President's Message
Nine percent growth from one year to the next.

Cruise Lines Live or Die
by Travel Agents
By Gary M. Fee, OSSN President

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And, they're keeping those passengers on board longer (to buy more sodas and play more slots!). Itineraries from six to eight days accounted for a whopping 53.3 percent of the cruise market (average cruise length: 7.33 days).

What does this mean for you, as a member of OSSN?

First, OSSN works very hard to communicate your value to senior cruise line executives. Whether it's at trade shows, or in cruise fam planning meetings, or via discussions about the TRUE codes with cruise line res departments, we try our best to show cruise line movers and shakers why you're a better value than a call center or a bookable Web site. And, we remind them not to follow the bad example of the airlines and lose control of their businesses for the sake of saving a few commission dollars.

Second, you must work hard to prove your value to the cruise lines. For example, if you're currently rebating commissions to your clients, you're not exactly helping the cause. Yes, we know lots of other Internet sites and mega-agencies practice rebating -- but, to quote your mother, if everyone else is jumping off the bridge, does that mean you should jump, too? Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and now Silversea have taken firm steps to stop rebating, because this practice dilutes the perceived value of their cruise products. And, we believe our members are worth every dollar you're due in commissions on the full price of the cruise (not the rebated price!).

Finally, we have to provide excellent customer service all day, every day, to our cruise clients. There's a reason that water from the tap costs less than bottled water from the store: The bottled water company adds perceived value to their product, while the tap water is simply a commodity. The day that OSSN agents as a whole provide less hands-on support and expert advice than the typical Web site or cruise line call center is the day that cruises turn into a commodity. Airline tickets are now a commodity, and you know how well the airlines are paying these days.

Of course, the cruise lines have their own responsibilities to travel agents and their clients, whether it's uneven pricing levels for smaller agencies or the "nickel and diming" on the ships that turns off many cruisers these days. That's a story for another day.

Right now, though, in the month where CLIA will host the World's Largest Cruise Night, think about the ways you can make yourself indispensable to the cruise lines. (And, if you have suggestions for us at OSSN, send us an email!)