If you help your clients research and book shore excursions to take during their cruise, shouldn’t you be paid? Many agents think so — and so do a few cruise lines and independent companies that offer commissions on shore excursions.

“It’s all about the work,” says Rick Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises USA, a line that does pay commission on excursions. “People should be rewarded for spending an extra half-hour with a client. That’s been our philosophy since we opened this office 10 years ago.”

Candie Steinman, who owns a CruiseOne franchise with her husband, Dick, in Fort Meyers, Fla., has booked cruise clients on land tours through Shore Excursions Group, a preferred supplier for CruiseOne and sister company Cruises Inc.

“I’ve had pretty good luck,” Steinman says. “And it’s a little bit extra commission on something we wouldn’t have made any money on otherwise.”

Agents can also make commissions on shore excursions offered by independent companies such as Milwaukee-based ShoreTrips, which was started in 2001 by former travel agents Julie and Barry Karp. The company (888-355-0220, www.shoretrips.com) offers excursions all over the world and last year created a volunteer program, called GIVE, that lets cruisers do good works in eight ports of call.

Shore Excursions Group (866-999-6590, www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com) was started by two former cruise executives. Another option is ARC MarketPlace, which has commissionable tours created by Viator.

For the most part, cruise lines do not pay commissions when travel agents book shore excursions. A few do. Others include shore excursions in the overall cruise fare, which means agents are, in essence, being paid commission on the whole inclusive package. Yet others will pay commission on shore tours organized for larger groups or calculate a net rate so you can tack on a fee. We’ve surveyed the cruise lines to determine who pays what.

AmaWaterways includes a variety of unlimited shore excursions in the cruise fares, but also pays 12 percent commission on optional, immersive tours. The company also pays 12 percent on pre-cruise land stays and 10 percent on air and insurance. “Agents can do really, really well by booking everything through us. The majority of everything we offer is commissionable,” says Cristienne De Souza, director-national account sales.

American Cruise Lines does not pay commission on shore excursions. However, the company does offer complimentary shore excursions on cruises on the Mississippi, Columbia and Snake rivers, and in Alaska.

American Queen Steamboat Co. pays 10 percent commission on pre-booked shore excursions that are pre-paid with a credit card. Excursions charged to onboard accounts are not eligible for commission.

Avalon Waterways offers free excursions in every port, including admission to attractions. Agents earn 5 percent on optional prebookable sightseeing tours for individual and group clients, says Jennifer Halboth, director of channel marketing for the Globus Family of Brands.

Azamara Club Cruises pays 10 percent commission on customized group shore excursions when at least 16 guests book the same tour through its Groups Shore Excursions desk. The line also offers a 5 percent referral fee when clients in groups of at least 16 book individual shore excursions on www.azamaraclubcruises.com after the agent registers the group with the Groups Shore Excursions desk. Commissions are paid on groups that have a group ID number.

The company also offers one complimentary AzAmazing Evening event per cruise, such as after-hours visits to museums, private concerts and exclusive tours and tastings.

Carnival Cruise Lines pays no commission on shore excursions.

Celebrity Cruises pays 10 percent commission on customized group shore excursions when at least 16 guests book the same tour through its Groups Shore Excursions desk. The line also offers a 5 percent referral fee when clients in groups of at least 16 book individual shore excursions on www.celebritycruises.com after the agent registers the group with the Groups Shore Excursions desk. Commissions are paid on groups that have a group ID number.

Costa Cruises pays commission on group shore excursions, but commission varies on the size of the group and the package(s).

Crystal Cruises pays 10 percent on group excursions of 50 or more booked through its corporate office. The luxury line also pays commissions on destination weddings, reunions and other special events through its Crystal Celebrations program.

Cunard pays no commissions on shore excursions.

Disney Cruise Line didn’t respond with specifics by press time about commissionable shore excursions, but the company in the past has offered to pay on land tour bookings made through sister company Adventures by Disney. In response to our request, a company spokesman said “we always direct agents to www.disneytravelagents.com so they can access information on their available commissions.”

Holland America Line doesn’t pay commissions on shore excursions. However, for group shore excursions the line calculates a net rate and the agent can decide how much of a commission or fee to add on top of that.

MSC Cruises pays travel agents a 5 percent commission for pre-booked shore excursions. It also pays commission on group excursions and will work with the agent to customize the outing if desired.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers travel agents volume discounts — net rates — on group shore excursions of 40 or more guests on pre-paid group shore excursions. Agents can mark up the rates or package them into the cruise fare. Discounts range from 10 to 25 percent off regular-priced shore excursions, depending on the tour operator, port call, time of year, etc.

When travel partners book all their group shore excursions through Norwegian, the line offers a Group Onboard Package for $99 per person. The package, valued at over $215, is only available through those travel agents, who can mark it up or include it in the cruise package they offer their groups. The bonus Group Onboard Package includes one night at a specialty restaurant for two, a bottle of house wine with dinner, a four-photo package, a six-pack of Bingo cards (or a cheese-and-wine package in Hawaii, where Bingo is not allowed), and chocolate-covered strawberries.

Oceania Cruises does not pay commission on shore excursions.

Paul Gauguin Cruises pays no commissions on shore excursions.

Pearl Seas Cruises does not pay commission on shore excursions.

Princess Cruises pays no commission on shore excursions.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises includes a selection of shore excursions in every port of call.

Royal Caribbean International pays 10 percent commission on customized group shore excursions when at least 16 guests book the same tour through its Groups Shore Excursions desk. The line also offers a 5 percent referral fee when clients in groups of at least 16 book individual shore excursions on www.royalcaribbean.com after the agent registers the group with the Groups Shore Excursions desk. Commissions are paid on groups that have a group ID number.

Seabourn Cruise Line includes some signature events in the fare on select voyages, such as the Evening at Ephesus private concerts.

SeaDream Yacht Club does not pay commissions on shore excursions.

Silversea Cruises does not include shore excursions on its classic fleet but does on its expedition fleet, which includes the Silver Explorer, Silver Galapagos and Silver Discoverer. The luxury line does pay 5 percent on pre- and post-cruise hotel stays and land programs as well as mid-voyage land excursions if they are booked and paid in full prior to the cruise.

Star Clippers pays no commission on shore excursions.

Tauck, a tour operator that offers an array of small-ship and river cruises, includes shore excursions in cruise fares. In fact, a company spokesman said Tauck sells “zero options” on river cruises.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection includes shore excursions in the cruise fare. In many cities, Uniworld offers multiple excursions or activities. Some optional excursions not included in the cruise fare are sold on board and are not commissionable.

Viking River Cruises bundles shore excursions into the cruise fares. A handful of optional shore excursions are available for each itinerary, which are commissionable when booked before departure. “Viking pays agent commissions for anything booked prior to departure, including any shore excursions,” a spokesman says. “We’re the only river cruise line with no NCFs.”

Windstar Cruises’ standard shore excursions are not commissionable, but the line does pay 10 percent on optional Signature Packages such as the “Grand Prix of Monaco” and “Gaelic Explorers Golf Package.” “This is significant as these packages are in excess of $3,000 per person and add up to a substantial commission,” a company spokeswoman says.