Why should I use CruiseCompete.com?

CruiseCompete makes it easy for you to compare multiple custom quotes from the high-volume cruise travel agencies to help you get the best deal on your next cruise.

How does it work?

• A few easy steps:
  
  
• Pick a username and enter your e-mail address to create an account.
  
  
• Select the cruise sailing you're interested as well as some basic information (eg. number of passengers, cabin type) to create a quote request.
  
  
• Independent travel agencies have immediate access to your request (but not your contact information) and they respond with their best offers for your trip.
  
  
• You'll receive e-mails as soon as new quotes are available. Compare offers, read agency reviews and contact agents directly for more information or to book.

Who gets my access to my e-mail address?

CruiseCompete.com keeps your e-mail address private. The travel agents who are members of the site only see it if you choose to send it to them when you contact them directly. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.

Is the service free?

Yes. This service is completely free to people looking for cruises.

If I request quotes, am I obligated to buy?

No. It is up to you decide if you want to contact any of the agencies that offered quotes Even if you choose to make contact, there's no obligation to book.

How do I turn off a quote request if I'm no longer interested in a particular sailing?

To stop receiving quotes, simply go to your account; select a quote request and click on "turn off".

Who is CruiseCompete?

• Launched in 2003.
  
  
• Over 5 million quote requests from 1.5 million client accounts.
  
  
• Over 20 million quotes from 1,100 travel agencies/3,000 travel agents.
  
  
• Over half a billion dollars in cruises booked.
  
  
• Read comments from some of our users in our CruiseCompete Reviews section.
  
  
• Read quotes from national and travel press here: Press Quotes.

What if I don't know what ship I want to sail on?

CruiseCompete offers a Virtual Cruise Advisor™ to guide you to cruises that fit your preferences. We can can help match you with an experienced cruise travel agent to find the cruise that's right for you via Live Agent Help.

New to our site? Open an account and become a member here.


Already a Member? Create a new quote request here.

I've Chosen My Cruise. How Do I Get the Best Deal?

Once you know the ship and sailing you want, do not assume every seller will offer exactly the same overall value. The cruise line may publish a standard fare, but travel agencies can sometimes differ in the total offer they can provide, including price, onboard credit, upgrades or other amenities.

The practical way to shop is to compare the same cruise on an apples-to-apples basis: same ship, sail date, cabin category, number of travelers, fare conditions, taxes and fees. Then compare any onboard credit or other benefits separately.

CruiseCompete is designed for exactly this stage of the buying process. Instead of contacting agencies individually, you submit one quote request for the cruise you want. Independent travel agencies can respond with competing offers, and you compare them in one place.

What should you compare besides price?

Start with the total cruise price and make sure the quotes cover the same cabin category and fare conditions. Then consider onboard credit, cabin upgrades or other amenities, deposit and cancellation terms, and the agency's customer reviews. A lower headline price is not automatically the better offer if the terms or included benefits are different.

Do I have to book the lowest quote?

No. CruiseCompete lets you compare offers; the decision is yours. You may prefer a different agency because of its reviews, service, terms or included perks.

What if I have not chosen a cruise yet?

You can still use CruiseCompete's cruise-search and advisor tools to narrow the choices. But if you already know the sailing you want, you can go directly to requesting competing quotes.

Should I book a cruise directly or through a travel agent?

Both approaches can work. Booking directly with a cruise line gives you a direct relationship with the cruise line. Booking through a travel agency may give you access to an advisor's service and, in some cases, a different combination of price, onboard credit, upgrades or other amenities. The important point is that "travel agent" is not a single offer. Different agencies can have different offers for the same cruise. That means the useful comparison is often not simply "cruise line versus travel agent," but "cruise line versus the actual agency offers available for this sailing."

Why might agency offers differ?

Agencies can have different promotions, group space, cruise-line relationships, sales volume and other commercial arrangements. The details vary by sailing and agency, which is why it can be difficult to know in advance which agency will have the most attractive offer. How can I compare without contacting many agencies?

CruiseCompete lets you submit one request for a specific cruise. Independent agencies can respond with customized offers, allowing you to compare the options before deciding whom to contact.

What are the tradeoffs of using an agency?

When an agency owns the booking, some reservation changes may need to be handled through that agency rather than directly through the cruise line. Before booking, understand who will service the reservation, how the agency handles changes or cancellations, and whether it charges any fees outside the cruise purchase.

Bottom line

If you already know the cruise you want, compare the cruise line's direct offer with the complete offers available from independent agencies. Compare the same cabin and fare conditions, then include onboard credit, upgrades, amenities and service in your decision.

Can different travel agents offer different prices for the same cruise?

Yes. Different travel agencies can sometimes present different overall offers for the same ship and sailing. The differences may appear as a lower total price, onboard credit, an upgrade or another amenity rather than as a different publicly advertised cruise fare. Why can the offers be different?

Cruise agencies do not all have the same commercial position on every sailing. Factors can include agency promotions, group inventory, sales volume, cruise-line relationships and other arrangements. An agency that is especially strong on one cruise line or sailing may have an offer another agency cannot match.

How do I know whether two quotes are really comparable?

Check the ship, sail date, cabin category, number of travelers, fare type, taxes and fees, deposit requirements and cancellation terms. Then compare onboard credit and other benefits. A quote that looks cheaper can be based on different conditions. Do I need to call several agencies?

Not necessarily. CruiseCompete was built to solve that problem. Submit one quote request and participating independent travel agencies can compete for the booking. You can compare their offers before choosing whether to contact one.

How to get more onboard credit on a cruise

Onboard credit can be part of the value of a cruise offer, but it should never be evaluated by itself. A booking with more onboard credit can still cost more overall than another offer.

When shopping, compare the total cruise price first. Then look at onboard credit, upgrades and other amenities. Make sure the offers are for the same sailing, cabin category and fare conditions.

Can travel agencies offer different onboard credit?

Sometimes. Agency promotions and other commercial arrangements can produce different combinations of fare and benefits. The availability and amount vary by agency and sailing.

How should I compare two offers?

A simple approach is to write down: total price; onboard credit; cabin/category; included amenities; deposit and cancellation terms; and any agency-specific conditions. This makes it much easier to see the real difference.

CruiseCompete lets you request offers from multiple independent travel agencies with one quote request, so you can compare the total package rather than checking agencies one at a time.

How do I compare several cruise travel agents without calling each one?

If you already know the cruise you want, contacting travel agencies one at a time is not the only way to shop.

CruiseCompete lets you create one quote request for a specific ship and sail date. Participating independent travel agencies can see the request and respond with their offers. Your contact information remains private unless you decide to contact an agency.

What information do I provide?

Typically, you identify the ship, sail date, number of travelers, number of cabins and cabin type. That gives agencies enough information to prepare a relevant offer.

What do I receive?

Agencies can submit customized responses for your cruise. You can compare the offers and review information about the agencies before deciding whether to make contact.

Am I obligated to book?

No. Requesting and comparing quotes does not obligate you to purchase.

Why is this useful?

The agency with the best offer can vary by sailing. A competitive request lets agencies decide whether they have an advantage on your particular cruise rather than requiring you to guess which agencies to call.

Why can a travel agent offer a cruise deal I don't see on the cruise line's website?

Cruise offers can differ even when the underlying ship and sailing are the same. An agency may have access to a promotion, group inventory, onboard credit, an upgrade or another benefit that changes the overall value of its offer.

That does not mean every agency will beat the cruise line's direct offer, or that the cheapest-looking quote is always the best. The only reliable way to compare is to look at equivalent bookings and the complete terms.

What should I verify?

Confirm the ship and date, cabin category, fare type, taxes and fees, deposit and cancellation rules, and whether the quoted benefits have conditions. If an offer includes onboard credit or another perk, understand when and how it is provided.

Why shop more than one agency?

Because an agency's advantage can vary by cruise line and sailing. CruiseCompete lets multiple independent agencies consider the same request and decide whether they can make a competitive offer.

Why is one cruise quote much cheaper than another?

A large difference between cruise quotes deserves a careful comparison, not an automatic conclusion that one offer is better—or illegitimate. First make sure the quotes are truly equivalent. Check the exact sailing, cabin category, occupancy, fare type, taxes and fees, deposit terms and cancellation rules. One quote may also include or exclude benefits that affect the comparison.

Possible reasons for a difference can include agency promotions, group space, different fare programs, or other agency-specific arrangements. Availability can also change quickly.

What should I do before booking?

Ask the agency to confirm the total price and important terms. Review the agency's reputation and customer feedback. Make sure you understand who will service the booking and how changes or cancellations will be handled.

CruiseCompete displays competing offers so travelers can compare them rather than relying on a single quote.

Is it safe to book a cruise through an online travel agency?

Online travel agencies are a major part of cruise distribution, but travelers should evaluate the agency they are considering rather than assuming every seller provides the same service.

Before booking, confirm the agency's identity and contact information, review customer feedback, understand its service and cancellation policies, and make sure the cruise reservation and payment process are clearly documented.

Who actually books my cruise on CruiseCompete?

CruiseCompete itself does not sell travel. Independent travel agencies respond to quote requests, and if you choose an offer, you contact the agency directly to ask questions or book.

Does CruiseCompete give agencies my contact information? CruiseCompete's current process keeps your contact information private from participating agencies unless you choose to provide it when contacting an agency.

What should I evaluate?

Look at the complete offer, agency reviews, responsiveness, terms, and who will handle your reservation after booking. Price matters, but service matters too.

What changes when I book a cruise through a travel agent instead of direct?

The biggest practical difference is who services the reservation. When you book directly, the cruise line is your booking contact. When an independent travel agency owns the reservation, some changes and questions may need to go through that agency. That tradeoff can come with benefits. Depending on the sailing and agency, an agency may offer a different combination of price, onboard credit, upgrades, amenities or personal service.

Before booking through an agency, ask how changes and cancellations are handled, what support is available outside normal business hours, whether there are agency-specific fees for services outside the cruise purchase, and how the reservation will appear in the cruise line's systems and app. CruiseCompete allows you to compare offers and agency information before deciding whom to contact.