Flights & Shuttle Transfers
Because the cruise started in Vancouver and ended in Seward, I needed to purchase two one-way flights. Flying to Vancouver was $189 and flying from Anchorage was $347, bringing the total flight cost to $536.
Flying roundtrip from my house to either Seattle or Vancouver usually costs between $200 and $300 total, so the one-way flights were definitely more expensive, especially the one from Anchorage, adding a significant amount to the total cost of the cruise.
Additionally, because the cruise ended in Seward, I needed to purchase a shuttle bus to Anchorage for $78.95. This was the cheaper option the train transfer was $124.95!
Should You Book Direct Or Use A Cruise Travel Agent
Youve decided to take a cruise. Unfortunately, theres more to it than that. A lot of people ask should I use a travel agent to book a cruise? and there is a simple answer to this question Yes. Choosing a good cruise travel agent could be one of the best decisions you make when it comes to booking your cruise.
There are several important decisions you need to make. Where would you like to go? What type of ship should you choose Boutique Ship or Mega-Ship? Ocean Cruise or River Cruise? Maybe an adventure on an Expedition ship? Do you want to Fly to an overseas location to pick up your cruise? The list goes on.
No wonder people feel confused and unsure as to what to do next. So what are your options? Some folks start by doing online research or use recommendations but whether youre new to cruising, or a seasoned traveller looking for something different we highly recommend getting advice from one of a growing number of independent cruise travel agents.
We cruise a lot and some of the most frequently asked questions we get asked when someone is looking to book a cruise include the following:
- Should I use a cruise travel agent to book my cruise?
- Surely dealing directly with the cruise company is better for me?
- Whats the best way to book a cruise?
- Should I use a cruise travel agent to make my booking or do it myself online?
Cruising Power For Travel Agents
https://www.tripsavvy.com/cruising-power-for-travel-agents-3252506
Cruising Power is a vital resource for travel agents booking individual or group reservations on Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity, and Azamara Club Cruises.This web-based program is chocked full of information, brochure and flyer templates, and a
Status: Online
You May Like: Holland America Canada New England Cruise
Better Communications & Technology
Most travel agents can be reached easily seven days a week through a phone call, email, text message, WhatsApp or Social Media.
The better cruise agents will allocate a dedicated person to manage your account, which helps them understand your requirements and help build a long term relationship. These dedicated contacts are often known as your Cruise Concierge or Cruise Connoisseur.
As well as an intelligent Customer Relationship Management system, these agents will also have sophisticated computer systems with access to flights, hotels and other cruise add-ons to help provide you with a stress-free booking.
These booking engines make booking a cruise, flights, hotels and addons simplicity itself. They also link to all the major cruise line booking systems and can instantly advise on the availability of particular staterooms or suites. Some agents are even able to hold staterooms for a few days so that you can double-check everything before parting with your money!
Clia Membership Is Currently In Annual Recess For Open Enrollment
To join or renew for the 2023 membership year, please check back in October for Travel Agency Membership and November for Individual Agent Membership. If you have any questions about CLIA Membership, please refer to our Membership FAQs or contact one of our Membership Specialists at or 759-9370 .
CLIA Membership has given me access to travel resources and tools. Having itineraries, ship features, and key selling points for every global cruise line, to share with my clients, right at my fingertips is priceless.
Ferne C. Sapp, ACC
I am so grateful for CLIA, and everything you all do to make sure agents are equipped with the knowledge and tools to provide the best service in the cruise industry. I have enjoyed all of the classes I have taken so far, and I look forward to working toward my MCC. Its not just important to me to advise clients, but I also want to be knowledgeable in all aspects of the cruise business. Even after three college degrees, the training with CLIA has been my best education yet! Thank you all for being great trainers, leaders, and advisors.
Tonia Sanders, ACC
Earning my CLIA Master Cruise Counselor certification nearly 20 years ago provided me with the core knowledge to get my career off the ground. I am grateful for CLIAs continually evolving training offerings both digitally and in person that enhance travel advisors ability to understand the complexity of the cruise market.
Daniel Genung
You May Like: Cruises To San Juan Puerto Rico
Personalized Experience Using A Cruise Travel Agent
If you choose the right agent, they will have access to vast numbers of cruise line offerings and will not only be able to scour the whole market to find your perfect cruise they can also save you time and money into the bargain. On top of this, they will often know of the latest deals available through their prefered cruise lines.
They can also add exclusive perks, such as flowers in your stateroom, onboard spending money, cabin upgrades or a bottle of bubbly on arrival. In addition to these fun extras, agents can also arrange personalized travel details for your cruise like specific dining requirements like vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free.
Cruise Fare Flights And Hotel
When I booked my cruise on Radiance of the Seas, it was the cheapest Alaska cruise on Royal Caribbeans website. The total cruise fare with taxes & fees for 2 guests in an interior room was $1,118, or $559 per guest.
Gratuities for each guest were $101.50, bringing the total cruise fare to $660.50 per person. At around $94 per day, I felt it was a fantastic deal!
Related: How much does a cruise cost?
Also Check: West Palm Beach Cruise To Bahamas
Groups And Travel Agents Rates
Examples of these bonuses to the agent are 1-in-8 . If you are travelling in a large party with family or friends, it is always worth asking if the agent has special group pricing and ask for free places for your group rather than the agent taking the Free cabins as extra profit or freebies for their staff.
Radiance Of The Seas First Impressions
I had never sailed on a Radiance Class cruise ship before, so I wasnt sure what to expect. Royal Caribbean has 6 classes of cruise ships, and each has a different layout and size as well as varied onboard dining, activities, and amenities.
One of the first things I noticed was the large Centrum in the middle of Radiance of the Seas. Royal Caribbean is known for their sprawling Royal Promenades inside the ship, but the cruise lines older cruise ships do not have this feature.
Instead, Radiance of the Seas has a large, 6-story elevator lobby connecting shops, lounges, a coffee shop, and other onboard amenities. I dont mind the Centrum and feel that it connects the ships decks together nicely, although it seemed a bit cramped, even when compared to the more open Centrum area on my recent cruise on Royal Caribbeans Rhapsody of the Seas.
Radiance Class ships are known for the amount of windows found throughout the ship, and this is one of the features I ended up loving most about Radiance of the Seas throughout my cruise. No matter where I was onboard, I could relax with a view and enjoy Alaskas scenery.
Related: 20 Radiance Class cruise ship tips and secrets
The outdoor decks on Radiance of the Seas were really nice as well, although I didnt expect to spend much time there during an Alaska cruise. Having access to the helicopter pad is always a plus, and the indoor pool area in the Solarium was a beautiful space.
Also Check: Cruise From Florida To Puerto Rico
Costa Cruises Creates New Travel Agent Portal
Costa Cruises has launched a remodeled portal for travel agents: Costa Extra (www. … Also,174 cruise ships will offer shore-side power connectivity.
Cruising Power. Royal Caribbean | Celebrity | Azamara. Contact. Phone: Royal Caribbean: 800-327-6700 Celebrity: 800-437-3111 | Cruise Tour: 888-307-8401 …
Save Time With The Right Cruise Travelagency
Using a specialist cruise travel agency can save you a lot of time and money. If you explain to your agent exactly what you are looking for, they will do all the work and provide you will personalized quotations to meet your needs. The right agent builds a profile of your interests and preferences and will match your hobbies and even the celebration of a special occasion to find your perfect cruise.
The best cruise agents may suggest a unique itinerary which you would never have spotted. Its so easy to watch one of the many TV programs about cruising or get drawn into a commercial promising a particular cruise line being the best fit for you and then potentially miss the perfect cruise with another cruise line.
You May Like: Royal Caribbean Cruise Promo Code 2022
Alaska Cruise Costs :
- Pre-cruise purchases : $1442.95
- Purchases in port: $153
- Onboard purchases: $19
Total cost of my Alaska cruise: $1614.95
Looking back, I probably could have booked a more expensive cruise fare on a newer ship from Seattle and still saved money due to cheaper flights and other transportation expenses.
If youre truly looking to save the most amount of money possible, definitely research flight costs and shuttles before booking an Alaska cruise!
I had no idea a shuttle would cost $80 one-way to reach Anchorage from Seward, for example, and this could easily get way more expensive when cruising with a large family.
That being said, I definitely saved hundreds of dollars by not booking excursions and instead choosing to explore ports freely on my own. I didnt feel we missed out on anything by not booking excursions.
However, Ive already been to Alaska and will cruise to Alaska again in the future. If youre only going to visit Alaska once, Id book at least 1-2 excursions, such as whale watching and the White Pass & Yukon Railroad train, in order to make the most out of Alaskas attractions.
I was happy to end the cruise in southcentral Alaska as it allowed me to explore Anchorage .
In the end, I made some amazing memories with my friend Reeham and we were able to explore four unique Alaska cruise ports and discover more of Alaskas culture, cuisine, and nature.
Adding Value Keeping You Up To Date
The best agents also keep up to date with policy changes made by the cruise lines. Such things include smoking restrictions, cruise gratuities and Drinks Packages, which helps avoid surprises when you embark on your cruise. They can also advise on the Dress Code and the number of Formal evenings planned for your chosen cruise voyage.
More importantly, the best travel agents are kept fully informed about the latest offers from the cruise lines. Many of these agents offer the ability to sign up to receive offers and special offerings direct to your inbox via email. Signing up for these offers or newsletters is particularly good for last minute offers and cancellation cruise offers.
You May Like: Repositioning Cruises 2022 From Europe To Us
Last Sea Day & Disembarkation
The last full day of our Alaska cruise was supposed to include a visit to Hubbard Glacier, but unfortunately we were unable to approach the glacier due to low visibility.
Bad weather was the theme of the day, and we encountered the roughest waters Ive experienced yet on a cruise. I spent most of the day feeling seasick and laying in bed, which was definitely not fun!
As evening approached, however, Reeham and I began to feel better and were able to enjoy our last night onboard before disembarking the next morning in Seward.
We arrived in Seward early on disembarkation day and took a 3 hour shuttle bus to downtown Anchorage. We still had ten hours before our flight once we arrived in Anchorage, so I was pleased to discover that the city has a complimentary building with luggage storage, tables and chairs, and a free airport shuttle available.
Soon enough, it was time to say goodbye to Alaskas beauty and return home.
Locate A Travel Advisor
Looking for offices around the world? Please visit our International Representatives page
- Simplify your choices – There are many breathtaking destinations and activities to peruse. A travel advisor can help you quickly narrow down the choices that are best for you, depending on the type of traveler you are.
- Recommendations – A travel advisor can point out some of the most popular onshore destinations, activities you won’t want to miss, items to be sure to pack, and maybe even out-of-this-world foods to sample onboard.
- Explaining the Fine Print – Are there restrictions? Time limitations? What’s the cancellation policy? We’ve made all this information available to you online, of course, but a travel advisor can help make sure it all makes sense.
Locate a Travel Agent
You May Like: Sunset Cruise North Myrtle Beach
The Cost Of Using A Cruise Travel Agent
There is a view that using a travel agent to book a cruise will cost you more than booking directly with the cruise line. In reality, the opposite is the case. There is no surcharge when using an agent, and in most cases, their prices will be better than booking with the cruise line direct.
The reason for this is that the cruise lines need travel agents to sell the bulk of their cruises as they could not handle all booking themselves directly. The cruise agent will receive a percentage of the fare as a commission, but that doesnt affect the price you get charged but funded by the cruise line. Commission earned is based on from the cruise element of the fare with things like port charges, flights etc. excluded.
Vacations With More Options
Introducing NO PERK rates in refundable & non-refundable fares.
Ideal for price-driven clients and creating demand through your marketing channels, our new NO PERK rates are the perfect opportunity to leverage lower rates to drive traffic and UPSELL clients to Always Included vacations, allowing you to earn more commission.
Also Check: Best Western Fort Lauderdale Airport/cruise Port
Higher Levels Of Customer Service
Perhaps one of the most important reasons for using a cruise specialist is the high level of customer service you will receive that you will not get when using an online service or even a non-focused travel agent. The right cruise travel agent will be able to answer all of your questions and guide you through essential steps.
The right travel agent, especially one who specializes in cruising, will give you access to experienced staff with extensive knowledge who can help you choose the right cruise and stateroom. They will be able to take care of all your specific requests. If they sound vague or cold, ditch them and find a company that is passionate about winning your business.
