"A WORD ABOUT TRAVEL AGENTS"

If you decide to use a travel agent, know whom you are dealing with! Some cruise agents are very competent; others may have been selling stereos or aluminum siding over the telephone six months ago. The problem is, for the most part, you will have no real way of discerning which is which.
Local travel agents or otherwise self-appointed cruise experts frequently read the cruise ship line PR veneer right out of the catalog. Often this turns out to be nothing more than selling you the standard discount for booking that is available to virtually anyone off the so-called brochure rate.
The result is that you think you're getting one of Kathie Lee's fantasy cruises. What you find yourself on is a garish neon nightmare of a ship filled with people whose idea of a good time is drinking, partying, and then waking you up at 3AM as they boisterously announce their arrival back to their room--all right outside of your cabin.
For sure, this is the idea of a roaring good time for some--but the point is KNOW WHAT YOU ARE REALLY BUYING! There are many significant points and nuances that
can differentiate between an OK trip, and one that falls short for the money you spend.