Competitive pricing?
 

I must be doing something wrong because every single site I go to has the same exact pricing. Is this because I'm already shopping a rock-bottom (ew ... bad metaphor?) cruise? I'm shopping Carnival Glory, balcony rooms and the price range is the same everywhere I look. Thanks for any feedback.

Everyone pretty well offers the same rate, as controled by teh crusie lines. They will give discount to seniors, miltary, and soemtimes geographic locations, and of course, repeat customers.

Where you can find "bargain" is on the last minutes deals or when a travel agent holds a "group rate", which they will have a rate lower than everyone else. You will also find bargains when they TA give you kick backs (and they have to be approved by the cruise lines if it is over a certain value) such as on baord credits, bottle of wine, free gifts, couples, cash back etc.

I alsways maintain you should support your local TA. If everyone books on the internet, those business would be gone and it will be a lost to your local community.

OK, thanks ... that does make perfect sense.

Love the Glory, going B2B in November and was on her 4 times last year.

BUT, as of August 1st, 2010, Carnival is following Royal Caribean and ALL TAs must offer Carnival's price, they cannot lower any Carnival price.

Some TAs may offer on board credit, free insurance, etc. but they can't lower the actual price.

Carnival does not allow advertising of prices lower than theirs. Actully you can still get lower price when booking. I learned it from my agent Alex. You can ask him at [email protected]. Tell him spurs sent you.

I love how everyone is so willing to share their knowledge. Thanks. And thanks for the agent referral but I ended up booking on Sunday to get the early booking rate (cruise 2/20/11). Just by waiting the couple of days I did to read these posts I managed to losing my screaming' cheap airfare. Life ...

Such is life ... when I see cheap airfare, I grab it. It`s harder to get cheap air than cheap cruise. There are discounts on cruise, but not by much. Air, on the other hand, could be hugh.

If you know you are going for sure, book the air and wait for the cruise to drop their prices. Also, cruise ships will give you a guarantee price once you paid the deposit. If the price drop, they may offer credits if you ask nicely. (But not on one off last minute deals)

Yeah, the airfare ... what a bummer. We were trying to decide between two different cruises, one out of Miami and the other out of New Orleans, so I couldn't book until the vote was final. Geez, five months before the flight and all the cheapo fares are already gone. I wanted the New Orleans cruise since it had Costa Maya and I have never been to New Orleans ... my husband had just got back from New Orleans and said, "Miami is nice. You like Miami, right?"

Misty: Try http://www.cruisecompete.com. Here you put in a quote request, and agents compete to offer you the best deal.

Note that I say "deal" and not price. You may find the the difference in the offers is that some agencies will offer you onboard credit--which is really the same thing as a lower price.

Good luck!