Who Did You Book Your Carnival Cruise Through?

[cinderelli]

I've been researching and trying to get the best price for a cruise on the Triumph out of NYC 7/2 to Canada. I know some sites don't include port charges upfront, so it's hard to really compare. I also have a price from a TA.

Where have you all booked your cruises, and how were their prices? Thanks!!

[Kuki]

I'm afraid this is "one of those posts" which will require responses to be made via e-mail.

Just click on the name of the original poster at the top or her post.

Naming agents here would be a violation of our User Agreement.

[bigsky]

Actually, my next Carnival cruise I booked through Carnival! They saved me quite a bit of money. I always shop around.

[David W]

I booked mine through my TA . Which I have used since 1999.

Happy ailing;
david

[ParrotHeadFL]

Booked mine direct with Carnival. It being my first cruise, I just didn't want to take any chances (nor did I need the services offered by a TA). I found Carnival's direct rates to be competitive.

I'M SORRY I DIDN'T KNOW WE COULDN'T NAME TA'S....SORRY AGAIN

[cinderelli]

Sorry to ask a question that would cause a problem!

I was thinking of calling the cruise line directly and seeing how their prices compare with my TA. Sounds like some of you have done this, and that it's not a bad idea.

[Lizzy]

We just booked a cruise this week through a TA. I had called Carnival and got their price. I then checked a couple web sites. I found the cheapest one and gave it to a friend who is just starting a cruise selling business. They matched it.

[SandyW]

We've booked the last two through our Carnival Personal Vacation Planner. You can go to Carnival and click on the CPVP site leave info and they'll call you. They were able to beat our TAs prices.

[Kuki]

I have to say I am AMAZED so many people have found prices better directly from Carnival, than from TAs.

They have changed their policy, affective in Jan. 05 on TAs pricing, but until then a TA SHOULD be able to easily beat Carnival prices. I have to say, if you folks are shopping, you've been finding some strange travel agents <G>

Suggest you get some pricing from our "Cruise Quotes" section. I'd be shocked if all the quotes you got weren't below Carnival's prices.

[ParrotHeadFL]

I didn't find *better* pricing direct with Carnival, but the pricing was the same was what a number of TA's offered. It was slightly higher than some, but not so much so as to persuade me to go through a TA. I was just really nervous with this being my first cruise, and felt more comfortable going directly through Carnival--even if it meant paying a little more.

[zoomer1]

I've booked a couple of times through a known website and have received the best service and the lowest prices—at least compared to what Carnival was offering. For my next cruise in Dec. I decided to try booking directly through Carnival but will never do that again--I've had nothing but frustration dealing with them directly. They have always been friendly, but not very efficient.

Some of the travel websites offer promotions like a $50-$100 Master Card credit--it just takes some searching and making sure that you are comparing the exact same items--taxes, port charges, etc.

I saw a post on some board where the fellow claimed that he searched for the lowest possible price on the web and then called Carnival directly to see if they would beat that price. According to him, they always did. I haven’t tried this approach so I don’t know if it works or not.

zoomer

I go thru a TA and she is great, once I put the depoist down she kkeps checking to see if the price has gone down so I can get the lower price.Since I always fly out the day before she will tell me if it is cheaper to book my flight thru Carnival or do it myself. She is great and will always tell me a good time to go. Here is my e-mail if you want her name and e-mail address.
lennywife@aol.com-home
halvorsen18@hotmail.com

Kuki;
What is Carnival's new TA pricing policy effective Jan. 5,2005???

[Kuki]

Effective Jan 05 travel agents are NOT allowed to advertise rates lower than Carnival's advertised rates.

There will still be group rates available, that they can advertise.

Think if you're considering a Carnival cruise in 05 or 06 you may want to do your shopping and booking before the end of the year.

[Darcy]

I used the cruise compete feature on this website and ended up booking through a TA that responded. The price was almost $200 cheaper than my local TA.

Just returned from our first cruise ever. Booked that 9-04 cruise through Carnival three weeks prior to departure for great rate. Did research for our cruise for May 05 and Carnival would NOT match or even budge from their quoted rate which was higher than I found online. Needless to say, booked online.

I always book through my friendly neighborhood travel agent. I window shop via the internet in order to decide what I want and how much I will pay. That way when I arrive at the TA office, I have some leverage.

Kuki,

I'm with you!! I find alot of other websites other then Carnivals have very good prices....Hard to believe going to the direct cruiseline website you save money....Wow!!

Its not hard to believe the TA is getting squeezed out of the loop, the airlines are doing the same thing to them, cutting direct booked fares instead of paying TA commissions, remember its like I was told when I got laid off" its only business, its not personal"
Triumph

[riwehr]

I always shop the internet and CCL Website for several dates, then I go to my TA with an expected cost- so far she has been able to find a better price. This last time I saw an ad in Carnivals magazine for a past guest special. Something like if you book by Nov.1 prices are starting at $375 pp for lowest cat. interior room (only cruises from jan 05- nov 05) with a best availible upgrade,-- anyways the promotion was something like that. i went to my TA and was able to get a 6A upgraded to 6D for only $350 pp. What a great deal!

Kuki;
Are you saying that all TA's including internet will be forced to sell bookings at the same price? TA's will no longer be able to discount bookings? Or are TA's just not allowed to "advertise" lower rates, but sell bookings at prices they want by giving up some of their commision?

[Cruznut2]

I do outside sales for a local agency here and we ususally have very competitive rates so I book my own.

Cruznut2

We just booked diredt through CCl. We have cruised 3 times before and used a TA,
she always seemeed to just hit the price of everyone nothing amazing but good. We shopped internet, Ta and everywhere, this time and CCL beat all of them by $385 per person on a balcony 8E. So off on the Triumph for our 2nd time in March. I guess the best advice we received was from this sight years ago that said after you have picked, paid enjoy and DO NOT ask anyone on the boat,"What did you pay?"

My brother he's a ta.

[Kuki]

Author: spike (cache-rtc-aa05.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 10-31-04 07:01

Kuki;
Are you saying that all TA's including internet will be forced to sell bookings at the same price? TA's will no longer be able to discount bookings? Or are TA's just not allowed to "advertise" lower rates, but sell bookings at prices they want by giving up some of their commision?
For the time being, in regard to Carnival, they will be able to sell at whatever price they choose, but unable to advertise it.
On Royal Caribbean they ALREADY are only allowed to sell or advertise at RCI rates, with the exception of group rates.