Which Cruiselines allow Aussies to book thru US agencies (and which don't ?)

[The_Big_M]

It should be one price worldwide and the only variance is for the currency you use to purchase.

 

Anything else is a rip off.

 

No thanks - I'd rather not pay more.

[The_Big_M]

Even though you are made to book and pay in Australian dollars it is converted back to US Dollars at your expense by your bank when it is forwarded from RCI Australia (Website) to Florida accounts lol.This fact alone shows that there is no RCI Australia just an internet company in name thats run from USA and purely devised to stop cruisers getting US favourable prices deals and T&C,s.

 

Even when you email RCI Australia the replies come back from RCI USA:D

 

Actually, there is a local RCI office, and they do have local pricing.

 

However, they send their accounts to be handled through the US.

 

P&O Australia do an equivalent thing by sending their accounts through the UK. But the rest of the operations e.g. itinerary, pricing, ordering is done locally.

[woodyren]

Princess and HAL are definitely not able to be booked without a USA address. They are not even on my search criteria for this reason.

 

Carnival(outside of Australia Pacific), RCCL,NCL and Celebrity all definitely allow USA TA's to book Aussies. I have booked all of them and sailed in the last 12 months using a large USA web based TA without any issues. A good friend just sailed on Azamara after booking with an agent in the USA.

 

I have booked Celebrity Solstice and RCCL Quantum of the Seas recently and have taken advantage of both the lower prices and flexibility available by booking off shore.

 

Example1. Booked a Celebrity Solstice NZ cruise after comparing to the local price. There was not much difference at the time but the USA web based agent gave me $250 OBC on top of the drinks package available locally. I guessed that things would change and also wanted the flexibility of the USA system. Started in a Balcony C but moved up to Aqua gty for the same price. When I received an email from another large US agency about a 3 day sale last week they were offering to do all three 1,2,3 go offers. I called booked with them and cancelled with the other agency so now have free grats, free drinks and $250 OBC. Price incl all tax $3855 US. Buy in Australia now (just checked a few sites) around $ 4600. Not sure what perks on offer in Australia at this time but at best it would be only one of them. I should also note that this cruise is in Australia/NZ where the price difference tends to be less than say a USA based one.

 

Example 2) Booked 3 Quantum repo legs next year and got a deal similar to what was available in Australia on 2 legs and one leg due to a group the agent had was $200PP less. I booked with a USA agent again because they gave me a little bit of OBC and I was confident that prices may improve and if they did I could take advantage . When I enquired with the other agent with the recent sale while changing my Solstice Cruise I found out they would do the same price on the first leg which was the cheapest inside (but pre pay my grats which is substantial on a 16 day trip), prepay my grats and give me more OBC plus a specialty dinner on the second leg but had no cabins available as they are sold out except for suites on the third. I booked with them and cancelled my two original Quantum along with the Solstice bookings and have already had the deposits credited back to my CCard.

 

 

For these reasons they will continue to get my business.

I am a little concerned with an earlier post in this thread regarding getting OBC associated with on board future booking as I planned to book a few cruises while on board Quantum and transfer to a USA agent. Will be making more enquiries when on board.

Edited July 8, 2014 by woodyren

[MicCanberra]

Some great shopping around and taking advantage of the whole cruise package being offered. Some TAs definitely work harder and then deserve the repeat business.:D

[Dizziedi]

I pretty much book all our cruises through our US TA. She will book any line we want but of course Princess we have to use either her address or we have friends in the US and could use theirs if we chose to cruise Princess.

 

My reason for using her (apart from amazing service) is eg. Our next cruise is on RSS Mariner - here we were offered OBC of $500. She offered us $1900. The cruise fare was the same as Regent is all about $US. Our cruise on the Radiance to Honolulu next April in a GS was over $15,000 here. Through her - $10,733 plus $950.00 OBC.

 

In my opinion, regardless of whom you decide to book with, you really should have a look at what a US TA will offer you.

 

In regard to Transferring a Next Cruise Certificate to a US agent - I bought a couple of certificates on the Radiance earlier this year and I was actually asked if I wanted it marked that it could be transferred to my US agent because that particular cruise I was on was booked through her which permitted the transfer.

 

Cheers

Di

[MicCanberra]

I pretty much book all our cruises through our US TA. She will book any line we want but of course Princess we have to use either her address or we have friends in the US and could use theirs if we chose to cruise Princess.

 

My reason for using her (apart from amazing service) is eg. Our next cruise is on RSS Mariner - here we were offered OBC of $500. She offered us $1900. The cruise fare was the same as Regent is all about $US. Our cruise on the Radiance to Honolulu next April in a GS was over $15,000 here. Through her - $10,733 plus $950.00 OBC.

 

In my opinion, regardless of whom you decide to book with, you really should have a look at what a US TA will offer you.

 

In regard to Transferring a Next Cruise Certificate to a US agent - I bought a couple of certificates on the Radiance earlier this year and I was actually asked if I wanted it marked that it could be transferred to my US agent because that particular cruise I was on was booked through her which permitted the transfer.

 

Cheers

Di

Good to know, that has been a bit of an issue with some of the TAs, although I haven't had an issue yet, others have. Your TA sounds like she knows how to deal with the cruiselines and customers so that everybody wins.:D

[NSWP]

Hey, Hey, please protect the Orstralian Travel Industry, book with Aussies, please don't use American TA's !!! You are keeping Americans employed but not your fellow Australians !! Remember what Dick Smith says !!!

 

God Bless Australia.

Edited July 9, 2014 by NSWP

[woodyren]

I would love to support the local industry and will as soon as the cruise lines offer me a level playing field price and flexibility wise.

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Forums mobile app

[MicCanberra]

Hey, Hey, please protect the Orstralian Travel Industry, book with Aussies, please don't use American TA's !!! You are keeping Americans employed but not your fellow Australians !! Remember what Dick Smith says !!!

 

God Bless Australia.

 

I use a Aussie TA when they have a competitive price, tends to do well for the domestic and south pacific cruises, they have really come to the party with some of the packaged deals I have been getting. For cruises out of Europe or the Us then it depends on what they can offer otherwise booking direct or with my US TA gets the business.:D

[Dizziedi]

Hey, Hey, please protect the Orstralian Travel Industry, book with Aussies, please don't use American TA's !!! You are keeping Americans employed but not your fellow Australians !! Remember what Dick Smith says !!!

 

God Bless Australia.

 

When they stop ripping us off and give as good service as our US agent does, we will leave the money here but as we spend upward of $60,000 a year on cruising our money is going where we get the best deals - generally/sadly, it ain't through Oz agents.

 

Cheers

Di

[gbenjo]

Actually, there is a local RCI office, and they do have local pricing.

 

However, they send their accounts to be handled through the US.

 

P&O Australia do an equivalent thing by sending their accounts through the UK. But the rest of the operations e.g. itinerary, pricing, ordering is done locally.

 

Not any more, at least as far as the sales office goes, RCI moved their Sales Dept to Guatamala at the end of season here in April a well as getting rid of half the staff in the Sydney office. Ah that's progress.:eek:

[lizzy77]

Hey, Hey, please protect the Orstralian Travel Industry, book with Aussies, please don't use American TA's !!! You are keeping Americans employed but not your fellow Australians !! Remember what Dick Smith says !!!

 

God Bless Australia.

 

Sorry Les. Don't agree with you here. Tried getting quotes in Aus a few times, no replies:confused: The TA I use in the US just gives me better deals and in my opinion, money talks. Cheaper, lots of extras including OBC, no CC charges, price reductions when applicable, no cancellation charges. Had upgrades. It's a no brainer.

[Fletch1]

Sorry Les. Don't agree with you here. Tried getting quotes in Aus a few times, no replies:confused: The TA I use in the US just gives me better deals and in my opinion, money talks. Cheaper, lots of extras including OBC, no CC charges, price reductions when applicable, no cancellation charges. Had upgrades. It's a no brainer.

 

 

I agree....it's a no brainier. Travel agents here really need to lift their game.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Fletch1]

When they stop ripping us off and give as good service as our US agent does, we will leave the money here but as we spend upward of $60,000 a year on cruising our money is going where we get the best deals - generally/sadly, it ain't through Oz agents.

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Di

 

 

I agree with Di as well.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[The_Big_M]

Not any more, at least as far as the sales office goes, RCI moved their Sales Dept to Guatamala at the end of season here in April a well as getting rid of half the staff in the Sydney office. Ah that's progress.:eek:

 

Seriously? Erk. Thought they still had most of those teams here, and just expanded call centre operations there. :(

 

(Though, on that note, how stupid that they kept the local business hours when they offshored their staff. Talk about a missed opportunity, that doesn't even make sense.)

[Dizziedi]

Seriously? Erk. Thought they still had most of those teams here, and just expanded call centre operations there. :(

 

(Though, on that note, how stupid that they kept the local business hours when they offshored their staff. Talk about a missed opportunity, that doesn't even make sense.)

 

No BigM - they retrenched pretty much all of their staff here. Their Head Office was in North Sydney (and I'm sure there is still staff there, even if it is skeletal) their Call Centre was actually here on the Central Coast (not sure if it was the only one in Australia). As Gbenjo said - I think it was 31 March the last went. Unfortunately you now have to deal with Guatemala and I really don't want to spend wasted hours, pulling my hair out dealing with them.

 

Cheers

Di

[MicCanberra]

Sorry Les. Don't agree with you here. Tried getting quotes in Aus a few times, no replies:confused: The TA I use in the US just gives me better deals and in my opinion, money talks. Cheaper, lots of extras including OBC, no CC charges, price reductions when applicable, no cancellation charges. Had upgrades. It's a no brainer.

There are still some that can compete on both price and service. Shop around (here and abroad) and get what is best for you.:D

Edited July 9, 2014 by MicCanberra

[MicCanberra]

No BigM - they retrenched pretty much all of their staff here. Their Head Office was in North Sydney (and I'm sure there is still staff there, even if it is skeletal) their Call Centre was actually here on the Central Coast (not sure if it was the only one in Australia). As Gbenjo said - I think it was 31 March the last went. Unfortunately you now have to deal with Guatemala and I really don't want to spend wasted hours, pulling my hair out dealing with them.

 

Cheers

Di

This just makes it even harder for Aussie TAs to compete, as they have to deal with the call centres on our behalf. :(

As Gbenjo said, progress.:rolleyes:

[The_Big_M]

This just makes it even harder for Aussie TAs to compete, as they have to deal with the call centres on our behalf. :(

As Gbenjo said, progress.:rolleyes:

 

Dunno, wholesale/agent staff could still be here, but from what dizziedi wrote, it doesn't sound like it.

 

It's not really progress, just cost saving.

[MicCanberra]

Dunno, wholesale/agent staff could still be here, but from what dizziedi wrote, it doesn't sound like it.

 

It's not really progress, just cost saving.

Seems to be the way that most companies are going, less staff and customer service and the ones they still have are overseas and communications are that much harder.:(

[Pushka]

I leave on Saturday on a cruise booked through a US TA on Celebrity. I've also booked Cunard and NCL cruises with. They can't take Princess bookings.

 

I see no reason why I'd use a product that offers me less than an overseas product. My job isn't to support an industry that overcharges it's clients. And the price isn't a function of GST.

 

And how do they explain their exorbitant charges for Travel Insurance when the same product can be purchased online much cheaper, even in Australia?

Edited July 10, 2014 by Pushka
z

[MicCanberra]

I leave on Saturday on a cruise booked through a US TA on Celebrity. I've also booked Cunard and NCL cruises with. They can't take Princess bookings.

 

I see no reason why I'd use a product that offers me less than an overseas product. My job isn't to support an industry that overcharges it's clients. And the price isn't a function of GST.

 

And how do they explain their exorbitant charges for Travel Insurance when the same product can be purchased online much cheaper, even in Australia?

 

Probably because a lot of people do not know better and do not shop around and therefore will pay the higher prices.:D

Edited July 10, 2014 by MicCanberra

[icat2000]

I always got a laugh out of a certain agency that runs ads like "will beat any quoted fare". Yeah. They will by one measly dollar. Next.

[MicCanberra]

I always got a laugh out of a certain agency that runs ads like "will beat any quoted fare". Yeah. They will by one measly dollar. Next.

And then I suppose the terms and conditions slug you with harsher penalties or earlier final payments.:eek:

[woodyren]

They don't even match price when that price is from a non Australian agent anyway. I visited the leading Aussie agent who likes to advertise this price beat along with contacting their cruise line affiliate with the quotes I received from a US TA for a series of 4 bookings last year. Neither would price match due to this clause abut non Aussie TA's and then I asked them if they were interested in giving me their best shot. The online one contacted me back with a substantially higher price and the bricks and mortar place had a quick check after which both of us decided that it would be a waste of each others time to continue haggling.

 

And as Mic said that is without considering the more restrictive terms and conditions and earlier and higher cancellation penalties.

Edited July 11, 2014 by woodyren