No more TA discounts on NCL cruises

[cod]

After working in the industry for a while, to say that I understand pricing would be untrue! In fact, I'm just as confused as everyone!

 

We got the rate we did from 'that site' WITHOUT clicking on union or military rates for which I would not qualify and so that option did not enter into the picture.

 

We are retired and every $ counts so I look 'everywhere' before I commit.

 

I know what one poster means. The 'bricks and mortar' agency I worked for (initials CW) cannot match some of these onlines sites and so - though I would like to - I can't give my old boss most of my business and so I quit trying. She might be able to MATCH some rates but I hate to tell her no when I find out she can't. We did a transatlantic last year and her quote from the cruiseline (Costa) was about $250 more per person for the same category as 2 or 3 online sites that I looked at. She was upset that she couldn't match what I'd found online but understood that I had no choice but to book the best rate.

[OrangeAndBlue]

So your explanation only applies to those that don't know how to use NCL's site. (Didn't you say you are a TA???)

 

Yes, you are correct. I see on the SECOND screen there is an area to enter a promo code. My mistake.

 

And TAs don't use the consumer site so there's really no reason for us to go there to the booking section. I just took a customary glance this morning at it. Our site shows every rate side by side so we can get a quick comparison.

 

I do think for the "average" consumer out there they don't know all of the various promo codes associated with the cruise lines.

[2Cruise4Ever]

After working in the industry for a while, to say that I understand pricing would be untrue! In fact, I'm just as confused as everyone!

 

We got the rate we did from 'that site' WITHOUT clicking on union or military rates for which I would not qualify and so that option did not enter into the picture.

 

We are retired and every $ counts so I look 'everywhere' before I commit.

 

I know what one poster means. The 'bricks and mortar' agency I worked for (initials CW) cannot match some of these onlines sites and so - though I would like to - I can't give my old boss most of my business and so I quit trying. She might be able to MATCH some rates but I hate to tell her no when I find out she can't. We did a transatlantic last year and her quote from the cruiseline (Costa) was about $250 more per person for the same category as 2 or 3 online sites that I looked at. She was upset that she couldn't match what I'd found online but understood that I had no choice but to book the best rate.

 

 

cod ~ I think what Paul is saying is that the TA is passing along to us what would be the equivalent of the Military or Union discount. Weird, though, when I put in the military discount code on NCL.com for a cruise we were thinking of taking next year, the price was still a few hundred dollars more than the quote I got from my TA for the same cruise

 

And, I hated leaving my brick and mortar TA also. But, when she could not come close to that $1,500 discount, I had no choice. She understood, though.

[CT Cruiser10]

I wanted to add that, in conversing with my TA, the agency she works for several months back changed their pay structure. They gave them more commission but cut their base pay. This makes me wonder how the new fare thing is going to affect them.

 

For me, personally, who likes the one on one with having a travel agent I can go see face to face, I see doom and gloom in their industry. Big box Home Depot and Lowes put every hardware store in our area out of business, Quiznos, subway, McDonald's, donuts, etc are putting delis out of business now in our area, are the cruise lines themselves going to do this to the TA businesses now, where you can only book with them or online and then are the online people going to outsource to the Philippines and India like the computer companies are doing????:eek:

 

If you like the face to face, and dislike the big box stores then you should enjoy this new policy.

 

Large volume online agencies can afford to kick back much more of the commission than small local agencies. They also are more likely to get high volume discounts that the small local agencies cannot get. Now that NCL has taken price out of the equation (all TAs must charge the same amount), the small local agencies are at an advantage because they can focus on the customer service side of things.

 

Your analogy to Home Depot, Lowes, McDonalds etc. doesn't hold water. NCL is actually helping the little guy with this new policy.

[CT Cruiser10]

cod ~ I think what Paul is saying is that the TA is passing along to us what would be the equivalent of the Military or Union discount. Weird, though, when I put in the military discount code on NCL.com for a cruise we were thinking of taking next year, the price was still a few hundred dollars more than the quote I got from my TA for the same cruise

 

And, I hated leaving my brick and mortar TA also. But, when she could not come close to that $1,500 discount, I had no choice. She understood, though.

 

She must be happy that NCL has this new policy. She doesn't have to worry about losing customers to the "Big Box" TAs who will gladly take 1/10 of the commission if they can make up for it in volume.

[OrangeAndBlue]

In my perpetual delusion " I never leave the ship ":D

 

Wouldn't that be nice!!!

 

I'm less than five weeks out from Pride of America and Hawaii and I'm going completely insane!!!

 

I think I've already driven away both family and friends with all my talk of cruising. I just can't seem to get through to them that yes, I do live my life for travel, especially cruising. It's just so funny because as soon as one cruise ends I'm already talking about the next one. Although right now Epic is all I seem to be talking about and that's not until October!

 

One sad thing though is these two cruises represent the last of my Compass rewards. They completely paid for both cruises and my gratuities. I will miss the days of earning the "free" cruise or two every year :(.

[Mooder]

I don't think this change will have me going to the local TA. I would love to give them my business, but my experience with them is that it is simply impossible for them to be expert at all the different types of travel, nevermind location. I use a different online agency for all-inclusive resorts than I use for cruises. I research hotels and other location details on the internet. Each time I have tried a local brick and mortar TA, I have been disappointed - all they can really do is hand me a brochure. And as for the personal touches, I can get that from the online guys just as well.

[cod]

Mooder, I agree. I'd much rather do it all myself and the process is actually fun.