Free or cheap cruises often pop up on social media.
Sometimes, it’s just a scam to get your email or other personal information.
Related: Royal Caribbean confiscates tech items some passengers love
In some cases, it’s a deal with a catch. A short weekend cruise might be dangled as the prize for sitting through a timeshare presentation or some other sort of questionable investment.
In other cases, the deal is actually real, as travel agents often buy or reserve blocks of room in order to get very good deals on certain cruises. That does happen, but it’s very important for people to be wary, as scams are very common.
Two Florida women, Nyeasha Lambert and Rochelle Price, both fell for the same scam where they responded to a Facebook post offering a 3-day Royal Caribbean cruise on Utopia of the Seas to the Bahamas.
“We had to pay $100 upfront,” Lambert told a local news station. “And then over time, we paid off the cruise. The whole cruise was $523 at best. And then, she also said that once we were on the bus, we had to pay an additional $25.”
Both women made payments through Cash App until they had paid the full fare. They received what appeared to be reservation numbers and booking confirmations, but they were all fake, and when it came time to board the ship, they were not allowed to do so.
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Utopia of the Seas sails 3 and 4-day itineraries out of Port Canaveral.
Image source: Royal Caribbean.
How to avoid cruise scams
Cruise scams are somewhat hard to identify because many people book cruises through third parties like travel agents. There are, however, some ways to keep yourself safe.
1. Be wary of how payments are made
All legitimate travel agents accept credit cards. It’s possible that some may allow services like Cash App, Zelle, or Venmo, but if they require you to pay with one of those services, that is a major warning sign.
Using a credit card also allows you to dispute the charge, and it’s best to pay with an actual credit card, not a debit card. Never use any other method of paying unless you have a long, established relationship with a travel agent.
2. Check on the cruise line website
It’s not hard for a scammer to make up a reservation number or even fake a reservation confirmation. A real reservation, however, will also show up on the cruise line’s actual website.
Any person with a booked cruise on Royal Caribbean (or any other cruise line) can create an account and use their reservation number to confirm their reservation. If your reservation does not appear, you can call the cruise line to check whether it actually exists or not.
3. Be skeptical of prices
It always makes sense to check the cruise line’s website to see what it would cost to book directly. A travel agent may have a better deal, but it’s rare that the price will be half off or some other giant discount.
If the price seems too good to be true, be very wary.
Don’t fear using travel agents
A good travel agent can do much more than get you better prices. When it comes to booking cruises, they can often get you onboard credit, and sometimes, they may be able to get you some perks like free specialty dining or an internet package.
Travel agents can also help you when things go wrong. If your flight gets canceled or your cruise gets stuck at sea for a day, your travel agent can help you make new arrangements.
ALSO READ: Top travel agents share how to get the best price on your cruise
The best way to find a good travel agent is by getting a referral. If you want an agent to book cruises for you, it’s important to find someone who regularly books cruises.
If you’re picking a travel agent blindly, check to make sure they are credible. Real travel agents have websites and phone numbers. They can also introduce you to clients who will gladly vouch for them.
(If you would like to meet my travel agent, send me an email at [email protected].
