MEET CHUCK AND BARBARA BARRETTE

This is one of the lovely couples I met while on a cruise on the Carnival Conquest October 13 – 20, 2014.

During our conversations we exchanged destinations and adventures we had the opportunity to experience. We spoke of our “bucket” lists and what we enjoyed about each journey we took to the places we had visited. It was a joy for me to meet people who had the passion for travel that I have. They enjoyed their cruise so much they decided to take advantage of the Future Carnival Vacations program (previously called the Future Cruise desk). This program allows for you to book a cruise at another time. You can choose the ship and the itinerary. The benefit of doing this is that you receive up to $200 in OBC (On Board Credit) on your next cruise. You also receive 2 vouchers to give to family and friends to receive the same OBC. That’s pretty neat.

You can choose to book your next cruise with a travel agent in which case that travel agent receives credit for the booking or you can book it through Carnival which means they don’t have to pay the 10% commission to the travel agent. However, no money exchanges hands between the travel agent and the client. It’s all done through Carnival.

I tried to convey that information to the Barrette’s, but I think Barbara got cold feet and they made the booking but did not use me as the travel agent. Her decision was fine with me but I wish she would have told me before I spent an hour and a half waiting for them to get to the front of the line to be waited on after they told me to meet them at the desk at 4:30. I could have been doing something else.

I’m sharing this information so you know that as a cruiser you have an advantage if you book your cruise while on a cruise. And if you have a good travel agent use that person on your booking. If you need a good travel agent, contact me @ 1-773-417-9067 or 1-888-210-1575.

I hope Chuck and Barbara have a wonderful cruise and keep crossing destinations off their bucket list.

Daraline C. Witherspoon

Travel Unlimited