I haven't yet formed an opinion on whether this is good or bad. But
here are some observations that I have:

From what I read, agencies are still allowed to sell at reduced rates,
but they will lose certain benefits if they are caught doing so. If
they are repeatedly caught, they may lose the ability to sell RCCL and
Celebrity entirely. Could this be the beginning of travel agencies
having a wholly owned subsidary that only sells RCCL and Celebrity?
When the subsidary is caught enough times, it is dissolved and
reopened under another name. If that were to continually happen, I
think RCCL would get the picture and undo the new rules.

On another note, it appears to me that RCI has learned that there are
a vast number of people that know what they want (or at least think
they do) and simply want the best price. By forcing all agencies to
have the same price, more and more people may begin to book directly,
and result in RCI being able to lower the prices (or make more
profit). In my opinion, RCI's decision to do this likely had more to
do with trying to get more people to book with them directly than
protecting the mom & pop agencies.

Remeber a few years back when you had to go to a TA to get an airline
ticket? The airlines successfully removed the TA from that process.
However, I am not sure that cruiselines would be successful at trying
to do the same. After all, airlines mainly compete with other
airlines, and cruiselines compet with resorts, cultural vacations
(visiting historic places), and other vacation alternatives.

On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 12:30:20 -0400, "Jim"
wrote:

Okay, I looked into this and we even have it confirmed and it is being
discussed on our website in the RCI board. Yes it is true that prices are
fixed and agents cannot offer any rebate on their commission or sell the
cruise for less than the advertised price. Seems like there is options
available for group cruises or special pricing for special events but the
agency itself is bound by the rule of all selling at the same price and it
goes beyond just advertising. The cannot even offer a lesser price if you
talk to them on the phone. Seems very stupid on the cruiselines part and
pretty much smacks the free trade concept in the face. Here is what we are
talking about on our message boards;
http://www.cruisemates.com/MBindex/cruiselines.cfm
Jim
Community Staff Leader
Cruisemates Inc.


"Scotty" wrote in message
hlink.net...

"Guido"

LAST BLAST...

It was a HUGE move by the executives at Royal Caribbean and Celebrity,
but
they have mandated that effective 8/16/04 (Monday) they will not allow
ANY
of their product to be discounted and sold below the gross cruise price
that
is available thru the cruise line itself. They have instituted big
penalties
to travel agent offenders if they are caught.

What does this mean for you? It means that if you are planning on
sailing
on
Royal Caribbean or Celebrity in either 2004 or 2005, and if you
typically
book thru and on-line agency, membership association, wholesale house,
booking engine, or any other travel agency who discounts their
commission
and "rebates" this in part to you, then you MUST book before midnight on
8/15/04. This is effective ACROSS THE INDUSTRY , not just for a few
travel
agencies!!

No Chicken Little, the sky is not falling. The agencies are not allowed to
advertise rates below the published rates. Doesn't mean they can't give
them. The genie is out of the bottle and he ain't going back in.

Scott