Carnival Sucking Up to Travel Agents

Is this one of the big Uncle Bob changes?

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/With-agent-reference-back-in-Carnival-ads-retailers-applaud/

Is this one of the big Uncle Bob changes?

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/With-agent-reference-back-in-Carnival-ads-retailers-applaud/

That was my first thought when I read the article. They are definitely getting smarter.:)

Its a win win situation for everyone

Cutting the TA's and trying to funnel all bookings directly through Carnival was a way to increase revenue, but one that apparently hurt them.

Carnival probably generated some revenue by reducing the number of bookings made through TA's (and the commissions paid), but they probably lost more revenue because they had to slash prices in order to keep ships full.

It's going to take them awhile to recover though. Unless they offer some good incentives to TA's to clean the dirty taste out of their mouth. Will take some time, but surely a good move in the right direction.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Please excuse any typographical errors.

I feel sorry for T A's

While this little gesture is done to get some short term benefits and e establish , perhaps a better working relationship it's all for the short term

Much like when I was working with Sabre / airline res system

Biz boomed for TA's while all along on the road map it's mission was to go direct

I use to book our cruises with a travel agent but after she did us wrong....I have booked independently through Carnival.

She did nothing for us and I smarted up real quick.

Cutting the TA's and trying to funnel all bookings directly through Carnival was a way to increase revenue, but one that apparently hurt them.

 

Carnival probably generated some revenue by reducing the number of bookings made through TA's (and the commissions paid), but they probably lost more revenue because they had to slash prices in order to keep ships full.

If Carnival gave me half of what a TA's comission is, if I book through Carnival, then I would book through Carnival...

I use to book our cruises with a travel agent but after she did us wrong....I have booked independently through Carnival.

She did nothing for us and I smarted up real quick.

We used a local TA for our first 3 cruises. On the 3rd cruise we thought we had booked early saver (we told her we wanted a booking with a price guarantee) but come to find out that she booked the best possible fare at booking and not ES. Part our fault and part her fault. We said we would never do business with her again. Our next 2 we used a PVP who did alright by us, but he never called us back when we discovered price drops so I had to deal with who ever I got on the phone at Carnival.

Our last cruise we went with a TA on the recommendation of friends we were cruising with. We booked ES with trepidation. Saying we were pleased with her is an understatement. She usually had submitted price drops to Carnival before I discovered them. When it was time to book our flights to San Juan for the cruise, she found a price on line cheaper than she could get us for the same flight and told us to book it even though she would not be getting any commission on it. The list goes on & on. We just booked with her again and so far we are equally as pleased. So if Carnival is going to do more to help people like her, then that is great news.

Is this one of the big Uncle Bob changes?

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/With-agent-reference-back-in-Carnival-ads-retailers-applaud/

Do you have an issue with this?

Do you have an issue with this?

he just doesn't like Uncle Bob for whatever reason.

Bill

Is this one of the big Uncle Bob changes?

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/With-agent-reference-back-in-Carnival-ads-retailers-applaud/

This part of the article is interesting.

Carnival plans a major marketing push this fall to fuel its recovery from a price slump that followed the Carnival Triumph engine fire in February. Agents are being wooed as part of the overall strategy.

I thought the low prices were because CCL is the low price leader.:confused:

Bill

In the past up until about 3 years ago, we booked with COSTCO, then COSTCO no longer booked cruises with Carnival. Since then we dealt with Carnival exclusively even though we had to track any price reductions, that's okay with me, we never got price reductions through COSTCO. I wonder if COSTCO will start booking Carnival again? I'm sticking with booking directly with Carnival for now.

I'm sure our TA will be happy. She always took care of our price drops and always sent goodies to our cabins without a complaint.

I use to book our cruises with a travel agent but after she did us wrong....I have booked independently through Carnival.

She did nothing for us and I smarted up real quick.

Unfortunately you had a bad TA - there are a lot of good ones out there willing to work for you

Is this one of the big Uncle Bob changes?

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/With-agent-reference-back-in-Carnival-ads-retailers-applaud/

I could care less. We book with a PVP, so no changes for us.:D

This part of the article is interesting.

 

Carnival plans a major marketing push this fall to fuel its recovery from a price slump that followed the Carnival Triumph engine fire in February. Agents are being wooed as part of the overall strategy.

 

I thought the low prices were because CCL is the low price leader.:confused:

 

Bill

Partially. One of the other reason is that Carnival thought they could fill their ships without the help of travel agents(so no need to pay them their commission). So TA started to boycot them and looks like they were quite successful in doing so. In the end it hurt Carnival BIG TIME...!

This part of the article is interesting.

 

Carnival plans a major marketing push this fall to fuel its recovery from a price slump that followed the Carnival Triumph engine fire in February. Agents are being wooed as part of the overall strategy.

 

I thought the low prices were because CCL is the low price leader.:confused:

 

Bill

I don't know how I missed that. Good catch. BTW what part of Philly are you from?

Carnival had no choice. They had to back peddle and go back to what used to work for them, because they cut their own throat in a fit of greed that backfired on them. The rest of the industry is leaving them in the dust.

Unfortunately you had a bad TA - there are a lot of good ones out there willing to work for you

Yes I did have a bad one. I had a TA who wasn't willing to do the extra work to get us price drops. I would tell her to book us Early Saver and she would usually book us on a Past Guest Rate....it's probably a good reason why my travel agent is out of business now. She obviously did that to one too many people

I don't know how I missed that. Good catch. BTW what part of Philly are you from?

In the Mayfair section of Northest Philly.

Bill

he just doesn't like Uncle Bob for whatever reason.

 

Bill

Rumor has it Uncle Bob likes people telling them what they think and not _____

Rumor has it Uncle Bob likes people telling them what they think and not _____

Moreso, honesty.

Carnival had no choice. They had to back peddle and go back to what used to work for them, because they cut their own throat in a fit of greed that backfired on them. The rest of the industry is leaving them in the dust.

Baby's bleeding. Uncle Bob knows the first steps in fixing the dike.

I like what the article said about a more simplified price structure, as well. While all the options can be great, it can be overwhelming. I was price comparing Carnival with another line for next summer and the other line was so simple. Just a few questions... Over 55? Military? Law Enforcement? State of residence? Here's your price. That's it. Simple. No agonizing over all the different prices, rules, penalties, etc.