Question for Travel Agents concerning cruise discounts.

[starskyfan]

Can any travel agent tell me if you are able to get the cruise discount so long as you are a certified travel agent, or if you have to be affiliated with a company? I am considering taking a travel agent class just for fun, but it's a lot of money and was wondering that if I went far enough to be certified if I'd get the discount of any travel agent. Thanks for any input. Brenda

[Ivanova]

In order to qualify for TA rates (which can be higher than some discounted rates available to the general public) you need to qualify for an IATAN card which means booking travel through an IATA-approved agency and earning a minimum of $5,000 in commission in a 12 month period.

 

Some suppliers go farther and require that you have demonstrated sales of their product (again through an agency registered with them).

 

Just taking a class and having a school declare you "certified" won't be sufficient as far as suppliers are concerned.

[starskyfan]

Just taking a class and having a school declare you "certified" won't be sufficient as far as suppliers are concerned.

 

I was afraid you'd say that:) In other words, I'd have to get a "real" job before I could venture out on my own and reap any benefits of being a travel agent. Although I suspected as much, I was hoping I was wrong because I was looking for a little more incentive to take the class. The course itself doesn't "certify" you though, but supposedly prepares you for a certification exam. So I thought that meant there was a standard certification exam that everyone had to take to be a licensed TA. Thanks very much for the reply and info. Brenda

[Ivanova]

I was afraid you'd say that:) In other words, I'd have to get a "real" job before I could venture out on my own and reap any benefits of being a travel agent. Although I suspected as much, I was hoping I was wrong because I was looking for a little more incentive to take the class. The course itself doesn't "certify" you though, but supposedly prepares you for a certification exam. So I thought that meant there was a standard certification exam that everyone had to take to be a licensed TA. Thanks very much for the reply and info. Brenda

 

Brenda,

 

They might be using course materials from The Travel Institute, preparing you for taking their TAP or CTA test possibly. Having that test under your belt would help with getting hired at a traditional travel agency (like AAA).

[TravlGrl]

Also, if you were to work for an online agency in another capacity other than booking travel (say IT department, Finance, Marketing, HR, etc), you will still qualify for an IATAN card if the company's bookings are high enough.

[jcanino]

Also, if you were to work for an online agency in another capacity other than booking travel (say IT department, Finance, Marketing, HR, etc), you will still qualify for an IATAN card if the company's bookings are high enough.

 

Qualification for an IATAN Card has no bearing on what the company sells, it is determined by each travel agent. Here are the requirements to earn a card. Take note of number 3. You have to be selling travel to qualify.

 

"Requirements

The applicant must:

1. be a bona fide owner, employee or an independent contractor of an IATAN accredited location;

2. be registered with IATAN;

3. devote a minimum of 20 hours per week to the business of selling travel;

4. earn a minimum of $5,000 in salary and/or commissions in the prior 12 months;

5. be at least 18 years of age."

 

I also have to add that not every travel agency is accredited by IATAN such as cruise only agencies.

[Joanniebop]

Brenda,

Why not check into your local community college?

They are usually very inexpensive and the course will give you an insight into the workings of a travel agency.

[starskyfan]

Thanks to all who have replied. As I said, I was thinking of taking it for "fun," but in the back of my mind I hoped that by doing that, and then taking the certification exam, that I'd be eligible for some sort of discounts, particularly cruises. I never intended to get a job in the field although would certainly consider doing it at home on my own. I won't go so far as to say I don't want to work in the field, but it's not an ambition.

Joanniebop, this class is through a community college (in fact it's where I work). Years ago I took the first 2 classes for fun, and did enjoy them, but they were only offered at night and I never continued. Now they no longer offer the ones with classroom instruction, they have moved to online classes only, and it's $1600 for the full course. There are cheaper online classes of course, but I thought going through my college would make more sense and we have access to an instructor if we need them for anything.

My friends all tell me I should be a travel agent, but my interest has always been on more of a personal level. There is something to be said for taking classes for fun, and yet the expense does need to be considered.

Oh Susan, this class does say "Prepare for the Institute of Certified Travel Agents Travel Agent Profiency exam." I'm going to give it some thought and maybe check around. There is no rush, we offer it every semester and next spring actually might work better for me than this fall.

Anyway, thanks again. Brenda

[Ivanova]

"Requirements

The applicant must:

1. be a bona fide owner, employee or an independent contractor of an IATAN accredited location;

2. be registered with IATAN;

3. devote a minimum of 20 hours per week to the business of selling travel;

4. earn a minimum of $5,000 in salary and/or commissions in the prior 12 months;

5. be at least 18 years of age."

 

I also have to add that not every travel agency is accredited by IATAN such as cruise only agencies.

 

Joe, I disagree.

 

1. You have to be an employee of an IATAN agency.

and

3. devote a minimum of 20 hours/week to the business of selling travel; you could be devoted to the business if you are the office manager or IT guru without directly selling travel.

and

4. earn a minimum of $5,000 in salary and/or commission

 

I know of at least once Office Manager who has a bonafide IATAN card because her job is dedicated to the business of selling travel, even though the job isn't involved in the direct selling of travel to clients.

[Ivanova]

Oh Susan, this class does say "Prepare for the Institute of Certified Travel Agents Travel Agent Profiency exam." I'm going to give it some thought and maybe check around. There is no rush, we offer it every semester and next spring actually might work better for me than this fall.

 

That would be the TAP test ;)

[cruiseco]

"1. You have to be an employee of an IATAN agency."

 

I worked at a cruise/tour-only agency for years (we specialized in groups up to full ship charters) and the agency never was appointed by IATAN and none of the employees had an IATA card. We did enough business that we were always welcome to use the agent rates for cruises whenever they were available. We couldn't get agent rates on air tickets but those rates were generally higher than what regular passengers paid anyway so no loss there.

[jcanino]

3. devote a minimum of 20 hours/week to the business of selling travel; you could be devoted to the business if you are the office manager or IT guru without directly selling travel.

and

4. earn a minimum of $5,000 in salary and/or commission

 

I know of at least once Office Manager who has a bonafide IATAN card because her job is dedicated to the business of selling travel, even though the job isn't involved in the direct selling of travel to clients.

 

We are going to have to disagree then. What I posted was from the IATAN web site. In my opinion, back office people do not "legally" qualify for an IATAN card. Until IATAN audits their list, they will get away with it. Just because the office manager you know has one, does not necessarily mean that the person deserves one.

[jcanino]

"1. You have to be an employee of an IATAN agency."

 

We couldn't get agent rates on air tickets but those rates were generally higher than what regular passengers paid anyway so no loss there.

 

Surprisingly enough, there are more than just airline discounts (not many of them any more) that are available with the IATAN card.

[TravlGrl]

Qualification for an IATAN Card has no bearing on what the company sells, it is determined by each travel agent. Here are the requirements to earn a card. Take note of number 3. You have to be selling travel to qualify.

 

"Requirements

The applicant must:

1. be a bona fide owner, employee or an independent contractor of an IATAN accredited location;

2. be registered with IATAN;

3. devote a minimum of 20 hours per week to the business of selling travel;

4. earn a minimum of $5,000 in salary and/or commissions in the prior 12 months;

5. be at least 18 years of age."

 

I also have to add that not every travel agency is accredited by IATAN such as cruise only agencies.

 

Hi Joe, that's not completely accurate. I worked for a leading online travel agency for several years (in one of the departments I mentioned) and was an IATAN member receiving full Travel Agent benefits even though my job responsibilities had nothing to do with booking travel. As long as the company itself books travel of X dollars, the employees qualify for the benefits.

 

P.S. I am referring to one of the "big 3" that you are thinking of, employing thousands of folks, so we're an easy audit target. Nothing to hide; it's just a fact that the employees receive IATAN benefits.

[TravlGrl]

Joe, I disagree.

 

1. You have to be an employee of an IATAN agency.

and

3. devote a minimum of 20 hours/week to the business of selling travel; you could be devoted to the business if you are the office manager or IT guru without directly selling travel.

and

4. earn a minimum of $5,000 in salary and/or commission

 

I know of at least once Office Manager who has a bonafide IATAN card because her job is dedicated to the business of selling travel, even though the job isn't involved in the direct selling of travel to clients.

 

You're absolutely right. I can tell you there is more than just one Office Manager who qualifies. :) I was in an office of nearly 1,000 people (now it's over 2,000 folks) and out of that number, probably only 40 sold direct travel, whether it was direct to consumers or corporate arrangers, etc. The rest of us worked to cultivate/develop supplier relationships, in IT, in Marketing, in Ad Sales, in Finance, you get the picture. We all had Travel Agent ID (IATAN cards) and got the "fam" trips and all other benefits associated with working for that agency.

 

You can see where I live and figure it out pretty easily from there. :)

[jcanino]

Hi Joe, that's not completely accurate. I worked for a leading online travel agency for several years (in one of the departments I mentioned) and was an IATAN member receiving full Travel Agent benefits even though my job responsibilities had nothing to do with booking travel. As long as the company itself books travel of X dollars, the employees qualify for the benefits.

 

Then by your "requirements", someone who works for the company cleaning bathrooms in the offices 20 hours a week would qualify for the IATAN card.

[Ivanova]

On the IATAN application, under "current position" the options are:

Manager

Employee

Partner

Stockholder

Owner

Independent Contractor

 

And under "duties in current agency" the options are:

Inside Sales

Outside Sales

Administration

Customer Service

Accounting

Marketing

 

So, I don't think the janitor would qualify. But the office bookkeeper, manager, or customer service reps (taking customer calls, but not booking travel), would qualify as long as they are employees of the agency (i.e. not temps hired through AppleOne), and work over 20 hours per week.

[jcanino]

On the IATAN application, under "current position" the options are:

Manager

Employee

Partner

Stockholder

Owner

Independent Contractor

 

And under "duties in current agency" the options are:

Inside Sales

Outside Sales

Administration

Customer Service

Accounting

Marketing

 

I am aware of all the options on the IATAN application. All of those show up in the IATAN LIST. Just because someone is on the LIST, does not mean that they qualify for a CARD.

[TravlGrl]

Then by your "requirements", someone who works for the company cleaning bathrooms in the offices 20 hours a week would qualify for the IATAN card.

 

The only qualifier is full-time employment. Janitorial services are contracted out, anyhow.

 

If someone wants to work in a call center, taking incoming calls (but not booking travel), I would encourage them to do it for a travel agency where they can receive IATAN benefits (if all important benefits are equal).

[Little Elm]

I worked for a company that did automation programs for Travel Agencies and airlines. We didn't "sell" any travel, yet we had an IATA number and we all got IATA cards.

[maldemar]

Don't cruise lines still reconize CLIA membership if the agency isn't IATA/IATAN?

[jcanino]

The only qualifier is full-time employment. Janitorial services are contracted out, anyhow.

 

If someone wants to work in a call center, taking incoming calls (but not booking travel), I would encourage them to do it for a travel agency where they can receive IATAN benefits (if all important benefits are equal).

 

No! These are the qualifiers...

 

1. be a bona fide owner, employee or an independent contractor of an IATAN accredited location;

2. be registered with IATAN;

3. devote a minimum of 20 hours per week to the business of selling travel;

4. earn a minimum of $5,000 in salary and/or commissions in the prior 12 months;

5. be at least 18 years of age.

 

Janitorial services don't always have to be contracted out. IMHO, there are way to many IATAN cards out there held by people that don't deserve to have them which is why it doesn't mean as much as it used to.

[TravlGrl]

No! These are the qualifiers...

 

1. be a bona fide owner, employee or an independent contractor of an IATAN accredited location;

2. be registered with IATAN;

3. devote a minimum of 20 hours per week to the business of selling travel;

4. earn a minimum of $5,000 in salary and/or commissions in the prior 12 months;

5. be at least 18 years of age.

 

Janitorial services don't always have to be contracted out. IMHO, there are way to many IATAN cards out there held by people that don't deserve to have them which is why it doesn't mean as much as it used to.

 

Joe -- It's possible we are saying the same thing. No need to yell. I was an employee of an IATAN accredited location, yet I did not sell travel, nor did over a thousand of my co-workers. Others in the company sold travel, but our specific jobs had nothing to do with planning or selling travel.

 

The OP was asking questions, and several of us have given her alternatives to becoming a travel agent in order to benefit from IATAN benefits.

 

In your list above, some of us have said that #1 (in your list) is what qualified us. (I highlighted the word 'employee' because in many cases, it doesn't matter what kind of employee you are at the IATAN-qualifying company).

 

If the OP simply wants IATAN benefits, she can go to work for a company who offers them, but she doesn't need to plan or book travel to do so.

[jcanino]

Joe -- It's possible we are saying the same thing. No need to yell. I was an employee of an IATAN accredited location, yet I did not sell travel, nor did over a thousand of my co-workers. Others in the company sold travel, but our specific jobs had nothing to do with planning or selling travel.

 

Usually all capitals means someone is shouting or yelling. I don't see any of that in my messages. All that I am saying is that just because someone holds an IATAN card does not mean that they are truly entitled to have one. Several years ago, IATAN cracked down on agencies that gave IATAN cards to everyone and their brother.

 

I know a woman who owned an agency with her husband and her friend. They husband worked over 20 hours a week doing back office work such as AP/AR. Even though he was considered an owner on the list, IATAN did not find him eligible to receive an IATAN card because his job had nothing to do with "selling" travel.

[starskyfan]

So sorry to start an argument, but all of the info is interesting though. This is one of those things I regret not doing a long time ago. I should have continued when I first started. I tell myself I should do it anyway, and you just never know if I may have an occasion to get a job in the field. I will give it some more thought and perhaps consider it for the spring semester, or maybe even decide to go with another online company. Thanks again for everyone's input. Brenda