What You Don’t See When You Book a Cruise with a "Big Box" Store

Shelly Bishop
Dec 2, 2025
2 min read

Before you book your next cruise, where you buy your bulk BBQ sauce, here’s what’s really hiding behind those so-called savings.

No Flexibility If Prices Drop

When you book through a travel professional, price monitoring and re-pricing requests are part of the service. If your fare drops before final payment, your advisor can often request an adjustment.

Most "big box" stores, on the other hand, aren’t set up for easy repricing. If rates fall, your only option may be to cancel and rebook, which would result in losing your non-refundable deposit.

With a travel professional: We monitor your sailing and promotions to make sure you’re getting the best rate available before you sail.

You Miss Out on Exclusive Group Perks

Many travel professionals reserve private group space on select sailings, which can include extra perks like free drinks, Wi-Fi, bonus onboard credit, refundable deposits, and even lower pricing they can’t access.

With a travel professional: You’ll enjoy added value on the same cruise—plus one point of contact for everything from booking to boarding.

No Access to Upgrade Bidding

Cruise lines such as Celebrity and Royal Caribbean allow guests to bid for stateroom upgrades, sometimes scoring suites or balconies at a fraction of the cost. However, bookings made through them aren’t eligible because those agency IDs are excluded from the upgrade system.

With a travel professional: You can participate in upgrade bidding programs, and we will help you decide whether bidding or upgrading directly is the better deal. They’ll also make sure your loyalty perks (like onboard credit or balcony discounts) are applied correctly.

Every Change Goes Through Them (A Call Center)

Need to switch cabins, update dining, or fix a name? When booked through them, every change must be submitted through their travel desk. Delays and hidden admin fees are common.

With a travel professional: One call or email handles it all. Your advisor makes the change, confirms it, and keeps you updated.

No Advocate When Things Go Sideways

If a flight is canceled, a stateroom is reassigned, or the itinerary changes, their travelers are routed to a call center. You won’t have a single person who knows your trip or can advocate for you with the cruise line.

With a travel professional: You have an experienced advisor who knows your booking inside and out and goes to bat for you when something unexpected happens.

Bottom Line

These trips may look cheaper up front, but once you factor in lost flexibility, missing perks, and the lack of personal support, it’s rarely the better value.

When you book through a travel professional, you’re getting: