A real person on our team answers the phone. We book every major cruise line, so the opinion you get is unbiased. There are no booking fees on cruises, and published retail fares are generally the same wherever you book. On sailings where we hold group space, eligible cabins may be quoted at the group rate. Then we put the options side by side so you can actually see what you are choosing between.
A real person picks up. You call or text and you get someone on our team who knows your booking. No hold music, no ticket number, no being handed to whoever is next in the queue. If we miss you, we call back.
We advocate for your best value. We are not paid more to steer you to one brand. We tell you when the cheaper cabin is the smarter buy, when the upsell is not worth it, and when the sailing you found is the wrong week for the weather.
We book every major cruise line. Ocean, river, premium, luxury, and ultra-luxury. Because we sell all of them, our opinion on which one fits you is an actual opinion, not a house brand.
Bird’s-eye view, side by side. We zoom out and line up the real options next to each other: fare, cabin category, what is included, what the taxes bring the total to, and which promo actually applies to your dates.
No booking fees on cruises. Cruise lines pay us. Published retail fares are generally the same wherever you book. On sailings where we hold group space, eligible cabins may be quoted at the group rate, and qualifying sailings can carry Agency Exclusives like onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, or a specialty dinner.
A team, not a one-man show. The team at Tim Cruise Travel Agency covers cruises, groups, resorts, and theme parks, so someone is always reachable and nothing sits waiting on one inbox.
Who you talk to: The team at Tim Cruise: The same advisor, every time, by phone or text. Big-box / online sellers: Whoever answers the queue that day.
Cruise lines offered: The team at Tim Cruise: Every major ocean, river, and luxury line. Big-box / online sellers: A limited or preferred set.
Recommendation: The team at Tim Cruise: Our honest read on which line fits you. Big-box / online sellers: Whatever the search results sort to first.
Cruise booking fees: The team at Tim Cruise: None. Big-box / online sellers: Sometimes, and often non-refundable.
Your fare: The team at Tim Cruise: Same published retail fare; group rate on eligible cabins where we hold space. Big-box / online sellers: Same base fare, different extras.
Perks: The team at Tim Cruise: Agency Exclusives on qualifying sailings. Big-box / online sellers: Store credit or gift card, after you sail.
Price drops before final payment: The team at Tim Cruise: We watch for them and rebook you. Big-box / online sellers: You have to catch it yourself.
When something goes wrong: The team at Tim Cruise: You text us and we work it. Big-box / online sellers: You call the 800 number.
Costco Travel. Costco is a warehouse club that also sells cruises. The base fare is the same as everywhere else, and what you get back is a Costco Shop Card after you sail. That is real money, but it arrives after your trip, it only spends at Costco, and it does not come with anyone who knows your sailing. You reach a general call center, and the cruise line selection is limited to their preferred partners.
CruiseCompete and bid-style sites. You post your sailing and a pile of agencies email you offers. It looks like an auction, but every seller is working from the same published fare, so what actually varies is how much service each one strips out to look cheapest. You end up sorting through strangers instead of talking to one advisor who already knows what you want.
Expedia, Priceline, and the big OTAs. Great at showing you inventory, built to avoid talking to you. There is usually a booking fee, the cancellation terms are theirs and not the cruise line’s, and when a sailing changes or you need a cabin moved you are in a support queue. If a name matters when there is a problem, they do not have one for you.
Expedia CruiseShipCenters and franchise storefronts. Individual franchisees, so the experience swings hard from one location to the next. Some are excellent. Others rotate staff, and your booking gets reassigned. You are hiring a brand and hoping for the person.
AAA. A membership organization with a travel desk. The incentive is typically a gift card and it is funded by AAA, not the cruise line. Solid for a simple Caribbean week, thinner once you move into luxury lines, river cruises, or a group block.
Booking direct with the cruise line. Nothing wrong with it, but the person helping you only sells one brand and cannot tell you the other line does your itinerary better. You also do not get agency perks, and no one is checking your booking for a price drop. Published retail fares are generally the same as booking direct, there are no booking fees on cruises, and on sailings where we hold group space, eligible cabins may be quoted at the group rate.
We built this agency around one idea: you should be able to talk to the same person twice. Most of what we book is cruises, which means we are in the fare rules, the cabin categories, and the group contracts every single day. That is the part a comparison site cannot hand you.
So when you send us a sailing, you are not getting a quote generated by a form. You get our read on it. Sometimes that read is that the price you found is already good and you should take it. We would rather tell you that and keep you for the next ten years.
Is it more expensive to book a cruise through a travel agency?
No. There are no booking fees on cruises with us, and published retail fares are generally the same wherever you book. On sailings where we hold group space, eligible cabins may be quoted at the group rate. Cruise lines pay us a commission out of the fare you were already going to pay, so our time costs you nothing. On qualifying sailings we can add Agency Exclusives like onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, or a specialty dinner on top.
How are you different from Costco Travel or CruiseCompete?
Two ways. First, you get a real person on our team answering the phone or your text, not a call center queue or an inbox full of bids from strangers. Second, we book every major cruise line, so our recommendation is unbiased. Costco gives you a Shop Card after you sail. CruiseCompete gives you competing offers from agencies you have never spoken to. We give you a side-by-side comparison and an advisor who stays with your booking until you are home.
Do you price match the Costco Shop Card or an AAA gift card?
We do not match those, because they are loyalty incentives funded by Costco and AAA rather than by the cruise line. What we put on the table instead is Agency Exclusives on qualifying sailings, no booking fees, and an advisor managing your reservation. Clients who price it both ways usually find our all-in value comes out ahead, especially on premium, luxury, and group sailings.
Can you book any cruise line?
Yes. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, MSC, Princess, Holland America, Disney, Virgin Voyages, Viking, AmaWaterways, Uniworld, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, Seabourn, Explora Journeys, Windstar, and more. Because we sell all of them, we have no reason to talk you into the wrong one.
Will I get a real answer or a sales pitch?
A real answer. We will tell you when a cabin upgrade is not worth the money, when a promotion is weaker than it looks, and when the week you picked is the wrong week for that itinerary. Losing one booking is cheaper for us than losing a client.
What happens after I ask for a quote?
You get a reply from someone on our team, usually within one business day. We come back with the real options side by side, all-in pricing with taxes and fees, what is included on each, and a clear recommendation. Nothing is held or charged until you say yes.
Should I book my cruise through a travel agent or directly with the cruise line?
A travel agent gives you the same published fare plus service, advocacy, and agency perks at no extra cost. Booking direct means you handle the research, the price-drop checks, and any changes yourself. With us, published retail fares are generally the same as booking direct, there are no booking fees on cruises, and we monitor your reservation for better promotions before final payment. On sailings where we hold group space, eligible cabins may be quoted at the group rate.
Are there hidden fees when I book a cruise with Tim Cruise Travel Agency?
No hidden fees. Cruise lines pay our commission, so our cruise booking service costs you nothing extra. The quote you receive includes the cabin fare, taxes, and port fees. Optional add-ons like excursions, drink packages, or Wi-Fi are clearly labeled, and we explain what is included in each fare before you decide.
How does Tim Cruise choose the best cruise value for me?
We start with what you actually want: dates, destination, budget, cabin preference, and how you like to travel. Then we compare the real options side by side, weighing fare, inclusions, cabin category, current promotions, and the sailing that fits your schedule. We pick the one that delivers the best overall value for you, even if it is not the one we make the most commission on.
Tim Cruise Travel Agency LLC, Naples, FL. Phone 239-747-0424, email info@timcruise.com.