MSC Cruises is
experiencing a
record season, with
unprecedented call volumes
leading the cruise line to
request that agents make
use of the business-tobusiness
online booking
portal on its website.
But travel agents aren’t
happy. Many of them
commented on TNW’s
online sister publication,
eTNW, claiming the online
tool didn’t work effectively.
Agents also raised
concerns that while they
often assisted clients with
elaborate information about
cruising, it was only to see
these clients turn to MSC
Cruises to book direct.
Yvonne Horak of Cape
Gulf Travel, said her agency
had implemented a fee
for providing information
for cruise passengers
who didn’t hold a booking
through the agency.
“We have to put up with
passengers who booked
direct and want visas and
information on sightseeing
after the cruise. We have
now implemented a policy:
if not booked through us,
we do not supply this info.
“Either pay a R500
service fee or, sorry, we
cannot assist.”
Another agent, who prefers
to remain anonymous,
appealed to MSC Cruises
to stop taking clients
directly and rather focus
on bookings from agents.
“This relationship should
be mutually benecial, but
at present it is pretty onesided,”
she said.
David Randall, marketing
manager of MSC Cruises,
says although travel agents
are a critical part of MSC
Cruises’ distribution, with
over 60% of bookings
through the trade, it is not
viable to only take bookings
through this channel.
“Without the efforts of travel
agents, the cruise operator’s
annual deployment in
South Africa would not be a
success. However, we have
over 130 000 beds to ll in
a ve-month period or over
2 000 passengers departing
every two to three days.
Broken up into these very
real targets, the reality is
that not one single channel
will be able to deliver on
our targets. But with a joint
effort through trade, theme
cruises partners, online and
our direct channel we do
meet our budgets and 96%
occupancy target for the
season.”
MSC’s focus on the
emerging market of rsttime
cruisers, for instance,
is expected to drive an
increasing number of clients
towards travel agents, David
says. “The demographics of
cruise passengers and rsttime
cruisers has changed
signicantly and this can
only benet the trade, as
we get this new market
travelling.”
To ensure that the trade
can offer clients the best
deals as compared to
direct sells, MSC Cruises is
providing dedicated rates for
specic partners to promote
specic departures that may
be under performing. David
adds that MSC Cruises is
currently also in a testing
phase for a at le to
deliver content and rates for
online-driven agencies. He
says reactive specials will
remain in place to ensure
MSC meets its occupancy
targets but special rates
are also distributed to trade
partners.
Meanwhile, agents have
been experiencing issues
with MSC Cruises’ B2B
online booking tool, without
being able to get assistance
through the call centre.
David conrms that there
are still some problems with
the online portal.
He says the ight booking
facility has been developed
with the European market
in mind. “They deliver large
volumes week in and week
out, allowing for ‘allocations’
rather than live inventory.
This is not suitable for our
long-haul market. Clients
tend to break away more
often than not, requiring
live inventory. This link to
MSC online is undeveloped,
meaning the only option for
the agent wanting to book
our y-cruise product is to
call our contact centre,”
he says.
With regard to the call
centre, David says there is a
dedicated number for agents
– 086 999 0505.
To help agents make sense
of the online booking tool,
MSC has begun offering
training courses. David says:
“The system is a point,
click and go environment,
which requires simple
introductory training available
to all agents and which we
promote through our reps’
call cycles, trade newsletters
and Travelinfo workshops.
National training sessions in
JNB, DUR and CPT conducted
in February were well
attended and the feedback
has been positive. We are
planning more sessions in
the coming months.”
