UK Passengers Can no Longer Use USA Agents

[El Mono]

Once again RCCL do not want Brits & Non U.S resident cruisers,why do we bother?

 

Sure they want us non US residents, they just want to make sure that we continue to pay 30-50% more for the same cruise than american residents do.

They will probably be making money on it also, they might lose the 1% people that are frequenting these boards, but some advertising in Europe will more than enought make up for the loss.

[coxswain]

Sure they want us non US residents, they just want to make sure that we continue to pay 30-50% more for the same cruise than american residents do.

They will probably be making money on it also, they might lose the 1% people that are frequenting these boards, but some advertising in Europe will more than enought make up for the loss.

 

 

Plus the other nice perks US residents get.

 

 

 

 

 

jj......

[El Mono]

I wonder if a cruise booked from Europe by an US internet proxy server giving an US ip adress would be honored by RCI?

 

Nowere does RCI says booking thru internet must be made by a national Internet provider based in the customers own country. And the price for the same cruise is very often lower if booking thru the american version of RCIs webpage than the European.

[pomgo]

Having problems in Australia when have previously booked with US agents now being told they can no longer book for us????

[madforcruising]

Sure they want us non US residents, they just want to make sure that we continue to pay 30-50% more for the same cruise than american residents do.

They will probably be making money on it also, they might lose the 1% people that are frequenting these boards, but some advertising in Europe will more than enought make up for the loss.

 

 

I agree it´s probably only a very small percentage of non-US people booking in the US. I also think there´s more reasons than just their bottom line, though that´s for sure one of the reasons. However I can also see them wanting to protect their TA´s in the various countries, as well as their local sales offices in those countries. Another point could be local laws and regulations. Well informed people booking outside their country know they are doing this under different T&C´s, but I´m sure there are others that are not aware of the risks that can be involved doing this. I myself do book in the US and would be pi$$ed if it´s not longer possible, but I know I´m exchanging some advantages with some risks involved doing this opposed to book in my home country where my booking is better protected. People not knowing this and finding out the hard way could cause the cruiselines some headaches.

 

Princess is one cruiseline where bookings in the US from outside have been frown upon for a long time, however they have been possible anyway.

Let´s hope all of this is not true all abroad and we still have the choice.

[Tranquil Waters]

I agree it´s probably only a very small percentage of non-US people booking in the US. I also think there´s more reasons than just their bottom line, though that´s for sure one of the reasons. However I can also see them wanting to protect their TA´s in the various countries, as well as their local sales offices in those countries. Another point could be local laws and regulations. Well informed people booking outside their country know they are doing this under different T&C´s, but I´m sure there are others that are not aware of the risks that can be involved doing this. I myself do book in the US and would be pi$$ed if it´s not longer possible, but I know I´m exchanging some advantages with some risks involved doing this opposed to book in my home country where my booking is better protected. People not knowing this and finding out the hard way could cause the cruiselines some headaches.

 

Princess is one cruiseline where bookings in the US from outside have been frown upon for a long time, however they have been possible anyway.

Let´s hope all of this is not true all abroad and we still have the choice.

 

I was wondering about this very issue. The local TA's could very well be pressuring RCI to protect them and could be threatening to steer clients to other cruise lines if RCI does not look out for them as well. Would make perfect sense..... :)

[madforcruising]

I was wondering about this very issue. The local TA's could very well be pressuring RCI to protect them and could be threatening to steer clients to other cruise lines if RCI does not look out for them as well. Would make perfect sense..... :)

 

 

I can tell you how it worked in my case, though this was several years ago.

 

I used to work with a local TA and this started way before it became popular and possible to easily book online. It was a long time busines relation. Now at one point (again several years ago) I became aware of the fact that cruises are way cheaper booked in the US, I was still a bit resistant to book online with someone I know nothing about in a foreign country.....and of course I had developed a good relation to my TA. So I told her about US pricing and while I´m more than willing to give her my business I´m not going to pay that much more. SHe contacted her RCI sales representative and he was very defensive about this denying the fact that I could even know what cruises are going for in the US. Well to make a long story short I had to talk him through the steps on the internet over the phone and he got to see the US RCCL website and pricing and wasn´t too happy. However after a lot of negotiating with RCI Germany over UK to Miami back to UK back to Germany back to my TA they matched the price - once. Next cruise they told me no sorry not again.

That ended my booking with that TA and I know the TA was very pi$$ed off about this and thought about not selling RCI cruises at all anymore.

[crusinmama06]

I haven't had this problem. RCCL hasn't released any statement saying that US TA's can't book UK residents.

 

And here's what is kind of funny about this whole thing. When TAs go to cruising power to book a cruise, this is all that needs to be filled out online

 

--Name

--Age

--Past Guest (yes/no)

--C&A number

--Citizenship

--Dining Preference

--Bedding Preference

 

Notice I didn't say MAILING ADDRESS. ;)

 

You can be a citizen of another country and still reside in the US. So this seems to be one TA deciding to make a policy change.

 

No worries. For now. :D

[spongerob]

There have been some discussions on the Princess page regarding similar restrictions being experienced by Australians trying to book in the US. For an upcoming world cruise and segments, Australian passengers are being told that gratuities are included in their fare and bar service fees are being reduced to 10% from 15%.

 

This indicates that perhaps the cruise lines are responding to the complaints (and lengthy lines on board) from passengers outside the US who object to having daily service charges added to their on board accounts. What Princess seems to be doing is adding an equivalent amount to the fare paid, but to make this work, they have to make sure that the bookings originate in Australia. Thus, they would require US TA's to refuse bookings from outside the US; otherwise, those people would not be contributing to the wages paid to the staff.

 

At least in Princess' case, it appears that they are giving Australian passengers what they want. Of course it comes with a price, as compared to rates for those who do not object to service charges, so the initial cost is going to be higher. Perhaps this is the trend that RCI is following.

 

If it will make the majority of UK passengers happy to pay these charges up front, then the price should be different. UK passengers are getting what they asked for.

[Elizanessie]

It is one online TA who has made this change recently...one..not every US TA ...one online TA who has the same rule for other cruiselines with regard to UK Cruisers making a booking...not just RCCL.

 

So if anyone in UK who previously booked with that online TA, still wishes to book with a US TA then I am sure you wont have any problems finding a different US TA who will take your booking.:D

[spongerob]

Expect that to change. RCI will start with agencies who have the highest volume with outside bookings, and move on. Remember, people who post on CC are only a small percentage of cruise passengers so we can never assume that we get the whole story here.

[El Mono]

I became aware of the fact that cruises are way cheaper booked in the US, .

 

And that is the core of the problem IMHO, why should the price for THE SAME cruise differs for people of different nationalities??

Just do a comparison, a non-Us customer walks into a US restaurant, well, you are a tourist here? Then this menu if for you, with a little higher prices.:confused:

 

I wouldn't have any problems with booking with a Swedish travel agency if they could match the US price from RCI:s webpage, bot oh no, they can only match the Swedish quoted price from RCI:s webpage wich is usually anything from 20-50% higher for the exact same cruise :(

[madforcruising]

And that is the core of the problem IMHO, why should the price for THE SAME cruise differs for people of different nationalities??

Just do a comparison, a non-Us customer walks into a US restaurant, well, you are a tourist here? Then this menu if for you, with a little higher prices.:confused:

 

I wouldn't have any problems with booking with a Swedish travel agency if they could match the US price from RCI:s webpage, bot oh no, they can only match the Swedish quoted price from RCI:s webpage wich is usually anything from 20-50% higher for the exact same cruise :(

 

I have really no business in defending RCI here, but sometimes a price difference can be a result of different taxing and of different aspects included or not. Like i.e. insurances. It´s really hard to compare a price one by one from country to country because local laws differ and can result in different costs.

 

Anyway I do think the base cruise rate should be the same and in this day and age of repricing cabins every day, sometimes avery couple of hours, they should be able to use the daily exchange rate as well instead of setting the rate once or twice a year. They should be able to do this with not too much effort.

 

In regards to the menu comparison - yes I´ve encountered that in tourist areas. Obvious tourists got different menus than locals with outrageous higher prices. Same can happen with taxi rates and other services:mad:

[luckyprincess]

In regards to the menu comparison - yes I´ve encountered that in tourist areas. Obvious tourists got different menus than locals with outrageous higher prices. Same can happen with taxi rates and other services:mad:

Wow! I have never heard of that! Maybe because where I've lived in NYC and Miami there are so many different nationalities and accents that it would be impossible to tell who is a local and who is a tourist. Can you share where that has happened? I heard of it happening in Barcelona to Americans on another thread but not here. That's just horrible! Such a blatant way to take advantage of someone.:mad:

Edited to say I thought you were talking about US for sure (not sure if you are) but it was the other gentleman that was talking about US..... regardless it's still awful!

[madforcruising]

Wow! I have never heard of that! Maybe because where I've lived in NYC and Miami there are so many different nationalities and accents that it would be impossible to tell who is a local and who is a tourist. Can you share where that has happened? I heard of it happening in Barcelona to Americans on another thread but not here. That's just horrible! Such a blatant way to take advantage of someone.:mad:

Edited to say I thought you were talking about US for sure (not sure if you are) but it was the other gentleman that was talking about US..... regardless it's still awful!

 

 

Nope I was not talking about the US and I´m hesistant to name countries and cities here, as I don´t want to blame a whole country, city for the actions of a few dishonest people. But though sad it does happen.

[Ocean Boy]

I was wondering about this very issue. The local TA's could very well be pressuring RCI to protect them and could be threatening to steer clients to other cruise lines if RCI does not look out for them as well. Would make perfect sense..... :)

 

That would make sense and that was, supposedly, the reasoning that was used when RCI no longer allowed agents to discount their cruises. The funny thing is other cruise lines did not follow suit. They only stopped agencies from advertising their discounted pricing. It doesn't appear that Carnival, and all of its various brand names, disappeared and went out of business by not "protecting" these TAs and loosing booking. I always maintained that as long as RCI got the amount that it wanted for a sailing that it was none of their business what the TA did with their commission. It is not RCI's money, it is the TAs money.

 

Now RCI is telling people who they can, and cannot, hire to act as their agent. I find that especially odd when you look at it from the point of view that RCI is stopping people from booking through agencies that the company is doing business with. It is not as if RCI is saying that they refuse to deal with certain agencies and they will not accept reservations from any potential guests who use that agency. It really seems, to me, that they are over stepping their bounds on this issue. This seems like a area that should fall into the realm of governmental regulation not specific company regulation.

[El Mono]

I have really no business in defending RCI here, but sometimes a price difference can be a result of different taxing and of different aspects included or not. Like i.e. insurances. It´s really hard to compare a price one by one from country to country because local laws differ and can result in different costs.

 

If it would have been the taxes that differed I wouldn't have had any problems with it. But with taxes and tips clearly specified the base price is easy to compare. I once for fun compared the same cruiseprice on a given cruise when I was in Sweden one day and then checked it up later at that evening while in Norway, currency taken into consideration the cruise was about 8% more expensive to Norwegians:eek: And it wasn't supply and demand, I checked it the next day while back in sweden and the same price as the day before.

 

 

In regards to the menu comparison - yes I´ve encountered that in tourist areas. Obvious tourists got different menus than locals with outrageous higher prices. Same can happen with taxi rates and other services:mad:

 

I have also seen it on some places and have also been cheated by taxi drivers from Budapest to Mexico(also in Sweden, while drunk...), but then it has always been someone deliberately that are fleecing the tourists, it has never been company policy.

[madforcruising]

I have also seen it on some places and have also been cheated by taxi drivers from Budapest to Mexico(also in Sweden, while drunk...), but then it has always been someone deliberately that are fleecing the tourists, it has never been company policy.

 

 

I agree it´s not the same as big corporate policy and I just said this as you brought up the example of restaurants and tourists.

 

But while it´s not a big corporation it´s also not like a single taxi driver or a waiter is fleecing the tourist. The problem is much more widespread in some areas and there´s a system.

 

I´m not talking about a taxi driver taking a little detour here. They have the meters set up in a way to always charge the tourist a way higher price like i.e. setting it to night time rates. Same in restaurants having two different menus one for tourists and one for locals. All this has been documented by TV stations here with hidden cameras. They also tried businesses like renting snorkel gear, boats, waverunners etc.

They sent a tourist and a local there and they got way different prices.

When they made an interview with the business owners they said, hey the tourists have money and can pay for this, the locals are not that wealthy.;)

[RJL58]

Can I be a cheeky chappy and ask you USA guys to price a D1 cabin on Oasis May 1st and Allure Dec 12th from the U.S website so I can compare with the U.K website..........:eek::D.

MERRY XMAS RICH......................

[madforcruising]

Can I be a cheeky chappy and ask you USA guys to price a D1 cabin on Oasis May 1st and Allure Dec 12th from the U.S website so I can compare with the U.K website..........:eek::D.

 

MERRY XMAS RICH......................

 

This is not meant to be rude, but why not do it yourself?

 

When on the UK RCCL website, see the upper right corner of the screen, where it says United Kingdom and change country. Click on change country, change it to US and price all the cruises you want.;)

[coxswain]

Expect that to change. RCI will start with agencies who have the highest volume with outside bookings, and move on. Remember, people who post on CC are only a small percentage of cruise passengers so we can never assume that we get the whole story here.

 

 

 

I agree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

jj.......

[RJL58]

This is not meant to be rude, but why not do it yourself?

 

When on the UK RCCL website, see the upper right corner of the screen, where it says United Kingdom and change country. Click on change country, change it to US and price all the cruises you want.;)

 

Thanks but it wont work for me, I compare prices on "your" S..........ER site and they work out about the same I pay my U.K TA, but many posters post that U.S prices are lower, but is that the case.......

 

RICH...................................

[madforcruising]

Thanks but it wont work for me, I compare prices on "your" S..........ER site and they work out about the same I pay my U.K TA, but many posters post that U.S prices are lower, but is that the case.......

 

RICH...................................

 

 

If you change the country setting on the rccl website and pretend to make a booking you will get the US price.

[madforcruising]

Can I be a cheeky chappy and ask you USA guys to price a D1 cabin on Oasis May 1st and Allure Dec 12th from the U.S website so I can compare with the U.K website..........:eek::D.

 

MERRY XMAS RICH......................

 

 

Oasis May 1st a D1 is 3522,46 USD for two persons incl. tax

 

Allure Dec. 12th a D1 is 4210,56USD for two persons incl. tax

[RJL58]

Got a mate to try it on his P.C and it worked for him, thanks, and the pricing when take the $to £ is exatly the same so that puts that to bed.

 

My mate said it could be to do with "cookies" on my P.C I said can you eat em, he LOL LOL, teco not my thing :o..

 

RICH...............................