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Since a cruise combines
many elements of your vacation into one package, booking a cruise
is a little more complicated than just buying a plane ticket or
reserving a hotel room. Getting some expert assistance can go a
long way in helping you to pick the right cruise at the best price.
Unfortunately, most general local travel agencies simply don't book
enough cruises to directly negotiate with a cruise line for access
to the lowest rates available.
They also often lack
the resources needed for their employees to gain real experience
in evaluating the vast amount of different cruising experiences
available. The clout and expertise of a huge online travel agency
can help you to pick the right cruise and save money. However, most
large online booking systems still lack the sophistication necessary
to make travelers feel they have been given enough information to
be comfortable making their cruise bookings online. Even worse,
many sites require you to fill out an online form and turn over
personal information just to get pricing information. After you
use our Cruise Tips section to begin your
cruise education, you'll need to find a booking system that doesn't
waste your time by making you sign up just to check prices. You'll
also want one that combines the convenience of booking online with
easy access to detailed online cruise information and live human
assistance if needed. We can help you find such a program.
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Expedia receives high marks for its website's ease of use and design.
The magazine "Yahoo Internet Life" named Expedia "the best overall
travel site" in its June 2000 issue.
Expedia.com
Cruises Wizard offers reservations for all major and some smaller
cruise lines. You can search for all available cruises in a geographic
region during your selected season or limit your search results
by selecting specific preferences for price range, length of cruise,
cruise line and ship. After your initial search, you'll be presented
with some basic information, a star rating and the ability to use
the Cruise Compare feature to place several of the cruises side
by side for easy comparison. You can then click on detailed cruise
information to see a full itinerary with a map of each cruise including
a listing of the ports of call that are to be visited with arrival
and departure times. On the detailed information page, you can also
read comprehensive professional reviews in addition to comments
from travelers that have already taken the cruise.
By clicking on the "Ship
Details" button, you'll get access to a wealth of information. "Ship
Stats" lists the date the ship was launched and last refurbished,
gross tonnage, number of crew, passenger capacity along with other
helpful information. "Public Areas" provides a description and deck
location map of the restaurants, lounges and other public areas
of the ship. "Cabins" presents a full description of cabin features
including, square footage, bed arrangements, cabin amenities and
some photographs. "Deck Plans" shows the location of cabin categories
and public areas with a full deck plan of the ship. In the Media
Gallery, you can see photos of the ship.
Even if you aren't quite
ready to book, you can click book online to check current pricing
and cabin availability before you have to sign up or turn over any
personal information. You can complete your booking online, fill
out a form so they can call you at your convenience or use their
toll free number available most of the day (ET) to speak with a
cruise specialist. They assign each search a reference number, usually
listed in red print near the phone number, to help the cruise specialist
quickly locate your search profile. Be sure to write the reference
ID number down and have it available when you call. After you make
your booking, Customer Service is available 24-hours via email and
a toll free number.
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