RCL through an agent?

[babbymint]

Help lovely dibbers!

I am looking at booking a RCL cruise for next year (Tampa/Caribbean) and it's coming up cheaper if I say my location is the US. Would they let me book it in $$$ or would I have to go through an agent?

I've never used an agent - how do their fees work?
Is it just a matter of telling them what you want and them giving you a price?

What happens with cancellations if the worst happens next year (or RCL say they want vaccine passports and my DS 14 may not have had it).

I've never done RCL before - I've done P&O, MSC and Princess (my favourite) - how do they compare?

And finally (sorry!) is the drinks package good - we do like a drink on holiday

Sorry for so many questions - planning is keeping me sane...

[Dinglebert]

Some replies

Have done RCL 3 times which is of course less than most but still enough to give a degree of expeience.

We have booked both via an agent but also direct. Its tended more to be direct as I can use my Tesco points to get a good discount which you can't do via an agent.

The price in $$$ compared to £s can be misleading. Its worth pricing the whole thing up. The agents doesn't have fees as such they take a cut off your booking.

Cancellations are a whole different game at present. You really need to read up on the current rules when you are about to book which to a degree why booking UK is a bit better. If the worst happened and RCI went under you would be covered. Booking via US would probably wouldn't be.

The drinks package (something I have far more experience of!). The price of the drinks packages varies all the time. If you book for one person in a cabin you need to take it for both. You can at times get dispensation for the second person if you can prove a medical reason but you would still need to take out the refreshment package for them. There is no sharing of drinks packages.

You need to look weekly at your online booking and check out the deals. There will be a time the package will be far cheaper. For instance I have just checked the price of the drinks package for my cruise this year and its £43.32 a day. You have to have all 7 days and they add the compulary tips to the top of that. I paid £32.68 when I got it.

They will have a cheap deal at some point before you sail. When that is is unknown but it won't be a couple of weeks before. Your captive then. You can book at one price and if they reduce it then cancel and reorder.

The same goes for the excursions and restaurant packages.

The package if you drink is excellent as their normal prices if you don't have the package is silly high. $14 a cocktail etc. The range of drinks is good. I'm a whisky person and certainly not disapponted.

• Spiked Seltzer: Truly
• Vodka: Absolut, Belvedere, Grey Goose, Stoli, Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• Rum: Bacardi, Bacardi 8, Captain Morgan Rum, Malibu Miami Club
• Gin: Aviation, Beefeater, Bombay Sapphire, New Amsterdam, The Botanist
• Tequila/ Mezcal: 1800 Avion Silver, Camarena Gold, Patron Silver, Del Maquey Vida Blanco Mezcal
• Scotch: Chiva Regal 12 Year Old, Dewars 12 Year, Glenfiddich, Johnnie Walker Black, The Glenlivet
• Whiskey, Bourbon/ Rye: Buffalo Trace, Canadian Club, Crown Royal, Jack Daniels, Jameson, Makers Mark, Whistle Pig Rye
• Cognac: Hennessy VS, Remy Martin VSOP
• Beers: Domestic, imported and craft beer brands
• Wine by the Glass: Iconic varietals from California to New Zealand
• Non-Alcoholic Beverages: Can and fountain soda, Fresh and bottled juices, Premium coffee and teas, bottled and sparkling water

It the only package I can make pay to have it. On P+O I just pay as I go and don't come close to getting anywhere near the daily cost of theirs.

[babbymint]

Originally Posted by Dinglebert

Some replies

Have done RCL 3 times which is of course less than most but still enough to give a degree of expeience.

We have booked both via an agent but also direct. Its tended more to be direct as I can use my Tesco points to get a good discount which you can't do via an agent.

The price in $$$ compared to £s can be misleading. Its worth pricing the whole thing up. The agents doesn't have fees as such they take a cut off your booking.

Cancellations are a whole different game at present. You really need to read up on the current rules when you are about to book which to a degree why booking UK is a bit better. If the worst happened and RCI went under you would be covered. Booking via US would probably wouldn't be.

The drinks package (something I have far more experience of!). The price of the drinks packages varies all the time. If you book for one person in a cabin you need to take it for both. You can at times get dispensation for the second person if you can prove a medical reason but you would still need to take out the refreshment package for them. There is no sharing of drinks packages.

You need to look weekly at your online booking and check out the deals. There will be a time the package will be far cheaper. For instance I have just checked the price of the drinks package for my cruise this year and its £43.32 a day. You have to have all 7 days and they add the compulary tips to the top of that. I paid £32.68 when I got it.

They will have a cheap deal at some point before you sail. When that is is unknown but it won't be a couple of weeks before. Your captive then. You can book at one price and if they reduce it then cancel and reorder.

The same goes for the excursions and restaurant packages.

The package if you drink is excellent as their normal prices if you don't have the package is silly high. $14 a cocktail etc. The range of drinks is good. I'm a whisky person and certainly not disapponted.

• Spiked Seltzer: Truly
• Vodka: Absolut, Belvedere, Grey Goose, Stoli, Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• Rum: Bacardi, Bacardi 8, Captain Morgan Rum, Malibu Miami Club
• Gin: Aviation, Beefeater, Bombay Sapphire, New Amsterdam, The Botanist
• Tequila/ Mezcal: 1800 Avion Silver, Camarena Gold, Patron Silver, Del Maquey Vida Blanco Mezcal
• Scotch: Chiva Regal 12 Year Old, Dewars 12 Year, Glenfiddich, Johnnie Walker Black, The Glenlivet
• Whiskey, Bourbon/ Rye: Buffalo Trace, Canadian Club, Crown Royal, Jack Daniels, Jameson, Makers Mark, Whistle Pig Rye
• Cognac: Hennessy VS, Remy Martin VSOP
• Beers: Domestic, imported and craft beer brands
• Wine by the Glass: Iconic varietals from California to New Zealand
• Non-Alcoholic Beverages: Can and fountain soda, Fresh and bottled juices, Premium coffee and teas, bottled and sparkling water

It the only package I can make pay to have it. On P+O I just pay as I go and don't come close to getting anywhere near the daily cost of theirs.

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Thank you so much Dinglebert - great tip about the drinks packages! We've mostly done Princess and found them to be great but there isn't an itinerary for the right time right place.