By Les-Lee Roland

Welcome to the Flips and Flops column. We are able to do what we do here because of your input and information. If you want a supplier or a res agent or DSM to get special recognition, let us know. If there is something amiss with a company’s policies or actions, share them with us, as well. Let us know which booking engines and Web pages are hits and which are misses! E-Mail your suggestions to packagedeals@comcast.net.

A FLIP to the Customer Service reps who react to our many requests.

Reported by Reece Oslinker of Smooth Sailing Cruises in Pennsylvania:
“I have to let Home Based Trade and the trade at large know of an excellent employee at NCL. Lorraine Ross is my inside reservation contact in the Top Accounts Department. Recently, I passed along incorrect info to a client due to an error in the NCL brochure. The cabin I had sold was shown as having a window in the NCL brochure but in truth it was a ‘porthole’ view.
“I explained the situation to Lorraine and asked if she could help. Well, lo and behold, she got to the right person at NCL and I received an upgrade to the cabin I needed at no additional charge!!! It is great to have someone who goes to bat for you when you need the help.”
A FLIP to the customer service department at Ramada. When clients returned from a 10-day holiday stay at a New Jersey location, they called the agent to complain that the rate on the confirmation was not honored and they were charged a total of over $200 more.
When the agent contacted the hotel directly, the manager of the hotel said that the quoted rate was not available in her system and agents should book directly with hotels rather than their 800 numbers. The agent said that in too many cases, when booking directly with the hotel, the commission is not sent. The manager’s reply was that it was the agent’s responsibility to request a commission via fax.
Well, customer service at the 800 number had a different explanation. The rate is guaranteed when booked through central reservations and the commission is guaranteed. As for the manager of customer service said, “Now we’ve caught her.”
Ramada penalizes managers who charge higher rates. The client got a refund. The agent got the commission. And the manager sent an apology letter to the clients, asking them to book directly with her in the future, since she often has lower rates than central reservations. Another mistake since she sent the letter to the travel agency directly, and when that was reported to customer service, she was penalized a second time.
A FLIP to Oceania Cruises. If your clients are on a sailing, they may be offered a bonus if they rebook, and the credit goes directly to the original booking agent. How does this differ from some other cruise lines? Oceania also gives a bonus commission to the agent if the client chooses not to book onboard but within 30 days of their return.
A FLIP to many of the cruise reps out there during the first quarter of the year. They are working many extra hours with their daily calls and appointments along with the many cruise nights and presentations that are filling your calendars. On the other hand, a FLOP to agents who don’t organize gatherings and take advantage of the expertise of the rep making the presentation.
A FLIP to Independence Air. This low priced airline was hit hard by the increasing fuel costs. Based in Washington, DC, most clients were very happy with the flights. But their shutdown announcement included E-mails to their passengers with an apology and full explanation. That was a classy way to exit and deserves a FLIP.
A FLIP to Jurni and other host agencies/consortia who are arranging pass-through revenue for their members. This enables agents to have an identity with the cruise line or tour operator. The rep in their area will call on them and the agents are identified by their own phone number with documents sent directly to them. This is something Home Based agents have complained about for years, and finally hosts and companies are reacting. The most frustrating part in the past was not having any control over the booking, even to just change the dining, without having to go through the host or consortium. This is a giant leap for the New Year.
A FLOP to the cruise line that called an agent about a confirmed booking on a new ship and a possible upgrade. The client was booked in an assigned veranda cabin. The upgrade for $500 would be to a penthouse suite. The clients turned down the additional cost and when they boarded the ship, guess what! Their pre-assigned cabin was the penthouse suite.
It seems that after they booked the cruise — a year in advance, while the ship was being built — cabin numbers had changed. Their assigned cabin was now a penthouse suite.
Why the res agent wasn’t forthcoming with that info, who knows? But their mistake was a blessing to the clients. Only problem, they think it will happen again.
A FLIP to MSC Cruises. With the final documents, a fold up deck plan is included. This is so helpful for people when boarding a ship, especially first-time cruisers. All common areas and the cabins are clearly marked — you don’t even need glasses to read them. Thanks, MSC.
A FLOP to the airlines who are testing the market by now charging for pillows and blankets. They took away our magazines. They took away our food — although some are not complaining about that. One airline is thinking about discontinuing complimentary soda service.
Another thing being tossed around, charging for every bag checked. What’s next — pay toilets??
A FLOP also to the airlines that have changed their weight allowance, something very few people know. Maybe FedEx should have kiosks at airport check-ins. It may be cheaper to send the luggage through them, rather than pay the airline charges.