Travel agents packaging up cruises operated by Carnival UK brands can expect no change to cancellation policies if there is another flight ban.
Mike Greenacre, managing director of The Co-operative Travel, said not reducing cancellation fees during the ash crisis, unlike Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, represented an “unfriendly” approach to the trade.
But Carnival UK sales director Giles Hawke said a distinction had to be made between agents selling cruise packages and those packaging net rates who are the principal and have different contracts and responsibilities.
Speaking in a Travel Weekly debate, Greenacre said the crisis showed the need for a more agent-friendly rival to cruising’s dominant player.
“From a cruise agent’s point of view, we hope there will be more significant players in the cruise industry, because at present the one significant player is not in a very user-friendly mode,” he said.
Irish agent Mary McKenna, managing director of Tour America, said many agents in Ireland had little choice but to repackage to compete.
She said had she had 500 customers due to fly instead of just 98, the ash crisis would have put her out of business.
Hawke said Carnival UK offered net rates because agents had requested them and suggested Royal Caribbean’s policy reflected its greater reliance on agents repackaging its cruises.
“Someone who acts as a tour operator does so in full knowledge of the rules and regulations,” Hawke said.