Royal Caribbean Cruise Line is finalising plans to introduce e-documents in the UK from June this year.
The move follows rival Carnival UK’s introduction of e-tickets this year, something the operator has claimed was better received than expected, despite some complaints from agents.
Royal Caribbean introduced e-documents in the US in the first quarter of 2009 and is now keen to make them available to as many UK customers as possible in a phased roll out.
Jo Rzymowska, the operator’s acting UK managing director, said the move to e-docs was something that has been in the planning for the last two years.
She said the issue was debated among the new line up of agents on its travel advisory meeting two weeks ago and there was a positive response.
“The majority of people understand that’s the way things are moving. The plan is to go to 100% e-docs as fast as is feasibly possible and still offer a good service.
“We are going to aggressively look to help agents get there. We are not going to say unless you move over by a certain date that’s your only choice but we need people to work with us,” she said.
Rzymowska vowed to work closely with agents partners on the phasing in of e-docs. She conceded there will be more challenges for call centres than the multiples and agents with large retail estates.
Ability to access documents online and the quality of in-store printers are two issues specific to the high street that the line is aware of.
E-documents allow both agents and customers to access and alter tickets, meal plans, itineraries and other information about the cruise and agents have been encouraged to use them as a way of improving the service they offer clients.
Carnival UK has, however, found agents are not alerted when customers go online to access their documents, something Royal Caribbean will seek to rectify.