Princess Cruises, which is part of the Carnival Corp & plc group, has decided to increase basic upfront commission payments to agents in the UK from 5% to 10% for 2014 sailings, Travel Weekly reports in an email newsletter.

The move has been welcomed by the travel trade and Advantage leisure director Julia Lo Bue-Said said: "There are bridges to be built (between Princess and the trade) and this will aid that. This move is probably an attempt both to improve clarity about bookings and a recognition of the value the trade brings," she was quoted by Travel Weekly as saying.

However, two other Carnival UK brands, Cunard Line and P&O Cruises,  have not followed the lead of Princess in this matter.

 Advantage member sales of Complete Cruise Solution brands, which include Princess, have been "significantly down" since the move to 5% in 2011, when the consortium took CCS lines off its preferred supplier list, said Bue-Said.

Sukie Rapal, marketing director at Cruise.co.uk, cautiously welcomed the move, provided it did not result in a return to discounting. "It would be a huge shame if we went back to discounting," she said. Cruise 118 director James Cole said: "On the surface it would appear to be a positive move by Princess which is agent friendly and conducive to increasing sales in the UK."

Princess Cruises' UK managing director Paul Ludlow said the move was a result of trade feedback, but insisted it was not a "knee-jerk reaction" or an admission the 5% rate was a mistake. Despite Princess moving to the headline rate of 5% in 2011, along with P&O Cruises and Cunard, potential earnings were higher, as agents could earn 3% extra on the cruise element when booking flights through Princess and more by taking out a group deal.

However, these were paid after sailings on a quarterly basis. Ludlow said agents wanted a simpler arrangement so they know what their earnings are, the report said.