Cruise Lines Stopping Agent Discounting!!??!!

[AB1626]

This is mostly for FodorsPeter:

 

I am a travel agent(and do discount) and I would like to give my input into this conversation. Before computers there was no rebating,people came into agencies,booked a cruise and went. They didn't spend their lives checking every agency known to man,pitting agencies against each other,than booking with the one that gave it them for $5.00 less,than going onboard and asking everyone what they paid to make sure they didn't get ripped off. I read a post from some on here that they discuss price at dinner!

 

I have heard stories and have had clients say things that make my stomache turn. I can't believe people could act like this over a few dollars.

 

This is the only business I know of that the customers seem to think they should dictate what the seller makes. They also think it's their business to know the percent of commission the seller makes,and what portion they think should be rebated. It really is none of your buisness to be honest!

 

Would you go to a furniture dealer or even a car dealer and say I know you make 50% commission and I want you to give me back 25%. No,you go in look at the price,maybe say you found it cheaper somewhere else,they double talk you and you buy it either there or the other place. Wherever it's cheaper. You don't insult them by making sure you know how much they make and insisting they are making too much!

 

No on to the RCI policy. You will never know if you are getting a good rate because you will either be able to afford it or you won't. Even now with rebating there is no bottom price. Whatever price you bought it at someone else got it cheaper. You bought yours at a price that you thought was reasonable and that you could afford. But it wasn't the lowest in the world!

 

It will be the same now,it will either be affordable to you or it won't.

 

Don't be worried that it will be $100's and $100's of dollars more beause it won't. Cruise prices have gone up in the past months because of world factors but ships are still getting sold out. There won't be set prices or brochure rates. I have been in this buisness for 17 years and have never sold a cruise for brochure rate. There are always different rates and specials.

 

The agents giving back commission was a perk of the internet age.

 

The reason that this happened is because all you people let it get out of hand and the agents complained. Obviously enough complained that they listened.

Now I'm not saying this isn't a step to direct booking or cutting commissions but the cruise lines,at this time,still value travel agents. The airlines never really did as years went one,even before computers. Also the airlines have more of a financial burden than the cruise lines. They were and are always in bankruptcy.

 

If you feel because of this you don't want to use a TA than don't let the door hit on the way out! We don't need people who tell us what we should make, and I have had people do that to me. We don't need people that do everything they can to find out the inner workings of the business so they can throw it up to the agents face. Don't we have aright to make a living?

How would you like if you were treated like this in your buisness?

 

We do give a serivce and if you don't feel that is true well fine. You could also learn the law and be your own lawyer,or learn to cut hair and cut your families hair. Simple cruises are easy to book but there are things that are or become complicated at times. I have done things for my clients that they have been very greatful for. Things that had to be taken care of while they were on the cruise.

 

So again don't loose sleep over how much you are going to ripped off,you won't pay that much more. But think again when you belittle a profession and think you have a right to dictate what you think is fair for someone or a business to make!

 

Thank you

[fodorspeter]

what the buggy whip salesmen used to say. Or the carbon paper people. Or the service station attendants. When you ask if you aren't entitled to make a living. Of course, everyone is. But in a service industry, you have to have a product that people want and need. As I've said many times on many boards, the younger generation that has grown up with personal computers and the internet, don't even know that TA's exist. As the older generations turn over, your phone will stop ringing.

 

Peter

[bUU]

To a great extent, every human task that could effectively be replaced by automation either has or will soon. In each case, service providers have to isolate what aspects of that task benefits (requires?) that human element, and what aspects do not. There is still a place for human TAs, but that division needs to be made, and their services paid-for separately from the aspects that can be automated.

[Nancyk529]

I agree with Peter and Bicker. As technology evolves new jobs are created, and some are lost. Full-service gas station attendants are a rarity. Western Union faded after the telephone was invented. Things evolve, this includes the travel industry. Since people budget for a vacation, most will want to get the most for their money. Spending a little extra here and there (which doesn't seem like much by itself) adds up to the cost of an excursion or a better room. Speaking of excursions, I booked online and not through the cruiseline. We had a great time and was pleased with our service. Will cruiselines block online excursions next?

[carlmm]

A different viewpoint:

All this hunting for the best bargain is a waste of time, nerves and money. Just imagine all the thousands of people checking all the websites and so on - so much personal time lost and in total so much time lost to be put into activietes more beneficial to society. And then the emotional distress if it really was the best bargain. The same price for everybody is the fairest and most stressless way. One call, click or question. Probably this price would be below todays brochure price.

[momofmeg]

A different viewpoint:

All this hunting for the best bargain is a waste of time, nerves and money. Just imagine all the thousands of people checking all the websites and so on - so much personal time lost and in total so much time lost to be put into activietes more beneficial to society. And then the emotional distress if it really was the best bargain. The same price for everybody is the fairest and most stressless way. One call, click or question. Probably this price would be below todays brochure price.

Not so sure about that-my hubby loves surfing the internet and when he finds a "deal" I think he is happier then with actually what we end of doing on vacation. A lot of people are like that-he does most of his surfing on his lunch break at work and he never spends hours surfing-heck a lot of the excursion deals he finds is from cruise reviews and we always read reviews of cruises of a particular ship before we book it.

 

Example Jesse James excursions in Hamilton, Bermuda. He learned about that right here at cruisecritic and it wasn't so much they were cheaper-though he did save about $5 not booking it through the ship but that the snorkling excursion they offered did 2 shipwrecks-this excursion was not offered through the ship through the excursion company they used.