I want to become a cruise consultant

[lovetovak]

Help. I love cruising. Does anyone know how to become a cruise consultant? I'm not interested in other travel, just cruising.

 

Margaret

[jcanino]

Help. I love cruising. Does anyone know how to become a cruise consultant? I'm not interested in other travel, just cruising.

 

Go to http://www.homebasedtravelagent.com/ and read about becoming a home based travel agent. The site is owned by Tom Ogg who is a travel industry consultant. His wife Joanie is President of NACTA (National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents). Both of them are very respected individuals in the travel industry and have written several books for new travel consultants.

[breenw]

You should go to a travel agency school. They are usually a several week program (evenings) and then you can be certified. You can always specialize in cruises, but you really should know all the "ins and outs" of the travel industry. There is more to being a cruise consultant than just your love of cruising. Learning how to "know your customer" and make suggestions for what would be appropriate for them; having access to ongoing seminars and self-training programs to learn all about different travel destinations; these are all important if you want to be a good travel consultant. And, even if you just specialize in cruises, you will still have clients that want to know the "ins and outs" of flying, pre and post cruise info, etc.

[BruceMuzz]

I notice on your comment that you have cruised on two different ships belonging to the same cruise line. Is that the extent of your cruising experience so far?

If so I would recommend that you spend much more time - and unfortunately much more money - to find out much more about the dozens of other cruise lines and hundreds of other cruise ships out there, before allowing the public to gamble their vacation dollars on your expertise.

 

I have been on over 1,100 cruises so far (guess what I do for a living?) and still do not consider myself "up to speed" on everything that is going on in this business. I would feel absolutely terrible if my lack of knowledge on some ships caused a trusting friend or client to waste thousands of dollars on a cruise that just was not for them.

 

Nearly every day on my ship I hear horror stories from passengers who unfortunately trusted Cruise Consultants who didn't have a clue as to what they were talking about.

[CRUISE BUG BIT HARD]

If you are a travel agent, wouldnt the cost of your cruises be tax deductable as a business expense?

Suzanne

[ocngypz]

I am a TA.

 

Don't give up your day job!!

 

 

You need to know all aspects of travel. What do you say to a client when they ask you where's the best place to stay in Venice?

How do I get from the airport to the ship?? oh.. and btw, I am in a motorized scooter.

 

It's just not about booking cruises.

 

Of course, you have to be trained on the various reservation systems, too.

 

Then there is overhead as well. And in some states, you need to serve an apprenticeship for 6 months, then take a state test for your full license.

 

Then there are IATA fees, CLIA fees, etc. Many consortiums also charge monthly fees.

 

Write-offs... LOL.. first you have to make some money!! And hope you don't get audited.

[breenw]

1,100 cruises????????????????

[Lauriebugg]

I started as an independent contractor last half of the year 2005. I've had my first 6 bookings in January only 3 are cruises (others are Sandals, Mexico all-inclusive, and Orlando golf getaway). It costs to allign yourself with a "host-agency", you must purchase error and omissions insurance for yourself, I set myself up as a LLC - limited liability company through a lawyer, office supplies - like business cards, postage, stationery, website setup $ (I use godaddy.com, travel costs for trade shows to keep up on the industry, and I'm sure I've left some costs out.

 

I mention all that because it could be a few years before you break even and build your clientele.

 

You do not need all so much training in my opinion if you are intelligent and a researchaholic like I am. To make reservations all I do is use the direct agent reservation phone lines ( I do make some online through the vendor website) - no additional special software is needed like in years past.

 

I do not know everything about travel and neither does anyone else. If I do not know a specific answer, I find it! If I am not an expert in European travel, I politely tell the customer in order to make their vacation everything it can be perhaps another agent would be better suited to help with this specific trip. Honesty and integrity is key.

 

From seminars and books on travel selling, the advice is to specialize. So in that respect sticking to cruising could be a good thing. I specialize in cruising and all-inclusive resorts. I know the resorts in Mexico like the back of my hand.

 

I do not expect to make big bucks at all - that's unrealistic. What I do expect is to continue to do what I love - research travel and make others vacation dreams come true. Sound sappy, but it's my passion. If I break even, the first couple of years, I'll be thrilled and I'm well on my way this year.

 

You really have to have friends and family who respect and trust your potential ability to service them to get you started. From there the word of mouth grows.

 

Again, do not be in this to make money, do it to follow a passion and vision you find within yourself. Best wishes!!!

[Nliedel]

I was a TA for years.

 

Travel agent school? Most agencies do NOT hire from TA school and if the OP is not interested in doing anything else but cruises then TA school would probably be a waste of money and time.

 

Being an outside independent agent would probably be the way to go but I have some questions. Being a TA, even a cruise TA,is hard. It's not about planning trips much, it's mostly about being part of a computer, waiting on hold a lot and rarely traveling. It does not pay well enough, except at a few top tier agencies, with a lot of experience, to travel much.

 

So, here are the questions.

 

Why do you want to be an agent? For the travel? You will not travel as much as you think. You will do it, mostly, stand-by (which means you could get bumped).

 

Money? It's a pretty low paying job.

 

It sounds like fun? It can be but honestly it's a lot of work. Just like any other job. You put in long hours.

 

A good agent is someone who can overcome the Expedias and Travelocity's of the world. They offer a level of service that makes it really appeal to their core consumers. They know the industry inside and out and research like mad. It's a hard, hard job.

 

Being a home based independent agent means you will have to talk to everyone about what you do. You will need to join local groups and churches (yes I get that religion should be above that but honestly it can play a part) and be perfectly groomed at all times. Presenting your business card in a way that is not pushy at all. You will need to overcome the reticence of people who would rather use a computer themselves.

 

Do I sound mean? I am not trying to be. I was part owner of two agencies for years. I loved it but I had no life. I was also young (that can work against you). Can money be made in travel? Yes, it's never going to be great money. Do the people who are going to continue to make money in travel have to offer something far and above what a traditional brick and morter agency does? Absolutely.

[jcanino]

I have been on over 1,100 cruises so far (guess what I do for a living?)

 

You must be a professional cruiser.

 

As a TA, I don't heve time to take weeks worth of cruises a year. If I am not in the office, I can't sell.

[Kudos2Fly]

The way I figure even if you are 80 years old at 1,100 cruises. You would have to cruise 13 times a year since the day you where born. I'm I wrong on that?

[Kudos2Fly]

I just realized you work on a cruise ship. :rolleyes:

[madelinerose]

Hmmmm....seems to me that the vast majority of the customer service personnel at all of the mass market cruiselines have never been on even one cruise. You can call 10 reps and get 10 different answers to the same question. The frustration of not receiving correct information from the lines themselves are stated all over these boards.

 

I have only cruised once, the second is in September. I have thousands of posts here and would like to think that sometimes I can "help" people. My first cruise was booked through an agent who has 14 yrs. of experience. By the time I found this website, she told me that I knew more than she did about many aspects of the cruise line I had booked. So, for my second cruise, I used an online site and got a fabulous price, the cabin I preferred and I'm a happy camper.

 

Why would being a consultant with no cruising experience working for a travel agency be any different? IMHO, extensive formal training is extensive formal training.

 

I notice on your comment that you have cruised on two different ships belonging to the same cruise line. Is that the extent of your cruising experience so far?

If so I would recommend that you spend much more time - and unfortunately much more money - to find out much more about the dozens of other cruise lines and hundreds of other cruise ships out there, before allowing the public to gamble their vacation dollars on your expertise.

 

I have been on over 1,100 cruises so far (guess what I do for a living?) and still do not consider myself "up to speed" on everything that is going on in this business. I would feel absolutely terrible if my lack of knowledge on some ships caused a trusting friend or client to waste thousands of dollars on a cruise that just was not for them.

 

Nearly every day on my ship I hear horror stories from passengers who unfortunately trusted Cruise Consultants who didn't have a clue as to what they were talking about.

[VentureMan_2000]

Does anyone know what the anual licencing fees are... IATA fees, CLIA fees...?

 

Let's say you wanted to be a travel agent at home... maybe organize a group cruise or two, or to book cruises for family and friends. I'm not talking about joining any consortiums or anything. Just being a cruise agent for fun, and maybe make a dollar or two, and take advantage of using you commissions to discount your cruise.

 

Anyone know or are willing to share?

[Lauriebugg]

VentureMan,

 

As a home-based agent, I have paid $100 to a host agency whose IATA number I use and all my bookings go thorugh them (billing etc...). They pay me 75% of the commission received on bookings. They keep 25%. I also pay a yearly agent error and ommissions insurance fee of $350 to Berkeley Insurance Company. Add in my hosting fees for having a website plus 2 other domain names related, and that is my yearly costs "for sure" costs. I also subscribe to many magazine, trade journals, and a home-based organization called NACTA. Hope that gives you an idea if you go as an independent contractor connecting to a host agency who holds the IATA, etc... numbers.

[Nliedel]

A home based agent alone, as the poster above implies, is not possible. You need a few years of experience to be a manager of an agency to get an IATA number (two?) and then there are lots of nightmares with "THE WEEKLY REPORT".. help wipe the memories, someone please. Getting an agency to sponser you is more than possible. They will expect a certain amount of groups etc but it can be a good way to make a few bucks, we are talking a few here, to offset the price of travel.

 

Good connections and wealthy friends who love travel helps. That's not snobbery it's truth!

[smrtypnts]

Lauriebugg, I would love to further discuss this with you, if you'd be willing to email me at smrtypnts at hotmail dot com. that's smarty pants without the vowels.

[Lauriebugg]

SmartyPants, I sent you an email. :)

[jcanino]

A home based agent alone, as the poster above implies, is not possible. You need a few years of experience to be a manager of an agency to get an IATA number (two?) and then there are lots of nightmares with "THE WEEKLY REPORT".. help wipe the memories, someone please. Getting an agency to sponser you is more than possible. They will expect a certain amount of groups etc but it can be a good way to make a few bucks, we are talking a few here, to offset the price of travel.

 

You can be a home based agent alone. You do not need an IATA number unless you intend to run airline tickets through a GDS. Many home based agents utilize a CLIA number to book everything. If you are a member of NACTA, you can apply for a TravelSellers number which is provided by IATA.

 

You need to remember that there are two different types of home based agents. First is the outside agent who works through another agency and uses their IATA, CLIA or TravelSellers number to book everything. Then there is the Independent Contractor who can do business with whomever they want. They can have their own CLIA number. They can book onoe tour company through XYZ Travel and another tour company with ABC Travel or whereever they get the best commission.

 

An IC will usually have their own CLIA number and account with all the tour companies, hotels, car rentals and cruise lines. They could also belong to one of the various consortiums. They will be providing their own E&O insurance as well as a phone line, fax line and business cards.

 

Home based travel agents have changed over the past 10 years. More and more brick and mortar TA's are moving into the home. Me on the other hand, went from being a home based IC to a brick and mortar agency because business was too much to handle on my own. I used to be an Area Director for NACTA and was asked to give advise and answer questions for anyone in my state looking to get into the home based travel field.

[McDebbie]

I wonder if the OP got scared off? I would suggest googling "home based cruise agents" and there will be a ton of information to get a better understanding of what is available. I agree that it is a lot of hard work, DH is an agent and there is nothing worse than when he has worked for hours to find the perfect cruise for a client and then the client says "oh, my friend went on this other ship and loved it." Well, their friend was 20 years older without kids and the ship isn't even going where you want to go! :confused: You have to have more than a love of cruising, you have to have sales skills and people skills. AND, being a home based agent means you have to be willing to interrupt dinner to take a phone call from that business line. (which is totally way too expensive in my opinion! Can you tell I do the books? :) )

[Lauriebugg]

Joe,

 

What state are you in?

 

I am an independent contractor without my own CLIA number. Do you know of a good resource for me to look into having the CLIA number on my own versus going through my host agency and only receiving 75% of the commission?

 

Are you still involved in NACTA? I'll be attending the Home Based Success Series next month. :)

[jcanino]

Joe,

 

What state are you in?

 

I am an independent contractor without my own CLIA number. Do you know of a good resource for me to look into having the CLIA number on my own versus going through my host agency and only receiving 75% of the commission?

 

Are you still involved in NACTA? I'll be attending the Home Based Success Series next month. :)

 

I am in Connecticut. I am still a member of NACTA as the agency I work for has outside agents as well as IC's. If Joanie Ogg is presenting your seminar, tell her tht Joe from CT says hello. We have spent many evenings in hotel bars "wine tasting". She has even met my whole family. I would be happy to aanwer any of your questions about being an IC. Email me at jocani7 at comcast dot net.

 

Personally, I think that if you are selling a lot of cruises, you have to decide at what point the price of CLIA membership would be cost effective. That CLIA number will also get you into many more suppliers.

[ebrener]

You need to know all aspects of travel. What do you say to a client when they ask you where's the best place to stay in Venice?

How do I get from the airport to the ship?? oh.. and btw, I am in a motorized scooter.

 

How funny, this happened to me a few months ago, only it was Rome and not Venice. Wonderful people and she just called me again for a SA cruise!

 

Enrique

*****

[Kudos2Fly]

I thought about posting a while back wanting to ask the same thing. But figure people would have more negative things to say then positive. Here is my email Kudos2Fly@Earthlink.net I have a few questions.

 

I'm looking now at start up and what the reality is on working part-time and full-time at home.

 

Yours Truly,

Kim

[RevSmith]

I too wished to become a travel consultant...but this seems way too complicated for me.