Building a Business Chapter 8/31/25

8/31/25 Business

I have been back and forth on the phone with Royal Caribbean cruise line trying to get everything correct. All information correct, trying to delete rooms, add rooms, change prices to rooms, and it was a bit difficult to keep up with everything. On top of school, on top of regular jobs, on top of pretty much everything. Now I am finally over that hump. I did well on my first test for school, I have plenty of vacations coming soon, and I am ready to keep pushing on this venture.

I do have a crossroads coming up. I got about a $600 commission for a group cruise I have recently booked. Due to issues with miscommunication and other fun stuff I have since had that commission fall. I was no longer available for the group rate, so I just gave the group host a “group credit” out of my commission where it usually comes from Royal. So now, I have $411 left and 13 cabins to disperse that out of.

I could keep it for myself. This job was the hardest travel agent job I have been through. I am still new at this, so there were problems, and fine print that I double checked with and it didn’t work. There were a lot of technical issues as well. This became a very COMPLICATED experience.

I could also use the money, I have been falling behind in almost all things finance, and it would be a huge help. $400 doesn’t come easy for me. Or. I could make sure they have a great cruise. All 13 rooms can have something to use their money on.

So I should brainstorm. Do I contact the guest individually? Or should it be a fun surprise when they enter their room? Should everyone get the same? Or should everyone get the commission that their room earned. Should I just give all the commission back? Or make it a FUN gift.

There are so many different options that I can’t wrap my head around it. What would mean the most to people.

School has been a driving factor in the amount of time spent on this venture. I had a test on Friday, and I had other homework assignments to complete as well. All of this took time away from this venture. I wish I could be done with school but I have been lousy in my school career and I couldn’t finish it when I had all the time in the world that I have to struggle now.

Here are the time stamps over the week.

Monday

Tuesday 69 minutes

Wednesday 66 minutes

Thursday

Friday 40 minutes

Saturday 35 minutes

In total there were 210 minutes worked. Three and a half hours is okay. Not amazing but it is just okay. A lot of it was put into completing all of the cruise assignments and I pushed hard int that. Even with this mediocre amount of time, I didnt do a lot of things in my personal life. I didn’t do many of my hobbies. I didn’t make time for my relationship. My brain just felt full which I am not sure why. Even though my time is tied up right now with obligations, there is still more time available for me to fully utilize.

Over the next week I need to push more tiktoks out. More facebook reels. More more more. Pricing on Disney hotels has been a relic of the past. The entire reason I became a travel agent, and started making tiktoks was to talk about money. Lately that has been falling apart.