FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
MOST FREQUENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What are your exclusive rates about?
We secure blocks of rooms which frequently include exclusive rates and/or extra amenities. We also check all current promotional rates and additional exclusive Cruise Planners rates when we provide quotes, to ensure that you’re receiving the best value possible.
In addition to the specific itineraries listed, we do book all the major cruise lines, including, but not limited to:
Family
- Carnival
- Royal Caribbean
- NCL
Premium
- Princess
- Holland America
- Celebrity
Luxury
- Silversea
- Regent
- Oceania
- Viking
Specialty
- Disney
- Galapagos
- Virgin Voyages
- River Cruises
What are the advantages of booking through you?
Because we’re biased! But toward YOUR needs and wants, not any individual cruise line.
- Many cruise lines really cater to a specific demographic, so it’s important to book the right cruise line for your particular needs. We help pair you up with the best cruise line, ship and itinerary to provide the best experience possible.
- We’re not a call center – we’re locally owned and operated in Boise, Idaho, have been in the travel business over eight years, have been cruising since the ’90’s, and have owned and operated other retail, service and technology businesses for over 20 years.
- We want to earn your business and help you make informed decisions without feeling rushed or misled by “limited time, sense of urgency” marketing. Once booked, we proactively monitor pricing all the way up to final payment, and will request a price match should rates drop. Booking early gets you the best stateroom options and a “not to exceed” price, with the opportunity for additional savings should pricing fall.
- As Cruise Planners franchisees, we have access to not only our own blocks of rooms, but additional exclusive pricing and promotions through Cruise Planners, partner consortiums, as well as all promotions offered by the cruise line to truly provide you with the best value.
- Payment flexibility – you can make payments over time or pay in one lump sum.
- We’re your advocates – looking after your best interests – not the cruise lines.
Do you book flights?
While we technically can help book flights, domestic airlines haven’t worked with travel advisors since the ’90’s, so we generally encourage clients to book domestic air directly, as it is frequently much more efficient, preventing unnecessary middle-folk, such as ourselves.
If you’re looking for international flights, we can frequently find better values through our partnerships.
What About Shore Excursions?
In addition cruise lines shore excursions, we have a number of Cruise Planners preferred tour and excursion providers, including:
Can you help with special needs?
Absolutely! We have extensive personal experience with special needs.
Pre and Post cruise hotels & activities?
We’re happy to help find the perfect pre and/or post cruise hotel and activities!
Travel Insurance
Every reservation will include a quote for Cruise Planners preferred travel insurance provider – Allianz.
While optional, we’re personally fans of travel insurance, particularly with two immunocompromised kids, as well as the uncertainty of travel these days.
nonprofit donations
We have been giving back for many years, particularly after receiving an outpouring of support when both of our kids suffered life threatening illnesses. We want to do our part in supporting those who help and support others so selflessly every day!
Guests who book with us will be able to select one of the following charities of their choice, otherwise we’ll choose a charity at random and make a donation for every reservation.
- Children’s Diabetes Foundation
- The CDF is the provides financial support to the Barbara Davis Center in Aurora, Colorado. Our daughter was diagnosed and treated at the Barbara Davis Center at the age of 2, and we have been avid volunteers and supporters ever since.
- Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF)
- Along with the CDF, we have been personally involved with the JDRF since diagnosis, in Colorado, Southern California and now in the Pacific Northwest. We volunteer, have sponsored multiple galas and participated in multiple gala and auction committees.
- Hometown T1D
- Hometown T1D offers local support for T1D families in Lewiston, Idaho / Clarkston, Washington and surrounding communities.
- Shining Stars Foundation
- The Shining Stars Foundation provides children with life-threatening illnesses, particularly pediatric cancer, amazing outdoor recreational experiences. Our son had the opportunity to attend the Shining Stars Aspen Winter Games and Aspen Summer Adventure, and our family has attended multiple Grand County Family Adventures – which inspired our annual Type 1 Diabetes fundraisng cruise!
- Jackson Casey SUDEP Awareness Foundation
- Jackson Casey, the son of a personal friend, passed away from SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) at the age of 17. The foundation created in his name helps educate about the risk of SUDEP to help prevent others from losing loved ones to SUDEP.
- Make-A-Wish
- Our son was a wish kid (his wish was for a Disney cruise), and had the unique opportunity to be the representative “wish kid” for Wish Week at a local Colorado high school in 2015, which raised $66,000 for Make-A-Wish.
Note that we are not a nonprofit organization. All donations are made by us personally. If you’d like to make a tax deductible donation to any of the above organizations directly, they’d be most grateful. Donations can be made directly through their websites linked above.
I like to do my own research
While admittedly biased, we think that the Cruise Planners advanced search tools are some of the best available to quickly filter based on cruise length, specific dates of travel, specific cruise lines and numerous other filters to help find that perfect cruise for your family or group.
Additionally, you can find Cruise Planners exclusive rates and promotions!
We even attached it to an easy-to-remember domain – www.cruise-search.com
Just let us know whenever you have questions or we can assist in any way! adventures@clearlycruising.com | 877.505.8191
When is the best time to book?
Based on the past few years post-pandemic, our answer is to book as early as possible. This is not based on the premise of always pushing more sales today, but what’s in the best interest of our client’s wallet. Pre-pandemic, we may have had a different answer, and may change our opinion in the future. Booking early has a number of advantages in our opinion:
- You’ll receive a “not to exceed” price with the opportunity for additional savings. Most cruise lines allow us to reprice reservations if pricing should drop all the way up to final payment date. We have the unique advantage over booking direct that we have automated tools to check for price drops all the way up to final payment date.
- Booking early gives you access to the best selection of staterooms.
- Booking early gives you access to rooms which tend to sell out faster, such as connecting rooms, suites and other specialty room categories.
- Our selection of rooms with exclusive pricing/savings is limited. This is true for our blocks of reserved rooms, as well as those we may have access to through Cruise Planners.
- Pre-pandemic we’d occasionally see savings of 30% close to sailing, however post-pandemic cruise lines has seen record sales, resulting in prices increasing all the way up to sailing. In the past couple of years we’ve seen pricing triple between early booking and close to sailing.