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Sold Out Ship Strategy
Commentary by CruiseMates' Editor Anne Campbell:
The Inside Scoop Intelligence gathering in the cruise industry consists of talking to travel agents, friends at cruise lines, a financial analyst and a few journalist colleagues. Here's what I've gleaned over the past few days: Cruise fares are now roughly 15-20% higher than they were last year. And, it's a rare vessel that isn't leaving home port full. These days it's common to call a travel agency to ask about a specific ship and departure date, only to be told: "Sorry, the ship's full." But I urge you not to give up because knowing a bit about how the cruise industry works -- and how to maneuver around it -- might land you on the sold-out departure you want, and at a bargain price. Even when a travel agency's computer shows a ship as sold out, it might not be. That ship could well have several cabins blocked for one or more agencies that negotiated group rates months in advance, in hopes of luring cruisers who want lower fares. (This is especially true now that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have mandated an end to agency discounting except for group rates.) With blocked group space, the cruise line gives the agent a cutoff date for selling the cabins; if the agent doesn't fill them, the unsold cabins go back into the general inventory for any agent to sell. What's more, agents get a bonus commission every time they sell blocks of eight or 10 cabins, so they have plenty of incentive to sell out their group space allotments =96 and they may go an extra mile to get you to book. The trick is to find that remaining blocked group space on "sold-out" ships Aloha |
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