Booking a cruise always involves a little bit of mystery. It’s hard to know exactly when and where to book. Using a travel agent (TA) can help – and a good TA can keep an eye on price changes easier than you can – but sometimes third-party booking platforms offer the best deals.
You can book a cruise at Costco (it costs) – Get a free report, for example, which may offer you a lower rate but less flexibility in another area. The same may be true when using Priceline Cruise or other third party websites. The challenge, which is the big one, is that every cruise line uses slightly different policies.
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When you book Royal Caribbean (RCL) – Get a free report, for example, a cruise line will generally adjust your price—if you ask—by issuing an onboard credit if your cruise fare drops before the final payment is due. MSC has different rules depending on the type of base fare you book and Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) – Get a free report and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) – Get a free report They all have their own pricing quirks.
Book early is usually the cheapest option unless you book late there is no sure way to know you are getting the best possible rate cruise lines like many airlines hotels and resorts may sell the exact same thing at very different prices depending on how and time of booking the fare.
This is true whether you’re booking an upscale Walt Disney cruise (dis) – Get a free report A cruise line or a more budget-friendly weekend getaway on a Royal Caribbean, Carnival, or older MSC cruise ship. Now, cruise enthusiasts who happen to be T-Mobile TMUS customers have another option to book a low-cost cruise (in theory) with great credit perks onboard for doing so.
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Wait, T-Mobile is selling cruises now?
One of the perks of being a T-Mobile subscriber is the company’s “T-Mobile Tuesday” gifts. The wireless carrier has an app for its subscribers where every Tuesday they can log in and get perks like free food, discounts, chances to win free stuff, and who knows what else.
Previous giveaways have included big perks like free all-season subscriptions to the Major League Baseball streaming service. Now, the wireless carrier has partnered with Cruisebound to offer members discounts on cruises.
“T-Mobile Tuesday just launched the first-ever app-exclusive cruise-booking platform powered by Cruisebound—the simplest way to find, compare, and book the best cruise deals. Customers simply log into the T-Mobile sailings app,” the wireless carrier shared in a press release.
Members do not need to wait until Tuesday to use the new service. Works every day of the week. The new services allow members to compare prices, itineraries, ships and cabin types from all major cruise lines when booking their next cruise directly in the T-Mobile Tuesdays app. They can also find customized discounts based on categories like age, military service, previous cruise reservations, and more, according to T-Mobile.
People who book through Cruisebound, a T-Mobile portal, can earn up to $1,000 in onboard credit. However, earning that requires spending $30,000, so most cruises booked will earn less.
Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Norwegian, Princess, Holland America, Costa and Celebrity cruises can be booked through the service. Disney Cruises is not part of the promotion.