The lowest price for a cruise is often not publicly advertised, so you have to know where to look.
Booking with a travel agent can get you some great benefits, providing great value by helping you find cruises, form groups, schedule activities, and—most of all—get good deals.
I was able to save almost 60% off a Freedom of the Seas cruise I booked through an MEI Travel agent.
I found a cheap price for an October sailing on Freedom of the Seas: an oceanview cabin for just $584 per person.
After the cost of taxes, fees, and port expenses, plus pre-paid gratuities, I ended up paying $1678 total for the 7-night cruise.
The booking was for a guarantee oceanview cabin, departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and offering stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and St. Thomas.
The posted rate on the public Royal Caribbean website was $2759 for the same cruise—$1379 per person. So how did I get such a good deal?
I got a cheaper price by using my travel agent's hidden deals
Discounts like this aren't highly advertised, and many of them are only accessible through a travel agent.
My travel agent had access to Royal Caribbean's hidden deals sheet, which lists discounted sailings across the fleet. These secret deals are provided to travel agencies by the cruise line, and cannot be shared publicly.
You'll have to go directly to a travel agent to find similar discounts.
While browsing the secret deals, I found great discounts on certain cruises and was able to book the Freedom of the Seas one right away.
These rates aren't provided to the general public and are often special rates established between the cruise line and the travel agency.
The posted overall rate for my Freedom of the Seas sailing was approximately $2,759 in total.
That means I saved more than 60% off the public rate by using MEI travel.
A cheaper overall cruise fare is a great reason to reach out to a travel agent and book a cruise through them.
Compared to a similar Independence of the Seas cruise, I got a much cheaper deal.
A cruise departing on November 2nd, 2025 from Miami, Florida, costs $1802, or $902 per person.
This similar 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Perfect Day cruise in an oceanview cabin has a price almost $200 over—and that's before gratuities, purchasing the cruise a year ahead of time.
To get access to these rates, you just need to ask. When you work with your travel agent, you can ask if there are any special group rates or agency rates available.
In my case, I asked for special rates that existed and then booked those sailings, rather than picking a specific ship and sail date.
The availability of special rates depends on a bit of luck, but it's something you can ask your agent early in the planning process.
Why was the cruise so discounted?
A steep discount can spark suspicion.
Why was the sailing so cheap? Was there anything wrong with the ship, room, or itinerary?
It's due to a combination of special negotiated rates between the cruise line and the travel consortium, as well as the cruies line wanting to fill unsold staterooms.
This just means fewer rooms on that particular cruise sold and doesn't point to any deficiencies in the ship or itinerary.
The sailing called upon Perfect Day at CocoCay; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and St. Thomas, and it was the perfect vacation to experience everything the Freedom-Class ship had to offer.
However, because I also saved money by booking a guarantee cabin, I ended up getting a less-popular stateroom.
I chose a guaranteed oceanview cabin, meaning that Royal Caribbean promised me the oceanview category or better—but I gave up the ability to choose the stateroom location.
Read more: How to save money on a cruise: 45 expert tips
I ended up with a leftover cabin located low on the ship, on deck 2.
The stateroom had a lovely porthole window, and clean, modern amenities. But I quickly discovered why other cruisers didn't want to book that cabin location.
The stateroom experienced constant noise—from the anchor banging against the side of the ship, feet stomping above me, and adjacent neighbors.
While the cabin was still an enjoyable stay, it was a less desirable location for a cheaper price.
Is it worth booking with a travel agent?
Are the deals and assistance worth booking with a travel agent?
Many first-time cruisers don't know how helpful travel agents can be. They're also usually free to work with! Most good travel agents are paid a commission from the cruise line, so there is no extra cost to use their services.
Travel agents can give you great deals on sailings, and many people aren't even aware of hidden deals like the one I got on my Freedom of the Seas cruise.
Travelers also don't know the many ways a travel agent can assist, such as contacting customer service, organizing large groups, and booking shore excursions.
Read more: Top things you didn't know travel agents can do for your cruise vacation
My MEI travel agent booked the cruise and handled the guests, dining times, and gratuities beforehand.
All I had to do before the sailing was scheduling, online check-in, and packing!
She also consistently checked in throughout and after my sailing to ensure all went well.
If we ran into any issues, our travel agent could work with us, and even call Royal Caribbean customer service and stay on the line for us.
A travel agent is an invaluable resource that provides great deals and insider cruise knowledge—all at no extra cost to you.
