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mskimberly
Guest
We hope to cruise this summer. Who do you think offers the best deal on the internet? For Carnival that is.
I hope I don't get yelled at for this.
I hope I don't get yelled at for this.
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PLG
Guest
Have been trying to find best deal for April cruise on Conquest out of New Orleans. Best deal yet even beating Carnivals offical travel person is Cruise.com by $55. After searching sites, Robin at 1-800-370-3178 extention 461 called me and was really helpful, from cruise.com. Cardinal will probibly match this, but kinda' bugs me that others can underprice the source of the cruise. Plus, cruise.com says if price goes down I need ony to ask and can get price difference back. Ofcourse they always remind you that the price can go up if you don't book now, but... Well good luck and happy hunting. Pat
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hilltopfamily
Guest
I spent quite a bit of time online looking for deals for our next 2 cruises (both Carnival) and talking to TA's on the phone. I think we paid a premium for our 1st cruise last summer(Disney), even though at that time I did a lot of price shopping with TA's on the phone and ended up going with Cruise.com. This time I invested even more time & effort on my part and got the best deals both times with an internet site (bestpricecruises.com) and saved more money by booking online rather than over the phone with their TA's (though they did provide assistance to me via the phone and even directed me back to the online site with specific directions just so I could save the $60 by booking online). So far they have been very helpful but my 2 upcoming cruises are not until March and August of '04 so I'll won't know for sure until then! Other internet places to check are icruise, cruise411, crucon, cruisecompete (where they will get competing offers from other TA's looking to get your business), vacationstogo, and cruisevaluecenter.com If I think of others, I'll add them to your post. Good luck
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Maggie
Guest
go to cruisecompete.com.
I've had a rate since July that no one's been able to beat, they found one $200 lower.
Maggie
I've had a rate since July that no one's been able to beat, they found one $200 lower.
Maggie
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PLG
Guest
Well, I went back on-line to check out these places you guys suggested and others again 
c . I checked out cruisecomplete.com and bestpricecruise.com again. Bestprice.com had best rate on balcony 8A, but cruise .com still beat everyone for inside guarenteed and oceanview guarenteed. It must depend on which cruise, which room, which date, etc =huh .
c . I checked out cruisecomplete.com and bestpricecruise.com again. Bestprice.com had best rate on balcony 8A, but cruise .com still beat everyone for inside guarenteed and oceanview guarenteed. It must depend on which cruise, which room, which date, etc =huh .
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jimoshea
Guest
That's the great thing about the internet, you can do the research, as much or as little, whenever.
We've booked 2 cruises through cruise411.com. They've always had the best price. One inside - no guarentee, one outside - guarenteed.
We've booked 2 cruises through cruise411.com. They've always had the best price. One inside - no guarentee, one outside - guarenteed.
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PLG
Guest
Cruise411.com, that's a new one. I'll give it a try. Haven't found any really good deals for this trip, they all are almost the same, within $30 of each other.
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PEB
Guest
Carnival has a policy of giving all the agencies the same price. The difference is in whether the agency wants to cut their commision or not. This policy started this past year. When booking Carnival there no longer should be big price differences if the quotes are made on the same day. There can be differences if the price is quoted on different days.
The price does change from sailing date to sailing date and according to availability. This means the price can change very frequently.
The price does change from sailing date to sailing date and according to availability. This means the price can change very frequently.
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kellie j
Guest
go to abracadabra.com and ask for marcia, or email her directly at sanibelcruiseclub@h2ovista.com tell her kim gasser sent you... beat everyone elses prices drastically.....like over 100 below travelocity.com. even beat cosco, which i thought was cheap. when we had a problem, girlfriend broke her back trying to help us and get us rebooked the same day (rerouted the spirit for dec 2004, but didn't let anyone know!) marcia was great, highly recomended, and carnival also acknowledges that many of their cruises are booked through abracadabra.
kim
kim
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danabridgmon
Guest
Try Roy Anderson 1-800-635-0030....I have booked 8 cruises from him in the past and he always beats my best price....Good Luck!!!
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Kellympmo
Guest
We have booked 2 carnival cruises in the past using Cruise411 and for those cruises, they were lower than all the other sites I looked at (cruise.com, bestpricecruises.com, travelocity, expedia). For our 3/20/04 cruise on the Miracle, I used cruisecompete, but then found a great deal on skyauction.com. I did not use the auction part and did the "Buy It Now" feature as we wanted a balcony. The cost was at least $100 cheaper than most of the other sites, including the quotes I got from cruisecompete (which were already pretty good). This was true for our cabin as well as for my sister's 6A cabin. I couldn't believe it. Now, I will say I was checking other ships and dates on all of the sites and skyauction did not always have the best price. I think that just reinforces what everyone is saying....leave no stone unturned.
One caveat...skyauction likes to do their customer service via email. (There is no phone # anywhere on their site.) Once they responded to some of my requests re: dinner times, etc., they did give me an 800 I could call with questions. However, if this makes you nervous, you may be better off booking elsewhere.
Good luck!!
One caveat...skyauction likes to do their customer service via email. (There is no phone # anywhere on their site.) Once they responded to some of my requests re: dinner times, etc., they did give me an 800 I could call with questions. However, if this makes you nervous, you may be better off booking elsewhere.
Good luck!!
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Babushka
Guest
Like others listed above, I also have booked through Cruise411.com. I'm sailing on the Glory on 3/20/04 with a group of 15. This is the 4th cruise I've booked through them and have always found them to have the lowest prices and I do alot of research! You can book online or call the 800-553-7090 number and talk to an agent. Once you get one you can call your agent directly or send email. They have always been extremely helpful and are very quick to answer messages or emails. The cruise I'm going on in March started out with 11 cabins (26 people) and we're now down to 6 cabins (15 people) and I have had so many changes made to our booking. My agent has been so nice and professional throughout the process and hasn't complained once about the changes made. Once you find an agent I recommend using that agent again for further cruises. I would highly recomment using Cruise411.com.
P.S. Just for your info, one couple decided to book on their own through their own travel agent. They booked the cruise, air, hotel, and shuttle service and paid $700 more than I did by booking with cruise411 and booking my own hotel (Radisson Inn for $89 nt), shuttle service (Arts Shuttle), and airfare through Yahoo. You really can save if you do research. Good Luck!
P.S. Just for your info, one couple decided to book on their own through their own travel agent. They booked the cruise, air, hotel, and shuttle service and paid $700 more than I did by booking with cruise411 and booking my own hotel (Radisson Inn for $89 nt), shuttle service (Arts Shuttle), and airfare through Yahoo. You really can save if you do research. Good Luck!
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Santa Fe Jim
Guest
kellij: "...carnival also acknowledges that many of their cruises are booked through abracadabra."
I just went to abracadabra.com -- they are an entertainment & catering company for company picnics & parties in Cincinnati. How does this relate to booking cruises?
Inquiring mind,
SFJ
I just went to abracadabra.com -- they are an entertainment & catering company for company picnics & parties in Cincinnati. How does this relate to booking cruises?
Inquiring mind,
SFJ
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Alley
Guest
I booked with Cost Co Travel. They gave me the best deal. I found them cheaper than travelocity etc... All you need is a Cost Co membership. They require $250 down and give you up until 90 days prior to travel to pay it off. Cost Co was $400.00 cheaper than Carnival when I sailed on the Pride.
Alley
Alley
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Babushka
Guest
In response to Costco Travel, they do have great deals. Like I mentioned earlier I've always booked through Cruise411.com and picked up a Costco travel book for the cruise I'm going on in March. They had great rates and we almost booked, but decided to check Cruise411 not imagining they could go lower than Costco. But they did! You really should give Cruise411 a chance to give you rates. You might be surprised at your savings. If you decide not to Costco had the best rates out of everyone else I checked with. Gook luck...
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mogirl
Guest
I did alot of internet research looking for the best cruise deals last October when I booked. Cruisedeals.com was the best rate, beating Carnival's rate and all others by almost $100.00, and some more than that. Jeanne was the ta I dealt with, and she was very helpful. When the rate lowered a few days after I booked, she easily got me the new lower rate. I just received our travel documents, and everything is in order.
Good luck and have a great time. We are booked on the Conquest for 2-8-04 and can't wait to get out of this winter weather.
Good luck and have a great time. We are booked on the Conquest for 2-8-04 and can't wait to get out of this winter weather.
