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The Internet has been a wonderful boon for the traveling public. Not only has it empowered consumers with more information about destinations and pricing, it has also made the whole discovery, comparison and purchase process much easier.

But that doesn’t mean every company in the world selling travel online can be trusted. Nor does it mean that the travelling public will automatically get a good deal when they shop online.

So how can travel consumers protect themselves against shady operators and shop online with confidence?  Here are 10 tips to help you get the most from your online cruise and travel shopping experience:

1. Security:  When a customer enters sensitive information on a website, it is important that they can see https in their address bar.  This means that the information they enter is encrypted as it travels over the Internet, and as a result is very secure as it is transmitted.  It’s akin to placing your sensitive information in an armored car.  You should be cautious of websites that use poor English, have lots of spelling mistakes, don’t list much inventory, and look a bit amateurish – they could be fraudulent.

2. Availability:  Some websites only list inventory for cruises, hotels or car rental companies that they can make the most profit on.  Others make it difficult to find the better deals. As a result, you may not be seeing a broad enough range of cruise or travel options. Why bother spending time on a website if it doesn’t give you all the choices and pricing options available to you?

3. Taxes & fees: The prices listed on websites for cruises, hotels, airfare, etc. don’t usually include taxes and fees until you click through to determine availability. For cruises, these fees can vary greatly depending on the itinerary, length of voyage and the price of oil (cruise lines reserve the right to add a fuel supplement charge if the price of oil rises to a pre-determined level). So if you want to know the full cost of a trip, make sure you click all the way through until you can see the taxes and fees. And don’t worry about inadvertently booking a trip – you can’t be charged for anything until you enter your credit card information and make a booking.

4. Accountability:  Does the website show the physical address and contact phone number of the online agency?  Is the agency a registered member of a provincial or state-governed organization like TICO that provides consumer protection including compensation in the unlikely event that a cruise line, airline or travel agency goes bankrupt? Is the agency a member of a legitimate industry association like the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)?

5. Responsiveness:  Do they answer the phone and reply to inquiries in a timely manner? Do they contact you by phone or email to follow up after you’ve made an online booking? If the answer is “no,” it could be a sign that the agency is poorly organized, understaffed, or worse – on the verge of collapsing.

6. Attitude:  Do they sound like they want your business?  Are they willing to spend time with you and help you consider your options? Do they direct you to sources of information to help with your decision making? Do they avoid using high pressure tactics? An online agency that truly wants your business will put you first in the process of helping find the cruise you’ve always wanted.

7. Pricing:  The price of a cruise or airfare listed on a website can change frequently based on a number of factors including inventory, time remaining to departure and foreign exchange rates. That’s why it’s important to go beyond the initial listing and click through to availability to ensure you are getting real-time pricing.  In addition, good websites help you find the best values by highlighting special deals, and they offer as many prices as possible in both Canadian and U.S. dollars.  

8. Too good to be true: A handful of companies run marketing schemes where they offer all kinds of free stuff – including a free vacation or cruise. These offers usually involve getting you to attend a sales pitch for a time-share, or charging you administration fees that are equal to or greater than the cost of the trip. So if the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

9. Functionality: The cruise or travel website should have basic functionality, be easy to use, and help a customer make a decision that’s best for them.  If a guest gets confused, or finds it difficult to get a “comfort level” about buying a cruise, then they can reasonably suspect that the website might not have their best interests at heart.  But if the website provides value-added information via things like an online community, regular blog posts, industry news, FAQs, and helpful travel tips, the shopper is going to be a lot better informed and more confident in making a purchase.

10. Accuracy: Does the agency review online bookings for accuracy and follow-up to confirm your request? Do they advise you of the date for final payment and follow up to ensure you don’t lose your booking? Is the ticketing information accurate in terms of name spelling, address, etc? The last thing you want to do when planning a vacation is to worry about your travel or cruise agency getting things mixed up and spoiling your trip.

I hope these tips will give you comfort and value when you shop for cruises and travel online. If you have a question, please leave a comment at the end of this post, or call one of our cruise specialists at 1-877-810-TRIP.

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