6 Cruise Booking Sites of Choice

So, you’ve decided you want to go on a cruise. Great news! But, do you know where to book it to get the best price?

6 Cruise Booking Sites of Choice

Planning a vacation might be difficult. It is a time-consuming and difficult procedure because numerous spreadsheets are required, and there are numerous open tabs. However, understanding which cruise booking website to use could be very helpful.

The best rates on flights, hotels, and rental cars may often be found by browsing travel search engines, but many people are unaware that they can also use similar websites to book cruises.

However, using the best cruise search engines is frequently crucial for discovering amazing deals, including those that include booking bonuses worth hundreds of dollars, Amazon gift cards, complimentary shore trips, onboard freebies, etc.

To save you the trouble of searching through the sea of low-cost cruise websites, we have determined which ones are deserving of being listed to become the cruise booking sites of choice.

We have chosen which low-cost cruise websites are worthy of being mentioned so that you won’t have to waste time searching through the sea of competing ones.

Cruise Booking Sites Of Choice

• Expedia
• Cruisecompete
• Priceline
• Uniworld (River Cruises)
• CruiseDirect
• Cruise Critic
• Orbitz

Expedia

Expedia may be your go-to site for routinely booking hotels or flights. (and you undoubtedly have). But did you know that you can book cruises on Expedia as well?

The website offers cruises from all the major cruise lines and is straightforward and user-friendly. Expedia doesn’t charge a fee to make reservations, but it also doesn’t guarantee prices. But occasionally booking your cruise through Expedia offers additional advantages.

Pros and Cons of Expedia

Pros:

• Expedia is a reliable, well-known, and established online travel provider
• The website occasionally provides supplemental incentives like onboard credits or other benefits.

Cons:

• No price guarantee is offered

Cruise Compete

Cruise Compete is a quick and simple solution to have independent travel agents compete to provide you with the best cruise package.

Here is how it Operates:

1. Choose a cruise
Use cruise search, Virtual Cruise Advisor, cruise line or specials category navigation, or live agent help to find a cruise.

2. Create an account
Set up a CruiseCompete account so you can request and receive quotes anonymously.

3. Request quotes
Choose the ship, departure date, number of guests, and types and numbers of cabins. More than 500 travel firms will have all they need to give personalized answers for your cruise right away.

4. Compare quotes
Cruise Compete will send you an email with a notification when fresh quotes are available and a link to your account. There is no commitment to purchase, and travel agents won’t have access to your contact details unless you give them (Privacy Policy).

5. Contact agents
For additional information or to make a cruise reservation, you can get in touch with agents by phone or email.

Pros and Cons of Cruise Compete

Pros:

• You can create price alerts so that you are informed when the cost of your cruise drops
• Price predictions

Cons:

• Increases in price after purchasing
• Taxes and fees are not broken down

Priceline

Priceline is a leader among online travel agencies that provide cheap cruises. Compared to, for instance, the initial interface of Expedia or Kayak, the trade-off is that you can rapidly search by cruise line, both basic and luxury, as well as by cruise length and departure port. Priceline consistently offers incredible cruise discounts, which contributes to its reputation as one of the top cruise search engines. Additionally, it provides a 110% best-price guarantee, under which you will receive a refund of the price difference if you discover a lesser deal for the exact same trip within 48 hours of making your reservation.

Should you require help making your reservation, as well as a loyalty club that may be combined with every cruise line’s loyalty program? If it applies to you, Priceline also offers the option to select a “senior discount” box.

Pros and Cons of Priceline

Pros:

• Other incentives like onboard credits or room upgrades can be available
• The site offers a 110% best-price guarantee

Cons:

• Priceline advertises hidden deals and lower pricing if you call, which can be a negative if you’re looking for a simple way to book your cruise

Uniworld

Uniworld, one of the more well-known river cruise companies, operates largely in Europe but provides itineraries all around the globe. Uniworld River Cruises have succeeded in building a reputation for itself in the world of luxurious vacations. They won the top prize in the global category of Travel + Leisure’s awards for river cruise companies. Go to their website and click “Request a Quote” to book your upcoming cruise with them. Soon after you complete out the necessary information, their customer service will get in touch with you. You’ll receive all the necessary information, upcoming excursions to your top destinations, and exclusive savings. You can see that some of the packages include rail excursions in addition to the cruise, Uniworld’s newest feature!

Pros and Cons of Uniworld

Pros:

• 20+ Countries with Multiple Destinations
• All-Inclusive Luxurious Amenities
• Pre-Scheduled Bookings
• Special Offers

Cons:

• Unpredicted Cancelled Trips
• Occasional Occurrence of Unfriendly Staff

CruiseDirect

CruiseDirect is a website that specializes in cruises. Using search criteria like destination, cruise line, departure port, or last-minute bargains, you can quickly discover cruises on the website. There are many different types of cruises available, from riverboats to massive ships and from affordable to opulent.

Under the price for each cruise listing are further details. Some of these are included in the ticket, while others, like onboard ship credit or savings on shore excursions, are extras.

Pros and Cons of CruiseDirect

Pros:

• Each trip includes bonuses such as price cuts, shipboard credits, or savings on shore excursions
• Multiple cruise deals

Cons:

• The bonuses offered are often from the cruise line and not exclusive to CruiseDirect, so you can get them regardless of where you book
• Fees for canceling/changing the cruise

Cruise Critic

Cruise Critic is a cruise-focused website that features reviews, tips, and advice for a huge community of cruisers. The forums on Cruise Critic provide a place where you can ask questions, get advice, and get help organizing your next getaway.

You can compare costs from many different websites using the site’s function as a metasearch engine for cruises. You can look for the ideal cruise, then when the time comes to make a reservation, Cruise Critic will direct you to another website.

Additionally, the website serves as a metasearch engine for cruises, letting you compare costs from a variety of other websites. When the time comes to make a reservation, Cruise Critic will direct you to another website where you may do so. You can browse for the ideal cruise.

Cruise Critic is an excellent internet resource for those who love all things cruising. Here, you can find tons of information about your favorite cruise lines, cruise ships, routes, and more. Get in-depth reviews, and cruising tips — it’s all there. But, beyond providing all of this extra info, Cruise Critic also allows you to book cruises. Unfortunately, it’s not Cruise Critic offering those cruises for sale. Cruise Critic just aggregates all of the pricing info and then presents it to you. You have to go to another website to book your cruise.

Pros:

• A wealth of information about any and every cruise
• Robust forum community of cruisers

Cons: 

• You’ll need to visit a different website to buy your cruise cost

 Orbitz

Orbitz is a typical OTA that offers flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages, and cruises. There are no booking fees on cruises and a price guarantee is offered. However, the price guarantee isn’t as strong as some of the other sites — you’ll need to find a lower price within 24 hours to receive the difference in price as a refund.

One of the nice things about Orbitz is that it offers a rewards program. But, unfortunately, cruises are not eligible for Orbitz Rewards.

Related: Tips For Staying Safe While On A Cruise

Pros and Cons of Orbitz

Pros:

• It offers a best-price guarantee
• Allow you to search across every cruise line

Cons:

• Cruises aren’t eligible for Orbitz Rewards

Final Remarks

The base cost of your cruise will almost always be the same wherever you purchase it. Despite a website’s claims that it offers “the best prices” or a “50% discount,” the actual numbers are usually the same as those provided by every other website.

To get a great deal, you must look for extras that a certain website is offering, such as onboard credits, complimentary specialty dinners, cash-back, or bonus airline miles.

More benefits are available to you if you book a higher room category. Remember that many of the stated perks won’t apply unless you reserve a balcony stateroom or a suite. You won’t get anywhere near to the amount listed if you reserve an interior or ocean-view cabin because cash-back and onboard spending bonuses are frequently tied to your stateroom level as well.