Both P&O Cruises and Carnival have suggested they have plans to let agents to book drinks packages and other add-ons.
Addressing agents at the Barrhead Travel Conference this week, Carnival VP International Sales Iain Baillie said the line will start allowing agents to add bundles, including drinks and onboard wifi.
“It is in the transformation stage at the moment,” he added, but didn’t say exactly when agents will be able to book the bundles.
Agents attending the event in Palma told Travel Gossip that clients often ask them to add drinks package to their bookings on their behalf, but they don’t receive any commission from some cruise lines for providing the extra service.
“We can’t add it to the booking and get paid, clients have to do it themselves after they’ve booked, but they still come and ask us to do it for them, which takes time,” one said. “It would be a big deal for us if we could add drinks packages to the booking and get commission, after all, we’re expected to promote them anyway.”
When asked on stage if P&O Cruises would consider this, VP Sales, Brand and Marketing Rob Scott replied: “Watch this space.”
He later told Travel Gossip that P&O Cruises will look at agents being able to ‘bundle other elements of a cruise holiday in the foreseable future’ but, like Carnival, did not commit to a timeframe.
One agent attending the conference also queried whether P&O Cruises would consider applying the onboard discounts it offers to emergency service workers via the Blue Card scheme to bookings made through agents.
“If clients see these offers but can’t use them when they’ve booked with an agent, they’re not going to book with us in future,” another agent told Travel Gossip.
Rob replied that P&O Cruises is ‘always open to feedback’.
The post P&O Cruises and Carnival hint at allowing agents to book drinks packages and other add-ons appeared first on Travel Gossip.
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Addressing agents at the Barrhead Travel Conference this week, Carnival VP International Sales Iain Baillie said the line will start allowing agents to add bundles, including drinks and onboard wifi.
“It is in the transformation stage at the moment,” he added, but didn’t say exactly when agents will be able to book the bundles.
Agents attending the event in Palma told Travel Gossip that clients often ask them to add drinks package to their bookings on their behalf, but they don’t receive any commission from some cruise lines for providing the extra service.
“We can’t add it to the booking and get paid, clients have to do it themselves after they’ve booked, but they still come and ask us to do it for them, which takes time,” one said. “It would be a big deal for us if we could add drinks packages to the booking and get commission, after all, we’re expected to promote them anyway.”
When asked on stage if P&O Cruises would consider this, VP Sales, Brand and Marketing Rob Scott replied: “Watch this space.”
He later told Travel Gossip that P&O Cruises will look at agents being able to ‘bundle other elements of a cruise holiday in the foreseable future’ but, like Carnival, did not commit to a timeframe.
One agent attending the conference also queried whether P&O Cruises would consider applying the onboard discounts it offers to emergency service workers via the Blue Card scheme to bookings made through agents.
“If clients see these offers but can’t use them when they’ve booked with an agent, they’re not going to book with us in future,” another agent told Travel Gossip.
Rob replied that P&O Cruises is ‘always open to feedback’.
The post P&O Cruises and Carnival hint at allowing agents to book drinks packages and other add-ons appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
