CRUISE INFORMATION AND BOOKING DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM

In a travel reservation and information data processing system, airline reservation computers, which are connected to remotely located data processing terminals in travel agents's offices, are also connected to a separate computer having a database containing detailed information on available cruises offered by subscribing cruise line operators. The separate computer is connected to remotely located data processing terminals in the offices of the subscribing cruise lines. The programs of the airline reservation computers are provided facilities to recognize requests for cruise information or cruise bookings received from the travel agents' terminals and to relay these requests to the separate computer. The separate computer responds to the received requests by transmitting back the requested information to the airline reservation computer from which the request was received or by entering a dialog to obtain information from the travel agent's terminal needed to make a booking. The airline reservation computer sends messages and information back to the travel agent's terminal from which the original request was received, and at which the information or message is then displayed. The data processing terminals in the cruise line operators offices are used to update the information in the database of the separate computer on the available cruises. When the separate computer has received the information needed for a booking it builds a booking message containing the information and transmits the booking message to the terminal in the office of the cruise line being booked. The cruise line then uses this terminal to confirm the booking to the separate computer.