Using Travel Agents to Help Plan Your Honeymoon Cruise

by Shannon Kietzman, writer for Your Wedding Place.com

Travel agents can be a great resource when it comes to planning your honeymoon cruise. These experts are trained in helping customers get the most bang for their buck by planning a honeymoon cruise that suits your interests as well as your budget.

A Look at Travel Agencies

Many people do not realize that there are several different types of travel agencies. In fact, there are general travel agencies, cruise-specific travel agencies, and even online travel agencies.

General travel agencies are capable of helping your plan out your honeymoon cruise and they often have agents who specialize in cruises. A general agency can be a good choice if you plan to include land-based arrangements along with your cruise plans because they are particularly adept at making hotel arrangements, setting up rental cars, preparing for connecting flights, and making plans for seeing local attractions.

A general travel agency, however, is not as likely to have connections with as many cruise lines as a cruise-specific travel agency. These agencies can offer a great deal of detailed information about various cruise lines as well as the ports of call. In addition, they are more knowledgeable about the less popular cruises and the limited voyages. These agents are also more likely to have extensive personal experience with various cruise lines and they often get special deals through the cruise lines.

Online cruise agencies allow you to make all the plans for your honeymoon cruise yourself. On the website, you can choose the cabin you want, select your itinerary, and compare ships. You can also arrange for airfare. Online cruise travel agencies are not as convenient as having a travel agent do the work for you, but you can often get cruise tickets for slightly less this way and you may receive special booking incentives for making your arrangements online.

Choosing an Agency and Booking it Alone

When looking for a travel agent, you want to find someone you are comfortable with. In addition, feel free to ask questions such as how many cruises the agent has been on and what cruise lines they have personal experience with. Be sure to find a travel agent that is familiar with the type of honeymoon cruise you are hoping to have.

On the other hand, it is fine to book your cruise without the help of a travel agent. Most cruise lines offer booking options on their websites and many large travel websites allow online booking as well. If you plan to book online without an agent, be sure to have the full names, birth dates, and ages of each of the passengers you will be booking. Be sure everything is spelled correctly because incorrect information can invalidate your cruise tickets.

The best honeymoon cruises are usually well planned out in advance. If you are uncertain about making plans, take advantage of the services provided by travel agents. Or, feel free to go it alone and make your own plans for the perfect honeymoon getaway.

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