We’ve all done it, booked holidays online for great prices but with varying results. Cheap deals sites often have loads of fine print of when you can go where, which can cramp your style. And bigger hotel comparison sites have left us stranded abroad, trying to find out why our hotel was not expecting us or in another instance, nothing like the description on the site.

So, while there are definitely deals to be had online, it does come with careful planning and can, in some instances, lead to extra expenses, like booking a hotel for that day simply to have somewhere to sleep.

Also, booking a luxury cruise is different than booking a weekend break in Europe.  There is more money involved and you will be spending a lot more time on the cruise ship than you would have in the hotel.  You will have to choose the right ship, the right itinerary, the right time of year, the right cabin as well as dining times. That is why booking through an experienced and knowledgeable travel agent, especially for your first cruise, is vital.

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  1. You Need their Know How

Booking through a cruise travel agent will enable you to get personalised advice from a knowledgeable source.  If this is your first cruise, do you know when to book for the best price or what things you should keep in mind when starting to look at booking a cruise?  No amount of online research or word of mouth recommendations can compete with the experience of an expert.

  1. They Can Help Tailor Make a Cruise for You

They can give you tips on how to book the best cruise for you and tailor make it according to your budget, what time of year suits you, whether you have kids, what kind of holiday you’re after, etc.  This is particularly helpful if you’re planning a special cruise for a wedding anniversary or a big birthday, whether its just for you and your partner or a whole host of friends and family.  Booking through an agent can save hours or even days of online research compared to if you were to go it alone.

  1. They Can Help You Book Extras

After you’ve booked your perfect cruise, the travel agent can still help you out with how to get there, how to make the most of your time spent in ports, or making sure your medical concerns and dietary requirements are taken care of.  While you can easily book a flight to get you to the cruise, the cruise line will be able to give you advice on when to fly in or offer you special flight deals which will ensure you will make it to your cruise, even if your flights are delayed or cancelled.  This will ensure that you will start your cruise off in a relaxed state.

  1. They Value Your Custom

Travel agents know how to take care of their clients and they often offer you a small gift as a token of their appreciation such as a free bottle of wine or meal.  They can also offer you special perks like extra discounts, as their close relationship with cruise lines means that they can almost always offer promotions that just aren’t available when you go direct.

  1. Finding the Right Travel Agent

If you decide to book through a travel agent, you want a good one, and one that specialises in cruising.  You don’t want to waste your time through a bad agent or someone who only books the occasional cruise as they won’t be able to help you in the same way as the right one.  When you book through an agent, you will have to communicate with the cruise line through the agent, and this can get time consuming if you’re agent doesn’t specialise in cruises.

  1. Booking with Cruise Nation, The Best of Both Worlds

The benefits of Cruise Nation are as follows:

  1. You can spend as much time as you like online, finding the best cruise deal for you. The website makes it really easy to compare cruises, prices as well as special deals and perks.
  2. You can sign up for cruise deals emails, to ensure that you’re one of the first to know of new and exciting deals
  3. You are assured that we specialise in cruises and know our stuff.
  4. We have experienced travel agents, which can guide you through the process when you’re ready to book.
  5. We will inform you if there is something you weren’t aware of or forgot to book, such as day excursions or booking the right dinner slot.