Dec 11, 2007
Royal Caribbean Cruises sends a warning to dealers of questionable travel agent I.D. cards
The major current controversy in the travel trade press (the newspapers and newsletters mailed to travel professionals) is about the alleged "card mills" that charge $400 and up for an I.D. identifying the bearer as a travel agent. Some of these card-issuing companies also engage in what is called multi-level marketing -- which gives a commission (and promises the sky) to a card purchaser who persuades other people to purchase I.D.'s. from them.
The traditional travel agents are obviously frantic about such "card mills," and last month the giant Royal Caribbean Cruises named several specific companies whose cards they would no longer honor for travel agent discounts. One of the alleged offenders prominently mentioned in the travel press is a company called YTB, which has apparently issued many thousands of such cards -- and YTB has now been cut off by Royal Caribbean Cruises. YTB, in turn, has fought back, claiming it is an honest operator of a chain of largely-home-based travel agents who receive genuine instruction, work hard to sell trips and tours, and do not simply buy I.D. cards.
Several other major travel suppliers have endorsed Royal Caribbean's stand and lambasted the so-called "card mills." Yet surprisingly, Carnival Cruises -- sensing an opportunity -- has refused to take similar action against several card-issuing companies that have, apparently, produced passengers for Carnival.
And so it goes. My warning remains as before. Travel suppliers (cruiselines, airlines, hotel chains, tour operators) aren't fools. They are able to identify those people who are genuine travel agents and those who have simply purchased an I.D. Much more than the card is now required to qualify you for travel discounts. And companies that simply take $400 or $500 from you for an I.D., without operating a genuine, disciplined course of instruction or chain of retail agencies, are scam artists. Dealing with them, you are simply exchanging $400 or $500 for a worthless piece of cardboard.
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The traditional travel agents are obviously frantic about such "card mills," and last month the giant Royal Caribbean Cruises named several specific companies whose cards they would no longer honor for travel agent discounts. One of the alleged offenders prominently mentioned in the travel press is a company called YTB, which has apparently issued many thousands of such cards -- and YTB has now been cut off by Royal Caribbean Cruises. YTB, in turn, has fought back, claiming it is an honest operator of a chain of largely-home-based travel agents who receive genuine instruction, work hard to sell trips and tours, and do not simply buy I.D. cards.
Several other major travel suppliers have endorsed Royal Caribbean's stand and lambasted the so-called "card mills." Yet surprisingly, Carnival Cruises -- sensing an opportunity -- has refused to take similar action against several card-issuing companies that have, apparently, produced passengers for Carnival.
And so it goes. My warning remains as before. Travel suppliers (cruiselines, airlines, hotel chains, tour operators) aren't fools. They are able to identify those people who are genuine travel agents and those who have simply purchased an I.D. Much more than the card is now required to qualify you for travel discounts. And companies that simply take $400 or $500 from you for an I.D., without operating a genuine, disciplined course of instruction or chain of retail agencies, are scam artists. Dealing with them, you are simply exchanging $400 or $500 for a worthless piece of cardboard.
Write and read comments about this post.
Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
