Do travel agencies not like to sell Carnival?

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I just came back from a travel show at the Philadelphia Convention Center and of all the travel agencies there only one even had any info for Carnival.

 

Saw plenty of other literature for all other cruise lines.

 

Does Carnival pay less comissions or are their prices so low that the agencies prefer to sell other lines like RCI because they'll make more on comissions?

 

Just wondering...

 

Bill

[JFletcher32]

Not sure, but I do know that my aunt is a travel agent and we were just recently having a conversation about this very thing. She noted that Carnival can be difficult to work with at times as they have very specific restrictions on some things. She told me that she would recommend a different cruiseline other than Carnival.

[Securityman]

Went to a local travel agent asked for a Carnival book for carribbean cruise's told me CARNIVAL has not printed any in two (2)years

[firefly333]

I've had TAs tell me if its Carnival they didnt want my business, but come back if it was RCL.

[cruz.n.carebear]

I'm a TA, and I personally love Carnival. You just can't beat the rates. However, the early saver rates do have restrictions that aren't for everyone, and if you take those away Carnival isn't always cheaper. But for those that can deal with the guidelines of the ES rate, Carnival is almost always the way to go as far as I'm concerned!

[Gordie Howe]

...Carnival can be difficult to work with...

 

Really??

 

...She told me that she would recommend a different cruiseline other than Carnival.

 

Really!!

[DebJ14]

I just came back from a travel show at the Philadelphia Convention Center and of all the travel agencies there only one even had any info for Carnival.

 

Saw plenty of other literature for all other cruise lines.

 

Does Carnival pay less comissions or are their prices so low that the agencies prefer to sell other lines like RCI because they'll make more on comissions?

 

Just wondering...

 

Bill

 

Agency commissions depend on volume. Everyone starts out at the same level and commissions increase according to the number of bookings. Agencies sell Carnival, but unfortunately Carnival no longer prints brochures to hand out. It puts some at a disadvantage as people do like to be able to refer to the brochure. Those without computer access (elderly) are so out of luck.

[robin13]

I went to triple A to get brochures and was told that Carnival does not have them any longer. You have to get everything on line. But they were fine with booking Carnival. Now I do know that several travel agencies will not book NCL. I tried to get my work TA to book a cruise on The Pearl and she said no. After I booked with an on line TA and came back from the cruise I told her that the ship was wonderful and they were crazy not to book them.

[CrusinCyndi]

My TA said that Carnival does not pay a commission like other lines (it changed the way it pays TA's a few years ago)..However, I have booked 2 cruises thru her and she has not turned my business away..she even has given us onboard credits, etc. Maybe they came out of her commission, but she does not hesitate to book Carnival for us. We are now booked on NCL and she booked that for us also.,

[LHP]

With the Carnival rates being some of the lowest in the industry and Travel Agents making their commission on a percentage of that rate....

 

seems like they would push a higher priced product to get more commission.

[katiel53]

I think Early Saver annoys many travel agents. The idea that if a price drops after final payment, creates "problems" for agents. They have to give part of their commission back to Carnival when a price reductions occurs after final payment.

 

On other lines, after FP the commission is golden. I have had agents tell me that if I book ESA they won't do my booking, but if I use other rates, they will.

 

Our TA is giving us money back on insurance. He said that if he wanted to do it as OBC, Carnival has him going through hoops. Other lines don't do that, so I can see where some agencies no longer want to book Carnival. They make it difficult and want passengers to book online or with a PVP so no commissions are paid. I do doubt though that they could handle all customers booking through them instead of those using agencies.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

I've had TAs tell me if its Carnival they didnt want my business, but come back if it was RCL.

 

 

If they want my business, they want it no matter who I want to cruise with.

[golfadj]

I have heard also that Ta's do notlike to deal with CCL.

[cdamion]

I have a very close business relationship with some travel agencies and can tell you the following:

 

Carnival's commissions are just as high if not higher than the other lines - particularly for agencies that have a certain volume of booking. If the agency doesn't do a lot of Carnival business the commission is not as high as a high volume agency - but that is true of all lines.

 

Lately Carnival has been getting much more restrictive with their policies that is causing irritation to agents. Agents represent one thing to clients only to be told the opposite by Carnival. This is a fairly recent development.

 

Agents rightfully will warn clients about Carnival if they think the client is going to expect a Cunard or Celebrity experience on a Carnival ship - the same way they would direct a young action-oriented person away from a HAL ship.

 

If there is one line across the board that agents complain about, it is NCL - and that is purely because of the agent support at NCL - notoriously difficult to work with. Unfortunately over the last few months it appears Carnival may be headed in that direction.

[DGP1111]

I just came back from a travel show at the Philadelphia Convention Center and of all the travel agencies there only one even had any info for Carnival.

 

Saw plenty of other literature for all other cruise lines.

 

Does Carnival pay less comissions or are their prices so low that the agencies prefer to sell other lines like RCI because they'll make more on comissions?

 

Just wondering...

 

Bill:

Rarely a work day goes by that I don't chat with cruise travel planners who provide vacation arrangement for individuals and groups. It's always fun to compare notes on the latest sailings we've done. Over the years, I've received quite an earfull regarding CCL.

Although some have simply written off the product (with minimal chance to change their minds) the overall feeling I've heard is that with such dramatic highs and lows in the CCL product they don't feel they can begin to accurately predict/guarantee their clients' experiences.

 

Some are now tickled pink that I happen to 100% agree with that last feeling.

 

A disappointed client is not so likely to remain a repeat client.

 

 

With the Carnival rates being some of the lowest in the industry and Travel Agents making their commission on a percentage of that rate....

 

seems like they would push a higher priced product to get more commission.

 

Linda (as usual :)) hits on something that is also quite accurate. But added to that is a travel industry feeling that one particular line also tends to be slower in writing those commission checks.

 

Hi, Linda!!! Miss ya!!!

.

.

[Teechur]

I have a very close business relationship with some travel agencies and can tell you the following:

 

Carnival's commissions are just as high if not higher than the other lines - particularly for agencies that have a certain volume of booking. If the agency doesn't do a lot of Carnival business the commission is not as high as a high volume agency - but that is true of all lines.

 

Lately Carnival has been getting much more restrictive with their policies that is causing irritation to agents. Agents represent one thing to clients only to be told the opposite by Carnival. This is a fairly recent development.

 

Agents rightfully will warn clients about Carnival if they think the client is going to expect a Cunard or Celebrity experience on a Carnival ship - the same way they would direct a young action-oriented person away from a HAL ship.

 

If there is one line across the board that agents complain about, it is NCL - and that is purely because of the agent support at NCL - notoriously difficult to work with. Unfortunately over the last few months it appears Carnival may be headed in that direction.

Costco Travel no longer represents Carnival Cruises.:( Carnival wouldn't allow them to discount it's cruises any more.:mad: Princess (also Carnival-owned), does allow discounting. My guess is that Carnival is testing the market to see if they can "go it alone" cutting out the middleman (TA's). Time will tell!

[Tapi]

The closest local TA told us flat out that they don't sell Carnival. When I asked why, she said that "the clientele they attract is not intersted in cruising on Carnival" :rolleyes:

[Teechur]

"the clientele they attract is not intersted in cruising on Carnival" :rolleyes:

Prisoners? Royalty? Dead people? Mulva? Who was he/she denigrating???:eek:

I feel like such a low-life now.:D

[Tapi]

Prisoners? Royalty? Dead people? Mulva? Who was he/she denigrating???:eek:

I feel like such a low-life now.:D

 

The TA is located in a shopping village that caters to an affluent (and pretentious) part of town, and I think that they try to play the part.

 

P.S Needless to say, we don't book our "lowly"Carnival cruises through them. We call our PVP. The only reason why I even go by that TA is because they are constantly stocking outdoor racks with brochures, so occasionally I'll do a "drive by" to restock my brochure basket at home. :D

[dirtgirl]

Costco Travel no longer represents Carnival Cruises.:( Carnival wouldn't allow them to discount it's cruises any more.:mad: Princess (also Carnival-owned), does allow discounting. My guess is that Carnival is testing the market to see if they can "go it alone" cutting out the middleman (TA's). Time will tell!

 

Princess stopped discounting at the end of 2011.

[cdamion]

Costco Travel no longer represents Carnival Cruises.:( Carnival wouldn't allow them to discount it's cruises any more.:mad: Princess (also Carnival-owned), does allow discounting. My guess is that Carnival is testing the market to see if they can "go it alone" cutting out the middleman (TA's). Time will tell!

 

From Carnival's perspective, why not? (NOT THAT I AGREE WITH THIS).

 

To Carnival if they were to eliminate the TA, they would be able to keep the commission for themselves. The commission is pretty high. The airlines successfully did this years ago.

 

As a matter of fact, in the UK, Carnival cut TA commissions ALOT to a flat 5%. They haven't done that in the US - yet. For many agents that would be well over a 65% cut in commission.

[MCC retired]

CCL pays TA's ,that book a lot of CCL,a better than average comm .

It's those ES rates that may require much more work adjusting rates which

end up earning them less comm. in the end.

[cdamion]

CCL pays TA's ,that book a lot of CCL,a better than average comm .

It's those ES rates that may require much more work adjusting rates which

end up earning them less comm. in the end.

 

That would be frustrating to get calls from your client that requires you to do more work in order to get paid less money.

[jonbgd]

I just came back from a travel show at the Philadelphia Convention Center and of all the travel agencies there only one even had any info for Carnival.

 

Saw plenty of other literature for all other cruise lines.

 

Does Carnival pay less comissions or are their prices so low that the agencies prefer to sell other lines like RCI because they'll make more on comissions?

 

Just wondering...

 

Bill

I think it is because CCL changed the way they dealt with their TA's

 

 

 

BTW

[sjcruiser]

I was going to go to the travel show today, but was a little busy. How was the other vendor information.