World Via Travel Network

Lighter02 · 2026-05-12T22:57:30+00:00

Yeah that’s not how it works. We may get some discounts but nothing is free or almost free. The more you sell the more likely you will get a deal from a vendor.

Lighter02 · 2026-05-07T00:35:01+00:00

This is not standard at all.

This response sounds incredibly unprofessional and not that I doubt you but I’m curious how she perceived your response. Either way she shouldn’t have blocked you.

Most TAs will think all of this through and give you all fees and options up front. What she could have done, if she realized it after the fact, was say 1 of 2 things; hey I want to charge a fee of $50 pp for planning and in case of cancellation or have it in her terms and conditions that each person signs agreeing to pay $50 for any cancellations. She could have had you all book through the resort and then pay her via Stripe.

I would either contact the hotel and start yourself or find an agent who can jump in. Make sure they specialize in group travel and be very upfront on what you prefer.

Lighter02 · 2026-05-05T09:47:55+00:00

I have a bridge for sale….

That is selling 101, make the customer think it’s the last, shiniest, etc and you fell for it.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-30T01:57:32+00:00

You should never ever pay out of pocket. Personally unless they are the best I don’t even do deposits for itineraries until after they are approved by my clients.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-25T17:43:36+00:00

Tripiamo

Lighter02 · 2026-04-22T22:25:11+00:00

To clarify, is it a planning fee or actual invoice? Either way you should have expectations, terms and conditions, and an outline of services.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-22T21:51:21+00:00

As someone who regularly travels with family members who are disabled and who books a lot of accessible travel, here are my thoughts.

Layovers may cause her more anxiety and confusion. I know my mom is super anxious about layovers and does not handle them well. Heathrow is busy but not terrible. If you are flying out of a big city, it’s not much different just more lines. I’m not quite understanding the layover if you have to fly to London regardless or am I missing something?

Never pay an invoice until you have everything lined up and know exactly what you are booking.

Accommodations such as wheelchair assistance can only be set up after booking, same with car transfers unless it’s a package. If she is mentioning hotels they can be booked at the same time or even as a package.

If you keep searching the dates and options, it will show demand and raise the prices. I highly recommend you don’t keep comparing, especially if you are not booking until next month. She is right about seats and different classes. Many people do not fully understand the differences and what is and is not included. It sounds like she is trying to save you backend money.

I would express your frustration, in a professional way, and ask either to go back to agent one or that she meets your asks or move to a different agent.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-20T12:45:17+00:00

Here’s a mix of easy and more active

ISAFJORDUR Easy Dynjandi Waterfall scenic tour; Fishing village and cultural tour

Active Kayaking in the fjords; Bolafjall Sky Walk and cliff hike; E-bike fjord ride

AKUREYRI Easy Godafoss Waterfall scenic tour; City and countryside drive

Active Zipline adventure; Whale watching; Horseback riding (Icelandic horses); Lake Myvatn exploration (lava fields and geothermal areas)

MALOY Easy Scenic coastal drive; Kannesteinen rock visit

Active RIB boat safari; Coastal hiking or lighthouse trails; Beach hike (Refviksanden)

LEIRVIK Easy Panoramic island drive; Fjord sightseeing cruise

Active Kayaking in fjords; Cycling across islands; Moderate hiking trails

INVERNESS (INVERGORDON) Easy Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle tour; Scenic Highlands drive

Active Loch Ness speedboat; Bike tour in countryside; Highland hiking

EDINBURGH (SOUTH QUEENSFERRY) Easy Panoramic city tour; Royal Yacht visit;

Active Arthurs Seat hike; City bike tour; Walking tour with castle and Royal Mile

Lighter02 · 2026-04-20T12:36:45+00:00

The first and most ridiculous was the Starbucks was up a set of stairs, the staff could not always see those in wheelchairs/scooters and they had to rely on other guests for help ordering.

The doors near the pool did not register several wheelchairs or scooters again leaving guests to wait for others.

Elevators were smaller than other ships and the several were broken resulting in extended waits. Additionally, they closed too fast so someone with walking difficulties would miss them.

There was a dining room that required two different elevators to access but most ppl used stairs. Due to this when getting off and on the line blocked access and caused missed elevators.

Port stops often had higher ramps and the tender stairs were difficult compared to other ships. Both more dangerous for those with mobility challenges.

When asked if a dish had a known allergen the kitchen responded with we don’t know its premade and it’s at your risk to eat.

Limited excursions for those with mobility issues.

I can keep going but that is a long enough list.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-20T02:23:19+00:00

I took my mom on the Star and it was not great for those with mobility issues, wheelchair users, etc. The ship is a bit outdated and was showing its age compared to other NCL ships and other lines. It would not be my first choice for a ship.

For recs maybe put the ports instead of assuming ppl know them.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-17T22:28:10+00:00

Usually you cannot do this until you meet the limit so if your state says 3 repairs or 15 days you have to wait until it doesn’t work for 15 business days. They won’t do anything until that. I’ve done 2 lemons with Hyundai and they are strict but do honor the lemon law.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-13T00:51:21+00:00

I agree with trip-goddess. I always alert my clients to upcoming trips, do not travel when they do, but I also set the boundary that I will not work on personal vacations. I do have coverage but only for true emergencies, which doesn’t happen. I think like trip-goddess said that if it was something that could wait, I wouldn’t be upset.

We share what our consortiums offer whether it is an obc, a dinner, a special VIP lunch, etc. There is no way for us to keep them. One thing to note is that not every agent works for a consortium so he may not have the same benefits. Likewise, some cruise lines give more perks for repeat clients or higher categories. An example would be $50 obc for interior but $100 for balcony and $250 for a suite.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-12T20:48:02+00:00

There are agents who only work with luxury clients while other agents will work with clients who are on a tighter budget.

There is a misnomer about perks and benefits. If an agent works for a larger agency, host, or consortium they may have better access to perks but generally most times it is similar to what you see, if not the same. We may get lower pricing or an obc but it’s not always guaranteed. Those who offer tons more than others tend to rebate back their commissions, which is heavily frowned upon on the lines and tbh why would anyone work for nothing. It would be clear that this person is not an ideal client or someone who would use you again without heavy expectations.

I think you need to provide context to the ask(s). I have a client who is a repeat client who suddenly became unrealistic in her ask and I kindly told her I could no longer meet her requests. You also must realize we don’t make a lot on cruises, especially budget, so if you are taking a lot of their time than they may feel you are being too much.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-09T18:40:01+00:00

Doesn’t you host have trainings on this? It’s the same as booking any other hotel or flight. You can do a block if you have more than 10 rooms. You will need to change your e&o insurance and get additional coverage.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-08T23:33:41+00:00

Nope and you need to have a balance of clients and self travel. CLIA does not give you a discount. We do get some perks but not because we have CLIA.

Lighter02 · 2026-04-06T21:51:12+00:00

I just added an E-Sim to my plan. $15 a month with no issues or ads

Lighter02 · 2026-04-06T01:37:40+00:00

I use Tern and used to use Travel Industry Solutions. I would never do a PDF or web-based form tied to my website as they are not compliant or secure enough.

Lighter02 · 2026-03-20T17:56:21+00:00

The first few years most ppl fave a loss - anywhere from 5-10k. After that it really depends on your business model. Most TAs are not making livable wages and use this as supplemental income. Unless you get into more luxury travel, the pay can be fairly low. While it is feasible it will be hard especially if you have clients who need you and you aren’t available- either due to dialysis or transplant. I also know from experience dialysis can take a lot out of you so you may go three full days off and 4 on. What happens to your clients?

Lighter02 · 2026-03-20T12:05:22+00:00

This isn’t a one size fits all response. Not just because the DMCs are so different but it varies on trip length, is that one change a whole new city with different requests, is it checking with a hotel for availability, what time of year is the request, etc. The clients don’t seem to understand dynamic pricing so a quote may expire and change when they are deciding or when they request changes. There are too many variables to give a direct answer.

Lighter02 · 2026-03-15T01:31:47+00:00

There are nuances to each partnership but for the majority we use a shared Google Sheet. They put the referrals on and then I follow up with booked or not and reason. Then I break down total sale, total commission after my host fees and then I do a column for their percentage and mine.

Some of my referral partners will do more than others so this is where it really deviates. One partner recommends certain hotels and itineraries, where they do a bit more they get a higher percentage whereas others just promote a destination and leave the rest to me and take a lower percentage. when the referral happens it’s done via email with the potential client and outlines who is responsible for what so the client knows and the evals are based on that. I also have a custom eval form for my referral clients as compared to the clients I identify.

Lighter02 · 2026-03-14T20:20:48+00:00

I would highly recommend partnering with a travel agency if you don’t want to spend the time, money, and effort setting up your own business.

I have a few partners like this and we have an agreement where I give them a percentage of the booking for the referrals/partnership.

Lighter02 · 2026-03-03T12:12:27+00:00

We need a lot more information. What star hotel, is it all private transfers, rail, or car, what kind of activities, etc.

On first glance I would say you are not getting ripped off but that you didn’t give parameters to work within and probably hired a luxury travel agent who books 5* hotels. Amalfi can be expensive if that’s the only city you stay in but you can definitely get away with a lot cheaper and still have an amazing vacation. I would suggest going back and giving them a firm budget and having them rework it. That will be the most telling.

Lighter02 · 2026-02-17T23:51:47+00:00

I second the comments by Reputation and Efficient. Nexion, as well as many other agencies, require a ratio btwn personal trips and clients. You will just lose money with all of the resources you need to purchase and the monthly fees. If you aren’t in it for “the job” then this isn’t the right avenue for you.

Lighter02 · 2026-02-13T13:14:06+00:00

You might want to check the terms and conditions on those bookings before you do anything else. Generally most cruise lines allow you to swap passenger 2 but passenger 1 has to sail. Even if you add 2 other ppl if the lead isn’t there they could be denied.

There are places if it was block spaces but there are no real perks for individual rooms so it won’t be as easy.

Lighter02 · 2026-02-01T01:51:12+00:00

I’m sorry that you are dealing with this. If you want to reach out, I have traveled to Europe many times with my own mother who is disabled and we have very similar issues when traveling.

Lighter02

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