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Enjoy 75% off your second guest’s cruise fare and get bonus savings of up to $200. Plus, additional guests in your stateroom sail free on select sailings.

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Manage and plan your cruise now, ready to start planning.

There’s so much to look forward to on a Celebrity Cruises ® vacation. Spa days. Shore excursions. Cocktails before dinner (and after). Mouthwatering meals. We could go on. Cruise Planner helps you arrange every detail before you even set sail, so you can relax the minute you step aboard—and every minute that follows. Restaurant reservations? Done. Tours? Booked. Spa treatments? All lined up. Customize your perfect vacation while you count down the days and save when you plan pre-cruise.

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Get the most out of every destination you visit on your upcoming vacation. Choose from Destination Highlights, Small Group Discoveries, or Private Journeys, and explore each exciting port on your itinerary the way you want to. If your return to the ship is delayed, we guarantee that we won't leave you behind.*

Personalized shore excursions that allow you to choose an itinerary geared towards convenience, flexibility, and your own personal interests. if you want to explore the destination individually or in a small group, this is the perfect option. whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, fulfilling a lifelong passion, or looking for new ways to enjoy a favorite place., premium drink package, purchase a premium drink package before you sail to enjoy all your favorites for one price and zero worries, with no daily limits. these packages are available online up to 48 hours before your cruise., premium wi-fi package, whether messaging or video chatting with your friends and family, posting on social media, browsing the web, or checking emails. our premium wi-fi package is tailored to the level of connection you desire and the number of devices that you need. book your package pre-cruise and save. check your sailing for availability., specialty restaurants, in addition to delicious complimentary dining, we offer exceptional specialty restaurants, that also feature menus crafted by our michelin-starred chef. with a variety of world-class cuisine to choose from, they're the perfect place for special occasions, or a more extravagant evening. book our specialty dining package pre-cruise for savings, and to secure limited-availability space., experience the sophisticated ambiance and captivating atmosphere of the hottest, smoke-free casino floor at sea. put some extra sizzle in your gaming vacation with nearly 2,500 of the hottest slot machines and table games while enjoying complimentary cocktails while you play. with late hours, action-packed casino tournaments, and lady luck on your side, there’s no limit to the exhilarating experiences you’ll have., relax and rejuvenate in our award-winning spa, where you can enjoy an exceptional array of treatments, therapies, and fitness classes. space is limited, so book before you sail to secure your preferred times and take advantage of great savings during off-peak hours., enhance your cruise with our collection of the celebrity store. treat yourself or send something special as a surprise to friends who are cruising. choose from our exquisite wine and champagne menu, and pair your selection with something from our spectacular assortment of culinary delights. order before you sail to have your selections waiting for you in your stateroom upon arrival., our professional photographers will take pictures of your most memorable experiences on board. take home exceptional color and black and white photos of yourself and your loved ones. book before you sail and save., explore more.

CruiseCare Travel Protection

Train to Port on Brightline

Why stress about traffic and parking? With Brightline’s convenient train service, you’ll arrive at the cruise port relaxed and ready for your adventure. It’s the smoothest way to transition from city to sea.

Ready, Set, Train to Port on Brightline

Don’t let the journey before your cruise be a hassle. with brightline, getting to the port is a breeze, adding to the ease of your cruise experience..

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*In the unlikely event that your tour is delayed, we'll make the arrangements for you to return to the ship at the earliest opportunity, at no expense to you.

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Get Ready for Your Princess® Cruise

Make your medallionclass® vacation effortless with these easy oceanready® steps..

There are two places you need to access: Cruise Personalizer® and the Princess MedallionClass app. There are some mandatory check-in steps as well as additional ways to customize your experience – the more preferences you share, the more personalized your vacation will be!

Flights, Excursions & More

Book Flights with Princess 1 Enjoy low prices with flexible fares and the reassurance of booking with Princess.

Book Shore Excursions These award-winning tours fill up fast; get yours before they're gone!

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Choose times and preferences for the dining room and specialty restaurants. Reserve early for the best availability!

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Pick up your Medallion in port (or provide any other incomplete travel checklist items)

Get assistance with accessibility or other mobility needs

More info and ways to customize your cruise, what else will i be able to do in the princess medallionclass app.

• Package Upgrades – Add Princess Plus or Princess Premier to your booking to save big on things you're likely to purchase anyway like Wi-Fi, Crew Appreciation, and Drinks .
• Onboard Events – Access JourneyView™ digital planner to view and bookmark activities for your cruise.
• Dietary Requirements – Inform us of any food allergies or dietary requirements such as gluten-free, lactose-free and vegetarian.
• Accessibility Requests – Let us know if you will be bringing a mobility device or if you require visual or hearing assistance.
• Special Occasions – Help us make your special occasions more memorable.

What Else Can I Do in Cruise Personalizer®?

• Lotus Spa Reservations – Book the treatment you want at the time you want.
• Pre-pay Crew Appreciation – Take care of the crew who takes care of you ahead of time.
• Youth & Teen Registration – Registration can be done online before departing, or on paper after boarding the ship.
• Print Your Luggage Tags – Do this step before you leave for less stress en route.

Things to Bring

• Your Medallion – Wear it to the port if you ordered it ahead of time.*
• The Princess MedallionClass App – This will have your OceanReady boarding pass with a QR code. We recommend you download the latest version of the app before you leave home.
• Travel Documents – Double-check that you have all the required docs.
• Two Weeks Worth of Medications – Including contact lenses, as a precaution.

*Currently only available for US residents. Medallion devices will be available for pick up in the terminal, if one was not mailed to you.

Before You Cruise Videos

Before You Go: Jan Swartz

Connect with your favorite people and experience unique destinations together. Here’s what Holland America Group President Jan Swartz wants you to know before you go.

Before You Go: Alaska Cruisetours

You’ll be ready for adventure when you hear about the splendor of Alaska from an insider.

Before You Go: Buon Appetito!

How can you make your dining experiences even more exceptional? Listen to what Executive Chef Federico Femiano wants you to know before you go.

Before You Go: Lotus Spa®

Get some tips from an insider on how to engage in self-care and pampering while on your cruise vacation.

Before You Go: Entertainment

There are so many entertaining ways to spend your time at sea and it’s easy to plan with our JourneyView® digital planner in the MedallionClass® app.

Before You Go: Last Minute Tips

Get the inside scoop on how to make embarkation a breeze and other tips you should know before you go.

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MedallionClass® On All Ships!

Next-level technology. More time for you. Your vacation – simplified, personalized.

Entertainment

Movies, music, magic, comedy and more

MedallionNet® - The Best Wi-Fi at Sea

Wi-Fi everywhere on board so you can text, post photos, video chat and more!

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The Best Ways to Book a Cruise

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Not all cruise sites are created equal. While you may find comparable prices on different sites, each site has its own benefits, offers and cancellation policies. 

Before you book, though, have a look at these credit cards that come with cruise benefits to sweeten the pot even more.

What is the best way to book a cruise?

The best place to book a cruise will vary depending on what you're looking for out of the experience. We've broken out cruise booking sites based on common booking goals.

From our findings, here are the top cruise booking sites for your next vacation, plus the pros and cons they offer travelers.

For sailings across the Caribbean, Mexico or Central America: CheapCaribbean

CheapCaribbean.com is the best cruise website for the Caribbean, Mexico or Central America. It offers a best-price guarantee plus limited-time offers and discounts.

If you find a better deal within 24 hours of booking, CheapCaribbean will price match and beat it by $25. The company's customer service is available seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

Best-price guarantee.

Customer service is available seven days a week.

Charges a $24.99 processing fee on reservations.

Must provide an email address to receive the best deals and promos.

» Learn more: The best cruise lines

For consulting reviews from other cruisers: Cruise Critic

Cruise Critic is an independent website that encourages community members to post reviews and share tips.

Its message boards offer ways for website visitors to ask questions and share feedback with others based on their personal experiences and opinions. The site also acts as a metasearch for cruise deals, pulling in prices from multiple cruise websites.

Read cruise reviews from travelers who've been on that itinerary before.

"Deal Score" ranks deals to find the best value.

Price tracker shows 90-day trends for cruise prices.

Must click through the deal to book your cruise on other websites.

Prices are not guaranteed and can change before booking due to fees and restrictions on the sites where the cruises are being sold.

To review several cruise prices at once: CruiseDirect

CruiseDirect is the best cruise website when all you want are cruise prices. It doesn't offer hotels, flights, rental cars or other reservations you may want for your next vacation. CruiseDirect does, however, offer bonuses for travelers booking through its site.

Travelers can filter search results by destination, cruise line or departure port on various ships. This site offers cruises for every type of traveler, from budget to luxury, and every type of ship, from riverboats to mega-ships.

Bonus offers on every reservation provide extra value.

Best-price guarantee and free reservation holds.

Buy now, pay later financing options.

Promos offered by cruise lines aren't exclusive to CruiseDirect.

Customer service can be unfriendly.

» Learn more: Should you insure your cruise?

For budget-friendly options: Priceline

Priceline was originally known for its "Name Your Own Price" promotions, but has grown into a full-service online travel agency offering flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises, saving consumers more than $1 billion dollars per year.

Travelers who book a cruise with Priceline receive up to $2,000 to spend at sea, plus waived deposits on their reservations.

Up to $2,000 to spend on board.

Waived deposits of up to $500 when booking your cruise.

110% best-price guarantee within 48 hours of booking.

Ability to book flights, hotels, rental cars and more from the same site.

Must call Priceline to get exclusive offers and unpublished fares.

Restrictions make the best-price guarantee harder to benefit from.

» Learn more: Tips for getting the best cruise deals

For booking travel experiences beyond the cruise: TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is an online reviewer community where travelers share their experiences, pictures and ratings of hotels, suggested activities and more. This honest feedback and travel inspiration also make it one of the best websites to book a cruise.

Search over 70,000 cruise deals from more than 60 sites at once.

Dedicated ship pages share details, reviews, photos and itineraries.

Too many search results make it harder to narrow down your choices.

» Learn more: Are cruises all-inclusive?

To match with a vacation planner: Avoya Travel

Avoya Travel is a family-owned website that matches travelers with a vacation planner based on their preferences. It's the best way to book a cruise using a travel planner because it offers a low-price guarantee without charging extra fees for the planner.

The downside is that online pricing is not "live." Therefore, you must speak with a travel planner to get the latest prices and book your cruise.

Match with cruise planners according to your needs.

Does not charge Avoya fees for booking, changes or cancellations.

Get a low-price guarantee and the expertise of a vacation planner without extra fees.

Must become a member to unlock the best deals.

Pricing on the website is not "live" pricing, so actual cost may vary.

Cannot book a cruise online. You must speak with an independent vacation planner.

» Learn more: The best cruise insurance right now

To book a vacation package with an airline or hotel

American airlines cruises.

American Airlines AAdvantage members can earn airline miles when booking cruises at BookAACruises.com . All members earn one mile for every dollar they spend on cruise reservations, up to 10,000 miles. Some cruise specials offer up to 100,000 miles based on your selected cruise.

If you have an American Airlines credit card, you'll earn 2x miles, up to 20,000 miles. These miles and Loyalty Points count toward airline elite status. Additionally, trips booked through this site are eligible for promotions offered by the cruise lines.

Earn miles and Loyalty Points toward travel and elite status.

Cardholders earn 2x miles, up to 20,000 miles on cruises.

Cruise experts are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Cruise reservations are offered by a third party, so customer service issues can be a challenge.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

Delta SkyMiles Cruises

Delta Air Lines is another airline that allows members to earn airline miles when booking cruises through its portal. Booking through SkyMilesCruises.com helps you earn Delta SkyMiles on your purchase.

Members get up to 10,000 miles on most cruises and up to 100,000 miles on luxury cruises. Plus, the site waives deposits on eligible cruise reservations.

Can earn up to 100,000 miles when booking a cruise.

Waives deposits when booking eligible cruises.

110% price guarantee within 48 hours of booking.

Most cruise awards are capped at 10,000 miles.

Miles earned are based on the length of the cruise, not the amount spent.

United Airlines Cruises

United Airlines MileagePlus members can earn up to 25,000 miles when booking a cruise through United at Cruises.United.com .

When you have a United Airlines credit card, you'll earn up to 45,000 miles. By offering up to 4x miles per dollar spent (or 7x as a cardholder), this site is the best way to book a cruise and earn airline miles on your purchase. If you have Premier status, you receive additional perks on select cruise lines, like wine and onboard credits.

Earn up to 7x miles on cruises.

United MileagePlus Premier members receive additional perks.

Can redeem miles to pay for some or all of your trip.

Not all cruises can be booked online.

Prices do not include a nonrefundable $24.99 processing fee.

Marriott Bonvoy Cruises

If you want to earn hotel points on your cruise, Marriott Cruise with Points is the best cruise website for you. You'll earn up to 6x points on your cruise purchase, or you can redeem Marriott Bonvoy points to pay for your trip.

Plus, Marriott cardholders can earn an extra 2x points when they use that card for their purchase. While most cruises max out at 25,000 Bonvoy points earned, some luxury cruise lines offer up to 250,000 Marriott points.

Earn up to 6x points on your cruise, up to 250,000 Marriott points.

Marriott cardholders receive an extra 2x points when paying with their cards.

Can use Bonvoy points to pay for your cruise.

Redemption value of Bonvoy points is only 0.4 cent.

Must call to book cruises using points.

Processing fee of $24.99 per reservation.

» Learn more: Airline credit cards vs. hotel credit cards

For cruise package deals: Costco Travel

Costco is a retailer that offers exclusive products and pricing to its members. Through its Costco Travel website , members receive exclusive prices and benefits when booking hotels, rental cars, cruises and travel packages.

Executive Members earn 2% back on Costco Travel purchases and receive additional benefits on select packages. Plus, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi cardholders earn 3% cash back rewards on Costco Travel purchases.

Earn 2% rewards and extra perks with Executive Membership.

Some cruises offer Costco gift cards or onboard credit.

Must be a member to book reservations with Costco Travel.

Directly with the Cruise Line

In some cases, booking directly with the cruise line can be best because it eliminates a third party. If there's a problem with your reservation or you need to make a change, you don't have to worry about the booking site and the cruise line pointing fingers at each other.

This may be the best approach if you know which cruise line you want to book and which cities you want to visit. However, you may miss out on promotions offered by third-party sites.

Simple search functions.

No hassles with third parties for problems, changes or cancellations.

Less likely to get scammed by fraudulent sites.

Miss out on deals offered by third-party sites.

Harder to compare prices, benefits and routes from multiple cruise lines.

Comparing cruise prices across websites

Without being able to compare prices, it can be a challenge to determine the best site for booking a cruise. To make it easier to compare, we priced out a 7-night Caribbean cruise for two adults. 

We selected the lowest-priced balcony room on Royal Caribbean departing from Miami in August 2023. Here are the results:

Mitigate cancellation policy risks with travel insurance

If you're worried your trip plans being disrupted by bad weather or a change of plans, travel insurance might help. This optional standalone insurance can be purchased separately from your cruise bookings.

But you might not even need to pay out-of-pocket for trip insurance because many credit cards offer travel insurance as a built-in benefit to customers who pay for travel expenses on that card.

» Learn more: The best credit cards for cruises

Travel cards with cruise benefits

You can get even more perks by booking your cruise with the right card.

on Chase's website

on Bank of America's website

on American Express' website

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Get 25% more value out of your points when you book cruises through Chase.

Book with your card to get automatic travel protections for your cruise.

Redeem miles as a statement credit to cover spending on cruises.

Book with your card to get automatic travel insurance coverage for your cruise.

Earn 2x points on travel spending, including cruises and some ship excursions.

Book with your card to get trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation coverage and other travel assistance services.

Get American Express Cruise Privileges Program benefits when you book at least five nights with eligible cruise lines. Terms apply.

Cruise program benefits include $300 credit redeemable toward dining and spa services plus amenities like wine, chocolates and champagne. Terms apply.

Booking a cruise recapped

When looking for the best way to book a cruise, the price is virtually the same on every website. The difference lies in how each seller sweetens the deal.

Several cruise booking sites set themselves apart from the competition by offering additional benefits to encourage booking through them. Additionally, being able to book other parts of your trip — like flight and excursions — on the same site, or offering access to a travel agent, distinguishes some of the best cruise websites. 

When prices are the same, we recommend cruise bookers compare the perks being offered, then book on the site with the most appealing bonuses, like onboard credits, airline miles, hotel points or cash back.

If you're searching for cruises on a third-party website, you may question the legitimacy of that site. This is especially true if the site doesn't look professional or some of the information is outdated.

For this reason, you should stick with one of the best cruise booking sites on this list because they've been vetted for legitimacy and have a good track record with travelers.

Yes, last-minute deals can be the best way to book a cruise. If your travel plans are flexible, these deals can save you a lot of money. Keep in mind that you may not be able to book your preferred destination or routing if it is sold out.

Unfortunately, most cruise lines do not offer free cancellations or changes to take advantage of price drops after you book. Passengers can always negotiate with a booking site or cruise line, but they aren't obligated to refund the difference. Instead, they may offer you onboard credit, complimentary excursions or credit toward another cruise booking.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5x-2x Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Which cruise ship activities should you book ahead of time?

Picture it: You've planned your upcoming cruise for months. You chose the perfect ship and itinerary, rounded out your vacation wardrobe and weeded through endless lists of dining options and spa treatments. Then you board the ship and head to the excursions desk only to discover there's no more room on that once-in-a-lifetime adventure that was to be the crowning moment of your voyage.

Don't let this happen to you. If you're booked on a sailing and don't want to miss out, you can reserve many activities, experiences and restaurant meals ahead of time, either online or via the cruise line's mobile apps .

Whether you're a planner or someone who likes to play your vacation by ear, you should absolutely consider booking certain cruise activities in advance. Discover what's available pre-cruise so you can better prepare for your next voyage.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Dining reservations

One of the biggest components of any sailing is dining. Sure, you can opt for the main dining room or buffet each night. However, if you'd like to branch out and try one or two of your ship's alternative eateries , you can reserve a spot ahead of time, before you even step on board.

If you wait until after you embark to book, you run the risk of being stuck with the earliest or latest dining times or — worse — being completely out of luck. This is especially true if you're sailing on a newer ship with eateries that aren't widely available elsewhere.

Shore excursions

Got your eye on specific shore tours? Lock them in early, especially if you're setting off on a bucket-list journey to a place that you might not have a chance to visit again. Take it from me: There are few feelings worse than having the person at the shore excursions desk tell you "Sorry, but that tour is full."

Looking at something that's pricey, and aren't sure you want to pay that much? Here's a tip: Book it anyway. If you change your mind, you can usually cancel 24 to 48 hours in advance (depending on your cruise line's policy) and receive a full refund.

Spa treatments

You can wait to reserve spa treatments until you're on the ship — unless you're aiming for something particularly special. Do you need to reserve a large number of manicures for a bachelorette party? Do you want your hair done on a certain day so it's perfectly coiffed for formal night? Are you yearning for a couple's massage to celebrate your anniversary? Book pre-cruise to make sure there's enough availability.

Otherwise, it could benefit you to wait until you've crossed the gangway. On port days, when everyone is ashore, spas often try to draw people in by discounting treatments received on those days. They might also offer specials or discounts if you book multiple treatments. These offers aren't available in advance.

Theater shows

Although only a few cruise lines — Royal Caribbean International , Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages — require passengers to make free reservations for nightly entertainment, only Royal Caribbean and NCL allow reservations in advance of boarding.

For certain shows like Royal Caribbean's comedy shows and AquaTheater productions, as well as Norwegian's Broadway performances and Virgin Voyages' dinner theater, it's crucial to reserve seats. Otherwise, there is a very real possibility you'll end up not being able to see them. Despite multiple performances per sailing, seating can be limited.

(Tip: If you forget to reserve, show up 15 minutes ahead of time, when ships often release any reserved seats that haven't been claimed, meaning there could be room for you at the last minute.)

Special occasion arrangements

Are you celebrating something special on board? If you're in need of anniversary flowers, a graduation cake or birthday decorations for your travel companion, it's best to order them in advance.

If arrangements can't be made online or via your cruise line's app, contact your travel agent or the line directly to make sure they know what you're expecting and that what you need is available.

All major cruise lines sell packages that can help you to save money, alleviate the stress of planning or both. Some of the most common are dining and alcohol packages , as well as internet packages .

The former two are generally a good value for people who drink a lot of soda, fancy coffee or alcohol, or who like to switch up their dining experiences. The last one is essential for anyone looking to stay connected while at sea. Booking any of these in advance could score you some savings versus purchasing the same packages once on your ship.

Less common but still offered are photo packages and wedding packages . It's almost always unnecessary to pre-book photos, but wedding packages are only available with advance notice. What they include varies by cruise line, but example offerings might be flowers, a photo package, a ceremony for a set number of people and a few romantic in-cabin amenities like chocolate-covered strawberries and Champagne.

Bottom line

Cruise lines offer lots of add-ons you can book prior to your sailing. In most cases, though, it only pays to do so if you're sure you'd save money by booking early or if your trip would be adversely affected should something not be available to you once you board.

Generally, it's a good idea to make restaurant and shore excursion reservations ahead of time, as well as any special arrangements you might need. Spa treatments and entertainment can often be left until you're on the ship and have a chance to see the daily schedule.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise

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City Stays & Overland Packages

Why buy City Stays and Overland Packages from Holland America Line?

• Let us take care of the planning: Experience the peace of mind that Holland America Line offers you by managing the smallest details.
• Personal Service: Our representatives are available to assist you at the airport and hotel.
• Exceptional pre-cruise and post-cruise land and city stay packages offer a seamless land experience.
• Excellent value: Rates include taxes, tips and transfers.

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Booking & Reservations – Frequently Asked Questions

What activities can I book before my cruise, when can they be booked and how can I get pricing information?

After completing full payment for your cruise and your booking window opens, you can make reservations for activities and view their pricing online. Please note that some activities will fill up quickly and most require an additional fee:

Your advance booking window is determined by your Castaway Club membership level, as follows:

*Concierge Guests can book onboard activities up to 130 days prior to sail date by contacting the Shoreside Concierge Associate team. Online booking for Concierge Guests is available 123 days prior to sail date.

Online Reservations

• Log in to My Reservations .
• Go to the “My Plans” tab.
• Select the day you’d like to reserve an activity on your day-by-day itinerary.
• Select "Add Activities" and choose from the options provided.
• Once you’ve selected all your activities for that day, review your choices and add them to the cart.
• Repeat the same steps to add other activities on other days.
• If you’d like to change a reservation already in your cart, simply follow the above steps to access it.

Onboard Reservations

You can also make reservations on board your ship on the day of your departure for all activities, subject to availability. For more information, please stop by Guest Services.

Onboard Activities and Cancellation Policies

Onboard activities vary by ship. To view availability, please visit the Onboard Activities list.

Adult-Exclusive Dining

To avoid a cancellation fee, reservations must be cancelled at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled reservation time. Please note that Guests who do not honor their reservation will incur 100% of the per-person prix-fixe cost, which will be applied to their folio. Adult-exclusive restaurants include:

• Enchanté by Chef Arnaud Lallement
• Palo Steakhouse
• “it’s a small world” nursery! : Reservations must be cancelled at least 4 hours in advance to avoid cancellation charges. Please note that Guests who cancel fewer than 4 hours before their reservation time will forfeit 50% of the cost of care, while Guests who fail to arrive for a reservation without cancelling will be charged the full cost of the time reserved.

Onboard Fun

• Beverage Tasting Seminars : Reservations must be cancelled at least 24 hours prior to the reserved experience to avoid cancellation charges. Please note that Guests will be charged the full price if cancellation falls within 24 hours before the event start time.
• Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique/Pirates League : Reservations must be cancelled at least 24 hours prior to the appointment time. Please note that Guests who fail to arrive for a reservation or notify of a cancellation before 24 hours prior to the appointment time will be charged a fee.
• Character Greetings : Online availability opens for all Guests 30 days prior to sail date. By request, Concierge Guests can book Character Greetings prior to the 30-day window. No cancellation fees apply, but as a courtesy to others, please cancel or reschedule any session if your plans change.
• Goofy's Sports Deck : Guests will be charged 50% of their simulator booking fee if they cancel on the day of their session. No charges apply for cancellations made prior to the day of the scheduled session. No-shows will be treated as a cancelled session and will incur a 50% cancellation fee.
• Olaf’s Royal Picnic : Please note that Guests must cancel their dining reservation at Olaf's Royal Picnic at least 3 days prior to the reservation; otherwise, the reservation will be considered confirmed. Guests who fail to honor their reservation will be charged the full per-person cost.
• Royal Court Royal Tea : Please note that Guests must cancel their reservation at Royal Court Royal Tea at least 3 days prior to the reservation; otherwise, the reservation will be considered confirmed. Guests who fail to honor their reservation will be charged the full per-person cost.

Photography

• Professional Photography : You have the option to cancel any pre-cruise orders you made online up to 3 days before your cruise departure, or while on board before the end of your cruise. However, this cancellation policy only applies if you have not downloaded any digital photos while on board. Please note that any digital photos you purchase for download through a photo kiosk or Disney Cruise Line photos website cannot be cancelled, modified or returned, and are considered final sale items that were nonrefundable.
• Shutter’s Photography : No cancellation fees apply, but as a courtesy to others, please cancel or reschedule any session if your plans change.

Port Adventures

• Port Adventures : Reservations must be cancelled at least 3 days prior to your cruise departure date, otherwise they will be considered final and nonrefundable. Also, please note that some Port Adventures are noncancelable/nonrefundable.

Spa & Fitness

Several options are available on board the ship to keep you relaxed and in shipshape. Please note that appointments made at the Fitness Center, Hook's Barbery, Senses Spa & Salon and Untangled Salon must be cancelled 24 hours in advance to avoid a 50% cancellation charge. Follow the links below to learn more:

• Fitness Center
• Hook's Barbery
• Senses Spa & Salon
• Untangled Salon

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Virgin Voyages Tips | 10 Things to Know Before Your First Cruise

By: Author Emily

Posted on Last updated: January 2, 2024

If you’re sailing with Virgin Voyages, you should be prepared for sun-soaked days, fun-filled nights and flavor-packed meals. But you should also be prepared to do a bit of prep in advance if you want to take your cruise to the next level. In this post, we’ll share our 10 best Virgin Voyages tips to help you get the most out of your cruise.

I recently returned from a 5-day Virgin Voyages Dominican Daze Cruise on the Scarlet Lady . Before this trip, I had only cruised with Disney Cruise Line, and the Virgin Voyages experience was very different. (If you’re interested in how those two cruise lines compare, be sure to check out our post on Disney Cruise Line vs Virgin Voyages .) I learned so many things from my first Virgin Voyages cruise, and I’m sharing it all here.

Follow these tips and you can be sure that you won’t miss out on any of the fun (or food) onboard. The best part about these tips is that most of them can be done before your trip, so by the time you board you can sit back and relax.

Disclaimer: My Virgin Voyages cruise was graciously gifted by our trusted travel advisor, Lauren Quirk, from  Travel With Character . This post is not sponsored by Virgin Voyages or Travel With Character, and I do not receive any compensation in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

1. Complete the “Before You Sail” tasks ASAP.

As soon as you book your Virgin Voyages cruise (or as early as 120 days out), download the Virgin Voyages mobile app and complete the “Before you Sail” tasks. You’ll need the app for a few different things before and during your cruise, so you might as well get it now.

The “Before You Sail” task list has seven steps and takes about ten minutes. It includes things like confirming your passport information, taking a security photo and linking a credit card to use onboard. Most importantly though, this is where you can schedule your embarkation time. (Aka the time you can board the ship.)

It’s important to book your embarkation as soon as possible, because the best boarding times can book up quickly. What are the best embarkation times for Virgin Voyages? The earliest ones, which leads us to …

2. Schedule the earliest embarkation time.

I’d strongly recommend booking the earliest possible embarkation time for your Virgin Voyages cruise. On my cruise, this is 2 PM.

Early boarding has many benefits. Most obviously, you will have more time on the ship, plus shorter queues in the terminal. Most importantly though, early boarding means earlier access to registration for onboard activities. (We’ll talk more about that in tip #6.)

The embarkation experience will vary based on the port you’re sailing from. If you’re sailing from Miami, Virgin Voyages’ Terminal V is very well organized and boarding is quick and orderly. We were scheduled for earliest boarding group, and we were on the ship 20 minutes after we arrived at the terminal.

Boarding times are pretty strictly enforced. There are queues outside the terminal for each boarding time. If you arrive early, you’ll have to wait with your group for your time. You will not be able to board early if you arrive early.

3. Book dining reservations as soon as they open.

Meals are included on all Virgin Voyages cruises. That includes food from all quick service and table service restaurants onboard, as well room service. While all of the food onboard is pretty good, the very best, chef-curated meals can be found at the table service restaurants.

These high-end dining establishments are one of the selling points on Virgin Voyages, but actually getting a table at them takes a little bit of effort.

Virgin Voyages does not automatically schedule any meals for you. That means you’re not guaranteed a chance to dine at every (or any) table service restaurant onboard. You need to proactively make a reservation if you want eat at these table service restaurants.

Dining reservations open up 45 days before your sailing date. The exact time reservations open up reportedly varies, but it is typically around midnight in the departing port’s timezone. For example, if you are scheduled to sail on December 16, 2023 from Miami, your dining would open just after midnight ET the morning of November 1. You could potentially start checking the website in the late evening hours of October 31, around 11:30 PM, because sometimes they open early.

That said, the reservations don’t book up instantly. Unless you have a large party and are really set on a specific restaurant on a specific date and time, you probably don’t need to stay up till midnight to book your reservation. You should definitely plan to book in the morning of the day reservations open, though, for the best selection.

If you happen to miss the reservation window, don’t give up hope. All of the restaurants do have limited space for walk-ups and same-day reservations. This will just take more time and effort. There is also quick service dining available at all times.

4. See if you qualify for Deep Blue Extras.

Virgin Voyages is a relatively new cruise line, so they don’t have an established frequent sailor program just yet. While they build that up, they’re offering a collection of perks to seasoned sailors called Deep Blue Extras through the end of 2024.

Deep Blue Extras are pretty good, too. The perks include a $100 onboard drink credit, $10 per day specialty coffee credit, some complimentary laundry services and a free upgrade to premium wifi. You’ll also have access to a dedicated Sailor Services rep onboard, expedited boarding and a special happy hour.

Anyone who sailed with Virgin Voyages in 2021 (Sea-Blazers) or has sailed twice in 2022 and 2023 (Sea-Rovers) will receive Deep Blue Extras. If you qualify, these rewards will automatically be applied to your next sailing through 2024.

4.5 (Bonus tip!). Don’t tighten your Deep Blue Extras bracelet.

If you do qualify for Deep Blue Extras, you’ll get a special bracelet when you check in at the terminal. This one is a ribbon style bracelet with a one-way clasp — meaning you can tighten it but not loosen it.

If you put this bracelet on, make sure that you keep it loose enough to slide on and off. You don’t actually need this bracelet for anything, and all the perks are connected to your other NFC band. I think this is literally just to demonstrate your status on board.

I slipped mine off right away and just kept it in my purse, but I didn’t actually need it.

5. Use a hair tie for The Band.

When you check in at the terminal, they will give you a bracelet to use during your cruise. The Band is a contactless device that you need to use for pretty much everything on board. It serves as your room key, ID and credit card onboard, and you are required to tap it every time you get on and off the ship.

The NFC device itself is plastic with two attached loops. It is on a rope bracelet that wraps around your wrist twice and attaches with a small metal anchor. As you would expect from that description, the bracelet broke immediately.

Since the tap device is so important for your cruise, I’d recommend bringing a backup bracelet for it. A hair tie is the perfect solution. Slip the hair tie through one of the loops on The Band, and then pull one side of the hair tie through the other side of the hair tie to create a loop knot. Then you can wear the hair tie around your wrist and The Band won’t go anywhere.

Also, any small bracelet that can fit through these loops will do the trick.

6. Sign up for activities in the app as soon as you board.

As soon as you board, connect to the ship’s wifi and open the Virgin Voyages app. At this point, you will be able to see the full itinerary for your cruise and begin signing up for activities. To sign up for an activity, click “Add to Agenda.” (Hearting an activity doesn’t officially sign you up for it.)

Some events are “ticketed,” meaning that there is a cap on how many people can participate. Some ticketed activities have an additional fee (like cocktail classes or coffee tastings), while others are free (like yoga, spin classes and select stage shows). For ticketed events, you’ll need to tap your bracelet in order to enter.

You should sign up for all of your ticketed events as soon as you board, because some ticketed events fill up quickly. If any of these activities are important to you, be sure to check the itinerary and sign up quickly or you may miss out.

Other activities on board (like fitness classes, bingo and parties) are not ticketed. There is no formal cap on who can attend and they don’t check to see if you’ve registered before they let you participate. For these activities, adding them to your agenda is just to keep you organized.

Unfortunately, the Virgin App isn’t great and it’s even worse when everyone is using it at the same time. We experienced the app crashing, spinning and logging us out numerous times on both the basic and premium wifi. So I’d recommend heading to a bar and grabbing a drink for this process so it feels less annoying.

6.5 (Bonus Tip!). Link your party in advance.

Passengers staying in the same room should automatically be connected with each other in the app. That means that anyone in your cabin can register anyone else in your cabin for activities.

However, if you are traveling with friends or family in other cabins, you will need to manually connect them. You can complete this step at anytime, but ideally you should do it before you board. That way, anyone in your party can start booking for the entire party right away.

7. Plan for any in-person registrations.

While most things onboard can be booked in the app, there are a handful of sign-ups that have to be done in person on the ship. These are things with individual time slots, like tattoo and spa appointments and private karaoke registration, and they will be noted as such in the app. If you are set on any of these services/activities, do some research in advance and plan your first day accordingly.

For example, the tattoo parlor opens after the ship has left port and reaches international waters, often around 6 PM. The line for tattoo appointments forms early and gets long very quickly. Appointments on the last cruise day usually book up first, but they’re usually fully booked within a couple hours. If a tattoo is a priority, plan to be there about an hour before it’s scheduled to open for bookings.

Spa appointments book up less quickly, and karaoke spots usually open up daily. There might be other in-person registrations, but these are the three I know about. This is just something else you’ll want to take care of early for the best choice in times.

8. Skip luggage service when you board.

Most Virgin Voyages cruises have a luggage service available at embarkation and debarkation. The exact details vary based on your port, but here’s how it works at Terminal V in Miami.

There is a luggage check location outside the terminal. You can leave your bags here and then they will be delivered to your cabin that evening. The timing can vary, but on my cruise they were scheduled to be delivered by 6 PM.

This service can make it easier to navigate the terminal and board the ship without having to deal with your bags. This can also make security a bit easier. If you do use this service, just make sure you keep everything with you that you’ll need before 6 PM (including swimsuits, make up, meds, etc.)

It’s a good service, but I would actually recommend you skip luggage check when you board.

The main reason for that is because rooms are typically ready as soon as you board. On other cruise lines, that’s not the case, so you want to check your bags so you can enjoy the ship without lugging them around. But on Virgin Voyages, you can usually drop your bags in your room right away. This is easier than having to pack a day bag and then waiting for your bags to be delivered.

The Miami terminal is also easy to pull your bags through. The entire route is accessible by elevator, escalator, and/or ramp, so you won’t have issues with stairs. You do have to go through security, but you don’t have to remove anything from your bags like at the airport. If you have an early boarding time, this process can take less than 20 minutes.

8.5 (Bonus Tip!). Do use luggage service if you have a late debarkation time.

Similarly, Virgin Voyages also offers luggage check service on your debarkation day. You can leave your bags outside your door the night before you disembark, and then pick them up just before you exit the terminal. There is a cutoff time, but it’s usually around midnight.

This service does actually make sense if you have a late debarkation time. Most itineraries allow you to stay on the ship as late as 10:30 AM. However, access to the rooms is usually cut off before that. That means you have to keep your luggage with you.

If you plan to leave the ship late and want to have a relaxing morning, you don’t want to be lugging your bags. In this case, it’s a good idea to take advantage of the baggage service.

9. Pack the essentials.

This is not a complete packing list, but there are a few things you should be sure to pack for your Virgin Voyages cruise.

• Passport. There are some ways around this, depending on your itinerary, but it’s best to have it on you when cruising.
• Scarlet outfit. There are a few cruise parties and events, some of which vary by season, but the highlight of every Virgin Voyages cruise is Scarlet Night. Everyone wears red and there are a few events around the ship. It’s really fun and everyone gets into it, so this is the one onboard event you should definitely plan for.
• Sunblock and aloe. I’m usually pretty firmly in the buy-it-there camp, but that’s not always possible on a cruise ship. The stores onboard are only open when the ship is at sea and they are closed when the ship is at port. You might not always be able to buy these important items onboard when you need them.
• Portable charger . Virgin Voyages offers free wifi for everyone, so you might be on your phone more than you think. Plus, you’ll probably be using the app a lot to check the day’s schedules. A portable charger is nice to have in your bag. There are also many outlets around the ship, so you can also just bring an extra cord to keep with you.

10. Plan your flights properly.

If you are flying on either side of your cruise, selecting the right flight times is a delicate art.

Regardless of what port your sailing from, I would recommend flying in at least one day before you sail. Even if you don’t board until late in the afternoon or evening, I still wouldn’t recommend flying in the same day as your cruise departure. There’s always a chance that your flight gets delayed, you get rerouted, your bags get delayed, etc. You don’t want one bad travel day to cost you your entire cruise if you don’t make it there in time.

That same rule of thumb does not necessarily apply to your departure flight. It’s rare (but not impossible) that your cruise disembarkation will be drastically delayed. You can usually plan to fly out the same day that your cruise is scheduled to arrive. This of course varies based on your specific itinerary and port.

If you’re sailing from Miami, Virgin Voyages officially recommends booking a flight no earlier than noon on your arrival day.

Based on my recent personal experience, though, I would say that you could make a domestic flight as early as 10 AM. My disembarkation was scheduled for 8 AM, but I went down at 7:30 AM and walked right off the ship. There were no lines in the terminal, and I was at the Uber pick-up area by 7:42 AM. I arrived at the Miami airport at 8:02 AM and was through PreCheck security by 8:17 AM.

Everything might not always go that smoothly. However, I just wanted to share an actual timeline to help give you an idea.

Final Bonus Tip: Work with a travel advisor.

As I mentioned before, this trip was graciously gifted by our travel advisor at Travel With Character . We always work with them to book our Disney vacations , but this was my first time working with them on a cruise. I got to experience first hand what it was like to have a dedicated travel advisor help with my cruise vacation, and it was a dream.

They stayed on top of all of the timelines I mention throughout this post, and sent out reminders for each task to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks. Not only did they make the cruise planning a breeze, but they also helped plan my hotel and activities in Miami before the cruise, and they quickly found a third-party tour provider when our cruise itinerary changed last minute.

If you want your travel planning to be as stress-free as the cruise itself, I’d highly recommend reaching out to Travel With Character. (And no, they’re not paying me to say that.)

• Cruise News

Pre-Cruise Entertainment Booking Now on Norwegian

Sarah Bretz, Contributor

• February 10, 2023

If you’re sailing with Norwegian Cruise Line, you’ll now be able to check another task off the to-do list before you even step onto the ship.

Norwegian has announced that effective this past Tuesday, pre-booking is now available for select onboard entertainment across the fleet.

There are two booking window opening times, depending on which stateroom category or loyalty level you have.

Beginning with sailings embarking March 5, 2023, pre-booking for entertainment is available for those staying in the following stateroom categories:

26 days prior to sailing:

• Platinum Latitudes Rewards Tier
• Sapphire Latitudes Rewards Tier
• Diamond Latitudes Rewards Tier
• Ambassador Latitudes Rewards Tier

21 days prior to sailing:

• Club Balcony Suite

Note: The Latitudes Rewards tiers that are eligible for the 26-day booking window have access to book their entertainment 26 days prior to sailing, regardless of their stateroom category.

Bookings can be made through Norwegian Cruise Line’s website or through the NCL app.

If a show you want to attend becomes fully booked before you have a chance to make a reservation — whether prior to the cruise or once on board — you can add your name to the waitlist. Shortly before a show starts, seats that were reserved for guests who had booked but have not arrived are opened for the waitlist.

Guests on the waitlist are notified in the order they request a seat and then have a short amount of time to check in for the show, or the seats will be opened up to the next waitlist guests.

READ NEXT: Princess Cruises Adds New East Coast Port to Select 2024 Itineraries

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How do I pre-reserve show tickets?

Guests can pre-reserve shows online using  My Royal Cruise prior to their sail date.

The shows will be available to reserve on the first day of the month before the sailing and guests will be able to view all the shows by date and time, or select the individual show they desire.

Entertainment reservations can be made online up to 4 days before the sail date*. Please note that there will be availability to reserve onboard as well. Each guest may reserve only one seating for each show.

* If sailing in less than 4 days, guests will need to make reservations onboard at the Box office, subject to availability. 

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How to book a cruise using points and miles

If you're eager to embark on a cruise and have accumulated points, you might not have to pay for your next trip.

In this guide, we will explore strategies to help you optimize your points and miles to reduce the cost of your cruise vacation. We'll discuss leveraging your existing loyalty programs and the best ways to unlock savings on your cruise fare.

Here are the top ways to use your points and miles for a cruise.

Should you book a cruise with points and miles?

While various options are available for redeeming your points and miles toward a cruise, it is important to note that the value you receive may not always be optimal (i.e., less than TPG's valuations ). In the realm of travel rewards, there are often more lucrative opportunities to leverage your points and miles for flights or hotel stays, where the value and flexibility tend to be higher.

If you have American Express, Capital One, Chase or Citi points, you might be able to get a redemption value of 1 to 1.5 cents per point for cruises. In this case, you'd get $100 or $150 off your cruise fare by redeeming 10,000 points. While this may seem high, it falls short compared to the value some travelers get when redeeming points for luxury hotels or first-class flights.

Some cruise lines have their own credit cards, but a few have formed partnerships with other brands. For example, Marriott Bonvoy members can earn and redeem points on Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruises . These partner options are often limited, though, and may require loyalty to a specific travel brand.

You can always use points to reduce travel expenses for any cruise vacation. For example, you can use American Express Membership Rewards points , Bilt Rewards points , Capital One miles , Chase Ultimate Rewards points and Citi ThankYou points to cover costs associated with airfare, hotels or rental cars for your cruise. This often proves to be a better use of your rewards.

However, if you really want to use your accumulated points to reduce your cruise costs, here are various options for booking a cruise with points and miles.

Book a cruise with credit card points

You can use certain credit card points to book a cruise. Typically, you will be required to make the reservation through the portal provided by your credit card issuer, but some require calling a booking center. You may also be able to charge the cruise to your card and then redeem your rewards for a statement credit against some (or all) of that purchase.

Here's how you can book a cruise on points with several major credit card companies.

Amex Travel Pay with Points

If you have an eligible American Express card that earns Membership Rewards points , you can use those points to cover the cost of your cruise through the Pay with Points program . With this program, you can redeem Membership Rewards points at a value of 0.5 to 0.7 cents per point for most travel purchases. However, we value each Membership Rewards point at 2 cents when you maximize the program's transfer partners, so you would be using them at a lower value.

The Amex Travel portal has a user-friendly search feature that allows you to explore different cruises based on specific filters such as date, destination, cruise line and trip duration even before you log in.

To book a cruise using Pay with Points, log in to the travel portal and do the following:

• Select your preferred cruise itinerary and cabin.
• Enter your passenger information.
• When it's time to check out, enter your Membership Rewards-enrolled American Express card information and select "Yes" to determine how many Membership Rewards points your account has.
• You can pay for the entire cruise using Pay with Points or erase a portion of the cost and pay the rest with cash.

Alternatively, you can look up the cruise you want and call 800-297-5627 to book directly with the Amex Travel team over the phone.

Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal is similar to Amex Travel, but the redemption value is higher.

Points from the $95 per year Chase Sapphire Preferred Card are worth 1.25 cents each toward travel booked through Chase, while points from the $550 per year Chase Sapphire Reserve are worth 1.5 cents.

Unfortunately, Chase's booking system doesn't let you book cruises directly through Chase's online Ultimate Rewards portal. You'll have to call the Ultimate Rewards booking hotline and talk to someone in the cruise reservations department instead.

To book a cruise and pay with Chase Ultimate Rewards points:

• Find the cruise itinerary and availability you want directly through the cruise line's website . If you have a specific cabin in mind, have that information handy. Unfortunately, reports indicate that you cannot book Disney Cruise Line sailings with Chase Ultimate Rewards.
• Call a Chase travel specialist directly at 855-234-2542, and be prepared to walk the adviser through the cruise line booking page on their end so they can find and book the cabin and options you want. Cruise advisers are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
• Your cruise adviser will set up the itinerary for you and, upon checkout, will ask you how many points you want to apply against your final balance.

Citi ThankYou Rewards

The Citi ThankYou portal allows cardholders to use their ThankYou points as credit toward a cruise. Some cardholders can redeem points at a value of 1 cent apiece.

Finding your cruise within the Citi ThankYou portal can be frustrating because the search functionality isn't very robust. Travelers can only search for cruises by destination or cruise line, not by available dates.

To book a cruise using Citi ThankYou points:

• Log in to the travel portal by navigating through your Citi account (or directly at thankyou.com) and clicking on "Cruises" on the travel booking page.
• Then, filter by cruise line or destination. (Note that you can't search for cruises by a specific date.)
• Once you've identified the cruise you wish to book, call 800-842-6596 to speak directly with a Citi ThankYou travel specialist, who will allow you to apply Citi ThankYou points toward the final cost at checkout.

You can also use Citi ThankYou points to book a Disney cruise if you desire.

Capital One miles

Capital One offers more flexibility and a more straightforward redemption process than Amex, Chase and Citi. Unless you transfer your miles to an airline or hotel partner , each mile is worth a flat 1 cent toward travel.

Redeeming points doesn't require booking through a portal , thus freeing you up to book your cruise directly with the company or via a travel agent to get extra perks. This option also lets you pursue promotional package rates or discounts that might not be available through the Amex, Chase or Citi portals.

The award redemption process is straightforward: Use the card when paying for your cruise package, then log in to your account and use the "cover your travel purchases" option to apply your mileage balance as a credit toward the total amount you owe on your credit card statement.

You can earn Capital One miles with cards like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card . Each has varying features, so do some research to decide which card is best for you.

Related: Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Venture X: Worth the extra $300 in annual fees?

Book a cruise with airline miles

You can also book cruises using airline miles. However, like other options, the value of your travel rewards is often underwhelming. The following travel providers offer cruise portals that allow you to redeem rewards:

• American Airlines Cruises
• Delta Cruises
• United Cruises

For example, in the United Cruises portal, this seven-night Disney cruise out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, costs 151,571 United MileagePlus miles per person for an interior cabin — worth $2,198 by TPG's current valuation for United miles.

In contrast, the same room and sailing dates cost just $1,061 per person when paid for with cash — clearly a better value than paying with United miles.

Use cruise cobranded credit card points to book

With cruise line cobranded credit cards , you can earn points for purchases that you can then use to offset the cost of your cruise booking. However, this might not be your best option for earning and redeeming points.

Here, you'll want to be sure you can use your points toward the cruise fare instead of only onboard purchases. For example, the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature® Card offers a welcome bonus of 25,000 MyCruise Rewards points after spending $1,000 or more on purchases within the first 90 days of card membership to use on your next cruise. Your redemption choices vary.

For instance, you can redeem 25,000 points toward your companion's cruise fare on a three- or four-night Royal Caribbean cruise (certain conditions apply, i.e., minimum available ocean-view cabin and may not exceed $500 in value). Or, you can redeem 30,000 points for a $300 discount on a Celebrity Cruises voyage. To learn more about how to redeem MyCruise Rewards points, check out this PDF .

The information for the Royal Caribbean Visa Signature has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Redeem Marriott Bonvoy points

In 2021, Marriott announced that The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection would participate in the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. Members can redeem points on Ritz-Carlton cruises and enjoy elite status perks on voyages. However, the redemption rates aren't great.

You can redeem a minimum of 180,000 points toward a flat $1,000 savings on the cruise fare. After that, you can redeem increments of 90,000 points toward $500 in savings, up to the entire cruise fare. This redemption rate equates to about 0.56 cents per Marriott point, well below TPG's valuation of 0.84 cents per point.

Related: 17 ways to earn lots of Marriott Bonvoy points

Additionally, Marriott Bonvoy's Cruise with Points program allows you to cash in Marriott points for credit toward any cruise that's bookable on the Cruise with Points website.

You can redeem points in the following denominations, all valued at 0.4 cents per point:

• 63,000 points for $250 off your cruise fare
• 125,000 points for $500 off
• 250,000 points for $1,000 off
• 625,000 points for $2,500 off
• 1,250,000 points for $5,000 off

To redeem Marriott points for a cruise, call 1 800-596-0452.

Use points and miles for pre-cruise hotels and flights

You might make better use of your points and miles by redeeming them for flights to your departure port and for pre- and post-cruise hotel stays instead of for the cruise fare itself. With flights and hotels, you can often get more than 1 or 1.5 cents per point, unlike cruises, which generally provide lackluster redemption rates.

For example, you could transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United MileagePlus and get 3 cents per mile by booking a flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Miami International Airport (MIA). If you're an elite member or have a United credit card , you might even have access to special member award pricing .

Or, you could use 12,000 to 18,000 World of Hyatt points or an annual Category 1-4 award from the World of Hyatt Credit Card to pay for a room at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport in Florida before heading to Port Canaveral the next day.

By using points on this given one-night stay, you're getting 2.5 cents per point.

Bottom line

It isn't always easy to get great value for your points and miles when you use them toward cruise redemptions — at least, not the way you can for first-class flights. However, redeeming your points for free or discounted cruise travel is possible.

That said, you should steer clear of using airline miles or hotel points for cruises if you want to redeem your rewards for maximum value. Those are better used on flights and overnight stays.

It's a similar story for credit card currencies. Capital One offers the most flexibility of all the major issuers because you can book your cruise directly or through a travel agent . With multiple booking options, you can take advantage of additional perks and access promotional rates from travel agents and online retailers that aren't available through credit card portals. You could even stack those deals for additional savings by booking via an airline portal to earn miles.

Once booked, the Capital One award redemption process is straightforward; simply apply your mileage balance as a credit toward your total credit card statement. Each mile is worth a flat 1 cent toward travel, so you always know the value for comparison purposes.

If you ask me, that's how I'd book a cruise with points and miles to get the best value.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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• Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

Celebrity's Journey to Moscow excursion

By psygist , March 7, 2012 in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

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I will be in St. Petersburg in June on a Celebrity ship. Having been there previously, we would like to do the Journey to Moscow excursion. Celebrity lists it in the shore excursion brochure for my sail date, but it has not been available for booking on their website.

I have called Celebrity twice and both times was told that even though it is listed in the shore excursion brochure, it probably isn't being offered since it is not listed for pre-booking on the website. I have emailed Celebrity twice and received a different response. They responded that they were still working with the tour provider on the details and is not yet available for pre-booking.

Anyone have any experience with this that could offer some advice? It's frustrating that cruise line agents can be so misinformed and inconsistent in what they tell us.

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I will be in St. Petersburg in June on a Celebrity ship. Having been there previously, we would like to do the Journey to Moscow excursion. Celebrity lists it in the shore excursion brochure for my sail date, but it has not been available for booking on their website. I have called Celebrity twice and both times was told that even though it is listed in the shore excursion brochure, it probably isn't being offered since it is not listed for pre-booking on the website. I have emailed Celebrity twice and received a different response. They responded that they were still working with the tour provider on the details and is not yet available for pre-booking. Anyone have any experience with this that could offer some advice? It's frustrating that cruise line agents can be so misinformed and inconsistent in what they tell us.

Having done this one-day trip to Moscow and back on another cruise while in St. Petersburg, I might be able to share some insight. First, from dealing with some Celebrity folks about Europe options, certain of them are limited in their personal experiences and knowledge about this part of the world. Shouldn't be this way, but it is. They know more on the familiar Carib options as that is what is both closer and for which they get more of their calls/question. If they haven't done it, nor is is clear on their computer screen, they can't be of much help.

Second, that excursion to Moscow has been "evolving" during the past few years as they have switched from doing it by air flights to connection by high-speed rail. On trips like this one that is more costly and highly specialized, you will probably need to "press and push" to reach someone who is more likely to know this somewhat of a "needle in the haystack".

It's sad that you've gotten the "run-around", but sometimes the staff is not as informed and experienced as you would like, expect and need.

Do you need any background info for what you would see and do in Moscow , how it works, etc.???

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik . Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 68,189 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

What you said makes perfect sense. Thanks.

I also looked into doing this tour privately, but one tour provider informed me there were no available trains or planes to fit my ship's time in port. We will be there on a weekend so its possible that transportation does not run as frequent. I just wish Celebrity could get their act together and tell me definitively whether they will be offering the Moscow excursion.

Terry, What you said makes perfect sense. Thanks. I also looked into doing this tour privately, but one tour provider informed me there were no available trains or planes to fit my ship's time in port. We will be there on a weekend so its possible that transportation does not run as frequent. I just wish Celebrity could get their act together and tell me definitively whether they will be offering the Moscow excursion. Paul

If your cruise puts you into St. Petersburg on a weekend, that could be another complicating factor. Openings at certain places, rail schedules, etc., could be different for some days of the week. It is possible to do the Moscow trip by some private tour companies, but if there are any weather and/or scheduling complications, that could make things more difficult. Doing it through the cruise ship, makes it "their" problem, not yours!!

Doing the one-day trip to Moscow is very interesting and special. Lots of cruise lines do it now and have the practice down to a "science". BUT, that weekend timing could be delaying their finalization some on schedules.

• 3 weeks later...

I will be in St. Petersburg in June on a Celebrity ship. Having been there previously, we would like to do the Journey to Moscow excursion. Celebrity lists it in the shore excursion brochure for my sail date, but it has not been available for booking on their website.   I have called Celebrity twice and both times was told that even though it is listed in the shore excursion brochure, it probably isn't being offered since it is not listed for pre-booking on the website. I have emailed Celebrity twice and received a different response. They responded that they were still working with the tour provider on the details and is not yet available for pre-booking.   Anyone have any experience with this that could offer some advice? It's frustrating that cruise line agents can be so misinformed and inconsistent in what they tell us.

I was able to book this for a June cruise in the past few days. If you look carefully in the fine print for the excursion, I believe it is because you have to begin the online check-in process since they need your passport/ID information before you can book this excursion. Try to do as much of the online check-in as you can, and I think it should appear for purchase.

It would be nice to know what the actual schedule for the Moscow excursion is. I don't believe it is actually 18.5 hours, but that is just to make sure that you can't book anything else on that day.

I was finally able to book the tour online. They just made it available for online booking the other day. I sure hope they reach the minimum number of guests so it isn't cancelled.

Not sure why it leaves at 9:30. If it indeed is an 18.5 hour tour, we won't get back until 4 am.

I was able to book this for a June cruise in the past few days. If you look carefully in the fine print for the excursion, I believe it is because you have to begin the online check-in process since they need your passport/ID information before you can book this excursion. Try to do as much of the online check-in as you can, and I think it should appear for purchase.   It would be nice to know what the actual schedule for the Moscow excursion is. I don't believe it is actually 18.5 hours, but that is just to make sure that you can't book anything else on that day.

It looks like Celebrity edited the description to say that, for those excursions on a weekend, the actual tour will be shortened by about 2 hours due to less traffic on a weekend.

Terry (or anyone who has been on the Journey to Moscow excursion before):

Can you give me a little detail on the itinerary? The tour description says that we will have a walking tour of Red Square and the Kremlin, as well as visits to the Armoury and one of the Kremlin cathedrals. Was wondering what other Moscow sights we will get to see. Or will the rest be in the form of a panoramic bus tour? Any opportunity for souvenir shopping?

Thanks for any insights you can offer.

• 1 month later...

This was just cancelled for my cruise :( Didn't meet the minimum number of people interested in going.

There might be some options through private tour companies. We used Anastasia for our part in St. Petersburg, but she is doing these Moscow arrangements for friends, two couples, from here in Central Ohio, in late June. I would contact a couple of key, experiences firms such as Anastasia, see what she and others can offer to make this one-day train trip over and back.

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik . Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 82,951 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 70,872 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Which sailing are you on that the Moscow excursion was cancelled? I booked it for my Eclipse cruise June 23 sailing and haven't heard anything

• 2 months later...

soakedbythesea

You have probably figured out now that not only excursions, but many other things aboard ship are misleading, if not downright fraudulent. The ship crew, staff and clerks are all going to do pretty much what they want to, but not only on the Royal Caribbean's Celebrity brand, but almost all cruise ships - the captain can almost get away with murder. Aren't you glad you don't have to work on one of these vessels? Also make sure you don't get involved in any type of dispute, as even some crime gets swept under the ship - well, not all, like the Costa that crashed & tipped over, but not sure even then much will happen, as all passengers signed all their rights away before they got on board.

Hope you have enjoyed your cruise by now and maybe look back here on the board. About the only way to get any knowledge about the ships, excursions, etc. is through sites like this.

As we are sailing a year from now on Celebrity Constellation - Aug 12, we were wondering too about shows aboard, excursions (both ship and private), if you ever got to Moscow, etc. Please write to us at:

john at shifferds dot com - thanks

• 5 months later...

Ywlke,   Which sailing are you on that the Moscow excursion was cancelled? I booked it for my Eclipse cruise June 23 sailing and haven't heard anything

We will be in St. Petersburg in July and want to take Celebrity's tour to Moscow. Please let us know if you liked it or not and how long it was. This is going to be our second time in St. Petersburg but will like to take a private tour on day #2. Did you do something the day after your Moscow tour? We are traveling with our teenagers and worry about them being too tired :rolleyes:

• 6 months later...

Kevin's girl

I thought I would bump this up. We will be on the Brilliance this time next year and are very interested in doing this our. Are there still people out there that have done it? I would love to hear what you thought of the tour, the travel part and what you were able to see while in Moscow. Was it worth the price?

I thought I would bump this up. We will be on the Brilliance this time next year and are very interested in doing this our. Are there still people out there that have done it? I would love to hear what you thought of the tour' date=' the travel part and what you were able to see while in Moscow. Was it worth the price?[/quote'] We just did this tour and really liked it, but this was our second time in St. Petersburg. If this is your first time there I don't know if it's the best choice. You spend most of the day in airports and buses. Our meeting time at the ship was 6:45 AM, followed by a 45 min. long drive to the airport. Then we had to wait for a 10:00 AM one hour flight to Moscow. As you can see we arrived after 11:00 AM followed by another 30 minutes ride to the city. We were taken to the Red Square, to take a subway ride, followed by a coffee and tea break, then to the Kremlin armory museum (where we spend most of our time), also visited the Cathedral of the Annunciation, and back to the Red Square. Were only given half hour for shopping, followed by a really long dinner at a local restaurant. Our flight back to St. Petersburg departed half hour late, arriving at 11:30 PM. It took a while for the bus to pick us up, another 45 min. drive to the port and we were at our rooms by 1:00 AM. This means that if you want to see St. Petersburg the next day, you are going to be really tired. BTW, I'm not complaining, this tour was so popular on our cruise that they had two groups for the first time. Most of my friends were on that group and they had the worst time. Their flight left earlier than ours and although they were taken to more places than us, they ended up on a later flight and arrived in St. Petersburg after 12:30 AM. The problem was that the tour company knew that they were not going to make it on time to the bridges that connect the city to the area where the ship docks. The elevated bridges go up at 1:30 AM in the morning and are taken back after 5:00 AM. Can you believe that our tour guide made fun of the fact that the other bus was not going to make it on time? It was really frustrating for them to watch the bridges go up in front of their eyes. They finally found online a bridge that goes down for periods of 15 min. and were able to go back to the ship after 3:00 AM. Some of them couldn't make it to their tours the next day. Remember, this is Russia, if you don't make it to your tour the next day, you won't be able to leave the ship. My friends tried to take a taxi and catch up with us, but their visa stated a 9:00AM pick up time and had to stay on the ship. We liked our tour, but it is up to you to decide if it's worth it. The time that you actually spend in Moscow is really limited. If by any chance you are given a late flight on your way back, start screaming and demand an earlier flight. The tour company hired by Celebrity is going to buy the cheapest flights to make more money. Just my two cents. I tried to research this tour before our cruise and didn't find too much information. Hope this helps. BTW, I was concern about the planes used for the flights, if you are too, don't be. The flight was great and were even given a sandwich with juice or water. I do have to say that we felt that we were on a PanAm 1970's flight. The attendants were all really young, skinny and beautiful, wore heavy make up and complicated hair styles. I was also not impressed by either St. Petersburg or Moscow's airports. No restrooms close to the gates, two flights leaving at the same time through the same gate, just a mess!! Before our tour I couldn't understand how Edward Snowden could hide for such a long time on an airport, after visiting Moscow's international airport it just made sense. Hope you enjoy your Baltic cruise.

Thanks for the details. I was quite curious about it. Unfortunately it doesn't sound like you got to see so much there. Fortunately as you say it was your second time in SPB, so you can compare and see the differences between the cities. They are very different.

On our Celebrity cruise, it was sold out, but I didn't come across anyone who took the tour to find out their experiences.

drarill, I had to laugh at the comment about how Snowden was able to hide in the airport ... I had wondered the same thing, but now we know!! LOL

We just did this tour and really liked it, but this was our second time in St. Petersburg. If this is your first time there I don't know if it's the best choice. You spend most of the day in airports and buses. Our meeting time at the ship was 6:45 AM, followed by a 45 min. long drive to the airport. Then we had to wait for a 10:00 AM one hour flight to Moscow. As you can see we arrived after 11:00 AM followed by another 30 minutes ride to the city. We were taken to the Red Square, to take a subway ride, followed by a coffee and tea break, then to the Kremlin armory museum (where we spend most of our time), also visited the Cathedral of the Annunciation, and back to the Red Square. Were only given half hour for shopping, followed by a really long dinner at a local restaurant. Our flight back to St. Petersburg departed half hour late, arriving at 11:30 PM. It took a while for the bus to pick us up, another 45 min. drive to the port and we were at our rooms by 1:00 AM. This means that if you want to see St. Petersburg the next day, you are going to be really tired. BTW, I'm not complaining, this tour was so popular on our cruise that they had two groups for the first time. Most of my friends were on that group and they had the worst time. Their flight left earlier than ours and although they were taken to more places than us, they ended up on a later flight and arrived in St. Petersburg after 12:30 AM. The problem was that the tour company knew that they were not going to make it on time to the bridges that connect the city to the area where the ship docks. The elevated bridges go up at 1:30 AM in the morning and are taken back after 5:00 AM. Can you believe that our tour guide made fun of the fact that the other bus was not going to make it on time? It was really frustrating for them to watch the bridges go up in front of their eyes. They finally found online a bridge that goes down for periods of 15 min. and were able to go back to the ship after 3:00 AM. Some of them couldn't make it to their tours the next day. Remember, this is Russia, if you don't make it to your tour the next day, you won't be able to leave the ship. My friends tried to take a taxi and catch up with us, but their visa stated a 9:00AM pick up time and had to stay on the ship. We liked our tour, but it is up to you to decide if it's worth it. The time that you actually spend in Moscow is really limited. If by any chance you are given a late flight on your way back, start screaming and demand an earlier flight. The tour company hired by Celebrity is going to buy the cheapest flights to make more money. Just my two cents. I tried to research this tour before our cruise and didn't find too much information. Hope this helps. BTW, I was concern about the planes used for the flights, if you are too, don't be. The flight was great and were even given a sandwich with juice or water. I do have to say that we felt that we were on a PanAm 1970's flight. The attendants were all really young, skinny and beautiful, wore heavy make up and complicated hair styles. I was also not impressed by either St. Petersburg or Moscow's airports. No restrooms close to the gates, two flights leaving at the same time through the same gate, just a mess!! Before our tour I couldn't understand how Edward Snowden could hide for such a long time on an airport, after visiting Moscow's international airport it just made sense. Hope you enjoy your Baltic cruise.

Thank you for posting your experience. You have given me a lot to think about. It just seemed like a good idea, now I need to think really hard about it. I would hate to have our second day messed up in SPB.

We did Celebrity's Journey to Moscow excursion in July 2012. We had been to St. Petersburg before so decided to do something different. Interestingly, this excursion had been cancelled on some of the previous cruises that summer as a result of not enough people signed up. There were about 20 people on our excursion.

In a nutshell, I recommend the excursion and would do it again, but there are some caveats:

1. I would probably not go to Moscow if this was my first time visiting St. Petersburg. SP is full of wonderful sites so I would spend my two port days there seeing all the city sites, including the Hermitage, as well as visiting one of the palaces outside the city.

2. If you go to Moscow and plan on taking a tour in SP the next day, be aware (as someone else posted) that the tour returns to the ship very late and you might have difficulty getting up early enough the next morning for your SP tour. Our flight didn't land back in SP until after midnight and we were unable to cross the bridges before they rose. We didn't return back to the ship until after 2am, but because we anticipated that this might happen, we booked an afternoon private car in SP. We actually ended up enjoying being out late in SP with the bridges up as our bus and guide drove us around the city late at night and it was a surreal experience, especially during the white nights of summer.

3. We thought the time in Moscow could have been better organized, allowing us more time to see Red Square and the Kremlin buildings, but we were prevented from doing so due to horrendous traffic around Moscow, a very long-winded local tour guide, and too much time spent stopping for a coffee break (which was entirely unnecessary IMO). We also had almost no time to shop and the time spent in Red Square was much too short. Again, I mostly blamed this on our guide who talked too much rather than allowing us free time to wander around. I ditched the guide and our group before we were actually dismissed for free time so that I could wander around Red Square and make a few purchases from a street artist (local art and crafts on the street are of high quality and inexpensive IMO).

4. The dinner, while served in a beautiful, elegant setting, was mediocre at best. Lots of alcohol, but I've had better beef stroganoff in a school cafeteria.

Having provided you with these caveats, I still would take the tour again. It was a fascinating and magical experience. From the very interesting airport and airplane experience, to having the opportunity to visit the Kremlin sites and Red Square, it was worth it for us. It was a whirlwind of a tour, lasting about 18 hours from the time we left the ship until we returned.

I hope this helps others make a decision about this tour.

• 3 years later...

I was finally able to book the tour online. They just made it available for online booking the other day. I sure hope they reach the minimum number of guests so it isn't cancelled.   Not sure why it leaves at 9:30. If it indeed is an 18.5 hour tour, we won't get back until 4 am.

We are on May 21, 2017 Eclipse and want to do the same tour.

There are several trains per day even on weekends and holidays. If it is the weekend I would say you are better off flying as traffic will be a little better than on a weekday especially in the morning. There are probably several flights an hour. The train is modern and comfortable but not especially scenic.

Since you need a visa anyway you could also consider arranging a Moscow tour guide to meet you at the airport and arrange your own transport to Moscow. An airport taxi should be easy to arrange in St Petersburg or use Uber. Aeroflot tickets are easy to buy online.

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Pre-booking transfers from Arbat hotel to N River Terminal - Moscow Forum

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Pre-booking transfers from Arbat hotel to N River Terminal

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I hope someone can help us. We need to book transfers from our hotel in Arbat to meet our ship Amakatarina (Rostropovich) on August 28th. It has been suggested we are better to organise this independently rather than ask the hotel. Are there reliable transfer companies that offer this service and with whom we can book online prior to leaving Australia? We are two senior adults with usual luggage, so we do not want to use the Metro although we have been told the terminal is near Rochnoy vokzal station. Thanks in advance for any assistance!

I would still start with asking the hotel and only if their offer is unreasonable (>600-700 rubles) then look elsewhere.

You are right you don't want to take the metro with luggage - it's a good 10-15 minute walk to the port including an underground crossing with steps!

We used these guys

http://english.go-to.ru/

We found go-to.ru reliable and punctual.

I am generally supporter of go-to-ru for airport transfers, but from some other pricing I have seen (like to/from train stations), have not found them to be very favorable. I experimented with local taxi last trip ...from hotel to Belorusski Station, and found rates to be very reasonable and service good...think the taxi was New Yellow Taxi...can't hurt to see what the hotel might be able to...or, if you are braver and have initiative, call one of taxi companies direct - pretty sure most have English speaking line...

On the other hand you might be dealing with a bootstrap operation with a dozen freelance drivers driving their own cars for them. What happens if a driver overslept\had a mechanical breakdown\didn't feel like getting out of bed? You must have a plan B

Hi memsahib

We took a river cruise (the Russ) that we booked through Gate1in the US

In St Petersburg we got the CD to call a cab to get us to our hotel in town and we had the final transfer to the airport in St Petersburg also through go-to.ru They always sent confirmation SMS messages with the car details I think the day before.

The taxi was cheaper and I`m sure the hotel would be fine to organize it for you.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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