Cruise prices have been steadily rising after being depressed in the period that followed the Covid pandemic. Those first sailings back were sold at deep discounts even though ships were only operating at partial capacity.
Those days, however, are long gone.
Both Carnival and Royal Caribbean have been setting sales records and Norwegian and Disney Cruise Lines have reported strong numbers as well. However, you can’t simply go online and book a great deal. Instead, the right travel agent partner can help you find the perfect cruise at the best possible price.
Amy and Dennis Post own Postcard Travel Planning, Come Cruise With Me’s travel agent partner. They also serve as Come Cruise With Me’s founder Dan Kline’s travel agents, and they sat down with Come Cruise With Me to share some insider tips on the cruise industry and how a travel agent might help.
The Arena Group receives a sales commission when people book a cruise with Postcard Travel planning.
Cruises that stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay are in high demand.
Image source: Daniel Kline/Come Cruise With Me
How to get the best cruise prices
Come Cruise With Me: How do you help customers find the best pricing?
Dennis and Amy Post: We use our exclusive travel system which allows us to search all available cruise pricing across all cruise lines very fast to find and offer them the best pricing options. Most people have an idea of what cruise line they want but a lot have never cruised across the many different cruise brands, and our systems allow us to search all and offer them options and the best value for their cruise vacation.
CCWM: Do Travel Agents get special deals for customers?
Dennis and Amy Post: Yes, we define deals not only as the lowest price but best total value for their vacation time and not just the money they spend. We look at not just price but which port they have to leave from (close or far away), ports they will visit, the age and size of the ship, customer services, and what amenities they will receive and have to use on the ship they choose to sail on. In addition, we get advanced notices on ships’ issues (equipment malfunctions), itinerary changes, or port restrictions.
CCWM: If I book with you and the price of my cruise goes down, what happens?
Dennis and Amy Post: We follow their booking from start to cruising. Once they make a selection and put a deposit down, we track it daily/weekly looking for price changes, onboard credit specials, and other perks being offered all the way up to the sail date. We look beyond final payment, too, as there have been times when clients’ cruise pricing dropped after the final payment and we went in and got a credit for the difference, refund, or in some cases get upgrades.
CCWM: Are there still last-minute deals when booking a cruise?
Dennis and Amy Post: Yes, but they are harder to find as cruises are booking up early and fast. Some ships are selling out before final payment which is usually 90 days out in most cases.
The client would have to be flexible meaning they didn’t care what ship, cabin selection, cruise line, or ports they were leaving from. Also, the time of year matters, September through February (excluding holidays) they would have a better chance of finding some last-minute deals. Cruise Lines after all make money when passengers are on board and therefore will try different specials/marketing to get them filled. All in all, It is still possible we might be able to get a last-minute bargain but not guaranteed in post-pandemic times.
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More tips on booking the perfect cruise
CCWM: When is the best time to book a cruise?
Dennis and Amy Post: Booking a cruise is best done early on meaning a year or more out. When considering Alaska cruises, it is imperative to be 12-18 months out to get a good cabin selection, balconies, and cabins near each other. Alaska tends to be a bucket list for many and therefore, they plan early and want the best cabins and amenities they can get filling up the ships much quicker. Mediterranean cruises as well and for the Caribbean, 8-12 months is best but again, booking 12 months or more usually gets better deals.
CCWM: Are there mistakes you see customers make that you have warned them about?
Dennis and Amy Post: Yes, booking the wrong cruise and paying too much. We see people act on impulse and without knowing the ship, clientele on the ship for a given time of year, or the places they are going. Time of year matters because cruise ships are seasonal, lots of families in the summer (kids heavy), spring break March-May (college kids heavy on pool decks/bars), and short weekend getaways near big cities can tend to have a party crowd versus a relaxed family or adult cruise.
Also, A lot of people try to find the cheapest rate and don’t realize they booked a non-refundable cruise, one that has no amenities or they are in a guaranteed cabin meaning they cannot pick the location as it will be assigned by the cruise line and assigned late a few weeks out before sailing.
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CCWM: What else do you wish people knew about cruise pricing?
Dennis and Amy Post: Most listed prices are base prices and you must go all the way through a booking to the end to get the final price. Some prices are nonrefundable, guaranteed (meaning they pick your room) have no perks or amenities. If booking with a third party and not a travel agent, there are no protections if something goes wrong, you are on your own. Travel agents are like a fiduciary relationship, we fight for their best deals, value, and if something goes wrong, refunds or some type of compensation.
