Cruises can be considered a one-stop shop for travelers. With accommodations, transportation, food and entertainment all in one place, they can help take the hassle out of vacation planning.
But there’s more to booking a cruise than first-time cruisers might imagine.
From the wide variety of lines to add-ons like drink packages and excursions that often cost more, guests can face countless decisions along the way. “There’s a big difference between booking a hotel in advance and a cruise line,” said Andy Knowles, a luxury travel consultant affiliated with Fora Travel.
How far in advance should I book?
Booking well in advance will generally yield better rates, but travelers can also find last-minute bargains if cruise lines are looking to fill space (click here for USA TODAY’s guide to finding cruise deals).
“I would say most of my clients book at least six months in advance, if not more,” Knowles said.
Should I use a travel agent to book a cruise?
You can book a cruise without a travel agent, but there are some advantages to using one.
Alyssa Griffin, who makes cruise videos with her husband, Cullen, on their YouTube channel, Griff & Alyssa, said they started working with an agent about five years ago.
“I don’t know why we didn’t hire a travel agent sooner,” said Griffin, who has been on “at least” 60 cruises (she also worked as a travel agent briefly from 2018 to 2019).
Initially, she enjoyed coordinating trips on her own and found it easy, but said that consulting an agent “takes the stress out of planning, and they can help offer suggestions and things you wouldn’t necessarily think of.”
They can help customers determine which line, ship and destination might be the best fit. And if travelers run into a problem or have a question, their agent can take care of it for them – a nice benefit given the potentially long wait times on customer service phone lines.
“They can also get some cool perks like onboard credit or some will put a bottle of wine or chocolate-covered strawberries in your room,” she added. Most also do not charge customers for their services, as they earn commissions from the cruise lines.
Knowles encouraged travelers to turn to a consultant who specializes in the type of trip they are planning, whether it’s a family vacation or a romantic getaway.
Many cruise lines also have in-house vacation planners who can help potential guests navigate the booking process. Travelers can find cheap fares on third-party booking sites (although some customers who use them have to scramble when problems arise).
Should I book my flights through a cruise line?
Packages that include cruise flights are sometimes “very attractive and worth it,” according to Knowles, but they can have some limitations. “I will say for most cruise lines that you book flights through their platform, it just adds that third-party element that sometimes takes things out of your control,” he said.
If travelers need to make changes, for example, he said they will have to use the cruise line. And while they can list their general preferences, it’s not that easy to choose the exact seat they want on the plane.
Are cruises all inclusive?
It depends. Cruise fares include items that are usually sold a la carte on land, and you can technically go on an entire trip without paying much more than the ticket price.
But many extras aren’t part of the main brands’ base rates, from alcohol to laundry, so you may rack up some additional charges depending on your priorities. That’s where packages come in handy, and higher cabin categories often include more perks.
River and luxury cruise lines also tend to add more to their base fares, although policies vary.
Do I need restaurant reservations?
Not necessarily. Historically, major cruise lines offered early or late seating in their dining rooms, but many have introduced flexible dining times in recent years and often have several casual spots open for dinner as well. Some lines do not have traditional dining rooms.
But if you want to eat at specialty restaurants, which typically cost extra, you’ll probably want to make reservations. Passengers can book last minute, but it’s worth doing before the cruise.
“I always recommend booking in advance, just to be guaranteed something,” Knowles said. Reservations typically open 30 to 60 days before departure.
If guests change their mind, it’s quite simple to make changes “so you’re not necessarily tied to one place.” Typically, they can do this through the cruise company’s app.
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When should I book tours?
The same goes for excursions. “I always point out to people, if there’s a specific tour that (clients) are like, ‘This is something we absolutely want and need to do,’ that it’s always best to book it as far away as possible, just to make sure that you have it available,” Knowles said.
That said, cruise lines typically offer “a large number of experiences at each location,” and he hasn’t had any customers discover that all of their excursions were sold out.
Are tips included in my cruise fare?
Major cruise lines charge passengers with tips per person, per day. The cost is automatically added to your onboard bill and passengers can usually adjust it before disembarking.
Passengers can also pay their tips in advance. Many more sophisticated lines include tips in the fare automatically.
Do I have to pay for extras in advance?
Guests can purchase add-ons like Wi-Fi or drink packages during the cruise, but these can be sold in advance for a cheaper price. Knowles said there will typically be “some incentive to make reservations in advance.”
“So if you were booking a bar package, something that might cost $250 on board, you would pay maybe $200 up front,” he said. If you know you want to reserve one at some point, he recommended pulling the trigger sooner rather than later.
Griffin echoed this and said convenience is also good. “I just want to get on the ship and not worry about how much money I’m going to spend when I get there,” she said. “So if you’ve already established all these things in advance, it feels more like an all-inclusive vacation.”
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY and lives in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
