Welcome to a column that needs your input and information. If you want a supplier or a res agent or DSM to get special recognition, let us know. What about a great shore excursion in a port? Share the info with us. If there is something amiss with a company’s policies or actions, share them with us, as well. Which booking engines and Web pages are a hit and which ones are a miss? E-Mail your suggestions to packagedeals@comcast.net.

Flips

To Deborah Garcia from Jalmor Travel in Mahwah, NJ, just one of many who told us they like Norwegian Cruise Line’s Family Rates. This cruise line is encouraging families to travel together and offers great discounts for adjoining cabins. Great idea, and the line will work with agents for matching up outside and inside cabins on the same deck for families.

To Princess Cruises for its new CLIA Bonus certificates. This year, the certificates CAN be used for group dates. In the past, there were many stipulations on how to qualify for the bonus. For those not in the know, if you are a member of CLIA, you receive 69 bonus commission opportunities — from $50-$250 a cruise, meaning the possibility of thousands in added revenue.

To Holland America for keeping agents informed. With the latest outbreak of the norovirus, HAL faxed agents three days in advance before a sailing, with info about delays in boarding and also the offer of full refunds to anyone who wanted to cancel. Great communication. Maybe HAL saw the media coverage of an outbreak on a RCI sailing. For agents who called their clients with the info, KUDOS — shows you were servicing them in timely fashion. And I bet few if any even cancelled.

To Oceania honcho, Frank Del Rio. When some questions were asked about the cruise line in an agent’s E-mail digest, he personally contacted the agent to provide the answers. This shows that some companies want to communicate promptly with the correct information.

To Travel Bound honcho, Juan Tamarit. When the company received an E-mail complaining about the slow access to the company’s Web site, Tamarit E-mailed the agent with an apology and said the problems were being worked on.

To RCI for E-mailing hundreds of agents when its call center had telephone problems, hindering all phone reservations. Agents who received the E-mail knew not to waste time on hold.

Flops

To Delta Queen Steamboat Company for eliminating the “Riverlorian” from the American Queen, meaning the 3- and 4-day cruisers don’t experience the history, navigation and nostalgia presented on the longer cruises. Hopefully, this program will be reinstated.

To Air Jamaica, for schedule changes that may, in the JFK gateway, now cause a five-hour layover or an overnight stay. Agents understand that airlines have reasons for time changes, but they should offer full refunds for inconveniencing fully paid passengers.

To Radisson Seven Seas Cruises for bad timing (though not really its fault). At the same time that the line announced that Radisson Diamond itineraries were being cancelled because the ship is going to another company, Conde Nast pronounced the vessel one of the top cruise ships in their survey. Great accolade, just bad timing.

To Princess Cruises (Yes, they snagged both a Flip and a Flop). Princess, and maybe other cruise lines, send out posters and large display material to home based agents. That’s fine if you need them for a presentation. But with the cost of manufacturing and shipping these items, there should be a delineation of sending only to locations that need them.

To suppliers who promise to send items to be given away at cruise shows. It’s a flip if they arrive in time, but to not get sent at all — big embarrassment! Moreover, suppliers, if you promise to send or call with info, do it in a timely fashion. When I go to a trade show and need a fast answer, I make sure I put on my business card, “NEED ANSWER BY…” I am still waiting for a couple of responses from December.

To Hilton and Hampton Inns. This major hotel company is now selling time shares. If you call in a reservation, you may be connected to a time share department for your “future needs.” Both agents and clients get this message. Don’t you wonder how many are buying into this program?

To “moi” for using the wrong agency name in the Flip for Uniworld/Trafalgar sent by Priscilla Mooshian from Cruise With Us (not Cruise Are Us) in the December issue. Sorry, Priscilla.

Give me some input, agents, share your experiences and E-mail me at packagedeals@comcast.net