Perform an Internet search on "last minute cruises" and it will return many sites that only market discounted cruises. Many of them are very well organized, making it easy for browsers to find the destinations and dates they are interested in. However, the same prices can typically be found on the websites of the actual cruise lines. In some cases, the cruise lines themselves will have an out-going link to a special discount travel site. The bottom line is that all the companies marketing cruise line reservations are drawing from the same published cruise fares.
A big advantage some of the "last minute cruise deal" websites have is the fact that they have designed their sites for easy navigation and they tend to know the most desirable cruises to promote. If you find the cruise you want on one of these websites, you should also look on the site of the cruise line itself or call its toll-free reservation number. With a little effort, you will probably find the same fare. Cruise lines have reward programs just as airlines do, and if you book through the cruise line, you will find it easier to join the reward program.
While traditional travel agents have seen a dip in business due to the Internet, many have found customers returning to use their services, says Ann Savage, an agent with 15-years of experience booking cruises at Sailair Travel in Nashville, Tennessee. Savage says that local agents sell the same low, last-minute fares that are featured on the Internet. The advantage local agents have, she adds, is that they have often sailed on the cruise line or to the destination the client is booking and can offer some practical advise.
Also, Savage noted, clients do not pay any additional booking fee when using a travel agent to make a cruise line reservation.
