A Travel and vacations forum. TravelBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » TravelBanter forum » Travelling Style » Cruises
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Direct booking with Princess



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old March 8th, 2010, 06:21 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Ray Goldenberg Ray Goldenberg is offline
Banned
 
First recorded activity by TravelBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,639
Default Direct booking with Princess

On Mon, 8 Mar 2010 08:56:33 -0800, "John Sisker"
wrote:

Is this cutting, or intending to cut the travel agent out of future
sales? Of course it is. Cruise lines have been narrowing down the
involvement of agents for years. It's really only just a matter of time.
Yet, in this particular case, any booking made on the ship can be
transferred over to your agent - at least for now.


Hi Everyone,

As usual John is confused. Princess does not cut the agency out of
the booking. The booking, by default, is credited immediately to the
agency that booked the client. As a matter of fact, one of our long
time posters here on r.t.cruises boarded a ship yesterday and last
night I received a new Future Cruise booking directly from Princess
with my agency as the booking agency. I guess he enjoyed his
afternoon onboard. :+)
BTW, since he was traveling alone on this cruise, his wife took him to
the ship. She enjoyed the new Princess visitor experience with a
wonderful lunch and photo. She emailed last night to let me know how
smoothly it Princess handled it and how much she enjoyed it.
--
Ray Goldenberg 800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
Lighthouse Travel http://www.lighthousetravel.com
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lighthousetravl
Follow us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ray.goldenberg
  #12  
Old March 8th, 2010, 06:50 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,112
Default Direct booking with Princess

In article , George Leppla
wrote:

This is incorrect.


That Sisker is some travel agent....not. If he really is one you would
think he knew how those bookings worked. Or else if he has any
customers they rejected using him when they did future bookings
onboard.....

I have done several onboard bookings and the travel agent was credited
with the booking and received the commission.

One thing to consider when doing this..... most of the cruise lines have
instituted a "one bite of he apple" policy and some of the onboard
credits they offer for making these bookings are not combinable with
other promotional programs or rates.


That is why I have stopped doing onboard bookings.

--
Charles
  #13  
Old March 8th, 2010, 06:55 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,112
Default Direct booking with Princess

In article , Ray Goldenberg
wrote:

BTW, since he was traveling alone on this cruise, his wife took him to
the ship. She enjoyed the new Princess visitor experience with a
wonderful lunch and photo. She emailed last night to let me know how
smoothly it Princess handled it and how much she enjoyed it.


That is good feedback. As I recall you get lunch in the main dining
room, a ship tour too and a future credit in addition to the lunch and
photo for around $40?

--
Charles
  #14  
Old March 8th, 2010, 07:09 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Ray Goldenberg Ray Goldenberg is offline
Banned
 
First recorded activity by TravelBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,639
Default Direct booking with Princess

On Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:55:10 -0500, Charles
wrote:

That is good feedback. As I recall you get lunch in the main dining
room, a ship tour too and a future credit in addition to the lunch and
photo for around $40?


Hi Charles,

Yes, Charles, here is the detail. Four-course lunch (wine included),
Ship orientation tour, Souvenir photo, and the $39 will be applied
toward future cruise.
--
Ray Goldenberg 800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
Lighthouse Travel http://www.lighthousetravel.com
Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lighthousetravl
Follow us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ray.goldenberg
  #15  
Old March 8th, 2010, 09:19 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
tathraman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 22
Default Direct booking with Princess

This has been a most enlightening discussion! So far, I have my cabin
of choice on hold direct online with Princess (Cherry Blossom, Sun
Princess next March) which includes $150pp OBC. Deposit of AUD 1,500
pp

From a TA, I can transfer this booking for $393 less, with $250 pp
OBC and deposit of $750 pp.

I still have further quotes to come. Can my brain cope? Will these
TAs give up on me?

Hmmmm.

  #16  
Old March 8th, 2010, 10:01 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Seehorse Video
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 332
Default Direct booking with Princess


"tathraman" wrote in message
...
This has been a most enlightening discussion! So far, I have my cabin
of choice on hold direct online with Princess (Cherry Blossom, Sun
Princess next March) which includes $150pp OBC. Deposit of AUD 1,500
pp

From a TA, I can transfer this booking for $393 less, with $250 pp
OBC and deposit of $750 pp.

I still have further quotes to come. Can my brain cope? Will these
TAs give up on me?

Hmmmm.


And the Australian dollar has gained three or four cents against the US
dollar. You're winning every which way. Good onya, Mate.

Harry Cooper


  #17  
Old March 8th, 2010, 10:13 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
peter
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 231
Default Direct booking with Princess

On 3/8/2010 9:19 PM, tathraman wrote:
This has been a most enlightening discussion! So far, I have my cabin
of choice on hold direct online with Princess (Cherry Blossom, Sun
Princess next March) which includes $150pp OBC. Deposit of AUD 1,500
pp

From a TA, I can transfer this booking for $393 less, with $250 pp
OBC and deposit of $750 pp.

I still have further quotes to come. Can my brain cope? Will these
TAs give up on me?

Hmmmm.

Is that the 42 night Asia+Pacific cruise? Insides shouldn't sell for
AUD 3000 pp. Why should they give up on you?
  #18  
Old March 9th, 2010, 02:49 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
tathraman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 22
Default Direct booking with Princess



Is that the 42 night Asia+Pacific cruise?


Yes

Insides shouldn't sell for AUD 3000 pp.

It's an oceanview, Cat D, forward, (with the big window)

Why should they give up on you?
Flippant comment, I guess.

Anyhow, I found a TA with better price than Princess and $250 OBC.
Done deal.
  #20  
Old March 9th, 2010, 09:29 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
peter
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 231
Default Direct booking with Princess

On 3/9/2010 2:03 AM, John Sisker wrote:
It appears that both George and Ray can't see the forest through the
trees. While I did say... "Is this cutting, or intended to cut the
travel agent out of future sales? Of course it is. Cruise lines have
been narrowing down the involvement of agents for years. It's really
only just a matter of time. Yet, in this particular case, any booking
made on the ship can be transferred over to your agent - at least for now."

While technically such a booking while on the cruise itself will
automatically be credited to the original booking agent who put them on
the ship to begin with, the passenger can indeed transfer it over to any
other agent of their choice, or even leave it with the cruise line
itself. Yet, as I said, cruise lines have been cutting in on the agents
territory for years. Likewise, an agent would have to be pretty naive to
think that this connection, benefit and their commission for onboard
booking will continue, when it was really not them who did the work
while onboard. I guess only time will tell.


For once sisker understands what's going on. Ten years ago a cruise line
couldn't fill a ship without the services of middle men, travel agents,
just like an airline couldn't fill a plane. Today 80-year olds have no
difficulty surfing the internet. For most cruises an experienced cruiser
doesn't need the services of an agent. Cruise lines have already started
to cut agent commissions. Before long the middle man that doesn't add
value will be cut out completely for mass market products. Adam Smith
told you so.

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Booking agent vs direct booking listerovic Europe 2 July 12th, 2008 12:19 PM
Carnival to cut back on direct booking efforts George Leppla Cruises 3 June 21st, 2008 03:40 PM
using overland agents or booking direct antnee Africa 0 August 28th, 2004 07:30 PM
? -booking with TA or Cruise line Direct M.B. Cruises 6 May 14th, 2004 01:48 AM
Booking agency or direct to hotel? lumby Europe 0 September 25th, 2003 09:07 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:59 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 TravelBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.