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Don’t blame your agent

February 10, 2006

When something goes wrong on a cruise, can you turn to your travel agent for help?

I’ve been pondering that question since my recent column about port taxes provoked an outcry from the agency community.

In the story, I suggested that travel agents should stick with their customers even after the ship has sailed. For example, the reader I was trying to assist wanted to get a refund for taxes collected on several missed ports.

boat.jpg
Not exactly smooth sailing.

I wondered: what happened to the agent?

After all, the travel counselor had taken a sizeable commission (by some accounts, the bonuses can range between 12 and 16 percent). Why couldn’t that travel pro lend a hand to a customer in need?

Agents, in turn, raised a lot of good questions. Why was the client dealing directly with the cruise line? Was there even an agent to begin with?

But the most enlightening piece of information came from an agent who appeared to be truly upset by my column. “You issued a cheap shot,” she fumed.

That wasn’t my intention.

Then she pointed out that even if this traveler’s agent wanted to help, it might not have been possible. Check out Carnival’s schedule of port taxes, which she described as “voodoo economics.”

She’s right. That spreadsheet is an overload of information, and I think it would be easy to get confused by it.

So, agents, I stand corrected. You may be responsible for helping your customers (I won’t back down on that point) but how can you be expected to do that when the cruise lines send out bulky documents like the Carnival file?

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

5 comments

  • Bert O’Connor

    I have never know you to take a cheap shot, you do however persist in a fallacy which I would like to correct. You write about sizable commissions in the travel agent business. Let me demonstrate; I have sold enough Carnival cruise that I have the lofty commission level of 15%. My client books a cruise package of $2,623.90. After CCL 198 as Non Commissionable Fare(Taxes?) Airfare ( they pay 5% on this) airport fees (Taxes?) Federal taxes and fees(taxes really) My commission is $252.90 (9.6%) of which I must pay the sales person $126.45, employee taxes, rent and other fun stuff. SO no great money maker.( BTW I am not whining, I choose this job. ) Please remember that no matter what the cruise lines say about how high commissions are it must be taken with a grain of salt. Thanks for letting me have my say,

  • Susan Feldstein

    We also get blamed for placing clients in the wrong seating for dinner (early/late). I booked my family on a cruise 13 months in advance with confirmed late seating. When I arrived on the ship I was told I had early seating. They told me that the travel agent requested it. Boy were they in for a big surprise when I told them I was the travel agent and had the fax showing confirmed second seating. So not only do clients blame us but so do the cruise lines.

  • Lisa Harbaugh

    By the way, cruises aren’t big moneymakers, unless the BASE PRICE (which is used to figure commission) is high. If you book a 3 night Nassau cruise, the commission can be quite small. 12% of $200 is only $24, so even with an override that pops you up to 16% ($32), that’s not much.

    I think that I can speak for all agents when I say that I am there for my clients and will help them in any way that I can, regardless of how much I make from their booking. The booking with the $24 commission gets just as much attention and help as the $700 commission booking. I take my job personally and want the best for my clients.

  • Ray Mitchell

    Does a cruise line refund port charges when a cancellation is made during the penalty period?
    Or does a cruise even collect port charges anymore. If they do they certainly wont admit it.
    Instead of returning port charges to the client cruise lines keep the port charges and suggest that travel insurance be sold for the entire amount. Let the insurance company look after that is what I was told.

    Consider the cost for cancellation and interuption insurance for a 75 year old couple on a 28 day cruise. Previously they could each be insured for just the commissionable amount with the cruise line returning unused port charges and government fees, etc. Not anymore.
    Is this what they call an unethical tax grab?
    By the way; what is included in the non commisionable portion of the fare. It used to include port charges.

  • Vicky

    I just had to cancel my cruise due to an emergency with a family member. I had purchased vacation insurance and filled out all the necessary forms, etc. I just recieved my check today and was refunded the cost of the cruise, tax, but they did not refund port tax of $71.00. I am not sure why….it never mentioned that there would not be a complete refund minus the cost of the insurance. Is there anything that we can do to recoup the $71?

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