SorcererMickey
January 16th, 2005, 20:30
Disney Cruise Line upgrades Web site
Cruise booking peaks in March
BY DONNA BALANCIA
FLORIDA TODAY
To make it easier for passengers to get booking information, Disney Cruise Line has upgraded its Internet-based reservations system.
Potential Disney Cruise Line passengers considering a voyage now can go to the Disney Cruise Line Web site and, under the "reservations" tab, plug in their information and find a cruise and its cost much more quickly.
"The Web site is improved," said Christi Erwin, a Disney Cruise Line spokeswoman. "Our guests wanted more options and ways to check the prices online. We've made it easier to understand, and the guest can get a price-point right away. You're able to get multiple price quotes in a few clicks."
The changes took place as the cruise industry enters a busy booking period that peaks in March.
Both of Disney's cruise ships -- the Magic and the Wonder -- are based at Port Canaveral, the nation's second-busiest cruise port behind Miami. The two ships carried 386,982 passengers in the port's last fiscal year.
The use of online booking is a double-edged sword for cruise companies, said Oivind Mathisen, editor of Cruise Industry News, a New York City-based publication that covers the cruise companies.
While it is critical to have a Web presence and make the online booking system user-friendly, most of the business -- Mathisen estimates 90 percent -- comes to the cruise companies through travel agents.
"Cruise lines have upgraded their booking engines because they want to encourage people to in some way book directly so they don't have to pay 15 percent commission," Mathisen said. "But, on the other, hand they rely on travel agents for most of the booking. They want the travel agents to sell."
The price to the consumer is the same whether he or she books through the Web or through a travel agent, but for every cruiser who books online, a travel agent's commission is lost.
"I think you see first-time cruisers go through travel agents," Mathisen said. "But, sometimes, the cruise lines will refer that booking that was made online back to a travel agent as a way of supporting travel agents."
Carnival Cruise Lines, which also owns Princess and Costa, carries an estimated 49 percent of all cruisers, and gives a commission to travel agents, even if a booking is made online by the customer.
"We would be losing business if we didn't have a Web presence," said Jennifer de la Cruz, a spokeswoman for Carnival. "During the booking process on our Web site, we try to take good care of the agents. The pricing we offer never undercuts the travel agent's pricing."
Jamaican-born Peggy Woods, who lives in Palm Bay, said going through the travel agent -- her agency of preference is ABC Travel in Palm Bay -- is the only way to go.
"It's a lot better if you go through the travel agent," she said. "I often get the help I need when I'm arranging group trips. We do a lot of group activities on the cruise ships and have a great time."
"You might use it as a tool," said Doris Jenkins, a cruise specialist with Global Tours and Travel of Melbourne. "But you're just going to duplicate your time and effort. With a travel agent you have recourse and somebody who's looking out for you."
Source: http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/moneystoryMAIN0115CRUISE.htm
Cruise booking peaks in March
BY DONNA BALANCIA
FLORIDA TODAY
To make it easier for passengers to get booking information, Disney Cruise Line has upgraded its Internet-based reservations system.
Potential Disney Cruise Line passengers considering a voyage now can go to the Disney Cruise Line Web site and, under the "reservations" tab, plug in their information and find a cruise and its cost much more quickly.
"The Web site is improved," said Christi Erwin, a Disney Cruise Line spokeswoman. "Our guests wanted more options and ways to check the prices online. We've made it easier to understand, and the guest can get a price-point right away. You're able to get multiple price quotes in a few clicks."
The changes took place as the cruise industry enters a busy booking period that peaks in March.
Both of Disney's cruise ships -- the Magic and the Wonder -- are based at Port Canaveral, the nation's second-busiest cruise port behind Miami. The two ships carried 386,982 passengers in the port's last fiscal year.
The use of online booking is a double-edged sword for cruise companies, said Oivind Mathisen, editor of Cruise Industry News, a New York City-based publication that covers the cruise companies.
While it is critical to have a Web presence and make the online booking system user-friendly, most of the business -- Mathisen estimates 90 percent -- comes to the cruise companies through travel agents.
"Cruise lines have upgraded their booking engines because they want to encourage people to in some way book directly so they don't have to pay 15 percent commission," Mathisen said. "But, on the other, hand they rely on travel agents for most of the booking. They want the travel agents to sell."
The price to the consumer is the same whether he or she books through the Web or through a travel agent, but for every cruiser who books online, a travel agent's commission is lost.
"I think you see first-time cruisers go through travel agents," Mathisen said. "But, sometimes, the cruise lines will refer that booking that was made online back to a travel agent as a way of supporting travel agents."
Carnival Cruise Lines, which also owns Princess and Costa, carries an estimated 49 percent of all cruisers, and gives a commission to travel agents, even if a booking is made online by the customer.
"We would be losing business if we didn't have a Web presence," said Jennifer de la Cruz, a spokeswoman for Carnival. "During the booking process on our Web site, we try to take good care of the agents. The pricing we offer never undercuts the travel agent's pricing."
Jamaican-born Peggy Woods, who lives in Palm Bay, said going through the travel agent -- her agency of preference is ABC Travel in Palm Bay -- is the only way to go.
"It's a lot better if you go through the travel agent," she said. "I often get the help I need when I'm arranging group trips. We do a lot of group activities on the cruise ships and have a great time."
"You might use it as a tool," said Doris Jenkins, a cruise specialist with Global Tours and Travel of Melbourne. "But you're just going to duplicate your time and effort. With a travel agent you have recourse and somebody who's looking out for you."
Source: http://www.floridatoday.com/!NEWSROOM/moneystoryMAIN0115CRUISE.htm