5 Important Things to Know When Booking a Cruise

 

No matter how many cruises you’ve been on, you can always learn more to make your voyage as perfect as possible. We’ve discovered some great tips along the way and here are a few we’d like to share.

 

Choose the Right Ship 

There are many factors to consider when choosing the most appropriate ship for your cruise. Remember the main three cruising styles are Ocean, River and Expedition. Aside from price and itinerary, the ship’s overall vibe and layout are also important. Some are luxurious, small or mid-size targeted for a more genteel cruise experience and others host over 5,000 passengers, offering many activities including kids and teens programs, waterslides, rock climbing walls, or even go-karting. 

Make sure you’re choosing a ship that has a good array of activities and amenities that you and your family will enjoy.

 

Choose Your Cabin Wisely

When booking your cruise, speak with your Travel Agent and do some research about the ship’s layout and which cabin best suits your needs and budget. We recommend cabins that are not directly above, below or next to a busy area that may be noisy at certain times of the day. None of us wants to hear nightclub music or poolside deckchairs scraping the floor while we’re trying to enjoy peace and quiet.

If you are prone to seasickness, book a cabin in the middle of the ship on a lower deck for less rocking and rolling, and if you have mobility issues, the best cabins will be close to the lifts.  Families should ideally look for interconnecting rooms, but get in early as these tend to sell quickly, especially on holiday sailings.

 

Give Yourself Ample Time

Don’t fly into your port city to join the cruise on embarkation day, that’s rolling the dice! If you are embarking at an incredible destination such as New York, Lisbon or Barcelona, make sure to arrive at least a day before your cruise departs to allow a buffer for flight delays and other unforeseen events – sadly the ship won’t wait.  Also, give yourself an extra day or two to explore these top travel spots. 

 

Consider the Calendar

It’s not necessarily a mistake to sail in the Australian cyclone season (typically from November to April), but don’t be surprised if the seas are a little rocky during your voyage. You’re more likely to have your itinerary altered and should consider travel insurance that covers this. Also, if you sail during school holidays expect the ship to be busy with larger family groups travelling with children onboard.

 

Budget Accurately

As we’re sure you are aware, on some cruises your expenses don’t end when you make final payment for your cruise fare. Unless your Travel Agent pre-arranged an all inclusive package deal for you, be ready to pay for drinks, gratuities, excursions, specialty dining, and souvenirs. Remember to also find out what currency is used onboard, it may be Australian dollars, US dollars or Euro depending on the cruise line and where you will be cruising.

Before booking your cruise, it may also help to chat with friends and family for their recommendations and positive travel experiences.

Then call us on 1300 766 537 or email info@cruiseexpress.com.au. and we’ll be happy to help with all the arrangements.

Click here for some inspiration for your next cruising holiday experience!

 

The Benefits of Booking your Holiday with an Agency

 

As online influence and purchasing have increased exponentially in the last few years, it seems that personal interaction with your reputable Travel Agency is falling by the wayside – but is it?

Agency or DIY?

When it comes to important decisions like our large purchases and big-ticket holidays, we still crave a human at the end of the line, or shock horror, even face to face!

Outlined below are a few reasons why we believe developing a long-term relationship with a travel agency is so important to achieving your best holiday, for the best price without any unsuspecting traps for holiday disasters.

Expertise – just when you need it

Like any professional, whether it be a lawyer or doctor, a Travel Specialist is just that, a specialist. Highly trained and in most cases with many years if not decades of experience, they are fully invested to get to know you, to listen well, know what questions to ask, and to offer advice on how to make your holiday the best it can possibly be.

They also have all the inside knowledge of visa and passport requirements, port details, embarkation and so much more.

Most agents can also help you with little insights and tips – like where to find the best pizza in New York or a great bar in Santorini!

Great prices and value

With so many offers out there, it can be really confusing to know if you are getting the best deal and value for money. Remember that your Travel Specialist has access to exactly the same deals cruise lines directly offer, and in some cases are able to offer even lower pricing, intervening with suppliers on your behalf.

It pays to ask – depending on allocations and offerings for different ships and destinations, Cruise Express can be as much as 10 percent lower in price than the actual cruise line!

What you see online is not necessarily the best price, and prices do fluctuate frequently. We recommend that you simply always ask the question.

They get to know your personal needs and preferences

They aren’t just selling you a product, it’s also a service, and you can’t have one successfully without the other. Once a relationship has developed, your Travel Specialist will know so much more about you and will do everything they can to meet your needs within your budget.

Many clients return year after year knowing they will be taken care of so that their holidays are stress-free.

Although on occasion you may pay a slight amount more for agency expertise, the time and money you spend with them will be returned to you many times over in the form of perks, upgrades, convenience, great service and someone to call if things go wrong on your holidays.

Added peace of mind

Price isn’t everything and sometimes what you need is really good after sales support. If something goes wrong you have the peace of mind knowing you can call 24/7 and speak to someone.

Remember, if you buy online, you aren’t dealing with a faceless online booking agency or a website provider making it hard to contact anyone.

Escorted tours offer experiences like no other

Escorted tours are another travel agency specialty. Enjoy having a highly experienced tour leader who knows the ins and outs of your destination, insider tips on where to go, special access to places, special contacts with inside local knowledge, and touches that are not available to other travellers.

While most of us would like to spend much more of our lives travelling, for many it isn’t really an option, so when we do embark on these inspiring journeys, it’s important to do it to the best of your capability, utilising the best of the best available to you.

We recommend chatting with friends and family about their positive travel experiences and the travel agency they use and have developed a rapport with.

Call, email or drop in – and trust your instincts. And, of course, we are always here to help!

Click here for an ultimate holiday experience or call us 1300 766 537