New and No experience

[DonaldnDaisy5]

Hi family of 5, considering a cruise for next years spring break - last week of March...so many options and I am feeling overwhelmed.

We have used a travel agent in the past for one of our Disney trips but not for any other vacations. Would we pay the agent? Is it possible to book on my own?

What do I need to know? We are in MI so looking for warm in March. Thinking leaving from FL. Nothing longer than a week. 2 girls and a boy ages 9, 16 and 14 at time of travel.

Thank you for any input and help!!!

 

[nancy drew]

You can book on your own or use a travel agent. Many charge fees, but some of us do not. There are a lot of ships, a lot of destinations, and a lot of things to consider when booking.

What itinerary are you looking for?

Do you want a smaller ship that can go to some of the more unusual spots (Southern Caribbean, smaller ports) or a mega ship that has a lot to offer as far as activities and shows?

Do you plan to do excursions in port, and if so what kind of excursions do you like? Beach days? Snorkeling? Adventure or zip lining?

I am almost done with my review of the Symphony of the Seas, which you can read here:

The Symphony, The Key, Two Teens, And Me!

This could give you an idea of some of the options on the mega ships, which is a good place to start, or an idea of some of the ports so you can consider itineraries. I'm happy to answer any questions, and so are many of the other members here.

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

I'd use a travel agent. I've never known any to charge a fee. I used a website that allows agencies to compete for your cruise booking. I'm not sure I can say the name so perhaps just use some keywords in a search. I had about 8 quotes come back to me all around the same price (give or take $100 in the fare or $50 OBC) except for one that was about $400 less because they had a special group pricing.

Overall, I saved about $600 ($4,400 vs. $3,800) and got an extra $100 OBC using the TA instead of booking direct through Royal.

As far as which ship/departure port to use. Don't forget about Galveston. We haven't tried RCCL just yet but decided to go with Liberty for our first RCCL cruise. We are also a family of 5 so doing one of the Oasis class ships out of Florida was going to be a little more costly (about $1,000-$2,000 more). And Galveston is a lot closer to us in Southern California. I think Galveston (Houston) and Florida are relatively similar in flights for you?

 

[starvenger]

Hi family of 5, considering a cruise for next years spring break - last week of March...so many options and I am feeling overwhelmed.

We have used a travel agent in the past for one of our Disney trips but not for any other vacations. Would we pay the agent? Is it possible to book on my own?

What do I need to know? We are in MI so looking for warm in March. Thinking leaving from FL. Nothing longer than a week. 2 girls and a boy ages 9, 16 and 14 at time of travel.

Thank you for any input and help!!!

OK since you're from MI you know that if driving you basically get on to I75 south and go. If you hit the UP, you've gone the wrong way .

I'd recommend a travel agent. If your TA regularly books cruises I'd use them. Otherwise use a national TA like Dreams Unlimited (the board sponsors) or a local TA that specializes in cruises.

Does US Spring Break coincide with that of the college Spring Break? If so, I'd avoid (non-Disney) 3-4 night cruises as they are more than likely to be "booze cruises".

Since it's your first cruise, I'd probably try an Oasis class ship. Should be enough to do, and probably enough kids so that your kids can socialize.

 

[gumbypee]

Cruising is awesome!

-I would first decide if the ship is what is most important or the ports
-IF ship then I hear Oasis class is amazing
-IF ports, then decide where you want to go and see who is sailing to there

-I would use a TA bc you usually get OBC. But you are certainly able to book on your own

-Once pick itinerary/ship then you need to decide if you are going to get two rooms or a larger family style room which there are not a whole lot of but two rooms could be cheaper, you have to price it out

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

Speaking of rooms - with the ages of your kids you may be open to an inside and a balcony. I personally don't think I could do one room with 5 (especially if that includes teenagers!). For our cruise, we have an Ultra Spacious Promenade View room which sleeps 6 and a balcony which sleeps 2. We're getting over 515 square feet of space for just 5 people. And the best part, two bathrooms!

If you do decide to do just one room you will have to call in if you don't go through a TA. Most communication with a TA can be done by email except when you need to make a payment.

 

[nkereina]

Any reputable travel agent will not charge a fee. They make their money on commission from what you book. The only instance I've seen a fee imposed is when a person only books airfare with a travel agent, because airlines do not pay commission. But typically, if you are booking airfare with the cruise package, any reputable agent would not charge a fee. We booked our Royal cruise through Tracey Heinrichs at Dreams Unlimited Travel, who is the main sponsor of DisBoards. All correspondence was through email, and Tracey could not have been more responsive or helpful. We opted to go through a TA I knew had been on our ship (Oasis) and could opine on the best cabin locations. IMO, cabin location is important because you are stuck in the same room the whole week, unlike at a hotel where you could request a different room if needed.

I also think an agent very familiar with cruises is a valuable resource to help you narrow down your options. If you're interested in the ports, you may want a more port intensive itinerary. If its the ship you're interested in, one with fewer or less interesting ports may be good. We sailed on Oasis, so our primary focus of the trip was the ship and all its amenities. Ports were secondary. We had three ports on our 7 day sailing, which worked out perfectly. We all agreed that if there were anymore, we would not have had the chance to fully experience the ship like we did. Also, the TA can narrow down your options based on length, dates, and budget. From there, they should be able to speak to the amenities and age of the ships and the differences in each cruise line, which will help determine which to go with.