Thread: comissions

I have booked a cruise to Hawaii and received confirmation from my ta with a port charge and tax of $783 when I go online to Princess the port charge and tax is $83. Is the extra $700 a comission? I would love to get the answer for this. Thanks

That's got to be a typo.

Normally, an agent will provide you two confirmations; one will be directly from the cruise line and this one is the accurate amount. The other one is usually a confirmation or invoice from the agency itself and this is suppose to be the same as the cruise line confirmation. But since this is manually entered into their software, it can sometimes have typos. Unfortunately, I've done this a few times myself, but nobody is perfect.

If you don't get the cruise line confirmation from your agent, demand it! You should always get a copy of this confirmation - it helps insure you have a reservation and it is for exactly what you bargained for.

Pete

Originally Posted by pegrain

I have booked a cruise to Hawaii and received confirmation from my ta with a port charge and tax of $783 when I go online to Princess the port charge and tax is $83. Is the extra $700 a comission? I would love to get the answer for this. Thanks

I would say that as long as the bottom line is the same as what you are seeing on the Princess website, I wouldn't worry. Very often, the way a cruise line lists charges and the way a TA lists charges, are two different ways.

Example; the cruise lines add the port charges to the price of the cruise. My booking software lists the cruise fare as one price, and the port charges and gov't taxes are listed seperately. Both totals are the same, it's just the way it's listed.

Peter is correct, you should get a copy of the cruise lines confirmation for your reservation, to assure that you do have a reservation.

Thanks for the reply. I am seeing that the total on-line is actually more than the TA's confirm for the same accomodations, so I do feel better. I questioned it because they double charged for the insurance, this is a new agent so I don't know whether or not he would have picked it up had I not. He did do a lot of complaining that Princesses commissions were low, after we changed to Princess to Hawaii.

Originally Posted by pegrain

He did do a lot of complaining that Princesses commissions were low, after we changed to Princess to Hawaii.

oh my that's scary...

Originally Posted by pegrain

Thanks for the reply. I am seeing that the total on-line is actually more than the TA's confirm for the same accomodations, so I do feel better.

I would go onto the Princess website, look up your reservation, and compare the prices they have against the price the travel agent provided - they should be exactly the same.

As for the insurance, depending on your age, it may be much cheaper getting an independent travel insurance policy than it is going through the cruise line. Unless you are over 70, you can save a great deal of money. As for the double charge, on the Princess booking site, there is an amount added for each passenger. So while this may appear to be a double charge, it may actually be two charges - one for each of you.

And within 1%, Princess pays the same commission as all the other major cruise lines, so if your agent is complaining about it, it's not someone with a great deal of experience, that's for sure! And if they are complaining about it to a client, that's not very good business sense. A good reputable agent would never complain to a client about such matters. Sorry to be so blunt, but this just shows me a complete lack of class and respect for clients when an agent behaves in such a manner.

Pete

Do travel agents often try to push customers to book certain cruise lines, cabins, etc. to get higher commissions? Do they have relationships with cruise liness? On the Cruise Critic board
people said this happens, but on that site naming travel agencies is forbidden so I could not ask who is doing that.

Also, what is the deal with onboard credits and discounts from travel agents? How can I get those through my travel agent? Is it really a money-saver or are their hidden costs in deals?

I also want to know what people are talking about when they say travel agents book blocks of cabins. Is that good or bad for the customer? Why do travel agents do this? I want to be free to choose my favorite cabin of those that are available.

When 2013 gets closer, I will have a lot of cruise-specific questions, so stay tuned!

First, I've always told people to avoid travel agents who recommend cruises. There are three basic reasons why;

1) If they recommend a particular cruise line or destination, it may be the only cruise line or destination they are familiar with.

2) They may have thoroughly enjoyed their cruise and assume you will also. But everyone is different and what you like, I may hate, and vice versa. So a good travel agent will never assume.

3) If they are pushing one particular cruise line over another, it may be that they are making a bigger commission with that cruise line. Cruise lines pay commissions based on a travel agent sales - the more they sell, the more the commission.

I'm like alot of reputable travel agents and we feel our job is to provide you as much information as you can handle so you can make an informed decision on what cruise is the best for you based on your requirements, lifestyle, and budget. Bottom line is that we want you happy because if you're not satisfied with you cruise then you won't use us again and you won't recommend us to your family and friends. So a reputable agent will have your best interest in mind.

Second, don't listen to most of what you read on the CC blogs. The word 'critic' fits perfectfully because most of the people there are big critics. And the reason why they do not allow travel agents is because it's a commercial website, so they do not want any competition. Also, agents are more apt to speak the truth and they don't like that, especially if you have anything negative to say about NCL - they absolutely hate that since NCL is one of their biggest supporters.

To answer your question about onboard credit, amenities, and discounts; agents will often book a group of cabins to afford their clients the best possible rate and/or amenities. This is always a good thing. For example; Cruise Planners pre-books over 30,000 cabins into group space each year. This gives us the opportunity to get our clients the best rate and any amenities afforded to groups that individual reservations may not get.

However, some agents will offer discounts in the form of onboard credit, free travel insurance, or reduced rates that are not associated with groups. You need to be careful with some of these agents as discounting is discouraged by most cruise lines and should they be going against policy, they can have their credentials revoked. So be careful when shopping online sites.

The bottom line is you do not want to book directly with the cruise line; they have their best interest in mind. Book with a reputable agent who will look after you, provide expertise that can be invaluable, and the prices will be exactly the same as the cruise lines charge.

And lastly, stop listening to those who post on the 'dark side' as those who post on CLF are much more friendly, offer better information, and are not censored.

Let us know if you have any questions as we're all here to help you.

Pete

Pete, if I go the cabin gorup route to save money, will I still be able to choose my cabin? If I have to sleep on Dolphin deck or the port side of Emerald deck when the best minisuites are available (thinking about Princess ships), I will not be a happy cruiser.

Originally Posted by Smart Traveler

Pete, if I go the cabin gorup route to save money, will I still be able to choose my cabin? If I have to sleep on Dolphin deck or the port side of Emerald deck when the best minisuites are available (thinking about Princess ships), I will not be a happy cruiser.

A travel agency will block a certain number of cabins in several categories when they make a group booking. They block categories, not specific cabins so you will be able to reserve any available cabin in those categories.

Reggie