njhorseman Posted March 24, 2019 #26 Share Posted March 24, 2019 3 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said: I worked 60 hours a week ,non profit and I was very happy.I did not need luxuries.. You still haven't figured out what I'm saying. Somehow I'll bet you got a paycheck every week or two or every month and you knew how much that paycheck would be. That would be a lot better than what I got. My employees got their paychecks every week but whether I took any money home was very questionable and not something I could rely upon. The last thing I am talking about is luxuries. I just wanted to be sure I could pay my mortgage and buy groceries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenquixote66 Posted March 24, 2019 Author #27 Share Posted March 24, 2019 8 minutes ago, LHT28 said: some people need to pay bills & buy food glad you did not have that problem you are more fortunate than others trying to make a living & survive but what that has to do with your original post ..not sure 8 minutes ago, LHT28 said: some people need to pay bills & buy food glad you did not have that problem you are more fortunate than others trying to make a living & survive but what that has to do with your original post ..not sure I was posting to the retired TA .That pertained to my original post. I survived during my work days but I have been disabled since 2010 and I am unable to do 90 percent of what I could do im 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenquixote66 Posted March 24, 2019 Author #28 Share Posted March 24, 2019 15 minutes ago, njhorseman said: You still haven't figured out what I'm saying. Somehow I'll bet you got a paycheck every week or two or every month and you knew how much that paycheck would be. That would be a lot better than what I got. My employees got their paychecks every week but whether I took any money home was very questionable and not something I could rely upon. The last thing I am talking about is luxuries. I just wanted to be sure I could pay my mortgage and buy groceries. Very good that you were able to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldubs Posted March 24, 2019 #29 Share Posted March 24, 2019 (edited) This thread has the most disconnected exchanges I think I've ever seen. 😮 Edited March 24, 2019 by ldubs 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenquixote66 Posted March 24, 2019 Author #30 Share Posted March 24, 2019 3 minutes ago, ldubs said: This thread has the most disconnected exchanges I think I've ever seen. 😮 Every time I see you post something I reflect on the good old days when I hung out in Sausalito and Berkeley.I wish I was still there. Three of my friends are living in Berkeley and many others in Southern California. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldubs Posted March 24, 2019 #31 Share Posted March 24, 2019 3 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said: Every time I see you post something I reflect on the good old days when I hung out in Sausalito and Berkeley.I wish I was still there. Three of my friends are living in Berkeley and many others in Southern California. We are about 25 miles further east beyond Berkeley. Truth be told, I haven't been there for probably six years. Sausalito is one of our go to places when we have visitors from out of town. Tacking a few days onto a California coastal sounds like it could be a nice homecoming cruise for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatbush Flyer Posted March 24, 2019 #32 Share Posted March 24, 2019 1 hour ago, njhorseman said: I owned a travel agency for a number of years. Typically commissions paid by cruise lines were 10 to 20%. Very simply it's cheaper to pay commissions to travel agents than to employ sufficient numbers of in house agents to service all the customers. Plus 1. A cruise line's use of worldwide commissioned TA's is far more efficacious than hiring an army of minimally trained/minimally experienced employees/contractors and paying them salaries/benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted March 24, 2019 #33 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I certainly do not get 30% commission whenever I book a cruise. I would become a TA if I could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Tillie Posted March 24, 2019 #34 Share Posted March 24, 2019 It appears that the OP was heavily into the Saturday evening cocktail hour when he started this thread and continued as the thread progressed! 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic6318 Posted March 24, 2019 #35 Share Posted March 24, 2019 11 hours ago, lenquixote66 said: Why do they do that ? It is just costing them more because they pay the TA's. Hi I still am not understanding what you are saying. You are saying that "cruise encourage use of TA's". What are you getting at. As opposed to "not encouraging the use of TA's". Do you mean that the cruise lines could offer customers who book though them directly additional discounts that would not be available if they booked through a TA? Trying to stifle competition? If that's what you are suggesting. it might not work. Assuming it was legal. All tour operators have had a long history of supporting and encouraging T.A.'s. It might be seen as biting the hand that feeds them. Just imagine, a given company making an effort to discourage T.A.'s. Then imagine an extensive network of T.A.'s refusing to have any further dealings with that specific travel industry company. I could see it being not having a positive outcome. Not likely worth the effort. Even with our internet economy, T.A.'s still fill many cabins, airline seats, resort rooms, etc...I wouldn't consider trying to cut the T.A.'s out of the loop as being a smart step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaveitallbehind Posted March 24, 2019 #36 Share Posted March 24, 2019 (edited) 11 hours ago, lenquixote66 said: I think you do not understand the point I am making .The cruise line has to pay 30 percent for each cruise booked with a TA .Let us say hypothetically that the average cruise is $5000.00 that means they pay $1500.00.An employee working for $10 an hour would cost so much less. First of all let me support the comments made by njhorseman (and others) in that a 30% commission rate is totally incorrect and whomever told you that was misleading you. The actual commission paid is currently in the 10 - 16% range for cruises. Of that I am certain. Secondly, the reason cruise lines recommend TA's is that they have a broader combined consumer reach and industry experience across all cruise lines, not just one as would be represented by an individual cruise line representative. This is supported by the fact that globally, 75% of all cruises booked annually are done so through 3rd party TA, either on line, standard brick and mortar agency, or big box retailer. Only 25% are booked directly with the cruise lines individually. Lastly, the cruise lines would not be saving that commission by eliminating a TA as they are paying their internal customer support employees a wage to book and service your cruise reservation. Booking directly has direct overhead expenses associated with that. I would suggest that it would be a better discussion if you first understood the facts - or at least accepted that information when presented v your incorrect presumptions. Edited March 24, 2019 by leaveitallbehind 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizmark'sMom Posted March 24, 2019 #37 Share Posted March 24, 2019 When paying employees, it's not just their hourly wage. You also pay their social security, and other employment taxes the state and federal government require. On top of that are any benefit packages. It is much cheaper and easier to simply pay a commission. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joebucks Posted March 24, 2019 #38 Share Posted March 24, 2019 (edited) Where do you get that they encourage TAs? That would imply that they would prefer you to book with TA at a commission charge to them vs direct. They would prefer you to book direct if you already know what you want. They keep a good partnership with TAs because those are marketing teams fighting to get people aboard for them. Some people are crazy about their TAs and trust them with their lives. If I was a betting man, I would guess the average TA sale is a larger one for the cruise line than booking direct. I don't buy that it's because "they don't want to pay employees". A cruise line sales person is peanuts compared to a TA fee. With also such a large company, they have economies of scale on their side. I just don't believe the cruise line employees can always connect with the customer on a personal level like their TA can. That can bring in far more to the bottom line that cutting a few line-levels. Edited March 24, 2019 by Joebucks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCC retired Posted March 24, 2019 #39 Share Posted March 24, 2019 As a TA for 17 years booking only cruises , 10% to 20% comm. with most cruise lines nearer 16% . We were Top Producers for most all of the cruise lines . Keep in mind that is the % the Agency gets . That was split with the TA based on TA's Sales Volume . Agencies can earn more on cruise bookings by blocking Speculative Groups and selling the "Free Guest" earned for more income , but the comm. % remains the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toofarfromthesea Posted March 24, 2019 #40 Share Posted March 24, 2019 15 hours ago, lenquixote66 said: I worked 60 hours a week ,non profit and I was very happy.I did not need luxuries.. Taking all the cruises you claim to have taken IS a luxury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenquixote66 Posted March 24, 2019 Author #41 Share Posted March 24, 2019 13 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said: Taking all the cruises you claim to have taken IS a luxury. . When did I post the number of cruises I have taken ? Between 1973 and 2018 I have been on less than 20 cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenquixote66 Posted March 24, 2019 Author #42 Share Posted March 24, 2019 9 hours ago, Texas Tillie said: It appears that the OP was heavily into the Saturday evening cocktail hour when he started this thread and continued as the thread progressed! I have not tasted alcohol since 1990. If CC allowed the posting of TA's I would have posted the names of the agencies who employ people who stated emphatically that they receive 30 percent. One is a very well known agency with offices all over the US Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toofarfromthesea Posted March 24, 2019 #43 Share Posted March 24, 2019 16 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said: . When did I post the number of cruises I have taken ? Between 1973 and 2018 I have been on less than 20 cruises. A cruise every other year or even every third year is inconceivable luxury to most Americans and 95%+ of the global population. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LHT28 Posted March 24, 2019 #44 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Just now, lenquixote66 said: . If CC allowed the posting of TA's I would have posted the names of the agencies who employ people who stated emphatically that they receive 30 percent. One is a very well known agency with offices all over the US maybe you are confusing the independent sales reps portion of the commission In those cases the outside sales rep may indeed get 30% but it is only of the commission paid to the agency EG: if the agency got $1000. in commission on a cruise the rep would get $300 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted March 24, 2019 #45 Share Posted March 24, 2019 18 hours ago, njhorseman said: I owned a travel agency for a number of years. Typically commissions paid by cruise lines were 10 to 20%. Very simply it's cheaper to pay commissions to travel agents than to employ sufficient numbers of in house agents to service all the customers. The above is so very true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted March 24, 2019 #46 Share Posted March 24, 2019 18 hours ago, njhorseman said: I owned a travel agency for a number of years. Typically commissions paid by cruise lines were 10 to 20%. Very simply it's cheaper to pay commissions to travel agents than to employ sufficient numbers of in house agents to service all the customers. The above is so very true! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted March 24, 2019 #47 Share Posted March 24, 2019 51 minutes ago, OCruisers said: The above is so very true! Agreed. As it is some of the cruise lines do not have staff on board doing the Future cruise work but agents instead, even though you can still direct your cruise to your existing TA. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenquixote66 Posted March 24, 2019 Author #48 Share Posted March 24, 2019 2 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said: A cruise every other year or even every third year is inconceivable luxury to most Americans and 95%+ of the global population. In 1973 I took a cruise. My next one was in 2008.My next 2010,then 2011 ,then 2013 and one to two a year since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iancal Posted March 25, 2019 #49 Share Posted March 25, 2019 (edited) There can be no doubt that some cruise lines encourage people to book through TA's. If you are unsure of this simply spend a few minutes on the HAL website or the Celebrity website. Edited March 25, 2019 by iancal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TruckerDave Posted March 25, 2019 #50 Share Posted March 25, 2019 There have been some wacky threads on CC over the years.....this one certainly ranks near the top of the list. 🤷♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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