7 Reasons to Use a Disney Cruise Travel Agent (Is It Worth It?)
Booking a Disney Cruise is exciting. You start picturing the sail-away party, Pirate Night, character meet-and-greets, Castaway Cay… and then suddenly you’re staring at kids clubs, dining rotations, port adventures, and online check-in windows, wondering if you’re about to miss something important.
So, yes, you can book a Disney Cruise yourself.
But here’s why so many families choose to book through one of our travel agents
And at the bottom, I’ll list two reasons why you SHOULD NOT use a Disney Cruise travel planner. at Be Prepared Vacations instead.
#1. It Costs the Same as Booking Directly
Let’s start with the biggest misconception.
Using a travel agent does not cost extra.
That means the price you see on Disney’s website is the same price you’ll pay when you book through us.
You’re not paying more. But you are getting help and expertise that doesn’t cost you a cent.
Disney Cruise Line pays travel agents a commission after your trip concludes, which is how we get paid.
But let me say it again -> If you don’t use a travel planner, you don’t save the money that Disney pays to a travel agent.
#2. Onboard Credit!
In most cases, we are able to add onboard credit to your reservation. This means that you receive a gift card from us before your sailing.
That’s essentially free money to spend once you’re on the ship. You can use it for:
- Specialty dining
- Drinks and coffee
- Spa treatments
- Souvenirs
- Port Adventures
When you factor in onboard credit, booking a Disney Cruise with us is less expensive than booking directly. Even if you are confident booking yourself, why not get a little extra spending money by doing it with us?
The amount you receive depends on how much your cruise package costs. If you have a question about how much you would receive, please contact us! Don’t be shy, we love giving away gift cards before you set sail. 🙂
#3. We Help You Pick the RIGHT Ship and Itinerary
There are multiple ships with different lengths, different ports, and at different times of the year.
A 3-night Bahamas cruise on the Disney Wish feels very different from a 7-night Alaska sailing on the Disney Wonder.
Spending just a few minutes talking through your family’s preferences, we can narrow your options quickly and explain the pros and cons of each.
Here are some questions we ask:
• Is this your first cruise?
• Do you want more sea days or more port days?
• Are you trying to sail out of Florida, Texas, or somewhere else?
• Do you care more about the newest ship or the best itinerary?
• What’s your budget?
If you don’t know the difference between the Dream and the Treasure, or Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay, this is where having help makes a big difference.
#4. We Help You Prepare for the Important Dates
Cruise planning doesn’t stop once you make the deposit. We talk through what is important for your family, and what activities, both onboard and exploring ports of call, you want to experience.
But many of these activities fill up incredibly fast. If you miss certain things even by a day, there won’t be availability.
There are key windows you don’t want to miss:
- Online check-in day
- Port Adventure bookings
- Speciality dining reservations
- Onboard activities, such as Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, beverage tastings, Princess Royal Gathering, etc
- Nursery reservations
In fact, for many activities, we can even wake up at midnight on the day of your booking window to secure the reservation for you. It’s one of our clients’ favorite things we do for them. You sleep, we plan!
#5. We Monitor Promotions After You Book
Disney Cruise Line occasionally releases new offers.
If a promotion comes out after you’ve booked, do you think Disney is going to call you and offer to lower your rate?
Nope.
One of the biggest advantages of working with a travel planner is that we monitor pricing. If a new offer applies to your sailing, we check to see if we can reprice it.
We LOVE getting to send an email that says, “Good news, your cruise just got cheaper.” And trust me, it’s a pretty great feeling for you, too.
#6. You Get Access to Our Exclusive Cruise Prep Email Series
When you book your Disney Cruise through us, you don’t just get a confirmation email and a “let me know if you need anything.”
You get access to our exclusive pre-cruise email series. This took over 100 hours of writing to complete, with input from many different travel advisors.
We send over 25 timely emails leading up to your sailing:
- Explaining how Disney’s rotational dining works
- Tips for embarkation and debarkation day
- Preparing for the kids’ clubs and nurseries
- Port Adventure details and recommendations
- Packing lists, along with what you can (and can’t) bring onboard
- Info about unique traditions and activities only found on Disney cruises
- And plenty of other things that make a huge difference
It’s like having a cruise checklist delivered to your inbox step by step. Our email series is one of the biggest reasons our clients say they feel confident before they ever step on the ship.
#7. You Have a Real Person in Your Corner
If you need to make a change, ask a question, or talk through options, you’re not calling a random 1-800 number. You also don’t need to browse through random blogs or forums. And trust me, ChatGPT has NOT actually sailed on any Disney Cruises before.
You’re emailing or texting your dedicated travel agent.
We get to know your family, your travel style, and what matters most to you.
Many of our clients say the best thing about using us is just the ability to ask random questions, or letting them know they are doing everything correctly. We help take the fear of the unknown away.
Whether it’s questions about rotational dining or needing to modify the guests on your reservation, we are just a text, email, or phone call away.
TWO Reasons You Should NOT Use a Disney Cruise Travel Planner
As much as I believe in the value we provide, it’s not for everyone. Please don’t use us if either of the following applies to you.
#1. You Think We Have Secret Discounts
We do not have access to secret, hidden cruise prices.
When we quote your cruise, we’re looking at the same pricing you can see online.
Please don’t reach out to see if our price is “lower.” It won’t be.
#2. You Want Complete Control Over Every Detail
If you book through Be Prepared Vacations, Disney will require changes to go through us.
Some people love that because it saves time. Others prefer to handle every call themselves.
If you enjoy managing every detail and calling Disney directly, you may prefer to book on your own.
Is Using a Travel Agent for a Disney Cruise Worth It?
In our opinion, yes!
Booking a Disney Cruise should feel exciting. Our goal is to remove the stress, add value where we can, and help you step onto that ship feeling confident and prepared.
If you’re considering a Disney Cruise and want expert help at no extra cost (plus possible onboard credit), we’d love to help you plan it.
The first step is to reach out here to start planning your Disney Cruise.
Lastly, we can still help with your Disney Cruise if you have booked within the last 30 days. Contact us right away to transfer the reservation!
