Cruise Agents....what do they do or what don't they do?

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 6/15/2023 at 6:56 AM, kathy49 said:

I have recently run across a "cruise agent" that will not book any air. They require the passengers to go into the booking and do EZ air if that is their choice. If other air passenger books with airline.  I always thought a cruise agent would help with any travel that is associated with the cruise ie air/pre post hotels/transfers etc. Is this normal for passengers to be booking their own air if it is part of an air/sea package with the cruise line. Have things changed that much?

 

Another example of spoiled.  It is unreasonable, IMO, to expect cruise agents to do any bookings for things that do not pay them commissions.  Why should they do work for free?  

[Hlitner]

On 6/15/2023 at 9:56 AM, kathy49 said:

I have recently run across a "cruise agent" that will not book any air. They require the passengers to go into the booking and do EZ air if that is their choice. If other air passenger books with airline.  I always thought a cruise agent would help with any travel that is associated with the cruise ie air/pre post hotels/transfers etc. Is this normal for passengers to be booking their own air if it is part of an air/sea package with the cruise line. Have things changed that much?

Our favorite cruise agent does not like to get involved in air (we posted this earlier).  Why?  These days, she would probably need to have me on the phone for 15-30 minutes to ask specific questions such as "when do you want to go,"  what airport do you want to use, do you have an airline preference, do you have frequent flyer numbers, do you have a known traveler number (KTN), do you have any outstanding airline vouchers/credits, do you need transfers, etc. etc.  And after doing all that, she and her agency will get no commission.  

 

The Internet has changed "everything" when it comes to travel, airlines, hotels, etc.  I need to book a pre-cruise hotel in Miami (or Miami Beach) and there are hundreds of possibilities  How on earth can I expect an agent to know what is on my mind?  Should we stay in an inexpensive hotel near MIA?  Should we book a moderately expensive hotel in Brikell?  How about the Intercontinental with its location near Bayside?  Should we spend a night in South Beach or perhaps fly-in a few days early to stay in South Beach?  I ask myself dozens of questions when booking a hotel (and than discuss the options with DW)?  Our cruise agent can book hotels (they do get a commission) but she would have no clue as to what we want?  And we also choose hotels because of their location vis-a-vis favorite restaurants.

 

I made this a lengthy post to show the absurdity of having a third party handle most travel arrangements.  Some folks will be OK with whatever a third party might do (those are the kind of folks that book cruise line pre-post cruise hotel packages), but most travelers have their own preferences.  In the time it would take my cruise agent to learn about our preferences for air and hotels she could have booked 5 or 6 cruises for other clients.

 

Hank 

[ldubs]

On 6/18/2023 at 10:12 AM, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

Another example of spoiled.  It is unreasonable, IMO, to expect cruise agents to do any bookings for things that do not pay them commissions.  Why should they do work for free?  

 

OP asked if it is a normal practice.  A perfectly good question.   Calling them spoiled seems kind of extreme.  

[jsn55]

5 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

OP asked if it is a normal practice.  A perfectly good question.   Calling them spoiled seems kind of extreme.  

Agree, asking a TA cruise specialist to book air along with your cruise is not spoiled; I can't imagine where that came from.  Cruiselines pay generous commissions, lots of people don't care about the details, they just want the air booked.  Websites may intimidate them, and they certainly can't call the airline to book a tix these days.  While I would come unglued having someone else book my air, many people couldn't care less about the details.  Doesn't make them spoiled at all.        

[Toofarfromthesea]

6 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

OP asked if it is a normal practice.  A perfectly good question.   Calling them spoiled seems kind of extreme.  

 

There was a clear implication of unmet expectation.

[LHT28]

54 minutes ago, jsn55 said:

Agree, asking a TA cruise specialist to book air along with your cruise is not spoiled; I can't imagine where that came from.  Cruiselines pay generous commissions,        

Depends on what you consider Generous

The commissions are paid to the Agency the  actually travel agent/counsellor  does not get the full  amount

 

 

[ldubs]

m

1 hour ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

There was a clear implication of unmet expectation.

 

Until I read this thread I had no idea a TA wouldn't book cruise air or did not receive any pay for booking cruise air.  I expect that would not be a so unusual expectation for many.  Harsh and unjustified to characterize as another example of spoiled.  

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Depends on what you consider Generous

The commissions are paid to the Agency the  actually travel agent/counsellor  does not get the full  amount

 

 

The TA we have been using is the president of his agency, so I would think he gets the entire commission.