How much commission do TA get?

[epjenk]

I ask because, as we were discussing in another thread- AAA moved my reservation without my consent. I asked the agent only to find out what the stateroom credit would be if I transferred, but the next time I called DCL I found out she had gone ahead and transferred it. Since then service has been very bad- no return calls, wrong info, etc. Before I get in a big snit about it, I was just wondering how much $$ this woman is making off of my 10,000 trip. Considering that I booked the whole thing myself and all she did was move the reservation without my consent and then consistently give me wrong information, I may have to have it out with her supervisor.

 

[newfamilyman]

Quite a lot, I think. I booked mine with United Cruise for Miles, and they told me the commission just to add REAS, which costs $339, is $50.

 

[ivanova]

the commission for "add-ons" (like REAS) will be different than the commission for the cruisefare ... before expenses/fees it might be 10% (of cruisefare only, not including port charges or fees) ... but in a set up like AAA the agent is not getting a commission, they get a straight salary (friend of mine works for AAA) ... the AGENCY gets the commission and that covers the agent's salary and the agency's overhead.

 

[captaincrash]

I believe ....

That in addition to the typical 10% for most cruise lines - some enterprising TAs will form their own "group" reservations and secure an additional 1 in 16 "rebate" of cruise only fare. Plus some LUXE lines rebate at lower ratios - like 1 in 10 or 12! Also, depending on the cruise line - amenity points of varying quantity are available. These can be converted for passenger spiffs like gifts, private parties or cabin credits - but these points can sometimes be converted into a per cabin cash payout to the TA. Plus - for larger agencies - they can book significant capacity on sailings and have in effect a "private" or semi-private sailing with even more generous pricing breaks. I have made my own group arrangements and was faxed an amenity point conversion table for TAs. Plus I was on a semi-private sailing and the buzz from exec management was the deal we got on the sailing! At any rate, there are probably other "indirect" methods for compensation to TAs. If the CL ran a deal for booking a certain number of cabins to get a FREE sailng - then this is a bartered bonus. Valuable even though it is not cash.

NOt to say decent TAs are not entitled to fair or generous compensation - on the contrary I value the leg-work rendered by my TAs... and I have no qualms at their being paid properly - or generously. I've sailied over a dozen times and count these trips as among our most enjoyable "escapes".

Anyways.... this is what I think passes for TA compensation!

 

[Joan1]

If she took your reservation over without your consent, call Disney cruise line and speak to a manager. Tell them what happened and ask if you can have the agent be taken off the reservation. I would also call who ever is in charge at AAA and tell them too.

 

[Amberle3]

Through DCL commission is 10% on the cruise fare portion only (not including government fees, port charges, and things that cruise lines are now calling "non commissionable fees". Don't know what they are.) How much commission the actual agent gets is another story.

If the agent is with an agency like AAA or CAA, then they get NONE of the commission, they're on straight salary.

If the agent works in a smaller agency they might have a work contract where they get salary plus a small percentage of the commission (the percentage usually kicks in after they've earned a certain amount each month).

If the agent works on their own through a host agency they could get anywhere from 50-100% of the commission. If they're getting 100% though they're usually paying monthly fees to the host agency to offset that.

The information I (as a travel agent) have from Disney is that add-ons like the REAS and shore excursions are NOT commissionable, period. Maybe that's just for Canadian agents.

 

[littlemuffin]

I hope my agent gets plenty. I'm sure she has a few extra gray hairs from dealing with me.

 

[epjenk]

Well, I guess with AAA complaining that she isn't providing good service is not that big of a deal when she isn't getting a commission anyway. I suppose it could eventually affect her job. I think I will call the AAA office and see if there is someone there with more experience dealing with DCL I can deal with. All I know is that I had BETTER get those stateroom credits now.

Thanks for the commission info, I knew someone here would know!

 

[cjsmom97]

I was told that DCL gives 5% commission to either your TA or it's own TA but someone will get the 5%. If you go through DCL, you are using one of their Travel Agents (hence, Disney Travel Company). HTH