Becoming a Cruise Travel Agent?

[LauraS]

Have you ever thought about becoming a Cruise Travel Agent?

 

You know so much about cruising, and you help others all the time!  Would you ever consider becoming a Cruise Travel Agent? 

 

 

[Host Dan]

Having traveled all over the world, and have sailed on more that 70 cruises, I've thought about becoming a travel professional!  I guess i wouldn't know where to start!  🙂

[Shiba_Lover]

You need to add a question to see how many people actually are

[LHT28]

take a certified course  for  travel professionals

It is not all it is cracked up to be  😉

 

[Host CJSKIDS]

I have actually thought about it myself numerous times since I love traveling and cruising so much. I was on a cruise right before Covid with a bunch of cruise agents and had a lot of interesting conversations with a few of them.  

[Host CMLA]

Just the other day while booking a cruise, I thought about it.  

[shiner6]

I have looked into it.  

[Host Kat]

No since I have a friend that is a travel agent. They do all the work & I enjoy the benefits.

[PattyADifer]

Before the pandemic, I started writing a book about cruising. Tips, practical advice, explanation of terms, etc. Put it on hold, cause I thought things might change dramatically post-covid. May go back to it.

[wowzz]

Can anyone in the US becone a travel agent ? Do you not have to have a considerable amount of financial reserves,  put up bonds, belong to a regulatory body etc ?  

[Flatbush Flyer]

18 hours ago, LauraS said:

Have you ever thought about becoming a Cruise Travel Agent?

 

You know so much about cruising, and you help others all the time!  Would you ever consider becoming a Cruise Travel Agent? 

 

 

If I had to rely on selling cruises for my income, I couldn’t afford to go cruising as much as I do.😳

[Honolulu Blue]

21 hours ago, LauraS said:

Have you ever thought about becoming a Cruise Travel Agent?

 

You know so much about cruising, and you help others all the time!  Would you ever consider becoming a Cruise Travel Agent? 

Awww, thank you!  Wait, you weren't talking about me?  I'll pretend I didn't hear that. 😄

 

I've given some preliminary thought to becoming a travel agent, but every time I do, the answer flips around to no.  Here's a summary of why:

 

• Both the course taking and actual work would take time away from things either I enjoy more or are more lucrative for me
• Too many horror stories from other TAs about spending hours on the phone dealing with cruise lines to satisfy one customer.  An introvert with a capital I, spending any time on the phone horrifies me.  Being stuck for hours on one would be my version of Room 101.
• I know a lot about some cruise lines and a little about others, but do I know enough to advise others?  The rules during the pandemic changed so often it was hard to keep up with.
• Some TAs didn't make it through the pandemic.  I hate to be so vulnerable.
• I hate to be in the position where I have to sell hammers to people who really need screwdrivers

 

I appreciate all the travel agents around, but I find it highly unlikely that I will join their number.  Never say never, though.

 

10 hours ago, PattyADifer said:

Before the pandemic, I started writing a book about cruising. Tips, practical advice, explanation of terms, etc. Put it on hold, cause I thought things might change dramatically post-covid. May go back to it.

You really should get back to it.  Cruising has changed a lot since the pandemic.  Indeed, it's changed quite a bit between the restart and now.

[donaldsc]

On 3/27/2023 at 7:31 AM, Host Dan said:

Having traveled all over the world, and have sailed on more that 70 cruises, I've thought about becoming a travel professional!  I guess i wouldn't know where to start!  🙂

 

If one does not know where to start one should not become a TA.  I am and have going to take my business to a TA who has been around for a long time.  Not a beginner.

 

DON

[LHT28]

49 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

If one does not know where to start one should not become a TA.  I am and have going to take my business to a TA who has been around for a long time.  Not a beginner.

 

DON

But everyone is  a beginner at some point in their job

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

But everyone is  a beginner at some point in their job

 

I agree.  But let them be a beginner on some else's dime.

 

DON

[complawyer]

yes, i certainly would consider it, ive booked cruises, flights, hotels, shuttle services and tour for some of my friends and relatives 

[fredmdcruisers]

Checked into it and got pretty close to signing up. I guess I value my free time too much.

[jsn55]

On 3/27/2023 at 6:44 AM, LauraS said:

Have you ever thought about becoming a Cruise Travel Agent?

 

You know so much about cruising, and you help others all the time!  Would you ever consider becoming a Cruise Travel Agent? 

 

 

My Cruise-Expert Travel Agent was a friend first; we communicate often on all kinds of topics.  She books cruises, no other travel.  If she wants to fly, she has a huge stock of FF miles; I sort it all out for her and I recommend hotels.  She's been at it for years, picks and choses her clients now (whiners don't last too long) and has solid contacts with cruise line CEOs as well as other executives.  She keeps up on the business, she continues to learn.  She can get things DONE.  

 

Pretty easy to 'become a travel agent'.  Becoming a GOOD Cruise-Expert Travel Agent takes a huge amount of effort and time.  The amount of information you have to have at your fingertips is awesome.  And you need to do personal cruising, lots of it, so you can properly advise your clients.  Granted, that's often freely offered by the cruise lines, but you put in the time.  A travel agent can do all kinds of bookings, but if s/he isn't 1000% meticulous about every aspect of every booking, s/he won't be a long-term success.  A good TA is organized, compassionate, educated, honest, frank and SMART.  

 

There are many very bad agents out there.  The past three years probably drove all kinds of agents, good and bad, out of the business with so much time just plain wasted trying to get things done.  Travel agents today are still putting up with cruise line reps with little training and less knowledge; it can take forever to get things set up the way you want them.  

 

I always hark back to a story my TA told me years ago.  A client cruised often, cruised in luxury, and generated lots of commissions.  She was generally an 'easy client', no whining, no constant need for reassurance, no changes of mind.  BUT on airplanes she travelled with her golden retriever because she didn't want to put him in cargo, nor pay for him.  So she got him a little vest and made him a service dog.  This kind of immoral behaviour is very hard for some of us to accept.  It's a great example of what kinds of decisions you make if you're going to be a really good travel agent.

 

Me?  I'd last about six months.  The education and learning would be great, but the 'putting up with the client' part?  Not a chance.  My friend has clients who email her and ask what the weather's going to be like in certain ports.  They know how to email, but they don't know how to type in 'weather dot com'?   I'd be a dismal failure.  

Edited March 31 by jsn55

[MCC retired]

Long ago , I realized that I knew more about most cruise products than the TA’s that I was booking with.

Joined as an Outside Agent for a very large cruise-only agency.

50/50 comm split then.

Did my own local advertising.

Took advantage of all the CLIA and Cruise Line training along the way.

Lots of invitations to ship inspections (lived close to port) , and TA fam cruises .

Did this for 17+ years part time . Then gave it up when I retired . Turned my clients over to a top agent in the same agency .

Most of this was before the Internet and booking direct.

Being available to respond 7 days a week is important . Yourself or a coverage person .

 

[warren buffet]

On 3/29/2023 at 7:18 PM, fredmdcruisers said:

Checked into it and got pretty close to signing up. I guess I value my free time too much.

how much was the price quote for the required course and the association dues? 

[Peregrina651]

Yes, I gave it a thought and then dismissed the idea immediately. I would go crazy having to deal with a book of clients like me.

[mpk]

I like seafood.   Do I want to catch the seafood, clean it, prep and cook it?  Not me   😀     😀     😀     😀 

[MCC retired]

5 hours ago, warren buffet said:

how much was the price quote for the required course and the association dues? 

Cruise Line training , mostly online , was always free with incentives for completing levels 

with a free cruise upon completion .

CLIA training , mostly online , it was either free or a nominal charge I recall.

 

Initial fee for signing up with the agency was nominal and got you materials to get you started.

You do have to produce eventually or be terminated. 

Over time the more you produce , the better the comm split.

[MCC retired]

Keep in mind that Cruise Lines do not permit TA's to advertise their lower rates .

You must actually contact the TA for those rates.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Since I retired a huge part of my life is planning cruises and trips for DW and me.  I spend so much time on each trip that I could never make any money charging for my service [a penny an hour???].  So, no.  Thankfully not a talent that I need to 'monetize.'