elena7seas Posted August 13, 2014 #1 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) I have a friend in Australia who wants to book a 28 night cruise on the Emerald Princess for next summer. It seems that the prices being quoted to her by an Australian agency are much higher than what it would cost if she were able to book with a US agency. Her Australian agency is telling her that she is not allowed to book with a US or Canadian agency. Can anyone tell me what the booking options are for Australians? Would the price for an Australian booking with an Australian agency be more than the same cruise would be if booked by a US citizen with a US agency? I'm just trying to provide her with some information, and she's not comfortable posting on Cruise Critic herself. Thanks for any help that you can provide. Edited August 13, 2014 by elena7seas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizziecruzer Posted August 13, 2014 #2 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Correct she is not able to book via the USA and yes prices in the USA are usually cheaper than in Australia. However you have to take a gamble with the exchange rates. It is the cruise companies that do not allow the bookings, not the travel agents. She can however make a booking using your address instead of her Australian address. :D Some travel agents will use scare tactics saying that you will be denied boarding, I have never heard of anyone being denied boarding for this reason. As I have previously booked with a US TA before this ruling was enforced I can book with them without an issue. New customers cannot. I hope your friend books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elena7seas Posted August 13, 2014 Author #3 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Correct she is not able to book via the USA and yes prices in the USA are usually cheaper than in Australia. However you have to take a gamble with the exchange rates. It is the cruise companies that do not allow the bookings, not the travel agents. She can however make a booking using your address instead of her Australian address. :D Some travel agents will use scare tactics saying that you will be denied boarding, I have never heard of anyone being denied boarding for this reason. As I have previously booked with a US TA before this ruling was enforced I can book with them without an issue. New customers cannot. I hope your friend books. Thanks Bizziecruzer. Can you please tell me how long this "no-booking-by-US-agencies" ruling has been in place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkmw Posted August 13, 2014 #4 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Thanks Bizziecruzer. Can you please tell me how long this "no-booking-by-US-agencies" ruling has been in place? we made friends with a US couple and they said that we could use their address to make a princess booking but their TA said no as they wouldnt get the commission so we use an australian agent now that ruling has been in place approx 5 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCFC Posted August 13, 2014 #5 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Doesn't the Australian price include tips (as its not what they/we do) hence the dearer price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronte2 Posted August 13, 2014 #6 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Doesn't the Australian price include tips (as its not what they/we do) hence the dearer price. The inclusive tip fares only apply to the Australian based ships such as Sun, Sea and Dawn Princess where the onboard currency is AUD. (Actually, I'm not sure about Sun now as she has been sailing in Asia). On all other Princess ships regardless of whether or not you book from Australia you are charged the daily gratuities to your onboard account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizziecruzer Posted August 13, 2014 #7 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Also as an aside - cancellation policies are better when booked through the US and US TA's give OBC and that's rare for Oz TA's to do this unless it's being offered by the cruise line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkmw Posted August 14, 2014 #8 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Also as an aside - cancellation policies are better when booked through the US and US TA's give OBC and that's rare for Oz TA's to do this unless it's being offered by the cruise line. if you use an FCC aussies get the same cancellation policies as the US people and you always get OBC either from the cruise line or both if using a TA if its being offered Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal2105 Posted August 14, 2014 #9 Share Posted August 14, 2014 It has long been a practice of aust branches of shipping and tour companies to make huge gains on pricing through highly inflated exchange rates. Shop around and if you have contacts in the US use them! Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elena7seas Posted August 14, 2014 Author #10 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Correct she is not able to book via the USA and yes prices in the USA are usually cheaper than in Australia. However you have to take a gamble with the exchange rates. It is the cruise companies that do not allow the bookings, not the travel agents. She can however make a booking using your address instead of her Australian address. :D Some travel agents will use scare tactics saying that you will be denied boarding, I have never heard of anyone being denied boarding for this reason. As I have previously booked with a US TA before this ruling was enforced I can book with them without an issue. New customers cannot. I hope your friend books. Apparently it is a very big, unpleasant deal if US TA's get caught knowingly using North American addresses for Australians. They can apparently be cut off from booking Carnival Corporation ships, so it would not be something that most US TA's would do knowingly, I think. It has been very helpful to get all the information that was passed along here, and I will send it on to my friend in Australia. Thanks again, everyone.:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddles@sea Posted August 14, 2014 #11 Share Posted August 14, 2014 My Brother in law is based in SF. Can he book for us using his credit card? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizziecruzer Posted August 14, 2014 #12 Share Posted August 14, 2014 My Brother in law is based in SF. Can he book for us using his credit card? Yes he can:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elena7seas Posted August 14, 2014 Author #13 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Yes he can:D My friend has a brother here in Vancouver. If her brother books for her, using her and her husband's names, but uses his address and credit card, are you saying that it is okay? Princess is okay with this? Please pardon me for saying so, but doesn't this put the travel agent in jeopardy? Is there any chance, no matter how remote, that the Australian couple would not be allowed to board, when they produce their Australian passports. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colo Cruiser Posted August 14, 2014 #14 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I would think that the agency would be well aware of any ramifications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkmw Posted August 15, 2014 #15 Share Posted August 15, 2014 My friend has a brother here in Vancouver. If her brother books for her, using her and her husband's names, but uses his address and credit card, are you saying that it is okay? Princess is okay with this? Please pardon me for saying so, but doesn't this put the travel agent in jeopardy? Is there any chance, no matter how remote, that the Australian couple would not be allowed to board, when they produce their Australian passports. Thanks. as Colo cruiser said if the US TA is not getting the commission they wont take the booking if your friend has cruised with princess before and once the TA puts in the past passenger details it will come up with your details thats why we couldnt book using our friends US address as our details are from australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elena7seas Posted August 15, 2014 Author #16 Share Posted August 15, 2014 (edited) as Colo cruiser said if the US TA is not getting the commission they wont take the booking if your friend has cruised with princess before and once the TA puts in the past passenger details it will come up with your details thats why we couldnt book using our friends US address as our details are from australia Sorry, I'm a little confused again. :) How would it be that the US travel agent would not be getting the commission? My Australian friends have cruised before, but not with Princess. Her brother, who lives here in Vancouver, has not cruised with Princess either. I was just trying to wrap my head around the earlier post where a poster said it would be okay for an Australian national to book through her brother-in-law who is posted to a SFO air base, using his credit card. I was just wondering how this would be permissible. Edited August 15, 2014 by elena7seas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkmw Posted August 15, 2014 #17 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Sorry, I'm a little confused again. :) How would it be that the US travel agent would not be getting the commission? My Australian friends have cruised before, but not with Princess. Her brother, who lives here in Vancouver, has not cruised with Princess either. I was just trying to wrap my head around the earlier post where a poster said it would be okay for an Australian national to book through her brother-in-law who is posted to a SFO air base, using his credit card. I was just wondering how this would be permissible. princess wants australians to book with a local agent and in 2010 we could book with a US agent but princess have stopped that unless you booked prior to 2010 get a quote off the US agent and see what they say and they maybe ok seeing they havent cruised with princess before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodyren Posted August 15, 2014 #18 Share Posted August 15, 2014 I would suggest an alternative would be to book with one of the cruise companies that do let you choose whatever country is giving you the best deal. Maybe then Princess will stop their predatory pricing policy for Aussies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aramis Posted August 15, 2014 #19 Share Posted August 15, 2014 Do a search of prices get the best and go to MULTIPLE travel agents including interstate ( my first cruise booked was from a TA in Western Australia and we live in Victoria) and request the prices based on the lowest options for what you want, I have done it and it works, business is business. ps: no TA'S where hurt in this advertisement lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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