Booking with "Commodore" level TA?

I'm a little irritated, so I'm going to vent here...

I've read countless posts advising people to book with a TA instead of directly with Princess. I took that advice after initially booking with Princess. I transferred the booking to a brick and morter, well known, commodore rated TA that my mother (elite) has used for years.

1. Her initial reaction to the fare I had booked was that Princess was "giving it away". She offered nothing lower.

2. I had to remind her 3 times to change the dining to traditional

3. When the fare dropped, I had to contact her. She didn't know the fare had dropped, and made another comment about "if it drops anymore you'll get the trip for free".

4. It took 3 invoices before they got the amounts right.

5. I had to call twice before they checked with Princess about an OBC that isn't showing up in the personalizer.

6. Last straw was getting my document package yesterday. I called Princess with a question. Before I hung up, something made me ask if they had my fllight information. (I booked my own air and bought transfers. The TA told me 3 weeks ago that she sent that in to Princess.) Guess what--no record of flight information.

The only thing the TA did for me was to book an overnight hotel, and change my cabin to an outside when the fare dropped--which I had to remind her to do. The invoice shows that the "TA shipboard gift (OBC)" is checked "No". Perhaps a "gift" will appear in our cabin--probably a bottle of wine. My DH does not drink, and I don't drink wine.

My fault for not transferring the booking again before I made the final payment. However, this is the first cruise that I've had any responsibility for making the arrangements, and I haven't sailed in 10 years.

Next time, I'll stick with booking my own.

I'm a little irritated, so I'm going to vent here...

 

I've read countless posts advising people to book with a TA instead of directly with Princess. I took that advice after initially booking with Princess. I transferred the booking to a brick and morter, well known, commodore rated TA that my mother (elite) has used for years.

 

1. Her initial reaction to the fare I had booked was that Princess was "giving it away". She offered nothing lower.

2. I had to remind her 3 times to change the dining to traditional

3. When the fare dropped, I had to contact her. She didn't know the fare had dropped, and made another comment about "if it drops anymore you'll get the trip for free".

4. It took 3 invoices before they got the amounts right.

5. I had to call twice before they checked with Princess about an OBC that isn't showing up in the personalizer.

6. Last straw was getting my document package yesterday. I called Princess with a question. Before I hung up, something made me ask if they had my fllight information. (I booked my own air and bought transfers. The TA told me 3 weeks ago that she sent that in to Princess.) Guess what--no record of flight information.

 

The only thing the TA did for me was to book an overnight hotel, and change my cabin to an outside when the fare dropped--which I had to remind her to do. The invoice shows that the "TA shipboard gift (OBC)" is checked "No". Perhaps a "gift" will appear in our cabin--probably a bottle of wine. My DH does not drink, and I don't drink wine.

 

My fault for not transferring the booking again before I made the final payment. However, this is the first cruise that I've had any responsibility for making the arrangements, and I haven't sailed in 10 years.

 

Next time, I'll stick with booking my own.

The OBC usually does not show up in your personalizer. Have you talked to Princess regarding the way this TA (Commodor rated through Princess) treated you?

The OBC usually does not show up in your personalizer. Have you talked to Princess regarding the way this TA (Commodor rated through Princess) treated you?

Princess awards the Commodore level to any agent "who passes a series of tests". I know of a lot of home based agents and brick and morter agents who have never cruised Princess and rarely book Princess who are now "Commodores". I think it is a poor program (and misleading) IMO.

There are some great agents out there and some not so great agents. It sounds like the agent you worked with was not one of the better ones. It goes to show that the title/rank "Commodore" really doesn't mean much.

BTW - my OBC from my agent doesn't show up in the Personalizer.

I still encourage you to use an agent (if it saves you money) next time. There are some great agents out there. Sorry you didn't find one this time.

Sorry to hear you have had problems with your booking. I agree, this Commodore level thing for TA's is deceiving. I have run into many of these, Princess specialitsts, that had passed the test, but had no idea about the real workings of Princess Cruises.

Many that I have spoke with were either on their 'very first cruise EVER' and were already Commodores, or their first sailing with Princess. It seemed all I did was to answer questions they had about the workings of Princess.

I too think Princess has made a large mistake with this program. Agreed, there are some TA's out there that know the ropes and this has benefited them by giving them Elite Status on Princess. But there are just as many out there that throw their status around that have no idea what they are doing. Lots of people are book smart and can pass any tests or coarses given. But it is those with experience that do the best. We all know that only learning from lessons or books can teach you only so much.

Hope all works out on your sailing, and you can just treat this as a lesson learned I guess. First hand recommendations are better than any status or degree when it comes to TA's and booking cruises.

Just to clarify... the OBC I was referring to was the one coming from Princess for the brochure problem--not an OBC from the TA. My invoice from the TA is clearly marked as no OBC coming from the TA. I probably shouldn't have expected to get something from an agent I'm not paying, I guess.

Just from a UK perspective. A few years ago I booked with a UK TA for a Princess Rockies tour, an Alaska cruise on the Sun Princess in an aft mini, plus Business First Air Canada to and from Canada - it was pretty expensive, about £6000. 10 days before leaving I still had not got any tickets and after badgering the Agent (a very big organisation) and getting nowhere, I finally phoned Princess to find that the TA had not paid them. Since then I prefer to deal direct, although I have to admit you do not necessarily get the best deal.

Just to play devils advocate here a bit, because I am a TA, if you booked directly through Princess and then transfered it to a TA, your TA is most likely getting nothing, or at the very best an extremly reduced commission for your booking. Did they charge you an additional service fee? If not it's like asking them to do a bunch of work for you without getting paid.

This is not to say the way they treated you was right. If they accepted you as a client and told you they would take care of your booking, they should have done so.

Just to play devils advocate here a bit, because I am a TA, if you booked directly through Princess and then transfered it to a TA, your TA is most likely getting nothing, or at the very best an extremly reduced commission for your booking. Did they charge you an additional service fee? If not it's like asking them to do a bunch of work for you without getting paid.

Why is the TA getting a reduced commission? It is my understanding that the TA gets the full commission (if you transfer a booking) unless they decide to discount the fare. Princess doesn't care if you transfer the booking, in fact - I think they prefer to not handle the booking and have agents handle the booking.

The TA should not charge an additional service fee....

Travelchick, perhaps, but what OP is asking should not be considered a 'bunch of work'. Most of her needs were the normal amount of work that should have been done when taking any booking. The two items that weren't (reduced rate and applying Princess OBC) only take a quick phone call each.

As for the rate, when booking directly with Princess the rate is the same as or higher than a TA. There would have been no loss to the TA to take over that rate. In fact, a great majority of TA's out there discount part of their commission in order to attract just this sort of transfer.

As for the rate, when booking directly with Princess the rate is the same as or higher than a TA. There would have been no loss to the TA to take over that rate. In fact, a great majority of TA's out there discount part of their commission in order to attract just this sort of transfer.

I can only say that is not usually done here at our agency. Nor can I say what happened in this particular case. I can say that some agencies get a commission overide (additional commission) if they meet certain sales levels. I do not believe we get that on a transfered booking because we did not make the initial sale.

On the other hand if a client books a cruise with us then puchases a future cruise credit on board for a future cruise, we still get full credit for that booking even though we didn't make the sale.

Go figure...I don't make the rules.

Just to play devils advocate here a bit, because I am a TA, if you booked directly through Princess and then transfered it to a TA, your TA is most likely getting nothing, or at the very best an extremly reduced commission for your booking. Did they charge you an additional service fee? If not it's like asking them to do a bunch of work for you without getting paid.

I do a lot of FCC Open bookings onboard Princess. Then when we decide to do a specific cruise, I call my TA and tell the TA what I want and to use my FCC. Never had a problem or was told of:

'If not it's like asking them to do a bunch of work for you without getting paid.'

Please do a little more of explaining of 'doing a bunch of work for us without getting paid.'

I think we all would like to know about this. Please don't come back and say FCC Open Bookings are not the same as Transfering bookings.

Happy Cruising!

I can only say that is not usually done here at our agency. Nor can I say what happened in this particular case. I can say that some agencies get a commission overide (additional commission) if they meet certain sales levels. I do not believe we get that on a transfered booking because we did not make the initial sale.

 

On the other hand if a client books a cruise with us then puchases a future cruise credit on board for a future cruise, we still get full credit for that booking even though we didn't make the sale.

 

Go figure...I don't make the rules.

Even if Princess made the initial sale - Princess will transfer the entire booking (commisssion included) to an agent of the passenger's choice.

TA cannot keep track of price changes -- imagine doing that for all the different cruises. We keep track of price changes by constantly checking or learning about price drops through friends or this board. Then we call the TA and hope we are eligible for the price drop (which in most cases we are if the price drop is before final payment date). /Sultan

I'm a little irritated, so I'm going to vent here...

...

3. When the fare dropped, I had to contact her. She didn't know the fare had dropped, and made another comment about "if it drops anymore you'll get the trip for free".

...

I've read countless posts advising people to book with a TA instead of directly with Princess. I took that advice after initially booking with Princess. I transferred the booking to a brick and morter, well known, commodore rated TA that my mother (elite) has used for years...

 

Next time, I'll stick with booking my own.

Well, let me say first that my DW is a Commodore TA for Princess, as well as a CLIA Master Cruise Counselor.

Let me say second that it doesn't sound as if you got much valuable service out of your TA. Probably time to vote with your feet.

Then let me clarify the Commodore status a bit. Princess offers an extensive online education course. It deals with their products, policies and procedures. It certainly does teach a lot about Princess specifics. TAs are encouraged to take it by the offer of a free cruise upon completion. So a Commodore TA is one who has made a certain commitment to learning about Princess, spent some time learning, and has considerable product knowledge -- always a good thing in any sales person.

BUT -- compare that to the CLIA courses and see what an Accredited Cruise Counselor or a MCC has done. CLIA requires at least three cruises of different lengths on DIFFERENT lines, at least 10 ship inspections, seminars, trips and a lot of studying, including lots of work on itineraries, pricing, and particularly on qualifying customers to help find the best cruise line. An MCC has at least that much again. It really is a vastly different thing than "Commodore" status.

My DW is proud of both qualifications. But the most meaningful one, IMHO, is definitely the CLIA MCC. I would recommend to you that if your Commodore has not satisfied you, you change to a CLIA ACC or MCC and see if you don't get better service.

I think that it is like with all things - some are better than others.

I agree with a previous poster that it is difficult for a TA to keep tabs on every booking they have going, to see if there is a price drop, especially those with many bookings. When and if we see a price drop, we just notify her. Sometimes she will have already seen it, sometimes not. Either way, we end up with the lower price.

We do use a Commodore level TA but we used her before she achieved that status. We use her because she has an extremely good understanding of the working of Princess, not because she achieved Commodore status.

Just to play devils advocate here a bit, because I am a TA, if you booked directly through Princess and then transfered it to a TA, your TA is most likely getting nothing, or at the very best an extremly reduced commission for your booking. Did they charge you an additional service fee? If not it's like asking them to do a bunch of work for you without getting paid....

Say what??? Not at all. If the booking is transferred to the TA, the TA gets the full commission, just as usual. We do it that way all the time. I'm not sure where you are getting your idea here.

In fact, it is the other way around -- the TA is actually getting the full commission for doing a greatly reduced amount of work when the client has already made the booking.

Even if Princess made the initial sale - Princess will transfer the entire booking (commisssion included) to an agent of the passenger's choice.

At first you questioned whether a TA receives the full commission then you state matter of factly they do. Not sure what enlightened you in between posts. In any case travelchick45's point was that apparently a bonus commission is not paid for transferred bookings and that is what they meant by "reduced" commission. Not sure who is right or if it really matters but you can't both be right :D

At first you questioned whether a TA receives the full commission then you state matter of factly they do. Not sure what enlightened you in between posts. In any case travelchick45's point was that apparently a bonus commission is not paid for transferred bookings and that is what they meant by "reduced" commission. Not sure who is right or if it really matters but you can't both be right :D

I know that the TA gets the full commission. I transfer bookings all the time from Princess to my agent. Not sure which portion of my post was confusing.

Well, let me say first that my DW is a Commodore TA for Princess, as well as a CLIA Master Cruise Counselor.

 

Let me say second that it doesn't sound as if you got much valuable service out of your TA. Probably time to vote with your feet.

 

Then let me clarify the Commodore status a bit. Princess offers an extensive online education course. It deals with their products, policies and procedures. It certainly does teach a lot about Princess specifics. TAs are encouraged to take it by the offer of a free cruise upon completion. So a Commodore TA is one who has made a certain commitment to learning about Princess, spent some time learning, and has considerable product knowledge -- always a good thing in any sales person.

 

BUT -- compare that to the CLIA courses and see what an Accredited Cruise Counselor or a MCC has done. CLIA requires at least three cruises of different lengths on DIFFERENT lines, at least 10 ship inspections, seminars, trips and a lot of studying, including lots of work on itineraries, pricing, and particularly on qualifying customers to help find the best cruise line. An MCC has at least that much again. It really is a vastly different thing than "Commodore" status.

 

My DW is proud of both qualifications. But the most meaningful one, IMHO, is definitely the CLIA MCC. I would recommend to you that if your Commodore has not satisfied you, you change to a CLIA ACC or MCC and see if you don't get better service.

WOW getting an MCC now days is a lot easier then when I got mine;) Perhaps you are short changing her? Getting an ACC was much harder then that.

As far as Travelchick`s response.............WHAT??? That is the most absurd comment that I have seen in a long time. Maybe you should check with your employer and see if you are being cheated.:eek:

Well, let me say first that my DW is a Commodore TA for Princess, as well as a CLIA Master Cruise Counselor.

 

I would recommend to you that if your Commodore has not satisfied you, you change to a CLIA ACC or MCC and see if you don't get better service.

Maybe this is a stupid question, but how do you find a TA with those qualifications? I didn't know that kind of training was out there.

Maybe this is a stupid question, but how do you find a TA with those qualifications? I didn't know that kind of training was out there.

You can find them online at a couple places. The Princess website as well as the Cruise Lines International Association website both have search engines where you plug in you zip code to get a list of agents close-by.

Agents should always be able to provide a better value. A good idea is to follow the recommendation of a close friend you trust. IMHO everyone should have a travel agent and it's just dumb not to at least see what they have to offer and how they perform for you.

If anything seems wierd or doesn't make sense, come here and ask about it in addition to asking for clarification from your agent. Odds are a half-dozen people anyway will respond with similar answers you can bank on.

Sounds to me like the OP's TA experience has room for improvement. Tip: tell a potential TA that you are a Cruise Critic member and watch (hear) the reaction. If it's anything other than positive, forget that agent. There are a lot of them that look at CC members as cheapskates with a cause. The agent you want to work with knows the power of the knowledge you gain here and embraces it, realizing that client either knows what they're talking about or has figured out where to go to find out.

I see two types of Travel Agents; sales people and people with a passion for cruising that want to help others with their planning. Let's face it, planning is one of the best parts of cruising. The agents that love that are the ones you want. You'll get the best of all worlds with them.

I've done the Commordore program and MCC program and felt that both were beneficial. True though, I've met a bunch of agents that pale in comparison to a lot of active Cruise Critic members in the knowledge area. Still, better they have those distinctions than not. They have been exposed to a ton of information and made contacts through those programs that can be beneficial to you.

For example, Commodore agencies might receive a higher commission level from Princess. In many instances that can translate into a lower price.

Again, ask a friend who has cruised, stop in at your local agent's office, talk to them on the phone or via email if you're fully versed in that but find one who's NOT trying to "sell" you on something but has a real interest in crafting a great cruise for you. There are a lot of them out there but they're the minority.

Your best decision was coming here to ask this question :)

I too have my Commodore status with Princess. I will say it was a good amount of work and it did enhance and draw upon my knowledge of Princess overall. I agree that it is not a good indication of volume of sales, or personal experience with Princess, as any agent is eligible to participate.

In reference to the OP's comments and subsequent comments, Coral is 100% correct -- the agent will get the same amount of commission as if they originally booked the cruise for the client. The commission is not discounted when it is transferred. Top producing agencies make higher commissions than lower producing agencies, but this amount is not decreased for a transferred booking.

I agree with mercedmike that the CLIA certification is a better indicator of the knowledge, and commitment, of the TA. I do believe that the requirements are a bit more than mercedmike indicated, but I applaud him for pointing this out. Achieving this accreditation (4 different levels) DOES include having to achieve a certain sales goal (number of cabins not dollars) each year and DOES include having to sail on a number of different cruise lines to achieve the next level of accreditation, in addition to extensive educational training and class room time. I know it has taken a lot of work to get my accreditation from CLIA over the years.

But lets not forget about the higher classifications of ECC (Elite Cruise Counsellor) and ECCS (Elite Scholar). These are the two highest accreditations that CLIA offers.

I hope the OP chooses to work with a TA again. I know that, if she finds a qualified knowledgeable, and CLIA certified TA, she will realize the benefits far outweigh the trials she went through to find just the right one!

I should probably clarify.

There is a set commision that we get from Princess. we get that whether they book through us or Princess. However there is an additional bonus commission some agency's that sell a lot of Princess get over above the standard amount. We don't get that if you don't book through us.

I mistated myself when we said we don't get paid at all, I tend to consider what commission we get without the bonus add on to be pretty much next to nothing. I simply ment that if the agent that took over the booking in this particular case worked for an agency that got these bonuses, they would be working for a significant percentage less commission than they would if someone walked in off the street and booked at their desk.

I simply ment this may be a possible reason the agent did not pay as much attention to this booking as they might otherwise. You're asking them to adjust dining accomodations (very simple actually), monitor flight schedules if there was a flight involved, watch for upgrades (Princess will auto upgrade people if possible unless you tell them no.), verify proof of citizenship, make sure all the pre cruise info has been given to Princess (not everyone is computer savy enough to do this themselves) and print cruise documents. If there's cancellations that happening, that's a whole other mess.

Understand though, I personally would not give anyone less professional service if they wanted to transfer a booking directly from Princess, I'm just giving a possible rational why this may have happened. I had no intention on starting a flame fest here.

As for the differences between an FCC and a Princess direct booking there IS a difference if you purchase them while on a cruise that you booked though a travel agency.

Princess has the IATA number of the agency you booked through. When, while on your cruise you then go in and purchase an FCC, those FCC's are credited to your agency. Basically you're giving your future booking to that agency and they will get full commision including any bonuses for it.

If you book your cruise through Princess and then transfer it to an agency, they will loose there bonus on it because Princess did some of the work.

I hope that clears things up.

If you got a good deal with Princess and you hadn't worked with a TA before, or a TA wasn't offering something better, there is no reason to change the booking to the TA. If you book with Princess and a TA has been good to you, then I would transfer the booking and let them get the commission even if you are not getting anything extra. There are some TA's that don't seem to want to do the work for the customer and offer nothing and are clueless, but there are also TA's that will go out of the way to help you.

What is really funny when you go on a coastal, there are lots of TA's. We have sat with them at breakfast and lunch and the ones bragging the most about being a TA are the worst. They seem to know nothing about Princess yet go on spouting numerous misinformation, I love to challenge the know it alls. Then there are the TA's that don't brag and don't say they are TA's until they have been asked what their occupation is. They seem to be a heck of a lot more intelligent.

Now if you are a control freak, and need to constantly check info and get an answer right away, then booking through Princess is the way to go.

I wish there was a place we could really check on which TA's are great and which are causing all the problems.