A cruise is a wonderful vacation. You can see many different ports, all in on trip and only have to unpack once. Cruises can often be quite affordable and a great way to get out of dodge for a few days. There are many cruise lines available, but Carnival is one of the more popular lines. They have a large fleet of ships, and they visit ports all over the world.
Figure out the basics. Before you even look up the Carnival website, you have to make a few choices. First, when would you like to take your cruise. It is usually good to pick a date range rather than just a particular week if that is possible. Is there a particular port you would like the cruise from? Carnival has ports in Tampa, Fla., Miami, San Diego, and many more places. Where would you like to go? Are there particular destinations you would prefer? Of course the big item is how much are you willing to spend. Remember, you will have the cost of the cruise and your airfare to consider.
Go to the Carnival website. You can use your personal parameters with its cruise search. You can search by ship, port, destination, date and duration. Look at all the cruises and their pricing. This will give you an idea of how much the cruise will cost. Pick your favorite, or maybe pick a couple favorites.
Speak with a Carnival booking agent: Yes, booking online is the hip way to do things, but booking directly with an agent is usually smarter. The agent can find you discounts and help you look at the pros and cons of each cruise if you can’t choose. If the price drops after you book, he can get you the lower price. If you have any questions at any time (like about booking your airfare or what documentation you need) he is at your disposal 24/7. Plus you have a name of a real live person and his direct number. You can call Carnival yourself, or you can fill out the form and have someone call you. Speak with the agent, get a quote and let him know you will call him back in a couple days. The agent should give you a price per person, and tell you how much the deposit will be, and the date for the final payment.
Check your airfare rates. Yes, you may have gotten a sweet deal on your cruise, but the airfare still might get you. Check online or through your travel agent and get airline price quotes. Remember that your flight will have to arrive early enough to board the ship and depart late enough for you to get off the ship.
Book the cruise. Once you have determined the airfare is reasonable, book the cruise. Call back your agent and have him book your reservation. You deposit is due at the time of booking. The payment in full is not due until usually two months before the sail date. If you can pay in full, go for it. If you can only pay the deposit, put that down.
Log on to your Carnival Account. Once you have a booking number you can create your own account with Carnival. Once you input your booking number, you can fill out your cruising documents, look at and book excursions (activities at your destination) and many more fun things. If you have questions, you can always call your booking guide.
Take care of the details. Book your airfare before the rates go up. Find out the details of the transportation to and from the airport. What are the taxi fares? Are there shuttles? Would it be more cost effective to book the transfers directly through Carnival?
