For all those who think TAs are going away

[elephant98]

Before I became an internet savvy cruiser, I always used a local TA to make my bookings. Now, I make my booking directly with the cruise line, sometimes while I am on cruise, and then switch my booking over to the TA at a later date. That way my TA can earn the commission and I can take advantage of any goodies being offered by the TA, be it an onboard credit, prepaid gratuities, travel insurance, etc. Win, win for all. No?

[waterbug123]

The best TAs do not have the minimum of education. By the way there are many bad doctors and lawyers out there too. There are also quite a bit of bad clients too. Those a TA just fires!

 

And the best doctors and lawyers don't have the minimum of education, either. In any field, you will find those who obtain the minimum required, as well as those who obtain far more. And you'll find both good and bad in any profession.

My point was simply that if you look at the minimum education required to become a TA, and the minimum education required to become a doctor or lawyer, there is simply no comparison. It is not a slight against TA's, and it in no way implies that TA's are uneducated or not professional.

But the simple fact is that becoming a TA does not require 4 years of college, plus 3-4 years of graduate school, plus for a doctor, 3+ years of residency.

[paulekrause]

I've always appreciated my TA. He sends useful items such as luggage belts, document holders and T-shirts as well as in cabin gifts. Although these are trinkets they are useful and more than I'd get from the cruise line.

 

For my most recent booking I looked at the cruise line's website and found only ocean view cabins for 4 available for my family. My TA found me a balcony for two and a promotional inside cabin for two nearby so now my wife and I have a balcony while our 23 year old and 18 year old son have an inside and the total cost was only $100 more than it would have been squeezing 4 of us in an ocean view.

 

My TA offers me great service above and beyond what I can get on my own which is why I've been using him since i started cruising in 2003.

[nycruiser80]

Here, here, nicely put....BTW I have 2 degrees and a Masters, I am very lucky that I don't "have" to work but I do it because I absolutely love it and can follow my passion!

 

I was a TA for 10 years with a Masters degree too! I guess we are not all so "uneducated". These posts always get me. We all need to respect people's jobs/professions. A good TA works hard for little pay. Are there bads ones? Sure like every profession. But travel agents work hard and do know a thing or two about travel. I loved travel as many travel agents do and all I wanted to do was to make people happy. Unfortunately, I learned that you can't. Someone always thought they knew more then me (and they did I am human!) and poeple liked to play around and waste time, others thought it was a free therapy session. But I, like Sue, and so many really enjoyed it and while I did not make money in the profession I worked my bottom off to please others.

 

Left that profession and I am now a teacher. Yet another profession people like to believe they are experts at. One thing I have learned working in different professions is that you really don't know how much work is involved in it - especially if you want to do your job well. Also, you don't know what goes on "behind the scenes".

 

Let's just respect people's professions and move on. I always feel like travel agents get a bad rep. on cruise critic and being a former travel agent I have a soft spot for these people. People outside of travel never realize the amount of time and energy that is involved into booking a trip just as people outside of education never realize how much extra time teachers put in (yes we have the summers off but during the year it is NO way an 8 hour job may days are 10-12 hours AT LEAST).

 

I hope the travel agent community will continue but, as I have stated in an earlier post, I question the cruise line's motives in regards to commissions and travel agents.

 

To people who are not travel agents just think of how much time it takes you to plan your trip thoroughly (book cruise, book excursions, research, maybe make some calls - and stay on hold or emails, print docs, put in immigration info) and multiply that by 10-12 clients in a day. It is time consuming and some people are not even thankful!

[dirtgirl]

I was a TA for 10 years with a Masters degree too! I guess we are not all so "uneducated". These posts always get me. We all need to respect people's jobs/professions. A good TA works hard for little pay. Are there bads ones? Sure like every profession. But travel agents work hard and do know a thing or two about travel. I loved travel as many travel agents do and all I wanted to do was to make people happy. Unfortunately, I learned that you can't. Someone always thought they knew more then me (and they did I am human!) and poeple liked to play around and waste time, others thought it was a free therapy session. But I, like Sue, and so many really enjoyed it and while I did not make money in the profession I worked my bottom off to please others.

 

Left that profession and I am now a teacher. Yet another profession people like to believe they are experts at. One thing I have learned working in different professions is that you really don't know how much work is involved in it - especially if you want to do your job well. Also, you don't know what goes on "behind the scenes".

 

Let's just respect people's professions and move on. I always feel like travel agents get a bad rep. on cruise critic and being a former travel agent I have a soft spot for these people. People outside of travel never realize the amount of time and energy that is involved into booking a trip just as people outside of education never realize how much extra time teachers put in (yes we have the summers off but during the year it is NO way an 8 hour job may days are 10-12 hours AT LEAST).

 

I hope the travel agent community will continue but, as I have stated in an earlier post, I question the cruise line's motives in regards to commissions and travel agents.

 

To people who are not travel agents just think of how much time it takes you to plan your trip thoroughly (book cruise, book excursions, research, maybe make some calls - and stay on hold or emails, print docs, put in immigration info) and multiply that by 10-12 clients in a day. It is time consuming and some people are not even thankful!

 

 

Thank you.:)

 

I happen to love your smiling, bubbly face and have every confidence in you. I know how hard you work!

 

TA's have a definite place in the travel industry and although I know I could book my own cruise, I choose not to, I always use a TA.

 

Love, K

 

So sweet, Kathy, and thank you.

[bbbearden]

There is absolutely zero truth in that statement as evidenced by several links posted here and news reports from the past year.

 

Many people seem to be confusing a true travel agent with an order processor. There is a huge difference. As the article states, the true travel agents as far as RCI is concerned are not going away.

 

It is interesting that you state what I have to say has no truth but yet you provide not authoritative proof other than citing a few links to articles that contain nothing but opinion or perception to back up your statement.

I love how you cite RCI's statement about TA's not going away while watching that very same company, and all the other cruise lines, do everything in their power to cut out the TA's. Seems to be a relationship that is all smiles on the surface and cut throat in the background. It is well known that cruise lines are marketing directly to consumers and trying to cut out the TA, to deceive yourself into believing anything different is simply ignoring the obvious.

Simple common sense and observation will back up what I am saying. In the small community outside Houston where I live, we used to have three very busy travel agencies that provided pretty good service. Today they are all gone, and the people that used to work there are in other industries. The travel agencies I used to visit in Houston are closed and gone away. Sure there are the mega agencies like the one we all know here in Houston, but in general TA's are going away.

CoachT, I am not attacking anyone, nor am I trying to be negative. I am not a TA, nor do I work in the travel business. But as a consumer who enjoys elite status with a major airline, travels extensively, and occasionally cruises, I have found the whole TA business model to no longer be necessary for travel. I believe the profession is in its decline and rapidly becoming obsolete. You can continue to believe otherwise but the proof is in all the empty TA offices around the country.

[Sue L]

It is interesting that you state what I have to say has no truth but yet you provide not authoritative proof other than citing a few links to articles that contain nothing but opinion or perception to back up your statement.

I love how you cite RCI's statement about TA's not going away while watching that very same company, and all the other cruise lines, do everything in their power to cut out the TA's. Seems to be a relationship that is all smiles on the surface and cut throat in the background. It is well known that cruise lines are marketing directly to consumers and trying to cut out the TA, to deceive yourself into believing anything different is simply ignoring the obvious.

Simple common sense and observation will back up what I am saying. In the small community outside Houston where I live, we used to have three very busy travel agencies that provided pretty good service. Today they are all gone, and the people that used to work there are in other industries. The travel agencies I used to visit in Houston are closed and gone away. Sure there are the mega agencies like the one we all know here in Houston, but in general TA's are going away.

CoachT, I am not attacking anyone, nor am I trying to be negative. I am not a TA, nor do I work in the travel business. But as a consumer who enjoys elite status with a major airline, travels extensively, and occasionally cruises, I have found the whole TA business model to no longer be necessary for travel. I believe the profession is in its decline and rapidly becoming obsolete. You can continue to believe otherwise but the proof is in all the empty TA offices around the country.

 

 

And many are changing with the times and increasing business and opening NEW offices!

[bbbearden]

And many are changing with the times and increasing business and opening NEW offices!

 

I would agree if you replaced the word "many" with the word "some". If you are honest with yourself you know that is not the trend.

[EVALUATOR]

And many are changing with the times and increasing business and opening NEW offices!

 

I would agree if you replaced the word "many" with the word "some". If you are honest with yourself you know that is not the trend.

 

According the the BLS, the number of travel agent jobs is projected to remain about the same through 2018.

 

And that's the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the other BS in gov't you may be thinking about.

 

But then again the gov't said there has been no inflation in the last two years if you don't count food and energy prices.

Maybe the B+S does stand for the latter.:D

[Sue L]

I would agree if you replaced the word "many" with the word "some". If you are honest with yourself you know that is not the trend.

 

the trend I know is where I "live" , lol can't say more then that and I will say SOME, actually at least one!

[SusieV]

*shrugs* It's all what you're looking for.

 

In my extended family, everyone calls me when they're going to book a trip because not only am I the most widely travelled, but I'm good at finding deals and I genuinely like the minutiae of travel.

 

I always use a TA, but in my case, I know exactly what I want and don't need any hand holding, advice, or support. I take very little of my TA's time, so I just want the perks for giving her my bookings. Once I find an agent who I am comfortable with (no cancellation or change fees, price drops until final payment, etc), I stick with her and send all my family and friends there, too. For now, I have someone I'm happy with.

 

I have no opinion on whether TAs are going anywhere and I think they are indeed useful to certain types of travellers. I've certainly met people who would have benefitted from a knowledgeable TA since they purchased a vacation that doesn't meet their needs at all! But for me? Well, I just want the perks, thanks. I won't switch agents to save $100, but if it keeps happening, then yeah, I'll be moving my future bookings.

 

CoachT seems to resurrect this topic every once in a while to try and get us to believe that TAs deserve a fee for planning travel. And perhaps for some people who need that type of expertise, they do. However, I think that most people who find their way to Cruise Critic are not in that category. Just my $0.02

[CoachT]

It is interesting that you state what I have to say has no truth but yet you provide not authoritative proof other than citing a few links to articles that contain nothing but opinion or perception to back up your statement.

Since you won't Google, you can read three stories from no less an authoritative proof as CNN USA TODAY & the New York Times which disputes your claim and proves that it has no basis in fact whatsoever.

 

I love how you cite RCI's statement about TA's not going away while watching that very same company, and all the other cruise lines, do everything in their power to cut out the TA's.

Another misnomer as RCI has made major investments in the travel agent websites and training programs offered which prove that they are not exactly 'cutting out TAs.' No one agent or agency or even the cruise lines "own" a client and as Ms. Freed has stated elsewhere 4 out of 5 passengers do not book their second cruise with the agent/agency they booked their first one. If a TA falls down on the job as far as marketing for a particular cruise line, of course they are going to market direct. However, the majority of bookings on RCI and all major lines come from travel agents. That 80% of the country that has never cruised will more than likely take that first cruise after talking to a travel agent.

 

CoachT, I am not attacking anyone, nor am I trying to be negative. I am not a TA, nor do I work in the travel business. But as a consumer who enjoys elite status with a major airline, travels extensively, and occasionally cruises, I have found the whole TA business model to no longer be necessary for travel. I believe the profession is in its decline and rapidly becoming obsolete. You can continue to believe otherwise but the proof is in all the empty TA offices around the country.

What you don't see and what has changed is the decline of strip mall, shopping mall and other travel agent store fronts around the country. Gone are many agencies where you had racks of brochures and filled desks of agents waiting for walk-in traffic. What has happened is the same technology that has allowed you to no longer need a travel agent has allowed agencies, agents, franchises, consortiums and more to work from home offices, office parks, cafe's, Starbucks and even as I am doing now from 30,000 feet.

 

I have been fortunate to have independent contractors working for me so I can spend my time traveling. None of them work out of a storefront. Some agents and agencies work on a referral and appointment basis only. So what you see as become obsolete, the travel agent community sees as an evolution.

 

I am grateful to CruiseCritic for allowing a defense of our industry to continue. Many of my fellow agents get tired of the continued bashing of TAs without the ability to defend our profession. There are those who will and can work on volume and offer perks and there are those who do not need to offer a perk to make a sale. And while many in my industry think of themselves as being in travel, we are first and foremost in the business of sales.

 

And since you are not in the business as you admit, you have no idea that SueL is in fact correct. Many agencies are in fact expanding and hiring and opening new offices to meet the needs of the traveling public.

[bbbearden]

CoachT, that's a big yawn.

 

It is obvious you do not understand what an authoritative source is. Mass media outlets do not meet that definition. An authoritative source is one that CITES scientific studies and stats as the factual basis of the article. I can find a news source to support any position I want to take, you still have proven nothing.

 

I understand you have strong feelings about your business and so I guess I will leave you alone. I think TA's were once needed and important to travel but are rapidly becoming obsolete. You have not made a case yet as to WHY they are not. I hope you continue to do well and prosper, but I remain convinced it is a declining industry.

[CoachT]

You have yet to provide an authoritative source to prove your point.

Simple common sense and observation will back up what I am saying. In the small community outside Houston where I live, we used to have three very busy travel agencies that provided pretty good service. Today they are all gone, and the people that used to work there are in other industries. The travel agencies I used to visit in Houston are closed and gone away. Sure there are the mega agencies like the one we all know here in Houston, but in general TA's are going away.

All you have provided is very limited anecdotal "evidence" based on your small little world. Those of us actually working in the business see our ranks actually strengthening as clients come back to us in droves.

 

Sure there will always be that person who stated "If it is not on Google, it does not exist." There are far more people who know that Google does not have relationships and clout with suppliers and offer assistance when there is a problem. I will be waiting for your authoritative evidence that your position is anything resembling what you claim.

[dirtgirl]

My agency is continually opening new offices across Canada, and is now opening more and more in the US. We are not shrinking; we are growing. But our agency is based upon service; we are not order takers. Canadians as a whole prefer service; there are those that prefer huge online agencies, of course, but we are thriving. Business in 2010 was up 30% over 2009. Our goal is even higher this year, and we are on track.

[stooth]

I try to tell myself not to post on threads like these, but I am one of those horrid, uneducated TAs that constantly gets bashed on CC. :(

 

Being a TA was not my original career. I have a university degree in Agriculture with honours. I ran a research lab in soil chemistry for 20 years (Dirtgirl, in case you were wondering). I also worked in a police department for 23 years as a reserve police officer and as a Victim Service's Worker. I went into my passion, travel, a little over 2 years ago, after being laid off from the lab. I love it!

 

I am not with a cardmill. I work for a large agency, in an office, and at home. I am a certified TA, have my MCC, and am working on my ECC. I work 7 days a week, even on holidays (even when stranded in England, and in agony). And yet almost daily, I come to CC and see the inevitable thread bashing travel agents, saying how useless my profession is. How would you like seeing that on a constant basis, describing your profession?

 

I try not to click on them. Seriously. But it's like a moth to a flame - I have to read them.

 

I am wondering how many of you would say to my face (which, by the way, is always smiling and very bubbly and friendly), that I am uneducated, and what I do is useless? Certainly my clients don't. I believe a lot of people hide behind the anonymity of message boards, and would never say these things to my face.

 

I would never come out to say to any of you that your profession is useless. Ever. Please respect me, and others, and don't say our profession is useless.

 

Thank you.

 

 

DirtGirl: This is great, I am also a TA...I always try to do the very best for my customers! At the sake of my money most of the time! I love doing what I do and I want my customers to love cruising as much as I do.

 

Thanks for clicking on this post and standing up for us "uneducated & useless" folks!

[Eeyoregon]

I have never used a travel agent for any of my trips or cruises up until this week. RCCL never seems to offer any specials/deals/incentives to the public so I went with a TA that pays your gratuities and gave me $200 in OBC. A no brainer. We'll see how it works out.

 

Gina

[bbbearden]

You have yet to provide an authoritative source to prove your point.All you have provided is very limited anecdotal "evidence" based on your small little world. Those of us actually working in the business see our ranks actually strengthening as clients come back to us in droves.

 

Sure there will always be that person who stated "If it is not on Google, it does not exist." There are far more people who know that Google does not have relationships and clout with suppliers and offer assistance when there is a problem. I will be waiting for your authoritative evidence that your position is anything resembling what you claim.

 

CoachT, just as you have failed to grasp the difference between a news article and authoritative source, you also seem to fail to grasp the difference between fact and opinion. It is My OPINION that TA's are going the way of the blacksmiths, I have no need to prove anything. You are the on who as such a need to justify your existence. I am sorry this is so personal for you, and I do wish you the best but I remain unconvinced.

 

Now, I must get a cup of coffee before I sit down and book a flight, car and driver, and hotel for my trip next week. Time to once again leave my small little world and head off on business, and I am doing it all by my self without a TA's help. :cool:

[deanswife1990]

I try to tell myself not to post on threads like these, but I am one of those horrid, uneducated TAs that constantly gets bashed on CC. :(

 

Being a TA was not my original career. I have a university degree in Agriculture with honours. I ran a research lab in soil chemistry for 20 years (Dirtgirl, in case you were wondering). I also worked in a police department for 23 years as a reserve police officer and as a Victim Service's Worker. I went into my passion, travel, a little over 2 years ago, after being laid off from the lab. I love it!

 

I am not with a cardmill. I work for a large agency, in an office, and at home. I am a certified TA, have my MCC, and am working on my ECC. I work 7 days a week, even on holidays (even when stranded in England, and in agony). And yet almost daily, I come to CC and see the inevitable thread bashing travel agents, saying how useless my profession is. How would you like seeing that on a constant basis, describing your profession?

 

I try not to click on them. Seriously. But it's like a moth to a flame - I have to read them.

 

I am wondering how many of you would say to my face (which, by the way, is always smiling and very bubbly and friendly), that I am uneducated, and what I do is useless? Certainly my clients don't. I believe a lot of people hide behind the anonymity of message boards, and would never say these things to my face.

 

I would never come out to say to any of you that your profession is useless. Ever. Please respect me, and others, and don't say our profession is useless.

 

Thank you.

 

I loved your post. I find this thread interesting because of two reasons:

1. I always use a TA for cruises and big vacations. I do all the research myself. Searching every possible site, calling the cruiseline etc. Then I call my TA. Tell them what i found and ask if they can beat it. I also ask if they have Onboard credits, free travel insurance, etc to sweeten the deal. They always do and I book thru them. I don't drive to their agency. I either pick up the phone or shoot an email requesting any changes, price drops, etc.

 

2. I am considering going back to school to become a TA. It's something I have always wanted to do. I love the research and the thought of helping someone's vacation dreams come true makes me very happy. (and I already do it for all my friends anyway)

 

It's kind of disheartening to read all the negative posts but I do realize that CC represents a very small percentage of the travel/cruise community. I know there are bad TA's out there as well as "bad" in other professions. All I can do is be the best I can be.

[CoachT]

CoachT, just as you have failed to grasp the difference between a news article and authoritative source, you also seem to fail to grasp the difference between fact and opinion. It is My OPINION that TA's are going the way of the blacksmiths

Nice backtracking from your earlier statements as FACTs.

 

There are many good and talented people in the TA Profession, but no matter how good and talented they are, the actual demand for them continues to drop.

I would agree if you replaced the word "many" with the word "some". If you are honest with yourself you know that is not the trend.

I love how you cite RCI's statement about TA's not going away while watching that very same company, and all the other cruise lines, do everything in their power to cut out the TA's.

Since you can provide no evidence to support your "facts" or wait "opinions", they must be taken just as they are "opinion". Those of us in the profession know what the true FACTS about our profession are.

 

By the way, I am not attacking you and I sincerely am happy you can do it all on your own. I sincerely hope that if there is ever a problem you can truly handle it all on your own without an advocate working on your behalf. And I am certainly not trying to convince you or solicit you as a client as I am not taking on new clients anyway. I just grow weary of the constant bashing of the travel agent profession on Cruise Critic without ever seeing anyone come to their defense. That is exactly what Vikki Freed did in the story posted linked on the OP.