Thread: Thank Your Travel Agent

Just saw this. The only time we read anything about travel agents in the press is when it's negative, so it's always nice when people appreciate the work we do enough to write about something positive about it.

Pete



Thank Your Travel Agent

By Editor Paul Motter
Let's be honest, these are tough times. Some people are feeling it more than others, but all of us are feeling some kind of pocketbook pinch, except for perhaps Micky Arison, CEO and top shareholder of Carnival Corp. who is one of the elite list of American billionaires.

And so I want to take a minute and say thanks to someone vital to the cruise industry, whom most of us already honor, trust and depend upon; Travel agents. Especially for cruisers, they are a vital link between our cruise planning and expectations and the results we ultimately get. A good cruise agent can get you upgrades when you least expect it, tell you when they find a great deal, and take care of problems before they crop up.

The best thing about a travel agent is that they work for our benefit, but they get paid by the cruise lines. That's right (just in case you didn't know), all of a travel agent's commission comes from the cruise line, not from the customer.
But another truth is that being a travel agent is a tough business. There are some agents who do quite well, but they deserve whatever success they get because believe me, they work hard for it. The last two years have heaped more and more challenges on travel agents.


For example, when an agent sells a cruise, the only portion they get paid on is the cruise itself. But at the same time they are responsible for getting a number of fees from the customer which go directly to the cruise line, or government, and they don't make any commission on these fees. Guess what they are called? NCFs, or "non-commissionable fees."

The amount of money a travel agent has to collect which he/she doesn't get paid for is growing all the time. An example is the new fuel surcharge. These are now typically about $9 per person per day. This money goes straight to the cruise line, and not one cent goes to the agent's commission. Other "NCF" charges include port fees and taxes.

As all of these extra charges get tacked on or go up in cost, there is more to explain to the customer to make one sale, and the price of a cruise is now higher than before which makes it a harder sell. Airfare has also gone up tremendously due to fuel costs, and the airlines stopped paying travel agents commission years ago.


Making things even worse, some of the cruise lines have even cut the pay scale for travel agents. They have to sell far more cruises, almost double the number in some cases, just to get the same commission percentage they were making last year.

So, let's hear it for the travel agents. If you have a good one then stick with him/her and make sure he/she always gets his/her commission (even if you book directly). This is one business where they really earn their money, with their knowledge, attention to detail, and dedication to doing the job right. If you have a good travel agent you know it. If you don't, then it is time to shop around for a new one. Only the best are likely to survive the current economic conditions.

Thanks for posting this Pete! I received the newsletter that had this in it and was going to post it, but you beat me to it!

Kudos to all our hard working travel agents here at CLF!

Thanks for posting it Pete.

It has become more and more difficult for TA's to stay in business.

Thanks!!

I guess the biggest problem is that alot of people just want the cheapest cruise possible so they spend hours, days, and even weeks searching the internet just to save $50. And then when they find it, they have to do everything themselves because it's one of these book-it-yourself websites that require no interaction. They're betting that they majority of people will not require personal assistance, so they can discount their cruises. Or they just buy a website hoping people will book through the website while they do nothing, similar to YTB. Because if you do need assistance, the people you talk to have never cruised before, never been to the ports, and basically know nothing about cruises or the travel industry.

Luckily, according to CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) 75% of all cruises are booked using travel agents and the number one reason given was because of all the options available, various prices, and just the overall number of questions and assistance needed in order to book the cruise. Since only 15% of U.S. citizens have ever cruised, that's alot of help that needs to be offered.

Obviously, I'm prejudice on the subject, but working with a professional agent is, in my opinion, the only way to go. Yes, sometimes you may pay a little bit more, but they may find you specials that could end up saving alot of money in the long run over what the discount websites charge.

Pete

Thanks Pete. I happen to love my TA

Well good to know all of that, I really had no idea how it works until now.
Thanks for the info.

I give a Standing O to all TAs!

I would NOT book without a TA. Eventhough I so all my research, and know which ship, sailing, and cabin # before calling, I still use a TA. Without one, I would feel absolutely naked, otherwise!

So . . . I'll add my own THANK YOU to all GOOD TAs everywhere!

Thanks for posting this Pete.

It is nice to get a little positive press once in a while.
Most people don't realize how hard we work for our
commissions. A travel agent nowadays has to really
love their work because the pay isn't all that.
I know that Dolores and I could both go back to work
in the medical field and make a lot more than we do now.
We'd be working a lot less than we do now also.

The one thing that keeps me going is all the wonderful people
that I have got to know over the years. Making someones vacation
be all that it can be brings a smile to my face. Every time I get
frustrated in dealing with my travel suppliers, one of my clients
will send me a thank you for making their trip a trip they will always
remember. That gives me the strength to carry on.

I'd like to thank all of the special people that really appreciate
all that we do for them every day.

Reggie

I totally agree. My wife and I have used a TA for all our cruises. They do a great job. Get a good price and take care of all the details. When we have questions, she gets back to us within an hour or two. We even e mail her with questions and get the answers immediately. I do my own research also but she takes it from there.

Dick