Last week, we talked about the top five reasons you should consider a cruise for your next vacation. This week I want to talk about the elephant in the room, Why You Want to Book Your Next Cruise with Rainbow Getaways.
Booking a cruise seems like a simple process that includes going to the cruise line’s website, selecting the cruise you want, entering your information, and giving them your credit card. Any frequent cruiser will tell you that the process is considerably more complex than they initially expected.
Frequent cruises find incredible value in working with a travel advisor that specializes in cruising. In fact, a mind-blowing 70% of cruisers use a travel advisor to book their cruise vacations because of the expertise and time savings that we offer our clients.
Not convinced that you should book your cruise with a travel advisor? Keep reading for the top ways that I help cruisers have a more relaxed vacation.
I know which cruise line is right for you. There are over 50-member cruise lines of the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). Half of those cruise lines are global, serving most of the major cruise destinations. Figuring out which cruise line you should choose is a daunting tasking to take on by yourself.
I have spent years cruising, researching, and building relationships with cruise lines to help direct my travelers to the best cruise line for their travel personalities. When you work with a travel advisor like me, you gain our expertise, and the stress of choosing the right cruise line melts away.
For LGBTQ travelers, knowing which cruise lines provide the best experience is another crucial part of the selection process. Every cruise line will offer lip service saying they are welcome us, but how well we are treated onboard will still vary. I personally find Celebrity Cruises and Virgin Voyages the most welcoming for our community. Both companies have been avid supporters of our community on land and at a sea, since before it was “cool.” Virgin Voyages even includes a drag brunch on each voyage!
I will help you pick a ship. Once you’ve picked the cruise line you want to travel with, the next task is picking a ship. Each ship in a cruise line’s fleet will offer a different experience with unique activities. Some ships are better for adults looking for a relaxing vacation as they travel between islands. Other ships are great for families looking for activities from the moment they wake up until they pass out in the evening.
When you work with a travel advisor specializing in cruises, you won’t have to worry about picking the wrong ship. Speaking from personal experience, I get to know my travelers before making any suggestions.
I know the itineraries. Beyond choosing a ship, your itinerary is the third most important choice when planning out a vacation. Picking an itinerary is often more complex than many realize when they try to book a cruise on their own. Over the years, I’ve gotten hundreds of calls from new cruisers who were overwhelmed by the slight differences in itineraries.
When choosing where you want to go, picking the itinerary will impact if you get to tick any items off your bucket list. I ask all new travelers what activities they want to do in port, which helps them choose the itinerary.
I will take care of all the pre and post-cruise details. Booking your cruise may be the most significant part of the vacation, but there are additional logistics to cruising that many first-timers do not take into consideration. These include air travel and when to arrive in the city of departure, hotel accommodations before or after the cruise, transfers, and other small details often overlooked by travelers until the last minute.
These extra parts of vacation add to the total cost, but they are nevertheless important to include in the planning process. When you properly plan, you’re able to budget money and time and make sure you’re not hit with any random surprises while you’re traveling.
Having spent years finding the best cruise for my travelers, I could keep going on and on about the benefits of using a travel advisor specializing in cruises. But for the sake of brevity, I’ll end with, I know group travel.
Cruising is one of the best ways to travel for family reunions, bridge groups, church groups, bear groups, or any group that wants to travel together. Whether we’re arranging a particular group just for you and your family or pulling together a fundraiser for a local charity, we can make the vacation extra memorable for everyone. I’ll take care of all the travel details for each person, and all you have to do is give them my phone number.
Ready to start planning your next vacation? Whether you want to plan now and travel now or plan now and travel later, I’m here to make sure you have an incredible vacation. Schedule an initial consultation with me to start planning your first cruise vacation.
Rainbow Getaways proudly help travelers of the LGBTQ community (and our allies) research, plan, and book incredible vacations where you feel confident and comfortable enjoying and exploring your destination. We plan each vacation to meet your specific needs, so you’ll have an experience just as unique as yours.
If you haven’t already, be sure to request your free copy of The Ultimate LGBTQ Guide to the Caribbean at the bottom of the page.