U.S. patent application number 09/728702 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-02 for systems and methods of on-line booking of cruises.
Invention is credited to Bastnagel, Maryann, Berk, Byron J., Burkard, Anne D., Carpenter, Michael A., Christen, Holley S., Codd, Tracey Lee, Colangelo, Paul, Cox, Mitch, DeLand, Joanell U., DelPino, George, Delva, Joelle S., Elenberger, Maureen J., Elliott, Todd, Everhart-Brooks, Sharon, Ewart, Vivian D., Ferguson, Bradley, Fessenden, Timothy, Fitton, Paul, Forman, David A., Helms, Kevin, Hintz, Samuel L., Huff, Wallace C., Judy, Elizabeth K., Klotz, Irwin D., Kurk, Courtney W.T., Leslie, Keith J., Levy, Sandi B., Locicero, Fred, Loiselle, Vance M., Luna, Charlotte A., Moorhead, Timothy M., Nickerson, Jeffrey A., Porter, Nancy, Quintana, Adolf, Reynolds, Karen J., Rodriguez, Elena M., Scanlon, Monica, Schiff, Martin R., Sherota, Michael T., Sussman-Wiles, Kathleen M., Tolle, Dot.
Application Number | 20030004760 09/728702 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22613292 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030004760 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schiff, Martin R. ; et
al. |
January 2, 2003 |
Systems and methods of on-line booking of cruises
Abstract
In one embodiment, systems and methods for on-line selling and
booking of cruises enable a plurality of customers, agents, and
cruise lines to interact with a cruise selling and booking system
via communication mediums. An interactive tool is provided for
compiling, reviewing, and processing information obtained from the
cruise lines, customers, and agents. Customers and/or agents may
search for and compare various cruise packages to find a cruise
that best suits the customer needs and desires.
Inventors: |
Schiff, Martin R.; (Coral
Springs, FL) ; Sussman-Wiles, Kathleen M.; (Miami
Beach, FL) ; Ewart, Vivian D.; (Davie, FL) ;
Huff, Wallace C.; (Dresser, WI) ; Berk, Byron J.;
(Northborough, MA) ; Elenberger, Maureen J.;
(Concord, MA) ; Fessenden, Timothy; (Waltham,
MA) ; Fitton, Paul; (Hollis, NH) ; Loiselle,
Vance M.; (Bolton, MA) ; Carpenter, Michael A.;
(Loxahatchee, FL) ; Sherota, Michael T.; (Davie,
FL) ; Judy, Elizabeth K.; (Marina Del Rey, CA)
; Rodriguez, Elena M.; (Miami, FL) ; Christen,
Holley S.; (Syracuse, NY) ; Cox, Mitch;
(Orlando, FL) ; Elliott, Todd; (Orlando, FL)
; Helms, Kevin; (Orlando, FL) ; Quintana,
Adolf; (Alamonte Springs, FL) ; Tolle, Dot;
(Casselberry, FL) ; Porter, Nancy; (St. Cloud,
FL) ; Reynolds, Karen J.; (Orlando, FL) ;
Scanlon, Monica; (New York, NY) ; Colangelo,
Paul; (Airmont, NY) ; Codd, Tracey Lee; (Pt.
Charlotte, FL) ; DeLand, Joanell U.; (Clay, NY)
; Moorhead, Timothy M.; (Syracuse, NY) ; Burkard,
Anne D.; (Delray Beach, FL) ; DelPino, George;
(Coral Springs, FL) ; Delva, Joelle S.; (Miami,
FL) ; Everhart-Brooks, Sharon; (Boca Raton, FL)
; Ferguson, Bradley; (Boca Raton, FL) ; Forman,
David A.; (Deerfield Beach, FL) ; Hintz, Samuel
L.; (Coral Springs, FL) ; Klotz, Irwin D.;
(Boca Raton, FL) ; Kurk, Courtney W.T.; (Miami
Beach, FL) ; Leslie, Keith J.; (Plantation, FL)
; Levy, Sandi B.; (Deerfield Beach, FL) ;
Locicero, Fred; (Smithtown, NY) ; Luna, Charlotte
A.; (Boca Raton, FL) ; Nickerson, Jeffrey A.;
(Coconut Creek, FL) ; Bastnagel, Maryann;
(Rockville, MD) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KNOBBE MARTENS OLSON & BEAR LLP
2040 MAIN STREET
FOURTEENTH FLOOR
IRVINE
CA
92614
US
|
Family ID: |
22613292 |
Appl. No.: |
09/728702 |
Filed: |
December 1, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60168871 |
Dec 3, 1999 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/02 20130101;
G06Q 30/0241 20130101; G06Q 30/0283 20130101; G06Q 30/0607
20130101; G06Q 50/14 20130101; G06Q 10/02 20130101; G06Q 30/06
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/5 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for selling and booking cruise packages utilizing a web
browser program to electronically communicate with a cruise service
web server via a data communications network, the method
comprising: utilizing the web browser program to log onto the
cruise service web server over the data communications network;
submitting to the cruise service web server customer profile
information relating to a customer; submitting to the cruise
service web server customer sailing preference information relating
to the customer; receiving a set of cruise sailings in a first
electronic document from the cruise service web server that relate
to the customer sailing preference information; selecting a
plurality of cruise sailings from the set of cruise sailings;
submitting the plurality of cruise sailings to the cruise service
web site; receiving detailed cruise information in a second
electronic document form the cruise service web server relating to
the plurality of cruise sailings; interactively comparing the
detailed cruise information; submitting a booking request for one
of the plurality of cruise sailings to the cruise service web site;
and receiving a booking confirmation from the cruise service web
site.
2. A cruise booking system implemented in a web server environment
wherein a plurality of remote users use web browser programs to
electronically communicate with the cruise booking system via a
data communications network that provides information for a
plurality of cruise sailings and facilitates booking of cruises,
the cruise booking system comprising: a customer database
configured to electronically store customer data; a cruise line
database configured to electronically store cruise line data; a
customer management program module configured to track and manage
information relating to a plurality of customers in the customer
database; a cruise information program module configured to search
for and provide information about requested cruise sailings in the
cruise line database; and a cruise booking program module
configured to book reservations for a selected cruise sailing.
3. The cruise booking system of claim 2 further comprising: an
agent database configured to electronically store agent data; an
agent management program module configured to track and manage a
plurality of agents and their relationships with the plurality of
customers.
4. The cruise booking system of claim 3 wherein the agent
management program module is further configured to determine
whether an agent has ownership over a specified customer.
5. The cruise booking system of claim 3 wherein the agent
management program module is further configured to determine which
agent, if any, has ownership over a customer.
6. The cruise booking system of claim 3 wherein the agent
management program module is further configured to determine
commission for the plurality of agents based at least upon the
relationship between the plurality of agents and the plurality of
customers.
7. The cruise booking system of claim 2 further comprising: a rate
options program module configured to retrieve and display rates
options for a selected cruise sailing.
8. The cruise booking system of claim 2 further comprising: a
pricing display program module configured to construct an
electronic price matrix of information from the cruise line
information database illustrating rates for cabin categories of a
cruise sailing.
9. The cruise booking system of claim 2 further comprising: a
compare display program module configured to construct a
side-by-side, multi-window electronic display of at least two
cruise packages where the at least two cruise packages may be
compared at the same time.
10. The cruise booking system of claim 2 further comprising: a
payment program module configured to receive and process payment
requests.
11. The cruise booking system of claim 10 wherein the payment
program module is further configured to send payment information to
an external banking system.
12. The cruise booking system of claim 2, wherein the cruise
information program module is further configured to determine
available fares by querying a computerized reservation system to
determine the availability of the requested cruise sailings.
13. The cruise booking system of claim 2, wherein the cruise
information program module is further configured to receive
information about a plurality of cruise lines, to convert the
information into a common format, and to electronically display the
converted information in the common format.
14. The cruise booking system of claim 2, wherein the cruise
information program module is further configured to retrieve cruise
pricing data from a computerized reservation system.
15. The cruise booking system of claim 2, wherein the cruise
information program module is further configured to retrieve cruise
pricing data from a contract database.
16. The cruise booking system of claim 2, wherein the cruise
booking program module is further configured to reserve a cruise
cabin by contacting a computerized reservation system to verify the
availability of the cruise cabin and to book the cruise cabin.
17. A method for booking cruises utilizing a cruise web server
environment to electronically communicate with a plurality of
remote users using web browser programs, the method comprising:
receiving a range of search criteria from a remote user's web
browser; obtaining cruise package information that relates to the
range of search criteria; sending cruise package information to the
remote user's web browser program; receiving a selected cruise
package from the remote user's web browser program; and booking the
selected cruise package.
18. In a network comprising a user node having a browser program
coupled to the network, the user node providing requests for
information on the network, a network node comprising: a cruise
booking node responsive to a request from the user node to return
cruise package information that relates to a range of search
criteria and a request from the user node to book a selected cruise
package from the user node.
19. A system for booking cruises, the system comprising: an
electronic data structure of cruise package information wherein the
cruise package information includes information from a plurality of
cruise lines; a first program module configured to receive requests
for cruise package information; a second program module configured
to obtain cruise package information from the data structure based
at least upon a search request; a third program module configured
to prepare cruise package information for electronic display; a
fourth program module configured to output cruise package
information for electronic display; and a fifth program module
configured to book a cruise package based at least upon a booking
request.
20. In a computer system that implements a web site that is
accessible to a community of travel agents using web browser
programs to communicate via a data communications network, a method
of assisting the community of travel agents in selling cruises to a
plurality of customers, the method comprising: receiving an
customer identifier from a travel agent's web browser program,
wherein the customer identifier represents a customer; using the
customer identifier to retrieve from an electronic customer
database corresponding customer information; receiving customer
preferences from the travel agent's web browser program, wherein
the customer preferences include at least one of the customer's
preferred dates of travel, preferred cruise destination, or
preferred cruise line supplier; using least one of the customer
preferences or the customer information to retrieve from an
electronic cruise sailing database a set of potential cruise
packages; transmitting the set of potential cruise packages to the
travel agent's web browser program, wherein the set of potential
cruise packages are viewable in a first electronic web document;
receiving an electronic identifier representing a selected cruise
package from the travel agent's web browser program, wherein the
selected cruise package is chosen from the set of potential cruise
packages; and booking the customer on the selected cruise
package.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising: receiving an agent
identifier from the travel agent's web browser program, wherein the
identifier represents the travel agent; and determining and
recording within an electronic travel agent database compensation
for the travel agent for the booking.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein transmitting the set of
potential cruise packages to the travel agent for presentation to
the customer further comprises: receiving a set of selected pricing
categories from the travel agent's web browser program; using the
selected pricing categories to query the electronic cruise sailing
database for a set of cruise packages pricing information related
to the selected pricing categories; and transmitting the set of
cruise package pricing information to the travel agent's web
browser program in a set of pricing matrices viewable in a second
electronic web document, wherein the set of pricing matrices are
organized by cruise sailing and pricing categories.
23. The method of claim 20, wherein transmitting the set of
potential cruise packages to the travel agent's web browser for
presentation to the customer further comprises: transmitting a
side-by-side comparison viewable in a third electronic web
document, wherein the travel agent may select at least two of the
set of potential cruise packages to be presented in the
side-by-side comparison display for direct comparison viewable in a
fourth electronic web document.
24. In a computer system that implements a web site that is
accessible to a community of customers using web browser programs
to communicate via a data communications network, a method of
assisting the community of customers in selecting and booking
cruises, the method comprising: receiving a customer identifier
from a customer's web browser program; using the customer
identifier to retrieve from an electronic customer database
corresponding customer information; receiving customer preferences
from the customer's web browser program, wherein the customer
preferences include at least one of the customer's preferred dates
of travel, preferred cruise destination, or preferred cruise line
supplier; using least one of the customer preferences or the
customer information to retrieve from an electronic cruise sailing
database a set of potential cruise packages; transmitting the set
of potential cruise packages for display in a web document to the
customer's web browser program; receiving an electronic identifier
representing a selected cruise package from the customer's web
browser program, wherein the selected cruise package is chosen from
the set of potential cruise packages; and booking the customer on
the selected cruise package.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein transmitting the set of
potential cruise packages to the customer's web browser program
further comprises: transmitting a side-by-side comparison display
for display in the web document, wherein the customer may select at
least two of the set of potential cruise packages to be presented
in the side-by-side comparison display for direct comparison.
26. A system for selling cruises to a customer implemented in a web
server environment wherein a plurality of remote users utilize web
browser programs to electronically communicate with the system via
a data communications network, the system comprising: a cruise
search software module configured to receive a set of customer
preferences from a remote user's web browser program, to search for
a set of cruise packages based on at least the set of customer
preferences, and to transmit the set of cruise packages to the
user's web browser program; and a reservation software module
configured to receive a reservation request from the user's web
browser program, wherein the reservation request is selected from
the set of cruise packages, and to reserve a cruise package
corresponding to the reservation request.
27. The system of claim 26 further comprising: a customer
management software module configured to receive a customer
identifier related to the set of customer preferences and to
maintain a record of the set of customer set of preferences
organized by at least the customer identifier.
28. The system of claim 26 further comprising: a server software
module configured to transmit data between the user's web browser
program and the system and wherein the server software module is in
communication with at least the preferences software module, the
cruise search software module, the cruise comparison software
module, the reservation software module, and the cruise booking
software module.
29. The system of claim 26 further wherein the user is a travel
agent.
30. The system of claim 26 further wherein the user is a
customer.
31. A computer-implemented system which implements a computer
program wherein remote users search for cruise package information
and book cruises over an electronic communications network, the
system comprising: a customer management software system configured
to manage customer bookings and track customer preferences; an
agent management software system configured to track travel agent
interaction with customer accounts and determine and maintain
records of compensation for the respective travel agents for
successful customer bookings; and a cruise line management software
system configured to maintain information on a plurality of cruise
sailings wherein the information on the plurality of cruise
sailings is used by the customer management software system to
manage customer bookings and track customer preferences.
32. The system of claim 31 further comprising: a booking software
system configured to maintain information on customer bookings.
33. In a computer system that implements web browser programs that
are capable of accessing a remote cruise booking web site, a method
of assisting a community of travel agents utilizing the web browser
programs to select and book cruises via electronic communication
with the remote cruise booking web site, the method comprising:
submitting an electronic customer identifier to the remote cruise
booking web site, wherein the customer identifier represents a
customer; determining customer preferences wherein the customer
preferences represent preferred cruise sailing information;
submitting an electronic representation of the customer preferences
to the remote cruise booking web site; receiving a set of potential
cruise packages formatted for display in a first electronic web
document from the remote cruise booking web site; submitting an
electronic cruise package identifier representing a selected cruise
package to the remote cruise booking web site, wherein the selected
cruise package is chosen from the set of potential cruise packages;
and submitting a booking request to the remote cruise booking web
site.
34. The method of claim 33 further comprising: receiving a set of
pricing categories formatted for display in a second electronic web
document from the remote cruise booking web site; selecting at
least one of the set of pricing categories; submitting at least one
electronic pricing category identifier representing the at least
one of the set of pricing categories; receiving a set of cruise
package pricing information related to the at least one of the set
of pricing categories formatted for display in a third electronic
web document; and using the set of cruise package pricing
information to assist the customer in selecting the appropriate
cruise package.
35. In a computer system that implements a web browser program that
is capable of accessing a remote cruise booking web site via an
electronic communications network, a method of assisting customers
in selecting and booking cruises, the method comprising: submitting
a customer identifier to the remote cruise booking web site;
determining customer preferences wherein the customer preferences
represent preferred cruise sailing information; submitting customer
preferences to the remote cruise booking web site; receiving a set
of potential cruise packages from the cruise booking web site for
display in a first web document; submitting a selected cruise
package electronic identifier to the remote cruise booking web
site, wherein the selected cruise package is chosen from the set of
potential cruise packages; and submitting a booking request to the
remote cruise booking web site.
36. A system for selling cruises to a customer implemented as part
of a cruise web server environment wherein a plurality of remote
users communicate with the system via a data communications network
utilizing web browser programs, the system comprising: a
preferences programming module configured to receive a set of
customer preferences from a remote user's web browser program; a
cruise search programming module configured to search for cruises
based on at least the set of customer preferences and to return a
set of cruise packages to the remote user's web browser program; a
cruise comparison programming module configured to format and
transmit the set of cruise packages to the remote user' web browser
program; a reservation programming module configured to receive a
reservation request from the remote user's web browser program
wherein the reservation request is selected from the set of cruise
packages; and a cruise booking programming module configured to
reserve a cruise package corresponding to the reservation
request.
37. A method for selling and booking cruise packages utilizing a
web browser program to electronically communicate with a cruise
service web server via a data communications network, the method
comprising: means for utilizing the web browser program to log onto
the cruise service web server over the data communications network;
means for submitting to the cruise service web server customer
profile information relating to a customer; means for submitting to
the cruise service web server customer sailing preference
information relating to the customer; means for receiving a set of
cruise sailings for display in a first electronic document that
relate to the customer sailing preference information; means for
selecting a plurality of cruise sailings from the set of cruise
sailings; means for submitting the plurality of cruise sailings to
the cruise service web server; means for receiving detailed cruise
information for display in a second electronic document relating to
the plurality of cruise sailings; means for interactively comparing
the detailed cruise information; means for submitting a booking
request for one of the plurality of cruise sailings to the cruise
service web server; and means for receiving a booking confirmation
from the cruise service web server.
38. A method for booking cruises utilizing a cruise web server
environment to electronically communicate with a plurality of
remote users using web browser programs, the method comprising:
means for receiving a range of search criteria from the remote
user's web browser program; means for obtaining cruise package
information that relates to the range of search criteria; means for
sending cruise package information to the remote user's web
browser; means for receiving a selected cruise package from the
remote user's web browser program; and means for booking the
selected cruise package.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 60/168,871 filed Dec. 3, 1999, the disclosure of
which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present systems and methods relate to on-line booking of
cruises and in particular concern applications designed to
facilitate cruise price comparisons, reservations, booking, and
customer management by travel agents as well as individual
customers.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The growth of the cruise industry has created an increase in
the number of passenger cruise lines that sail each year. Each
cruise line offers a variety of sailings that vary depending on
destination, travel date, cruise ship, cabin category, cabin room,
and so forth. While such variety is appealing to potential
customers, finding the cruise package that best fits the customer's
preferences and budget is often difficult.
[0004] One of the most daunting tasks for a travel agent is keeping
track of all of the available cruise sailings. The large amount of
information pertaining to each sailing combined with constantly
changing information such as pricing and availability makes
managing the cruise sailing data very difficult. In addition, each
cruise line tends to use its own format for categorizing, storing,
and accessing cruise data. Commonly, travel agents choose to work
with a select number of the major cruise lines and avoid offering
travel packages from the smaller or less familiar cruise lines
limiting the customer's choices. In many instances, customers must
call several different travel agents to compile a complete set of
cruise options which is time-consuming and frustrating for the
customer and burdensome for the travel agents.
[0005] Another common problem is that travel agents do not offer
generic cruise packages, but instead spend large amounts of time
determining the preferences of each individual customer. A travel
agent spends, on average, well over one hour with each customer to
find cruises that match the customer's preferences taking into
account, for example, past cruise bookings and individual
preferences. To actually complete a cruise booking transaction, it
takes an average of ten to fifteen phone calls wherein the travel
agent is constantly contacting the customers and the cruise lines.
This process can take several weeks, and on many occasions, the
customer may decide not to book the cruise. Historically, travel
agents have been unable to track and manage this customer
information. For example, if a customer decides not to book a
cruise, but calls back a week later, the travel agent has to rely
on his notes to recall the customer's preferences, the cruise
packages they discussed, the quotes given to the customer, and so
forth.
[0006] Another limiting factor of conventional approaches is that
separate computer systems are typically required to complete
transactions between the travel agents, their customers, and the
various cruise lines. For example, one system may provide an
interface between the cruise line and the agent, another may allow
the agent to process cruise payments, and another may collect
standard contact information from the customer. In addition, many
of the cruse lines require travel agents to purchase or lease a
dedicated computer system that will allow the travel agents to
directly tie into and communicate with the specific cruise line.
Most of these "proprietary" computer systems use highly archaic
programs that have a poorly designed interface. Acquisition of the
cumbersome systems is a costly endeavor for small scale travel
agencies that may not have enough business to support many of the
major cruise lines' systems. Also, these systems are limited in
expandability, are difficult to keep updated, and may become legacy
systems (outdated) the day that they are installed. A further
problem with such systems is that they typically incorporate
information from a single or a limited number of cruise lines. This
results in the travel agent having to purchase or lease different
computer systems and software packages to have access to multiple
sets of cruise line information increasing the travel agent's costs
which typically must be passed onto the customer.
[0007] Another difficulty with conventional approaches is that they
fail to factor in customer flexibility. For some customers, the
price may be negotiable; for others, the dates of travel may be
adjusted. Such flexibility is often ignored and only those cruises
that meet a rigid set of criteria are typically presented to the
customer. For example, a customer may prefer a cruise to Alaska
departing on specific date. The customer may, however, be
interested in other cruises to Alaska that depart before or after
the specific date. Moreover, the customer may also want to know
about the "special discount" cruise to Hawaii departing during the
same time and for the same price. Finding cruise packages that only
fall within a rigid set of criteria leave many cruise packages
ignored, even though the cruise packages may be of interest to the
customer.
[0008] Another common problem is that the large number of options
makes it difficult to compare accurately various cruise packages.
The customer may find prices for competing cruise packages, but
unless the customer knows the exact details of each cruise package,
it is difficult for the customer to figure out which cruise package
is the "best deal." For example, suppose X offers a cruise to
Panama for $3000 and Y offers a similar cruise to Panama for $2800.
Y appears to be a better deal until the customer learns that X's
price is for the Presidential Suite and Y's price is for a Fourth
Class cabin. The many different categories of cruise cabin levels
further exacerbate these problems. For example, a single cruise
ship may have eight to ten different cabin categories. In addition,
other options such as special promotions may also affect the
comparison. For example, X may offer a "special" senior citizen
rate of $1700 for a cruise to Panama with lodging in a First Class
cabin. Such a promotion may be of interest to customers that
qualify for the special rate. Cabin category levels and special
promotions are just two of many factors that are part of cruise
packages. As more and more factors are considered, comparing cruise
packages becomes increasingly more complex, thus making a
comprehensive comparison of all available cruise choices to a
particular destination a daunting task even for a seasoned travel
agent.
[0009] Thus, travel agents are required to rely on expensive,
outdated, and proprietary systems, telephone and facsimile
communication, as well as separate customer management systems to
sell and book cruises.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] One embodiment of the present invention is a method for
selling and booking cruise packages utilizing a web browser program
to electronically communicate with a cruise service web server via
a data communications network. The method comprises utilizing the
web browser program to log onto the cruise service web server over
the data communications network, submitting to the cruise service
web server customer profile information relating to a customer, and
submitting to the cruise service web server customer sailing
preference information relating to the customer. The method also
comprises receiving a set of cruise sailings in a first electronic
document from the cruise service web server that relate to the
customer sailing preference information, selecting a plurality of
cruise sailings from the set of cruise sailings, and submitting the
plurality of cruise sailings to the cruise service web site. The
method further comprises receiving detailed cruise information in a
second electronic document form the cruise service web server
relating to the plurality of cruise sailings, interactively
comparing the detailed cruise information, submitting a booking
request for one of the plurality of cruise sailings to the cruise
service web site, and receiving a booking confirmation from the
cruise service web site.
[0011] Another embodiment of the present invention is a cruise
booking system implemented in a web server environment wherein a
plurality of remote users use web browser programs to
electronically communicate with the cruise booking system via a
data communications network that provides information for a
plurality of cruise sailings and facilitates booking of cruises.
The cruise booking system comprises a customer database configured
to electronically store customer data, a cruise line database
configured to electronically store cruise line data, and a customer
management program module configured to track and manage
information relating to a plurality of customers in the customer
database. The cruise booking system also comprises a cruise
information program module configured to search for and provide
information about requested cruise sailings in the cruise line
database and a cruise booking program module configured to book
reservations for a selected cruise sailing.
[0012] An additional embodiment of the present invention is a
method for booking cruises utilizing a cruise web server
environment to electronically communicate with a plurality of
remote users using web browser programs. The method comprises
receiving a range of search criteria from a remote user's web
browser, obtaining cruise package information that relates to the
range of search criteria, and sending cruise package information to
the remote user's web browser program. The method further comprises
receiving a selected cruise package from the remote user's web
browser program and booking the selected cruise package.
[0013] Another embodiment of the present invention is a network
node in a network comprising a user node having a browser program
coupled to the network, the user node providing requests for
information on the network. The network node comprises a cruise
booking node responsive to a request from the user node to return
cruise package information that relates to a range of search
criteria and a request from the user node to book a selected cruise
package from the user node.
[0014] An additional embodiment of the present invention is a
system for booking cruises. The system comprises an electronic data
structure of cruise package information wherein the cruise package
information includes information from a plurality of cruise lines,
a first program module configured to receive requests for cruise
package information, and a second program module configured to
obtain cruise package information from the data structure based at
least upon a search request. The system also comprises a third
program module configured to prepare cruise package information for
electronic display, a fourth program module configured to output
cruise package information for electronic display, and a fifth
program module configured to book a cruise package based at least
upon a booking request.
[0015] Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of
assisting the community of travel agents in selling cruises to a
plurality of customers in a computer system that implements a web
site that is accessible to a community of travel agents using web
browser programs to communicate via a data communications network.
The method comprises receiving an customer identifier from a travel
agent's web browser program, wherein the customer identifier
represents a customer, using the customer identifier to retrieve
from an electronic customer database corresponding customer
information, and receiving customer preferences from the travel
agent's web browser program, wherein the customer preferences
include at least one of the customer's preferred dates of travel,
preferred cruise destination, or preferred cruise line supplier.
The method also comprises using least one of the customer
preferences or the customer information to retrieve from an
electronic cruise sailing database a set of potential cruise
packages, transmitting the set of potential cruise packages to the
travel agent's web browser program, wherein the set of potential
cruise packages are viewable in a first electronic web document,
and receiving an electronic identifier representing a selected
cruise package from the travel agent's web browser program, wherein
the selected cruise package is chosen from the set of potential
cruise packages. The method further comprises booking the customer
on the selected cruise package.
[0016] An additional embodiment of the present invention is a
method of assisting the community of customers in selecting and
booking cruises in a computer system that implements a web site
that is accessible to a community of customers using web browser
programs to communicate via a data communications network. The
method comprises receiving a customer identifier from a customer's
web browser program, using the customer identifier to retrieve from
an electronic customer database corresponding customer information,
and receiving customer preferences from the customer's web browser
program, wherein the customer preferences include at least one of
the customer's preferred dates of travel, preferred cruise
destination, or preferred cruise line supplier. The method also
comprises using least one of the customer preferences or the
customer information to retrieve from an electronic cruise sailing
database a set of potential cruise packages and transmitting the
set of potential cruise packages for display in a web document to
the customer's web browser program. The method further comprises
receiving an electronic identifier representing a selected cruise
package from the customer's web browser program, wherein the
selected cruise package is chosen from the set of potential cruise
packages and booking the customer on the selected cruise
package.
[0017] Another embodiment of the present invention is a system for
selling cruises to a customer implemented in a web server
environment wherein a plurality of remote users utilize web browser
programs to electronically communicate with the system via a data
communications network. The system comprises a cruise search
software module configured to receive a set of customer preferences
from a remote user's web browser program, to search for a set of
cruise packages based on at least the set of customer preferences,
and to transmit the set of cruise packages to the user's web
browser program; and a reservation software module configured to
receive a reservation request from the user's web browser program,
wherein the reservation request is selected from the set of cruise
packages, and to reserve a cruise package corresponding to the
reservation request.
[0018] An additional embodiment of the present invention is a
computer-implemented system which implements a computer program
wherein remote users search for cruise package information and book
cruises over an electronic communications network. The system
comprises a customer management software system configured to
manage customer bookings and track customer preferences, an agent
management software system configured to track travel agent
interaction with customer accounts and determine and maintain
records of compensation for the respective travel agents for
successful customer bookings, and a cruise line management software
system configured to maintain information on a plurality of cruise
sailings wherein the information on the plurality of cruise
sailings is used by the customer management software system to
manage customer bookings and track customer preferences.
[0019] Another embodiment of the present invention is a method of
assisting a community of travel agents utilizing the web browser
programs to select and book cruises via electronic communication
with the remote cruise booking web site in a computer system that
implements web browser programs that are capable of accessing a
remote cruise booking web site. The method comprises submitting an
electronic customer identifier to the remote cruise booking web
site, wherein the customer identifier represents a customer,
determining customer preferences wherein the customer preferences
represent preferred cruise sailing information, and submitting an
electronic representation of the customer preferences to the remote
cruise booking web site. The method also comprises receiving a set
of potential cruise packages formatted for display in a first
electronic web document from the remote cruise booking web site,
submitting an electronic cruise package identifier representing a
selected cruise package to the remote cruise booking web site,
wherein the selected cruise package is chosen from the set of
potential cruise packages, and submitting a booking request to the
remote cruise booking web site.
[0020] An additional embodiment of the present invention is a
method of assisting customers in selecting and booking cruises in a
computer system that implements a web browser program that is
capable of accessing a remote cruise booking web site via an
electronic communications network. The method comprises submitting
a customer identifier to the remote cruise booking web site,
determining customer preferences wherein the customer preferences
represent preferred cruise sailing information, and submitting
customer preferences to the remote cruise booking web site. The
method also comprises receiving a set of potential cruise packages
from the cruise booking web site for display in a first web
document, submitting a selected cruise package electronic
identifier to the remote cruise booking web site, wherein the
selected cruise package is chosen from the set of potential cruise
packages, and submitting a booking request to the remote cruise
booking web site.
[0021] Another embodiment of the present invention is a system for
selling cruises to a customer implemented as part of a cruise web
server environment wherein a plurality of remote users communicate
with the system via a data communications network utilizing web
browser programs. The system comprises a preferences programming
module configured to receive a set of customer preferences from a
remote user's web browser program, a cruise search programming
module configured to search for cruises based on at least the set
of customer preferences and to return a set of cruise packages to
the remote user's web browser program, and a cruise comparison
programming module configured to format and transmit the set of
cruise packages to the remote user' web browser program. The system
also comprises a reservation programming module configured to
receive a reservation request from the remote user's web browser
program wherein the reservation request is selected from the set of
cruise packages and a cruise booking programming module configured
to reserve a cruise package corresponding to the reservation
request.
[0022] An additional embodiment of the present invention is a
method for selling and booking cruise packages utilizing a web
browser program to electronically communicate with a cruise service
web server via a data communications network. The method comprises
means for utilizing the web browser program to log onto the cruise
service web server over the data communications network, means for
submitting to the cruise service web server customer profile
information relating to a customer, and means for submitting to the
cruise service web server customer sailing preference information
relating to the customer. The method also comprises means for
receiving a set of cruise sailings for display in a first
electronic document that relate to the customer sailing preference
information, means for selecting a plurality of cruise sailings
from the set of cruise sailings, and means for submitting the
plurality of cruise sailings to the cruise service web server. The
method further comprises means for receiving detailed cruise
information for display in a second electronic document relating to
the plurality of cruise sailings, means for interactively comparing
the detailed cruise information, means for submitting a booking
request for one of the plurality of cruise sailings to the cruise
service web server, and means for receiving a booking confirmation
from the cruise service web server.
[0023] Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for
booking cruises utilizing a cruise web server environment to
electronically communicate with a plurality of remote users using
web browser programs. The method comprises means for receiving a
range of search criteria from the remote user's web browser
program, means for obtaining cruise package information that
relates to the range of search criteria, and means for sending
cruise package information to the remote user's web browser. The
method also comprises means for receiving a selected cruise package
from the remote user's web browser program and means for booking
the selected cruise package.
[0024] For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects,
advantages, and novel features of the invention are described
herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such
advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular
embodiment of the invention. Those skilled in the art will
recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a
manner that achieves one advantage or a group of advantages as
taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may
be taught or suggested herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] These and other features will now be described with
reference to the drawings summarized below. These drawings and the
associated description are provided to illustrate embodiments of
the invention, and not to limit the scope of the invention.
Throughout the drawings, reference numbers are re-used to indicate
correspondence between referenced elements. In addition, the first
digit of each reference number indicates the figure in which the
element first appears.
[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates a high-level block diagram of one
embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 2A illustrates a high-level block diagram of one
embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 2B illustrates a high-level block diagram of an
additional embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 3A illustrates a high-level block diagram of one
embodiment of cruise selling and booking system.
[0030] FIG. 3B illustrates a high-level block diagram of an
additional embodiment of cruise selling and booking system.
[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of one embodiment of the
cruise selling and booking process.
[0032] FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a main menu
display.
[0033] FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a customer search
display.
[0034] FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a qualification
display.
[0035] FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a pricing and
availability display.
[0036] FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a rate option
display.
[0037] FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a price matrix
display.
[0038] FIG. 11 illustrates one embodiment of a compare display.
[0039] FIG. 12 illustrates one embodiment of a cruise booking
worksheet display.
[0040] FIG. 13 illustrates one embodiment of a reservation
information display.
[0041] FIG. 14 illustrates one embodiment of a payment information
display.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0042] The present invention relates to systems and methods for
on-line selling and booking of cruises. FIG. 1 illustrates one
embodiment of the invention wherein a plurality of customers,
agents, and cruise lines interact with a cruise selling and booking
system 110 via communication mediums 120 such as the Internet 425.
Cruise lines may interact directly with the cruise selling and
booking system 110 and/or via a cruise line interface system 130
that stores information for one or more cruise lines. The cruise
selling and booking system 110 in the illustrated embodiment
provides an interactive tool for compiling, reviewing, and
processing information obtained from the cruise lines, customers,
and agents. The customer may obtain information about the cruise
lines utilizing components of the cruise selling and booking system
110 directly or through interaction with an agent. The customer is
thus able to find information about various cruises packages and to
book a cruise package either with or without the interaction of an
agent utilizing a series of resources as will be discussed in
greater detail below and illustrated in subsequent figures.
[0043] I. On-Line Booking of Cruises
[0044] An overview of one embodiment of a cruise selling and
booking system 110 is shown in FIG. 2A. In the exemplary system, a
customer contacts an agent via a telephone and the agent uses a
computer (hereinafter "agent computer 240") to connect to the
Internet 125 and to communicate with the cruise selling and booking
system 110. In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking
system 110 includes a server component 210, a cruise selling and
booking component 220, and a database collection 230. In one
embodiment, the database collection 230 includes a customer
database 232, a cruise line database 234, an activity database 236,
and an agent database 238. It is recognized that the information
stored in the database collection 230 may be discretely stored in
multiple independent databases, combined in a single database, or a
combination thereof.
[0045] Using the agent computer 240, the agent accesses the
components of the cruise selling and booking system 110 to find
information about the customer, to provide the customer with
information about cruise sailings from the cruise line database
234, and to book cruise packages as desired by the customer.
Additionally, the agent may collect and store information about the
customer in the customer database 232 and may further access
resources of the agent database 238 which stores information
relating to the agent and his customers, allowing the agent to
better manage his customer communication, scheduling, and
interactions.
[0046] In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 2B, a customer may
access resources of the cruise selling and booking system 110 using
a computer (hereinafter "customer computer 250") via the Internet
125. In one embodiment a customer may have access to a portion of
the functions and resources to which an agent has access, for
example, allowing the customer to compare and book cruises with or
without additional interaction with an agent. It is recognized that
in other embodiments a customer may have the same or greater
access. In further embodiments, both agents and customers may
access the cruise selling and booking system 110.
[0047] One sample process of selling and booking a cruise will now
be described wherein an agent is interacting with the cruise
selling and booking system 110. It is recognized that in other
embodiments, however, the same and/or similar process may be used
by a customer to book a cruise.
[0048] The agent uses the agent computer 240 to log onto the
website and to submit customer identification information to the
cruise selling and booking system 110. The cruise selling and
booking system 110 receives the customer identification
information, searches for the appropriate customer data in the
customer database 232, and returns the related customer information
to the agent computer 240. In one embodiment, the cruise selling
and booking system 110 may also manage requests for adding new
customers to the customer database 232 and/or updating customer
information for existing customers in the customer database
232.
[0049] The agent may then use the customer information to help the
customer define a set of cruise preferences. The customer
information may include, for example, booking history, favorite
cruise lines, destinations, travel dates, and so forth. The agent
may then submit the customer's cruise preferences to the cruise
selling and booking system 110. The cruise selling and booking
system 110 receives the cruise preferences and queries the cruise
line database 234 for cruise packages that are a close match to the
submitted cruise preferences. In other embodiments, the cruise
selling and booking system 110 may receive cruise package
information from other sources such as, for example, by directly
contacting individual cruise lines, by contacting third party
booking engines, by querying proprietary databases, and so forth.
After receiving the cruise package information, the cruise selling
and booking system 110 compiles and returns the cruise sailings
that match the customer's preferences and may also return other
cruise sailings that may be of interest to the customer.
[0050] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking system 110
compiles and formats the returned query cruise package information
from the various databases, cruise lines, and/or booking engines in
a uniform manner so as to allow the information to be presented in
a user-friendly format. In one embodiment, the cruise selling and
booking system 110 may also store information received from
databases, cruise lines, and/or external booking engines in the
cruise line database 234.
[0051] The agent receives the cruise package information and may
discuss the various packages with the customer. In one embodiment,
the cruise package information may include cabin availability
and/or pricing information.
[0052] When the customer has decided which cruise to book, the
agent sends a cruise reservation/booking request to the cruise
selling and booking system 110. The cruise selling and booking
system 110 receives the cruise reservation/booking request and
verifies the availability of the space aboard the cruise line of
interest and returns a cruise reservation/booking confirmation to
the agent. If the customer, however, decides not to book a cruise,
the cruise selling and booking system 110 may store the customer's
cruise preferences and/or the returned cruise sailing information
in the database collection 230.
[0053] II. Benefits of On-Line Booking of Cruises
[0054] The cruise selling and booking system 110 allows a customer
and/or agent to search for and compare the various cruise packages
to find a cruise that best suits the customer needs and desires.
One benefit of one embodiment is that customers and/or agents have
access to up-to-date cruise package information from multiple
cruise lines without having to spend unnecessary quantities of time
requesting and compiling information independently from each cruise
line. Because the cruise selling and booking system 110 is
available for immediate access via the communication mediums 120,
the customers and/or agents may request information such as pricing
and cabin availability and receive accurate and timely responses.
The information is desirably accessible throughout all hours of the
day and is typically not dependent on the cruise line having
service representatives provide the information to the customer or
agent via traditional telephone and facsimile communication.
[0055] Another benefit of one embodiment is that the cruise selling
and booking system 110 may take into account customer flexibility
by enabling the customer to specify a range of preferences. For
example, the customer may want to search for cruises that depart
anytime during a seven-day period or for cruises traveling to a
general region of the world. In addition, the cruise selling and
booking system 110 may select cruises that may be of interest to
the customer but are different from those specified in the
customer's cruise package preferences. For example, the cruise
selling and booking system 110 may search for cruises packages that
depart on dates before or after those specified by the customer,
cruise packages that provide special discounts for attributes that
match the customer's profile (e.g., a children cruise free), cruise
packages that match preferences that the customer previously
requested, as well many other cruise packages.
[0056] An additional benefit of one embodiment is that the cruise
selling and booking system 110 may be utilized by agents and/or
customers. In some embodiments, the cruise selling and booking
system 110 may provide different functionality in comparing and
searching cruises to agents, whereas in other embodiments, the
customers and agents may have access to the same functionality.
[0057] A further benefit of one embodiment is that the cruise
selling and booking system 110 allows for accurate and visually
accessible comparisons of cruise packages. The agent/customer
computer 240, 250 may display and compare detailed sets of
competing cruise packages at the same time so as to facilitate
identifying similarities and differences among cruises. Thus, the
value of a particular cruise may be readily compared to help the
customer and/or agent identify those cruises which both suit the
customer's preferences and provide the customer with the most
luxury and options for the money the customer is willing to
spend.
[0058] Another advantage of one embodiment is that the cruise
selling and booking system 110 provides a single system that finds
cruises which best suit the needs of the customer; interacts with
the database collection 230 and cruise lines to perform functions
related to reserving and booking of the selected cruise; processes
and manages payment information such as credit card or bank account
information to collect payments for the selected cabins on the
cruise ship and cruise sailing of choice; and upon receiving
confirmation from the cruise line that the cabin has been booked,
passes the confirmation information to the customer and/or agent to
finalize the transaction.
[0059] An additional advantage of one embodiment is that the cruise
selling and booking system 110 advantageously includes a number of
customer management features increasing productivity and booking
success rates. As discussed above, a customer information database
may store detailed information about each customer such that the
customer and/or agent may be able to input, update, and retrieve
customer information. This detailed information helps the agent
recall the individual characteristics of the customers with whom he
interacts and provides a useful tool for improving customer
relations. For example, in addition to personal information such as
name, address, and contact numbers, the agent may store information
about the customer's cruise preferences and previous sailing
experiences to help create an appropriate cruise package for the
customer without repeatedly questioning the customer. The customer
feels more at ease and enjoys a more personable experience in
cruise booking when the agent can recall his personal information
which may otherwise be forgotten by agents who deal with numerous
individuals on a daily basis.
[0060] An additional benefit of one embodiment is that customers
and/or agents may use customer information to match upcoming
cruises with customers who would be potentially interested in
purchasing based on personal preferences and previous sailing
experiences. Cruises which the customer may be more likely to able
to afford, may be prioritized in favor of more expensive cruises.
The cruise selling and booking system 110 may use the customer's
marital status, age, occupation, and/or recreational interests to
tailor the cruise search to include cruises which cater to people
of similar interests. Use of customer information to select cruises
increases productivity and booking success rates of the agent when
interacting with customers in a number of ways, such as, for
example, reducing the amount of time used to collect customer
information, establishing a better rapport with customers by
personalizing the interaction and having detailed customer history
at hand without the customer having to provide the same information
each time they contact the agent, allowing the agent to quickly
assess which cruises are best suited for an individual customer,
and providing detailed comparisons of various cruises and pricing
levels to help the customer decide which cruise to select.
[0061] Furthermore, one advantage of one embodiment is that the
cruise selling and booking system 110 provides an intuitive,
easy-to-use interface. The cruise selling and booking system 110
may be implemented using a highly portable language and format. In
one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking system 110 may be
implemented in a centralized server environment accessible via the
Internet 125 by multiple users on various platforms running a
myriad of standard browser applications. The customer and/or
agent's setup costs and installation time required to access the
cruise selling and booking system 110 is minimized and updates to
the cruise selling and booking system 110 can be provided at the
centralized server location without causing customer or agent
interruption.
[0062] III. On-Line Selling and Booking System
[0063] In one embodiment, the agents and/or customers interact with
computers to access the cruise selling and booking system 110 via
communication mediums 120.
[0064] A. Communication Mediums
[0065] The communication mediums 120 as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B
include the Internet 125. The Internet 125 is a global network of
interconnected computers capable of sending and receiving
information between one another. The structure of the Internet 125,
which is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, includes
a network backbone comprising communications channels such as
copper wire, optical fiber, or satellite based interconnections
between numerous computers, hubs, and routers which control,
direct, and maintain information passed between computers.
Additional networks branch from the above-mentioned backbone, and
these branches, in turn, have sub-networks branching from them, and
so on. Typically, information is passed through the network in the
form of packets which are discrete pieces the information desirably
sent through the network. These packets of information are encoded
in a form interpretable by the network infrastructure and may
support features such as data compression, encryption, and error
correction to optimize the speed and efficiency by which the
information is transferred. For a more detailed description of the
structure and operation of the Internet 125, please refer to "The
Internet Complete Reference," by Harley Hahn and Rick Stout,
published by McGraw-Hill, 1994.
[0066] One popular segment of the Internet 125 is the World Wide
Web (or Web). The World Wide Web comprises many thousands of
computers which utilize the Internet 125 infrastructure to serve
and distribute information. Typically, a server system is capable
of two-way communication with other computers and can desirably
send information to other computers which request the information
or content stored on the server system. The information stored on
the server system is typically interpreted using a software package
known as a browser, which is capable of displaying graphical,
textual, audio and/or visual information.
[0067] Some of the server systems, which provide information on the
World Wide Web, are often referred to as "websites" and interact
with other computers on the World Wide Web. Generally, each website
has an associated electronic page or series of electronic pages
which the server sends to those computers requesting the
information. The requested information generally takes the form of
an electronic page (or web page) encoded in one or more specific
languages that is interpreted by the requesting computer and the
browser which it runs. Several such languages commonly used by web
servers include, but are not limited to, Hypertext Markup Language
("HTML"), JAVA, JAVA Script, Extensible Markup Language ("XML"),
Active Server Pages ("ASP"), and CGI scripting. The web page
provides the requesting computer with a document that organizes the
presentation of the information into a display using text,
graphical images, audio, and/or video. Furthermore, the computer,
on which the online document is viewed, may communicate with the
website by sending and receiving information through interface
objects such as, for example, fields, buttons, pull down menus, and
key entered commands. For a more detailed description on the World
Wide Web, please refer to "How to Set Up and Maintain a World Wide
Web Site" by Lincoln D. Stein, published by Addison-Wesley
Publishing Company, 1995.
[0068] One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the
communication mediums 120 may be advantageously be comprised of one
or more types of networks without detracting from the invention.
The communication mediums 120 may include, by way of example, local
area networks ("LANs"), wide area networks ("WANs"), public
internets, private internets, a private computer network, a secure
internet, a private network, a public network, a value-added
network, interactive television networks, wireless data
transmission networks, two-way cable networks, interactive kiosk
networks, digital subscriber lines, cable modem lines, and the
like. The disclosed invention is thus suitable for providing
connectivity through many different forms of communication mediums
120, however, it will be further discussed in the context of
connecting through the Internet 125. In addition, it is recognized
that one or more networks may be used to access the cruise selling
and booking system 110. For example, a customer may interact with
the cruise selling and booking system 110 via the Internet 125, an
agent may interact with the cruise selling and booking system 110
via a LAN, and/or the cruise lines may interact with the cruise
selling and booking system 110 via a wireless data transmission
network. In another embodiment, the customers, agents, and cruise
lines may all access the cruise selling and booking system 110 via
the Internet 125.
[0069] B. User Computer
[0070] The agent computer 240 and/or customer computer 250 ("user
computer 240, 250") shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B are devices that allow
the customer or agent to interact with cruise selling and booking
system 110 via the communication mediums 120. In one embodiment,
the user computer 240, 250 is a conventional personal computer
equipped with a modem, Ethernet card, or other component which
allows the computer to send and receive information through the
communication mediums 120. Preferably, the user computer 240, 250
runs an appropriate operating system such as the Microsoft.RTM.
Windows.RTM. 3.1, Microsoft.RTM. Windows.RTM. 98, Microsoft.RTM.
Windows.RTM. 98 Second Edition.RTM., Microsoft.RTM. Windows.RTM.
Millennium Edition.RTM., Microsoft.RTM. Windows.RTM. NT,
Microsoft.RTM. Windows.RTM. 2000, Microsoft.RTM. Windows.RTM. CE,
PalmOS.RTM., Apple.RTM. MacOS.RTM., Linux.RTM., Solaris.RTM.,
IRIX.RTM., UNIX.RTM., or IBM.RTM. OS/2.RTM. operating systems. As
is conventional, a preferred operating system further includes a
TCP/IP stack or other communications protocol which handles all
incoming and outgoing message traffic passed over the communication
mediums 120.
[0071] In other embodiments, the user computer 240, 250 may, for
example, be a computer workstation, a local area network of
individual computers, an interactive television, an interactive
kiosk, a personal digital assistant, an interactive wireless
communications device, cellular phone, or the like which interacts
with the communication mediums 120. While in such systems, the
operating systems may differ, the various operating systems may
continue to provide the appropriate communication protocols needed
to establish communication links with the communication mediums
120.
[0072] In one embodiment, the user computer 240, 250 utilizes
several operational modules (not shown) including a customer or
agent browser module. The browser module is a software program
which allows a consumer to access different content providers
through the communication mediums 120. In one embodiment, the
browser module is the Netscape.RTM. Navigator developed by
Netscape, Inc. or the Microsoft.RTM. Internet Explorer developed by
Microsoft Corporation. One of ordinary skill in the art, however,
will recognize that numerous other types of access software may
also be used to implement an embodiment of the present invention.
These other types of access software may, for example, include
other types of Internet browsers, custom network browsers, two-way
communications software, cable modem software, point-to-point
software, and the like.
[0073] While the agent computer 240 and customer computer 250 are
referred to as user computers 240, 250, it is recognized that the
agent computer 240 and customer computer 250 may be implemented
using different or the same hardware and/or software.
[0074] C. Cruise Selling and Booking System
[0075] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking system 110
includes a server component 210, a cruise selling and booking
component 220, and a database collection 230 as illustrated in FIG.
3A.
[0076] As used herein, the words component and module refer to
logic embodied in hardware or firmware or to a collection of
software instructions, possibly having entry and exit points,
written in a programming language, such as, for example, C++,
VISUAL BASIC, JAVA, C, FORTRAN, JAVA Script, and so forth. A
software component/module may be compiled and linked into an
executable program, or installed in a dynamic link library, or may
be written in an interpretive language such as BASIC. It will be
appreciated that software components/modules may be callable from
other components or from themselves, and/or may be invoked in
response to detected events or interrupts. Software instructions
may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It will be further
appreciated that hardware components/modules may be comprised of
connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and/or may be
comprised of programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays
or processors. The components described herein are preferably
implemented as software components/modules, but may be represented
in hardware or firmware.
[0077] 1. Server Component
[0078] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking system 110
includes a server component 210, as shown in FIG. 3A, that
interacts with the cruise selling and booking component 220 and
with the user computers 240, 250 via the communication mediums 120.
The server component 210 may be configured to process messages from
the user computer 240, 250, to send requests to the cruise selling
and booking component 220, and to send response messages to the
user computer 240, 250.
[0079] In one embodiment, the server component 210 is implemented
as a web server which serves content over the Internet 125 using
languages such as, the Hyper Text Markup Language ("HTML"). The web
server may accept requests from browsers, such as, for example, the
Netscape.RTM. Navigator or the Microsoft.RTM. Internet Explorer,
and return the requested document(s) to the browsers. The web
server may also utilize scripting programs, such as, for example,
CGI scripts, SSL security, and Active Server Pages ("ASP") to
provide additional functionality. A wide variety of web servers may
be used to implement the server component 210, such as, for
example, AOLserver, the Apache server, the iServer, Microsoft IIS
v5.0 server, Microsoft Site server, Netscape Enterprise server,
WebSite Pro server, Xitami server, and so forth. Furthermore, the
server component 210 may also be implemented using a variety of
other servers, such as, for example, the BlueStone Sapphire server,
the Interop server, a Netscape Server, an Oracle server, a
SilverStream server, the Sybase Enterprise Server, the WebObjects
server, and so forth. In addition, the server component 210 may be
implemented using a variety of computer systems, such as, for
example, a conventional general purpose computer using one or more
microprocessors, such as, for example, a Pentium processor, a
Pentium II processor, a Pentium Pro processor, an xx86 processor,
an 8051 processor, a MIPS processor, a Power PC processor, or an
Alpha processor, running a variety of platforms, such as, for
example, Mac OS, OpenLinux, Red Hat Linux, Sun Solaris, SGI IRIX,
Novel NetWare, Windows NT Server 4.0, and/or Windows 2000
Server.
[0080] 2. Cruise Selling and Booking Component
[0081] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking system 110
includes a cruise selling and booking component 220, as shown in
FIG. 3A, that interacts with the server component 210 and the
database collection 230. In other embodiments, it is recognized
that the cruise selling and booking component 220 may also interact
with external sources, such as, for example, proprietary cruise
line systems, banking/financial systems, other travel agencies,
external databases, and so forth. In one embodiment, the cruise
selling and booking component 220 processes search requests from
the server component 210, queries the database collection 230
and/or external sources for requested information, receives the
query results from the various sources, processes the results,
compiles the results into a set of data, and formats the results
for presentation to the user via the server component 210.
[0082] The exemplary cruise selling and booking component 220 of
FIG. 3A includes a cruise selling and booking process 310, a
customer module 320, a cruise module 330, and a booking module 340.
The cruise selling and booking process 310 guides the user through
searching for cruise packages and booking a selected package. The
exemplary customer module 320 includes a customer add process 322
that adds new customers to the customer database 232, a customer
search process 324 that queries the customer database 232, and a
customer update process 326 that updates an existing customer's
information. The exemplary cruise module 330 includes a cruise
information add process 332 that adds information about the cruise
lines, the cruise ships, the cruise sailings, and/or the cruise
packages to the cruise database, a cruise search process 334 that
queries the cruise database, a cruise qualification process 336
that receives a set of cruise preferences and finds cruise sailing
and/or cruise price information that matches the set of cruise
preferences, and a cruise comparison process 338 that receives
identifiers for multiple cruise sailings or packages and returns
detailed information about the identified objects in a comparison
format. The exemplary booking module 340 includes a cruise booking
process 342 that receives cruise reservation/booking information
and books the corresponding cruise package, and a cruise payment
process 344 that receives cruise payment information and forwards
the payment information to the appropriate entity.
[0083] An additional embodiment of a cruise selling and booking
component 220 is illustrated in FIG. 3B. In addition to the
customer module 320, the cruise module 330, and the booking module
340, the cruise selling and booking component 220 also includes an
agent ownership module configured to track and manage agent of
record relationships, a customer qualification module 360
configured to match a customer's preferences with a variety of
cruise package options, a price comparison module 370 configured to
present the user with pricing options and to provide price matrices
of detailed pricing information, and a comparison module 380
configured to provide side-by-side comparisons of various cruise
package and pricing information.
[0084] It is recognized that in other embodiments, the cruise
selling and booking component 220 may include other processes (not
shown) that provide information from the database collection 230 as
well as other external sources.
[0085] The cruise selling and booking component 220 may be
implemented using a variety of software and hardware components.
For example, the cruise selling and booking component 220 may
include a set of electronic page documents that are written in HTML
code, ASP scripts, and so forth. As is well known in the art,
standard HTML documents are web documents wherein the structure and
layout are defined by a variety of tags and attributes and are
capable of being read by standard browsers. Active Server Pages
("ASP") is a server-based, script language developed by Microsoft
Corporation that allows for the dynamic generation of HTML code via
server and client program scripts. Rather than maintain separate
script programs and electronic page documents, the script programs
may be embedded in the active server pages to form a set of "smart"
electronic page documents. As is well known in the art, ASP
documents do not need to be compiled, they can run on any browser,
and may allow the transfer of information from the database
collection 230. For a more detailed description of Active Server
Pages, please refer to "ASP in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick
Reference," by A. Keyton Weissinger, published by O'Reilly &
Associates, Inc., 1999.
[0086] In addition, the cruise selling and booking component 220
may include additional software modules programmed in variety of
languages for processing user requests, performing data lookup,
compiling sets of data, formatting data, and so forth.
[0087] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking component
220 is implemented on the same component as the server component
210, though it is recognized that in other embodiments, the cruise
selling and booking component 220 may be implemented in a separate
component. For more information on the types of computers and/or
platforms that may be used to implement the cruise selling and
booking component 220, please see the section above entitled
"Server Component."
[0088] 3. Database Collection
[0089] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking system 110
includes a database collection 230, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B,
that stores data about the customers, the cruises lines, the
activities, and the agents. The exemplary database collection 230
includes four databases, a customer database 232, a cruise line
database 234, an activity database 236, and an agent database
238.
[0090] The customer database 232 includes information about the
customers. Such information may include name, address, phone
number, cruise history, cabin preference, family information, age,
travel destination preference, as well as other travel-related
information.
[0091] The cruise line database 234 may include information about
various cruise lines, various cruise ships, and various cruise
sailings. The information about specific sailings may further
include information such as ship name, number, sailing destination,
departure dates, number of cabins, cabin categories, dining room
capacity, viewable maps of the ship, as well as other detailed
cruise line information. In addition, the cruise line database 234
may include information such as cabin availability and pricing
data. In one embodiment, the cruise line database 234 data may be
entered manually by a travel agent or downloaded/received from the
cruise lines and/or other sources.
[0092] In one embodiment, the cruise line database 234 enables
information about the various cruise lines to be stored in a single
database or database collection. The cruise lines have a myriad of
data that is organized differently according to each cruise line.
For example, the cruise lines tend to use their own proprietary
naming and pricing schemes; they individually select how the data
is selected, stored, and configured; and some cruise lines may
provide data that other cruise lines do not. For example, many
cruise lines use their own system for categorizing cabins and have
also use their own pricing schemes.
[0093] In some embodiments, the cruise line database 234 may
normalize all of the data from the various cruise lines into a
uniform system. In other embodiments, the cruise line database 234
may be configured to accommodate a wide variety of data. For
example, the cruise line database 234 may include a table of
categories in which each cruise line may have its own unique set of
categories ranked from most luxurious to most economical thus
maintaining the individuality of each cruise line while at the same
time enabling the various cruise line data to be compared. The
cruise line database 234 may, for example, provide pricing
information for the most luxurious cabins for cruise sailings on
Cruise Line A and Cruise Line B even though the cruise lines use
different cabin naming nomenclature and different category
structures.
[0094] The activity database 236 includes information about the
activities in the cruise selling and booking system 110. These
activities may include brochures, leads, quotes, reservations,
bookings, as well as other ongoing activity information. In one
embodiment, the activity database 236 is closely linked with the
customer database 232, the cruise line database 234, and the agent
database 238.
[0095] The agent database 238 includes information about the agents
that use the cruise selling and booking system 110. Agent
information may include the agents' logins, passwords, access
privileges, company, address, phone numbers, booking history,
current commission, and so forth.
[0096] While the database collection 230 depicted in FIGS. 3A and
3B includes four separate databases, it is recognized that in other
embodiments, the database collection 230 may include other
databases and/or some of the exemplary databases may be
combined.
[0097] In one embodiment, the database collection 230 may be
implemented with Structured Query Language ("SQL") code. The
structured query language is a language standardized by the
International Standards Organization ("ISO") for defining,
updating, and querying a relational database. It is recognized
however, that other code may be used to access the database
collection 230. For example, in one embodiment, the database
collection 230 may interact with various accessory programs to
store, retrieve, and process the information of the databases, such
as, for example, dynamic link libraries ("DLLs"). DLLs (not shown)
may interact with the server component 210, the cruise selling and
booking component 220, and the database collection 230 directly, or
with the database collection 230 via a database manipulation
module, such as, for example, a Microsoft Database Access Object
("DAO"). The execution of the DLL may be called automatically from
within the scripts or routines of the web page documents as needed
and may not necessarily require the customer or agent explicitly
launch a separate program or series of programs.
[0098] In one embodiment, the database collection 230 is
implemented using a relational database, such as, for example,
those sold by Oracle Corp. or Sybase. It is recognized however that
other relational databases may be used and/or other types of
databases may be used, such as, for example, object oriented
databases, flat file databases, and so forth. Furthermore, the
database collection 230 may be implemented as a single database
with separate tables or as other data structures that are well know
in the art such as linked lists, binary trees, and so forth.
[0099] In one embodiment, the database collection 230 is
implemented as a separate component or separate components from the
cruise selling and booking component 220 and/or the server
component 210, though it is recognized that in other embodiments,
the database collection 230 may be implemented on the same
component as the cruise selling and booking component 220 and/or
the server component 210. For more information on the types of
computers and/or platforms that may be used to run the database
collection 230, please see the section above entitled "Server
Component."
[0100] As noted above, one embodiment that is implemented using a
web server ("web server environment") provides several advantages.
First, the web server environment does not require any dedicated
hardware or software to be installed on the customer or agents
computer which will utilize the cruise selling and booking system
110. This advantage may apply to both customers and agents in that
they do not have the burden of expense normally associated with
purchasing or licensing a dedicated system. Second, maintenance and
upgrades of the cruise selling and booking system 110 may be
centrally administrated and automatically processed with little or
no intervention by those using the cruise selling and booking
system 110. For example, the cruise line database 234 may be
updated without the customer's knowledge. In addition, each
computer which connects to the cruise selling and booking system
110 automatically receives and connects with the most appropriate
software as determined by the web server of the cruise selling and
booking system 110. In addition, the interactive interface of the
cruise selling and booking system 110, like many interactive web
pages, uses the familiar environment of a web browser running on
the computer the customer or agent uses, thus, minimizing the
learning time required to operate and become proficient with the
cruise selling and booking system 110.
[0101] 4. One Embodiment of a Database Collection
[0102] One embodiment of the database collection 230 will now be
described in detail, however, it is recognized that in other
embodiments, different types of database schemes, tables, and/or
fields may be used. For a more detailed description of this
embodiment, please refer to Appendix A.
[0103] In one embodiment, the database collection 230 includes a
client database, a supplier database, a case database, a staff
member database, as well as a set of replicated tables. As is well
known in the art, in one embodiment, the database collection 230
may be normalized, however, in other embodiments, various tables of
the database collection 230 may be replicated so as to allow faster
database access.
[0104] In one embodiment, the client database, which may also be
referred to as a customer database 232, includes a variety of
tables. The client database may include the following tables:
client, company, recent activity, notes, cruise line, passenger,
passenger medical needs, users, cruise ships, cruise activity,
phone information, client supplier assignment, cruise group member,
cruise frequent information, clients, payment header, passenger
special occasion, consumer information, past sailing supplier,
cruise region, cruise subregion, address information, household,
cruise port, medical need, and cruise special occasion. Each of the
tables may include several fields. For example, the company table
may include fields such as, company name, company I.D., company
areas, mailing address, city, state, zip code, country, time zone,
phone, extension, fax, website address, contract number, primary
contact, secondary contact, industry, notes, user name, and so
forth. In addition, the passenger table may include fields such as,
client user name, passenger user name, qualification date, home
gateway, staff user name, home gateway type, home gateway
abbreviation, status, air requested, user name, and so forth. A
detailed description of one embodiment of a client database,
including tables, fields, types and keys is illustrated in Appendix
A.
[0105] In one embodiment, the supplier database, which may also be
referred to as the cruise line database 234, also includes a
variety of tables. The supplier database may include the following
tables: supplier work payment detail, payment detail, cruise
inventory contract, payment header, ship, company supplier, company
CRS, cancellation detail, brochure, booking balance, unit
commission paid, supplier, line item air, air class, finance, line
item package, insurance information, insurance verification,
itinerary, line item, itinerary cabin category, itinerary detail,
itinerary region, customer refund, cruise air contract, cruise
frequent information, supplier frequent level, supplier contract,
supplier card, company, refund details, supplier contact address,
rate, payment advice, matrix flight rule, air contract matrix, air
contract, past sailing supplier, location package, package, cruise
package, line item detail, supplier location, supplier TRNX field,
supplier geographic region, transaction history, supplier note,
cruise line, supplier product, supplier rank, supplier SABRE
regions, supplier TRNX, supplier TRNX field value, and so forth.
Each of the tables may include several fields. For example, the
cruise air contract table may include fields such as cruise
inventory contract number, location type number, location
abbreviation, ship code, supplier number, start date, itinerary
name, airline number, air counting code, class, and so forth. In
addition, the insurance information table may include the fields
supplier number, high booking amount, maximum number of nights, and
so forth. A detailed description of one embodiment of the supplier
database, including tables, fields, data types, and keys, is
illustrated in Appendix A.
[0106] In one embodiment, the cases database, which may also be
referred to as an activity database 236, includes a variety of
tables. The cases database may include the following tables: cases,
insurance verification, label print queue, booking balance header,
mark down, mark down reason, passenger, synchronized audit, work
payment detail, refund, refund request header, payment booking,
payment detail, case note, case information, invoice comments,
cancellation header, booking balance detail, aging report, audit
aging commission, agent commission paid, line item, and so forth.
Each of the tables may include several fields. For example, the
refund table may include fields such as, I.D., case I.D., refund
reason I.D., refund type I.D., disbursement batch number, refund
status, refund amount, override address flag, void refund flag,
middle initial, card expiration month, credit card expiration year,
four digit code, look up by, look up by date, look up program,
insert by, insert date, insert program, card number, card zip code,
name on card, first name, last name, authorization user, void
refund user, and so forth. In addition, the line item table may
include fields such as case I.D., line item number, user name,
location type number, supplier number, to location, from location,
line item type number, roll up flag, departure date, arrival date,
expiration date, parent line item number, status, quantity
purchased, total sale, total tax, total commission, insert date,
look up date flag, and so forth. A more detailed description of one
embodiment of the cases database, including tables, fields, data
types and keys, is illustrated in Appendix A.
[0107] In one embodiment, the staff member database, which may also
be referred to as an agent database 238, includes a variety of
tables. The agent database 238 may include the following tables:
time tracker, time tracker type, time tracker, user, user groups,
alert groups, groups, group permissions, permission areas,
permissions, activities, position type, activity tasks, pay type,
staff member address, address type, marital status type, employee
language, language type, phone type, staff member phone, employee
remark type, company property type, employee company property,
employee status, employee status type, contract type, benefit type,
employee contract, approved time sheet, employee benefit, team
manager, team, time tracker manager, pay period, department,
company department, time zone, company, staff department, clients,
staff members, and so forth. Each of the tables may include several
fields. For example, the permissions table may include fields such
as, permission name, permission description, area name, core
permission, is group permanent, is audience permanent, and so
forth. In addition, the pay period table may include fields such
as, for example, pay period I.D., pay period I.D. description, look
up date, base date, look up by, number of days, look up program,
insert date, insert by, insert program, and so forth. A detailed
description of one embodiment of the staff members database,
including tables, fields, data types, and keys, is illustrated in
Appendix A.
[0108] In one embodiment, the database collection 230 may replicate
several of the tables, as previously discussed, so as to improve
database access time. Appendix A also includes a list of tables
that may be replicated in order to improve processing time.
[0109] While Appendix A illustrates one embodiment of a detailed
database collection 230, it is recognized that various
implementations of the database collection 230 may be used. In
addition, as previously discussed, other types of databases and/or
other data structures may be used to implement the database
collection 230.
[0110] A detailed description of embodiments of a compare display
is disclosed in a concurrently filed application having the title
"SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF COMPARING PRODUCT INFORMATION," internal
reference number TRAVL.017A, which is incorporated herein by
reference. A detailed description of embodiments of pricing options
and price matrices is disclosed in a concurrently filed application
having the title "SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF DISPLAYING CRUISE LINE
PRICING DATA," internal reference number TRAVL.018A, which is
incorporated herein by reference. A detailed description of one
embodiments of managing agent ownership is disclosed in a
concurrently filed application having the title "SYSTEMS AND
METHODS OF MAINTAINING CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS," internal reference
number TRAVL.019A, which is incorporated herein by reference. A
detailed description of embodiments of qualification is disclosed
in a concurrently filed application having the title "SYSTEMS AND
METHODS OF MATCHING CUSTOMER PREFERENCES WITH AVAILABLE OPTIONS,"
internal reference number TRAVL.020A, which is incorporated herein
by reference.
[0111] IV. Accessing the Cruise Selling and Booking System
[0112] In one embodiment, both customers and agents may access the
cruise selling and booking system 110.
[0113] A. Customer Access
[0114] In one embodiment, a customer may access the cruise selling
and booking system 110 without necessarily interacting with an
agent as illustrated in FIG. 2B. For example, a customer may access
the cruise selling and booking system 110 via a web-based service
by utilizing a standard web browser on his own computer to connect
to the cruise selling and booking system 110 web page. The customer
may initiate a session by manually entering the cruise selling and
booking system 110 web site address in the appropriate field of the
browser, or the connection may be established automatically by
configuring the browser to access the cruise selling and booking
system 110 web page upon opening a browser window. When the
connection has been established, the cruise selling and booking
system 110 uses web pages to visually prompt the customer for
input, collect information from the customer, and/or interactively
guide the customer through the process of finding, pricing, and/or
booking a cruise package. The information which is sent to the
customer is formatted and visually presented in an easy to
interpret manner and allows the customer to quickly and accurately
find cruise packages which suit the customer's preferences. In one
embodiment, should the customer desire the assistance of an agent,
the cruise selling and booking system 110 may automatically store
the information entered by the customer in the database collection
230 and an agent with access to the cruise selling and booking
system 110 may subsequently retrieve the information. This feature
provides improved customer/agent interactivity by saving customers
from repeating information previously entered in the cruise selling
and booking system 110 to each agent with whom they interact.
[0115] B. Agent Access
[0116] In another embodiment, the agent may use an agent computer
240, similarly configured as the customer computer 250 described
above, to access the cruise selling and booking system 110 as
illustrated in FIG. 2A. In one embodiment, agents and customers may
access different cruise selling and booking systems 110 or the same
cruise selling and booking system 110. Moreover, agents and
customers may be given different types of access to the cruise
selling and booking system 110. For example, the cruise selling and
booking system 110 may permit an agent to access additional
resources and web pages of the cruise selling and booking system
110 to which the customer may not have access such as commission
information. Furthermore, in one embodiment, different agents may
have different types of access to the cruise selling and booking
system 110 depending on their status, such as, for example, agent
in training, seasoned agent, manager, and system administrator.
[0117] In one embodiment, an agent may access the cruise selling
and booking system 110 via a web-based service by utilizing a
standard web browser on his computer to connect to the cruise
selling and booking system 110 web page either manually or
automatically as discussed above. When the connection has been
established, the agent may access several features of the cruise
selling and booking system 110. For example, an agent may access an
interface to enter customer information into the cruise selling and
booking system 110 databases for later retrieval. The agent may
also search information stored in the cruise line database 234,
such as detailed information and summaries with more complete
descriptions and statistics of each cruise, detailed pricing and
availability information about each cruise including actual cost
and percentage markups. The agent may also narrow the number of
cruises to be selected from based on a customer's profile and
preferences and compare multiple cruise packages in a side-by-side
manner. Furthermore, the agent may access cruise ship reservation,
confirmation, booking, and payment features. These features allow
the agent to sell and book cruises over the Internet 125.
[0118] V. Cruise Selling and Booking System Processes
[0119] The cruise selling and booking system 110 includes several
processes, as shown in FIG. 3A, such as, a cruise selling and
booking process 310, a collection of customer module 320 processes,
a collection of cruise module processes 330, and a collection of
booking module 340 processes.
[0120] A. Cruise Selling and Booking Process
[0121] One embodiment of an overview of a cruise selling and
booking process 310 is illustrated in FIG. 4 and will now be
described in more detail. For purposes of illustration, FIG. 4 will
be described wherein the user is an agent though it is recognized
that in other embodiments the user may be a customer.
[0122] Beginning at a start state (block 410), the cruise selling
and booking process 310 proceeds to a login state (block 420)
wherein the cruise selling and booking process 310 verifies the
agent's login and password. Proceeding to a customer search state
(block 430), the cruise selling and booking process 310 receives a
set of customer identification information, and searches and
retrieves the corresponding customer information from the customer
database 232. Proceeding to a qualify state (block 440), the cruise
selling and booking process 310 receives a set of customer
preferences and searches and retrieves cruise sailing information
that matches the customer's preferences. Proceeding to a cruise
detail state (block 450), the cruise selling and booking process
310 receives selected cruise sailings and searches and retrieves
detailed information, such as pricing and availability, for the
selected cruise sailings. Proceeding to a booking state (block
460), the cruise selling and booking process 310 receives a
selected cruise package and books the selected cruise package with
appropriate cruise line. Proceeding to a payment state (block 470),
the cruise selling and booking process 310 receives and processes
the customer's payment information and proceeds to an end state
(block 480).
[0123] Exemplary screen displays will now be discussed to further
describe the various status of the cruise selling and booking
process 310. The screen displays illustrate one embodiment of the
invention, and it is recognized that in other embodiments, other
screen displays may be used and/or other interfaces may be used
such as a touch screen, a hand held device, or other
interfaces.
[0124] 1. Login
[0125] In the start state (block 410), the process initializes and
then proceeds to the login state (block 420) wherein the agent
performs standard login procedures that are well known in the art.
The login process ensures that only authorized users may access the
web site and contents of the cruise selling and booking system 110
and/or determines the appropriate level of access for each user.
Login procedures by entry of a username and password specifying a
valid agent account on the cruise selling and booking system 110
are typically used to provide validation of the agent's status,
though it is recognized that other procedures may be used. Securing
the web site and allowing access to only authorized users is well
known and readily understood by those of skill in the art. Once the
agent attempts to login by sending the agent's assigned login
identification and secure password to the cruise selling and
booking process 310, the cruise selling and booking process 310
looks up the agent's login identification in the agent computer 240
database and verifies the agent's password. If the agent's login
identification is not found or the password was not verified, then
the cruise selling and booking process 310 returns an error message
to the agent computer 240. If the agent's login identification is
found and the password is verified, the cruise selling and booking
process 310 proceeds to the customer search state (block 430).
[0126] a. Main Menu
[0127] In one embodiment, upon successful login, the agent is
directed to a main menu web page, as illustrated in FIG. 5, which
includes user interface tools, such as buttons or links, for
accessing the various features of the cruise selling and booking
system 110. For example, the exemplary main menu 510 display allows
the agent to access features such as selling and booking 520, back
office 530, inventory management 540, product management 550, and
administrative features 560. The main menu 510 serves as a starting
point for each of the features described above. In one embodiment,
the agent may return to the main menu 510 throughout the cruise
selling and booking system 110 process.
[0128] The main menu 510 may also provide the agent with an
activity listing 570 which may include categories for bookings 571,
brochures 572, leads 573, options 574, and quotes 575. In FIG. 5,
each of the categories has an associated numerical value that
indicates the number of currently active customers which fall into
the activity listing 570 category. The purpose of the activity
listing 570 is to provide the agent with a quick summary of
information for those customers he should contact. Each activity
listing 570 enables the agent to access a listing of the customers
who fall within the activities groups described above. In the
illustrated embodiment, the agent may select any of the activity
listings 570 which will then direct him to a separate screen
showing the details of the selected activity listing 570.
[0129] Additionally, the main menu may include a "to do" list 580
which includes subcategories such as phone calls 581 and tasks 582.
The "to do" list 580 provides a reminder for activities for which
the agent should initiate and follow up. In a similar manner to the
activity listing 570 above, the agent may select any of the items
in the "to do" list 580 in order to access a listing of customers
who fall within the subcategories as well as information for
contacting the customers.
[0130] To proceed to the customer search state (block 430), the
agent may select the Selling and Booking feature.
[0131] 2. Customer Search
[0132] Proceeding to the customer search state (block 430), the
agent is directed to a search web page 610, illustrated in FIG. 6,
wherein the agent may select among a set of options related to
searching customer information. In the exemplary search web page
610, the agent may search for customers based on data entered in
fields which correspond to the information stored in the customer
database 232.
[0133] The customer information may be organized in a set of fields
620 that are indexed within the database so as to be retrievable
individually or in groups by the search process. For example, the
exemplary query fields 620 allow the agent to search for a customer
in a number of ways including the customer's last name 621, first
name 622, state 623, zip code 624, phone number 625, customer
number 626, order number 627, and/or reservation number 628.
[0134] After the agent enters the search information, the agent
computer 240 sends the customer information to the cruise selling
and booking system 110. The cruise selling and booking process 310
then receives the customer information and searches for customers
in the customer database 232 that match the submitted information.
If no matching customers are found, the cruise selling and booking
process 310 sends a message to the agent computer 240 that no
search results were found. If matching customers are found, the
cruise selling and booking process 310 formats and returns the
results of the search to the agent computer 240. The agent computer
240 displays the list of matching customers as a set of search
results 630 and allows the agent to select a customer 631 and
designate the selected customer as the "active customer." For a
more detailed description of one embodiment of the search state
(block 430), see the section below entitled "Customer Module
Processes--Customer Search Process."
[0135] When a customer is active, the agent computer 240 and/or the
cruise selling and booking system 110 may use the customer's stored
information to enhance the cruise selling and booking process 310
as will be discussed in greater detail below.
[0136] The cruise selling and booking process 310 may also allow
the agent computer 240 to perform additional searches wherein the
agent may change the information contained in the search query
fields 620 to find other customers. When a new search is performed
the results of the previous search are discarded and the results of
the new search are displayed in the search results section 630 of
the search web page 610.
[0137] As discussed above, when a matching customer is found, the
agent may select the customer and proceed to the qualification
process state (block 440).
[0138] 3. Qualification
[0139] In the qualification state (block 440), the cruise selling
and booking process 310 receives a customer's preferences and finds
cruise sailings that match the customer's preferences. The
qualification state allows the agent to reduce the number of cruise
sailings he may present to the customer and to focus on the more
appropriate cruise sailings. In the cruise industry, it is typical
that there are many available cruises sailings which a customer
could take within a specified time frame. In order to reduce the
amount of time the agent spends describing individual cruise
packages to the customer, it is more efficient and less frustrating
to the customer to first narrow the choices of cruise sailings
based on the customer's preferences. In one embodiment, the cruise
selling and booking process 310 reduces or eliminates cruises of
which the customer has no interest or cannot book based on a series
of selectable criteria.
[0140] The customer's sailing preferences may include a variety of
factors and may be based on information about the customer from the
customer database 232, such as, for example, booking history,
preferred suppliers, and/or future destinations, as well as new
information from the customer such as, for example, number of
passengers per cabin, currently preferred destination, and so
forth. In other embodiments, the customer's sailing preferences may
include the price range; the desirable range of dates and duration
of the cruise in which the customer is willing or able to
participate; the desired destination or region of the world where
the cruise will travel to as well as the home gateway from which
the cruise ship will depart; the cruise ship supplier or company
which the customer may have preference for including specific
cruise ships within a cruise line's fleet; and/or special
conditions pertaining to the customer which might make him eligible
for discounted rates or particular sailings.
[0141] FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of customer preference web
page 710 or qualification display with a preference section 720. In
the exemplary qualification display 710, the preferences section
720 includes number of persons per cabin 721, dates of travel 722,
home gateway 723, number of nights of travel 724, day of
embarkation 725, and port of embarkation 726. In addition, the
preferences section 720 enables the agent to view a set of travel
regions 727, itineraries 728, suppliers 729, ships 730, and/or
ports 731. In addition, the agent may search by supplier contract
number 732. In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking
system 110 may generate such information from the database
collection 230, however, it is recognized that in other
embodiments, the information may be entered in whole or in part as
separate data or not included at all.
[0142] In the exemplary qualification display 710, the agent has
restricted the search to cruises allowing two persons per cabin,
from Sep. 8, 2001 to Sep. 16, 2001 sailing for seven nights, and
departing on any day of the week.
[0143] When the agent has entered the appropriate information
listed above, the agent computer 240 submits the customer's sailing
preferences to the cruise selling and booking system 110. The
cruise selling and booking process 310 receives the information and
searches for cruise sailings in the cruise line database 234 that
fall within the range of the submitted criteria.
[0144] If no matching cruise sailings are found, the cruise selling
and booking process 310 may inform the agent computer 240 that no
sailings were found, or the cruise selling and booking process 310
may return cruise search results 740 that include a set of
"suggested" cruise sailings that do not meet the criteria but still
may be of interest to the customer. Such "suggested" cruise
sailings may be selected on the basis of several factors. For
example, the cruise selling and booking process 310 may suggest
cruises sailings that depart on dates before or after those
specified by the customer, cruise sailings that provide special
discounts for attributes that match the customer's profile (e.g.,
children cruise free), cruise sailings that match preferences that
the customer has previously requested, as well many other cruise
sailings.
[0145] If matching cruise sailings are found, the cruise selling
and booking process 310 sends a set of matching cruise sailings to
the agent computer 240. As described above, the cruise selling and
booking process 310 may also include a set of suggested cruise
sailings with the matching cruise sailings. For a more detail
description of one embodiment of the qualification state (block
440), please see the section below entitled "Cruise Module
Processes--Cruise Qualification Process."
[0146] After the agent computer 240 receives the set of cruise
sailings, the agent may select a subset of the cruise sailings and
send them to the cruise selling and booking process 310 and proceed
to the cruise detail state (block 450).
[0147] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary set of cruise search results
740 that enables the agent to view and select number of cruise
sailings by marking the "check box" 742 that corresponds to the
selected cruise package. An exemplary cruise search results section
740 is shown in FIG. 7 wherein the first cruise package is the
Carnival Tropicale ship scheduled to depart on Sep. 8, 2001 for a
seven day cruise to the Western Caribbean. The agent has selected
the Carnival Tropicale, the Princess Dawn Princess, and the Royal
Caribbean Explorer of the Seas. In one embodiment, the cruise
selling and booking process 310 may also include guidelines for
ranking the order in which the cruise sailings are displayed and/or
provide separate designations for "matching" and "suggested" cruise
sailings, such as, for example, by availability, by departure date,
by average cost, and so forth. In FIG. 7, the agent has selected
three cruise sailings and may proceed to the cruise detail state
(block 450).
[0148] It is recognized that FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a
cruise search results section 740 and that in other embodiments,
other cruise search results sections 740 may be used. For example,
in another embodiment, the cruise search results section 740 may
include information about pricing, such as Block pricing and/or FIT
pricing information, as well time stamp information indicating when
the information was last updated by time and date.
[0149] 4. Cruise Detail
[0150] In the cruise detail state (block 450), the cruise selling
and booking process 310 receives the selected cruise sailings and
retrieves additional details about the cruise sailings such as, for
example, availability, rate options, pricing information, package
information, and so forth.
[0151] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking process
310 enables the agent to select a cruise sailing, view and select
available rate options for the selected cruise sailing, view
pricing information based on the selected rate options, and compare
sailing/pricing information for multiple cruise sailings. For a
more detailed description of one embodiment of the cruise detail
state (block 450), please see the section below entitled "Cruise
Module Processes--Cruise Comparison Process."
[0152] FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a cruise detail web
page 810 wherein the agent computer 240 is presented with a list of
the selected cruise sailings in the "Select A Cruise" section of
the display 820. In the exemplary cruise detail web page 810, the
agent has selected three cruise sailings, the Carnival Tropicale,
the Princess Dawn Princess, and the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the
Seas. From those sailings, the agent may choose to view additional
information which is displayed in a "Cruise Detail" section
830.
[0153] FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of the cruise detail web
page 810 after the agent has selected the Princess Dawn Princess,
and the cruise selling and booking process 310 has retrieved the
available rate options 910 for the Princess Dawn Princess and
placed them in the "Cruise Detail" section 830. Rate options, also
referred to as pricing options, are the representative pricing
categories that the agent selects for the customer. Each cruise
sailing has a variety of rate options that set the prices for the
multiple categories of cabins. Travel agents use the rate options
along with other pricing information to find the best rate for the
customer while at the same time maximizing their own commission.
Due to the large number of possible rate options for each of the
multiple cabin categories, it is often useful for the agent to
limit the pricing information of each sailing to a smaller subset
of information based on the customer's profile and preferences. In
one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking process 310 may
restrict the number of rate options that may be selected (e.g. to
four or five). These rate options may include the discounts
associated with package deals for air and extended stay vacation.
Other examples include local resident discounts, senior discounts,
group rates, and so forth. The display in FIG. 9 includes a rate
option "code" 912, name and detail of the code 914, the dates for
which each code is valid 916, as well as the status of the option
918. In the exemplary display, the user has selected rate code
BNPTPXUSD for the Princess Dawn Princess cruise sailing.
[0154] It is recognized that FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of
available rate options 910 and that in other embodiments, other
available rate options 910 may be used. For example, in other
embodiments, different types of data may be displayed and/or some
of the data may be excluded from the display.
[0155] FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a cruise detail web
page 810 wherein the prices for the available cabin categories for
the designated sailing that match the selected rate options are
displayed in a price matrix 1010. The exemplary display 810 shows
the "Best Price" matrix 1010 which includes a category code 1011,
an upgrade field 1012, cabin category type 1013, promotion price
1014, best full tariff price 1015, best agency price 1016, and
pricing description information 1017.
[0156] The exemplary price matrix 1010 displays the pricing
information for the selected rate options in table format with
heading descriptions at the top of the table such that each row
includes information that corresponds with an individual pricing
plans. For example, for category 6D, the GG promotional rate is
$99999.00, the Best Fit price is $3400.00 and the Best TRVL price
is $2900.00. In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking
process 310 may return a "not available" designation (e.g., "N/A")
if no cabins are available in that category. To the left of each
pricing plan option, there is an arrow 1018 that enables the agent
to open a window directly underneath the row in question that will
display the specifics of the pricing plan. There is also another
arrow 1019 that enables an agent to select a pricing category for
display. In one embodiment, the price matrix may include
functionality to further refine the searching criteria. For
example, the default for the passenger field is two persons, upon
changing an entry in a field of the price matrix window, the entire
pricing scheme may be updated in real time.
[0157] In addition, the price matrix may be altered such as, for
example, by reducing the number of viewed items (e.g., when the
agent selects "Show Selected"), displaying additional detailed
information regarding a sailing, as well as showing all of the
locations of cabins, lounges, and entertainment on any selected
ship (e.g., when the agent selects "Deck"). In one embodiment, the
agent may switch between a variety of price matrices such as, for
example, a price matrix with the "best price" information, a price
matrix with detailed information, a price matrix with airfare
information, and so forth. For example, in the exemplary display of
FIG. 10, the agent is viewing the "Best Price" matrix and may
select the "Detail" button 1020 to display a "Detail" price matrix
with detailed information on the Princess Dawn Princess cruise
sailing on Sep. 9, 2001.
[0158] In one embodiment, the agent computer 240 may select another
cruise from the "Select A Cruise" section 820 and view more
detailed information about the newly selected cruise in the "Cruise
Detail" section 830.
[0159] While the cruise detail display 810 may, in one embodiment,
display details for one cruise package at a time, the display may
also include a side-by-side compare display section 1110 as
depicted in FIG. 11. The side-by-side compare display 1110 allows
the agent to evaluate a number of specific sailings, under specific
criteria, in a side-by-side comparison. The windows may be cleared
and populated with new information.
[0160] The agent may choose to add one of the categories of the
sailing in the cruise detail section to the compare display by
selecting a category in the price matrix 1010. In the exemplary
display, the category may be sorted by selecting the arrow 1019 in
the price matrix. It is recognized that in other embodiments, the
agent may select a category using other user interface techniques
that are well known in the art. In one embodiment, the compare
display 1110 may allow the user to display detailed information of
up to N different cruise categories at one time where N is an
integer determined, for example, by the size of the display. The
exemplary compare display 1110 of FIG. 11 allows the user to
display up to three different cruise categories at one time
(N=3).
[0161] The cruise selling and booking process 310 receives the
agent's selections of specific pricing categories from "Cruise
Detail" section 830, retrieves the relevant information, and places
the information in an available compare display window 1112, 1114.
For example, in the exemplary compare display 1110, the ship
information, and the associated sailing date is located in an
information bar. In one embodiment, the compare display information
includes itinerary type, rate options, number of nights for which
the cruise sails, category, and so forth. The compare display 1110
may also provide the agent with access to a number of other
features. For example, the agent may hold an "option" for the
customer or "book" a reservation using the buttons below the
information bar. Furthermore, the agent may "quote" a price to the
customer that will last for a predetermined amount of time. The
agent may also place a cabin "on hold" for a predefined amount of
time. If the requested cabin is not available, then the agent may
request another cabin. In addition, by selecting the "Clear" button
1116, the agent may remove the specific pricing information from
the compare display and allow for the window to either remain open
or be filled with another selected set of category price
information.
[0162] In one embodiment, all of the windows may be compared
simultaneously and a scrolling feature may be initiated ensuring
that all of the windows will display the same sets of information
to agent at the same time. Thus, when the agent scrolls down the
first window in the display, the other windows will also scroll
down simultaneously. Furthermore, when one set of data is removed
and another is added, it will appear in the same position as the
other two, so that the information display may remain
synchronized.
[0163] The cruise details and pricing information displayed in
FIGS. 8, 9, 10, and 11 illustrate various embodiments of the
invention, however, it is recognized that in other embodiments
different sets of cruise detail information may be presented to the
agent computer 240. In addition, access to the cruise detail may
also be presented to the agent computer 240 in a different layout.
For example, the price matrix may be arranged by price rather than
rate options and categories. Furthermore, in some embodiments, some
of the pricing information may be restricted if the user is a
customer. For example, the price matrices may display a brochure
price and an Internet discount price rather than providing the
customer with all possible pricing schemes, though it is recognized
in other embodiments, the customer may have access to all pricing
information.
[0164] After comparing the various cruise packages, the agent may
inquire as to whether the customer wants to book one of the cruise
packages. If the customer has not found the right package, the
agent may view more cruise details and/or modify the customer's
cruise package criteria.
[0165] If the customer has decided to book one of the cruise
packages, the cruise selling and booking process 310 may then
proceed to the booking state (block 460).
[0166] 5. Bookings
[0167] Proceeding to the booking state (block 460), the cruise
selling and booking process 310 requests more detailed information
about the customer and the customer's selected cruise package. In
one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking system 110 presents
the agent computer 240 with a cruise booking web page 1210 as shown
in FIG. 12. The exemplary cruise booking web page 1210 includes a
booking worksheet 1220, wherein pricing information may be viewed
per passenger, in total, as well as according to the agent's
commission. The worksheet 1220 includes standard cruise pricing
information 1212, such as, cabin fees, government fees, and port
charges. In addition, the worksheet 1210 includes an air and
miscellaneous section 1214 that permits the agent to adjust the
prices to include excursions (e.g., helicopter tour, mountain
biking trip, day hike, snorkeling outing, etc.), pre-paid expenses,
air fares, additional air, pre-post add-on, other add-ons,
miscellaneous fees, tour conductor fees, coupons, and so forth.
Furthermore, the exemplary worksheet 1210 includes a section for
taxes and fees 1216.
[0168] In one embodiment, the agent computer 240 may submit
reservation information pertaining to the cruise package such as
cabin number, deck level, location, bed type, special requests,
smoking preference, dining reservations, as well as other related
information as illustrated in FIG. 13. The exemplary reservation
information web page 1310 includes a general information section
1320, a cabin section 1330, a dining request section 1340, and an
option section 1350. The general information section 1320 includes
information about the cruise package, such as, for example, Trip
Start Date, Trip End Date, Itinerary, Supplier Contract Number,
Order Number, Rate Option, Agent of Record, and so forth. The cabin
section 1330 includes information about the reserved cabin, such
as, for example, cabin number, status, deck, location, smoking
preference, bath type, bed type, and so forth. The dining request
section 1340 includes information about the dining options, such as
seating, status, table size, smoking preference, and so forth. The
option section 1350 includes information about the option, such as
expiration, extension date, final payment due date, a use extension
date field, and so forth.
[0169] After the agent computer 240 submits the information, the
cruise selling and booking process 310 may assign a customer order
number. For a more detailed description of the booking state (block
460), please refer to the section below entitled "Booking Module
Processes-Cruise Booking Process." After the agent submits the
booking information, the cruise selling and booking process 310
proceeds to the payments state (block 470).
[0170] 6. Payments
[0171] In the payments state (block 470), the cruise selling and
booking process 310 receives the customer's payment information
from the agent computer 240, and directs the funds to appropriate
entities preferably via a back office process.
[0172] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking process
310 may contact the cruise lines and other third parties directly
or via a separate system to provide payment information. For a more
detailed description of the payment state (block 470), please refer
to the section below entitled "Booking Module Processes Cruise
Payment Process."
[0173] After the cruise selling and booking system 110 receives
payment information, the back office process verifies that the
customer's payment is valid and that the appropriate entities are
paid.
[0174] FIG. 14 illustrates one embodiment of a payment information
web page 1410. The "Credit Card Information" section 1420 includes
information about the customer's credit card and/or debit card such
as card number, expiration date, name as it appears on the card,
zip code of card holder, authorization code, and so forth. The
"Supplier" section 1430 includes information about the various
suppliers in the cruise package that require payment. Suppliers may
include, for example, the cruise line, excursion groups, travel
insurance companies, airlines, and so forth.
[0175] While an overview of the process of online booking of
cruises has been discussed, it is recognized that other methods of
booking online cruises may also be used. For example, the cruise
selling and booking process 310 may use only a subset of the
discussed states such as using only the qualified state, the cruise
detail state, and/or the booking state. In addition, in other
embodiments, the customer may interact directly with the cruise
selling and booking system 110 without the assistance of an agent
or with partial assistance from an agent.
[0176] B. Customer Module Processes
[0177] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking system 110
may also include a customer module 320 that includes a collection
of customer module 320 processes. The exemplary customer module 320
processes shown in FIG. 3 include a customer add process 322, a
customer search process 324, and a customer update process 326.
[0178] 1. Customer Add Process
[0179] In one embodiment, the customer module 320 may include a
customer add process 322 that permits the agent to add new
customers to the customer database 232. When the new customer
function is selected, a series of fields are displayed on the agent
computer 240 in a web page document. The agent enters customer
information into the fields which may include first name, last
name, gender, phone number, address, e-mail address, birth date,
age, interests, hobbies gateway city, marketing information, cabin
preferences, favorite excursion activities, and so forth. As
illustrated above, the customer information may include standard
contact information as well as social and recreational activities
in which the customer may be interested in participating, on-shore
activities such as shopping, dining, and events which may require
prior reservations to attend, and so forth. In one embodiment, all
of the above fields need not all be filled in at the time of adding
a customer. For example, the agent may store any information he has
entered and return at a later time to add additional customer
information as it becomes available. In some embodiments, however,
one or more fields may be optionally tagged so as to require
certain information to be entered within the field before
proceeding to a subsequent function. In addition, data validation
techniques may be used to ensure that only proper customer
information is entered in the database (e.g., credit card check,
phone number validation, email validation, etc.) For more
information on the customer information, please refer to the
section above entitled "Customer Database."
[0180] In one embodiment, adding new customers or editing existing
customer information may occur during the time when an agent is in
communication with a customer. The agent is able therefore to
populate the customer information fields by asking the customer
about the appropriate information which should be entered enabling
the agent to construct a detailed customer profile.
[0181] 2. Customer Search Process
[0182] In one embodiment, the customer module 320 may also include
a customer search process 324 that permits the agent to search for
existing customers in the customer database 232.
[0183] As discussed above, the customer search process 324 receives
a set of search criteria. The search criteria may include
information, such as, the customer's last name, first name, state,
zip code, phone number, customer number, order number, and/or
reservation number. The customer search process 324 then formulates
a query and sends the query to the customer database 232. Next, the
customer search process 324 receives the query results from the
customer database 232. If there are no items in the query results,
the customer search process 324 returns a "No Results Found That
Match Your Query" message. If there are items in the query results,
the customer search process 324 organizes the search query results
or part of the query into a data structure, such as, for example, a
table or a list, and returns the query results. In one embodiment,
a user may then select the item that matches the customer for which
he is searching. If there is only one item in the query results,
the customer search process 324 may instead return a display of the
corresponding data for the single search query result, rather than
a one item list of search results, thus permitting the user to
bypass the selection of the item from the list.
[0184] 3. Customer Update Process
[0185] In one embodiment, the customer module 320 may also include
a customer update process 326 that permits the agent to update an
existing customer's record in the customer database 232.
[0186] As discussed above, the customer update process 326 may
incorporate part or all of the customer search process 324 enabling
the user to find the customer for which he would like to update the
record. Next, the customer update process 326 receives a set of
data that has been entered by the user. In one embodiment, the
customer update process 326 receives a copy of the entire data
record, whereas in other embodiments, the customer update process
326 may only receive copies of the data record that were changed
and/or added. The customer update process 326 then determines which
data fields have been updated and sends an update request with the
changed data to the customer database 232. In one embodiment, the
customer update process 326 may send a message to the user
signifying whether the update was successful.
[0187] C. Cruise Module Processes
[0188] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking system 110
may also include a cruise module 330 that includes a collection of
cruise module 330 processes. The exemplary customer module 320
processes shown in FIG. 3A include a cruise information add process
332, a cruise search process 334, a cruise qualification process
336, and a cruise comparison process 338.
[0189] 1. Cruise Information Add Process
[0190] In one embodiment, the cruise module 330 may include a
cruise information add process 332 that adds cruise information to
the cruise line database 234.
[0191] Cruise information may be collected from a variety of
sources. For example, information may be collected from the travel
agents, the cruise lines, a cruise line clearing house system, and
so forth. Thus, the cruise information add process 332 may receive
data from users at web site browsers, via automatic downloads, via
import functions, and so forth.
[0192] The cruise line information may include, for example, cruise
line, cruise line contact information, cruise ships, contract
information, itinerary, categories, cabins, and so forth. For more
information on the cruise line information, please refer to the
section above entitled "Cruise Line Database."
[0193] The cruise information add process 332 receives a set of
cruise line data and formats the data for submission to the cruise
line database 234. Next, the cruise information add process 332
submits the formatted data to the cruise line database 234. In one
embodiment, the cruise information add process 332 may send a
message to the user signifying whether the add was successful.
[0194] 2. Cruise Search Process
[0195] In one embodiment, the cruise module 330 may include a
cruise search process 334 that searches for information in the
cruise line database 234.
[0196] The cruise search process 334 receives a set of search
criteria. The search criteria may include information, such as, the
cruise line identifier, cruise ship identifier, sailing dates,
destination, home gateway, and so forth. The cruise search process
334 then formulates a query and sends the query to the cruise line
database 234. Next, the cruise search process 334 receives the
query results from the cruise database. If there are no items in
the query results, the cruise search process 334 returns a "No
Results Found That Match Your Query" message. If there are items in
the query results, the cruise search process 334 organizes the
query results or part of the query results into a data structure,
such as, for example, a table or a list, and returns the query
results. In one embodiment, a user may then select the search
result that matches the cruise information for which he is
searching. If there is only one item in the query results, the
cruise search process 334 may instead return a display of the
corresponding data for the single search result, rather than a one
item list of query results, thus permitting the user to bypass the
selection of the item from the list.
[0197] 3. Cruise Qualification Process
[0198] In one embodiment, the cruise module 330 includes a cruise
qualification process 336 that permits the agent to qualify
customers for cruise sailings in the cruise line database 234.
[0199] The cruise qualification process 336 receives a set of
qualification criteria, such as, for example, booking history,
preferred suppliers, number of passengers, currently preferred
destination, price range, the desirable range of dates and duration
of the cruise in which the customer is willing or able to
participate, the desired destination or region of the world where
the cruise will travel to as well as the home gateway from which
the cruise ship will depart, and/or special conditions pertaining
to the customer which might make him eligible for discounted rates
or particular sailings. In one embodiment, the cruise qualification
process 336 may also query the customer database 232 to include
information that may be of interest for selecting cruises. For
example, the cruise qualification process 336 may query the
customer database 232 to determine whether the customer prefers
high-end cruises or more economical cruises, whether the customer
may qualify for a senior citizen discount, and so forth. The cruise
qualification process 336 formats the criteria and sends a query to
the cruise line database 234 with the criteria. The cruise
qualification process 336 then receives a set of potential cruise
line sailings from the cruise line database 234. If there are no
items in the set of potential cruise line sailings, the cruise
qualification process 336 returns a "No Results Found That Match
Your Query" message. If there are items in the set of potential
cruise line sailings, the cruise qualification process 336
organizes the set of potential cruise line sailings or a part of
the potential cruise line sailings into a data structure, such as,
for example, a table or a list, and returns the set of potential
cruise line sailings. In one embodiment, a user may then select one
or more potential cruise sailings that are of interest. If there is
only one item in the set of potential cruise line sailings, the
cruise qualification process 336 may instead return a display of
the corresponding data for the single cruise line sailing, rather
than a one item list of set of potential cruise line sailings, thus
allowing the user to bypass the selection of the item from the
list.
[0200] While the above described embodiment illustrates qualifying
customers for cruise sailings, it is recognized that the customers
may be qualified for other objects, such as, for example, cruise
packages, on-shore excursions, advertisements, and so forth.
[0201] 4. Cruise Comparison Process
[0202] In one embodiment, the cruise module 330 includes a cruise
comparison process 338 that permits the agent to compare cruise
package information in the cruise line database 234.
[0203] The cruise comparison process 338 receives a set of selected
cruise sailings. In one embodiment, the cruise comparison process
338 then retrieves information related to the selected cruise
sailings from the cruise line database 234. The cruise comparison
process 338 returns a summary of information for the selected
sailings. Next, the cruise comparison process 338 receives a
selected sailing and retrieves the rate options that correspond to
the selected sailing. The cruise comparison process 338 then
formats and returns the rate options. After receiving a set of
selected rate options, the cruise comparison process 338 then
searches the cruise sailing database for pricing information
related to the set of selected rate options and formats the pricing
information into a price matrix and returns the price matrix. In
one embodiment, the cruise comparison process 338 may instead, or
in addition to the above, query an external source for pricing
information, such as, for example, a cruise line, a cruise line
database 234, a cruise line clearing house system, and so
forth.
[0204] In one embodiment, the cruise comparison process 338 may
receive a request to view a different set of pricing information,
such as for example, the best price matrix, the detailed price
matrix, the air/sea matrix, and so forth. The cruise comparison
process 338 then retrieves the requested pricing information for
the selected matrix, process, and formats the data for display in
one of the compare display windows. For example, if the best price
matrix is requested, the cruise comparison process 338 may process
the pricing data to select only the lowest prices for display in
the pricing matrix. In other embodiments, the cruise comparison
process 338 may already have the data stored, and thus a retrieval
is not necessary.
[0205] The cruise comparison process 338 may also receive a compare
display request wherein one of the categories in the price matrix
has been selected for display in the compare display. The cruise
comparison process 338 then retrieves additional pricing
information for the selected category and formats the data for
display in one of the compare display windows. In other
embodiments, the cruise comparison process 338 may already have the
data stored, and thus a retrieval is not necessary.
[0206] The cruse comparison process may then receive a different
cruise sailing selection and repeat the above described process for
the newly selected cruise sailing.
[0207] D. Booking Module Processes
[0208] In one embodiment, the cruise selling and booking system 110
may also include a booking module 340 that includes a collection of
booking module 340 processes. The exemplary booking module 340
processes shown in FIG. 3A include a cruise booking process 342 and
a cruise payment process 344.
[0209] 1. Cruise Booking Process
[0210] In one embodiment, the booking module 340 may also include a
cruise booking process 342 that permits the agent to book cruises
for his customers.
[0211] The cruise booking process 342 receives a set of booking or
reservation information. The cruise booking process 342 may then
format the information and send the information to the activity
database 236. This information may include, for example, the cruise
ship, the sailing, cabin number for which the customer will be
traveling and so forth. In other embodiments, the cruise booking
process 342 may format the information and send a booking request
to the appropriate cruise line in a variety of formats, such as,
for example, via facsimile, via an external query, via an external
function call, and so forth. The cruise booking process 342 may
then wait for a response from the cruise line. If cruise line
responds that the requested cabin is not available, the cruise
booking process 342 may return an error message stating "The
Requested Cabin is No Longer Available." If the cruise line
responds with a confirmation of the booking, the cruise booking
process 342 may then return a confirmation and may then, in some
embodiments, update the activity database 236.
[0212] 2. Cruise Payment Process
[0213] In one embodiment, the booking module 340 may also include a
cruise payment process 344 that permits the agent to submit
payments for his customers.
[0214] The cruise payment process 344 receives a set of payment
information. The cruise payment process 344 may then format the
information and send the information to the cruise line database
234, the customer database 232, the activity database 236, and/or a
payments database (not shown). This information may include, for
example, vendor identification, amount due, credit card
information, expiration date, name of cardholder, and so forth. In
other embodiments, the cruise payment process 344 may format the
information and send a payment notice to the appropriate vendor(s)
(e.g., the cruise line, the off-shore excursion companies, the
insurance companies, etc.) in a variety of formats, such as, for
example, via facsimile, via an external query, via an external
function call, and so forth. The cruise payment process 344 may
then wait for a response from the vendor(s). If vendor responds
that the payment was not accepted, the cruise payment process 344
may return an error message stating "Payment Unable to be
Processed." If the vendor responds with a confirmation of the
payment, the cruise payment process 344 may then return a
confirmation/receipt and may then, in some embodiments, update the
cruise line database 234, the customer database 232, the activity
database 236, and/or the payment database. In other embodiments,
the cruise payment process 344 may perform a credit check with a
third party system (e.g., banking system, credit card system, etc.)
to verify that the customer has the appropriate funds/credit limits
to make the payment.
[0215] While various embodiments of the above processes have been
disclosed, it is recognized that the processes may be implemented
in a variety of manners that are well known to those skilled in the
art.
[0216] VI. Agent Functions
[0217] In one embodiment, agents may be assigned to customers based
in part on past activity, such as, for example, sending the
customer a brochure, qualifying a customer, providing the customer
with a quote, or booking a customer on a cruise. The relationship
between the agent and the customer may then be used to track the
agent's sales activity, determine the agent's commission, and so
forth.
[0218] In one embodiment, agents may have additional access to part
of the cruise selling and booking system 110. These functions may
be used to assist the agent in pursuing and tracking customer leads
and/or sales and help to increase the agent's likelihood of booking
a customer on a cruise.
[0219] A first function matches available cruises with previously
entered customer preferences. This function uses information stored
in the customer database 232, the cruise line database 234, and/or
the activity database 236, to determine which customers would be
interested in a particular cruise based on the information included
in the customer information and customer qualification fields. For
example, if a customer had specified a desire to travel to the
Bahamas during a certain time frame with a particular cruise line,
but had not yet booked the cruise, an agent may perform searches
based on this information and find matching cruises prior to
contacting the customer. When one or more cruises have been
identified by the agent as being desirable to the customer based on
stored preferences and information, the agent may then contact the
customer having the information readily available, increasing the
likelihood the customer would book the cruise and improving the
customer's experience with the cruise booking process 342
overall.
[0220] Further functions related to pursuing customer leads include
routines designed to identify previous customers found in the
customer database 232 and matching cruises to these customers based
on their prior sailing experiences. This function automates
portions of the marketing process and improves the agent's ability
to gather return bookings from previous customers.
[0221] An additional function provides special offer matchings
wherein the cruise selling and booking system 110 may search
through the cruise line database 234 for special offers which do
not apply to all customers and attempt to match cruises with
customers in the customer database 232. Typically, such offers are
based on specific restrictions such as age or state of residence
and offer a reduced rate to individuals that meet the qualification
restrictions. The automated matching features of the cruise selling
and booking system 110 permit the agent to specifically target
customers who meet the restricted requirements and to provide the
agent with the customer's contact information so that the customer
may be contacted directly.
[0222] The cruise selling and booking system 110 may also include
report generation functions that allow agents to view reports based
on, for example, their past activity, past commission, year to date
sales, and so forth.
[0223] The above mentioned functions provide the agent with the
necessary tools to better market available cruises to customers.
The automated searching functions refine the process of matching
customers with potentially desirable cruises and thus improve the
likelihood that the customer will book a cruise with the agent.
Furthermore, the search refinement reduces the amount of time the
agent spends contacting customers who would not likely be
interested in the particular cruise or are not qualified for the
price which the cruise would be offered. Taken together, these
functions improve agent booking success rates, minimize unnecessary
customer interaction time, and improve a customer's experience with
the cruise selling and booking process 310.
[0224] The additional functionality of greater agent access to the
cruise selling and booking system 110 in one embodiment,
advantageously provides the agent with the resources needed to
effectively guide the customer through the cruise selection and
booking process while at the same time maintaining agent ownership
of the customer and maximizing the agent's commission. This
information is organized in a manner so as to be easily accessible
to the agent and to improve the speed and efficiently with which
the agent sells cruise packages to the customers. The customer's
experience in choosing a cruise is improved increasing the
likelihood that the customer will book the cruise and in the future
utilize the services of the same agent.
[0225] VII. Conclusion
[0226] While certain embodiments of the invention have been
described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example
only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present
invention. For example, although described herein with reference to
the Internet 125, the cruise selling and booking system 110 may be
used in other types of interactive communication systems.
Accordingly, the breadth and scope of the present invention should
be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their
equivalents.
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