Crucon Is starting to make my knicker elastic twitch!

[montgomeryfamily]

Pammyhound, I referenced your posts from the prior thread because I wanted to present the information you had previously provided that CruCon had accepted the coupons for your group cruise and point out the inconsistency in how CruCon is handling this issue. This is why I think many of the complaints expressed on this thread exist.

 

In addition, since you had previously posted on the prior thread indicating you actually had been regularly dealing with a CruCon management representative for the group cruise, I suggested then and also suggest now that you pass information on to them. If coupons are not going to be accepted for a particular cruise rate, that information should be explained upfront by the TA and should be also be placed in the website advertisement for that promotion. This would eliminate many of the issues presented in this thread and probably reduce the calls by people who call regarding the website promotion rates but want to use the coupon. The same point is valid for the situations where CruCon will accept the coupons but take out a commission. This is what CruiseQuick and similar companies do so that their customers know upfront before booking. If CruCon took these actions, I believe they would eliminate many of their customer and prospective customer complaints.

 

Frankly, if the company takes out a commission, I really don't understand why they would refuse to accept any coupons (except for those rare situations where the coupon wouldn't be accepted by RCI for that particular fare rate.) Regardless, CruCon's inconsistent handling of this issue just isn't good business.

[KStevens79]

Geeez, all I want from CruCon are my eDoc's...

 

Karen

 

WOW, I feel like such a fool. Called again this morning for my eDocs and was told they were being sent, again! For some reason I decided to check my email settings. Seems AOL took it upon themselves to set my email up with a spam folder (I NEVER block any email). I couldn't believe the email that I didn't receive!! My cell phone bills, VISA bill, job searches from putting my resume online with various agencies, and my eDoc's (twice).

I have sent my CruCon TA a HUGE apology and I want everyone who's been reading this to know that CruCon was not at fault, I guess I was (hanging head in shame). Unless of course I want to blame AOL.

So, in short, I have my eDoc's. And after all of this my kids used all my printer paper and I can't print them. LOL

 

Seven days and counting!

Karen

[PammyHound]

Montgomeryfamily, I really like how you are putting an honest effort in to posting all view points concerned. Thank you for brining my experiences over to this thread and thank you to Susanita for giving the heads up that this was being discussed. I will bring this to the attention of the Crucon management. :) Currently I am very pleased with the service I get from Crucon and feel they are doing a great job for the Royal Hounds!!!

[CruisinSally]

Hey All..

 

Just to let you know I just checked the website and it is posted about the coupon policy...

 

Happy Cruisin

Sal

[PammyHound]

Thanks for the heads up, Sally... here is what I found on the website:

 

Coupon Policy

 

We are happy to accept any cruise line's coupon, certificate, or past guest discount

that may apply towards your cruise fare. These extra discounts will be taken off

the cruise fare before our discount to get you the lowest possible price.

There are, however, some coupons and certificates that we will not be able to

apply to certain rates or promotions.

 

Please tell us upfront if you have any coupons or certificates so that we may

advise you of the best option for your certificate or coupon.

 

Any coupon or certificate sent directly to the cruise line without our knowledge

will void any promotional rate or discount rate you received and you will be

repriced at the full cruise line rate.

 

Thank you for booking with us, have a wonderful sailing!

[montgomeryfamily]

I believe it is a positive step for CruCon to post this new coupon policy on their website. However, I suggest that they use this opportunity to clarify and improve it. For example, CruCon doesn't disclose that a commission is taken from the coupon--that oversight should be corrected since it appears from various posters that this is actually their policy when they do accept the coupon. Also, the TA should be required to disclose upfront whether coupons will be accepted for the promotion/rate as the C & A coupons may not yet be published for bookings which are made many months in advance. In addition, the published promotion on the website should always contain this information as to whether the coupon or other discount (such as the C &A balcony discount). CruCon states this for some promotions, but not for others.

 

While this won't resolve all of the complaints, it would probably resolve the majority of them. In our case, the TA didn't just fail to disclose that a coupon couldn't be used--instead when we asked him about our using it, he said it could be used. In addition, the promotions under which I booked our 2003 cruises did not state that no coupons or other discounts could be applied. If that had been on the promotion, I would have then known and not even asked the TA-- making the decision whether to book based upon only the posted CruCon price without any coupon discount.

 

So Pammyhound, I still suggest that you bring this issue and thread to the attention of the CruCon managment representative.

[PammyHound]

I have emailed the link to CruCon. It has been brought to their attention :)

[PammyHound]

Also, I should mention... during a conversation I had a while back with my contact at CruCon, we were discussing coupons and how they were applied and she told me it was CruCon's policy to ask if the customer had any coupons to use prior to booking so they would know how to price out the cruise accordingly. She said it has to be applied prior to any other discounts.

[Brneyznfl]

I must be missing something here. Maybe someone can explain this whole coupon thing. My TA had no problem accepting my C&A coupon at full face value and this was after I had booked the cruise AND my TA was the lowest of all the the online TA's I researched.

 

What I don't understand is why does using a coupon that RCL issues affect what price the TA is going to give you for a cruise and why during special promotions or whatever, you can't use them at all? In my mind, this is a manufacturer's coupon. This is RCL's coupon, the TA isn't out the face value of the coupon... Right?

 

I equate the C&A coupon to the manufactorer's rebate when you buy a car. I always negotiate the price of my car first, getting the best possible price and then and only then will I tell them I know there's a rebate and I want to use it. The local dealer is not out any money because they are being reimbursed by the manufacturer anyway. It's a marketing tool by the manufacturer to get my business. The same reason RCL issues those coupons, to get you to cruise with them again. I don't have a problem with the TA taking their commission to handle the transaction.

 

So what am I missing here??

[firsttimecruiser77]

I thought the same thing Brneyznfl! I am very confused as to why these agents have the right to refuse to take the coupon or why they have the right to take a commission of the coupon. I am a little suspicious when they say "tell us first if you have a coupon and then we'll tell you the rate". Are they quoting a higher rate so that after applying the coupon, the rate is the same as the special rate? It just seems strange. When you go to the grocery store, you can use the manufacturer's coupon even if the item is already on sale but maybe I'm missing something too. Regardless, I've heard enough here about CruCon that I don't think I'll be seeking their services. This is really a shame since I was considering calling them about a group cruise tomorrow.

[kyriecat]

First, let me say that I have never used Crucon. I booked a cruise for October 2004 in December of 2003 using another online agency. At the time of booking, the C&A coupons applying to that cruise had not come out. When I received my coupons in April, there was $125/stateroom off the cost of my cruise. I informed my online TA, and was able to use the coupon. Based on what I am reading above, Crucon would not have honored the coupon unless I had it in hand at the time of initial booking. Between Dec 2003 and Apr 2004, the price of my cruise had gone up $120 pp ($240 for both of us). I would have been out money if I had waited to book. Something sounds fishy to me.

[Tmmull]

Here's my CruCon story! One year ago, while on the Enchantment, we book a Canadian cruise on the Voyager (7/25). When we returned I checked the RCI web page, It was the same, to the penny! By the time I found Crucon the price had gone up $200. Crucon gave me the discount off of the ORIGINAL PRICE, this saved me app. $400 of the price I booked at. When the first C&A coupon came out ($50) it was applied over the phone. When the second coupon ($75) came out, they did not have any problem switching them, over the phone. At this time the also applied my new platinum level balcony discount. I will add the did deduct a percentage off the face value. I've also been told, even after final payment, if the price goes down I will get credit. So far after booking three cruises directly with Crucon and transferring one, I am totally satisfied with them.

[blyle]

We have used crucon and have received great deals but we are not past RCCL cruisers and have only used Carnival coupon deals. They did take off the total coupon.

When we booked our current cruise there was a deal when we booked that said if you read our entrie email we will take another $50 off your cruise on top of the sale price (summer sizzler) to thank you for reading the entire email. Just mention it to your agent when you call. Well when I did my agent went to the supervisor and was told that since our cruise was already discounted the extra $50 above the summer sizzler price did not apply when their own email mentioned that it did.

I was a little confused and emailed crucon and never heard a thing. My agent even said that he read it the same way that I did. We have never had a problem but I agree that now I am starting to wonder what is going on. $50 is not a big deal but they took the time to tell me I could get extra off for mentioning that I read their email deals that they sent and then they said it was already discounted.

I think that maybe the price given is based on what coupons and discounts you already have. I really think that this is going to hurt their business since some of us will be very skeptical of getting the best price. I mean the fact that they would not even honor their own $50 off deal is a red flag for sure! I even kept the email just in case there was any question of what it said.

[montgomeryfamily]

This is exactly what I meant in my prior post when I said CruCon is inconsistent in how they handle coupons. In some cases they apparently accept the coupon at face value. In some cases posted above by prior posters, they apparently accept the coupon and take out a commission. In other cases, such as Jevey, they don't accept the coupon at all. And although apparently CruCon's stated coupon policy, posted and clarified in prior posts above, indicates you have to have the coupon first and tell CruCon you have it before you get the pricing on the cruise, Tmmull was allowed to receive the pricing first and then apply a coupon later to the booking. The problem is, you don't know how you will be treated in regard to this issue until you deal with them. And with CruCon's stated coupon policy, you don't have any right to complain if you are treated in accordance with the policy rather than better than the policy like Tmmull was treated.

 

To make matters worse, you can't even be sure that they will actually accept the coupon when they say upfront they will. That is what happened to me. Although I had my coupon in hand both times I booked my cruises, my CruCon TA told me I had to mail the coupon to them--he would not apply it over the telephone. And although the TA told me it would be accepted (no mention of a commission) I find out after I mail it, when the final confirmation letter for each cruise comes out showing all of the credits and payments, the coupon wasn't applied. I explained what happened in my prior post above when I tried to resolve the situation, so I won't go into it here. The bottom line is CruCon used the same excuse with me as with Jevey--they didn't want to accept the coupon with the promotion they offered.

 

Like others who have posted here, I also thought the coupons were like manufacturer coupons and, unless excluded from being accepted by the "manufacturer", in this case RCI, they could be accepted for any rate, even sales. I also don't understand why a travel agency wouldn't accept them at all when RCI accepts them. If the coupon reduces the commission, the travel agency could have a policy of taking a commision from the coupon like Cruisequick does (who informs their customers upfront about their commission.) I do believe any policy of taking a commission from coupons should be disclosed upfront to the customer.

 

Fortunately Kims Kruises, the travel agency I use now, does accept the coupons at face value without any commission and gives excellent pricing and services, so I no longer try to deal with CruCon.

[blyle]

I sent a second email to see if a supervisor will answer me. I would like to hear what they have to say. I have a copy of the sale email they sent just to refer to.

[PammyHound]

I could be wrong... but my understanding is that a coupon comes off the comissionable fare and the TA's do not get reimbursed, it just reduces the amount the customer pays, thus reducing the amount of the fare the TA is paid commission on. Are there any TA's that can confirm this? Let's say, for example, your cruise fare was $500 plus port and taxes. And lets say that the TA is paid 16% commission (not sure of the exact number) that would mean the TA is making $80 off that booking. If a coupon is applied for say $125 off a cabin, 1/2 of that applying to each fare, that would mean a discount of $62.50 off each fare reducing the original $500 cruise fare to $437.50, 16% of which is now $70....$10 less to the TA. Now $10 doesn't seem like a lot of money to be but I would imagine it could really add up over a year of accepting coupons. I'm not saying this practice is right or wrong.... or even if my theroy is 100% accurate, it's just an educated opinion based on a number of cruises booked and seeing how the coupons are applied.

[DawnMac]

So, CruisinSally....what exactly is your position at Crucon? It is sooooo obvious you are an employee. I'll bet an IP check by the hosts will confirm that. Anyone can look at your posts and notice that the ONLY posts you have on CC are about Crucon. I think it's pretty crappy that a TA comes on here and creates a fake name to sing their praises. One more reason I wouldn't book with you!

[blyle]

How do you explain that they won't even honor a discount that they send me in an email? Now that takes the cake. They won't even email me a reason they just told my agent ( who thought I should get the discount) that my cruise was already discounted. The email said that the extra $50 off was because I read the entire email and it was an extra discount.

[Brneyznfl]

I could be wrong... but my understanding is that a coupon comes off the comissionable fare and the TA's do not get reimbursed, it just reduces the amount the customer pays, thus reducing the amount of the fare the TA is paid commission on. Are there any TA's that can confirm this? Let's say, for example, your cruise fare was $500 plus port and taxes. And lets say that the TA is paid 16% commission (not sure of the exact number) that would mean the TA is making $80 off that booking. If a coupon is applied for say $125 off a cabin, 1/2 of that applying to each fare, that would mean a discount of $62.50 off each fare reducing the original $500 cruise fare to $437.50, 16% of which is now $70....$10 less to the TA. Now $10 doesn't seem like a lot of money to be but I would imagine it could really add up over a year of accepting coupons. I'm not saying this practice is right or wrong.... or even if my theroy is 100% accurate, it's just an educated opinion based on a number of cruises booked and seeing how the coupons are applied.

But has been stated on this thread, many TA's are not crediting the entire face value of the coupon to the customer. They are keeping their commission. So that solves that problem of losing commission on the discounted price after the coupon. Which is fine. I think it's wrong that the cruiseline penalizes the TA for the customer having one of its coupons anyway. Which is how that works, right? So my question is, if the TA can reduce the value of the coupon and keep the commission, why are some not letting the customer use the coupon at all? Why do TA's want to know up front if you have a coupon? It shouldn't make it difference since it's not the TA's coupon. I'm sure the cruiseline isn't making the TA cough up the amount of the cruiseline's coupon.

[PammyHound]

Sure would be nice if a TA could answer these questions so we're not just guessing and speculating. Any TA's wanna respond?

[vossjemi]

I asked them for a quote months ago to comparison shop. I did not book with them, but now they send me endless spam about cruise deals. There is an unsubscribe button at the bottom of the emails, which I have "unsubscribed" at least 3 times, but the emails keep on coming. I've heard that you risk that happening by responding, but I suppose they already knew my email when I requested the quote. Does anyone know how to get off their list?:mad:

[PammyHound]

Perhaps call them?

[catmax]

We used Crucon two years ago for a two week cruise. We didn't use our C&A coupon but Crucon gave us a $100 cabin credit. At the end of the cruise there was no cabin credit even though the credit was listed on the travel document, which was turned in when we boarded. Now we copy the travel document. And we don't use Crucon.

[murphykputts]

Catmax - On our last cruise our TA (not crucon) applied a coupon for $100.00 off. On the travel docs it did look like we were to get onboard credit. I kept looking at this thinking it was credit. The I went back to the original paperwork and remembered she applied a coupon when we booked. Maybe that was what Crucon did.

 

As for the original poster. On the back of the Royal Caribbean coupon it states, "THE OFFER CANNOT BE USED WITH CERTAIN RESTRICTED FARES"

Did you have a restricted fare? Maybe Crucon is not at fault. Maybe its with Royal Caribbean.

[PammyHound]

Your boarding documents are printed by the cruiseline, if that document said you were to have a $100 credit then it seems like your problem should've been with the cruiseline for not applying the credit to your onboard account. I had a similiar problem with Carnival with a group booked through Crucon. We were to have received onboard credits yet when we boarded, the cruiseline had not applied them. I spoke to the pursers desk who through emails was able to confirm the credits and they were applied shortly thereafter.