Industry Inquiry: Are you or your agency buying
into Norwegian Cruise Line's new play-to-pay incentive of 10
percent commission on NCFs if you double your production?
Sheila Hyman, Tanforan Travel, San Bruno, Calif.
No, I would rather they took better care of my clients while on
board. Having to wait two months for a reply to problems is also
not in our best interest. The client’s needs are more important.
It’s a nice gesture, but that’s all it is.
Susan Pisani, Cruisin Easy, Santa Maria, Calif.
Our agency has not been a large producer for NCL. With that
being said, we are giving them a second look with what we deem an
improved product with their newer ships and this offer for 10% on
NCFs if we double our production. We see this as a good opportunity
to help our bottom line as every booking has NCFs. It definitely
would be a welcomed addition to our bottom line.
As for NCL’s new air commission policy (5 percent or 10 percent
if you double your production), we sell very few air seats through
the cruise lines, so this is not a big issue for us. The 10% on air
was not really an incentive to sell NCL over our other
suppliers.
We applaud NCL for trying something new. We hope travel agencies
support this offer and it will show cruise and tour vendors that
agencies can move market share and we are a valuable part of their
marketing.
Linda Lane, Cruise World, Seattle
Regarding NCL’s “fabulous, earthshaking, not to be missed”
announcement as you can surmise, I am not impressed, for us to
increase by 85% our sales in today’s market is unrealistic. They
have set the “from only” pricing so low that the NFCs are equaling
the cruise fare.
I think we all expected the air commission to be cut, in keeping
with their competitors. But, I was hoping for something really new
and exciting, like maybe they would be able to cruise Hawaii
without the 2000-mile detour [to Fanning Island]. NCL had always
been an innovator in the industry, but I believe this new incentive
goes nowhere. Journey Journal
M. Greg Stathakis, TravelWorld, Santa Barbara, Calif.
On a whim, and to just get away from the day-to-day stress, I
bought a ticket to the Dominican Republic. Why this island? I have
been to many Caribbean islands, but never DR, and I had seen an
insert in TravelAge West that piqued my interest.
I was totally surprised and satisfied with my decision.
Upon arrival, I found customs and immigration the fastest of any
place I’ve been to in many years. Within minutes of exiting the
plane, I was in an air-conditioned taxi on the way to my hotel. The
roads and bridges on the way to the Inter-Continental were modern
and efficient.
Then there’s this fact: the Latin American country with the
highest Gross Development Product growth over the last 10 years is
the Dominican Republic. I know there’s poverty in the country, but
Santo Domingo was the freshest, cleanest, most prosperous city I’ve
seen in awhile.
One night in bed slightly after 9 p.m., I heard loud music
emanating from a park down the street. I thought, well, it’s my
last night, maybe instead of resisting the music, I should try to
discover the source and enjoy the evening with a nice, tropical
walk. What did I find? A street party! The choreography lifted me
back to the fun of the late 1960’s and 1970’s and all ages of
people in the park were moving with a lilt, dancing, having a good
time, all without apparent drunkenness or malice in the air. There
was an energy that loosened my spirits and reminded me to enjoy
life, cut loose, move to the rhythm, and to return to enjoy more of
the Dominican Republic someday soon.
