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Additional
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A Cruise On Bangkok’s Sea
By Naveen Marasinghe
An interesting tourist activity that can be enjoyed a little way out of the city of Bangkok is an expedition on the Bangkok Sea. Though located roughly 20 kilometers away from the Read more...
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Royal Caribbean
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New York Cruises: Tips On Scoring The Best Cruise Deals
By Anne Campbell
A wealthy friend decided to take a one-month vacation with Seabourn Cruises and knew the ship, itinerary, departure date and stateroom she wanted. She decided to conduct an experiment in cruise bargain hunting by calling three travel agents and, after relaying the specifics of her desired voyage, advised each agent that whoever gave her the best price would get her business. She saved thousands of dollars.
The travel agent who won her business did it by rebating. If there is one dirty word in the cruise industry it's rebating, which means an agent kicks back part of his or her commission (generally 15% of the cruise fare) to pass along a lower fare.
After 15 years of writing about the cruise industry I still don't see why rebating is bad - don't real estate agents and car salesmen do the same thing? Isn't this just basic competition? Still, several won't let any travel agent rebate cruise fares, including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Sea Cruises and, to a large part, Norwegian Cruise Line.
The remaining do allow rebating, but won't permit travel agents to advertise or promote a lower price to the public. You have to ask.
This means that if your sights are set on a Princess, Holland America, Cunard, Oceania, Carnival and Seabourn cruise, it's worth your time to ask travel agents if he/she can come up with a lower price than the one you're first quoted.
Of course your chances are better in some cruising regions. Right now, sales of Caribbean, Mexico and South America are soft. Hence, here
you stand a better chance of getting a lower price than on Alaska and Greek Island cruises, which are selling much better this year.
It's all about supply and demand. And timing. For example, traditionally suites and balcony cabins sell out first. But now that a bad economy is upon us and there's overcapacity in the Caribbean and Mexico you still may get a better deal on the highest-priced categories. So ask. The only thing a travel agent can say is "sorry, this is the price."
WHEN NOT TO SHOP AROUND: When you have a wonderful travel agent you trust implicitly, who has steered you towards good deals in the past. To save $100 or so isn't worth it.
One caveat. Travel agents can only rebate the price of a cruise. There are fixed costs, like port charges, taxes, fuel surcharges and airfare that are never negotiable.
Copyright (c) 2008 Anne Campbell Article Directory: http://www.articlecube.com For additional information, visit Cruising From New York (www.cruisingfromnewyork.com ) the premier web site for New York cruises written by Anne Campbell, a journalist who has been covering the cruise industry for 17 years. 
Additional
Resources
Hawaii Cruise Package - What You Need To Know
By Terry Edwards
If you are planning for a Hawaii Cruise, check the Internet for many companies that offer complete and competitive packages. Depending on your schedule and budget for your Read more...
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Additional
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Taking A Bahama Cruise For Spring Break 2009.
By Damon Lindner
The dream of a lifetime for some college students is a combination of cruise and sightseeing. Bahama cruises have become very popular for spring break and are not as expensive Read more...
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