Some of the UK’s leading cruise lines could stop using GDS Amadeus’ distribution platform as they seek to reduce costs for agents booking, but insist a decision has not yet been made.
Amid claims in the trade that Complete Cruise Solution has already decided to stop using Amadeus Cruise and will leave the system by the end of the year, the operator has told Travel Weekly its plans have not yet been finalised.
CCS represents the UK’s leading cruise operator P&O Cruises as well as Cunard and Princess Cruises, lines that together dominate the UK cruise market that will see 1.7 million passengers this year.
Giles Hawke, sales director of CCS parent Carnival UK, said: “Complete Cruise Solution has made no definitive decision to stop using Amadeus Cruise but is looking at ways to reduce the cost of agents booking cruise holidays. We will work with agents and Amadeus Cruise as our approach develops.”
The cost of distributing cruise has been a major issue in the sector already this year after CCS announced it was cutting agents’ commission to a base rate of 5% from between 10% and 15% from the launch of its 2012 programme that went on sale last week.
Although the operator has made no decision yet about Amadeus Cruise CWTdigital, whose Click2Cruise agent technology plugs into Amadeus, said it has started working on direct connectivity with the operator.
Many agents in the UK use the rival Traveltek system which does not use Amadeus Cruise having developed direct API connections with all its cruise line suppliers.
Most of the leading cruise lines are currently available through Amadeus Cruise including Royal Caribbean International, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruises Lines, Costa Cruises and MSC.
The product is available to agents as a standalone system for those who do not have Amadeus GDS or Amadeus Air connectivity.
Like with air fares Amadeus charges fees on a per transaction basis and Amadeus claims it is “the most cost-effective worldwide distribution channel and a faster and more efficient way to book cruises”.