Travel Agent quetion

[DeRon]

How do you find travel agents that are "Princess only" and know all the secrets/tricks/good rooms, etc?

[DesrtDrmr]

Most cruise lines have a "Find a Travel Agent" area on their website. I haven't used it, but I've seen it there. There are also travel agents listed on Cruise Critic in the main area. According to the board rules, no one can recommend any particular agent or agency.

[Krisdee]

How do you find travel agents that are "Princess only" and know all the secrets/tricks/good rooms, etc?

 

Hi Ron - go to the Princess web site and search travel agents ... look for ones that are "commodores". They'll have all the info you need...krisdee:)

[willysgrandma]

I don't know of any travel agents that sell only one cruise line exclusively. There are many who are experts on different lines because of training and going to the Princess website will help you locate one of those.

 

Of course, all you need to do is ask questions here - CC members know more than anyone anyway!

[DrivesLikeMario]

Just simply ask the TA you're interested in using if they are a Princess Commodore.

 

Also, you can check out Princess' website under "Find an Agent" & it'll list the Commodores at the top of the page once you've put in your zip code. The thing is, if you're part of a large consortium, like Cruise.com, they will not list the individual Commodores, so the list is NOT a complete list. It is still best to ask agents if they are a Commodore. :)

[DeRon]

Very helpful! Thanks to everyone. I was not aware of commodores!

[Toto2Kansas]

Isn't the Commodore rating just signifying that they have taken Princess' coarse? I don't think I would base my TA choice on that alone, by any means. What I would look for is someone who specializes in Princess Cruises and also one that discounts Princess Cruises.

[Coral]

Isn't the Commodore rating just signifying that they have taken Princess' coarse? I don't think I would base my TA choice on that alone, by any means. What I would look for is someone who specializes in Princess Cruises and also one that discounts Princess Cruises.

 

I agree Toto. There are lots of experienced agents out there who probably have not had time to take this new test that Princess has. And just because someone has passed this test doesn't mean that they have booked a lot of Princess cruises.

[DD]

I am a Commodore who does a lot of Princess so I'd like to address some of the comments above. I'm not trying to solicit business here as that's against the spirit of this board -- I just wanted to clarify a couple things.

 

To become a Commodore, you take 25 or 26 classes and take a closed-book exam on each one. They are quite indepth and cover detailed information about all aspects of cruising on Princess. It would be impossible to complete the course unless you really learned the information. It's a great course -- I wish every cruiseline offered such comprehensive training.

 

The above poster is correct in that, depending on who the agent works for, and whether or not they are part of a larger nationwide organization, their Commodore status may not be listed on the website. It's best to actually ask the agent whether or not they are a Commodore. If they're not, ask why not! It's SO WORTH the investment of time and brain cells! Ask them how much volume they do in Princess. You want someone who sells more than a handful of cabins a year!

 

As another poster pointed out, it would be extremely rare, if not non-existant, for a travel agency to sell just one cruise line. The profit margins are too slim and the target market is too narrow to focus on just one cruiseline. Agents typically specialize in a number of cruiselines. I can't imagine surviving on just one product no matter how good it is.

[LARGIN]

DD.. I thought the course was internet sponsored and if so it not closed book.. Also.. Reading about it, especially that agency members have that status even though they did not take the course, makes me wonder about how much better and knowledgeable "Commodore" Agency is..

 

From Princess.. Princess Cruises debuted its brand-new online training program for travel agents this week. Called “Princess Academy,” the free program includes four different training tiers with more than 25 classes. (It will take about 15 hours for agents to reach the top tier, Commodore.) Agents will start with three required classes (the cruising experience, customer service, and destinations), followed by electives such as dining options, group bookings, and wedding programs. Once you reach the Commodore level, you can sail on a free “graduation cruise” and earn other perks such as free Internet access during cruises. Also, all of the agents with a given agency will enjoy the same benefits offered to their highest ranking staff member (in other words, if one agent achieves Commodore status, every agent with that agency will be regarded as Commodore agents). A Princess spokesperson says Cunard Line will soon offer a similar academy for agents.

[DrivesLikeMario]

answer some of the questions about being at the Commodore status:

 

There are 25 courses + a final course and test. The courses range in time from about 35 mins. to 1 1/2 hrs. depending on which ones you choose. (No, you can't choose all short cruises! :D )

 

After each course, you take a test and you CANNOT go back and look for the answer. The questions are tough - not simple ones like "How many ships does Princess have?" More like questions about very specific itineraries, ships and how often they sail a particular, unique itinerary, geographic questions, shore excursion questions, etc. As a frequent cruiser, I thought the questions would be easier than they were. I was amazed at how specific they were.

 

The reason why choosing a Commodore is better than an agent who is not a Commodore is because the Commodores have an in-depth knowledge of Princess and consider it important enough to dedicate the time to learn all the extra ins-and-outs about Princess. There are many Commodores with small agencies to mega agencies, so you can find a TA within the structure that you're comfortable with.

 

The Cunard courses are up and running now, so I'm on to that next! :) I only wish RCI & Celebrity had a similar program.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Oops - meant to say "there are 25 courses, 25 tests + a final course and test". For some reason, I can't edit my post. :(

[ljtinney]

answer some of the questions about being at the Commodore status:

 

There are 25 courses + a final course and test. The courses range in time from about 35 mins. to 1 1/2 hrs. depending on which ones you choose. (No, you can't choose all short cruises! :D )

 

After each course, you take a test and you CANNOT go back and look for the answer. The questions are tough - not simple ones like "How many ships does Princess have?" More like questions about very specific itineraries, ships and how often they sail a particular, unique itinerary, geographic questions, shore excursion questions, etc. As a frequent cruiser, I thought the questions would be easier than they were. I was amazed at how specific they were.

 

The reason why choosing a Commodore is better than an agent who is not a Commodore is because the Commodores have an in-depth knowledge of Princess and consider it important enough to dedicate the time to learn all the extra ins-and-outs about Princess. There are many Commodores with small agencies to mega agencies, so you can find a TA within the structure that you're comfortable with.

 

The Cunard courses are up and running now, so I'm on to that next! :) I only wish RCI & Celebrity had a similar program.

 

I totally agree. Become a Princess Commodore has made an incredible difference. I was also amazed and impressed with some of the courses. Now that we have Cunard on the go......I know so much more already than before I started the courses.

[DD]

DD.. I thought the course was internet sponsored and if so it not closed book.. Also.. Reading about it, especially that agency members have that status even though they did not take the course, makes me wonder about how much better and knowledgeable "Commodore" Agency is..

 

Hi Largin -- Yes, technically you're right in that it is internet sponsored so it's not 100% closed book. It's not like when I took The Travel Institute's CTA class--that was 100% closed book. You have a proctor that monitors you the entire time and you can't use ANYTHING as a reference. So, from that standpoint, you are correct, it's not closed book. There was probably a better word choice than "closed book". I should have thought that term through before I used it.

 

However, the questions are very detailed. I was shocked at how particularly detailed they are. Princess really expects you to learn all the little nuances and particulars of each of their itineraries and ships and programs. Granted, you could use your Princess brochures and Google and whatever other resources you have in your office but that would be very time consuming. I think you'd probably get timed-out of the question by the time you found the answer. Even if you take copious notes, you could spend a great deal of time finding the answers. Who wants to take detailed notes on every bit of material on 100s and 100s of slides. It's easier to just pay close attention and try to absorb the material. Once you take each exam, you can then go back into the classes and look at the material again. I've done that several times -- they're great classes and are full of useful information.

[DD]

From Princess.. Also, all of the agents with a given agency will enjoy the same benefits offered to their highest ranking staff member (in other words, if one agent achieves Commodore status, every agent with that agency will be regarded as Commodore agents). .

 

To the best of my knowledge, this is not correct. It may have been Princess' original plan when you got that information. I know for a fact that the other agents in my agency that have not completed the Commodore status don't have it just because I have it.

[Pradagal]

I am also a Commodore with Princess and am on my way with Cunard as well. I agree with DD about how detailed the course is. It is also the same at my agency in that I'm the only one that has taken the courses.

We are also a Signature agency and work closely with Princess.

I feel I have learned alot about the line and have been booking Princess alot more with that knowledge:) .

If it's a good agency they should know plenty about Princess!

[Susie51]

I booked directly through Princess for our 3-17-07 cruise on the Diamond. Are all of the agents at Princess Commodores?

[DeRon]

Lol!

[willysgrandma]

I am a Commodore who does a lot of Princess so I'd like to address some of the comments above. I'm not trying to solicit business here as that's against the spirit of this board -- I just wanted to clarify a couple things.

 

To become a Commodore, you take 25 or 26 classes and take a closed-book exam on each one. They are quite indepth and cover detailed information about all aspects of cruising on Princess. It would be impossible to complete the course unless you really learned the information. It's a great course -- I wish every cruiseline offered such comprehensive training.

 

 

I agree - we are also Commodores and you know the ships, itineraries and ship policies backwards and forwards after finishing those courses.

 

Holland America has a similar education program but I also wish every line did the same.

[DeRon]

What I am looking for is someone who knows the best rooms for the money, etc.

 

And...I think I would really like some help securing one of those non-suite aft rooms. We want to go this summer.

[sonomaphil]

What I am looking for is someone who knows the best rooms for the money, etc.

 

And...I think I would really like some help securing one of those non-suite aft rooms. We want to go this summer.

 

Did you look at princess.com to see if one is available? Might just want to start there.

 

Personally in todays world it seems to me travel agents are really not needed anymore. You can do all your research and book anything you want online and for a better price. Half the fun is doing your own research.

[cruzzers]

Spend some time researching your TA. Make sure they can answer all your questions and will call you back or respond in a reasonable amount of time. Ask them specific questions like, "Will you reduce my fare if prices go down before final payment?" and make sure they know the ins and outs with Princess. Ask them which cruise lines they work with the most. If Princess is one of them, you should be in luck. Some of the larger travel agencies MAY be able to offer you special group rates or onboard credit perks, due to the volume of customers they deal with. That is not saying smaller agencies can't do the same but make sure you check online rates for the cat you are interested in and do your homework before booking. You can even book with Princess to save a special room and then move your booking over to a TA for better rates later. We usually book while onboard to get the special low deposit ($100 PP) and and OBC, then move our booking to our trusted TA. We like the invitation coupons we get with those bookings and use them to invite friends later.

[Lynda90]

You may want to try *****.com. You will have the advantage of several different agencies competing for your business. I have had some luck using them but not all the time. Definitely worth your while to see what they have to offer.

[willysgrandma]

What I am looking for is someone who knows the best rooms for the money, etc.

 

And...I think I would really like some help securing one of those non-suite aft rooms. We want to go this summer.

 

You are probably better off asking here what rooms are the best.

 

Then go to the Princess website, go to the Travel Agent search, input your zip code and look for an agency with Commodore status. When you get a price, go to to one of the cruise competition websites and see if you can do better - that is where you might find an agent willing to give you an extra.

 

You may already be too late for an aft cabin if you want to travel in the summer- the most desired cabins are booked up early, many people book a year or more in advance. Neither a TA or RCCL can get you one of those if they are already booked.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Did you look at princess.com to see if one is available? Might just want to start there.

 

Personally in todays world it seems to me travel agents are really not needed anymore. You can do all your research and book anything you want online and for a better price. Half the fun is doing your own research.

 

Do you personally book directly with the cruise line?

 

Bill