Travel Agent Fees

[rallydave]

1 hour ago, Pcardad said:

Also keep in mind that not everyone is motivated by money. Some clients want the best possible service. In others areas of business, you see this with the MDVIP program where your doctor only accepts a limited number of patients and is available 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The same situation exists in travel and some people are willing to pay more for more service or better access or a wider range of services provided. If you shop solely based on price you may not always find what you want.

While it is true the TA with the big rebate might not provide the best service there are TAs including mine that provide excellent service while also providing significant rebates

 

in many cases you can have your cake and eat it too

[Gpilon]

11 minutes ago, edgee said:

I am an MDVIP patient. I am happy to pay for my doctor's incredible personalized service. In my case, no need to pay extra for a great TA, however.  For cruising, I have a TA who gives great service, rebates between 9 and 11 percent of the fare and often offers other benefits. If I can get great service PLUS additional value, there is no need to use a TA who charges fees or does not offer additional benefits. YMMV

Agreed again. Sand not just the Friday HH specials speaking here……

 

[Pcardad]

36 minutes ago, edgee said:

I am an MDVIP patient. I am happy to pay for my doctor's incredible personalized service. In my case, no need to pay extra for a great TA, however.  For cruising, I have a TA who gives great service, rebates between 9 and 11 percent of the fare and often offers other benefits. If I can get great service PLUS additional value, there is no need to use a TA who charges fees or does not offer additional benefits. YMMV

I agree, based on your description of your needs, there is no need for you to go with a TA who provides additional services. Plain vanilla TA services can be done by most any TA's.

[Pcardad]

38 minutes ago, rallydave said:

While it is true the TA with the big rebate might not provide the best service there are TAs including mine that provide excellent service while also providing significant rebates

 

in many cases you can have your cake and eat it too

There are clients who want cake and then there are clients who want the chef to travel with them and someone to feed them and carry their gear and are used to having their assistant within earshot at all times....those clients pay more....and the people who handle their needs are more than TA's.

[ronrick1943]

On 4/21/2022 at 9:00 AM, jeb_bud said:

My travel agent pays me in the form of a rebate check with my cruise documents. A TA charging the customer seems backwards to me. 

Really, always get a rebate-never pay a TA for a cruise.

[WesW]

Remember it's not always about the amount of Rebate you get from your TA, service pre, during and post cruise are important too.  Tho, absolutely agree, you should not pay a TA for their service; they receive at least 15% of your cruise fare from Regent.

 

For example before our cruise, our TA ensured we got Platinum benefits on board a Regent ship having qualified on the sailing we were on when Regent was not going to recognize this new level.

 

During a Silversea cruise in March 2020,  at the peak of the Covid crisis, we were stuck off Capetown for five days at anchor (the South Africa Government would not allow us to dock due to fear of Covid on board our ship altho we had zero cases).  Many of us who had Silversea air could not get immediate assistance with Air, as Silversea Air was  swamped getting World Cruisers home from Australia.  The Guest Reception told us we would have to wait until day 5 before they re looked at our Silversea Air.  Our TA stepped up and bought Biz Class tickets home from Capetown.

 

 

[ChucktownSteve]

16 hours ago, rallydave said:

While it is true the TA with the big rebate might not provide the best service there are TAs including mine that provide excellent service while also providing significant rebates

 

in many cases you can have your cake and eat it too

 

I concur Rallydave.  I've been using our TA for over five years.  Have had excellent service even when I recently I had to call after just embarking because the Azamara cruise line got the perks/medical requirements wrong.  It was on my booking but didn't make it to the ship.  The customer relations rep blew me off but getting my TA on the phone and handing it to the CR person solved the problems immediately.

So I not only received significant rebates and perks but the service was there as well!

[Pcardad]

3 hours ago, WesW said:

Remember it's not always about the amount of Rebate you get from your TA, service pre, during and post cruise are important too.  Tho, absolutely agree, you should not pay a TA for their service; they receive at least 15% of your cruise fare from Regent.

 

 

 

 

The range of compensation is very large but TA's do not all get 15%....

[rallydave]

19 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

The range of compensation is very large but TA's do not all get 15%....

Correct, but, some TA's get more than 15% and those are the ones who can afford large rebates plus great service.

[Pcardad]

16 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Correct, but, some TA's get more than 15% and those are the ones who can afford large rebates plus great service.

For plain vanilla travel needs, I would consider it. Just make sure you get a reputable one...there are some shady TA's out there.

[rallydave]

53 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

For plain vanilla travel needs, I would consider it. Just make sure you get a reputable one...there are some shady TA's out there.

As the sayings go YMMV.Always a few shady in most business but quite a few reputable helpful TAs with high rebates. 
 

sfter all in order to get the high cruise line commissions they must be doing the right things to have many happy repeat customers. 
 

Dint let some posters scare you away from higher rebates plu wonderful service. 

[Pcardad]

7 minutes ago, rallydave said:

As the sayings go YMMV.Always a few shady in most business but quite a few reputable helpful TAs with high rebates. 
 

sfter all in order to get the high cruise line commissions they must be doing the right things to have many happy repeat customers. 
 

Dint let some posters scare you away from higher rebates plu wonderful service. 

Volume has nothing to do with service...price is a much higher factor in most people's buying decisions. I dealt with one fellow who had very high volume and the service was horrific. We had to cancel all the booking and move them after being lied to.

 

But, as you say, YMMV. If you are happy then that is all that matters. But I will suggest that if you can't get your person on the phone 24/7 then the service may be good but it isn't wonderful. I suspect we are talking about clients with different levels of need/want so more like apples/oranges yes?

[rallydave]

21 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Volume has nothing to do with service...price is a much higher factor in most people's buying decisions. I dealt with one fellow who had very high volume and the service was horrific. We had to cancel all the booking and move them after being lied to.

 

But, as you say, YMMV. If you are happy then that is all that matters. But I will suggest that if you can't get your person on the phone 24/7 then the service may be good but it isn't wonderful. I suspect we are talking about clients with different levels of need/want so more like apples/oranges yes?

While access is important, sincerely doubt TA access is available 24/7 unless the agency has staff available 24/7.  Even great TA's have to sleep and do more than just be on call 24/7.  Yes needs do vary as to hand holding vs active customers.

 

As to volume, was simply using volume to indicate those TA's getting the high commissions from the cruise lines.  And if people are not happy with their TA's they don't book with them again or recommend them so th volume will go down and the commissions will also drop so large volume is an indicator of good service and high commissions/rebates.

 

Bottom line in response to the original question is there is no need to pay a TA to book your cruise and $500 is an absurd beyond belief amount for booking!!!!!

[Pcardad]

2 minutes ago, rallydave said:

While access is important, sincerely doubt TA access is available 24/7 unless the agency has staff available 24/7.  Even great TA's have to sleep and do more than just be on call 24/7.  Yes needs do vary as to hand holding vs active customers.

 

As to volume, was simply using volume to indicate those TA's getting the high commissions from the cruise lines.  And if people are not happy with their TA's they don't book with them again or recommend them so th volume will go down and the commissions will also drop so large volume is an indicator of good service and high commissions/rebates.

 

Bottom line in response to the original question is there is no need to pay a TA to book your cruise and $500 is an absurd beyond belief amount for booking!!!!!

I agree for basic needs....but there are clients who do not have basic needs as well. This is the market I work with and I am available 24/7/365 days a year, in person anywhere in the world if needed, at client expense. It is a VERY interesting job.

[LvnCruisin]

There are some of us who are really getting nothing. I didn't realize until our most recent booking that we are on now just how little we are getting. From not understanding what side of the ship we would want to be on, to telling them that it is our anniversary (when it's not) and so many many things. Understanding who we are is probably the most important thing that I could ever ask for. We've booked with the same place before and never realized that there is more to this than meets the eye.

 

So while most don't want us to have the discussion, I am not, nor will I ask for a reference, I simply would like the discussions on what others do receive from their TA. 

[-Lew-]

42 minutes ago, LvnCruisin said:

I didn't realize until our most recent booking that we are on now just how little we are getting.

 

If you're onboard right now, there's no better time to discuss TAs with fellow cruisers.  We have a wonderful TA and I'm happy to discuss her with anyone who is interested...I imagine others are also.

 

Enjoy your cruise...

[Carol From California]

We also have a great travel agent who gives great service and generous rebates. The rebates are paid to us BEFORE we get on the ship. The check is sent to us with our final cruise documents.

[rallydave]

5 minutes ago, Carol From California said:

We also have a great travel agent who gives great service and generous rebates. The rebates are paid to us BEFORE we get on the ship. The check is sent to us with our final cruise documents.

We also get our check either with final document  or for sure before leaving home.  Also have another benefit in that we recently booked a Seabourn Exploration Cruise and with all of the Carnival Group we are able to deduct the Rebate from Final Payment which in our case is almost a year from now so we are able to take advantage of an additional 10$ credit over a year before sailing.

 

Simply another perk of dealing with our TA.

[Christine4]

Thank you all for responding to my question.  I learned a lot from your answers.😃

 Your answers saved me $500.🤑

I did change my TA and found another who will not charge any fees😊 but he hasn't offered any refunds yet. 

 

Maybe there could be some type of learning tool on this  blog, so that people who are new to cruising don't get blind sided. Or is there one already?

 

Previously I did get OBC, but it was non-refundable.  There isn't too much on the ship to purchase.  We spent about $100 on shampoo and lotions🙄🤪🤔.

 

 

[2SailingNomads]

We have used exactly 3 different agents over 20+ cruises.  The first one gave a small discount, was only available M-F, and nothing else so we looked around and found an agent that gives us a good discount + some OBC, although the discount on one line is going to be in the form of a rebate check post cruise.  All the others have been discounted price.  That agent's company is available 7 days a week.  

 

We also have used a UK based agent several times, who typically gave a little larger discount (albeit with a currency risk) but no OBC but has 24x7 phone access.  (Never had to use it so do not know exactly how responsive they would be, although a friend has.)

 

I once contacted an agent who is very prolific on social media and supposedly a big volume agent and he basically offered me 1/2 of the discount I get from my agent.  I think it unfortunate that CC does not allow disclosing TA info as it could be one of the most useful exchanges.

[LvnCruisin]

I think these threads are very useful as well. We will be asking others on board. But I will say that the article that was posted was very helpful as well. I like the thought that while we are interviewing them that they should want to interview us as well so they learn who we are. Thank-you all.

[NCCruzQueen]

15 hours ago, Benny B. Goode said:

I sure hope someone is serving up a tasty punch because there are going to be a lot of thirsty girls and boys doing this travel agent dance!

 

I've never paid a fee, and I've never gotten cash back, but I always get something. It's usually credit for spending on board the ship.

@Benny B. Goode, I usually receive various kinds of SBCs and a rewards check from my TA.

[cruiseluv]

21 hours ago, LvnCruisin said:

There are some of us who are really getting nothing. I didn't realize until our most recent booking that we are on now just how little we are getting. From not understanding what side of the ship we would want to be on, to telling them that it is our anniversary (when it's not) and so many many things. Understanding who we are is probably the most important thing that I could ever ask for. We've booked with the same place before and never realized that there is more to this than meets the eye.

 

So while most don't want us to have the discussion, I am not, nor will I ask for a reference, I simply would like the discussions on what others do receive from their TA. 

I get a rebate check, I think it’s around 10% of the commisionable fare , sometimes a SBC as well

if you find a TA that can do better for you you can transfer your existing booking 

[cruiseluv]

19 hours ago, Benny B. Goode said:

I sure hope someone is serving up a tasty punch because there are going to be a lot of thirsty girls and boys doing this travel agent dance!

 

I've never paid a fee, and I've never gotten cash back, but I always get something. It's usually credit for spending on board the ship.

That’s not as valuable as cold, hard cash

[Frncie]

Personally, I never travel anywhere without my favorite travel agent, Cyd Redondo.