One of the biggest benefits for airlines employees is the travel perks. Whether you’re on the hunt for a hotel, rental car, luggage, or a cruise, you’ll almost always find a discount. In fact, cruises tend to be popular with airline employees because you can score some truly great rates. And to help you find the best price possible, we’ve put together our favorite places to get cruise discounts for airline employees.
First, a little terminology:
What are interline cruise rates?
Sometimes you’ll hear cruise discounts for airline employees being referred to as “interline rates”. An interline cruise rate is a discounted price offered by cruise lines to airline employees for select sailings. These rates can extend to retired airline employees, friends, and family. Each cruise line has its own policy on who is eligible for the special rate and how many cabins you can book at the interline price.
Keep in mind for most sites you’ll need to register with your airline employee information. And when you book, most will require a copy of your airline ID.
Perx.com
You can also book hotels and resorts with Perx, but in our experience, cruises are their bread and butter. They have inventory for pretty much any cruise line you could want. We found a few places that don’t offer Disney or MSC, but Perx has it all.
When we first started using Perx, I thought it was a bit cumbersome to get pricing. You’ll need to fill out a few details for your perspective cruise and someone will call or email (your choice) with the price. I like being able to see pricing right then and there, so it’s not always convenient as I would like. But for the inventory and deals they offer, it is definitely worth it.
And one benefit with Perx is that you’ll have a dedicated agent email or call you. This means you can ask any and all questions: eligibility, insurance, cancellation, age policies, drink or wifi packages, cabin types…and so on. It’s an easy way to get personalized information.
Interliner
Another great resource that is also a one stop shop. Interliner offers cruise bookings, discounted shore excursions, and insurance. You can book right on their website. And one of the things I love most is that you can sign up for their emails, which allows you to see newly added interline sailings.
This is key because some sailings have limited supply and sell out quickly. You’ll see some of the best discounts through these emails.
ID90
They offer some of the best hotel rates around, and cruises are no different. ID90 has a very user friendly search feature for cruises and you can book right on their website. If you aren’t sure exactly what you’re looking for, their homepage features some of their hottest deals to give you a little inspo.
One of the biggest reasons to use ID90 is their customer service. They are easy to reach and are great at helping resolve any issues that may come up.
Vacations To Go
Airline industry travelers seem to love Vacations To Go. They offer competitive pricing and a whole lot more. Not only can you search and book cruises, but you can also find cruising info. From dress code policies to tipping, and even an FAQ for first time cruisers, you can find a library of helpful information.
Their search feature is also out of this world. They allow you to filter your search so you could narrow it down by the year the ship was built if you want a newer ship. Or opt for the cheapest balcony sailing. Plus, all kinds of other filters you can customize.
Staff Travel Voyage
You can get some fantastic resort deals through Staff Travel Voyage, but cruises are a relatively new feature for this website. Since launching, they seem to offer inventory comparable to other sites. They also don’t require a booking fee. And something unique this site does is offer pricing in both USD and Euro.
They also offer some really unique cruises at a good price, like this Montenegro Gulet Cruise.
Direct Through Cruise Lines
Another option that isn’t quite as known, booking direct through cruise lines at the interline rate. This can be a good way to avoid any extra fees that may apply on some sites. Or in some cases, allow you to book with more flexible cancellation policies.
The drawback is that it requires more initial legwork. You’ll likely need to call the cruise line and inquire vs. searching online with instant booking. Still, if you feel more comfortable with this arrangement, you can always search online and then call the cruise line directly to find out.
If you are booking Carnival, you can send a message to the dedicated interline desk at [email protected]
Royal Caribbean asks that you work with an agency for interline pricing. However, you can find more information on their policies through their special pricing page.
Other cruise lines don’t offer specific messaging on their websites, but there have been employees who call and are offered the interline rate directly, so it’s worth a shot if you want to book direct.
Facebook Groups
A great way to find deals as they are released is through a Facebook Group. There are many of them out there, but we are fans of the Interline Cruisers page given its large following. You can inquire about cruise rates directly through this page.
Are there drawbacks to booking at the interline rate?
Every cruise line has its own policy for interline booking. Even within the cruise line, individual sailings may have differing policies. The biggest potential downside is the cancellation policy. Some interline offers require hefty deposits. And these deposits may or may not be refundable. Make sure to check the cancellation policy when booking at the interline rate if this is important to you.
Other than less flexibility with deposits and cancellations, there really are no disadvantages to booking at the interline rate. You’ll still have access to the same cabins, unless the interline rate sells out for a particular cabin type. And you’ll still get to enjoy all the same food, service, and entertainment as every other passenger. You’re effectively booking the same exact cruise – just at a cheaper price.
Are interline rates eligible for all-in packages?
One other thing to consider is that many cruise lines offer occasional inclusive packages. They may include free drinks, free wifi, free 3rd and 4th guests, etc. Some interline rates can be combined with these “all inclusive” deals and some can’t.
For instance, Princess Cruises offers a Princess Plus package. For $60 per day per guest, you’ll get a beverage package, wifi, gratuities, and more. These add on packages can lead to significant savings. And many interline rates will allow you to add these packages onto the already reduced rate, further saving you money.
Keep in mind, interline rates are always being added. So check these sites often to find the best deals!
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