Should I Buy Lead-Lined Underwear?

I saw a recent news item on television about several companies that have developed products with special shields to cover your private parts during x-rays at airport security checkpoints. The TSA says it can't and won't tell people what they should and shouldn't buy or wear, but did warn that anything that covers or hides an area will require them to inspect a lot more thoroughly, in the name of security. In the case of someone shielding parts of his or her body from being x-rayed, that act will likely earn them a pat-down. Proponents of the lead-lined underwear feel that, by subjecting people to pat-downs, they are just bullying people with their authority. The TSA counters by stating that everything they do is motivated solely by safety concerns.   As a professional travel consultant, I obviously travel frequently and I send clients all over the world even more frequently. I have been searched, scanned, questioned, and background-checked more times than I care to remember and I have been able to personally observe many TSA agents in action. I have seen some who seemed half asleep on the job and I have seen some who had huge chips on their shoulders and seemed way too consumed with their power but, for the most part, most of the agents I have observed seemed to be very efficient yet thorough in this thankless job. I'll tell you what, though. I'd rather suffer a little personal indignity of being body-scanned privately rather being blown up by some whacked-out numbskull sitting across the aisle from me!   So, drop me a line and let me know what you think. Should I buy some lead-lined underwear? Would you?     Christopher OwensCruise Consultant   ExpediaCruiseShipCentersP. O. Box 702037Saint Cloud, FL, 34770-2037Tel:407-593-1241Toll-Free:1-877-546-9367E-mail:cowens@cruiseshipcenters.comVisit:http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/ChristopherOwens   Blog: www.travelwithchris.wordpress.com   "Like" us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/expediacruiseshipcentersstcloud   I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list!  

Cruise Lines Need Travel Agents

I read a recent news item in Travel Weekly about cruise line investors wanting the cruise lines to book more sales direct rather than through travel agents. These investors believe doing so would increase profits and cut costs. The cruise lines routinely have to defend their use of agents as a primary source of selling a rapidly changing inventory. The article contrasted Norwegian Cruise Line's reported 27% direct sales figure with the historically average 17% direct sales figure of the other mass-market and premium lines. Celebrity Cruise Lines reported that well over 90% of its business comes through travel agents. Norwegian is a mass-market cruise line that has continually struggled in the past to be competitive, so some analysts quoted in the article questioned the line's move toward booking more business internally. All of the cruise line executives quoted in the article were very complementary toward travel agents   As a professional travel consultant, I have to admit to being pretty excited by the statistics reported in the article. With travel agents booking 73% to 90%+ of the cruise business in the US, I think it shows that consumers really feel comfortable working with a travel professional, especially when planning a more complex travel plan such as a cruise. Since I focus on family travel and religious travel, I often find myself planning very detailed and involved itineraries. I have personally traveled on NCL several time and I like the product, but many other agents will not even recommend NCL to their clients because they feel that the cruise line is trying to cut out the travel agent. Despite a direct sales figure nearly double that of the industry average, Norwegian claims to be very agent-friendly. I believe that Norwegian will continue down its self-destructive path for the first two quarters of this year, but will eventually see the error of its ways and reverse its trend.   As an accountant and former corporate controller, I just have to say that I think the investors mentioned in the article are doing themselves an injustice. I also don't think they have done an honest cost-benefits analysis. On the one hand, you've got me and all of my fellow travel professionals. The cruise lines only pay us a small percentage of the base cruise fare when we sell something. I pay for my own computer and internet access, my own phone lines, my own office supplies, my own business cards and letterhead, my own office space and utilities, and my own health insurance. On the other hand, if the cruise lines want to increase their internal bookings, they will need to hire additional staff. These new staff members will need to be trained at company expense. These employees must be paid a competitive wage in order to stick around. Generally, employees earn benefits such as vacation pay, sick pay, personal time off, holiday pay, health and dental insurance and a whole bunch of other possible fringe benefits. All of these benefits cost the company big money. And if they lose some of these employees, then they have to start the cycle all over again.    I have a sneaking suspicion that the cruise line executives probably realize how unprofitable it would be to make all bookings internally, but they are afraid of insulting the investors. I also believe that, as consumers become more aware of the benefits that come from using a travel professional, that we'll start to see the cruise lines direct sales figures begin to trend downward.     Christopher OwensCruise Consultant   ExpediaCruiseShipCentersP. O. Box 702037Saint Cloud, FL, 34770-2037Tel:407-593-1241Toll-Free:1-877-546-9367Fax:407-957-0780E-mail:cowens@cruiseshipcenters.comVisit:http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/ChristopherOwens   Blog: www.travelwithchris.wordpress.com   "Like" us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/expediacruiseshipcentersstcloud   I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list!  

Yachts of Seabourn Offering Savings to Exotic Locales