If you are not really experienced in booking cruises, then you need a cruise travel agent to do it for you. Booking a cruise is nothing like booking an air flight or making arrangements for a rental car. Cruises are much more complicated than either of those.

Remember, not just any travel agent will do, you want one that specializes in cruises. There are lots of cruise-only travel agencies and many travel agencies have agents whose specialty is cruising. A good cruise travel agent has an intimate knowledge of the industry and cruise lines. A specializing agent should be able to offer you the best rates and help you choose options suited to your personality and pocket book. He or she will be able to explain everything to you from the cruise line’s cancellation policies to how you get your baggage on the ship and back off again.

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If you are going to take a cruise, cruise travel insurance is very much warranted. When building coverage into your price, it is important to note that cruise travel insurance will amount to about 5% to 9% of your total cruise vacation cost.

First, you should know that things such as inclement weather, change of itinerary, childbirth, loss of employment, war, pre-existing medical conditions, and frequent flyer miles cannot be covered by cruise travel insurance.

If you are just taking a weekend trip and not much more, you might not want to spend the money on insurance. However, if any of the following pertains to your trip, it will probably be a good idea to get cruise travel insurance.

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