Websites that help you choose the right cruise line and ship.

CRUISE INSIDER SPOTLIGHT ON SAVINGS Cruise Traveler Magazine

CRUISE INSIDER

How To Get The Best Cruise Deals

The Insider's 7 Great Tips for Finding the Best Cruise Deals
Learn how to work the system, and you can save a bundle on your next cruise.

If you're willing to learn the the ins-and-outs of online travel bargain hunting, you can save as much as 70% off published rates and 10-25% more from cruise brokers, consolidators and group movers.

One upside of the downturn in our economy is that we see some of the most amazing cruise deals in years. We’re not the only ones that think so. All kinds of deals have been popping up in the travel sections of the New York Times, USA Today, CBS News, MSNBC, the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune. Cruise lines have been slashing prices to keep one step ahead. The result: cruise sales are up. This surge of interest tells us that despite the uncertain economic climate, people clearly need more fun in their lives and view their vacations as a valuable and necessary part of it. So, huge price drops and a sea of valuable bonus offers make right now the best time to book the cruise of your dreams.

Tip 1 : Bargains can also be found at web sites that offer comparison shopping, clearance, last minute deals, cruise line sites, auctions and travel classifieds.

When you see a cruise deal online or get an offer by email, how do you know if it's a good deal? Is the itinerary attractive?

• What about the cruise ship?
• Is the price right?
• What about my stateroom?
• Is this the time to book?

Tip 2 : The price may look attractive today, but you may see some further discounts before it's sold out, or maybe not. If you like the deal, you might want to book while it's still around. Your call. Speaking of calls. If you need the answers to these questions contact a professional cruise travel advisor. Their service is often free and their advice is priceless.

Tip 3 :You can also find a cruise bargain, simply by visiting the highlighted sites noted here. You can even find last minute cruise deals, that the cruise lines are dying to sell you, as an empty cabin generates no income.

While you can find similar bargains at sites run by the cruise lines themselves, often they are not as good as those on offer from a cruise broker or consolidator. We'll show you where to look.

For most, internet bargain shopping is a bit of a hassle. Going from one site to the next, looking for the cheapest price. Well, we've done the work for you. If you enjoy the thrill of the chase, you can find a real vacation bargain. A great cruise vacation, all the while spending less, and enjoy it more.

Are your ready? Read on.

So many so called travel-help sites do nothing but point you to bargains available from other sites that advertise on their web site. Not very independent. Not very impartial.

Tip 4 :Look for cruise-seller web sites that use online cruise reservation systems or cruise -related search engines, places like www.americanexpress.com, www.aaa.com , www.cruisedirectonline.com , you can comparison-shop instantly, pricing staterooms at dozens of cruise lines with the click of a mouse. At sites like www.lastminutedeals.com , and www.cruisesearchonline.com , where you can browse for limited- time online deals or scoop up clearance and last minute special offers.

Cruise Reviews Online lets you sort cruises by traveler ratings quickly, and it provides easy ways to view the popularity of various cruise lines and ships. It also has some of the best in depth reviews we saw. You can find their reviews at, www.cruisereviewsonline.com . The user reviews are from professional travel writers and consumers alike. It's not uncommon to find dozens of in-depth user write-ups for your favorite cruise.

Tip 5 :Groups, Friends and Family Reunions, Weddings or Anniversary Parties, Fund Raisers. Cruises are the perfect get together! Planning a wedding, friends & family cruise, a corporate meeting or incentive program. Perhaps a reunion? Get 8-16 people to go and you could travel for free! Find our more information at Group Travel Advisors.
Expedia, Travelocity

Online shopping for a cruise is big business. Expedia, Travelocity, and Priceline sites that primarily sell airline tickets, hotel rooms and car rentals are now in the cruise business. One of the drivers for its continuing growth is increased sophistication in online comparison-shopping Web sites, which can not only help you find bargains but also reveal remarkable choices when you're looking for a cruise. In fact, many consumers use online travel sites just to research vacation options, then brow-beat their local travel agent to match the price.

Comparison Shopping Tips

Tip 6 :Comparison shopping online for a cruise makes a lot of sense, whether you're ready to reserve or just want to find the lowest prices.

* Most sites make it very easy to identify the most popular cruises for any available stateroom category and you can read user reviews. We don't always recommend going with a web site that is highly visited, but popularity can be a signal of good price, quality service, and more.

* Price is often paramount among online shoppers, so learn to make use of the special offers that many sites offer, sign up for an e-mail alert when the price or cruise you want becomes available.

* Note how the site you use handles special rates, such as senior discounts, resident specials, upgrades, onboard credit, and price-off offers. Some incentives on particular cruises are nice, but they might not give you the best price. For example, a AAA or AARP discount may not get the best deal, especially if you live in State that offers a resident special for your cruise.

* Use several travel-comparison sites at once. Better yet visit sites that let you view all the cruise lines offers and compare lines, ships and prices and itineraries. These sites work best when you know exactly what you're looking for and have a good idea of what your cruise should cost. Then you can see quickly find out whether the cruise is available--and whether you're really getting a bargain

Success at cruise clearance or last minute travel sites requires patience and good eyesight to read the "Fine Print".

* If you don't know exactly what you're looking for, you'll find yourself wading through offers with second-rate cabin availability. Cabins near elevators, service doors, under the disco or children's activity room. (There's often a reason certain cabins get relegated to the clearance list.)

* Read the fine print carefully. Clearance and last minute cruises items often are non-refundable.

* If the travel site offers a price-matching policy, read that closely, too, It's tempting to think that you're getting a great deal, but you may find a better price later. Price-matching particulars vary among providers.

Forget impulse buying; you've got to research every offer.

* Cruise Deals can disappear as quickly as they appear. The better sites--e-mail updated offers that keep you up to speed without requiring you to revisit a site every couple of days. Sign up for them.

* Check the discussion forums that appear on many of these sites. The contributors are usually super-savvy about cruising, and you'll get great tips, like which cruise lines and ships are the most popular and which ones aren't. These forums can also tell you which deals really are too good to be true.

Tip 7 : Long before it was named one of the best cruise-related web sites to visit, Cruise Reviews Online was already helping thousands sort through the myriad of information, posted reviews, and professional travel writer contributions. For years they have pointed out what to take in and what to avoid while cruising. Now, with an all-improved site, including lots of cool social-tools, this could be a fantastic time to visit them, as Cruise Reviews Online is awash with not only great advice from fellow cruisers, but new links to affordable cruise vacation deals.

* Know what you're after. These sites are best if you already know what you're looking for. Like stores themselves, travel sites can be dangerous if you're just browsing. Inevitably you'll see a vacation deal you'd be crazy not to jump at--and you'll wind up spending more money that you should.

New Rules

Some cruise lines now forbid travel agents from discounting cruises to the public. Now, that doesn't mean the cruise isn't discounted. It most likely is, but only by the cruise line themselves. So, if you see a travel agent offering a much lower price than most anyone else...look out. That agent may be violating his agreement and is subject to sanctions by the cruise line, such as being removed from the cruise line's authorized seller list and loosing the right to sell cruises for that carrier. You could lose the deal or all your money.

Auctions And Classifieds

Sometimes, the best online travel deals can be found at auction sites like eBay and classifieds pages like those at Cruise mates. If you're shrewd enough, you can reel cruises in for even less than you'll pay elsewhere on the Web. The downside is that this sort of shopping involves a bit more work than other methods--and a bit more risk. With auction sites in particular, you can spend days trying to find the right cruise, and sometimes the cruise offer goes to someone else. Sometimes you pay too much for it. Sometimes it's not what you expected it to be. There's even that small chance you won't get what you paid for. Caution is the byword here. When using an Auction site to purchase a cruise vacation:

* Pay close attention to user feedback. Make sure the seller has a long history of selling and a long list of feedback. And take the time to read the feedback.

* Look for auctions with inconvenient closing times: If an auction ends in the middle of the night or during a big sports event, fewer people will place last-second bids, and you have a better chance at a bargain. - Before you bid, pick a maximum price and stick to it. You're looking for a bargain. Don't get caught up in the excitement of an auction. If you miss out on one auction, chances are another one will soon pop up.

* Don't bid right away. If you bid right away, others will know you're interested and can alter their strategy accordingly. In most cases, especially if you want a cruise bargain, there's no need to bid until the last few seconds of an auction. And if too many bids start popping up, go elsewhere. The price won't stay low for long.

* Check how many people have viewed that cruise on offer: It works both ways; other bidders are also waiting to lay down a last-second bid. You can tell how popular an item is by checking how many people have simply viewed it. If the number is too high, go elsewhere. The price is likely to skyrocket.

Now that you are armed with the right information, it's easy to get the best cruise deal online. Good luck.

The Los Angeles Times: “Travel consultants are like having a knowledgeable friend along…these travel guns aim to make sure you have a deeper, richer experience tailored to your tastes and interests…. Many specialists use their depth and breadth of knowledge and create a detailed itinerary for you that becomes a playbook for your vacation.” Los Angeles Times