Bennett'sCruise

Need recommendations.  Found OrlandoShuttleService.com for trip from MCO to Port Canaveral area.  Need hotel suggestions at Port.  Would prefer one that offers breakfast AND transportation to Port day of cruise.

Thanks!

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

Had a friend who once told me he would only buy from Saturn because of their no negotiation pricing.  He said he liked it because you can walk in, look at the window sticker, and the dealership would sell the car for that price.  He was stunned when I told him he could do the same thing at any dealership.  Just walk up to a salesman, point at the sticker, and demand to pay that price.

🤣

4 hours ago, Bennett'sCruise said:

I'm not talking about group pricing.  Completely different discussion.

Of course group pricing exists.  I didn't think we were discussing that.  That's why I said "completely different discussion"

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Actually, some of you are wrong (and we could show you a current cruise invoice to prove it).  While some cruise lines do try to enforce strict price controls on the actual cruise price (Celebrity is a good example) there are other lines (Princess and HAL are examples) that not only do not enforce price controls but will also authorize special pricing by certain high volume agencies.  How does this work?  It can sometimes take a calculator to figure it out.  But here is an example.  Lets say that a cruise line is selling a certain cabin category for $5000!  A decent cruise agency might sell that $5000 cruise for $5000 but give you a $600 OBC which means your real price is $4400.  But that same cruise agency might offer another price of $4100 for that same cruise and cabin category..without any OBC.  All of this is fine with the cruise lines who happily will continue to sell that same cruise for $5000 on their web site...but might have a "special" where they would kick in $300 OBC.

 

What gets even more complicated is when you start looking at drink packages (which are given a very high value by cruise lines so they can be used for discounting), pre paid gratuities, etc.  And then you have lines like Princess who will give military veterans a nice OBC (on every cruise) not to mention another OBC for stockholders.  And Princess routinely will offer additional promotional OBCs and authorize cruise agencies to kick in additional OBC.   We sometimes have OBCs in excess of 20% of the cruise price on our Princess bookings.

 

None of this stuff is simple (it is not meant to be simple) and a good number of cruisers simply throw up their hands in surrender and pay whatever the deal is on the cruise line's site.  And there are other "games" such as the $400 OBC offered by Seabourn for first time customers.  But to get that $400 you must be "referred" by an existing customer (who has a coupon).  And that is a situation where CC is a very handy place (no need to say more).

 

Hank

Thx

One of the reasons I take big breaks from CC is the confusion on discussions like this.  Someone says something that is misinterpreted in print and it takes on a life of itself.  

2 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Yes, I'm well aware of the of the fact that top producing agencies often have advantageous arrangements with cruise lines.

As a consumer you are not privy to the details of these arrangements, nor do you have any right to be. Why would you expect that the entire amount of any advantageous pricing arrangements should be passed on to the consumer? It doesn't work that way in any business. If my appliance store is one of the leading sellers of XYZ brand refrigerators and can buy them more cheaply from from the distributor than most other stores why should I pass that entire difference on to you? I'm still selling them to you for less than you would pay elsewhere, and making a bit more profit at the same time. This is known as capitalism.

 

I'm not concerned about a travel agency keeping track of the pricing of a cruise. As a consumer I'm doing that on my own, so I'll know if and when a price drops significantly and I'll make sure the agency rebooks it to my benefit.

You know … you and I are on the same side of this discussion.   I agree with most everything you say.  I guess you are just saying it more succinctly  

2 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

So, group booking prices of large agencies don't exist?  Even though hundreds of posters and TAs say they exist?

I'm not talking about group pricing.  Completely different discussion.

1 minute ago, chipmaster said:

 

When we started and were naive we went the three sources to price out cruises and got variation in service, TPT, pricing and lots of confusing FUD ( brick-mortar TA, big box high volume package deals,  multiple internet sellers ).

 

Guess which group provided the slowest response, most confusing response, sometimes plain out wrong information that could be confirmed in a few minutes on my own, conclusion was easy where I'd shop going forward 

Hmmmm … have you ever gotten conflicting pieces of information from the cruise line reps themselves?  It happens.  It's frustrating.  I get that.  But alluding to the person as being "less than" is just not nice.  

11 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

That's not true. While most do not permit you to advertise a discounted price many cruise lines do allow you to actually discount the fare. I know this from both personal experience as a former travel agency owner and as a cruiser.

 

I just booked a cruise last week on a mass market cruise line and was offered a discount by the TA I booked with.

You, as a former TA, should understand the "back office" dealings that cruise lines offer to larger agencies (online and brick and mortar).  Probably volume based.  I also believe the cruise lines work with these humongous agencies to give them good pricing that no one else can touch and the agencies do NOT pass along the entire savings to the client.

In my experience, I've found that once the cruise get booked, the humongous  TA's monitor the pricing the cruise line gives (watches for cruise line price drops), rebooks the voyage for their client at the new lower price and KEEPS 100% of the savings.  The client never knows there has been a price drop they could/should have benefited from.

I'm aware of at least one small brick and mortar TA who does the same monitoring of cruise line pricing after getting the booking and gives the client 100% of that savings.  Probably not considered "good business" as her commission goes down with the lower price.  But, worth it in customer satisfaction.

I'm not a fan of the online, big box store, or humongous agencies … can you tell?     

5 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

What they can do is give you OBC, a gift card, rebate, etc.  And for most cruisers $100 of unrestricted OBC is the same as discounting the cruise by $100.

Understood.  But it's not the same as an agent "discounting" the price.  There are actually several ways an agent can give you perks.  If you want to consider it a discount, that's okay I guess. 

By the way, some OBC is given directly by the agent out of their commission (out of their pocket).  If you are on a very low-end cruise, that commission can be only $50.  Can you (not speaking to ed01106 here) expect the agent who has done much more than $50 worth of work for you, to give up their entire commission?  

On 8/12/2019 at 5:34 PM, chipmaster said:

TA is totally YMMV, to be honest you think TA come from the the a deeply trained and highly intelligent pool?  

 

 

 

Not sure what YMMV means …. but the rest of your statement is offensive.  My goodness.

On 8/11/2019 at 9:18 AM, h-sar said:

 

 

I believe Princess does not allow travel agents to discount their prices? 

No cruise line allows agents to discount the cruise line price.

4 hours ago, Sand and Seas said:

Well I can see a couple of appetizers I want to start with.    I love Crab cakes and I want to try the Scallops.    I may have to ask for the dessert to go!

They will deliver your ordered dessert to your stateroom.  😀

-Ocean Blue on the Bliss this past April.  Wonderful!  Two things I remember …. the bread drenched in butter (oh my goodness!), and the brussels sprouts with pancetta.  I know we had main dishes, but these two items stand out.  Looking for a repeat on the Joy in December..

~d

Can you all let us know if a child's booster seat is required for coach (bus) Shore Excursions?  Child is 5 years old.  Thanks.

Can anyone tell me about the parking possibilities for the Port of Vancouver, WA ... for the AQ Empress?

Opinion on whether there will be some kind of coverings (curtains/shade/?) for the French Door leading out to Infinity Balcony??? Please tell me there will be room darkening something or other there.

~d

Hmmm

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Yes, there is some seating next to the accessible drop-off spaces - I seem to recall that it is even signed for disabled access priority. If their placard is handy, have the Uber driver display it so he can stop at the first two spots after coming around the corner.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I need some advice on the taxi/Uber drop off point to the first security check. I have a friend who will be getting a wheelchair at their rental counter next to security. But he will need to sit and wait for a family member to procure the chair. Are their close benches' date=' etc? Anyone have a pic of the entrance to Pier 91. I e only been out of Pier 66. Thx so much!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I need some advice on the taxi/Uber drop off point to the first security check. I have a friend who will be getting a wheelchair at their rental counter next to security. But he will need to sit and wait for a family member to procure the chair. Are their close benches, etc? Anyone have a pic of the entrance to Pier 91. I e only been out of Pier 66. Thx so much!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

American Airlines...

Aren't you spending an extra week in Kauai at the end of the cruise? Flying back from Kauai to mainland makes complete sense. However, for the rest of us Honolulu is the only way to go <sic>.

Alaska HON to OAK is $336 economy. $499 first class. And that's a 2:10 pm flight. Nice!

-dianne

We booked this one the first day it hit the system. I saw the info on CC. Even the NCL phone rep at first told me it wasn't a sailing. I told her to check again. It really is a great deal. We've done several land trips to HI so it's not the itin for us as much as it is the sailing and the ship.

AIR: Alaska Airlines has a GREAT PRICE flying back to Oakland. Even First Class ...

The POA is configured a lot like the Sun.

There's a Roll Call going. Come over and check in.

-dianne

Misguided statement BTW... The Cruise Lines generate over 90% of annual sales from there travel partners. They treat us great, because WE are their clients. We get the message out there. We make the sales. We do all the hard work dealing with ill informed clientele like yourself to make a buck.

 

 

 

So unless you truly know what the "Partner's First" initiative is all about, it's foolish and childish to comment. it just shows off your ignorance on this topic.

Thx for saying that! Another thing ... as a TA it's very easy to see which cruise lines really care about their passengers.

-dianne

We are suite guests so we will be eating breakfast each morning in Cagney's and have the option of eating there for lunch as well so not certain there is much value for us as there may be for others.

What on earth does eating breakfast/lunch at Cagneys (on some ships its Modernos) have to do with eating DINNER at Cagneys? Different atmosphere. Different menu. Different experience.

❓

-dianne