Skift hold
There doesn't seem to be much downside to Booking.com getting into cruises. As with the flights launched in 2019, we can only say: what took you so long?
Denis Schaal
Known for many years as a primarily European-focused lodging company, Amsterdam-based Booking.com launched U.S. cruises on Thursday through a partnership with a cruise agency. Global Travel Fund.
For Booking.com, which is the flagship brand of Booking Holdings, the agreement to offer a white label cruise site powered by World Travel Holdings in the United States punctuates the company's commitment to becoming a larger force in the United States, where it competes with Expedia and Airbnb. The United States is the world's largest cruise market, accounting for 58% of all cruise bookings, the company said.
Booking Holdings' initial brand, Priceline.com, based in the United States, also offers cruises with World Travel Holdings, the largest cruise company in the United States, as a partner.
Differentiation of cruises Booking.com
When asked how Booking.com Cruises would be different from the rest of the pack, a spokesperson said: “The key differentiators of Booking.com Cruises are that customers will have access to exclusive deals and offers on our platform as well as an improved onboard spending process. . On Booking.com, when travelers make a cruise reservation and board the ship, their onboard account will automatically be credited with the spending amount which they can use to purchase food, drinks, spa treatments, excursions, etc.
Booking.com customers will be able to choose from more than 10,000 sailings and more than 30 cruise lines. Customers are eligible for onboard credits “up to $50, $100, $500 or even $1,000” based on how much they spent booking their cruises, and on Black Friday, the company is doubling down this numbers.
Best Price Guarantee
Booking.com also offers a 110% best price guarantee. If a customer finds a lower price on a competing site 48 hours after making their reservation on Booking.com Cruises, Booking.com will refund 110% of the difference.
“Additional exclusive spending deals at sea will also be offered on select cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International and several others,” Booking.com said.
Telephone reservations for cruises
Most cruise reservations are made over the phone due to the complexity of typical reservations and World Travel Holdings agents will handle reservations, support and customer emails. There is also live chat on the website.
For now, Booking.com's plan is to launch cruises in the United States only, a spokesperson said, although the company wants to expand its customer base across all its sectors, including stays, flights, car rentals, attractions, airport taxis and now. Cruises.
Some U.S. consumers will be able to visit Booking.com's new cruise site starting today, and that percentage will increase over the coming weeks, the company said. It will be available on computer and mobile.
