Aussies being ripped off, price gorging and the ACCC.

[ceejay3377]

so its clear why I have been posting, I am schedule to travel to Aus-NZ next year and have been watching these threads in general. I personally have no objection to your getting the lowest fare as I do the same thing also. But I do think if you use the fares that traditionally don't include the pay to the crew(like the Australian based fares do)...you should not complain about having to tip.

The US(American) based fare structure which traditionally allowed you to cancel without penalty is the result of the tradition here. The European and UK tradition includes a non-refundable deposit(and in fact also allowed a fare increase of up to 10% with no right to cancel as well)...

so if you want to take the "good" fare you should accept(not necessarily gladly) the other idiosyncrasies that come with it...

 

I'm not aware of anywhere in this thread where anyone complained about tipping or the "Hotel Service Charge" (which is technically not a tip but an additional collection from passengers distributed to all crew by the cruiseline on the passengers behalf). But it is the second time you have tried to get a response by mentioning it yourself ...

 

Anyhow, your argument is a furphy. If we do in fact pay more (which I am not committing to given recent prices on cruises, although in the past it was gobsmackingly apparent) the extra fare is NOT in place of your alleged non payment of tips or the Hotel Service Charge (HSC). Cruiselines collect the HSC in addition to the cruise fare so they don't have to declare it on their books, hence the nonsense in your argument. Whatever fare they charge us is revenue. Tips and the HSC are not revenue and must be declared in the cruise quote if it is to be included. I am cruising on the Solstice in January, I booked though an Aussie TA and I was given the choice of paying the cruise fare with or without the HSC added on to the cruise fare.

[MMDown Under]

Hi,

 

at the end of last year we booked a RCCL cruise for this November with a US TA as they are one we have used before because they specialise in travel for people with disabilities (which we need).

 

This week our TA told us that RCCL and Celebrity have advised them that they should not be booking cruises for 'non-American citizens'. While they have stopped short of actually disallowing them from booking them, they are refusing to pay commissions therefore making it unviable for US TA's to book cruises for us Aussies unless they charge a substantial service fee. Apparently Princess, Carnival and HAL are also following this procedure. I'm not sure how widely this has been communicated to US TA's - obviously the one you enquired with isnt aware of it and I'm also not sure what the ramifications are for TA's that do make bookings? Just thought I'd pass on this info in case it causes any problems if you choose to book through the US TA.

 

Cheers

 

Kelly

 

I would query that advice from your TA, because my understanding was that RCCL would continue to take bookings (with commission) from "non-American citizens", who had booked with that TA previous to the rule change.

 

As Aussieflyer stated -

 

Currently, "One of the larger online discount TAs in the US only lists Holland America, MSC, Princess and P & O as the lines not allowing non-US cruisers to book through them", not RCCL.

 

Previously, the list included RCCL, but not Celebrity, which is why I cruised with Celebrity.

[Aus Traveller]

so its clear why I have been posting, I am schedule to travel to Aus-NZ next year and have been watching these threads in general. I personally have no objection to your getting the lowest fare as I do the same thing also. But I do think if you use the fares that traditionally don't include the pay to the crew(like the Australian based fares do)...you should not complain about having to tip.

The US(American) based fare structure which traditionally allowed you to cancel without penalty is the result of the tradition here. The European and UK tradition includes a non-refundable deposit(and in fact also allowed a fare increase of up to 10% with no right to cancel as well)...

so if you want to take the "good" fare you should accept(not necessarily gladly) the other idiosyncrasies that come with it...

The higher price that is often charged to Aussie passengers has nothing whatsoever to do with tips and "other idiosyncrasies". Tipping was removed from Aussie Princess cruises on 1st May 2011 and on P&O cruises probably one year earlier. The higher price structure for Aussies has existed for many years.

 

By the way, I don't feel that the local cruise fares have increased dramatically after tipping was removed from Aussie cruises. For interest, a lot of Aussies still tip and probably feel happier about doing it because we don't feel compelled to tip, but do so because the service is good. I can recall that at the time tipping was removed, several American cruisers forecast that standards would drop. Not so. The stewards/waiters are professional and do their usual excellent job. From what we have heard, they love working on the Aussie ships.:) (Apologies to anyone who feels I have gone off-topic.)

[musicorn]

Hi,

 

at the end of last year we booked a RCCL cruise for this November with a US TA as they are one we have used before because they specialise in travel for people with disabilities (which we need). This week our TA told us that RCCL and Celebrity have advised them that they should not be booking cruises for 'non-American citizens'. While they have stopped short of actually disallowing them from booking them, they are refusing to pay commissions therefore making it unviable for US TA's to book cruises for us Aussies unless they charge a substantial service fee. Apparently Princess, Carnival and HAL are also following this procedure. I'm not sure how widely this has been communicated to US TA's - obviously the one you enquired with isnt aware of it and I'm also not sure what the ramifications are for TA's that do make bookings? Just thought I'd pass on this info in case it causes any problems if you choose to book through the US TA.

 

Cheers

 

Kelly

 

his has always been an issue. I use a US T/A but they charge a rate for Aussies that includes this fee. Usually their quote beats anything I can get in Australia and the deposit is refundable up until the final payment date. That wins me every time. They also acknowledge price drops with a quick email request from me. One cruise dropped $600 and they gave me a new booking in the same cabin with the cheaper price.

[Aussieflyer]

I protect myself & buy an ANZ Travel Card in USD, when the rate is good & use this to pay for my cruise. (it also has no foreign conversion fees either, like your credit card)

 

Cheers

 

Tanya

 

What a nifty idea :)

[Harriet1910]

Thank you for your detailed reply. Sounds strange to me that as an Australian citizen I will get US rates if I have an address in the US, meaning the laws of my country do not apply to me in this case... Any way I like finding legal ways to save money.

[aussiedisneyfan]

What I am finding amazing/strange is that the HAL cruises I have been looking at have all been substantially cheaper by booking through Australia.

• My Aunt is looking at joining us at Christmas (as a single) and the USD fare is $3500 but the AUD fare is $2685.
  
• My parents are considering the repo back on the Volendam next year and again USD $3115 / AUD $2399.
  
• The Jan 12 cruise on Oosterdam, USD $1799 / AUD $1599
  
• Xmas cruise for a VF balcony (a while back as a triple) USD $6600 / AUD $5800
  

So it doesn't always work to our disadvantage. I admit that I get very frustrated that we so often get charged sometimes extortionate rates, especially on pre-ordering items such as alcohol packages and shore tours when the are literally the same thing and can be purchased onboard at a cheaper price.

[Australian family]

What I am finding amazing/strange is that the HAL cruises I have been looking at have all been substantially cheaper by booking through Australia.

• My Aunt is looking at joining us at Christmas (as a single) and the USD fare is $3500 but the AUD fare is $2685.
  
• My parents are considering the repo back on the Volendam next year and again USD $3115 / AUD $2399.
  
• The Jan 12 cruise on Oosterdam, USD $1799 / AUD $1599
  
• Xmas cruise for a VF balcony (a while back as a triple) USD $6600 / AUD $5800
  

So it doesn't always work to our disadvantage. I admit that I get very frustrated that we so often get charged sometimes extortionate rates, especially on pre-ordering items such as alcohol packages and shore tours when the are literally the same thing and can be purchased onboard at a cheaper price.

 

We also found the 2 cruises we had booked for this December were cheaper here in Australia then booking through the US.

 

I wonder if HAL is trying to build a bigger Australian clientele and doing cheaper fares here.

 

What category of cabin did you end booking for the Xmas cruise, we are in a VD balcony cabin? I wasn't fussed on the VF one's as they were at the front of the ship.

[trebo]

Hi Tanya/

stki

 

This is my first post in this forum. My wife and I (from Adelaide) are one time cruisers with I trust many more cruises to come.

 

I have read with great interest your posts on the subject of price variations between cruise bookings made on ‘Australian’ sites versus USA/Canada bookings.

 

I realise this forum does not allow me to quote the name of a large USA online booking agency that will it seems accept my booking for a Celebrity cruise. However I would be hesitant to proceed because the company stated that I would need to arrange payment over the phone rather than it accept a credit card online booking?

 

I would really like to know what US online booking agencies you have found to be reliable? but I understand that you can not state this in this forum. To the point of my post, is there any way I can send you a private message and vice versa?

 

Thank you

Brian

[Australian family]

Hi Tanya/

stki

 

This is my first post in this forum. My wife and I (from Adelaide) are one time cruisers with I trust many more cruises to come.

 

I have read with great interest your posts on the subject of price variations between cruise bookings made on ‘Australian’ sites versus USA/Canada bookings.

 

I realise this forum does not allow me to quote the name of a large USA online booking agency that will it seems accept my booking for a Celebrity cruise. However I would be hesitant to proceed because the company stated that I would need to arrange payment over the phone rather than it accept a credit card online booking?

 

I would really like to know what US online booking agencies you have found to be reliable? but I understand that you can not state this in this forum. To the point of my post, is there any way I can send you a private message and vice versa?

 

Thank you

Brian

 

Hi Brian

And welcome to cruise critic.

 

It is against forum rules to request a member to send you a message etc to recommend a travel agency. By doing that you are risking having the moderators deleting the thread.

 

There is a section on CC where some US TAs advertise. Also I believe there is a section on Trip Advisor on the topic of US travel agencies.

 

Good luck with your decision.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

The higher price that is often charged to Aussie passengers has nothing whatsoever to do with tips and "other idiosyncrasies". Tipping was removed from Aussie Princess cruises on 1st May 2011 and on P&O cruises probably one year earlier. The higher price structure for Aussies has existed for many years.

 

By the way, I don't feel that the local cruise fares have increased dramatically after tipping was removed from Aussie cruises. For interest, a lot of Aussies still tip and probably feel happier about doing it because we don't feel compelled to tip, but do so because the service is good. I can recall that at the time tipping was removed, several American cruisers forecast that standards would drop. Not so. The stewards/waiters are professional and do their usual excellent job. From what we have heard, they love working on the Aussie ships.:) (Apologies to anyone who feels I have gone off-topic.)

 

No I agree with you 100%!

[Pushka]

Explaining the price differences between Aust and the USA prices as being due to currency fluctuations, gratuities etc is like Gerry Harvey saying that the price differential between Australian stores and international online stores is solely due to GST!

 

Good idea stki about the USA dollar credit card too!

 

On another thread a UK poster was saying that they didn't get an over 55 aged discount and the price difference was £2000!!! Nothing like that in Australia! :(

[trebo]

Hi Brian

And welcome to cruise critic.

 

It is against forum rules to request a member to send you a message etc to recommend a travel agency. By doing that you are risking having the moderators deleting the thread.

 

There is a section on CC where some US TAs advertise. Also I believe there is a section on Trip Advisor on the topic of US travel agencies.

 

Good luck with your decision.

 

Thank you for getting back to me and for your advice. I will follow your leads on CC and Trip Advisor.

 

Good luck with your HAL Christmas cruise. Our one and only cruise was HAL Alaska which was so good I will most likely end up sticking with HAL for our future cruise plans.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

Thank you for getting back to me and for your advice. I will follow your leads on CC and Trip Advisor.

 

Good luck with your HAL Christmas cruise. Our one and only cruise was HAL Alaska which was so good I will most likely end up sticking with HAL for our future cruise plans.

 

Try the other lines before you commit.... you might be surprised! First cruises are always special and ones you will never forget. Try Princess, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean before you decide which suits you best.

[Xcitdcruiser]

Thank you all for your responses - i now have 2 x additional questions

1- If there is a price drop & a deposit has been paid, does that alter the final balance owed?

2 -Do aussie TA's ONLY take non-refundable depoists or does it vary?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Aus Traveller]

Thank you all for your responses - i now have 2 x additional questions

1- If there is a price drop & a deposit has been paid, does that alter the final balance owed?

2 -Do aussie TA's ONLY take non-refundable depoists or does it vary?

 

Thanks in advance!

1. I think this depends on the cruiseline and , if a 'special' is offered in the future, whether there are any special conditions attached such as 'for new bookings only'. This does happen.

 

2. No. We have never booked with a TA that has non-refundable deposit. One TA (in the West) has a penalty for cancellation. We don't book with them. The other TAs we have booked with follow the cruiseline conditions - they do not keep any for themselves and we would only lose the amount stipulated by the cruiseline (after final payment). We would not book with a TA who had the condition that the deposit was non-refundable, although one cruiseline said they had a charge of $100. This is OK and probably covers their work. If you book with a cruiseline (or on a special deal) that has a non-refundable deposit, then you have to go with it if you want to book that cruise, but otherwise - no! I suggest you shop around for a TA. Use 'Mr Google' to get the names of other TAs. Sorry, but we cannot mention names here.

 

Best of luck. :)

[tashoz]

Our 2013 cruise is costing us $1,500 more than our friends in America. Same cabin categories. We are in Australia. Not sure why such a big difference.

[windsor26]

I am booked on a b2b2b S American cruise next year. I booked this while on a cruise on the Sun Princess and bought and used FCC letters., Everything was done correctly with the future cruise lady and thought we were settled.

 

There is a private tour organised for 12 couples to Macchu Piccu which I am on. We all separately asked for permission to leave the ship for the 4 nights. The other couples got a reply within about 2/3 weeks I had to keep asking and got an eventual reply after 4 1/2 months.,

 

I have just received a communication advising that as my middle leg of the cruise is 4 days shorter now than it was the obc from my FCC letter has been reduced. They are NOT charging me less for the shorter cruise of course it is still a 18 day charged cruise. I am arguing against this without sof ar any luck

 

I have checked with the other couples (mostly from USA) on this tour with me and none of them have had their obc reduced.

 

I tend to think therefore it is just because we are from Australia

[Dizziedi]

If my Australian TA didn't refund deposits, he wouldn't be my Australian TA anymore.

 

I have been checking with US agents lately and my Solstice cruise was advertised at about $18,000 (now $17,000) for a Royal Suite (here). I put it out there to the US agents and got it for $13,337.04 with $1210 onboard credit. IT is a fully refundable deposit and the deposit was only $450 each for an 18 night cruise. It's very disappointing that we have to go to the US - we should be able to keep the money entirely in Australia.

 

Cheers

Di

[Aus Traveller]

I agree with you Yvonne that this doesn't sound fair. :)

[antipodean99]

First a declaration - I am an Australian based TA.

 

To everyone who does not approve of non refundable deposits - I presume you are also offering free work or services in whatever professions you are/were in ?

[Kiwi Kruzer]

First a declaration - I am an Australian based TA.

 

To everyone who does not approve of non refundable deposits - I presume you are also offering free work or services in whatever professions you are/were in ?

 

If the service is provided.

 

How can T A's have the cheek , to charge for something that does not happen.

 

A Real Estate Agent only earns commission if a house sale proceeds .

 

 

 

[resordanis]

If the service is provided.

 

How can T A's have the cheek , to charge for something that does not happen.

 

A Real Estate Agent only earns commission if a house sale proceeds .

 

 

 

 

I agree, sometimes in sales you offer your services and the sale does not go thru, so you get, nothing.

Cruise companies generally charge a reasonable deposit, but some TA's then charge up to double and that is not refundable.

My TA refunds deposits and this way, I use him again. If he did not, I would find someone else.

[antipodean99]

If the service is provided.

 

How can T A's have the cheek , to charge for something that does not happen.

 

A Real Estate Agent only earns commission if a house sale proceeds .

 

 

 

 

The difference is - travel agents sell convinience/skills/knowledge/experience/security and their TIME.

It's up to you to determine if they actually have any of these before commiting. No different from a lawyer or an accountant - whether you win or lose you still have to pay them for whatever they do on your behalf. Coz they actually have to DO something.

 

Alternatively you can do it all yourself online - then it's free. I have absolutely no problem with that.

 

And as for a real estate agent - he is hired by the house owner - not by the buyer. If the house is not sold then of course - why should the house seller pay the commission. But last time I looked - if you are a house BUYER you have to leave a deposit that is non refundable wheterer you proceed with the transaction or not. So you've inadvertently pointed out that travel is not the only industry that does it - thank you.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

The difference is - travel agents sell convinience/skills/knowledge/experience/security and their TIME.

It's up to you to determine if they actually have any of these before commiting. No different from a lawyer or an accountant - whether you win or lose you still have to pay them for whatever they do on your behalf. Coz they actually have to DO something.

 

Alternatively you can do it all yourself online - then it's free. I have absolutely no problem with that.

 

And as for a real estate agent - he is hired by the house owner - not by the buyer. If the house is not sold then of course - why should the house seller pay the commission. But last time I looked - if you are a house BUYER you have to leave a deposit that is non refundable wheterer you proceed with the transaction or not. So you've inadvertently pointed out that travel is not the only industry that does it - thank you.

 

 

Surely you are joking. Are Australians ripped off off by Real Estate Agents as well?

I certainly would not sign a contract like that.