Why you can't believe website reviews

When I choose a place for my clients to stay I know I can trust the people I work with. As a travel agent I have a network of suppliers and agents who have checked and rated the properties they offer. However some folk will turn to websites such as Tripadvisor and Stayz before they book a property. How they can be sure the reviews on these websites are genuine is something that I have often wondered so I am not surprised to read in today's Sydney Morning Herald Travel section that 'Fake Tripadvisor reviewers face legal action'? After all what is to stop a competitor from posting a bad review? Nothing up until now it seems, but I also discovered that a group of 300 hotels is now taking legal action against the fake reviews.
Even Google allows reviews and who is to know whether they are genuine or not. Obviously hotels can check if the reviewer did actually stay at their establishment and if there were any complaints at the time, but they need to have the right of immediate reply.
When I travel I frequently take time to check out establishment for myself. When I was in Buenos Aires in April, I spent a day visiting and checking out 8 different establishments, apart from the one where I was staying. Armed with camera and a checklist of things I wanted to know that don't appear in brochures (outside noise, size of bedrooms and bathrooms, ambience of restaurants) it gives me an inside knowledge I can pass onto my clients.
Travel agents would like to see travellers respecting our knowledge of the industry and taking advantage of this knowledge when they book their travel - not just that of any Joe Blow who posts on an internet forum.

Australia's Cruise Season 2010-2011

The season is beginning... and this will be the biggest season ever for cruise ships coming and going from Australian ports. Sydney alone will see 132 cruise ships entering and leaving Sydney harbour in the months from October to the end of May.
From the many visits by the ships of Carnival Australia, which is Australia's largest cruise ship operator, to the once-only visit by the luxury German-owned Europa, Sydney Harbour is going to be welcoming cruise ships on an almost daily basis through the Spring, Summer and early Autumn of 2010 and 2011.
Below is a run-down of most of the visits. Many of these vessels will also visit other major ports around Australia, and some will also visit the smaller ports of Broome and Exmouth in Western Australia and Cairns and Burnie on the east coast.

In the six months from early October...
15 ships from Carnival cruises will visit the Australia-Pacific region
Cunard's Queens will visit in February. After visiting Fremantle and Adelaide Queen Elizabeth will rendezvous with Queen Mary 2 on February 22 to 23, 2011. Queen Mary 2 will then visit Melbourne on February 25 and Fremantle on Mar 1.
The new Seabourn Sojourn also visits Oz in February. She arrives in Hobart on February 3 and cruises up to Sydney, then on to Adelaide and Fremantle arriving on February 14.
Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas will arrive on 16th October and will cruise in and out of Sydney until April.
On her world voyage, Oriana will visit Sydney on 4th November.
Holland-America's Volendam arrives on November 5 and again on December 17 and January 2, cruising to New Zealand and the islands of the Pacific. Her sister ship, Amsterdam docks in Sydney on 13th November after visiting Darwin on November 4, then cruising through the Barrier Reef with visits to Cairns and Brisbane. This is part of her Grand Asia and Australia Voyage.
Regent is sending the Seven Seas Navigator to the Australia-Asia region this year. Her first visit to Australia is on 15th November.
Luxury liner Silver Shadow will arrive on 21st December, departing for New Zealand and returning on 19th Jan and 18th February.
German cruise ship Astor will arrive on 19th January
P&O's newest gem, Pacific Pearl, launching in Auckland on December 21 in will arrive in Sydney for her maiden visit on February 3.
Arcadia - sister ship of the Oriana - arrives on 12th February on her world cruise.
Five-star cruise ship Europa will make her only visit to Sydney this season on 15th February.
Asuka II, formerly the Crystal Harmony, will arrive on 15th February.
Amadea will leave Broome on February 11 and arrive in Sydney on February 25 after visiting Exmouth, Perth, Bunbury, Adelaide, Melbourne and Burnie.
Crystal Serenity arrives in Sydney on 27th February at the end of a 16-night cruise from New Zealand via Tasmania and Melbourne.
Silversea's newest vessel Silver Spirit will arrive in Sydney on 1st March as part of her inaugural World Cruise.
Saga Ruby arrives in Sydney on 3rd March, departing the same day to continue on her world cruise back to Southampton where she arrives on 24th April.
Albatros, sister ship to the Phoenix Reisen-owned Amadea, will arrive in Sydney on 4th April.
Hapag-Lloyd's Columbus, sister ship to the luxury Europa, arrives on 5th March departing next day for Bali.
To find out more about any of these ships, their itineraries and cabin availability call or call in at Mosman Cruise Centre!

Up to date on travel

"Secret" Dollar Discounts
Today we saw the benefits of our rising Aussie – a cruise fare we found for a client that could be paid in Aussie dollars or if the client had chosen to pay in US dollars… with the US dollar rate converting to a lower total price than the Aussie fare! If this all sounds like double-dutch to you, come in and see what we can do for you on cruise pricing.

Schmoozing the Cruisers
World Cruising Day is happening this week – it’s a major promotion by the cruise industry to encourage forward bookings. Seasoned cruise clients know that the best cruises sell fast. In fact the very best sell “from the top down” – the top-category cabins selling out early.
There is a stack of bargain offers – Regent, Silversea, Crystal, Cunard, Seabourn and The World – plus the top-rated small ships such as Orion, Prince Albert II, True North, Clipper Odyssey . Check the travel sections, check the internet, then check with us! We will make every effort to ensure you’ll be glad you did.

Fasten Your Saddles?
The worst recent travel news was the release of new aircraft seats designed like a saddle. The passenger sit-stands, and the airline can pack more rows into the plane. We would hate to know that any of our clients was travelling this way.
If it doesn’t sound like fun to you consider…
Premium Economy on Qantas: book before the 26^th October and you may fly to major capitals in greater comfort from $2999 including taxes, no booking fee – call us for details. (Fares and departure dates vary.)
Contact me - martin@travelchoice.com.au for more info on any of this!