Book a Cruise - Making Use of the Internet Versus Hiring A Travel Agent

Which option should you choose when it comes to booking your cruise? This is a pretty tough question. To answer this question, we list some of the comparisons between booking a cruise on your own using the internet as well as signing up with your travel agent.

Online Travel Websites

If you are a computer savvy person and enjoys making your own cruise arrangements, Internet is the way to go.

From most travel websites, you get to browse cruise packages and last-minute deals at your own pace. Information on the web can aid you to become a more informed cruiser. Imagine browsing photos, reviews, itineraries, ship facilities and comparing cruise rates instantaneously. That's the benefit of internet technology to travelers. It cuts down on time and improves transparency for the consumer. Chances are, booking a cruise on the web will get you lower prices as you eliminate the middle layer like the traditional travel agents. As a sweetener, many cruise websites offer special online deals and discount codes to entice more cruisers to book with them using the internet.

However, there are still some disadvantages when it comes to booking a cruise using the internet. For example, the rates may not include additional charges such as airfare, taxes, fees and insurance. You also need to navigate through some of the complicated web pages before finally getting the cruise tickets. The worst is that you may need to spend a lot of time trying to piece the information on your own.

Travel Agent

A good travel agent can help you free up your time from the process of booking a cruise. Forget about complexity of finding the right size cabins, dining and other services you need on board a ship. The travel agent gets it done all for you.

For those well-informed travel agents, they will often be alerted to the best cruise deals and bargains offered by the major cruise liners. As these deals are not posted and mostly offered exclusively to the travel agents by the cruise operators, it may make sense to book cruise tickets with the travel agents in this case. You also get personalized service provided to you. Having say that, first time cruiser would definitely find the advice of an experience agent helpful.

But, you should remember that travel agents work for a commission. Hence, they may offer your cruise packages that may be more aligned to their interests rather than yours. Booking a cruise with them is also comparatively slow and may require a trip down to their office. Some cruise travel agents only limits themselves to a few cruise liners that has referral programs with them. Hence, your choice may also be more limited compared to doing your own research online.