Are past cruisers under the FALSE ASSUMPTION ... Lower rates at the cruise line ? Heads up to other Myths !

Yesterday … On a Facebook group … A cruise posted a statement … “I am a past guest of XYZ.  I call the cruise line directly, so I can get past guest rates, instead of calling a Travel Agent”.

I saw another FB post … “I see this great rate online at XYZ.  Can my Travel Agent call and get these rates, or do I need to call the cruise line and buy myself ?”

WHAT ? 

Does this 1^st cruiser think she can’t get the same rate with her Travel Agent ?
Does this 2^nd cruiser think her Travel Agent must book through an online agency to get her these rates ?

OH MY !

There are so many MYTHS in this industry !
Folks are hurting themselves because they do not understand this industry !
Which is the VERY REASON to book your cruises directly thru a Travel Agent … If you don’t know a Cruise Specialist Agency !

Apparently, many folks are under the assumption ….

·         Lower Rates at the Cruise Line

·         Cruise Line agents are your specialists

·         To get closest to your cruise, buy at the cruise line

·         Lower Rates online

 

The facts are …

·         Every Travel Agent is given the SAME RATES that are found at the cruise line.  Doesn’t matter if it is “past guest rates”, senior or military rates, a special promotion, or a casino promotion, etc.  By industry “ethics”, the cruise line can NOT provide a direct caller, a lower rate, than they can find at their Travel Agent (or Cruise Specialist Agency).   If a cruise thinks, the reason they should buy their cruise at the cruise line, is for lower rates, they have this WRONG !

·         Why would anyone think the Cruise Line agents are your specialist ?  Are consumers thinking these c.l. agents have been on these ships ?  REALLY ?  Does the consumer NOT KNOW … That the info these c.l. agents are being read of a computer, that the c.l. has provided.  They only know … WHAT THEY KNOW IS WHAT THEY CAN READ !   FYI … If your Travel Agent (or Cruise Specialist) doesn’t know an answer for you … They can call the cruise line and let the agent READ IT TO THEM !  LOL … Sorry I am laughing !  Your Travel Agent (or Cruise Specialist) is the VERY PLACE you should buy your cruise !  As mentioned above, consumers do not know this industry … Travel Agents (Cruise Specialist) do !  Most Travel Agents (especially Cruise Specialists) have taken many cruises first hand !  This gives them many steps up in specialization to this industry !  And … Most Travel Agents (and Cruise Specialist) have been in this industry for year … The more problems they see, the more experience they are for YOU !  AND … Most agencies do not charge you a fee … IT IS FREE TO HAVE THEIR EXPERTISE !

·         Just cause you buy at the cruise line, doesn’t actually make you closer to your cruise.  But of course, depends on your definition of “closeness”.  Closeness is someone who is monitoring your cruise … Someone who understands what can go wrong (thinking out of the box, in advance) … Who has years of connection with the cruise lines.  Just cause someone works for the cruise line, it does NOT make that connection, that consumers actually need !  This is found at a Travel Agency (or even more connection, through Cruise Specialists).  Besides, many cruise line employees come and go, daily … Do they really have to care what they tell you ?  I’m not knocking these employees … Only sharing some insight !

·         The ONLY time rates are lower online, is if the date you want, is a date, that was bought long ago, before rates went up on this sailing.  Does this make sense ?  Meaning, for the most part, all the rates at the cruise line and online, are available through your Travel Agency (and Cruise Specialist).  If you are not choosing to contact your Travel Agent (or Cruise Specialist), verifying that they too can get the same rate, please tell me WHY ANYONE WOULD ASSUME they couldn’t !  And that is what is happening … ASSUMPTION !   FYI … Yes, there are lower rates out there !  These rates are given to “distribution houses” !  These internet companies, buy their cruises from these distribution houses, NOT at the cruise lines !  The name of the game is to FIND THE DISTRIBUTION HOUSES & BUY FROM THEM DIRECT … Bypass the “net” all together !

 

There is so much that consumers do not know !  That’s ok.  It’s not their job.  It is the job of the Travel Agency (unless you know a Cruise-Only Specialist Agency … There is a difference).  Why would the Travel Agent (or Cruise Specialist) still be here to help the consumer, if the cruise line didn't need them ?  If the industry didn't need them ?  If YOU didn't need them ?

 

Please take advantage of this insight.  It’s your money !  It’s your vacation !  Your job is to find the Travel Agent (or Cruise Specialist) who will watch over both !

 

By the way … Cruises Inc-WTH is North America’s Largest distributor of cruises … Providing the “cruise pricing” to most all major internet companies !  Cruises Inc is a Cruise-Only Specialist Agency !  Cruises Inc is not a franchise.  There are many associates around the US, who make themselves available for you to buy from them directly … Providing consumers MORE THAN JUST CRUISE INC’S PRICE !  And we have a 63 person back-office staff, who watches over our customer’s cruises and is negotiating our rates for us !  We also have EXCLUSIVES that we don’t provide to all our internet partners ! 

So if you can’t find a Travel Agency … Find a Cruises Inc agent … We are here for you !