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It is my understanding that cruise lines only deal directly with
travel agents, however I will get back to you if this is not correct.
I'm just finishing up 25 weeks worth of training (8 hrs. on Saturdays)
at TEC Travel in Nashua, which prepares one to be an entry level travel
agent in the industry.
Agencies make 10% on all land/cruise packages as a general rule
(before taxes). So if a cruise is $1080.00 inc. taxes and the taxes
are $80.00, the agency only makes 10% on $1000.00, or $100.00.
Believe me, for the amount of work they do for clients, they are
grossly underpaid. And no, you can't deal with them. (;^)
On cruise prices - there is a guide that most agencies subscribe
to which lists all major cruises, their stops, their prices and ports
of call for a period of time (think the name is the Offical Steamship
Guide, or something like this). Ask your agent about it if you
would like to do some comparative shopping around pricing.
As for airfares, the commission is 10% in the domestic market, and
either 8% or 11% on international carriers (11% if a land package is
booked in addition to the airfare, or the client prepays a hotel).
The same rule about the tax (no commission on taxes ever) also
applies. In the US, the total airfare includes an 8% tax, and on
international flights as a general rule it is $3.00 (I seem to recall
that the rules are slightly different for Canada, Mexico, Alaska and
Hawaii). Some airports also have additional charges such as fuel,
security. Boston Logan charges $2.31 fuel charge, for example.
Cindy
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