Royal Caribbean/Celebrity will no longer allow Agents to discount cruises.

[CINDON]

I just received this in an email:

 

On Friday August 6th, Royal Caribbean International announced it would no longer allow Agencies to discount cruise pricing effective August 16th, 2004. XXXX XXXXX Cruises will comply with Royal Caribbean International's new "No Rebate" policy affecting it's Royal Caribbean Cruises & Celebrity Cruises brands. However, XXXX XXXXX Cruises is committed to maintain our position as an industry leader and accordingly will continue our Best Pricing by offerring "value added" items to our bookings. Effective Monday August 16th, NO AGENCY will be able to sell at a price point other than those priced directly by Royal Caribbean & Celebrity cruises. Agencies will no longer be able to offer special deals through their booking engines, telephone cruise specialists, or opt-in private email lists. "Royal Caribbean International has clearly stated to us that rebating on any level will be a violation of their new policy" stated Ron Russo, Executive Director. "Agencies will need to focus on service, expertise, efficiency, and value added items, and XXXX XXXXX Cruises will strive to be an industry leader", Russo added.

[Ships R Great]

Here's how one agency hopes to get around this.

 

xxxxxxxxxx.com Value Added

 

Recently several major cruise lines have added restrictions regarding how agencies can list prices on their web sites. We no longer can post a "discount" price. Value added Dollars offers xxxxxxxxxx.com clients an opportunity to enjoy the same benefits offered prior to this cruise line policy change. xxxxxxxxxx.com Value added Dollars are based on United States dollars. $1.00 US = $1.00 xxxxxxxxx.com. Examples below based on a cruise that offers $300..00 per cabin Value added Dollars.

Your choice at time of booking the cruise with xxxxxxxxxxx.com

1. $300.00 Value added Dollars = $300.00 off your invoiced price

2. $300.00 Value added Dollars = $300.00 off a future xxxxxxxxxxxx.com cruise

3. $300.00 Value added Dollars = $270.00 xxxxxxxxx.com check (90% value)*

Terms and conditions:

In the event the price of the cruise is lowered after booking the amount of the Value Added offer will be reduced accordingly.

Value Added Dollars applies to prices posted on the web site. Cruise Quotes will already have the Value Added Dollars value deducted from the price.

Unless a choice is indicated at time of booking xxxxxxxxxx.com will apply option #1 and reduce the invoiced amount by the value of the Value Added Dollars.

*Checks mailed the Thursday following departure.

xxxxxxxxxxx.com reserves the right to modify this program at any time.

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity price restrictions take effect August 16, 2004. The xxxxxxxxxxxx.com web site is compliant as of August 7, 2004.

Carnival Cruises new policy takes effect January 1, 2005. At the current time some Carnival prices still include discount prices.

 

Request a custom quote

[BEAV]

There are now 4 threads on the first page here on the Celebrity board regarding the same subject.

 

Would it make sense to consolidate all the postings into one thread? That way everyone could see all the comments and avoid some people having to make duplicate posts in order to get their view across?

 

Here's a link to the original thread....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/show...37&page=1&pp=25

[CINDON]

Your link does not work.

[BEAV]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=65837

[srphnx]

TA's are being short sighted, as booking direct is much easier in many repects. Why should I use one if I can get the exact same deal with the CL? Competition is good for the consumer, period.

 

 

"leveling the playing field only works until you start playing again, how do you think it got un-level in the first place?"