Becoming a TA

[Cruisin_n_Boozin]

My family travels enough, so as I sit quarantined at home, I am wondering if there is benefit to becoming a TA so I can collect commissions on our travel.

 

I've noticed quite a few of you on here have taken this route.  Just curious what that process looks like.  Do you join an agency or create your own LLC, etc.

 

Just curious!

 

Thanks

[zekekelso]

You want to cross the Atlantic? 🙂

[ECCruise]

1 minute ago, zekekelso said:

You want to cross the Atlantic? 🙂

That's why we never refer to crossings as "TAs". 

[Iamcruzin]

There is a Search engine travel site company that offers careers as a cruise travel agent. $499 one time enrollment fee and $15 a month membership. I have met some of these people on cruises  These are the ones who only book family members.

[Ourusualbeach]

44 minutes ago, Cruisin_n_Boozin said:

My family travels enough, so as I sit quarantined at home, I am wondering if there is benefit to becoming a TA so I can collect commissions on our travel.

 

I've noticed quite a few of you on here have taken this route.  Just curious what that process looks like.  Do you join an agency or create your own LLC, etc.

 

Just curious!

 

Thanks

YouR best bet would be to find a host agency.  Pretty difficult to set up on your own and get set up as an individual with the cruise lines, plus all the business fees and insurance you would need to pay would not make it worthwhile.  You will end up paying monthly fees to a host agency and they will also take a portion of the commission.  Working for an existing agency would mean you would lose even more in commissions. 

[Fireworks77]

Becoming a TA now? Unless your a sadist I would not advise that.

The prep for a colonoscopy would be more enjoyable.  At least with the Colonoscopy prep you are only cleaned out from the inside, and everything goes down the drain over a few hours, not slowly over time.

[Cruisin_n_Boozin]

9 hours ago, Fireworks77 said:

Becoming a TA now? Unless your a sadist I would not advise that.

The prep for a colonoscopy would be more enjoyable.  At least with the Colonoscopy prep you are only cleaned out from the inside, and everything goes down the drain over a few hours, not slowly over time.

 

Lol, like I said, it wouldn't be to gain any additional income, just to book my own travel.

 

But to that point, no I wouldn't pay a $500 "program fee" or whatever they want to call it right now.  Seems silly to me that a "host agency" would charge an upfront fee, and take half of the commissions.

[ECCruise]

14 minutes ago, Cruisin_n_Boozin said:

 

Lol, like I said, it wouldn't be to gain any additional income, just to book my own travel.

 

But to that point, no I wouldn't pay a $500 "program fee" or whatever they want to call it right now.  Seems silly to me that a "host agency" would charge an upfront fee, and take half of the commissions.

That is how every franchise setup  works, so not unusual at all.   Better than McDonalds.  That is $45,000 before you even put up a brick. 

[Cruisin_n_Boozin]

4 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

That is how every franchise setup  works, so not unusual at all.   Better than McDonalds.  That is $45,000 before you even put up a brick. 

 

Different from a franchise.  I would not be a franchisee, I would be treated as an independent contractor.

[Fivehole]

 

“Lol, like I said, it wouldn't be to gain any additional income, just to book my own travel.“

So then you are not at all trying to become a travel agent....

[Jimbo]

15 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

There is a Search engine travel site company that offers careers as a cruise travel agent. $499 one time enrollment fee and $15 a month membership. I have met some of these people on cruises  These are the ones who only book family members.

I belonged to one a while back that only charged $120 a year..........well worth it if you  book expensive cabins or alot of cruises in 1 year.

Still the same price now to signup. $120..no added fees no matter how many cruises you book.

 

It's a 50/50 spilt on commissions.

Edited April 28, 2020 by Jimbo

[terry&mike]

57 minutes ago, Cruisin_n_Boozin said:

 

Different from a franchise.  I would not be a franchisee, I would be treated as an independent contractor.

Usually your host agency is a franchisee, or their own agency, and you would be an independent contractor under them. For what you have in mind, yes, the usual set up is that you would pay a set up fee at the beginning, usually $300-$500, to have access to programs, training, online resources, etc. Then many have a small monthly fee, usually around $15, for online access, email storage, etc. Then you split your commissions with them, which can vary depending on your contract. 

[ECCruise]

1 hour ago, Cruisin_n_Boozin said:

 

Different from a franchise.  I would not be a franchisee, I would be treated as an independent contractor.

Actually it isn't very different.  You would still need to work under an Agency's umbrella.  You will still need to pay them some sort of fee, generally upfront as well as monthly retainer, just like a franchise.  They would need to cover things like E and O insurance or you would have to have your own policy. 

I have owned many small businesses, have cruised over 85 times and paid thousands of dollars in commissions to our TA.  And never once considered doing it myself.

 

Plus, if you have a good TA who shares commission with you, you would make out better than doing it yourself.  Since ours is part of a huge umbrella agency, our savings, either in discounts through group pricing or refundable OBCs, average around 8-10% savings each time we sail.  We would never recoup that having to share 50% with the host agency and having to pay startup/monthly fees.

Edited April 28, 2020 by ECCruise

[Cruisin_n_Boozin]

14 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

Actually it isn't very different.  You would still need to work under an Agency's umbrella.  You will still need to pay them some sort of fee, generally upfront as well as monthly retainer, just like a franchise.  They would need to cover things like E and O insurance or you would have to have your own policy. 

I have owned many small businesses, have cruised over 85 times and paid thousands of dollars in commissions to our TA.  And never once considered doing it myself.

 

Plus, if you have a good TA who shares commission with you, you would make out better than doing it yourself.  Since ours is part of a huge umbrella agency, our savings, either in discounts through group pricing or refundable OBCs, average around 8-10% savings each time we sail.  We would never recoup that having to share 50% with the host agency and having to pay startup/monthly fees.

 

Agree to disagree I guess.  What you are talking about is now no different than the cashier at McDonalds.  That franchisee has to provide insurance, training, etc.  The cashier is then paid for his services (which although a set amount, is still a percentage of revenue).  Anyway, I still do understand what you are saying.  Have owned a small business and paid franchise fees as well, just seems to me that the host agency passing that expense on to it's "employees" is shady, but perhaps that is just the way it works in that industry!

 

All that being said, I appreciate the info and insight!

[Iamcruzin]

1 hour ago, Fivehole said:

 

“Lol, like I said, it wouldn't be to gain any additional income, just to book my own travel.“

So then you are not at all trying to become a travel agent....

The people  I met who belong to a host agent are just looking for good deals and discounts for themselves or family members.  I wonder if these agents can book multiple cruises during the pandemic knowing that the cruise line will cancel and will still be able to get commission since the cruise lines seem to be paying out even if the line cancels the cruise. I know this is unethical but etics and cruising don't always go hand and hand. 

Edited April 28, 2020 by Iamcruzin

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

The people  I met who belong to a host agent are just looking for good deals and discounts for themselves or family members.  I wonder if these agents can book multiple cruises during the pandemic knowing that the cruise line will cancel and will still be able to get commission since the cruise lines seem to be paying out even if the line cancels the cruise. I know this is unethical but etics and cruising don't always go hand and hand. 

That’s a lot of money to tie up in deposits And waiting for the refunds for a very small relative payback. 

[Iamcruzin]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

That’s a lot of money to tie up in deposits And waiting for the refunds for a very small relative payback. 

That's true but I guess it can be done. After reading some of the booking choices people have made through this pandemic gives me reason to believe that anything is possible.

[Jimbo]

11 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

That’s a lot of money to tie up in deposits And waiting for the refunds for a very small relative payback. 

Maybe on a $20,000 cabin it would be worth it.

[Fivehole]

Like any industry, there are good and bad players. Sadly I’m sure you can find a setup that benefits you financially but again - that would not make you a Travel Agent nor Travel Professional by any stretch of the mind. Among TRUE travel professionals “ethics” is very much a guiding principle. 

[Kwaj girl]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

The people  I met who belong to a host agent are just looking for good deals and discounts for themselves or family members.  I wonder if these agents can book multiple cruises during the pandemic knowing that the cruise line will cancel and will still be able to get commission since the cruise lines seem to be paying out even if the line cancels the cruise. I know this is unethical but etics and cruising don't always go hand and hand. 

 

You won't know for sure that a cruise would be cancelled.  Note that commission protection only applies to paid in full bookings....and some cruise lines are changing policies midstream...NOT protecting commissions on these bookings...and NOT allowing for client refunds but ONLY allowing for a future cruise credit.  True story.  I'm an agent in the midst of this fight right now for a client in this exact situation.  

[cruisinfanatic]

25 minutes ago, Kwaj girl said:

 

You won't know for sure that a cruise would be cancelled.  Note that commission protection only applies to paid in full bookings....and some cruise lines are changing policies midstream...NOT protecting commissions on these bookings...and NOT allowing for client refunds but ONLY allowing for a future cruise credit.  True story.  I'm an agent in the midst of this fight right now for a client in this exact situation.  

who doesn't issue full refund when the company cancels? To do this, it has to say somewhere when booking that there are no refunds

Edited April 28, 2020 by cruisinfanatic

[Kwaj girl]

35 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

who doesn't issue full refund when the company cancels? To do this, it has to say somewhere when booking that there are no refunds

 

THAT is my point exactly - the company in question changed heir policy 'amid this pandemic event.....force majeure'.  NOT OUR PROBLEM - those were not the policies when the booking was made. Original T&C apply as far as we're concerned.  Thus, the fight at this point.

[Ourusualbeach]

46 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

who doesn't issue full refund when the company cancels? To do this, it has to say somewhere when booking that there are no refunds

Canadian Airlines.  No refunds...vouchers only.

All inclusives...vouchers only. 
 

probably buried on line 386 of the fine print that no one reads anyway. 

[cruisinfanatic]

5 hours ago, Kwaj girl said:

 

THAT is my point exactly - the company in question changed heir policy 'amid this pandemic event.....force majeure'.  NOT OUR PROBLEM - those were not the policies when the booking was made. Original T&C apply as far as we're concerned.  Thus, the fight at this point.

You didn't answer the question. Who?

[Kwaj girl]

17 minutes ago, cruisinfanatic said:

You didn't answer the question. Who?

 

At this point I cannot say as it is under negotiation at the moment. I will say it is not RCI.