Thanks--everyone--for your passionate and helpful comments on this issue. I have a great TA who I've forwarded all this to, and she has renewed her efforts to get this resolved in our favor.
Obviously, this is an issue where there are some things that are extremely unclear, and where we hope they will be clarified in favor of the consumer.
Disney has an excellent product with their cruise line, and it would be well served by better customer care. At a time when consumers are reconsidering plans for leisure travel, and staying home more, one would hope that those who continue to support the travel industry would be acknowledged, at least by making every effort to get them the financial incentives that are available.
My suspicion is that the strategists who create these discount programs don't care at all about the established leisure traveler--they are trying to get new customers, and these are sales things they are doing that they wish we didn't even know about.
That's a short-term strategy, and one that won't be productive in a time when the industry is shrinking (because people like us cut back on travel).
This is our third disney cruise, and the second year in a row we are taking our Corporate Retreat on the cruise--which means I'm backing three staterooms, not just one (and not just my own leisure travel, but the business travel of a dozen people). We are not likely to stop cruising because of this episode, but we are being forced to make the people that sell us the services (DCL, AMEX, et al) work a little harder for our business.
Sad, but true.
Thanks again for all the great responses. They are very helpful.
RDT
Obviously, this is an issue where there are some things that are extremely unclear, and where we hope they will be clarified in favor of the consumer.
Disney has an excellent product with their cruise line, and it would be well served by better customer care. At a time when consumers are reconsidering plans for leisure travel, and staying home more, one would hope that those who continue to support the travel industry would be acknowledged, at least by making every effort to get them the financial incentives that are available.
My suspicion is that the strategists who create these discount programs don't care at all about the established leisure traveler--they are trying to get new customers, and these are sales things they are doing that they wish we didn't even know about.
That's a short-term strategy, and one that won't be productive in a time when the industry is shrinking (because people like us cut back on travel).
This is our third disney cruise, and the second year in a row we are taking our Corporate Retreat on the cruise--which means I'm backing three staterooms, not just one (and not just my own leisure travel, but the business travel of a dozen people). We are not likely to stop cruising because of this episode, but we are being forced to make the people that sell us the services (DCL, AMEX, et al) work a little harder for our business.
Sad, but true.
Thanks again for all the great responses. They are very helpful.
RDT
