Complete Cruise Solution is increasing deposits and bringing forward the date customers must pay the full balance on their bookings.
From June 1, agents will be asked to collect 15% deposit instead of the current 10%. The final balance will be due 90 days before departure, instead of the current 56 days.
The change applies to all 2012 P&O and Cunard cruises.
Mark Pilkington, CCS head of sales, said: “This is good news for agents as it means customers are less likely to cancel because they have put down a higher deposit.
“I have spoken with the big agents and the feedback has been very positive. They have welcomed the idea because if a customer cancels, agents will earn more commission on the deposit than they did before.
“When people cancel two months before the cruise it can be difficult for us to resell the cabin. We’ll have a greater chance three months before.”
The move would bring the rest of the programme in line with world cruises, he added.
Pilkington said it was unlikely customers would be deterred by having to pay earlier.
“We have just run a Getaway promotion where customers had to pay in full. We haven’t seen an adverse effect from that so that gives us some comfort.”