How To Find The
Best Cruise Discounts Online
If you are thinking of going on a cruise
package anytime in the near future, it’s likely you have already scanned a few
of the large branded booking engines already or possible even dropped into a
Travel agency to inquire about brochures.
There is no harm in doing your research but if
you are looking for the best cruise package or the biggest cruise discounts,
you may very well have been looking in the wrong place.
Travel agencies
vs.Online Bookings
When it comes to booking a cruise in
particular, even with the emergence of the online world,it would seem that
Travel agencies are still on top.
The reason for this is because many people just
don’t know what to expect on a cruise and an agency, who has access to
brochures and agents with first hand experience, is the easiest means of getting
a full visual in this sense.
Although many would think they are surplus to
requirements since the internet arrived on the scene, Travel agencies do still
have a role today in today’s travel industry and the key reason for this is
because they provide a certain element of ”value” to the customer.
The cons of booking
with travel agencies vs. online
For anyone who may be wondering why the notion
of value is so important, we need only look at a recent development in the
travel industry which was the introduction of a law called ”Rate parity”.
Essentially this new law has restricted the
large travel brands such as Expedia or Booking.com from displaying fluctuating
or lower prices across their many different distribution channels.
When you consider the extent of this new law,
you will quickly realize the reason these brands no longer offer the lowest prices
online for cruises or cruise packages and with this in mind, you will then also
wonder as to why consumers will want to book their cruises online when the
booking engines no longer provide value. It’s a valid question.
However, does this really mean a customer
should go running to a travel agency? No, it doesn’t.
Truth is, Travel agencies also work off a
commission based structure and are free to market a suppliers product at a
price of their own choosing. You can certainly try to negotiate a price but
ultimately, you still won’t get the best cruise package.
How to find the
best cruise discounts?
Simple. When the new laws of rate parity were
introduced, they took the power away from the major brands opened the travel
market up for the rest of the industry to get involved.
This change meant that the major brands could
no longer offer the best price or cruise discounts but it also allowed for the
return of an even more valuable service in Travel clubs who are actually exempt
from this same law. You may not remember them but for anyone who was around in
the 1970’s, they were at the forefront of the market.
Travel clubs are membership based and they
negotiate huge cruise discounts for their clients with a number of suppliers
(along with a range of products such as hotels,restaurants etc) and the most
well known or trusted travel club is Hotels etc.
Hotels etc have been around for over 20 years
and already have 4 Million users of their invaluable service. They provide a
free trial to anyone unsure of taking up their many special offers and provide
the opportunity to easily access the best cruise discounts which can be found
anywhere.
It only takes a minute to register so if you want to find the best cruise packages for
your next vacation by all means do you research, but if you want the biggest
cruise discounts to go along with it; visit www.hotelsetc.com and see what all
the talk is about.
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