This is why I’ve never booked a cruise! It’s too overly complicated to book. You can’t do it over an app and you have to plan way in advanced. That’s just madness.
It's really not that difficult to do. Work with a Travel Agent and it's quite easy. We've taken 15 cruises now and it's much easier to cruise than it is to plan Disney World these days. :) Happy to help if you have any other questions.
A good agent is worth his or her weight in gold. A bad agent is......yeah, I won't go there. We are experienced cruisers, but I always use an agent. I have spoken with agents who knew less than I do....so they are off the list. When you find a good agent, stick with them! They know you, your preferences, etc. Your agent can give you lots of tips...like if a cruise is "Kids sail free," it will be FULL of kids. THat may or may not influence your choices.
Im a newbie at looking at cruises and actually enjoy taking the time doing the research and planning what I want there are lots of third party cruise companies to deal with but if you find a good rate on one of these sites usually the cruise company will match the price or offer OBD or special restaurants. I live in Canada 🇨🇦 and find Costco travel a lot more expensive than doing it myself we do have a TA available to us but the individual charges $75.00+taxes above what she gets from the cruise company. I would love to hear your opinion how reliable these third party cruise companies are for booking through them instead of the cruise company itself. Love the information you have provided excellent information looking forward to watching more of your videos.
Hello! First off, I have a bunch of Canadian clients so if you'd like to work with us, we'd be happy to assist. Our services are 100% free to you. Cruise lines don't match anything. They set the cruise fare, nobody can change that, not even the largest travel agencies in the world. There are two things travel agencies can do. Offer amenities like OBC or they can 'reduce' the price by cutting their own commissions. But the cruise fare is the cruise fare, we all get the same pricing. I can match any website that shows a legitimate cruise fare. The other thing I don't do is the 'bait and switch.' When we present pricing, we show you the full price, with all taxes and fees up front. I don't like surprises and you shouldn't either when you're pricing your travel. For 20 years we booked through a travel agency because we appreciate the one-on-one connections that TA had with all the cruise lines. Now that we are TAs ourselves, that's one of the biggest things we bring to you. If I need something done, I don't call a 1-800 call center, I call Kathy at Royal Caribbean, Lylle at NCL, Michael at MSC, Brett at Princess, Tamika at Virgin and so on. We cannot move mountains, but within reason, we can get resolutions that you as a consumer simply will not get by trying to call the cruise line direct. Thanks so much for the kind words and reach out if we can ever be of asisstance in your travels!
I live in South Florida, during Hurricane Season is it necessary and does travelers insurance and is it covered and thanks for the great knowledge check, before deciding on a cruise.
We never sail without travel insurance. It's not just about hurricane season, it's about being prepare for any circumstance that might require you to leave the ship prior to the end of the cruise. Such as an injury or illness that necessitates you having to be disembarked at the next port. Then you have to pay for your own medical services and passage back home. Also it pays for medical expenses on the ship which can be very expensive. We get our insurance through Costco Travel when we book our cruises.
Question: the price they show on the website. Is that the price for the whole 5 days OR I have to pay that per day. Example it says $198 pee person for 5 days. So does that mean I multiply that $198×5days????? This is what I'm confused about Is it like a hotel paying that set price per day??
Nope, the price you see on the website is the base price per person for the entire cruise. Added to that will be the taxes, port fees and other fees, but when you see a price on a cruise website, that is the base price for the length of the cruise. Thanks for watching! Some cruise lines will show you the price per cabin like Disney, but most show you the price per person.
You can use it like cash to purchase pretty much anything onboard the ship. With some cruise lines you can use it in advance of the cruise to pre-purchase excursions and things like that. I appreciate the kind words!
So I have a question ! Booking for 2 ? Is the total at booking the total cost for the 2 people ? Or is that total cost what the other person will have to pay to?
The pricing information will reflect the number of passengers you entered in the cruise line booking system. You can enter 1 to 8 people and when you put the cruise in the cart, it will show you the total price including port fees and taxes. We can assist if you'd like, just set up an appointment at www.whereswaltertravel.com/contactus
When traveling to say, The Bahamas or Mexico, or any of those little island locations, is a Passport or Passport Card required when disembarking at those ports? I'm thinking of booking a cruise for the first time, and want to stick to the Caribbean/Gulf area, not overseas or South America.
No, you do not need a passport to disembark at any Caribbean locations and no Mexico locations that I know of. It's recommended to have one with you on the cruise just in case of an emergency disembarkation, but you can sail a closed loop cruise from the US with an original birth certificate and a driver's license. Many people do. And note it has to be an original birth certificate with the raised seal, it can't be a copy. Please let me know if there are any more questions I can answer. I have dozens of first time cruise tips on our TikTok channel as well. Thanks for watching!
I’m going crazy with this first time cruise why does it say $599 with second guest free but when I go to check out it says $2500!!!!!!! Second free where???
There can be 'funny math' sometimes in the cruise pricing. Essentially the "Second Guest Free" is going to be 50% off both guests. I don't know which cruise line, which particular cruise you're selecting and other factors, but depending on a variety of things, you price can be lower or higher that you expect. We'd be happy to take a look and help you with the booking if you'd like a second opinion. :) You can drop us a line here: www.whereswaltertravel.com/contactus
That's a great question and I honestly have no idea. You would have to ask your travel agent or the cruise line if they can accept cash or check for final payment.
Sure they are. And you have to manage all of the travel yourself. And call the cruise line, airline and hotel when plans change. Or you can pay absolutely nothing and have a travel agent who takes care of that for you. Plus can get perks that may not be available to the public. And get directly through to the upper level management to address issues vs the 800-call center. There's absolutely no reason NOT to use a travel agent. We've traveled for almost 20 years with an agent before becoming one ourselves. It's awesome having someone else plan everything for you.
Hi, I'm sorry but I don't follow the question about the open deck. Perhaps you could rephrase it? We are travel agents and would be happy to help you book a cruise. You can book a time to chat with us at your convenience here: www.whereswaltertravel.com/contactus Thanks!
If you're not a US Citizen, you probably will require a Passport in order to board the ship. I would check with your travel agent or the cruise line directly to confirm your requirements before you book a cruise.
I see that Royal Caribbean has a guarantee policy stating 48 hrs cancellation protection at 100% refund. Is this valid and do we still need separate insurance?
Yep, you should have insurance because it protects you once you're on the cruise. Especially if you have to have an emergency evacuation at a port. If you have the correct insurance, that will pay for any medical needs in that port city and for your travel home.
@@christinechristopher2750 You don't HAVE to have it, but it's highly recommended. It really comes into play if you have to emergency evacuate the ship or you have medical bills on the ship itself. The proper travel insurance will pay for any medical bills wherever you were let off the ship and pay for your travel back home. We always have it and it paid for my wife's medical bills when she sprained her ankle on the NCL Getaway. We have taken 15 cruises now and always have it, always recommend it. But it is NOT absolutely required to take a cruise.
The cost of a cruise varies widely based on the lengrh, cruise line, cruise ship, cabin class, itinerary, which state you live in and more factors. Happy to assist you in choosing and booking your Cruise.
This is why I’ve never booked a cruise! It’s too overly complicated to book. You can’t do it over an app and you have to plan way in advanced. That’s just madness.
It's really not that difficult to do. Work with a Travel Agent and it's quite easy. We've taken 15 cruises now and it's much easier to cruise than it is to plan Disney World these days. :) Happy to help if you have any other questions.
This was so helpful. I want to go on a cruise but it is so daunting
We can help! Book an appointment on our Contact Page and we can help you book your cruise! Whereswaltertravel.com.
A good agent is worth his or her weight in gold. A bad agent is......yeah, I won't go there. We are experienced cruisers, but I always use an agent. I have spoken with agents who knew less than I do....so they are off the list. When you find a good agent, stick with them! They know you, your preferences, etc. Your agent can give you lots of tips...like if a cruise is "Kids sail free," it will be FULL of kids. THat may or may not influence your choices.
This is great advice! Even though I've been on several cruises, it seems like I'm also missing some more info. Thanks!
Awesome vid-tks!
Great video! Thanks for the good tips. Keep it up
Super great advices! Even if you had book a cruise before
Tons of good information.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for tuning in!
i use skymiles cruises.
This is the best video advice. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Im a newbie at looking at cruises and actually enjoy taking the time doing the research and planning what I want there are lots of third party cruise companies to deal with but if you find a good rate on one of these sites usually the cruise company will match the price or offer OBD or special restaurants. I live in Canada 🇨🇦 and find Costco travel a lot more expensive than doing it myself we do have a TA available to us but the individual charges $75.00+taxes above what she gets from the cruise company. I would love to hear your opinion how reliable these third party cruise companies are for booking through them instead of the cruise company itself. Love the information you have provided excellent information looking forward to watching more of your videos.
Hello! First off, I have a bunch of Canadian clients so if you'd like to work with us, we'd be happy to assist. Our services are 100% free to you.
Cruise lines don't match anything. They set the cruise fare, nobody can change that, not even the largest travel agencies in the world. There are two things travel agencies can do. Offer amenities like OBC or they can 'reduce' the price by cutting their own commissions. But the cruise fare is the cruise fare, we all get the same pricing. I can match any website that shows a legitimate cruise fare.
The other thing I don't do is the 'bait and switch.' When we present pricing, we show you the full price, with all taxes and fees up front. I don't like surprises and you shouldn't either when you're pricing your travel.
For 20 years we booked through a travel agency because we appreciate the one-on-one connections that TA had with all the cruise lines. Now that we are TAs ourselves, that's one of the biggest things we bring to you. If I need something done, I don't call a 1-800 call center, I call Kathy at Royal Caribbean, Lylle at NCL, Michael at MSC, Brett at Princess, Tamika at Virgin and so on. We cannot move mountains, but within reason, we can get resolutions that you as a consumer simply will not get by trying to call the cruise line direct.
Thanks so much for the kind words and reach out if we can ever be of asisstance in your travels!
Very helpful video
I live in South Florida, during Hurricane Season is it necessary and does travelers insurance and is it covered and thanks for the great knowledge check, before deciding on a cruise.
We never sail without travel insurance. It's not just about hurricane season, it's about being prepare for any circumstance that might require you to leave the ship prior to the end of the cruise. Such as an injury or illness that necessitates you having to be disembarked at the next port. Then you have to pay for your own medical services and passage back home. Also it pays for medical expenses on the ship which can be very expensive. We get our insurance through Costco Travel when we book our cruises.
Very helpful thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Question: the price they show on the website. Is that the price for the whole 5 days OR I have to pay that per day.
Example it says $198 pee person for 5 days.
So does that mean I multiply that $198×5days?????
This is what I'm confused about
Is it like a hotel paying that set price per day??
Nope, the price you see on the website is the base price per person for the entire cruise. Added to that will be the taxes, port fees and other fees, but when you see a price on a cruise website, that is the base price for the length of the cruise. Thanks for watching! Some cruise lines will show you the price per cabin like Disney, but most show you the price per person.
Lots of great info👍🏻What would you use the onboard credit for?
You can use it like cash to purchase pretty much anything onboard the ship. With some cruise lines you can use it in advance of the cruise to pre-purchase excursions and things like that. I appreciate the kind words!
So I have a question ! Booking for 2 ? Is the total at booking the total cost for the 2 people ? Or is that total cost what the other person will have to pay to?
The pricing information will reflect the number of passengers you entered in the cruise line booking system. You can enter 1 to 8 people and when you put the cruise in the cart, it will show you the total price including port fees and taxes. We can assist if you'd like, just set up an appointment at www.whereswaltertravel.com/contactus
When traveling to say, The Bahamas or Mexico, or any of those little island locations, is a Passport or Passport Card required when disembarking at those ports? I'm thinking of booking a cruise for the first time, and want to stick to the Caribbean/Gulf area, not overseas or South America.
No, you do not need a passport to disembark at any Caribbean locations and no Mexico locations that I know of. It's recommended to have one with you on the cruise just in case of an emergency disembarkation, but you can sail a closed loop cruise from the US with an original birth certificate and a driver's license. Many people do. And note it has to be an original birth certificate with the raised seal, it can't be a copy. Please let me know if there are any more questions I can answer. I have dozens of first time cruise tips on our TikTok channel as well. Thanks for watching!
@@WheresWalterTravel Thanks for the info and your time.
@@fireakems8279 My pleasure! Please let me know if there's anything else we can answer to help with your first cruise!
I’m going crazy with this first time cruise why does it say $599 with second guest free but when I go to check out it says $2500!!!!!!! Second free where???
There can be 'funny math' sometimes in the cruise pricing. Essentially the "Second Guest Free" is going to be 50% off both guests. I don't know which cruise line, which particular cruise you're selecting and other factors, but depending on a variety of things, you price can be lower or higher that you expect. We'd be happy to take a look and help you with the booking if you'd like a second opinion. :) You can drop us a line here: www.whereswaltertravel.com/contactus
Question ❓ what if I don't have a credit card for the final payment what's do can I still make cash pymts on the cruise
That's a great question and I honestly have no idea. You would have to ask your travel agent or the cruise line if they can accept cash or check for final payment.
There is absolutely no reason to use a travel agent! Cruises are very easy to book direct online!!
Sure they are. And you have to manage all of the travel yourself. And call the cruise line, airline and hotel when plans change. Or you can pay absolutely nothing and have a travel agent who takes care of that for you. Plus can get perks that may not be available to the public. And get directly through to the upper level management to address issues vs the 800-call center. There's absolutely no reason NOT to use a travel agent. We've traveled for almost 20 years with an agent before becoming one ourselves. It's awesome having someone else plan everything for you.
What is open deck?how could find an agent for that cruise?
Hi, I'm sorry but I don't follow the question about the open deck. Perhaps you could rephrase it?
We are travel agents and would be happy to help you book a cruise. You can book a time to chat with us at your convenience here: www.whereswaltertravel.com/contactus
Thanks!
Hi my daughter is booking a cruise for her birthday in June for the first time do she need to get a passport for the cruise?
Depends on where the cruise is going and sailing from.
Do you need a passport to travel to some of the destinations out of the US like the Caribbean?
I’m asking bc I’m not a US citizen but a permanent resident. And my country passport has expired many years ago.
If you're not a US Citizen, you probably will require a Passport in order to board the ship. I would check with your travel agent or the cruise line directly to confirm your requirements before you book a cruise.
I see that Royal Caribbean has a guarantee policy stating 48 hrs cancellation protection at 100% refund. Is this valid and do we still need separate insurance?
Yep, you should have insurance because it protects you once you're on the cruise. Especially if you have to have an emergency evacuation at a port. If you have the correct insurance, that will pay for any medical needs in that port city and for your travel home.
@@WheresWalterTravel thanks for the response!
Is the insurance high in price?
That depends on the brand and type of travel insurance you purchase. We get ours through Costco Travel and it's always reasonably priced.
I'm looking to go on cruise for first time do I have to get travel insurance
@@christinechristopher2750 You don't HAVE to have it, but it's highly recommended. It really comes into play if you have to emergency evacuate the ship or you have medical bills on the ship itself. The proper travel insurance will pay for any medical bills wherever you were let off the ship and pay for your travel back home. We always have it and it paid for my wife's medical bills when she sprained her ankle on the NCL Getaway. We have taken 15 cruises now and always have it, always recommend it. But it is NOT absolutely required to take a cruise.
how much does it cost?
The cost of a cruise varies widely based on the lengrh, cruise line, cruise ship, cabin class, itinerary, which state you live in and more factors. Happy to assist you in choosing and booking your Cruise.
are you George lucas brother?
I wish.... :)