What do TA's get comped for?

[nsshel]

I know that TA's get a kickback for booking a cruise from the company, but do they get something from hotel's for a room booking? We have a cruise booked on Summit in Sept. and are planning on spending a previous day before the cruise in Vancouver. Our TA booked us a room that is really a bit above what we are comfortable paying. Question is: Is it kosher to ask her to cancel the room and then we can do our own, probably via Priceline? I would hate for her to loose money just because WE made a mistake and allowed her to book it. It of course, has not been paid for yet. Thanks

[reggierail]

TA's make a living by getting commissions from travel suppliers. Their knowledge and experience sometimes assures you of getting the service that you want and that would be right for you.

That said, you can sometimes make arrangements yourself and save money doing it.

 

Reggie:D

[Lois R]

Hi:)

 

I suppose this question can have different scenerios. The only thing my TA does for me is book the cruise.

I do my own hotels and airfare.

 

Is this a TA you have been using for a long period of time? Sounds like maybe not, if you are not comfortable asking about a room change. But I would talk to them anyway. It is after all your $$$. And if it has not been paid for yet they aren't losing anything.

[nsshel]

Lois,

No, you are right. We have not used her before. We met her last fall and she was highly recommened, but we have not used a TA in a number of years, as ours moved out of state. She has been lovely in our dealings so far, and would like to use her in the future if all goes well.

[Lois R]

Hi:) sounds like you have enjoyed working with her (so far). I would definitely talk to her~If your room is more $$ than you want to spend she needs to know that fact.

 

Hopefully things will go well for both of you!

[mari10]

The commission on hotels are usually only 10%. I don't know if your TA is an independent agent, then would likely receive anywhere from 60 to 80 percent of the 10%. Or she may be employed by an agency and is on salary. Have been both, and pre cruise hotels are not where the money is. I doubt very much if she would mind finding you a less expensive hotel. I'm sure she would like to keep you as a client.

Mari

[mii]

I got to agree with Lois. If you are uncomfortable with the price of the hotel room she DOES need to know that fact for this cruise and any other cruise you may go on.

 

Marilyn

[nsshel]

Thanks for your suggestions folks. I know that this is silly but I have really liked doing business with her and I hate that I did something dumb. I haven't used a TA for years, have done my own or used an online agency. She booked our air seperately and saved us a bunch over Celebrity's air. I really don't want to offend her. Hope that it will not.

 

Shel

[Lois R]

Hi:) This may sound cold, and I really don't mean it that way but if she gets offended because the price of the hotel is more than you want to spend, well.....it sounds like she may have the problem, not you.

And she is booking your cruise right? So, she still has your cruise business.

[nsshel]

Thanks Lois,

I did email her and have not yet had a reply. Hopefully all will go well---I'll let you know

 

Shel

[mountainmare]

We book our cruise with our local TA who is part of a very small (3 person) office. She does a good job on airfare and cruises ( I generally check on the web first and tell her the prices that I find) and understands that we usually do not want the typical chain hotel room when we travel. Last cruise she booked us into a hotel in San Diago and told us the cancellation period if we wanted to explore on our own. When I meekly went to her office sometime later to confess that I found a fabulous deal on Priceline she was shocked that I even thought that it would bother her. She said we were great clients and seasoned travelers, she didn't expect us to always book everything through her.

A TA that you trust is worth her weight in gold.

[ocngypz]

The more expensive hotels pay even less.

[Iamboatman]

If the issue is the room costs too much, you can ask your TA to book you a less expensive room.

 

If the issue is you want to use the work of your TA and then not pay her so you can pocket the money, let your conscious be your guide. I would suggest that your TA has worked for you and that you let her do that work, so she should get paid for it. If the room is a $200 room, then she is making a mere $20 or less. But she worked for it.

 

It fascinates me how some people say "Its your money", but alas its your TA's time...and that is her ability to make money. Sometimes it is appropriate to look at the other person; not just their pockets. (Imagine if your TA intentionally upsold you a few categories for an identical cabin on a different deck that didn't benefit you. I bet you would be pretty disturbed and would feel like she just reached into yours...for a few extra commission dollars)

[AFT_LOVER]

for our Summit 11/20 cruise, we were told either Hyatt or Renaissance was $133 PP with transfer to the port. I chocked at $266 for a room for a night, no meal included. So we fly in the early morning (7AM) of the cruise. Getting in at 9AM.

[mari10]

for our Summit 11/20 cruise, we were told either Hyatt or Renaissance was $133 PP with transfer to the port. I chocked at $266 for a room for a night, no meal included. So we fly in the early morning (7AM) of the cruise. Getting in at 9AM.

I assume you're talking about pre-cruise rates from Celebrity, as hotel prices are by the room not per person. It sounds like a lot of money for one night.

Mari

[kilted scout]

I am a travel agent and i would rather somebody said the price was a bit too steep than risk losing them as clients because i had misjudged the situation.

 

Talk to her, she sounds ok from your comments.

 

and yes the small amount we get from hotels just about covers the cost of doing it, we look on it as an at cost bolt on.

 

rodney

[Leela]

I know that TA's get a kickback for booking a cruise from the company....

 

I had an interesting experience with Celebrity yesterday. I had booked my cruise for my mom and myself online and paid it in full in February, and I happened to be looking at our reservation online and saw a $50 charge that I had no idea where it came from. So I called the Captain's Club and asked, and they told me not to worry about it, that it was related to the commission that would have gone to a travel agent. They told me that because I booked the cruise myself online that the charge was erroneously showing up up in my record, but that I've paid in full and I could just ignore it.

 

First of all, I hope it's true. If I show up at the pier on Friday and someone demands $50 before I can board I'm getting on the phone to the Captain's Club right away and getting them to set it straight. I paid in full, had a zero balance, then paid for some shore excursions, had a zero balance, then was given a credit back to my card due to the price dropping, and had a zero balance, so there's no way I owe them $50 for anything. They can't even pass it off as a custom air charge because I booked my own air separately.

 

Secondly, if that $50 represents the commission that the travel agent would have made on the category I booked then I am a bit suprised. I really have no idea how things work for travel agents, but I do know the commission on airline tickets is quite small. Seems it's pretty small for cruises, too. If I call a travel agent with lots of questions and changes and such and he or she ends up spending more than about half an hour on me then they're not making much once they deduct their business expenses. The good ones must have been doing it for love until they could get to the point of building up a solid clientele. It's making me think that if you find a good one whose service you really like -- hold on to him or her!!

[nsshel]

Thanks everyone for your input. I did contact my TA and she was quite understanding. She is really a quality lady.

 

Shel