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RCI Profits down 44%

djneph

By djneph,
in Royal Caribbean International

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TEXASMUNK

TEXASMUNK

Posted
Posted

Cut out commissions?

 

Ok, good idea, let's staff up multiple res centers to cover the bookings that a Travel agent does...Oh, phone is not ringing? But you will have those non-productive hours while you pay folks for NOT bringing in any business while they sit there waiting for the phone to ring. Once they are trained, and not losing business because they have yet to learn all the details of cruise travel you are still paying a salary, benefits, paying the utilities, paying rent or mortage. Of course you can then cut staffing and anger the consumer by leaving them on hold for an extended period of time.

 

Matters not, some wise folks told you that you would save a Billion dollars...you may have to spend 2 billion to save that billion, but they are so well informed!

 

Hurry, get rid of those peskyy TA's now!

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ubdkjrb

ubdkjrb

Posted
Posted
Cut out commissions?

 

Ok, good idea, let's staff up multiple res centers to cover the bookings that a Travel agent does...Oh, phone is not ringing? But you will have those non-productive hours while you pay folks for NOT bringing in any business while they sit there waiting for the phone to ring. Once they are trained, and not losing business because they have yet to learn all the details of cruise travel you are still paying a salary, benefits, paying the utilities, paying rent or mortage. Of course you can then cut staffing and anger the consumer by leaving them on hold for an extended period of time.

 

Matters not, some wise folks told you that you would save a Billion dollars...you may have to spend 2 billion to save that billion, but they are so well informed!

 

Hurry, get rid of those peskyy TA's now!

 

Allright, how about a compromise. Let's start small and go from there. Let's just eliminate any commissions for transfers of direct bookings to TA's. We all know that that is going on so let's do a trial run. Obviously the cruiseline is adequately staffed today as they are getting the oringinal bookings. So we make a rule that any transfers to TA's will yield no commission. Presumably the great service that they provide will allow them to charge some small fees for the transfer itself and any price drops or cabin changes after transfer. JUST HOW MANY IDIOTS DO YOU THINK WILL CONTINUE TO TRANSFER? None! The only reason they do it today is because the agent will split the commission that the cruiseline pays after it's staff and resources served the reservation from inseption to transfer (which usually takes place right before final payment)

 

So we'll try this small test to see just how many direct bookings don't get made (we can baseline this) and then see how many of those idiots we really have.

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SEASONEDCRUZER

SEASONEDCRUZER

Posted
Posted
Allright, how about a compromise. Let's start small and go from there. Let's just eliminate any commissions for transfers of direct bookings to TA's. We all know that that is going on so let's do a trial run. Obviously the cruiseline is adequately staffed today as they are getting the oringinal bookings. So we make a rule that any transfers to TA's will yield no commission. Presumably the great service that they provide will allow them to charge some small fees for the transfer itself and any price drops or cabin changes after transfer. JUST HOW MANY IDIOTS DO YOU THINK WILL CONTINUE TO TRANSFER? None! The only reason they do it today is because the agent will split the commission that the cruiseline pays after it's staff and resources served the reservation from inseption to transfer (which usually takes place right before final payment)

 

So we'll try this small test to see just how many direct bookings don't get made (we can baseline this) and then see how many of those idiots we really have.

 

Transferring a booking from the cruise line to an agent to get OBC or other perks is mostly a US phenomenon that is practised by online travel agents. I don't know of any agents in Canada who do this, nor do i know of any clients who do as they book DIRECTLY with the agent to start with. RCI PCCs only make the booking with the TA, no "wasting" of RCI resources only to "lose" the booking to an agency, the agency does the work from the beginning

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TBSCruiser

TBSCruiser

Posted
Posted
Allright, how about a compromise. Let's start small and go from there. Let's just eliminate any commissions for transfers of direct bookings to TA's. We all know that that is going on so let's do a trial run. Obviously the cruiseline is adequately staffed today as they are getting the oringinal bookings. So we make a rule that any transfers to TA's will yield no commission. Presumably the great service that they provide will allow them to charge some small fees for the transfer itself and any price drops or cabin changes after transfer. JUST HOW MANY IDIOTS DO YOU THINK WILL CONTINUE TO TRANSFER? None! The only reason they do it today is because the agent will split the commission that the cruiseline pays after it's staff and resources served the reservation from inseption to transfer (which usually takes place right before final payment)

 

So we'll try this small test to see just how many direct bookings don't get made (we can baseline this) and then see how many of those idiots we really have.

 

 

I still can't figure out what you story is , why you feel the need to disparage, berate and belittle the money that good, hard working people earn? Why does it bother you so much that TA's still exist?

Do you really think that if the cruise lines got rid of commission that they would pass the savings on to you? What do you care if people use TA's? And why this constant campaign to get rid of them? My theory is your were or tried to be a TA and couldn't hack it so now your goal it to destroy those who have succeeded and continue to thrive.

Each time I visit my TA's office it amazes me the number of young people (computer savvy age) that are in her office. Not because they can't use a computer but because they don't know how to travel or where to travel and need advice, which you are not going to get from the gnome.

Peter what do you do for a living???

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TBSCruiser

TBSCruiser

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Thats why these new rules will help everyone it will make things much CLEARER !!

 

 

 

 

 

jj.......

 

 

What could be clearer then getting an invoice from the cruiseline with everything in black and white.? What are these new rules? I googled and could find no mention of anything.

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ubdkjrb

ubdkjrb

Posted
Posted
I still can't figure out what you story is , why you feel the need to disparage, berate and belittle the money that good, hard working people earn? Why does it bother you so much that TA's still exist?

 

Do you really think that if the cruise lines got rid of commission that they would pass the savings on to you? What do you care if people use TA's? And why this constant campaign to get rid of them? My theory is your were or tried to be a TA and couldn't hack it so now your goal it to destroy those who have succeeded and continue to thrive.

 

Each time I visit my TA's office it amazes me the number of young people (computer savvy age) that are in her office. Not because they can't use a computer but because they don't know how to travel or where to travel and need advice, which you are not going to get from the gnome.

 

Peter what do you do for a living???

 

Let's just argue about the smaller picture first. How much hard work goes into a booking that was made direct with the cruiseline and then transfered just before final payment? Obviously there was no work done by the TA related to which cruise, which ship, which cabin. There was no work done entering all of the information to book the cruise. If there were any price drops or cabin changes prior to final payment, those weren't done by the TA. Nine times out of ten in those situations, the TA provides the transfer form and waits for RCCL to amend the booking to include the travel agency and send the commission check. The only reason the passenger does it is to get OBC which comes from the commission. It's free money for both the passenger and the TA.

 

So are you asking me why I care? Should we all just accept that it hurts no one and be happy for both parties? Kind of like when the clerk at the grocery store gives you back change for a twenty when you only gave her a ten, right?

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TBSCruiser

TBSCruiser

Posted
Posted
Let's just argue about the smaller picture first. How much hard work goes into a booking that was made direct with the cruiseline and then transfered just before final payment? Obviously there was no work done by the TA related to which cruise, which ship, which cabin. There was no work done entering all of the information to book the cruise. If there were any price drops or cabin changes prior to final payment, those weren't done by the TA. Nine times out of ten in those situations, the TA provides the transfer form and waits for RCCL to amend the booking to include the travel agency and send the commission check. The only reason the passenger does it is to get OBC which comes from the commission. It's free money for both the passenger and the TA.

 

So are you asking me why I care? Should we all just accept that it hurts no one and be happy for both parties? Kind of like when the clerk at the grocery store gives you back change for a twenty when you only gave her a ten, right?

 

 

So why do you care??? Do you think they would pass on the savings to you? NO. And you didn't answer my question , what do you do for a living????

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ubdkjrb

ubdkjrb

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Posted
So why do you care??? Do you think they would pass on the savings to you? NO. And you didn't answer my question , what do you do for a living????

 

I'm an RCCL stockholder. What I do for a living is a matter of public record. Ask Richiebaseball.

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TBSCruiser

TBSCruiser

Posted
Posted
I'm an RCCL stockholder. What I do for a living is a matter of public record. Ask Richiebaseball.

 

So am I which is one of the reasons I truly believe that TA's are a huge source of income for the lines not a hinderance , again what do you do ? According to Richiebaseball you can't keep it straight, so what is it?

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gtalum

gtalum

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So why do you care??? Do you think they would pass on the savings to you? NO. And you didn't answer my question , what do you do for a living????

 

Perhaps (s)he is just angry that those of us who use TA's pay significantly less for our cruises than (s)he does. :D ;)

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TBSCruiser

TBSCruiser

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Perhaps (s)he is just angry that those of us who use TA's pay significantly less for our cruises than (s)he does. :D ;)

 

 

TA's and RCCL get exactly the same pricing unless the TA is holding group space then it would be less. He has a vendetta against TA's.

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gtalum

gtalum

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Posted
TA's and RCCL get exactly the same pricing unless the TA is holding group space then it would be less. He has a vendetta against TA's.

 

Even with RCCL they can offer on-board credits to book with them. OBC is exactly the same as discounted fare, in my book.

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DireMongoose

DireMongoose

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Posted

 

Each time I visit my TA's office it amazes me the number of young people (computer savvy age) that are in her office. Not because they can't use a computer but because they don't know how to travel or where to travel and need advice, which you are not going to get from the gnome.

 

Well, not everyone young is genuinely computer savvy. :)

 

That being said, I think there really is a generational shift away from TAs. I'm in my early 30s, and most of my friends are about the same, give or take five years, and none of them ever use a TA for their leisure travel.

 

Obviously that's just my anecdote against yours, but, overall, I feel like the younger generation is more about doing it themselves; in part because they can book online, and in part because it's much easier to do a lot of research about your vacation plans online than it used to be.

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TBSCruiser

TBSCruiser

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Well, not everyone young is genuinely computer savvy. :)

 

That being said, I think there really is a generational shift away from TAs. I'm in my early 30s, and most of my friends are about the same, give or take five years, and none of them ever use a TA for their leisure travel.

 

Obviously that's just my anecdote against yours, but, overall, I feel like the younger generation is more about doing it themselves; in part because they can book online, and in part because it's much easier to do a lot of research about your vacation plans online than it used to be.

 

 

Right, but it is their decision to book how they want and isn't it nice that we have that choice? If ubdkjrb had his choice there would not be that choice.

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ubdkjrb

ubdkjrb

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So am I which is one of the reasons I truly believe that TA's are a huge source of income for the lines not a hinderance , again what do you do ? According to Richiebaseball you can't keep it straight, so what is it?

 

Glad you are a stockholder as well. So take your greedy, cruiser hat off and put your responsible, stockholder hat on and answer my question. Do you think management is being responsible in situations where customers are booking direct and transfering to TA's at the last minute to pay full (or any) commissions for little or no work done? As a stockholder, you should be interested in any inefficient business practices that mangagement is engaged in. Maybe we (stockholders) should suggest a policy similar to what Carnival is doing: no transfers of direct bookings after 30 days.

 

And finally, what does what I do have anything to do with this subject any more than what you do?

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