Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Packaged Travel
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Air
  • Training & Resources
  • Who We Are
    • Brian Israel
    • Briana Bonfiglio
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Jennifer Arango
    • Kelly Fontenelle
    • Keri-Anne Slevin
    • Louis Intreglia
    • Tom McCarthy
Sponsored By ALG
Sponsored By ALG

Travel Advisors Excited, Wary About Crystal Cruises Return

by Dori Saltzman / June 30, 2022
crystal cruises ship

 

Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, shame on you. That’s the stance some – but not all – travel advisors are taking when it comes to embracing the return of Crystal Cruises.

The line left many advisors in the lurch with hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid commissions when it went out of business in early 2022. Some believe new owner, A&K Travel Group, needs to make right by the agency community before they’ll feel comfortable supporting it. Other advisors are full steam ahead, already compiling lists of clients ready to sail as soon as the ships are back at seas.

“There aren’t enough words to describe just how ecstatic I am,” Dana Dziegiel, owner of Gypsea Travels, LLC, an independent agency in the Avoya Travel Network, told Travel Market Report. “When the ‘end of Crystal’ announcement was made in January, I was devastated. Not just for myself and my clients, but for the amazing crew that I call ‘family.’”

And it’s not just advisors who are excited.

“I had dinner with a Crystal client last Thursday and we were both excited to hear about A&K bringing Crystal Cruises back,” said Karen Quinn-Panzer, owner of a Dream Vacations franchise.

Dziegiel said she already has a “pretty significant list started of clients that want to book when they announce the itineraries in 2023… Once you’ve been ‘Crystalized’ it’s hard to imagine being on another line.”

Unpaid Commissions Remain a Sticking Point
For some advisors, the issue of unpaid commissions remains the elephant in the room.

“Will the travel agency community support Crystal if our commissions are not paid?” asked Susan Reder of Frosch Classic Cruise and Travel, a luxury agency within the Signature Travel network. “We have an exorbitant of outstanding commissions due. Those commissions have to be paid to get any support!”

Reder said she’s less concerned about refunds for clients as most people who booked did what they needed to (usually via their credit card) to get a refund. She, herself, got a refund for a cruise she had booked on Crystal Endeavor to Antarctica this past February.

Quinn-Panzer also said her clients got their deposits back. And she was fortunate enough to not be owed any outstanding commission. But she added, “I can certainly understand some advisors feeling angry or cautious.”

On the flip side, Dziegiel said none of her clients are holding any resentment toward the Crystal brand. Not does she feel any herself. “As an agent, I feel it’s pointless to be angry or to hold resentment over the lost commissions… I am only speaking for myself when I say I don’t believe the ‘new’ Crystal should be held liable to pay the ‘old’ Crystal’s debts to the agency community. There are so many of us that have lost thousands of dollars in unpaid commissions, but are still willing and very excited to be selling Crystal again.”

A Perfect Match
One thing advisors TMR spoke with agreed on is that the pairing of Abercrombie & Kent and Crystal Cruises is a great one.

“My reaction to the news was ‘what a great brand pairing,’” Quinn-Panzer said. “Both brands are extremely high on the customer loyalty scale. Excellent decision for A&K to maintain the Crystal brand name in my view because Crystal clients are both loyal and passionate about their loyalty. It’s all about the service standard… A&K is the land equivalent of that high service. Hopefully, they can leverage both brand names to take bookings to another level … 2 + 2 = 5.”

“A&K and Manfredi Lefebvre definitely know luxury and I’m sure will be able to make something fantastic happen,” Reder agreed, but added “They just need to spell out what they are planning to do sooner than later and will they make good on outstanding commissions and refunds.”

Quinn-Panzer also said the A&K name also provides a sense of financial reassurance. “A&K lends financial responsibility to reassure the marketplace, and hopefully they can cross-sell land trips to cruisers and turn land clients into first time cruisers.”

Same Level of Service?
Despite A&K’s reputation, Reder says she has some concerns that the company won’t be able to offer the same level of service Crystal was known for, primarily because most of the line’s crew have moved on.

“I believe that most of the staff and crew have been rehired with other cruise lines,” Reder said. “A&K will need to basically start over… I believe that A&K can get new people but it’s going to take a very long time to try and get up to speed where Crystal was before the bankruptcy.”

Dziegiel isn’t as concerned. “Myself, along with so many of my clients believe they will do what they can to bring back as many of the Crystal crew as possible,” she told TMR. “We all know, it’s the outstanding crew that really makes the difference when sailing on Crystal.”

  126
  2
Riviera
Related Articles
Meet the Woman Who Set Sail 107 Times with Crystal Cruises
Crystal Reborn: What Travel Advisors Should Know About the Revived Cruise Line
Crystal Clarifies Lost Advisor Commission Statement
Crystal Cruises Will Offer Allianz Global Assistance Trip Protection
Crystal Will Honor Guest Payments Lost When Crystal Cruises Went Bust
Crystal Cruises Adds Trade-Focused Sales Positions
Crystal Cruises Appoints VP of Sales
The New Crystal Cruises Launches ‘Open Bookings’ for Its Return
Former Crystal Cruise President to Lead “New” Crystal
A&K Purchases Crystal Ships, Revives Crystal Cruises Brand

MOST VIEWED

  1. The Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Travel Deals for 2023
  2. The Ten 'Most Christmassy' Towns in the U.S.
  3. What Will Be the Biggest Travel Trends of 2024?
  4. The Worst Airports for Holiday Flight Delays
  5. Here Are the New Cruise Ships Debuting in 2024
  6. Royal Caribbean Monitoring Haiti Violence


  1. Iceland Travel Update: Southwest Earthquakes Heighten Risk of Volcanic Activity
  2. U.S. State Department Warns Travelers About GPS Dangers in South Africa
  3. The World's Most Expensive Flights
  4. CBD Gummies Result in Lifetime Passenger Ban for Carnival Cruiser
  5. 15 Exciting New Hotels Opening in 2024
  6. Canada Updates Ireland Travel Advisory After Dublin Riots
TMR THIS WEEK
Presented by Windstar
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=31e281c0-9d92-ee11-adc6-005056a855ed&Width=350&Height&250

Consultative Selling for Travel Advisors: Why It is Important and How to Do It

With consultative selling, a travel professional is viewed as a trusted advisor (more akin to a lawyer, financial advisor, or other high-level consultant). 

Read More...
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Royal Caribbean Reveals Hefty Price for Crown's Edge Thrill Attraction
Royal Caribbean Reveals Hefty Price for Crown's Edge Thrill Attraction

Royal Caribbean is charging WHAT for Crown's Edge?

Read...
Princess Cruises and Romero Britto Partner for Love-Themed Dining Experience
Princess Cruises and Romero Britto Partner for Love-Themed Dining Experience

Love by Britto celebrates the universal language of love through vibrant art and exceptional cuisine. 

Read...
Scenic Group USA Sets Booking Records in November
Scenic Group USA Sets Booking Records in November

"Special thanks to the travel advisors and sales partners who have contributed to our success."

Read...
Silversea Enhances Group Program, Intros "Super Advantage" Tier
Silversea Enhances Group Program, Intros "Super Advantage" Tier

The new tier allows the eighth guest to sail free, and includes shipboard credit, and a higher commission rate.

Read...
Windstar Cruises Kicks Off Multi-Million Dollar Refurb of Sailing Ships
Windstar Cruises Kicks Off Multi-Million Dollar Refurb of Sailing Ships

Wind Star has already completed the first phase of its refurbishment.

Read...
Celebrity Cruises' Laura Hodges Bethge Shares What's Next for the Brand
Celebrity Cruises' Laura Hodges Bethge Shares What's Next for the Brand

More Caribbean capacity and a renwed focus on the drive-to market are some of what's driving Celebrity's future plans.

Read...
OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
Trends in River Cruise, 2023
European Travel Trends 2023
Winning in The Tech Era: Essential Insights for Travel Advisors
View All
Advertiser's Voice
//services.travelsavers.com/AMGService.svc/REST/GetImage?ImageID=eab7b0d4-2e94-ee11-adc6-005056a855ed
Video: What Makes a Good Travel Advisor?
Riviera Box
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Packaged Travel |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Air |Training & Resources |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy