Can anyone become a TA and save money?

[Therapst]

Danno, I've always enjoyed reading your posts here on CC. In the main, they're informative and frequently humorous. In this case, though, I think it's a bit out of line to use terms like "fraud", "misrepresent", and "cheating" with regard to Kathleen's posts (or to whomever you're directing your responses).

 

How many clients do you have to represent to be a "cruise agent"? Five, ten, fifty, one hundred? If the poster meets the requirements established by CLIA, including the payment of fees and continuing education, is she really guilty of fraud and misrepresentation?

 

Just a thought (let there be flames.....)

 

Randy

[Kathleen P.]

the cruise line is filling empty berths with TA's on space available, so the tipped employees like it as does the company because these people tip better than an empty seat.

 

However, I'd like to know how Kathleen gets around or will eventually have to get around when a cruiseline District Sales Manager calls on her home/address (they don't like those entities) to meet her. They get the listings of the CLIA members, and they certainly get it when you book for an agent discount with their company. tick-tock, tick-tock.

 

And, Kathleen, I think you owe these people a better answer than "I think the fee is $400", don't you know, do you have so much money that it isn't a clear memory?

 

And probably more cost and work--From the CLIA site--

Effective for the 2004 ID card season, all agents renewing a CLIA ID card, must provide proof of completing a CLIA training event in the preceding year. All CLIA training seminars and online programs qualify, including those completed in conjunction with the CLIA INSTITUTE or any travel industry conference or event.

 

 

 

Are you for real?????

 

No I don't exactly remember how much it costs...I paid it last November. If you cannot go to the website I provided to figure that out, well then you are not as smart as you think you are.

 

Like I stated in my post, on-line training or 1 seminar counts as TRAINING.

 

FYI...I have a home office with a business phone number (some people have more than 1 phone line in their house)...District Sales managers do not call they E-mail me...I get over 60 Emails a day...long gone are the days of the sales managers knocking on your door (unless you are a huge Travel Agency with lots of agents, it is easier for them to make a visit so they give a mini seminar to all employees). Have you ever heard of a home based Travel Agency- It has been big business for years now (tick tock tick tock!!!) and CLIA recognizes that and so do District sales managers - Hellloooo where have you been- you are actually allowed to have a small home based travel business in your home !!! Where do you get off being the judge and jury anyway? I am a legitimite business, registered with my state, with all the specs in order. If I decide NOT to have clients, that is my business, not yours. If I decide to use my membership for my own vacations that is my business...it is not illegal, that is what the card is for! I am not getting a bootleg ID card...I pay for it and I take a training class every year.

 

CLIA is not a non profit organization...they charge for everything...CLIA is a business...if you have a tax ID number, and everything else they require and you pay for everything...they really do not care what you do with your card.

 

And NO you do not HAVE to do ship inspections for an ID Card...it's is you want to be an accredited cruise specialist. You do not have to be a specialist in order to get your ID card, you just have to complete 1 class.

 

 

Geeze...everyone here is a genius..you have it all figured out. I'm so sorry I answered the post for the people who really wanted an answer. I did not answer it to get flamed by the likes of you. If you can't figure out how to start up your own home based business...go back to high school...they have been teaching that course forever...maybe you missed it??

 

 

FYI...I stay in a suite, so they actually keep the commission they would have paid out. Also being a TA getting the 59 dollar a day rate (or what ever the spacial rate is)- is to fill up the empty cabins on the ship as a filled ship makes more money than an one that is 3/4 full. Not every ship has TA rates, they do not allow it on the popular sailings/ships.

 

 

So where is your problem???

 

If any of you wishg to lay out money to set up a little business for yourself...by all means. It is not fraud, I do not obtain my card in any way which is illegal. What is fraud is on line agencies who sell senior discounted rates to people in their 40's and the clients know it - FRAUD!!

 

I do not have any clients, so how am I misrepesenting myself???

[wv4891]

Kathleen,

 

 

Wow, step back and take a deep breathe now. This is just a public forum and at times people will disagree and throw in their two cents. Abeit that was a rather strong flame from that person. All shared information is good.

[Kathleen P.]

No one likes to be called a fraud....or whatever else I was called

 

I resoponded to the post "Can anyone become a TA and save money?"

 

I made the silly mistake of giving information on how to become a TA and save money.

 

How it turned into name calling I have no idea...but I did not see anyone else with the right answer!

 

I have given this information to other people and have been thanked many times over...not here!

[late seating]

Hi Kathleen, We are the "Apprentice Fraud Artists" (Thanks Danno for the mean spirited, cruel, nasty etc. moniker) that started this thread. Thanks very much for your replies and information. We, along with several other fellow cruisers appreciate it. It was very informative and what we were looking for. The lashing you gave to DANNO was one of the best retorts we have read in a long time. We sure pushed his buttons but then ain't that what this is all about (point counter-point)?

[cruisintwinsmom]

Well, I for one appreciated the question. Often I feel like I do all the work and my TA gets the commission. If someone wants to get the license and id card, then all the more power to them. I don't understand why when someone wants to save a dollar in a legitimate (sp?) manner that they get flamed.

[cruiseyguy]

I really don't think it is our responsibility to "police" a particular industry. Kathleen has obviously spent considerable time, money and effort to get her CLIA card. It's much more trouble than I would want to go through for the few cruises I take but it may encourage some folks to turn a hobby or casual interest into a new or second career. There are certainly many people here on CC who have as much knowledge about the cruise business as most TAs.

[brigittetom]

Actually there have been some really good points made here. We don't do "most" of the research for our cruises, we do ALL of it and then call our TA to book it for us. The only reason he still holds a warm spot in my heart is because you can call him anytime and also because he recommended that we do an upgrade to get the huge aft veranda on the Summit. I don't think saving the TA's profit is such a bad idea since we do all the work.

[shakespeare]

Kathleen...thanks for taking the time to answer the OP's question. Although I do not think CLIA membership is something that would work for me, it is interesting to read about. Part of what I enjoy about these boards is the exchange of information. I just ignore the mean spirited and judgemental posts and hope you will too!

 

Liz

[BB5953]

Great info - Your reply to Danno was good - not directly insulting him but you showed him the error in his thinking - very good for you. That is exactly what I had to do with Chicks Pal not be rude but show them why they are wrong - this is a forum afterall!

[cyndeeee]

Kathleen, Could you please send me the information also. I was thinking about going to school for a TA. Thank you cyndee http://www.robert_steven@msn

Thank you

[cyndeeee]

Kathleen, There is an under score between Robert_Steven sorry

[Host Walt]

Ooops... ( Thats what happens when you have 4 windows opened ;) )

You understand, then, what happens when I moderate both HAL and X. (I'm not telling how many times I've made the same mistake.):rolleyes:

[MHoward909]

Kathleen very interesting I would like the information to. My EMail is Thanks MHoward909@aol.com

[NiniB]

WAY TO GO!!!! Kathleen thanks for the info, and unfortunately you observed how these threads can get NASTY.... :( I have had run ins many times myself, with the others (esp. with the ever charming DANNO) , but I'm scrappy, and when they BARK; I BITE.....:mad: I am glad that you decided to share your information with the boards, and it is NO ONES business how YOU obtain YOUR CLIA membership, what you pay for, or HOW you vacation. The question was how could THEY obtain theirs.

And you have every right to FLAME them........:D

ALSO dont feel you have justify your position as a TA to SOME of these peons.. :)

[wv4891]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=red][b][i]While not exactly the words I would use Ninib ( I don't think you need to mention names as everyone is entitled to their opinion), I quite agree with you. [/i][/b][/color][/size][/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=red][b][i]Bill[/i][/b][/color][/size][/font]


[quote name='NiniB'][font=System][color=darkorchid]WAY TO GO!!!! Kathleen thanks for the info, and unfortunately you observed how these threads can get NASTY.... :( I have had run ins many times myself, with the others (esp. with the ever charming DANNO) , but I'm scrappy, and when they BARK; I BITE.....:mad: I am glad that you decided to share your information with the boards, and it is NO ONES business how YOU obtain YOUR CLIA membership, what you pay for, or HOW you vacation. The question was how could THEY obtain theirs. [/color][/font]
[font=System][color=darkorchid]And you have every right to FLAME them........:D [/color][/font]

[font=System][color=#9932cc]ALSO dont feel you have justify your position as a TA to SOME of these peons.. :) [/color][/font][/QUOTE]

[Danno]

So you don't want to be a TA...you just want the paperwork that says you are a TA so you can get discounts from the cruise lines, who do this so active TAs can sell their product and do so intellegently...and this is not misrepresentation??

Sorry...unless I'm missing something this is just not right. But hey...if it works for [b]you[/b], DO IT. That's usually all that matters anymore.

[Kathleen P.]

Thanks everyone...glad I could help those that wanted the info.

For those of you that needed the info again the site is [url]www.cruising.org[/url] on the homepage you will see the header and on the right you will see travel agent center (or something like that). click on that and the menu on the left of the page will give you all the info you need.

This is how I got started---My husband and I love to travel everywhere. I used to do all the research and then call my TA and give her all the sepcifics of what we wanted. Half the time I was telling her about a resort that she did not know about! She told me I would be good at this and invited me in to where she works to "teach me". I did not get paid a salary - commission only. Well I was booking lots of trips, my contacts by the way...only to get 50% of the 10% commission 4-6 months later. This adds up to a little more than pennies. This was a very large American Express Travel Agency (at least 20 office agents and even more home based agents) I got smart and figured out how to do it myself and keep it all. I occasionally book trips for family/friends...I get them the best their money can buy, upgrades (it's all in the know how and keeping contacts) and send them gifts depending on the occasion. I don't do it for the money...it's more of a hobby. Since we travel so often, it is nice to get a discount every now and then. FIY...many places don't give TA discounts...they do not care. Many of our vacations are not discounted at all.

The only way we get a free vacation is using our AmExPlat points

[greatam]

Danno,

I usually agree with you BUT this one I think you are out in left field. Take a look at these links-one is a VERY reputable agency. One probably makes more money selling "travel agent kits" than booking travel, but it is a travel agency. [url]http://www.globaltravel.com/GoFront.aspx?ATID=&PROMO=&AFF=&PIN=&LID=[/url]
[url]http://www.cruisebrothers.com/jobs_faqs.php[/url]

I know you are in the automotive business so you should be able to relate to this story.

We are in the logistics/transportation business. I know it is very expensive to repair truck air conditioners. $72.00 per hour at Peterbilt + parts + all the EPA fees (still trying to figure out why I have gotten charged for using the very expensive, EPA mandated freon reclaimation machine when the problem was NO freon in system to begin with-broken fitting) Anyway, I found out I could send my mechanic to school for $500.00 and after completing 20 hours of class, he received a certificate as a certified air conditioning repair person. Now we can buy the freon and fix our own AC. And I save about $400.00 on each repair, even after buying the very expensive EPA mandated machine. Did I steal from Peterbilt? Was what I did fraudulent? No, I am just running my business better.

Since there are so many home based travel agents, I see no difference in what Kathleen did and what I did. NO, she is not selling travel to the public. But neither am I fixing AC for any one else. Most people would not go to the expense and hassle she did, just like most small-medium sized trucking companies would not spend the money I did.

[randyat1001]

greatam,
Wonderful analogy!!!
I cannot fathom why members get so incensed about things that are of no impact to them . Op asked for info and Kathleen provided such info and then the opinions are flying. Jeez lighten up folks.
Kathleen thanks for the info.
Randy

[katiel53]

I find this thread very interesting. Before I moved to Florida, I was a travel agent in NY. I went to a community college to take the courses necessary to become an agent. I worked in an agency and I had to produce enough revenue to warrant my having an IATAN card. Those cards get agents discounts. There was a problem with people who were considered cruise only agents who wanted to get IATAN cards. The problem was that there would be many people "posing" as travel agents when in fact they did not do any agent business except get discounts for themselves. There were tons of travel agent mills available, where one could pay $300 and say they were travel agents. The real agents, the ones who worked for agencies, or at home selling travel were the ones who were suffering because of the agent mills. I feel very strongly that cheating by getting the agent card when in fact, you aren't qualified to sell travel is totally wrong. The government clamped down on a lot of the travel mills too as people didn't get all the discounts they were told the $300 paid would get them. I know people now work from home offices, and that more people are doing their own leg work. I do that too, then I call my agent to book the cruises etc. I don't need a lot of hand holding, but I feel a good agent is worth his/her weight in gold. I haven't been an agent in 5 years and I am aware things have changed. I know CLIA members can get discounts etc that they weren't able to years ago. I feel they are entitled to them, as long as they really are agents, but just to become a CLIA member to get a discount on cruises seems a little strange to me. I think that's why many hotels, airlines, etc took away discounts, because people not really entitled to them took advantage of them. That's just MHO though.

[Bookit]

As a new cruiser (7 cruises), I see that I do just about all the work, and my TA books the cruise. For the first few cruises, she provided a very nice (trip personalized) book, and wine one evening. Now she comments that her "commissions have been cut by the cruiselines", and she is sorry that "a little fruit tray is all that will be a gift". Hmmmm, if I'm doing all the work, I would also like to have the perks that might go along with a legitimate card.

Very interesting thread!

Bookit

[Kathleen P.]

You're welcome


Now you know why I choose not to be an active TA - LOL

I have been, and I could again if I wanted to. People are acting like I went underground like a criminal to get a CLIA ID card. I have had a CLIA card for years, at first it was under the agency I used to work for. Now it's under my own agency.

It is just like any other profession where you wish to cut back because people drive you nuts! The funny thing is, I am most likely a more experienced traveler than most active TA's sitting behind a desk all day and all week. To be a great TA, you have to travel - I have actually been to the places most TA's talk about. When I worked in the travel agency...the desk agents used to pick my brain for detailed information so they could pass it on to their clients and make themselves look good. The thing is is that even being a TA it still costs money to travel...long gone are the days of great TA discounts. So many TA's don't want to lose time off the desk to travel, and some just cannot afford it. You may think TA's travel, but many don't (not saying all, but a lot do not travel. This has been my first hand experience.) TA's are just like anything else - some stink, some are good and some are great.
I have been traveling since I was about 7 years old - I haven't stopped...it's something I really love to do.

[Sow There]

Danno, I'm not sure I understand how you consider this to be a misrepresentation. CLIA establishes its rules for membership and its requirements for utilization of a CLIA credential.

I can't find anything that Kathleen is doing wrong, that is fraudulent or could even be considered immoral. If CLIA required sales of $X, as IATA does, and she lied about that, that's another matter.

Finally, if an especially inept person meets all the requirements but has not been able to book a single cruise for any clients despite working at it 40 hours a week for a year, should that person be accused of misrepresentation if she gets a discount? If not, then how is that TA any different than Kathleen?

Further, if Celebrity feels it's being victimized, they have an easy solution. All they need to do is decline a TA discount to anyone who does not provide a current IATA [b]and[/b] CLIA number.

I would find the expense and the hassle of qualifying for a CLIA credential to be not worth the effort; but applaud anyone who makes that effort.

By the way, would your opinion change if Kathleen booked passage for 1 other couple (her brother and sister-in-law) on her trip? Or 1 other couple (unrelated) on a different trip? Should she be permitted to collect a commission on either of those bookings?

Last point. I ask you to do a routine lube/oil service and pay you your going rate. Next time I buy my own oil and do my own lube. Am I immoral because I didn't give you your usual markup on the materials I used?

[fritzylady]

One thing that was never mentioned when calculating the cost of becoming a "travel agent" was Errors and Omissions insurance. If your going to book travel for any other than yourself you better have it and that's going to add another $300 to $500 to your expenses!

Fritzylady