Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines recent take on card mills

Here's an excerpt from a RCL news release:

"ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S three brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity and Azamara, began terminating their business relationships with "certain travel-related companies that we have concluded are in the card mill business." The lines said they took the action in an effort to prevent a "growing and troubling trend within the travel industry." They noted that card mills offer consumers the ability to become a "travel agent" or to receive travel agent credentials with little or no professional training or certification. Such action, they said, can lead to "negative consumer experiences" that undermine the integrity and business reputations of accredited and certified travel agents. The three lines are encouraging legitimate, independent agents to become affiliated with an accredited host agency or to register on their agent Web site, www.cruisingpower.com."

I'll talk more about the agency and "host agency" concepts in a later blog.

Stay tuned!