Cruise Air Customer Support vs Custom Support

[$hip$hape]

I guess there have been so many request for this service, (once called customer support) it has created another business opportunity.

I'll have to admit, after some of the lost time and effort I've spent on looking for flights, this service looks tempting.

 

For a fee, an on-line booking company is now offering to take care of your customized flight needs.

(In the past, I used to wrangle this information out of them for free ?)

 

 

From their ad...

Worried about layovers, special requests and making it to the ship on time?

**** has created a brand new*Custom Air Program*to ensure that you receive customized service to best fit your needs.

 

For only $25 per person, our air experts will take care of your flight arrangements from start to finish. With your cruise or tour itinerary in hand, we can guide you to the best options for making it to your tour or cruise on time. Our Air Specialists are available to you for any questions or concerns, and we can even provide you with advantage fares.

Custom Air Program

 

** Preferred itinerary, layovers and seating assignments when available

** 24/7 Client Support

** Dedicated Air Specialist managing your flight preferences

** Advantage air fares when available

[fbgd]

Why people put up with this crap?

 

Just book through the airline and be done with it.

 

Are people who guy on cruises this clueless or lazy that they'll pay for something that is really just marketing puffery? "Advantage air fares when available" - WOOWWWWW! :rolleyes:

[waterbug123]

From their ad...

Worried about layovers, special requests and making it to the ship on time?

**** has created a brand new*Custom Air Program*to ensure that you receive customized service to best fit your needs.

 

For only $25 per person, our air experts will take care of your flight arrangements from start to finish. With your cruise or tour itinerary in hand, we can guide you to the best options for making it to your tour or cruise on time.

 

The problem is that most people really don't want the best option for making it to the cruise on time, because that means flying in early. What they want is the rock bottom, cheapest discount price out there, no matter the restrictions, but they want some kind of assurance that by booking with XXX, they will be guaranteed to not miss the cruise, as well as a perfect itinerary (as far as departure times, arrival times, layover times, layover cities, etc.) They book with XXX, then get upset because their flight arrives 2 hours before the cruise, or they have to make 2 connections, or they have to head to the airport at 4am, or.......

[Globaliser]

Are people who guy on cruises this clueless or lazy that they'll pay for something that is really just marketing puffery?

Cruising attracts a certain demographic. Many cruise passengers do want their hands holding, whether through insecurity or fear or simple inexperience.

 

You only need to look at the ports of call boards, for example, and see those who ask whether it's possible to see a city like Amsterdam on your own during a pre-cruise or post-cruise stay, or whether you need a tour or a guide. I mean, we're talking about a city in which the standard of spoken English is probably as good as that in London. Millions of people visit Amsterdam every year and sort out for themselves what they're going to see, how they're going to do it, and how they're going to get around. Yet the cruising demographic still wants their hands holding.

 

So I wouldn't put it down to cluelessness or laziness. It's something a little different, and this place (which is basically just a fee-charging flight-only travel agent, by the looks of things) might yet find a market through appearing to specialise in looking after that specific demographic.

[slidergirl]

Is this a separate company from the "Cruise Air" outlets of the cruise lines??? To me, it sounds like is Cruise Air trying to extort more money out of "Deviations" and make it sound like they have Almighty power to hold aircraft and kick people off of a full flight to get you to the dock on time :roll eyes:

I love it when I hear about people gullible to think that any company will do that…There is nothing that any company can do better/faster for me than I can do myself when it comes to managing my fights. If I truly need assistance, I can always contact my AMEX Plat Concierge!

Edited December 17, 2014 by slidergirl

[TruckerDave]

Why people put up with this crap?

 

Just book through the airline and be done with it.

 

Are people who guy on cruises this clueless or lazy that they'll pay for something that is really just marketing puffery? "Advantage air fares when available" - WOOWWWWW! :rolleyes:

 

 

I wish I could answer threads like this. Every time I move in this direction my posts get deleted and I get called "mean" or "rude". Of course now both our posts will probably disappear :rolleyes:

[slidergirl]

I wish I could answer threads like this. Every time I move in this direction my posts get deleted and I get called "mean" or "rude". Of course now both our posts will probably disappear :rolleyes:

 

+1

I get in trouble the same way…some people live in the land of rainbows and unicorns.

 

There is NO service anywhere which will 1)guarantee to hold a flight for you or 2)guarantee you a seat on the next flight out or 3)guarantee to hold the ship for you. These services do nothing more than what you can do yourself - you are turning control of everything to a nameless, faceless voice. Who is it to say that the voice will actually try to move Heaven and Earth for you, or that they merely wait a few minutes/hours playing Candy Crush then call you back and say "sorry, I tried, but I can't do anything for you."

If someone believes otherwise and makes the "Choice" to pay for this, well, I have a Personal Travel Concierge service to sell to them ;)