RCCL,Celebrity and Carnival

drkrawchuk · August 23, 2004

Last week all cruise agents selling RCCL, Celebrity and Carnival cruises were instructed by these cruise lines that they could no longer discount fares and anyone caught discounting their cruises would no longer have the right to sell their cruises. It is obvious to me that these cruise lines all have their own booking sites and want to recapture the 10 to 14 percent profit margins that they must pay to agents. I cruise at least 4 times a year and have personally seen the underhanded tactics that these cruise lines utilize to increase their bottom line. RCCL is probably the principle culprit in utilizing these types of tactics both with their passengers and agents. :angry: :angry:

drkrawchuk · August 23, 2004

Last week all cruise agents selling RCCL, Celebrity and Carnival cruises were instructed by these cruise lines that they could no longer discount fares and anyone caught discounting their cruises would no longer have the right to sell their cruises. It is obvious to me that these cruise lines all have their own booking sites and want to recapture the 10 to 14 percent profit margins that they must pay to agents. I cruise at least 4 times a year and have personally seen the underhanded tactics that these cruise lines utilize to increase their bottom line. RCCL is probably the principle culprit in utilizing these types of tactics both with their passengers and agents. :angry: :angry:

Dan · August 23, 2004

But there's nothing stopping these agents from either sending a gift to the ship for their client, or arranging a third party gift certificate at a retailer in the client's home town, or even sending a check to the client directly as a rebate once payment has been made. The only problem is they can't advertise it.

bicker · August 23, 2004

And they cannot promise it, at least not for RCI. My upcoming cruise was structured just-about the way from the start, and I booked it long before this new policy went into effect.

jbond · August 24, 2004

I have not read that. All I have read is that the booking agency cannot offer anything that can be converted into cash.

Come on Bicker, this is not inline with your postings on those other boards.

The bottom line is, if you don't like it, go to another line that offers better prices, or go to an all inclusive, if you can afford it.

As for "drkrawchuk" is that another way of spelling "troll". Go post your inflammatory statements somewhere else, or are Cruise Critics and all the others as tired of this dead horse as I am?

bicker · August 24, 2004

Factual information is always in keeping with my posts on other boards. :tongue:

Check out the chain of this discussion, and you'll understand my message better:

Dan wrote: "But there's nothing stopping these agents from ... sending a check to the client directly as a rebate once payment has been made. The only problem is they can't advertise it."

I replied, "they cannot promise it, at least not for RCI."

So while all of the other choices Dan wrote about are possibilities, the last one, rebate, is not. A rebate is convertible to cash.

August 24, 2004

AAA offers it members 5% off the cruise. Is this no longer going to be done?

drkrawchuk · August 25, 2004

It is quite apparent that one contributor to this forum does not understand the concept of competition. If a reseller of cruises wishes to cut his profit margins and increase his business he should be able to do so without interference from his suppliers. This is the concept of free enterprise in this country. Apparently one contributor to this forum needs to reread the principles upon which this country was founded.

rogue · August 25, 2004

Come now. Free enterprise does not exclusively go to the last entity selling a product. The cruise companies have to deal in a market also. They have to maximize their profits, just like everyone else. That's what their stockholders demand.

Setting prices is nothing new in the world. It has been going on for quite a long time. Do you own a Nintendo or something like that? Nobody screems when they fix their prices.

Good TA's will deal with it and get you what you want.

Howard