OnLine Like A Hooked Fish?

If it weren't for the internet, you wouldn't be reading this amazingly wonderful blog 'o mine, so I'm not going to tell you it's an evil medium. It's not, but as a new generation comes along who have grown up not knowing a pre-internet world, their comfort level can be naive when it comes to purchasing certain things online. Like travel, for example. Back in the 90's, people found all these travel websites saying "Biggest, Best, Cheapest, We're #1" and they figured it must be true, because it says so. Somebody out there in government is watching out for me, aren't they? Maybe, maybe not. As you see on numerous TV scam reports, there really is no such thing as The Internet Police, meaning there's no true accountability and no safety net, for do-it-yourselfers who think they are immune to being hornswaggled. Personally, I do a lot of my shopping on line for clothing items, books, and things I can hold in my hand. I always investigate a website first, see how long they've been around, and when I place my order I'd better have it in a timely manner or I get involved asking why not. Again, I only buy physical items , but I don't book services online, because I have no idea if I'll actually get that service....like travel.

Again in the 90's there was a cruise boom, where people felt they could go to websites and get a cheaper cruise fare. And because there were some huge discounters in the marketplace, there was a smidgen of truth to it, though success stories were still hit-and-miss. That changed about four years ago, when cruise lines realized these low-ball websites were diluting the value of their product. In turn, they forced all online vendors to advertise the same price. That put some of them out of business quickly, when they suddenly had no price advantage as a claim-to-fame. But others have hung in there, until the recent economic downturn started a domino effect on them as well. Here's how they have kept their market share, by creating a perception of lower rates, even when it's not true:

People call or email me asking my price on a cruise, and I give them the full, actual cost. It's amazing how many times I hear "Well, I saw a lower price on XYZ cruise website". That's a little trick of the website trade. They list their cruise rates in the initial online quote you see, and they include what's called port charges, so the consumer wrongly assumes that's the price. What they DON'T tell you (or show you initially) is they are not including additional government taxes (which can be as high as another $150-200), and they are also not including fuel supplements or surcharges (which can be as high as $15 per person per day). The only way to see the true final price online is to select the cruise, pick a cabin, fill out names and personal info, and keep clicking through more screens until you get to the one where they want your credit card. At that point, you truly see what the cruise costs, but by then most people figure "oh well, I guess this is the best deal." That's really not a good way to do business. When I quote somebody, I always quote the entire package price, period. Straightforward and professional. That's why my quote may appear higher than what you initially see online, but again the online cruise retailers have stayed afloat by creating this perception of value. It's bait-and-switch, if you think about it. Imagine you were buying a car and asked the salesman how much it is, and he says $15,000. Then when you're filling out the paperwork to buy it, the price is $20,000 and when asked about the price difference, he says "You DO want it with an engine, tires and seats don't you?" My thought is the engine, tires and seats pretty much make it a car in the first place! So why quote something lower, just to sucker the person in? That's not how we do business where I come from! When you ask for our help, we give you straight talk and accurate information. Not the bait-and-switch mentality that online cruise retailers thrive on.

Why the talk about online, you ask? Because of a startling announcement about one of the largest online cruise-only agencies in the US, Cruise Value Center. It appears they have literally closed their doors, and walked away. Over the last few days, worried clients of Cruise Value Center have come to realize they may be involved in something really big, and in fact the links on their website no longer work, either. The site is still up, but it's basically inoperable. Cruise Week's Special Edition today notes insider reports saying as much as $3 million dollars in customers' money never made it to the cruise lines! You're probably thinking "Boy, I hope those people were smart enough to buy trip insurance to cover that." Guess what. They thought they were smart enough. But now there are reports that an additional $1.5 million dollars in customers' insurance payments never made it to the insurer, either! Prime Travel Protection (the insurer for Cruise Value Center) has sent out a letter to over 1500 customers, explaining that their policies, believed to be in force by the consumer, were actually null and void, cancelled for non-payment by the online cruise company. That gets a big WOW across the board, but not in a good way. It's too soon to know all the details, but early indications are Cruise Value Center took these peoples' money and has now left them with no vacations, no money refunded, and no recourse other than through the judicial system. It ain't pretty, folks. Keep in mind, this was not a fly-by-night operation...they were one of the largest online cruise suppliers in the US. But when you're sending your money into cyberspace, you don't really know where it's going, or who it's going to, now do you?

Why am I telling you all this?

You're probably asking "Doesn't the agency you're affiliated with, Mann Travels, also have a website?" Yes we do, but here's the point. We have a website for customer convenience and contact, and people can make reservations online for certain air and land packages. But the website is only a small portion of what we do, and who we are! Unlike online retailers who have no storefront, just a call-center building somewhere in Podunk America, Mann Travels is a highly-respected American Express representative agency, being awarded Rep Excellence status every year of our partnership with them. Our Company has been privately owned by the same 2 people, Gary and Maxine Silverstein, for 30 years. We have physical office locations across North and South Carolina, where you can sit down and talk to an agent, if you prefer that type of contact to emails, dealing online or by phone. We are Premium Level with ASTA (the American Society of Travel Agents), and Top Account status with all the major cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Princess and Carnival to name a few. Back in the mid-90's we were actually Carnival's Worldwide Agency Of The Year! So there's a lot more to using our services, than those of a faceless website you really don't know anything about from a business or longevity standpoint. Also, because we're part of the American Express Network, we have access to group pricing on many travel packages, including cruises. Oftentimes our rates are significantly LOWER than the online retailers, too. Working with an established agency like Mann Travels is your personal guarantee of a successful vacation. It's called peace of mind, knowing you're booking your trip with a reputable, stable, long-term travel supplier. So keep those calls and quote requests coming, gang!

Here's an oddball story. Police in Florida arrested a Connecticut man recently, after he tried to steal communion wafers during a Catholic Church service. The Martin County Sheriff's Office said a 33-year-old man was cornered by fellow churchgoers, after he grabbed a handful of wafers from the priest during communion services Saturday. The Stuart News reported the man was being held down by six or seven offended parishioners when deputies arrived at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Jensen Beach. Police say 2 parishioners, age 82 and 61, received minor injuries in the scuffle. The man was charged with two counts of simple battery, theft and disruption of a religious assembly. He was being held Tuesday on $2,000 bond at the Martin County Jail.

Apparently he had not seen that a nearby Albertson's grocery store had Whole Grain Ritz crackers "buy one, get one free".....