Travel Agent discounts

[cruiserwith2kids]

I'm looking for a travel agent who will provide an incentive for booking through them. I'm planning to book a group on an NCL ship. I expect to book 16 rooms. I know that NCL will give us 1 free cruise for every 8 cabins book but I'm hoping to find an agent who will throw in a little extra - maybe a room credit. Any suggestions?

[Host Kat]

I'm looking for a travel agent who will provide an incentive for booking through them. I'm planning to book a group on an NCL ship. I expect to book 16 rooms. I know that NCL will give us 1 free cruise for every 8 cabins book but I'm hoping to find an agent who will throw in a little extra - maybe a room credit. Any suggestions?

Per our Community Guidelines:

There shall be no third-party recommendation of travel agencies on any forums within Cruise Critic. General discussions regarding the TYPE of AGENCY to be used to purchase a cruise will be allowed, as long as no recommendations for any source of purchase are posted.

 

Here is a previous Announcement from our Community Manager LauraS that may help explain further:

 

The third-party recommendation of travel agents and agencies is not allowed on Cruise Critic's Message Board forums.

 

Posts recommending (or warning against) travel agents, travel agencies, cruise-only agencies, travel/cruise brokers, or Personal Cruise Consultants at any cruise line, or any other source where consumer can purchase travel will be removed from the boards. This also includes any comments included in signatures requesting members to e-mail you for information about your travel agencies.

 

Additionally, posts by members requesting such information will be removed, so please don't ask .

 

However, the general discussion of the merits of using a BRICK AND MORTAR AGENCY vs. an INTERNET CRUISE AGENCY vs. purchasing from the CRUISE LINE DIRECTLY will be allowed. No recommendations for any travel source will be allowed.

 

Travel agents who participate on the boards are encouraged to include their company name in their signature. We believe it is in our member's best interest to know which members are travel agents -- so you can best judge the content of their posts. Travel agents may not include contact information of any kind any where in their posts or profiles on Cruise Critic. (Travel Agents may not request members to e-mail them for information, or include contact information of any kind in their signatures or posts). Finally, Cruise Critic reserves the right to rescind the above in the event travel agents/agencies abuse this privilege.

 

We anticipate your cooperation, and thank you for your participation.

 

Laura

 

As you can see, the ONLY discussion allowed is the merits of using a BRICK AND MORTAR AGENCY vs. an INTERNET CRUISE AGENCY vs. purchasing from the CRUISE LINE DIRECTLY.

 

Basically, the names, web sites, etc. of travel agents/agencies or other cruise-related sites or message boards --- even if "masked" --- are not allowed in Cruise Critic message board posts. Posts asking for the name, site or further information via e-mail, or posts offering same, will be removed as well as any replies to the deleted posts.

 

The problem is that any TA-type threads may start off fine, but then the Guideline violating posts start to appear. Members forget the Guidelines they agreed to follow when they signed up for their free Cruise Critic membership.

 

Some of the members think they are "helping" by posting the name or site of their favorite. They forget about the fact they cannot recommend an agent or agency. They also forget they cannot e-mail the information either. You may see posts asking for an e-mail address or offering theirs in order to give out the information. They mistakenly think they are allowed to do that.

 

Oh, I should clarify something. You will see the Guideline violating posts until the members that do remember our Community Guidelines start using the red triangle icon to send a Report Post message to the hosts, moderators and administration. Then the posts are removed. Sometimes, the whole thread will be removed. And then all the "What happened to my post/thread?" type of posts/threads start appearing which is ANOTHER Guideline violation.

 

Per our Community Guidelines:

You should also know that the discussion of our management policies and procedures -- including post deletions-- is considered off-topic discussion for our cruise boards and will also be removed without notice. As mentioned above, all decisions regarding any action taken by management shall remain final.

 

The one thing I can do to try to help is recommend the Cruise Critic article titled Finding a Cruise Travel Agent at http://www.cruisecritic.com/ftc/articles.cfm?ID=62.

 

Also, please check out the Cruise Critic Member group cruises. Click Member Cruises. Be sure to read How to be a Cruise Critic Group Leader in 10 easy steps at http://www.cruisecritic.com/interests/groupleader.cfm. Per our Community Guidelines, Cruise Critic Member group cruises are the only group cruises that can be promoted on Cruise Critic.

 

I sincerely hope this information will be helpful, even though it is not the type of answer you were seeking. I am closing this thread to prevent any Guideline violating posts. Also, the thread is off topic for this forum. It is for sharing personal cruise-related blogs or websites.

 

Wishing you lots of in your quest for the perfect Travel Agent/Agency!!

Kat

'Tis the season to be jolly...