Complete Cruise Solution has contacted all larger agents whose customers are not yet paying its cruise lines directly to insist a plan is put in place to make the transition to direct payments.
The trade arm for P&O Cruises, Cunard and Princess Cruises says it is intent on removing any financial risk from its trade business by the end of the year by moving all agents to the new payment regime.
Carnival UK has defended the move, saying direct payment has been successful in the US.
But UK agents say the market here is different and they need customer money for cashflow.
It is understood a number of the lines’ larger sellers have yet to engage in discussions with CCS.
Carnival UK sales director Giles Hawke said: “Most large agent partners have either moved across to consumer payments or we have agreed a transition process.
“Some are proving more difficult to get traction with and to put a deadline in place to get to where we need to get to in a way that works for them. We are looking at every agent individually and if we get to a stage where an agent says I cannot work in this way, we will have to make a decision.
“Either we won’t be able to work with them or we will work with them to build this way of working into their processes.”Hawke said some agents had told CCS that automated payments systems meant it was impossible to make the transition.
“We are looking at solutions. We understand putting in a manual process would be a significant interruption to their business,” he added.
Abta said agents with turnover above its minimum bonding requirement of £1 million could see their bonding reduced if the change makes a significant difference to their businesses.