Comments on: Don’t blame your agent http://www.elliott.org/blog/dont-blame-your-agent/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:45:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Vicky http://www.elliott.org/blog/dont-blame-your-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1635 Vicky Mon, 19 Mar 2007 07:31:29 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/dont-blame-your-agent/#comment-1635 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? 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?

]]> By: Ray Mitchell http://www.elliott.org/blog/dont-blame-your-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1634 Ray Mitchell Thu, 09 Mar 2006 01:36:56 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/dont-blame-your-agent/#comment-1634 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. 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.

]]> By: Lisa Harbaugh http://www.elliott.org/blog/dont-blame-your-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1633 Lisa Harbaugh Mon, 20 Feb 2006 17:23:19 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/dont-blame-your-agent/#comment-1633 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. 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.

]]> By: Susan Feldstein http://www.elliott.org/blog/dont-blame-your-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1632 Susan Feldstein Thu, 16 Feb 2006 18:28:03 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/dont-blame-your-agent/#comment-1632 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. 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.

]]> By: Bert O'Connor http://www.elliott.org/blog/dont-blame-your-agent/comment-page-1/#comment-1631 Bert O'Connor Wed, 15 Feb 2006 22:01:46 +0000 http://beta.elliott.org/photos/dont-blame-your-agent/#comment-1631 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, 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,

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