tigger137
"Smile and wave boys, just smile and wave ..."
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2006
- Messages
- 1,315
Previously I've always booked our DCL cruises through a US travel agent, generally Dreams, for the OBC offered. Paying in US$ doesn't bother me although obviously you have to accept that the exchange rate varies.
When checking around for the best deal recently, just out of interest I also checked some UK travel agents and was surprised to get a quote which was less than the sterling rate quoted on the DCL website. Although I got the quote online I had to phone to book and I expected the rate to go up to the same as DCL, but it didn't. The discount was approximately 6%, a larger cash amount than the $200 OBC offered by Dreams, and with it being in sterling I know exactly what my final cost will be rather than it depending on the exchange rate at the time I pay the balance. (Comparing current prices in $US and sterling, the exchange rate on DCL was approximately 1.6 which isn't bad.)
I had to pay exactly the same amount of deposit as if I'd booked direct with DCL in sterling, but the discount has been taken off my final balance.
I'm not sure if I am allowed to name the travel agency here but will say that it is part of an organisation originally founded in Rochdale which has various business interests including funerals, bank, pharmacy and supermarkets, as well as the travel agency.
In addition to the up-front discount, as a member of the society I will eventually receive dividend on the points earned on my purchase which will probably amount to a further 1%. (It costs £1 to join, taken from your first dividend payment.)
I was torn about booking through anyone other than Dreams, and I do like having OBC sitting in my account when I get onboard. But having more money off, upfront, won hands down. It isn't that I use a travel agent to do anything for me except book and save me a little cash; I'm very self-sufficient and prefer to everything else myself. So it's all down to the money and this time the UK travel agent offered the best deal.
If anyone is interested and hasn't worked out who the UK travel agent is, feel free to PM me.
When checking around for the best deal recently, just out of interest I also checked some UK travel agents and was surprised to get a quote which was less than the sterling rate quoted on the DCL website. Although I got the quote online I had to phone to book and I expected the rate to go up to the same as DCL, but it didn't. The discount was approximately 6%, a larger cash amount than the $200 OBC offered by Dreams, and with it being in sterling I know exactly what my final cost will be rather than it depending on the exchange rate at the time I pay the balance. (Comparing current prices in $US and sterling, the exchange rate on DCL was approximately 1.6 which isn't bad.)
I had to pay exactly the same amount of deposit as if I'd booked direct with DCL in sterling, but the discount has been taken off my final balance.
I'm not sure if I am allowed to name the travel agency here but will say that it is part of an organisation originally founded in Rochdale which has various business interests including funerals, bank, pharmacy and supermarkets, as well as the travel agency.
In addition to the up-front discount, as a member of the society I will eventually receive dividend on the points earned on my purchase which will probably amount to a further 1%. (It costs £1 to join, taken from your first dividend payment.)
I was torn about booking through anyone other than Dreams, and I do like having OBC sitting in my account when I get onboard. But having more money off, upfront, won hands down. It isn't that I use a travel agent to do anything for me except book and save me a little cash; I'm very self-sufficient and prefer to everything else myself. So it's all down to the money and this time the UK travel agent offered the best deal.
If anyone is interested and hasn't worked out who the UK travel agent is, feel free to PM me.
