How Many Regular Posters here are TA's?

[sail7seas]

babyher......Thanks for your kind words.

 

I really have given this serious thought several times in the past and again this last month.

 

My DH leaves the decision entirely to me and only wants me to become involved in it if I wish.

 

I think I'm quite convinced I am not dedicated enough to the idea to go forward. I'm not a person who ever has 'half done' anything. I give it my all or I don't get into it at all.

 

I really appreciate the helpful posts here who directed my thoughts from jumping all over the place and focusing on the realities this new venture would involve.

 

So......looks like I'll continue to have loads of free time to 'play here' :) and look forward to/prepare for our personal cruises.

 

I've found this to be a very enjoyable thread and thank all of your for it.

 

[babyher]

Okay Okay

so no discounts or upgrades for us CCers *LOL*

 

But we are all awfully glad we will have you here just as always :)

[sail7seas]

Okay Okay

so no discounts or upgrades for us CCers *LOL*

 

But we are all awfully glad we will have you here just as always :)

 

What a Charmer........You're a sweetie, babyer. :)

 

IF I ever, by some stroke of magic, get huge wonderful discounts, it'll be a 'free for all' around here. Sure wish I could oblige and spread them around. That sure would be much, much, much fun!!!

 

Oh well.....it's fun to dream.

[Gypsea]

I didn't bother to read what everyone else said but I am a TA and I work at this everyday. Still, it is not full time for me. I actually have a small hair salon (tuesday - Saturday) and have had since I was 19. I love it but I still call this my fun job. I have been selling for two years for a large internet based agency. I started this because I wanted to be able to cruise more. Now I can. Plus, the salon gives me many opportunities to sell as my clients are surrounded by brochures and cruise info. I have two signs out front on a very heavily traveled road. I have booked families of 19 and larger company groups and make a decent part-time income. It does require some commitment but I enjoy learning about the ships and lines I am not as familiar with. I use these boards for that purpose. In fact, I was checking out the reviews for the Volendam as I have booked a family of ten for next July and I wanted to make sure she was in good shape. They picked the ship based on her smaller size but I wanted to make sure she was in good repair. No, I didn't have to bother but I want to do the right thing for my clients. If you love your job you'll never work a day in your life. If you want to be free every moment then don't consider working. If you want to help people have a vacation to remember then by all means, climb aboard!!

[Tracyr]

My storey is very simular to GYPSEA. I was approached, a year ago, by the online agency I had used to book all of my cruises. They were looking for outside sales agents. I love to cruise. My first was in Sept of 2000 and I have done eight total now. I thought I would give the outside agent thing a try. I work full time as an RN (I am Nurse Manager for a Obstetric unit). I booked cruises to get great prices for myself and learn all I can about cruising. It has been a lot of fun. The online agency requires me to book quite a few cabins per year. To do this I passed on all the saving to clients just to keep my numbers up. I live in a small town, so it has all been word of mouth. I found out last week that the agency has decided to discontinue the outside agent idea, so it looks like I won't being doing it anymore. I am sad, I loved it, it was like a hobby. My hope is they will restart when they get the bugs in the program worked out. Since I enjoyed it so much, I really think I did a service to my clients. Lots of extra attention. I would say if you get a chance to try it. Go for it. I sure saved myself and others lots of money.

[DFD1]

I've started, operated then sold four businesses in my career. The hardest most stressful work I have ever done was during the the seven years I spent in the travel business in the 1970's.

 

It is not an easy business and the financial rewards today are most often modest and well-earned.

[tomc]

I was never a travel agent, but I was a travel writer for a time on the side (locally and nationally). I reviewed a book about Sitka for the newspaper where I am a weekly columnist and the book's publisher called/wrote to ask if I was the one, as they received a bunch of orders from my area. So maybe I helped the TA's around here get some Alaska business.

[heavenly]

Wow, a thread that finally got me quit "lurking about" and post!

 

As one poster said, if you love it, it is a great way to make a living. Not easy, but fun and enjoyable. In my case, I have a host agency. It helps that my background before this was in business, I'm also a CPA. Understanding todays technology is also a big plus, forget the fax machine, they all come to my laptop. Yes, I'm on call 24/7, but I'm doing something that I love.

 

All of the posts here have been on the money and quite insightful. Though, I do believe we stay up on more than one or two cruiselines here and I wouldn't really trust an agent that didn't do so. We currently have groups sailing on several lines and those cruises were selected to "fit" the groups (none that take over the entire dining room, I promise) that are sailing on them. Whomever said to work "with" the TA instead of just "through" them was correct, our happiest groups are those where the group leader is being compensated in some manner for the all the effort they put forth in making sure they have a successful sailing.

 

I learn a lot from these boards and would be happy to answer any questions...

 

Sailing next week on the Oosterdam in 7133 and wondering now if we will be happy in that one instead of one on a lower deck, such as 5187!

 

Debbie

[dwr777]

Sailing next week on the Oosterdam in 7133 and wondering now if we will be happy in that one instead of one on a lower deck, such as 5187!

 

Debbie-

 

I am sailing on the Oosterdam in the beginning of Dec in cabin 7133, so I will be very interested to hear what your opinions of it are. I switched from a mid deck S to an aft S after receiving some feedback from CC. I'm sure you'll love it. Please post a review of the cabin after your cruise.

 

Have a WONDERFUL time!!

[peaches from georgia]

Sailing next week on the Oosterdam in 7133 and wondering now if we will be happy in that one instead of one on a lower deck, such as 5187!

 

Debbie-

I don't know why you would ask that? You are in the same corner, but closer to the Neptune Lounge which is one of the major perks of an S, and also closer to Lido and the 2 pools. There is a reason the higher the deck the higher the category.

[heavenly]

I don't know why you would ask that? You are in the same corner, but closer to the Neptune Lounge which is one of the major perks of an S, and also closer to Lido and the 2 pools. There is a reason the higher the deck the higher the category.

 

I wonder because 7133 looks smaller on the deck plan than 5187, which I originally had and moved out of because of facts you mention...

 

It does look like the verandah is larger on 7133 and that was another consideration since we plan on a few parties there.

 

I will make sure and post when we get back...