booking cruises through expedia

Get Daily Travel Tips & Deals!

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

The 9 Best Sites to Book a Cruise

Avital Andrews

Avital Andrews, SmarterTravel's editor-at-large, is a travel and lifestyle journalist who is also a contributing editor for AAA's Via magazine. Her stories have been among the 10 most emailed or viewed on the Los Angeles Times, Outside, Sierra, and SmarterTravel websites, and have also appeared in USA Today, HuffPost, Apple News, Business Insider, and many other nationwide outlets. Her travel book , sold at bookstores and on Amazon, is in its fourth edition, and her journalism gets national media attention, including from The New York Times , The Atlantic , Time , NPR, and MTV. She's currently working on her first children's book. Follow her on Twitter @avitalb .

The Handy Item I Always Pack: My laptop—the lightweight and stylish HP Spectre x360—since I'm almost always on deadline.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: A round-the-world cruise that makes stops to experience Aurora Borealis, the Olympics opening ceremony, Borneo, Madagascar, the Jerusalem Festival of Light, the Bolivian salt flats, Kenya's Giraffe Manor, the Galapagos, the Maldives, Bora Bora, the Seychelles, and every Disney park. (That itinerary definitely exists, right?)

Travel Motto: I'll steal Saint Augustine's: "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Window, always. For the views and also the naps.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Booking a cruise isn’t always simple. It can be a complicated, time-consuming process that involves dozens of open tabs and maybe a spreadsheet or two. But knowing the best site to book a cruise can help a lot.

And while would-be travelers are accustomed to clicking around on travel search engines to find the best deals on flights , hotels , and rental cars , many people don’t realize that they can use these same types of sites to book cruises, too.

But is there one best site to book a cruise? That depends on what you’re looking for. Sometimes the best cruise website is actually a cruise line’s own site—since technically, cruise booking websites aren’t allowed to undercut the prices that the cruise lines set.

Often, though, the best cruise search engines are indispensable for locating incredible deals, including ones that throw in booking incentives worth hundreds of dollars—in Amazon gift cards, complimentary shore excursions, onboard freebies, and so on.

To save you the hassle, SmarterTravel investigated the glutted space of cheap cruise sites to determine which are worthy of listing as the best cruise websites; below are a few that come highly recommended.

The Best Sites to Book a Cruise

• Expedia (including Travelocity and Orbitz )
• TripAdvisor

Avoya Travel

Cheapcaribbean.com, cruisedirect, cruise critic, costco travel, cruisewatch.

Expedia is an obvious first mention in a list of the best cruise booking sites, in part because it’s an absolute juggernaut (Expedia also owns Travelocity and Orbitz ). Its cruise-booking interface is simple and straightforward, only requiring you to enter your preferred sailing destination and date range, as well as how many passengers you’ll be bringing along. Then Expedia does the heavy lifting for you, with comprehensive results that make it one of the best cruise search engines.

On Expedia, it’s common to find bookable cruises for 70 percent off face value, with the ability to sort by price so the best cruise deals come up at the top of the list, saving you the scrolling. A sample search for a mid-June cruise to Alaska, for example, quickly came up with a seven-night itinerary starting at $389 per person—that’s less than $56 per person, per night for a mostly inclusive weeklong vacation.

Expedia’s cruise deals tend to come paired with other enticing offers, including steep discounts on pre-departure hotels when you book both your cruise and hotel through Expedia. There’s also a dedicated 800 number that lets you speak to Expedia’s cruise experts and, often but not always, a generous amount of onboard credit thrown in for good measure.

Best feature: Sheer search power. Expedia’s easy-to-use cruise search engine generates a useful and well-ordered list of the best cruise deals, without much effort required from the user. Also, Expedia’s prices frequently match what the cruise lines themselves offer.

Check out Expedia

Priceline is another powerhouse among cheap cruise websites. The initial interface comes off a bit clunkier than, say, Expedia’s or Kayak’s, but the tradeoff is that you can quickly search by cruise line, both standard and luxury, as well as by cruise length and departure port.

Using the seven-night Alaska example, Priceline brought up an itinerary aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Radiance of the Seas that starts at just $374 for the full week—roughly $53 per night. Hard-to-believe cruise deals like this show up on Priceline with regularity, which is part of what solidifies it as one of the best cruise websites.

Also adding to the appeal: deals exclusive to Priceline, plenty of bonus amenities (examples include $50 in onboard credit, third and fourth guests sailing free, and free specialty dinners for two), no money down to book certain sailings, frequent onboard credit sales, an 800 number to call should you need assistance while booking, and a loyalty club that’s ties in with every cruise line’s loyalty program. Priceline also lets you click a “senior discount” box if that applies to you.

Best feature: Priceline’s “ 110% Best Price Guarantee ” promises that if you find your cruise listed at a lower price on another website within 48 hours of booking, then Priceline will refund you 110 percent of the cost difference, including port charges.

Check out Priceline

Tripadvisor

Many people think of Tripadvisor mainly as a travel review site, where you go to get real talk on hotels and attractions, and to see non-glamorized photos of places as seen through actual travelers’ eyes. But Tripadvisor is also an excellent site for travel deals, including on cruises.

Tripadvisor Cruise , which launched in April 2019, is among the best websites for cruise deals—it lets you nab the lowest price by comparing more than 70,000 ocean and river cruises from some 60 of the best cruise websites. It’s got an attractive, inspiring landing page, and its newest function, “Explore Ship-tinerary pages,” lets you browse full ship profiles, details, photos, and itineraries.

Though Tripadvisor is technically a meta-search site for cruises, which means that it will send you elsewhere to actually book, its search engine lets users sort by destination, length, cruise line, and month of travel. The default search results are ordered by “best value”, unless you specifically click that you’d rather see the results organized by price, cruise length, departure date, or cruise ship. Even when you click on “price,” the lowest-priced offering doesn’t always come up first, though it only takes a few seconds of scanning to determine which itinerary has the lowest price—that seven-night Royal Caribbean International trip to Alaska came up on Tripadvisor starting at $365.

Best feature: What makes Tripadvisor one of the best sites to book a cruise? In addition to having one of the best cruise search engines, Tripadvisor lets you read other cruisers’ candid reviews of the cruise that you’re considering, so that you get the non-sugarcoated truth about each sailing.

Check out Tripadvisor

7 Things You Should Never Do on a Cruise Ship

A rarity on the internet, Avoya Travel is a family-owned company that has been dealing in travel for more than 55 years. Avoya is one of the best sites to book a cruise in part because of its patented technology that lets travelers search cruises by destination, date range, cruise line, and last-minute status—and then get matched up, in real time, with one of Avoya’s expert vacation planners, who use that algorithm to customize a cruise booking to your specific preferences. (From Avoya’s website: “…we combine the ease of online search, with the expertise and personalized service of Independent Vacation Planners, plus secure exclusive deals and extras so you get more out of every vacation.”)

Avoya’s team of staffers and wide network of independent agencies make for a cruise booking website that’s a bit different from the rest. Its front page shows the “Best Travel Deals,” which might include half-off cruise fares, onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, and free or reduced airfare.

Like several of the other best cruise websites, Avoya offers a low-price guarantee; if you book a cruise with Avoya and then find a lower rate on another website within 24 hours of booking, Avoya will refund the difference.

Best feature: Avoya offers free membership, and members get exclusive deals and discounts, access to unpublished fares, first dibs on promotions, the ability to save favorite searches, and the right to book, change, or cancel travel without incurring any Avoya fees.

Check out Avoya Travel

When looking for the best site to book a cruise, don’t be put off by CheapCaribbean.com ’s overly specific moniker. Despite the site’s name, it offers cruises all over the world. The site’s vibe is beach-oriented and a bit cheeky, with a front page that can overwhelm—but click on the “Cruises” tab, and a cleaner interface appears. There you can search by cruise line, ship, destination, departure date, and departure port.

CheapCaribbean.com offers refunds on 24-hour cancellations (within certain parameters) and a “ 110 percent best price guarantee, ” a promise that if you find a lower price on the same cruise within 48 hours of booking, the company will refund you 110 percent of the difference. The site also lists traveler reviews about each cruise ship (as supplied by Cruiseline), though the reviews often include comments about the ship’s destinations other than the one you’re considering, which isn’t entirely helpful. There’s also a live chat widget if questions come up while booking.

Best feature: Helping to make CheapCaribbean.com one of the best cruise search engines is the fact that it lets you check boxes for additional discounts, including a senior discount, discounts by state (just enter your ZIP code), and past guest discounts if you’ve previously sailed with, say, Princess, Norwegian, or Disney.

Check out CheapCaribbean.com

Its front page is clunky and sort of in your face, but CruiseDirect is still one of the best cruise sites for a variety of reasons. As a cruise-only company, CruiseDirect doesn’t deal in flights, hotels, or rental cars, allowing it to focus its full capacity on helping you find the best cruise deal possible. On the site, you can search by destination, departure port, month, length of cruise, and cruise line. There’s real-time online chat and a contact number for support from a cruise expert. If you aren’t quite ready to buy, you can “heart” cruises to save them as favorites to refer back to later.

CruiseDirect offers perks on most sailings, like onboard credit, free drinks, free Wi-Fi, free gratuities, free travel insurance, or a free specialty dining experience—check out the “Bonus” box on the cruise listing you’re considering to see what extras it comes with.

Best feature: Like some of the other cruise websites on this list, CruiseDirect offers a “ best price guarantee ,” which means that if you find a lower price on another cruise booking website within 24 hours of your initial booking, you’ll get refunded the difference. But one key difference between CruiseDirect and the other cruise sites is that you don’t have to pay the cost of your cruise up front, just a deposit—and then if your cruise fare drops before you’ve made your final payment, CruiseDirect will readjust your rate accordingly.

Check out CruiseDirect

5 Crazy Themed Cruises You Can Take in 2022 and 2023

A subsidiary of Tripadvisor, Cruise Critic has similar search results to that site, but it offers a bit more comprehensive information for seasoned cruisers who want more details before they book. Cruise Critic has tons of filters and sort options to help you find what you want, including everything from cruise line to cruise style (family cruises, luxury cruises, cruises for the disabled). Each itinerary clearly lists what is and isn’t included in the fare; Wi-Fi, alcoholic drinks, gratuities, and port taxes and fees are among the common exclusions.

Certain itineraries are marked with graphics declaring that the ship has won one of the site’s “Cruisers’ Choice” awards, denoting vessels that Cruise Critic members declare to be the among the best in categories such as cabins, entertainment, and family-friendly features.

You can sign up for price alerts, which will notify you by email when the fare on your selected itinerary drops.

Once you’re ready to book, Cruise Critic shows you a variety of offers from some of the best cruise booking sites, including bonuses such as onboard credit and prepaid gratuities. Then you click off to the site of your choice to make your purchase. Prices generally match what’s advertised on Cruise Critic.

Best feature: Under each search result is a tab for “reviews” where you can read reviews from Cruise Critic members who’ve previously traveled on the ship. On certain cruises you can click over to a full-length write-up of the ship by one of the experts on the Cruise Critic editorial team, including detailed information on dining options, cabins, entertainment, dress code, and more.

Check out Cruise Critic

When you think of Costco, you probably think of bulk food and toilet paper. But the next time you’re booking a cruise, it’ll be worthwhile to pull up Costco Travel , which is, unexpectedly, one of the best cruise websites.

The site doesn’t look fancy—it’s pretty bare-bones, visually—but the upside of going with a no-frills cruise-booking website is that Costco Travel offers extremely competitive prices, as well as some of the most attractive incentives, usually in the form of Costco Cash delivered to you after you get home from your cruise.

Though there’s no single point of contact if you need to call and discuss your cruise booking, Costco Travel’s call center is staffed with helpful agents from early morning until evening, seven days a week, and passengers can rest assured that Costco won’t go out of business before they set sail. Note that a Costco membership (starting at $60 per year) is required to book with Costco Travel, and that Costco doesn’t accept American Express.

Best feature: Rock-bottom prices—plus lots of cash back if you play your cards right: Costco Citi cardholders earn 3 percent cash back on cruise purchases, which can combine with the 2 percent Costco Reward for Costco Executive Members for a total of 5 percent back on Costco Travel’s already super low cruise rates.

Check out Costco Travel

Pondering which is the best site to book a cruise? Keep Cruisewatch in strong consideration—more than a typical cruise booking website, Cruisewatch bills itself as a “digital cruise advisor” that couples data power with personalization.

As an artificial intelligence cruise advisor, Crusewatch created technology that makes searching and booking a cruise more efficient—the first, it calls “Cruise Price Prediction.” In short, Cruisewatch collected and stored the daily price for each ship and cabin over a span of five years, resulting in millions of data points—and a massive database that informs exactly when cruise prices are lowest, and when the greatest saving potential exists.

Thanks to this comprehensive price history, Cruisewatch can predict cruise prices and drops with an accuracy rate of around 80 percent. Using the site’s cruise price prediction alerts, travelers can save up to 71 percent just by booking at the right time.

In addition to being able to predict prices, Cruisewatch tailors user search results to match their established preferences through customizable profiles and other similar features. This means you won’t waste time wading through cruises that may be cheap but don’t align with your vacation goals.

Best feature: Cruisewatch’s easy-to-set price alerts, based on tons of data, allow users to be notified in real time of the best new cruise deals the minute they come online.

Check out Cruisewatch

Book a Stay With SmarterTravel Hotels

Need a place to stay the night before you set sail? Search SmarterTravel Hotels for great accommodations in your port of call.

Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them.

Follow Avital Andrews on Twitter  @avitalb  or on  Facebook .

Editor’s note: Sarah Schlichter contributed to this story.

You Might Also Like:

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From

Don't see a fare you like? View all flight deals from your city.

Today's top travel deals.

Brought to you by ShermansTravel

Southern Italy: 8-Night Tour, Incl. Naples,...

Luxe, 12-Night Spain, France, Monaco &...

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati

Trending on SmarterTravel

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

The Pros and Cons of Expedia

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Table of Contents

When it comes to Expedia prices

When it comes to expedia travel insurance, when it comes to the expedia cancellation policy, when it comes to the expedia loyalty program, when it comes to maximizing credit card points, the pros and cons of expedia recapped.

Frequent travelers likely know that there’s something better than a dream trip: a dream trip that you booked on a bargain.

The ways to save money on travel are plentiful. You can redeem hotels and airline points, or take advantage of last-minute travel deals, to name a few. And booking through third-party online travel agencies like Expedia can sometimes yield especially big savings.

Beyond just deals, Expedia has robust search filters that make finding your perfect vacation easy. It streamlines purchasing trip insurance , which can be especially important for travel these days. Plus, the Expedia Rewards program earns you points to pay for future bookings.

But booking through an OTA like Expedia is not without its drawbacks. Here's a look at some of those to help you weigh the pros and cons of booking travel through Expedia.

Pro: Expedia has frequent sales, last-minute travel deals and bundle discounts

Expedia deals are aplenty, whether it’s a bundling discount or a sale.

Bundling: A major component of booking travel on Expedia is the practice of bundling, where you can expect additional savings for booking more than one product (e.g., flight and hotel, or hotel and attraction ticket) in one transaction. For example, when we searched for a hotel and rental car in Miami, one five-day booking option included up to three free rental car days while another offered one free night.

A perk of booking travel through Expedia is that you select your hotel, airfare and car rental in separate steps in the process. This makes it easy to bookmark the page and compare the cost of these items on Expedia versus the cost on the company’s direct website.

Expedia payment plans: If you don’t want to pay for your whole trip at the time of booking, Expedia allows you to make smaller payments through Affirm, which is a service that offers short-term loans for online purchases. If approved by Affirm , you’ll be able to pay for your trip in monthly installments.

You can also check Expedia’s Deals page and Expedia’s Last-Minute Deals page . Both tend to offer an eclectic mix of travel deals, ranging from cheap motels in tiny towns to lavish resorts in major tourist destinations. We’ve spotted deals as high as 70% off.

» Learn more: How to find cheaper last-minute flights

Con: Booking direct is sometimes still cheaper than Expedia

Sure, Expedia sales and last-minute deals are nice, but that’s not to say that you can’t find other (sometimes better) deals for booking directly with the travel provider. Many offer their own exclusive deals — and they might save you even more than booking with online travel agencies. Compare prices across both Expedia and the specific company to ensure you’re getting the best price.

And sometimes the savings go beyond just the sticker price. For example, boutique hotel chain Ovolo Hotels offers generous amenities including free laundry, happy hour refreshments and a daily breakfast buffet — but only if you book directly with them.

» Learn more: Is Expedia legit? Can it get me a good deal?

Pro: You can purchase an Expedia travel insurance policy

Expedia partners with various insurance providers, depending on your individual booking, to offer trip protection.

F or flights: Expedia offers travel insurance protection options that cover flight cancellation, medical emergencies and other covered circumstances.

For hotels: Choose hotel booking protection to reimburse your stay in the case of cancellation.

For car rentals: You can add car rental damage protection for an extra per-day fee.

Coverage varies by plan, but you can typically expect reimbursement for some (or all) trip costs if your trip is impacted by covered reasons. Covered reasons typically include delays, loss, theft or damage to one’s baggage and personal belongings. You’re also typically reimbursed for covered medical expenses, including emergency evacuation if you get sick or injured during your trip.

But there are many limitations and exclusions, so read your policy’s fine print to understand what’s covered.

Expedia 24-hour cancellation

When you book a flight on Expedia, you can cancel for a full refund as long as you do so within 24 hours of booking. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to allow you to cancel a flight for a full refund if canceled within 24 hours of booking and it was booked seven days before departure.

Con: Outside travel insurance might be more comprehensive or cheaper (and sometimes free)

You can opt out of Expedia’s travel insurance and either be completely uninsured — or simply acquire your insurance elsewhere. And there are better travel insurance policies out there.

After a comprehensive review of dozens of plans that assessed factors including price and COVID-19 coverage, here are the best travel insurance policies .

What’s more, you might not even need to pay for travel insurance at all. Many credit cards offer travel insurance benefits if you paid for your trip with that card.

Pro: Expedia offers some fully refundable options

Because airlines, hotels and other travel services set their own individual policies on Expedia, change and cancellation policies can vary significantly. While it can be tricky to parse the policies for each individual property, use Expedia’s “fully refundable” search filter to limit potential bookings to those with flexible policies.

For straightforward requests, use the Expedia service page to make changes and get a refund. If you’re unable to get help through Expedia’s self-service tools, other ways to get in touch with Expedia include live chat, a dedicated Twitter account ( @expediahelp ) and a phone line.

Con: Most cancellation policies are bad, confusing or both

Because airlines are required to give full refunds if you cancel within 24 hours of booking, Expedia lets you change or cancel your flight reservation without fees within the same time period.

For everything else, good luck. Because each travel provider sets its own policies, navigating them can be a headache. In some cases, canceling through Expedia means you’ll have to chase after the hotel or activity provider to recoup the costs.

Additionally, prepare for cancellation fees (both Expedia’s own fees as well as fees from the service provider). That’s if you’re able to cancel at all. Some bookings through Expedia are nonrefundable altogether.

Pro: It’s great for commitment-phobes

The new Expedia Rewards program, One Key Rewards, lets you earn OneKeyCash for every booking you make on the platform (plus on Vrbo and Hotels.com), which can then be used like cash toward future trips. Not only that, but Expedia users can earn status, which includes benefits like exclusive members-only discounts and extra benefits at VIP Access properties (such as free breakfast or late checkout).

For travelers who don’t like to commit to one airline or hotel company, don’t travel that frequently, or who book travel that otherwise doesn’t have its own loyalty program (like a tour or vacation rental), Expedia makes it possible to still get rewarded.

» Learn more: The guide to One Key Rewards

Con: Most hotel and airline loyalty programs are far more rewarding

While the One Key Rewards program is fine, most travel loyalty programs tied to specific hotels or airlines are almost always more rewarding. For individual point values, most other currencies of airline and hotel points are worth far more than OneKeyCash, which nets you 2% back on cruise, hotel, activity and rental car bookings but only .2% on flights. Once it's in your account, you can use it to pay for bookings just like you would cash — though you’ll need enough OneKeyCash in your account to pay for an entire flight, not just part of it.

Additionally, holding specific airline or hotel elite status is typically more lucrative than the value of elite status on One Key Rewards as most perks extend to Expedia VIP Access properties only. That said, some elite members can enjoy up to 20% discounts on hotels and free price drop protection on flights, which is a plus.

As for how to use Expedia points, OneKeyCash can be redeemed on “pay now” bookings for participating purchases priced in U.S. dollars. You can use it to pay for part of a hotel booking, but you’ll have to have enough to pay for the full cost of a flight (including taxes and fees). And while you can’t transfer rewards, you can use your OneKeyCash to book travel for others.

But depending what status you’re able to reach with individual brand loyalty programs, you can likely expect better perks. So if you’re fine committing to one brand, you’re almost always better off striving to earn its status versus with One Key Rewards. But if you only stay for a night here or there or prefer to book based on location or price, it’s a way to earn a few more rewards.

Pro: Expedia counts as a travel purchase

Many travel rewards credit cards give you a higher rewards rate on travel purchases, and booking sites like Expedia typically count as travel spending. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns 2 points per dollar on travel spending, compared with 1 point per dollar on most purchases.

Con: Travel credit cards are usually better for earning and redeeming rewards

If you’re loyal to a specific hotel or airline brand — or are open to pledging allegiance — credit cards aligned with those brands typically pay more on purchases directly from the brand partner. For example:

on American Express' website

on Chase's website

• 2 miles per $1 spent on Delta purchases.

Terms apply.

• 2 miles per $1 spent on United purchases.

• 12 points per $1 spent on eligible Hilton purchases.

• 6 points per $1 spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

• 1 mile per $1 spent.

• 3 points per $1 spent.

• 2 points per $1 spent.

Even general-purpose travel rewards cards that aren't tied to a specific airline or hotel chain will often reward you more handsomely for booking through their own portals than they would for going through a site like Expedia. Going back to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card : As mentioned, it earns 2 points per dollar on most travel purchases — but 5 points per dollar on travel booked through the Chase portal . Among general-purpose travel cards:

• 5 miles per $1 on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.

• 2 miles per $1 on other purchases.

• 5 points per $1 spent on travel booked through Chase.

• 10 points per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Chase.

• 5 points per $1 on air travel booked through Chase.

• 5 points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 spent per year.

• 5 points per $1 on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• 2 miles per $1 spent.

• 1 point per $1 spent.

If you're considering booking with other online travel agencies like Priceline or Hotels.com, here are the best credit cards for online travel booking websites .

With the right deal, booking travel — including flights, hotels, cruises or car rentals — on Expedia could be worth it. It makes searching for travel relatively easy given the massive array of available listings, coupled with thoughtful search functionality to actually help you create your ideal itinerary.

But don’t automatically assume it’s a cheap way to book travel. Especially given the complicated cancellation policies, it might become among the most expensive, should an uninsured trip need to be canceled.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Members save 10% or more on over 100,000 hotels worldwide when you’re signed in

Wind in your hair

Head out on the water, look to new thrills, and cruise your way to adventure. Lounge on deck, discover new destinations, or just enjoy having everything a vacation could need all in one floating place.

Find your voyage

Explore all the different ways you can set sail.

Ports of the world

See the best cruise destinations from up on deck and explore popular journeys

Find popular ports

Choose your getaway

Save on your next cruise with these deals and have extra to spend on board or on land

Departing soon

Be tempted by a cruise setting sail in the next few months and grab a last-minute deal*.

Plan an escape

Hop aboard with Member Prices

Sail more for less. Members can save an average of 10% on select cruises from top brands

Explore the deals

Cruise with extras

Trips made easy with all-inclusive cruise options—from dining inclusions to excursions

Shop your trip

Family fun at sea

A combination of premium cruising with a taste of luxury

See the options

Have somewhere in mind? Let's go

For expert cruise advice, call 1-888-444-1695.

Travellers in the cabin

*Sail more for less. Members can save an average of 10% on select cruises from top brands.

COVID-19 travel alert: Please remember to check government advisories before booking and travelling.

• Port Overview
• Transportation to the Port
• Uber & Lyft to the Port
• Dropping Off at the Port
• Cruise Parking
• Cruise Hotels
• Hotels with Parking Deals
• Uber & Lyft to the Ports
• Things to Do
• Cozumel Taxi Rates
• Free Things to Do
• Restaurants Near the Cruise Port
• Hotels & Resorts With Day Passes
• Closest Beaches to the Cruise Port
• Tips For Visiting
• Shore Excursions
• Cruise Parking Discounts
• Hotels with Shuttles
• Which Airport Should I Use?
• Transportation to the Ports
• Dropping Off at the Ports
• Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami
• Inexpensive Hotels
• Hotels near the Port
• Hotels With Shuttles
• Budget Hotels
• Carnival Tips
• Drink Packages
• Specialty Restaurants
• Faster to the Fun
• More Articles
• CocoCay Tips
• Norwegian Tips
• Great Stirrup Cay
• Harvest Caye
• How to Get the Best Cruise Deal
• Best Time to Book a Cruise
• Best Websites to Book a Cruise
• Cruises Under $300
• Cruises Under $500
• Spring Break Cruise Deals
• Summer Cruise Deals
• Alaskan Cruise Deals
• 107 Cruise Secrets & Tips
• Tips for First-Time Cruisers
• What to Pack for a Cruise
• What to Pack (Alaska)
• Packing Checklist
• Cruising with Kids
• Passports & Birth Certificates
• Bringing Alcohol
• Cruising with a Disability
• Duty-Free Shopping
• Cruise Travel Insurance
• Things to Do on a Cruise Ship
• What Not to Do on a Ship
• News & Articles

The Best Websites to Book a Cruise in 2024

Looking for the best website to book your cruise ?

We wouldn’t be surprised if after a little bit of searching, your head is spinning a little bit.

Think of all the options you have to consider — the length of your trip, the cruise line, the ship, the date, ports of call, and more. And that’s before you even decide on which website to use to book your cruise.

Cruising is big business, and that’s why you have dozens of websites at your disposal, all competing for your travel dollars.

From the major cruise line websites like Carnival.com to major travel portals such as Orbitz or Expedia to lesser-known sites that specialize in cruises like AvoyaTravel.com, it can seem like your options are nearly unlimited… and overwhelming.

The good news? It doesn’t have to be stressful to book a cruise.

To help you out, we detailed the pros and cons of the best websites to book your cruise below. Before we get too far, however, there’s something you should know about price shopping for cruises online.

Cruise Buying Tip: Prices Are Often the Same Across Every Site

If you are worried about finding the best price for your cruise, there’s some good news and bad news. The good news is that cruise prices are usually the exact same across every single website you search .

Below are the results of a search we recently did for a July 2024 Carnival cruise from Miami aboard Carnival Celebration, with prices listed for each website:

As you can see, they all have the exact same rates. That means you don’t have to run yourself ragged trying to find the best deal.

The bad news? If you’re a deal-hunter, there isn’t some magic website that has cruise fares for dramatically cheaper than everyone else (that we’ve ever found). But there are differences on where you book.

That’s because some sites can offer perks like onboard credit or even a direct phone number to call to talk to someone with any questions you might have before you cruise.

So should you just find any random site and book your cruise? We’d suggest not. Below we lay out the advantages and disadvantage of booking with each different type of website.

For more on getting the best deal on a cruise, see our 10 Rules to Getting the Best Deal on a Cruise here .

Booking Direct Through Cruise Line Websites

It used to be that if you wanted to book a cruise, you’d visit a travel agent or call up the cruise line. You can still take those routes, but the cruise line websites make it simple to book your trip.

Every major cruise line allows you to book online and do everything from find a cruise to make upgrades, buy extras like drink packages, and pay for the trip. In other words, you can book your spot on the ship completely online at any time of the day.

Specific cruise line websites include:

• Carnival.com
• RoyalCaribbean.com
• DisneyCruises.com
• MSCCruisesUSA.com
• Princess.com

Each of these cruise line websites will allow you to be as narrow or as broad with your search as you wish. You can search all cruises, or search for trips on a specific ship, leaving a specific date, and from a specific port.

Advantages: The good thing about booking directly through the cruise line then there is no third-party company to deal with should there be an issue with your trip. Want to make a change or get a refund? You don’t have to worry about any sort of mix-up between the cruise line and another website. While this is rarely an issue, it could happen.

Disadvantages: The main drawback of using a cruise line website? It’s like going to a buffet and restricting yourself to only the salad bar.

Cruise line websites only have cruises from that line, so you are limiting your options of prices, ships, dates, and itineraries. In other words, if you’re looking for the absolute best deal or the most flexible schedule, you aren’t likely to find it searching only one cruise line.

If you are loyal to one specific cruise line, then that’s ok for you. But if you want to see all your options, it’s better to do a search on an “aggregator” website that will search all the cruise lines for that perfect vacation.

Bottom line: Know which cruise line you want to sail? Then going directly to the cruise line site is a good idea. Just know that if you want the cheapest deals or the most available cruises, then opening your search to more lines is ideal.

Booking on Aggregator Websites

While aggregator websites sound complex, they are actually just search engine for travel bookings. In fact, you’ve likely searched on these sites before for a hotel or a rental car. The sites include the big names that you’ve seen advertised heavily on TV and the Internet:

• Travelocity.com
• Expedia.com
• TripAdvisor.com

Just like searching for a hotel room, you can search these websites for a cruise across all of your options. This means being able to search across all the lines at once. They also give you the ability to narrow searches to specific dates of cruising, length of trip, destination, port of departure and more.

One thing to note is that many websites in this space are actually owned by a single company — Expedia. For instance, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, and Orbitz.com, are all part of the Expedia family.

That means you’re going to find the same prices across these sites, along with similar search functions.

Advantages: There are two main advantages to using an aggregator website. First, they allow you to search across every cruise line.

So if you want to sail from Miami, you’ll see all the options from the port for every cruise line. That gives you a better chance of finding something that matches your budget and schedule versus just searching one line.

In addition, while aggregator websites will almost always have the same prices you’ll find everywhere else, they often offer perks you won’t find on the cruise lines websites.

For instance, a cruise might be priced the same as another website, but will have an offer of free onboard credit as an incentive to book through them. These perks usually aren’t huge, but are a nice to have.

Disadvantages: The drawback is that booking through third-party websites introduce a “middle man” into your cruise booking. The vast majority of the time that creates no issue.

However, if there is a reason where you need to change your booking or get a refund, then it could be a little more complicated than booking directly through the cruise line.

So should you use aggregator sites? We think so as they can help you look at every cruise available to find one that fits. Smart cruise shoppers use them to look at all their options and see what sort of incentives they have for booking through their site.

Bottom line: Not sure which cruise line you want? An aggregator site will search them all at once, allowing you to sort by price, date, and more. Use these to find the best deals and the most flexible dates.

Booking Through Specialized Cruise-Travel Websites

In addition to the large cruise aggregators, there are a number of smaller websites focused solely on cruises.

These sites include:

• AvoyaTravel.com
• CruisesOnly.com
• Cruises.com
• VacationsToGo.com

These websites are similar to the large aggregator websites in that they can help you search through every cruise out there to find the best deal. The difference? These websites focus solely on cruises.

With a focus on cruising, they are able to better serve cruise passengers — including having staff that you can call directly to help you book.

In other words, these sites are more akin to having your own travel agent to help you with the booking process compared to only a website.

That’s a big help if you’re not entirely sure about which cruise you should book. As well, these sites often have deals and incentives to entice you to book.

Advantages: Like the larger aggregators, the niche booking websites offer the ability to search across multiple cruise lines to see all of your options. As well, many of these sites also offer their own special incentives such as onboard credit or low deposits for booking through them.

In addition, these sites feature their phone number prominently for those who wish to talk to a person about their reservation. You don’t always find that with the large aggregation websites. Their staff are also focused on cruises, giving you someone who knows what they are talking about compared to someone with more general travel knowledge.

Disadvantages: While booking through these sites is largely the same as through the cruise line or an aggregator, we’ve found the incentives can be somewhat confusing.

For instance, one recent search promoted free gratuities on trips booked through the site, but we couldn’t find any mention of this once we actually started the booking process. Digging further, the incentive applied only to certain cruises, despite being heavily promoted.

That’s where having the phone number to call an agent of the company directly is a big help in getting things explained.

Bottom line: Sites like these offer the benefit of searching multiple cruise lines and the help of an agent you can call to help you book.

Booking Through Costco Travel

Are you a Costco member? If so, then you can book cruises online through the store. In fact, the offers are good enough that it’s usually worth it to become a member for a year just to book a cruise.

You can book online at CostcoTravel.com

Costco is well-known for its low prices, great deals, and customer service. Buying a cruise through the store might not enter many people’s minds, but it can save you big.

Like other cruise-buying websites, Costco offers rates that are in line with what you’ll find anywhere else. However, the big difference is that Costco offers special incentives to book through their site. This includes Costco Shop Cards — a gift card to the store.

Advantages: While the deals change from day to day on aggregator websites, Costco’s incentives are simple and straightforward. If you book through them, then they offer Costco Shop Cards. The amounts can be high as well.

For example, we found a cruise offering a $45 Costco Cash Card for booking the cheapest stateroom for just $409. In other words, that deal is like getting 11% off the price of your cruise . The cash increases substantially with upgraded cabins.

Disadvantages: First, in our searches, sometimes Costco’s pricing seems to jump around quite a bit. So you’ll see one price, click through, and then another price appears. Even so, sometimes that works in your advantage with seeing lower prices than you thought. Sometimes it doesn’t, but the Costco Shop Card more than makes up the difference.

The other disadvantage is that you need to be a member of Costco to book. An annual membership costs $60. In addition, the Costco Shop Cards are only valid at the store. It’s not the same as actual cash.

Bottom line: Costco can offer great cruise deals if you are a member, but not everyone is.

Final Recommendation for the Best Websites to Book a Cruise

Costco Members: If you are a Costco member, then we suggest CostcoTravel.com as the best website to book a cruise. It’s the largest and simplest incentive we’ve seen for booking online. Prices are competitive, but the cash back offers provide a lot of value. Just be sure to compare the total price there with what you find on other sites before booking.

Non-Costco Members: If you aren’t a Costco member and don’t want to join, then we suggest looking first at the specialized cruise travel sites to search all your options and find the cruise you want.

If the site offers a good incentive for booking through them, then know that you’ve found a good deal. If the incentive isn’t that strong or you don’t want to go through a third-party to your reservation, then booking directly through the cruise line is your best bet.

FAQ About Booking Cruises Online

How do I know if a website is legit to book a cruise? There are dozens — if not hundreds — of websites that you can use to book your cruise. Frankly, not all of them look professional, so it is understandable you might question the legitimacy of a website or their deals.

We suggest you stick with the websites mentioned here or other well-known spots.

Above all, remember the age-old rule that if something sounds too good to be true, it likely is. Be wary of any websites advertising cruise deals that are significantly less than the same cruise priced elsewhere.

What about booking last-minute cruise deals on websites? It makes sense that if a cruise cabin is about to sail empty the price would drop to fill it up. In reality, this doesn’t usually happen. In fact, cruise lines consistently have occupancy rates above 100% — meaning that more than two passengers are in some cabins.

By waiting until the last minute you aren’t likely to find great deals, but it will mean that you have fewer cabin choices. It’s best to book earlier compared to later.

What if I book on a website and the price drops? Cruise prices can fluctuate. It’s possible that if you book one day, the next day the price may go down. The good news is that the price is unlikely to move much (unlike airfare).

So what do you do if the price does change? In that case, you’ll want to contact the website that you booked through — not the cruise line (unless you booked through the cruise line’s website). For example, if you book through CostcoTravel.com, then contact them first for any price drops you see.

Have more questions about the best website to book a cruise? Let us know in the comments below.

Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)

Read next: park & cruise hotels for every port in america, popular: 107 best cruise tips, secrets, tricks, and freebies, related articles more from author, 107 best cruise tips, tricks, secrets, and freebies, what’s the best length of time for a cruise, why cheap cruises are dead (for right now), answered: what’s the cheapest time to take a cruise, which cruise line should i sail the definitive guide for 2024, 10 rules to getting the best deal on a cruise.

CruiseCompete.com allows you to get quotes from multiple travel agencies by requesting a quote only once. You open an account for free, enter the date/cruise you want to go on (their site has info on itineraries, dates, etc) and then travel agents will respond with their pricing and special deals (OBC’s, etc).

I totally agree. I know people like to think they’re getting a “deal” but there aren’t that many deals out there. Most websites and TA’s are basically selling the same thing, for the same price. Where you will find better “value” sometimes though, is with a travel agent that can help put the pieces of the trip together for you. You’re getting more personal service, without paying more. A nice little bonus when we booked through an online TA was that we received an onboard credit that we weren’t expecting, which was nice. The deals likely come with whatever credit card you use, getting points or cash back. Some cards are pretty generous with their cashback on certain things.

You are dead wrong about costco cash cards. As a costco member you can cash the cards at any store for actual cash money. Done so many times.

That’s a good tip.

What about booking thru an independant, or franchise, agent? ONLY an indepent person is able to/allowed to give you back some of their commission. Most often as OBC – but heck $100 of OBC pays your gratuities. fyi: There are THOURSANDS of agents that have the SAME inventory as Cruises Only. ALL under the World Travel Holding Umbrella.

Vacations to go has a amazingly well laid out web site with every imaginable ship or itinerary feature. Just check it out and see. Great price and incentives as well

Why no mention of “www.Vacationstogo” ? I booked many at a reduces price on their website.

you didn’t mention booking through credit card companies. For instance, you can earn points for booking your cruise through Capital One, or, if you have discover you can earn 5% cash back through booking a cruise. Also, There are a few other sites such as Sears or Shop Your Way where you can book vacations. It’s not just going to the travel aggregator sites. if you can’t find a lower price, at least you can get a discount through these card companies. If you have the card that is.

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Carnival Cruise Live Blog (Day 4): A Final Day at Sea Featuring… Whales?! Plus Final Thoughts

Carnival cruise live blog (day 3): blow holes & golden trophies, carnival cruise live blog (day 2): the most beautiful port i’ve visited, hotels with cruise shuttles for every major port in america, 39 useful things to pack for your cruise (including 17 you’d never think of).

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions

• Royal Caribbean International

Booking cruise through Expedia????

By jordanaire , May 18, 2004 in Royal Caribbean International

Recommended Posts

Has anyone booked their cruise through Expedia online? I have found the Oct 10th cruise aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas to be about $238 cheaper on Expedia (and Travelocity) versus directly booking with Royal Caribbean!

Has anyone had any problems with booking online, other than with RCCL? What was your experiences?

10/10 "Vision of the Seas" Mexican Riviera Cruise

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

I've booked my past 2 cruises with Travelocity. No problems and a phone number with someone to speak to if you have any questions.

Majesty of the Seas 3/02

Monarch of the Seas 2/03

Serenade of the Seas 11/03

Till the Enchantment!

I did two years ago and never had an issue. We booked through the 1-800 number offered through Expedia, made the reservation, got e-mails for final payment, and received our docs in a timely manner. I would use them again without any hesitation.

Mike&Lorraine

We booked directly through RCCL, but I checked for price drops using Expedia, then called the cruise line to get the adjustment. (Expedia showed the senior rate on-line, RCCL didn't.) What I found was that the prices were identical to the cruiseline, except Expedia had a $15 service charge.

I guess my question is, what is the advantage of using Expedia if they don't offer any discounts over RCCL's regular price? By the way, I found Travelocity and Orbitz to be the same - same fares that RCCL offered directly.

Edited to say - I re-read your post. It looks like you had a different experience and it actually is cheaper. Does it possibly depend on the sailing or ship?

We just booked our last cruise through expedia and had no troubles and got a great rate through them. But, I have been looking for my sister for a fall cruise and expedia cannot come close to cruisequick.com's price. Give them a shot to quote you a price as well, I found them through these boards. many have used them.

But, yes...everything went smoothly for us through expedia.

Dawn Princess

Regal Princess

Grand Princess

Mercury - Celebrity

Windward - NCL

Monarch of the Seas

Voyager of the Seas

Sovereign of the Seas

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• River Cruising
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!

Write Your Own Amazing Review !

Click this gorgeous photo by member SUPERstar777 to share your review!

Features & News

LauraS · Started Friday at 01:11 PM

LauraS · Started Wednesday at 08:11 PM

LauraS · Started Tuesday at 07:43 PM

LauraS · Started Tuesday at 01:14 AM

LauraS · Started April 26

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...

• Weird But True
• Sex & Relationships
• Viral Trends
• Human Interest
• Fashion & Beauty
• Food & Drink
• Personal Care
• Health & Wellness
• Amazon Sales
• Mother’s Day Gifts
• Why Trust Us
• StackCommerce

trending now in Shopping

We found the 51 best Wayfair Way Day deals –– Shop furniture,...

Create an outdoor oasis with Wayfair's best sale of the year —...

40 under 200: Save up to 80% off great deals under $200 at...

Boost your computing experience with this space-saving desktop,...

Dyson just launched a robot vacuum — snag one before they sell...

Bath & body works just launched fragrance dupes for all your....

35 amazing last-minute Mother's Day gifts with guaranteed delivery

We spent years testing 30+ shampoos, and these have the...

We booked a hotel on expedia: our review and what you need to know.

• View Author Archive
• Email the Author
• Get author RSS feed

Contact The Author

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Checking in?

We love a good hotel stay , from a seamless booking process to the welcoming check-in, plush robes and great customer service that transports you from regular life to a vacation mindset, even if you are just booking a staycation.

However, hiccups in booking, bad cancelation policies or a room that doesn’t live up to pictures can ruin a vacation, especially after doing your best to research and plan. That’s why we wanted to go through the entire booking process on Expedia , from beginning to end, mapping out how to pick a property, on-site features, cancelation policies and the experience at the hotel itself.

While every property and destination are different, the Expedia process is pretty straightforward, with easy-to-read hotel descriptions and amenities and a rewards points system we will get into later. Read on for the real-time review and then get ready to book your next hotel — abroad or a staycation like we did.

What is Expedia and who is it for?

Car rentals.

• How does the rewards program work?
• Does Expedia offer travel insurance

What is Expedia’s cancelation policy

Our review of expedia.com hotel booking.

The first answer is more complex, but the second is easy – Expedia is for every type of traveler.

What is Expedia? The online booking platform is a one-stop-shop for booking hotels, flights, car rentals cruises and even experiences once you arrive at your destination. For the purposes of this review, we used Expedia to book a hotel, but the options really are endless and for every type of traveler.

Every type? Yes, indeed. Expedia can be used for luxury travel and packages that include all-inclusive resorts, fancy cars and even cruises. It can also be used to compare prices on budget hotels and find deals on flights.

To use the service, all you need is an email address to sign up, and then opt to use the website or download the mobile app for easy access when on the go.

Expedia Features

Looking for flights can be a traveler’s worst nightmare, as there are an abundance of airlines to choose from and prices changing ever hour. Expedia knows this all too well, and so they created a page just for this.

Using the Flight section of the site, enter your origin, destination and dates like you would on any other site and then await the results from more than 400 airlines. If you have a preferred airline, you can filter by your top choices as well as your preferences for direct, layovers, flight times, baggage restrictions, seat selection and more.

Need to book a flight but have time to compare prices to snag the best? Then the Expedia price tracking feature is for you, using AI to predict the best time to book and sending you a notification once prices do indeed drop.

The best part of this style of booking is that you can browse, book and pay all on the same site, without having to switch tabs or lose your trip while comparing other site’s prices.

Next up, make sure you have a place to stay upon arrival. Head to the Stays section of the site to start browsing hotels, in the same manner as booking a flight from above. Once you enter your destination, the filters are a bit different, allowing you to sort by star-rating, guest-rating, amenities, accessibility and even by family-friendly, LGBTQIA+ welcoming and business-friendly, should you need to book a work trip.

Want to know how to stay like a VIP ? Good news, as with Expedia, you can become a very important traveler the moment you sign up. More information on rewards later, but note that properties marked as “VIP Access” denote properties with exceptional ratings that also come with additional perks the more you book with Expedia.

When booking a hotel, you will receive your confirmation code via email from Expedia, and then your booking will be sent over to the hotel for a seamless check-in. For assurance, you can also call the hotel directly to confirm they have your stay, using the confirmation codes via email.

Need wheels once you touch down? Book your car rental on Expedia, too, now that you know the drill. This service is just as user-friendly, and even lets you toggle on a filter to use AARP rates and other discount codes. You can also choose to use the same pick-up and drop-off location, or mix and match if your trip turns into a roadtrip.

Using this Expedia service, you are presented with the actual car that is available to rent at the location, date and time of your choosing. Their comprehensive fleet includes cars of all sizes, makes and models, spanning compact and economy cars, mid-sized and standard, luxury and convertibles and so much more. You can also sort by your favorite rental company, including Hertz, Alamo, Avis and others.

How does the Expedia rewards program work?

It’s actually quite simple! To start, all you need to do to join is create an account — which you already did if you have booked with Expedia before. You automatically qualify for the Blue rewards tier, that allows you to collect points for every dollar, double points when booking through the mobile app and unlocks an extra 10% savings or more on select hotels.

As you continue to stay and travel with Expedia, move up to the Silver and then the Gold tier, to unlock two to three points for every dollar spent, plus other perks like spa credits, free breakfast, late check-out and room upgrades. In addition to the perks, the points can then be redeemed for their dollar evaluation, being used to book future travel and stays.

Does Expedia offer travel insurance?

Travel safe and travel smart, knowing every leg of your journey can be insured.

When booking a hotel, flight or even car rental, there is an option to add on travel insurance. The price will be based on the price of your booking, or subject to change from destination to destination. However, you are always able to see the price before you book, should that influence your decision to insure the trip or rental.

The insurance coverage also varies, so it is recommended to read the fine print to see what is covered, such as lost baggage, medical emergency reimbursement and the like.

We get it, emergencies and accidents happen — no worries here.

Expedia has many properties and bookings with very generous cancelation policies, but note that they do vary location and property. When looking for a hotel, for example, be sure to use the “free cancelation” or the “no change fee” filter to avoid any issues should you think you may need to alter or cancel your trip.

For flights, be sure to read the fine print, as most flights are fully refundable if you cancel within a specific time, typically 24 hours. If the flight needs to be changed or canceled due to COVID-19, there is still hope if not within the 24-hour timeframe, and can contact Expedia to see your options for refunds or flight credits.

Advertisement

Why travel when you could make your hometown into the ultimate vacation spot? That’s what I chose to do when booking my NYC staycation on Expedia. After spending too long in my apartment, I decided to head into the city for a one-night booking at my favorite Soho hotel — The Dominick.

I knew I only wanted to stay one night, and so after entering in the dates of my stay, I was able to see which rooms were available with ease. You can also get a great idea of the layout and the view from your room right on the site, using the room option section to decide. Since New York is a city of skylines, I opted for a city view that 100% matched the photos.

When booking you can also see the amenities, for which I also chose the Dominick specifically. The Sisley Spa , housed on the seventh floor, is a dream, with a sauna, steam room, Hammam room and a salt chamber to name the rooms I tried. You can book this at the front desk, or via ResortPass , for a seamless day of contactless luxury.

Once I arrived, my booking was in their system already, and I didn’t even need to pull out my phone or any booking paperwork. I was able to ask the concierge for everything I needed, such as check-out time, but was also able to access that information myself on the Expedia app, should you prefer DIY service.

As usual, the stay itself was impeccable, complete with takeout for dinner and cable TV — the hallmarks of a great hotel stay in my book. Customer service was top notch as well, and I received the same (amazing) treatment as I would have if I booked my stay directly with the hotel, as opposed to a third party booking site. I felt comfortable asking the concierge about early check-in and late check-out, as well as getting a rundown of the amenities available to me like free coffee in the morning and use of the business center to write this very article.

While I never want to check-out, when the time came, I was able to gather my things and leave my key at the desk, never needing to open the Expedia app again — aside from leaving a five-star rating for my stay on my train home, back to reality and ready to book again.

• Extremely easy to use the desktop and app version of the site for hotel research, booking and reviews afterward
• Plenty of user reviews to help guide your decision, in addition to typical star-ratings
• Able to use rewards points and earn them with every stay, rental and excursion
• Your booking is immediately sent to the hotel, so they are expecting your arrival without extra calls or paperwork
• Option to sort by free cancelation at many locations
• Option to sort by pet-friendly, accessible, desired amenities and more
• Easy and relatively contact-less check-out
• Some rates may only be available on the hotel’s direct site
• Recommended to confirm with the property, just to be sure your booking is ready when you arrive

Check out  New York Post Shopping  for more content.

Share this article:

•  Spanish
•  Find a Center

Enter your Zip code

Call us today.

• Land Vacations
• shore excursions

Shore Excursions

Shore excursions are a great way to experience all that your destination has to offer. With a broad range of options available to suit a variety of lifestyles you will find everything from exhilarating activities to informative tours or even more low key experiences. Prebook your shore excursions when finalizing your cruise or in the following weeks for the best selection and to ensure you are able to reserve all of the excursions that appeal to you. Guides are local experts who will ensure that you see everything and maximize your time in the best attractions wherever you are.

There's really no limit on what you can do or see on a shore excursion from sightseeing tours, cultural events, or more active options. The options are endless. Don't limit yourself to enjoying each destination from a distance. Be sure to talk to your Cruise Consultant about shore excursion options available on your next getaway.

Start Planning Your Shore Excursions

Shore Excursions Group is a preferred partner offering an extensive array of shore excursions worldwide. Experts on what to do and where to go, they are highly recommended in helping you enjoy your vacation to the fullest. Whether you want to join a group, other families, or arrange your own individual or custom group excursions, their highly trained staff will work with you to create the perfect vacation.

• Alaska See Deals
• Caribbean See Deals
• Europe See Deals
• Asia See Deals
• Hawaii See Deals
• Mexico See Deals
• South America See Deals
• Other Destinations See Deals

Our Promise

At Expedia Cruises, we are navigators of spectacular vacation experiences. As part of the number one brand in travel, this is our promise to you:

Advice you can trust.

The best choice and prices., expedia extras., more than cruises., always there., find an expedia cruises near you.

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

Expedia travel: search hotels, cheap flights, car rentals & vacations, search for travel.

• Things to do

Add a flight

Save 10% or more on over 100,000 hotels with Member Prices. Also, members save up to 30% when you add a hotel to a flight

Early summer sale: Save 25% or more

Members save 25% or more on select hotels. book by may 26., discover your new favorite stay, explore stays in trending destinations.

Yosemite National Park

Last-minute weekend deals

Image gallery for trump international hotel las vegas.

Trump International Hotel Las Vegas

Image gallery for legacy resort hotel & spa.

Legacy Resort Hotel & Spa

Image gallery for omni san francisco hotel.

Omni San Francisco Hotel

San francisco, image gallery for mondrian park avenue.

Mondrian Park Avenue

Image gallery for prince waikiki.

Prince Waikiki

Image gallery for silver legacy resort casino at the row.

Silver Legacy Resort Casino at THE ROW

Image gallery for tommy bahama miramonte resort & spa.

Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa

Indian wells, image gallery for inn on summer hill.

Inn on Summer Hill

Santa barbara, image gallery for quartz hotel & spa.

Quartz Hotel & SPA

Image gallery for hotel napoleon.

Hotel Napoleon

Image gallery for chaminade resort & spa.

Chaminade Resort & Spa

Image gallery for hotel sorrento.

Hotel Sorrento

Image gallery for cypress pointe resort.

Cypress Pointe Resort

Image gallery for trump international hotel & tower chicago.

Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago

Image gallery for 1 hotel nashville.

1 Hotel Nashville

Image gallery for atlanta marriott perimeter center.

Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center

Image gallery for le pavillon new orleans.

Le Pavillon New Orleans

New orleans, explore these unique stays, image gallery for brasada ranch.

Brasada Ranch

Powell butte, image gallery for cottage on armstrong.

Cottage on Armstrong

Image gallery for highlands castle overlooking lake george.. plus 2 other castles.

HIGHLANDS CASTLE overlooking Lake George.. plus 2 other Castles!

Bolton landing, image gallery for opossum creek retreat.

Opossum Creek Retreat

Image gallery for cougar ridge resort, llc.

Cougar Ridge Resort, LLC

Image gallery for grey's point camp.

Grey's Point Camp

Image gallery for teton valley resort.

Teton Valley Resort

Image gallery for conestoga ranch.

Conestoga Ranch

Garden city, image gallery for watchman villas.

Watchman Villas

Image gallery for angel rock waterfront cottages and vacation homes.

Angel Rock Waterfront Cottages and Vacation Homes

Cape vincent, image gallery for ocean villas at turtle bay.

Ocean Villas at Turtle Bay

Image gallery for zion mountain ranch.

Zion Mountain Ranch

Mount carmel, image gallery for hill country casitas.

Hill Country Casitas

Dripping springs, image gallery for lake cumberland state resort park.

Lake Cumberland State Resort Park

Image gallery for skywater cabins.

SkyWater Cabins

Image gallery for cottages at bay harbor.

Cottages at Bay Harbor

Image gallery for mill creek resort on table rock lake.

Mill Creek Resort on Table Rock Lake

Image gallery for bear creek lodge and cabins in helen ga - pet friendly, river on property, walking distance to downtown helen.

Bear Creek Lodge and Cabins in Helen Ga - Pet Friendly, River on Property, Walking Distance to downtown Helen

Image gallery for modern canalfront home in rotonda west w/ lanai.

Modern Canalfront Home in Rotonda West w/ Lanai!

Rotonda west, image gallery for lake breeze resort.

Lake Breeze Resort

Image gallery for moon river cabins.

Moon River Cabins

Image gallery for 320 guest ranch.

320 Guest Ranch

Gallatin gateway, image gallery for ocean villas of carlsbad.

Ocean Villas of Carlsbad

Image gallery for ski in & out spruce glen townhomes on great eastern trail.

Ski in & out Spruce Glen Townhomes on Great Eastern Trail

Earn OneKeyCash on eligible flights, hotels, cars, and more

Handpicked hotels that go the extra mile

Beach, luxury, and more—book a package to save

Go off the beaten path and save with deals for One Key Members

Flight deals ready to take you to the most-loved places

• Explore a world of travel with Expedia

Top Hotel Deals on Domestic Destinations

• Top Hotels in Boston, MA
• Top Hotels in Houston, TX
• Top Hotels in Chicago, IL
• Top Hotels in Pigeon Forge, TN
• Top Hotels in Myrtle Beach, SC
• Top Hotels in Los Angeles, CA
• Top Hotels in Nashville, TN
• Top Hotels in San Francisco, CA
• Top Hotels in Miami, FL
• Top Hotels in New Orleans, LA
• Top Hotels in Atlantic City, NJ
• Top Hotels in Orlando, FL
• Top Hotels in Las Vegas, NV
• Top Hotels in Anna Maria Island, FL
• Top Hotels in New York, NY
• Top domestic Hotels

Top Hotel Deals on International Destinations

• Top All-inclusive Resorts in Turks and Caicos
• Top All-inclusive Resorts in Puerto Rico
• Top Hotels in Paris
• Top Hotels in Puerto Rico Island
• Top Hotels in Rome from $35
• Top All-inclusive Resorts in Bahamas
• Top Hotels in San Juan
• Top Hotels in Cabo San Lucas
• Top Hotels in Tokyo
• Top All-inclusive Resorts in Mexico
• Top Hotels in Cancun
• Top All-inclusive Resorts in Cancun
• Top Hotels in London
• Top Hotels in Niagara Falls
• Top Hotels in Toronto
• Top international Hotels

Top Domestic Flights

• Flights to Las Vegas
• Flights to Hawaii
• Flights to New York
• Flights to Orlando
• Flights to Miami
• Flights to Los Angeles
• Flights to Maui
• Flights to Houston
• Flights to Dallas
• Flights to Denver

Top International Flights

• Flights to Puerto Rico
• Flights to Tokyo
• Flights to Kannur
• Flights to Mexico City
• Flights to London
• Flights to Cancun
• Flights to Manila
• Flights to Cabo San Lucas
• Flights to Bali
• Flights to Bora Bora

Save today on vacation packages

• Las Vegas Vacation Packages
• New York Vacation Packages
• Miami Vacation Packages
• Orlando Vacation Packages
• New Orleans Vacation Packages
• Williamsburg Vacation Packages
• Portland Vacation Packages
• Laughlin Vacation Packages
• Tampa Vacation Packages
• Atlantic City Vacation Packages
• Austin Vacation Packages
• St. Thomas Vacation Packages

Book international flights & hotels together to save

• Cancun Vacation Packages
• Punta Cana Vacation Packages
• Aruba Vacation Packages
• Bahamas Vacation Packages
• London Vacation Packages
• Paris Vacation Packages
• Cozumel Vacation Packages
• Playa Del Carmen Vacation Packages
• Toronto Vacation Packages
• Quintana Roo Vacation Packages

Top places to visit domestically

• Visit Los Angeles
• Visit Las Vegas
• Visit New York
• Visit Chicago
• Visit Orlando
• Visit Dallas
• Visit Atlanta
• Visit Phoenix
• Visit Miami
• Visit Houston

Visit places internationally

• Visit the Bahamas
• Visit Vancouver
• Visit Mexico
• Visit Cabo San Lucas
• Visit Cancun
• Visit Punta Cana
• Visit Australia
• Visit London
• Visit Aruba
• Visit Paris

Airport & car rental deals

• Car rentals in Los Angeles
• Car rentals in Orlando
• Car rentals in Las Vegas
• Car rentals in Denver
• Car rentals in Phoenix
• Car rentals in Chicago
• Car rentals in Fort Lauderdale
• Car rentals in New York
• Car rentals in Atlanta
• Car rentals in Houston

Find cheap car rentals at international airports

• Car rentals in Dublin
• Car rentals in Vancouver
• Car rentals in Toronto
• Car rentals in Dubai
• Car rentals in Paris
• Car rentals in Cancun
• Car rentals in Puerto Rico
• Car rentals in Rome
• Car rentals in Calgary

Top Deals on Vacation Rental Destinations

• Search all Vacation Rentals
• Top Myrtle Beach Vacation Rentals
• Top Vacation Rentals in Florida
• Top Vacation Rentals in New Jersey
• Top South Lake Tahoe Vacation Rentals
• Top Galveston Vacation Rentals
• Top Miami Vacation Rentals
• Top Tampa Vacation Rentals
• Top Orlando Vacation Rentals
• Top Daytona Beach Vacation Rentals
• Top Gulf Shores Vacation Rentals
• Top Oahu Vacation Rentals
• Top Geneva-on-the-Lake Vacation Rentals
• Top Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals
• Top Jersey Shore Vacation Rentals
• Top South Padre Island Vacation Rentals

Popular cruise destinations

• Cruises to Bahamas
• Cruises to Mexico
• Cruises to Hawaii
• Cruises to Alaska
• Cruises to Caribbean
• Cruises to Europe
• Cruises to Bermuda
• Cruises to Africa
• Cruises to Australia & New Zealand
• Cruises to Canada & New England

Cruise departure ports nearby

• Cruises from Galveston
• Cruises from Miami
• Cruises from New York
• Cruises from Tampa
• Cruises from Long Beach
• Cruises from Boston
• Cruises from Charleston
• Cruises from Port Canaveral
• Cruises from San Francisco
• Cruises from Norfolk

Other Vacation ideas

• Travel Trends 2024
• Christmas Vacation Deals
• Weekend Getaways
• Plan your Vacation
• Vacation Payment Plans
• Expedia Group wildlife guidelines
• All Inclusive Vacations
• Ski Vacations
• Beach Vacations
• Golf Vacations
• Kid Friendly Vacations
• Luxury Vacations
• Romantic Vacations
• Adventure Vacations
• Last Minute Vacation Deals
• Best Travel Destinations by Month

More destinations

• All Destinations