NEW YORK -- Renaissance Cruises, in its latest act of mea culpa,
promised to give $1 million to ASTA's consumer awareness campaign
if Renaissance violates its pledge to pay agents a 10% commission
on all cruise components.
In a letter to ASTA dated July 3, Renaissance co-CEO Frank Del
Rio outlined 15 steps the Fort Lauderdale-based line plans to take
to regain the confidence of travel agents, including posting a $1
million bond that ASTA could use in its consumer awareness campaign
"in the event of a substantiated and uncured violation of [the]
pledge over the next 12 months."
Renaissance is also seeking to re-join ASTA and become a member
of CLIA, said Del Rio. Renaissance was expelled from ASTA in 1998
because of "its no commission policy and poor treatment of travel
agents," according to ASTA officials.
Renaissance has never been a CLIA member, but has recently
pursued discussions with the cruise-line association, said Del
Rio.
CLIA officials were unavailable for comment at presstime. ASTA's
by-laws bar any expelled organization from applying for
reinstatement in ASTA for three years (meaning Renaissance would
not be eligible to re-apply until May of 2001), but Del Rio said
Renaissance will "behave as if we were a member" in the future and
hope to win a waiver of the restriction against re-applying
immediately.
"We're going to look for a waiver based on hardship," he
joked.
In its letter to ASTA, Renaissance also pledged to pay travel
agent commission and overrides that are comparable to other cruise
lines, implement a comprehensive cancellation and travel insurance
program that's comparable to other cruise lines, and instruct its
sales force and visitors to its web site to suggest direct
inquirers purchase their cruises through their local travel
agent.
Del Rio also promised Renaissance will produce media
advertisements which will prominently feature the words "see your
travel agent," or a similar phase. ASTA officials called the move a
positive change in direction.
"Suppliers who change their minds have apologized before," said
ASTA president Joe Galloway. "This is not an apology but a
strategic shift that is being presented to all travel agents via
ASTA."