How much was your OBC from your TA?

[pacheco18]

Are you a TA? LOL

 

This is a free market.

Everyone should get the best deal they can.

It's not a charity.

Would you pay more for something if you did not have to?

 

My TA, for one, is not "coerced" into offering me what she does. This is her business model. She does huge volume because of it and does very well. I am betting she makes less per cruise than a TA who offers a meager TA but does way better overall. Smart cookie. I refer others to her like crazy.

 

You can choose to use A TA who offers you less or one who offers you more.

 

A no brainer IMO.

[labeachcomber]

If you are getting 10% OBC then the TA is making 2% to maybe.. 5%, if they are really big. Would people give up that much of there paychecks? I understand giving a larger OBC for a costly booking, but $1,000.00 pp. fare does not warrant 10% OBC from an agent in my opinion. :rolleyes:

 

I agree with pacheco18. Everybody wants to get something free if they can get it. If you don't care about it, then you're free to book with a TA who will give you absolutely nothing. But those knowledgeable enough will know that they can do better.

 

I don't need to book with a TA. The TA did absolutely nothing for me. I booked my airfare. I found my cruise, my cabin, my dining preferences, etc. I'm booking my excursions. My hotel. I could just as easily book with Celebrity directly, in which case the TA gets ZIPPO. If I use a TA, and he is willing to give OBC to entice me to give him the booking, even if this comes out of his commission, then he gets at least something from a booking he otherwise wouldn't have gotten.

 

The amount of time that my TA spent in handling my transferred booking was probably less than 30 minutes. I don't care how much or how little he made from that, something is better than nothing! These TAs deal in volume. The more volume, the more money. That is why they are willing to give OBC in order to get people to book with them.

[lysolqn]

Interesting thread; informative too, especially with respect to how much onboard credit some folks have received. Good for you!

 

Awhile back we were introduced to couple who own a small, independent travel agency. When the conversation eventually got around to cruising, they mentioned it was getting increasingly more difficult for them to compete for cruise business with larger agencies, especially those online. I said I thought Celebrity and a few other lines had successfully addressed that issue by no longer permitting agents to discount off published fares, thereby leveling the playing field between the giants and the smaller agencies. They said they're convinced the policy was more a matter of X wanting to the control the price at which its product is being sold (believing discounting cheapened the product) than it was a matter of leveling any playing field. They said practically speaking, discounting still exists but instead of customers looking for the lowest price, they're now looking for the best offers of OBC and other amenities; and, whether discounting fares or offering goodies in lieu of discounted fares, an agency's ability to compete is totally dependent on volume, which still leaves the small guys at a distinct disadvantage. So it appears that if X really did want to level the playing field (and I've no reason to believe that wasn't the case), they weren't terribly successful because the little guys are still having a hard time competing with the high volume guys, no longer with price but in offering gifts of OBC, etc.

[pacheco18]

That is true of every industry.

 

Barnes & Noble has put most small bookshops out of business.

 

There is power in volume. With the proliferation of the internet and people becoming more savvy shoppers, the continuation of this trend is inevitable.

[Hydrangea Lady]

Do most of you book directly with cruise line and then turn over the booking to TA and at what point? Before or after final payment? We were just offered $100. OBC for 14 night TA in C3 cabin to turn over the booking to the TA, no where near 10%. Are you using on line agencies?

[PartyAllDaTyme]

Do most of you book directly with cruise line and then turn over the booking to TA and at what point? Before or after final payment? We were just offered $100. OBC for 14 night TA in C3 cabin to turn over the booking to the TA, no where near 10%. Are you using on line agencies?

 

We transferred our booking within a few days, but if I had it to do over, I'd wait until much closer to the final payment date so I would have control over the booking for longer. Once the TA has it, the cruise line will only speak to you through the TA. The only reason I can forsee is if you believe that good offers of OBC would somehow dry up by then, but there doesn't seem to be any indication of that happening.

 

$100 for 14 nights in C3 sounds very low. We received $175 for 7 nights in a 2C (would have been $150 but for a pricing snafu).

[pacheco18]

I book directly with the TA -- never with the cruise line.

 

I do not know what your total commissionable cost is but 100 for a 14 night cruise is very thin.

 

Shop around, go on the "compete" sight, call some of the bigger agencies. I am sure you can do better.

[lysolqn]

That is true of every industry.

 

Barnes & Noble has put most small bookshops out of business.

 

There is power in volume. With the proliferation of the internet and people becoming more savvy shoppers, the continuation of this trend is inevitable.

 

True...however, X's decision to disallow discounting had as its specific publicized goal providing a level playing field for large and small agencies alike. Since the result is anything but that, the decision appears to be nothing more than form over substance and they might as well just allow agencies to go back to discounting.

[bardstowntraveller]

I booked Mercury next year and my TA called to say they now had a group and were giving us $100 OBC.

 

Hope it won't screw up my shareholder benefit!

 

Robert

I confirmed with Celebrity that TA OBC's do not conflict with shareholder OBC's.

[scf1270]

How do you people do it ????

I know you cannot tell me who your travel agents are ..NO FAIR

I NEVER get OBC from anybody .I'm scared to try unknown agencies as so many have caved in

I DESERVE OBC ...a little hint please

I'm going on Milliin Nov Booked thru Celebrity ..Am I missing something????

 

Sticking to the CC policy of don't ask/don't tell, here is some generic advice:

What companies do you already do business with? Many have TAs associated with them that you just don't think about. Your credit cards, warehouse clubs, automobile type clubs, timeshare groups are all places to start. Someone mentioned the companies that advertise here on CC - you should find them dependable. CC seems very well run, and IMHO a shoddy TA would not be allowed to advertise as that would undermine their core business.

 

Our experiences:

1st cruise - total newbies, booked through our major credit card. Got double points.

2nd cruise - used same card/agency, but this time redeemed points we'd been hoarding that covered almost entire cruise.

3rd cruise - used points from a different card and had to use the online TA they contract with. Was not best in terms of OBCs/bennies, but our accumulated reward points were worth $1000 off. After checking others I was able to get $25 more OBC from them - still not as good as others but worth it to use our reward points.

2 upcoming cruises - booked onboard. Will switch before final payment after contacting at 4 TAs from the above suggestions. I trust them all, and will go with the best deal.

 

Trip Insurance - looking at this, don't just look at price - WHAT does that price cover? Some are very broad, some are very limited. It's not a good deal if it is not appropriate for you!!!

 

Finally-Most of the online TAs have newsletters you can subscribe to. We do this and it helps to get a feeling for the companies, and extra info never hurts ;)

 

Good luck,

Sara

[pacheco18]

You're my kind of shopper - find the deals, work the points, take advantage of every opportunity out there.

 

 

Advice to those who still can't figure it out: on your next cruise ask other cruisers which agency they booked through and what kind of deal they got. No one hesitates to "brag" about what a great deal they got and we all love to make referrals to our great TAs. No CC restrictions there and you will certainly find our about some great TAs if you ask.

[CruisinManiac]

We are receiving $200 OBC for a 11 night Med. cruise in a 1A.

[ual flyer]

I'm assuming these were 7 day cruises, you paid maybe around $1200pp per leg, and you received an average of $545 OBC and $125 towards tips?? This has to include the amount you received as a result of price drops, right? I think the topic thread refers to the OBC gained as a result of a TA's incentive, so your OBC doesn't really compare.

Actually we paid $749pp first leg and $729pp second leg. And yes, the $545 did include the price drop. I stand corrected. The TA incentive would then have been $325 and $325.

I would never pay $1200pp for a 1C balcony. I am waaayyyy too stingy with my cruise cash.

[jagoffee]

Some of the comments crack me up:

 

"Your TA is making too much money!"

 

"You got too little OBC."

 

"My TA gave me 50% of their commission."

 

With the average commission 9-11% of the total cruise price when you factor in non-commissionable parts and the taxes, a TA is not making that much on cruise sales unless they are dealing in volume. The model just will not sustain itself for long. But you get what you pay for.

 

I wonder how many of the posters here would give up 50% of their income? None of you DESERVE an OBC. I don't blame you for chasing it, but just know I know for a fact that Royal and Celebrity will soon be following Carnival's lead. Soon if you book direct, you will no longer be able to switch to a TA after 30 days of your booking date.

 

 

If it book a cruise and then transfer it to a TA before final payment aren't I allowing a TA to make a smaller, but appreciated commission for not much effort? I would think that a TA would greatly appreciate the extra money. They are not giving up 50% of their income, but getting an extra 50%.

 

It is not as if I had a TA spend a lot of time helping me figure out what I wanted then did not book with them. I can understand why this would not be fair to a TA.

[Cruise Junky]

If it book a cruise and then transfer it to a TA before final payment aren't I allowing a TA to make a smaller, but appreciated commission for not much effort? I would think that a TA would greatly appreciate the extra money. They are not giving up 50% of their income, but getting an extra 50%.

 

It is not as if I had a TA spend a lot of time helping me figure out what I wanted then did not book with them. I can understand why this would not be fair to a TA.

 

Agree! My TA bases her discount on her clients. If I call her and say book.. ABC Cruise, on DEF Date and I want HIG Cabin and late dining. She's going to give me a far larger discount than a client who phones thinking they'd like to book a cruise.

[pacheco18]

Agree! My TA bases her discount on her clients. If I call her and say book.. ABC Cruise, on DEF Date and I want HIG Cabin and late dining. She's going to give me a far larger discount than a client who phones thinking they'd like to book a cruise.

 

Exactly. Mine does the same. That's why developing an ongoing relationship with a good TA and making referrals pays dividends.

 

Most experienced cruisers know exactly what they want. The TAs real work comes into play when keeping up with price drops or snagging a great cabin if it suddenly becomes available.

[wineluvr]

We booked a Solstice "Taste of the Vineyards" wine cruise through the big box retailer mentioned in this thread and received a nice onboard credit, three private wine tasting events, two wine related behind the scene tours, and a private wine pairiing luncheon. All for the same price other agents quoted me for the cruise only and what Celebrity quoted me for the same stateroom category. Score!

[tennisbets]

We received $400 OBC for a 10 day Eastern Med on the Equinox, cat 2 C. It's almost exactly 10% of the fare. We always use the same on-line agency, I'm pretty sure it's high volume, and have never found better deals elsewhere. On the other hand, I really don't rely on them for anything, plus they now charge a nominal booking fee, so they make money for my efforts.

[testifyoncruises]

If it book a cruise and then transfer it to a TA before final payment aren't I allowing a TA to make a smaller, but appreciated commission for not much effort? I would think that a TA would greatly appreciate the extra money. They are not giving up 50% of their income, but getting an extra 50%.

You need to remember that most TAs just are not seeking business from the readers of Cruise Critic. They are content to let those who are only concerned about price be taken up by the high volume agencies. You would be surprised at just how much effort a cruise booking takes. It is never just a "simple question". It is constant changes for very little compensation.

 

Many TA's are seeking the majority of people who have never once taken a cruise. They know that honestly there is no loyalty among the majority of cruise critic posters. They will seek out the next best deal or offer the next time around.

 

By the way, did you try or need to get hold of one of those high volume agency during the shut down of European airspace during the volcano? We did and tested several of them and the results and assistance available ran from nil to dismal. However, if you are fan of dealing with a transactional agent and nothing more, more power to you. However, you get exactly what you pay for. You honestly have no recourse if you get onboard and your promised OBC is missing. That happens far more often than you might ever know.

 

It is not as if I had a TA spend a lot of time helping me figure out what I wanted then did not book with them. I can understand why this would not be fair to a TA.

This is the exact reason so many agents who will still be in business in five years are charging fees before they even offer a quote or lift a finger to do any research whatsoever.

[tjunmin]

We got $250 OBC and pre-paid gratuities, for a grand total of $562 on a 13 day Med cruise in a concierge cabin.

[mek]

 

However, you get exactly what you pay for. You honestly have no recourse if you get onboard and your promised OBC is missing. That happens far more often than you might ever know.

 

quote]

 

Well, I've never not received an OBC, but I do have it in writing from the agency that it is included in the price, so if I didn't receive it I would let Amex fight with them and ultimately I would get the OBC in the form of a credit. Amex has gone to bat for me on several occasions and I have always had the issue resolved to my satisfaction.

[labeachcomber]

....

 

However, if you are fan of dealing with a transactional agent and nothing more, more power to you. However, you get exactly what you pay for. You honestly have no recourse if you get onboard and your promised OBC is missing. That happens far more often than you might ever know.

 

 

This is the exact reason so many agents who will still be in business in five years are charging fees before they even offer a quote or lift a finger to do any research whatsoever.

 

I never knew that an OBC thread could generate such different opinions. It would seem that the majority of posters here would agree that getting something from a TA seems to be a reasonable option. Most readers here on Cruise Critic have some cruising experience, or if they don't and they're here, then they've educated themselves and read these boards. It is not that hard to pick the cruise you want, the cabin you want, the dining time you want, etc. Yes, I'm dealing with a "transactional agent", especially if he is giving me a monster OBC. What more do I need a travel agent for? What more is he going to provide me that I haven't already done myself?

 

Agree about the comment from mek about being able to get a refund to your credit card if you do not get the promised OBC. There seem to be many instances here on these boards where people worked with the Celebrity front desk on the boat in order to contact the TA while on the ship to get credit, or at the very least getting a check from the TA when they returned home.

 

There are seriously TAs who won't even speak to potential customers unless they receive an upfront fee? Just what kind of fee are we talking about? Like a retainer? I'd like to know what kind of clientele these particular TAs are after. Maybe perhaps the A-list movie stars, but certainly not the regular folk who peruse these boards. Unless these TAs have a direct line to the Celebrity CEO, I'm not sure what makes them so valuable that I would pay them a fee just to have them speak to me about a cruise.

[Xokeman]

opps wrong Thread

[lysolqn]

I never knew that an OBC thread could generate such different opinions. It would seem that the majority of posters here would agree that getting something from a TA seems to be a reasonable option.

 

I have to disagree with your assessment that people think of OBC as just a reasonable option. Apparently many see it as a requirement, some view it as an entitlement, someone earlier in this thread said it was deserved and most folks are proud to wear it as a badge of honor. Who could have imagined the strategies employed to secure the best OBC deal? Centuries ago one would bring home the head of his opponent as evidence of victory in battle. With respect to booking a cruise, it appears the opponent's head has been replaced with units of OBC! Happy cruising.

[CrusingJoe]

If it book a cruise and then transfer it to a TA before final payment aren't I allowing a TA to make a smaller, but appreciated commission for not much effort? I would think that a TA would greatly appreciate the extra money. They are not giving up 50% of their income, but getting an extra 50%.

 

It is not as if I had a TA spend a lot of time helping me figure out what I wanted then did not book with them. I can understand why this would not be fair to a TA.

 

I totality agree..............