TA Question
Dec 16th, 2001, 12:44 PM
#21
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I was referred to a travel agent from a friend. I booked 5 cruises from this person over a 3 year period before I realized that she worked out of her home. All of my correspondence was via phone and email.
For her, it wasn't a part-time job or something to do between running errands and cleaning. She literally worked 12 hours a day.
Have referred her to several people and they have also been pleased with her.
Lesson of the story - do not rule out a travel agent who works out of her home. I think this is the new trend in the industry.
For her, it wasn't a part-time job or something to do between running errands and cleaning. She literally worked 12 hours a day.
Have referred her to several people and they have also been pleased with her.
Lesson of the story - do not rule out a travel agent who works out of her home. I think this is the new trend in the industry.
Dec 16th, 2001, 12:54 PM
#22
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I didn't mean there was anything wrong with working from home. I was just wondering how to find a good reputable TA as opposed to someone who has maybe booked a couple of cruises for themselves or friends and now thinks they are a TA. If it's someone who has experience and knows what they are doing then I think working from home on their own is great and I would definitely use them. That's why this thread has been so helpful because there have been a lot of good recommendations.
Dec 16th, 2001, 04:25 PM
#23
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Chris
I think it is not important if they work out of their home or if they work out of an agency.
What is important is that they are bonded, associated with CLIA - being a MCC is even better, make sure the monetary transaction is ran through the cruiseline and not the agency (in case the agency goes under) and to book with someone who knows the ships, has visited them, etc. . verses someone who has never cruised or cruised once.
I agree - one can learn a lot about cruising from cruise boards.
I think it is not important if they work out of their home or if they work out of an agency.
What is important is that they are bonded, associated with CLIA - being a MCC is even better, make sure the monetary transaction is ran through the cruiseline and not the agency (in case the agency goes under) and to book with someone who knows the ships, has visited them, etc. . verses someone who has never cruised or cruised once.
I agree - one can learn a lot about cruising from cruise boards.
Dec 24th, 2001, 06:21 AM
#24
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I'd be afraid to use a agent that worked out of their garage. What does it say about someone who has been so unsuccessful that they can't paid rent in a normal office. I don't want to give my credit card number to someone who isn't established, especially when things are so shaky in the business.
Dec 24th, 2001, 10:37 PM
#25
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Hi Henry,
There are quite a few variables. choose one .....
If you go with a dot-com agency what insurance do you have when you give them your card number? And with those types, how many are going to be in business at the end of 2002?
Now there are the "outside agents." These people work out of their home and are getting paid by the "storefront" agency. Do you know who they are? You do not know. You, of course, are perfectly safe with these agents.
Now I'll tell you something that you should think about. A storefront will cost an owner say $1,600 a month plus taxes, liability insurance and utilities. If you book an airline ticket that costs $300. $40 of that is tax, therefore the commissionable amount is 5% of $260. This comes to $13 minus postage and telephone calls. How many airline tickets do you think the owner has to sell to break even?
Would you work for this? Is this owner a rich person?
So now this owner decides to work out of his "garage." The owner absorbs most of the overhead and can survive.
Now which one would you choose. Your decision.
Now if you are a cautious shopper. Find out, before you pay any money to anyone, if that agent is insured and bonded, belongs to ASTA and or CLIA and if you are going to get a receipt from the airline, tour company or cruise line along with the agency receipt. You also should purchase an insurance policy to cover the cost of your trip.
Paul
There are quite a few variables. choose one .....
If you go with a dot-com agency what insurance do you have when you give them your card number? And with those types, how many are going to be in business at the end of 2002?
Now there are the "outside agents." These people work out of their home and are getting paid by the "storefront" agency. Do you know who they are? You do not know. You, of course, are perfectly safe with these agents.
Now I'll tell you something that you should think about. A storefront will cost an owner say $1,600 a month plus taxes, liability insurance and utilities. If you book an airline ticket that costs $300. $40 of that is tax, therefore the commissionable amount is 5% of $260. This comes to $13 minus postage and telephone calls. How many airline tickets do you think the owner has to sell to break even?
Would you work for this? Is this owner a rich person?
So now this owner decides to work out of his "garage." The owner absorbs most of the overhead and can survive.
Now which one would you choose. Your decision.
Now if you are a cautious shopper. Find out, before you pay any money to anyone, if that agent is insured and bonded, belongs to ASTA and or CLIA and if you are going to get a receipt from the airline, tour company or cruise line along with the agency receipt. You also should purchase an insurance policy to cover the cost of your trip.
Paul
Dec 25th, 2001, 05:31 AM
#26
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I don't have the time to determine the financial pedigree of someone who works out of their house. I feel a lot better working with say Expedia that is owned by Mircosoft or an online cruise agency that's been in business for a number of years.
I don't think there is anything inherently superior to an agent that works out of their garage to justify all the work necessary to determine that they are not just winging it.
I don't think there is anything inherently superior to an agent that works out of their garage to justify all the work necessary to determine that they are not just winging it.
Dec 25th, 2001, 05:57 AM
#27
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Henry,
What you do not realize is that the majority of these people who work out of their homes are "outside agents" for big online/storefront companies such as MyTravelCo, Cruise Holidays, CruisePlanners, Cruises Inc, etc. . So they are as financially secure as the company they represent or an agent at a store. Plus, they do not have the overhead of paying for a store front, thus, they can save you hundreds if not thousands.
So go ahead and continue to do as you are, in the mean time we are getting that same cruise for considerably less and we have the same security you do in booking the cruise.
BTW - Expedia does not discount their cruises - you have the same rate as going through the cruise lien.
What you do not realize is that the majority of these people who work out of their homes are "outside agents" for big online/storefront companies such as MyTravelCo, Cruise Holidays, CruisePlanners, Cruises Inc, etc. . So they are as financially secure as the company they represent or an agent at a store. Plus, they do not have the overhead of paying for a store front, thus, they can save you hundreds if not thousands.
So go ahead and continue to do as you are, in the mean time we are getting that same cruise for considerably less and we have the same security you do in booking the cruise.
BTW - Expedia does not discount their cruises - you have the same rate as going through the cruise lien.
Dec 25th, 2001, 06:50 AM
#29
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Henry -Do as you may.
In the meantime, my at home travel agent runs all transactions (credit cards) through the cruiseline and I save hundreds, if not thousands off of my cruise compared to people who book through Expedia or other sites.
It is easy to tell if they are trusted and you should do the same if you are using any .com business. Are they bonded, are they a member of CLIA, are they MCC with CLIA, etc ...
In the long run - we both get the same product, you just pay more for it.
End of story.
In the meantime, my at home travel agent runs all transactions (credit cards) through the cruiseline and I save hundreds, if not thousands off of my cruise compared to people who book through Expedia or other sites.
It is easy to tell if they are trusted and you should do the same if you are using any .com business. Are they bonded, are they a member of CLIA, are they MCC with CLIA, etc ...
In the long run - we both get the same product, you just pay more for it.
End of story.
Dec 25th, 2001, 07:20 AM
#30
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I don't think that is quite the end of the story. Mega internet cruise specialists tend to be the cheapest because they buy in volume and receive larger commissions and they tend to buy large blocks of cabins that provide them with further savings. They pass part of these savings on to the customer. I many cases they sell cruises cheaper than smaller agencies can buy them.
Dec 26th, 2001, 08:00 AM
#33
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My TA works for a local agency. I tend to book far in advance. This gives my TA opportunity to book blocks of cabins, and he shows me the paperwork indicating the "free" cabins he gets by doing so. Rather than cashing those in for flat profit, he lowers rates for each cabin in his block. This is the same principle used by the "mega-agencies" on line -- except I can go look my agent in the eye any time I want, and get personalized service.
