate"
i have booked with www.bestpricecruises.com for the past 3 cruieses.

I actually call their offices and speak with someone. They have the best rates out there. PM me if you want a name.

Happy Cruising. We are leaving on Thrusday for our cruise!

:thumbsup:


BTW-Where are you two going LolaWiz?

Turks & Caicos, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Half Moon Cay.

6 days, woot!

I haven't been to any of those places except St. Thomas (pic).
You can bring back a bunch of inexpensive booze from there since you're already in the US. The only bitch is that the boats dock away from the center of the town, but it's only a little cab ride.

 

[WobbleWobble]

I booked a Carnival Cruise and was initially going to book directly with Carnival. It was much cheaper at Expedia and Travelocity.

 

[Lola]

Originally posted by: Aquaman

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

Originally posted by: Aquaman
were are you cruising?

I've wanted to go on a cruise for a while. Alaskan Cruises leave frrom my home town all the time (Vancouver BC).

But I think for my first crusie ........ I'd like to go somewhere warm.

Cheers,
Aquaman

Since you are on the west coast, what about a mexican rivera cruise leave from CA?
or, if you wanted to fly, you could leave from TX or FL for a 7 day caribbean cruise!
Cruises are becoming my favorite form of vacation!

I've always wanted to catch a cruise from Cali go through the Panama Canal and then cruise around the Caribean

I need to find some people to go with me though

Hey........ anyone want to organize an ATOT Cruise?

Cheers,
Aquaman

TOTALLY!!! we would be "down" with that!
Panama canal is very pricy... but it would be reallly cool to do a caribbean ATOT cruise!

 

[Jeeebus]

i'm spoiled since our Tahiti honeymoon cruise, but it's off to the s caribbean in march... and i can't wait.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: LolaWiz

TOTALLY!!! we would be "down" with that!
Panama canal is very pricy... but it would be reallly cool to do a caribbean ATOT cruise!

ROFL! Do it on our ship and I would feel like the ATOT mod for a week!

Where's the Tylenol?

:laugh:

 

[bcterps]

Just got back from 11 days in the Southern Carribbean 2 weeks ago. Lot's of fun Go with a Travel Agent, definitely do not book off the cruise company's website. I've found that TA's can get even better deals than the online sites usually.