How To Find The Best Cruise Discounts Online

If you are thinking of going on a cruise package anytime in the near future, it's likely you have already scanned a few of the large branded booking engines already or possible even dropped into a Travel agency to inquire about brochures.

There is no harm in doing your research but if you are looking for the best cruise package or the biggest cruise discounts, you may very well have been looking in the wrong place.

Travel agencies vs.Online Bookings

When it comes to booking a cruise in particular, even with the emergence of the online world,it would seem that Travel agencies are still on top.

The reason for this is because many people just don't know what to expect on a cruise and an agency, who has access to brochures and agents with first hand experience, is the easiest means of getting a full visual in this sense.

Although many would think they are surplus to requirements since the internet arrived on the scene, Travel agencies do still have a role today in today's travel industry and the key reason for this is because they provide a certain element of ”value” to the customer.

The cons of booking with travel agencies vs. online

For anyone who may be wondering why the notion of value is so important, we need only look at a recent development in the travel industry which was the introduction of a law called ”Rate parity”.

Essentially this new law has restricted the large travel brands such as Expedia or Booking.com from displaying fluctuating or lower prices across their many different distribution channels.

When you consider the extent of this new law, you will quickly realize the reason these brands no longer offer the lowest prices online for cruises or cruise packages and with this in mind, you will then also wonder as to why consumers will want to book their cruises online when the booking engines no longer provide value. It's a valid question. 

However, does this really mean a customer should go running to a travel agency? No, it doesn't.

Truth is, Travel agencies also work off a commission based structure and are free to market a suppliers product at a price of their own choosing. You can certainly try to negotiate a price but ultimately, you still won't get the best cruise package.

  How to find the best cruise discounts?

Simple. When the new laws of rate parity were introduced, they took the power away from the major brands opened the travel market up for the rest of the industry to get involved.

This change meant that the major brands could no longer offer the best price or cruise discounts but it also allowed for the return of an even more valuable service in Travel clubs who are actually exempt from this same law. You may not remember them but for anyone who was around in the 1970's, they were at the forefront of the market.

Travel clubs are membership based and they negotiate huge cruise discounts for their clients with a number of suppliers (along with a range of products such as hotels,restaurants etc) and the most well known or trusted travel club is Hotels etc.

Hotels etc have been around for over 20 years and already have 4 Million users of their invaluable service. They provide a free trial to anyone unsure of taking up their many special offers and provide the opportunity to easily access the best cruise discounts which can be found anywhere.

It only takes a minute to register so if  you want to find the best cruise packages for your next vacation by all means do you research, but if you want the biggest cruise discounts to go along with it; visit www.hotelsetc.com and see what all the talk is about.