Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers about planning with your Dream Vacations advisor, cruise pricing, travel documents, staterooms, family travel, and onboard perks.
Is there a fee to work with a Dream Vacations Travel Advisor?
In many cases, there is no additional cost to work with a Dream Vacations Travel Advisor. Travel advisors are often compensated by cruise lines, hotels, tour companies, and other travel partners. For more complex or highly customized vacations, an advisor may charge a planning fee — if a fee applies, it will be explained upfront so you know what to expect before moving forward.
Does Cloud9Travels offer a Best Price Guarantee?
Yes, for eligible cruise bookings. If you find a lower advertised rate for which you qualify within 24 hours of booking and depositing your cruise with Dream Vacations, send the advertisement or link showing that rate to your Travel Advisor. If the offer meets the program requirements, we will match it. The lower rate must be available to book and apply to the identical cruise product — including the ship, sailing date, and cabin category — and you must qualify for the cruise line's rate.
Is the Best Price Guarantee automatic?
No. The Best Price Guarantee requires you to identify an eligible lower advertised rate and send it to your Travel Advisor within the applicable 24-hour period. It is not an automatic monitoring or automatic refund system.
Does the Best Price Guarantee apply to every vacation?
No. The guarantee applies to qualifying cruise vacations and excludes group cruises and land bookings. It applies to the cruise cost under the program's terms, rather than extras such as airfare, land components, shipboard credits, group amenities, travel insurance, transfers, pre- or post-cruise hotels, and shore excursions. Princess Cruises is currently excluded from the Dream Vacations Best Price Guarantee program.
Do cruise prices change?
Yes. Cruise pricing can fluctuate based on the cruise line, itinerary, ship, cruise type, how close the sailing is to departure, and overall supply and demand. Popular and holiday periods can cost more, so if you need a specific peak-season sailing, we encourage booking earlier to improve availability and reduce the risk of later increases.
What is usually included in my cruise fare?
Most cruise fares include your stateroom, many onboard meals, selected entertainment and activities, and access to many common ship amenities. Many mainstream lines also include supervised children's or teen programming for guests who meet the program's age requirements. Optional items can cost extra, including specialty restaurants, alcoholic and premium beverages, shore excursions, spa treatments, some fitness activities, Wi-Fi, laundry, photographs, shopping, and casino spending. Exact inclusions vary by cruise line, ship, sailing, fare, and promotion, so your specific booking should always be checked.
Are military or senior cruise discounts available?
They can be. Select cruise lines and sailings offer military or senior benefits, and the benefit can take the form of a reduced fare, onboard credit, or another special rate. Eligibility and the actual promotion vary by cruise line and sailing, so ask your Travel Advisor what is currently available for your sailing.
What information will I need to book a cruise?
Your reservation generally requires information for each traveler, including the full name as shown on their travel documentation, date of birth, nationality, contact details, emergency contact information, and any relevant special needs or medical conditions. The more you share about your travel dates, flexibility, preferred destination, budget, who is traveling, desired experience, and any special occasions or requests, the better your Travel Advisor can tailor recommendations to you — you do not need to know every answer before beginning the planning process.
Do I need a passport for my cruise?
It depends on the itinerary and traveler, but a valid U.S. passport is required in most cases, and we recommend traveling with one even on some closed-loop cruises that may allow other qualifying documentation (a closed-loop cruise generally begins and ends at the same U.S. port). A cruise line may require a passport even when minimum government requirements do not, and additional documents can be required for international destinations. Having the required identification and travel documents is ultimately the traveler's responsibility, so please check the documentation required for your specific itinerary.
Does my reservation name need to match my passport or other travel documents?
Yes. Make your reservation using your name exactly as it appears on the identification or proof of citizenship you will travel with, such as a passport or birth certificate. If your identification reflects a different name, you may need supporting documentation for the name change.
What should I do after booking my cruise?
First, confirm you have the required travel documents. Then complete the cruise line's online registration and review shore-excursion options before departure. Online registration is required by most cruise lines, and you will generally need your cruise-line reservation number plus personal information for each traveler.
When will I get my boarding pass and luggage tags?
Timing differs by cruise line. Electronic documents and luggage tags generally become available according to each cruise line's own check-in schedule and requirements, and full payment or completed online check-in can be prerequisites for some lines. Your Travel Advisor can confirm the check-in requirements and timing for your specific cruise line.
Are cruises a good vacation for families with children?
Cruising is a great family-vacation option because ships can combine destinations, onboard entertainment, children's activities, and easier logistics in one trip. Many cruise lines offer supervised, age-specific children's and teen programs, and ships may also feature pools, splash areas, shows, games, sports, and other family-oriented activities. Family promotions and room availability vary, so it is worth looking for applicable family offers and booking early when room configuration or family-suite availability is important.
What type of stateroom should I choose?
There are four common room categories. Interior rooms are generally the most economical and do not have an exterior window. Oceanview rooms provide an exterior-facing window. Balcony rooms include private outdoor space. Suites or Junior Suites provide additional space and can include extra amenities or services, depending on the ship and category. The right choice also depends on your budget, room availability, location on the ship, required accommodations, room size, and the amenities that matter to you.
What is a "guarantee" stateroom?
A guarantee stateroom can offer a lower-priced way to secure a particular room type, but you do not select the exact room, deck, location, or view — the cruise line assigns the room later, and it can potentially have an obstructed view or a bed configuration that cannot be changed. This option is best for travelers who are comfortable giving the cruise line control over the final room assignment.
Can I book more than one stateroom?
Yes. Multiple rooms can be booked online, but each cabin is booked as a separate transaction. If having rooms next to or near each other is important, we recommend working with your Travel Advisor, since adjacent or nearby availability can be harder to coordinate through separate online transactions.
Should I book early when traveling with a family?
Booking earlier can be useful when your family needs a particular configuration or more space. Early booking generally provides a better selection of staterooms, and some ships offer family suites or other rooms designed to accommodate larger parties.
What is onboard credit?
Onboard Credit, or OBC, is a credit added to your onboard account that can be used toward eligible purchases during your cruise, such as specialty dining, drinks, spa services, merchandise, Wi-Fi, photographs, and some shore excursions purchased onboard. It may be provided through an exclusive Cloud9Travels offer or through a promotion negotiated with the cruise line. Restrictions apply, gratuity eligibility varies by cruise line, and credit is generally awarded per room rather than per guest, so use it during your cruise — unused credit can be forfeited.
Do I automatically receive onboard credit when I book?
Not necessarily. Onboard credit is an extra perk that can come from an exclusive Cloud9Travels offer or an arrangement with a cruise line, so treat it as an eligible-booking benefit rather than something guaranteed on every reservation — ask your Travel Advisor what is currently available for your sailing.
What is Return & Earn?
Return & Earn is Dream Vacations' promotion for travelers planning another qualifying cruise. Eligible travelers can book another cruise while onboard or within 30 days after returning and receive $25–$150 in onboard credit on the new reservation, depending on its value. The new cruise must be a qualifying new individual reservation, must sail within 24 months after the previous trip's end date, and must be booked with Dream Vacations. Group and land reservations do not qualify, and the credit is non-refundable, non-transferable, cannot be redeemed for cash or used in the casino, and unused amounts expire after the qualifying cruise.
Can Return & Earn be combined with a cruise-line offer?
It may be combinable with cruise-line offers or promotions, subject to availability and applicable restrictions — ask your Travel Advisor to confirm for your specific offer.
Can my Travel Advisor help with flights, hotels, and excursions too?
Yes. Your Travel Advisor can assist with flights, hotels, cruises, excursions, and other elements of your vacation while helping coordinate the itinerary. They are generally in the strongest position to help with items that were actually booked through them.
What happens if something goes wrong while I'm traveling?
For travel arrangements booked through us, your Travel Advisor can help adjust or rebook reservations, communicate with travel partners, and guide you through possible next steps. There are limits — an advisor cannot directly control events such as airline delays or cancellations, and our ability to intervene is more limited when a service was booked independently, though we can still provide guidance.
