Final payment

[Dan]

I just want to point out that by booking direct with the cruise line, you aren't neccesarily saving any money. They don't "cut out the middle man", and save you that 10 or 15% commission. Usually a good TA will get you a better price than the cruise line gives because that TA might do enough business to get better pricing. And a good TA will also follow up on price reductions,w her eif you book with the line, you have to call them.

Nothing wrong with booking direct, and many on here have said they have someone at the line they prefer to deal with, and there are also people on here who have had bad TA's that haven't done anything for them anyway. Just be aware that booking direct puts money in their pocket, not your own.

[Joanandjoe]

We made the trip insurance suggestion because that's how we were billed for the initial payment on our May cruise: one credit card amount to the cruise line, the other to the agency to cover the trip insurance and their $10 processing fee.

[JoeyandDavid]

Let me check out the invoice and do the math.  I suppose it could be insurance, but that too was from Princess.  I'll take another look and post the numbers.  Think the TA commission is about 15% not including taxes and port charges.

We made the trip insurance suggestion because that's how we were billed for the initial payment on our May cruise: one credit card amount to the cruise line, the other to the agency to cover the trip insurance and their $10 processing fee.

MY ta says she had to split her commision with home office each got 8% of Base cruise price.. House got any extra addons

[Mebert]

We make a deposit and then pay the balance at the last possible date, usually a call in to TA with a credit card number.

Of course my TA reminds me.

[TheSkipper]

OK, guys

I got out the invoice and did the math. And, I'm sure the amount paid to the TA rather than to Princess represents the commission. If you take the price of the cruise (which includes port charge, but not taxes) the amount held by the TA is just over 14%, so if I knew exactly what the port charges were and deducted them, I'm sure I'd be right at the 15% mark.

The amount collected by the TA was way over the insurance charge. The insurance is through Princess and I'm not sure how the TA is compensated for that.

What puzzles me is why Princess would permit this. I could cancel today. I always though commissions were not earned until the customers completed the cruise. :huh:

[timecop]

Since I don't use a TA, I book directly with the cruise line, I pay the full amount at the time of booking.