Cruises Review: Cruise Vacation Sites

Cruises is a subsidiary of World Travel Holdings. Like their sibling companies in our review, they offer LeisureCare insurance, onboard credit as bonuses, and charge fees to book and cancel. Cruises has been in business since 1998.

Lots of cruise options

Cruises lists nearly 30 commercial and luxury cruise lines and about 11,000 individual sailings. You can start a search based on a particular departure date, cruise length, cruise line, or departure port. Interested in a cheap cruise to Alaska? You can also explore Cruises' options by destination, or check out their last-minute cruise deals.

Bonuses may not be honored

Cruises advertises $50 to $3,000 bonuses "just for booking with [them]" to be spent onboard. The more you spend on your cruise, the higher your bonus will be. You can also choose to receive it in the form of a Visa Prepaid Card. However, when we were reading customer reviews of Cruises, we didn't encounter a single instance where a customer received their bonuses. You'll likely have to purchase onboard extras out of pocket, all while dealing with the disappointment of a broken promise. Some customers have been refunded what they spent after their cruises by harassing Cruises' parent company on their Better Business Bureau page, but that's a hassle no one wants.

Cancellation fees applicable, refunds unlikely

Cruises charges a booking fee of $24.99 and a cancellation fee of $100. Also, this vacation site doesn't seem to have a great track record for refunds. You may never see a dime, or you may get some of your money back but not what you spent on excursions or on optional LeisureCare insurance.

You might spend the same to book direct

We checked out Cruises' last minute cruise deal category and found a 3-night sailing to the Bahamas aboard the Norwegian Jade priced at $353 (per 2 people) for an interior stateroom. Cruises listed two bonuses with this sailing: an "exclusive last-minute bonus" of a maximum $100 reward, and 3rd and 4th guests sailing free. When we looked at the same cruise on Norwegian's website, it was $383 per person: a total difference of $30. Norwegian also offered free 3rd and 4th guests and free cancellation. When you account for Cruises' $24.99 booking fee, you only save $6 by booking through them, and you risk losing $100 if you need to cancel. The takeaway? If you're thinking of booking through Cruises instead of direct, make sure the margin of your savings is wide enough to cover their fees.

No positive reviews about cruising experience

You might be pleased to learn that Cruises has a 4.3-star rating average on Trustpilot, but not so fast. While there were plenty of 5-star reviews, they all dealt with the booking experience itself. Every review we found from customers after they arrived home from their cruises was negative. Issues described included misleading advertisements about the onboard amenities, onboard credits never being received, and agents going back on their word about pricing. One customer lost $16,000 because Cruises assured them that they had all the correct residency documentation required to board the ship, but they were wrong, and the customer was denied boarding in the end.

Slightly higher rating than some of its siblings, otherwise the same

When you compare the World Travel Holdings siblings side-by-side, you'll find they're remarkably similar. Each company charges the same $24.99 booking fee and $100 cancellation fee, offers around 11,000 sailings, and provides LeisureCare insurance options. They all advertise bonuses of $50 to $3,000 in onboard credits, though customer reviews suggest these may not materialize. Cruises has a 4.3-star Trustpilot average rating, the second-best of its siblings. In contrast, our highest-rated cruise booking sites charge no booking or cancellation fees, provide discounted excursions with smaller tour groups, and maintain exceptional customer satisfaction ratings above 4.8 stars with thousands of verified reviews.

Try a higher rated booking site first

Given the high fees, unreliable bonus promises, and concerning post-cruise reviews, we cannot recommend booking through Cruises over most of their competitors. While the initial booking process may seem smooth and their prices slightly lower than booking direct, the potential risks - including fees, undelivered bonuses, and documentation mishaps - will probably outweigh the minimal savings. We suggest exploring our higher-rated cruise booking sites that charge no agency fees and have better customer satisfaction.

On the Cruises website