How much was your OBC from your TA?

[hulamoon]

I was told last week," I don't give out rates to anyone who isn't serious." I told the fellow I was sorry i wasted his time but I won't give anyone a deposit without considering their offer. then he told me his business is 100% transferred from the cruise line. This blows my mind. He basically told me he only does business with already booked passengers. This model of business is so new to me I am still figuring it out in my head.

 

CC members told me to book with cruise line and transfer, but I was embarrassed not to use a TA in the first place.

[Waterlily777]

Would you kindly let us know how often this happens? It's never happen to us and I've yet to read on CC that this is a problem "That happens far more often than you might ever know."

 

We've used an online TA for 10+ cruises in the last 3 years and have never not gotten our 10% OBC.

 

We usually book directly then subsequently put our cruise out to bid on an on line site. Our TA normally has the best OBC or is within a few $s of others. We have no complaints and have found our on line TA to be very responsive to any changes we want to make to our reservation.

 

How can one find out the details about this website where you can put your cruise out "to bid"?

[hulamoon]

The only thing that can be said here is "google it"

[Can'tstopcruising]

Suppose you initially book directly with Celebrity, a TA offers obc or whatever, but the current price of the cruise has increased. There is no stipulation regarding "new booking only". If you give your booking over to the TA, will you receive the perks at your original price?

[Waterlily777]

The only thing that can be said here is "google it"

 

I did google, and finally found two sites that seem to supply this service.

 

Is there a website where you can openly chat about these types of CC-forbidden topics? It would be good to know where people have had good experiences.

[hulamoon]

I know there are because I have read there are, but I think they are less active than this site.

 

We are always left with thinking someone knows something we wish we knew! :rolleyes: I do my best to ask people in any private setting or on ship. I spend too much time trying to figure out who to work with and some of it does seem line dependent. I have thought I would go to the pier in Honolulu and ask passengers getting off who they booked with and how it went for them. :)

 

Best of Luck! Maybe we will meet up someday and compare notes.

[ccruisequeen]

OBC would be nice but it isn't required. I think the most we've received is $75 on a two week cruise. Now throwing in insurance would be awesome!

 

$100 for 3 passengers to split :p for 14 nights

[H2OH!]

$175.00 for Equinox in Feb 2011

[Giorgi-one]

I have no idea where these 10% to 12% or larger OBCs are coming from unless the cruise line is offering them. I am a TA and I would not waste my time booking a cruise with those kinds of OBCs unless I was booking a very large group or several penthouse suites. I recently booked a cruise for myself and Celebrity offered a $250 OBC. The cruise was about $2500 total for two so that is a 10% OBC. No way I could offer that on my own.

[Giorgi-one]

Again I don't blame anyone for trying to get the best deal from someone, but those days will soon be over when the cruiselines eliminate commission and Celebrity and Royal follow Carnival's lead and stop allowing people to transfer to a TA more than 30 days from booking.

.

 

I am a TA and totally agree that all cruise lines should not allow people to transfer bookings. However, I am not sure where you get the idea that cruiselines will be eliminating commissions. Something like 80% to 90% of all cruises are booked thru TAs and most cruise lines are looking at eliminating their own agents. I realize that everyone on Cruise Critic is an expert at booking cruises but many people really need help to get the best cruise value to meet their expectations which is almost always not the lowest price (Can you say Carnivore?).

[pacheco18]

I have no idea where these 10% to 12% or larger OBCs are coming from unless the cruise line is offering them. I am a TA and I would not waste my time booking a cruise with those kinds of OBCs unless I was booking a very large group or several penthouse suites. I recently booked a cruise for myself and Celebrity offered a $250 OBC. The cruise was about $2500 total for two so that is a 10% OBC. No way I could offer that on my own.

 

They are coming out of commissions - not from the cruiseline in most cases.

 

My local travel agency does not do it

My online TA who is with a large volume company does.

I go where I get the best deal (and I also happen to get great service).

[labeachcomber]

As to how often people get on board only to find no OBC? Just read through several past threads here. Someone from our office has witnessed it on every cruise they have been on in the past two years.

 

As far as putting in a dispute with your credit card company, good luck. As most agencies have Celebrity process your credit cards, you really have no recourse having them go to bat for you.

 

After I posted it the first time, no one said what they did and if they would be willing to give up 50% of their income. Everyone thinks you deserve an OBC or some gift. Try that with your doctor or the next time you buy a car.

 

Again I don't blame anyone for trying to get the best deal from someone, but those days will soon be over when the cruiselines eliminate commission and Celebrity and Royal follow Carnival's lead and stop allowing people to transfer to a TA more than 30 days from booking.

 

Those who give up their income and only deal in volume may be the Wal-marts of the world, but there are still many people who shop at the Nordstom's of TAs and they pay for the privilege to do it.

 

Telling you what a person who pays for a TA's advice versus one who doesn't is considered by CC to be a solicitation so it is not allowed. Just know that there are far more TA's who don't want or seek out a poster on cruise critic as a client. And there are far more who do not know about it than there are that do.

 

Will be waiting for those who say the deserve an OBC to fess up what they do and just how much of their salary they have given up in the last year.

 

It is true that Celebrity processes your credit credit even if you book with a TA. And this is the way it SHOULD be. Several months ago, I believe, there was a thread on these boards about an agency that charged everyone directly, and then they ended up taking the money and running. I would not feel comfortable unless Celebrity was the one charging my credit card! I don't expect Celebrity to go to bat for me should the OBC not show up in my account. The agreement that I made with my TA - the "contract" - is stated explicitly without any confusion whatsoever in my TA cruise invoice. That is what I would use to make sure that I get what was promised me. If it wasn't honored, then there are multiple avenues for the client to seek resolution (BBB, internet message boards, etc.)

 

If a TA is not willing to give up any of their commission in the form of gifts and OBC in order to attract clients then he/she must

1) Be so great at what he/she does that the same service cannot be provided by any "Wal-Mart" TA

2) Be willing to accept the likely fact that the number of people calling, emailing, or walking through the door is going to be dramatically reduced when compared to the large online TAs. The commission that he/she garners from those few prestigious clients needs to be very high in order for the TA to stay in business. I could see how this might lead to a lot of bitterness towards the large online TAs and the customers who service them (such as us Cruise Critic folk).

3) Have clients of the type that probably don't even pay their own bills (their accountant handles it all) or pay attention to their own finances. I have some friends who have so much money that they have a person to do everything for them. Why not have a cruise specialist to book the entire vacation?

 

Cruise Junky says there are "Nordstrom TAs" who do give out hefty OBC. That's great to hear! But I'm just wondering what one's criteria for a Nordstrom TA is? It gets back to my above comment about wondering what exactly it is that a Nordstrom TA would do for you that a regular TA could not. Am I getting a personal cell phone number? Are my documents being Fed-Ex'd to me? Is my precruise hotel contacted ahead of time to make sure that I get the corner suite with the oceanview? I'm just not sure, as I've never really worked with travel agents much before in the past, only these online TAs.

 

If a cruiseline eliminates commissions to TAs, then how does the TA get paid? This has been a fascinating thread to read and watch develop. I think one of the best comments was comparing travel agents to bookstores. The Barnes & Nobles/ Borders of the world forced out the local bookstores, and they now are in turn facing stiff competition from Amazon. The same is true with these large online TAs. Perhaps there will be a time in the future where there is an "Amazon" for cruising.

 

I don't think it's fair to compare a travel agent to a doctor or a car salesman. For one, doctors do indeed give discounts to patients who pay in cash. And if you have bought a car without negotiating, then you are either buying a Saturn or you're buying a Bentley.

 

I don't really care if there are TAs out there who don't want a Cruise Critic member as a client. In fact, I wouldn't care to use that TA in the first place and would wonder why they even read these boards if they feel CC's are beneath them. I don't feel like I "deserve" an OBC, but I of course am going to look for one and am going to use the TA who will give me one. I think in the travel agency industry, it is common practice to entice prospective clients with gifts and OBC. That's part of the job and the nature of the industry. Just because a TA may have to do this to be competitive, it doesn't mean that everyone else who has other jobs has to do the same to make it "fair".

[Cruise Junky]

Cruise Junky says there are "Nordstrom TAs" who do give out hefty OBC. That's great to hear! But I'm just wondering what one's criteria for a Nordstrom TA is? It gets back to my above comment about wondering what exactly it is that a Nordstrom TA would do for you that a regular TA could not. Am I getting a personal cell phone number? Are my documents being Fed-Ex'd to me? Is my precruise hotel contacted ahead of time to make sure that I get the corner suite with the oceanview? I'm just not sure, as I've never really worked with travel agents much before in the past, only these online TAs.

 

 

 

I think for me, it's someone that is responsive, returns my calls/e:mails promptly - I'm not looking for help with flights, my status with the airlines is going to go further than a TA, but I'm sure that's a huge plus for alot of people. Goes to bat for you if something goes wrong. My TA recently stayed up passed midnight her time to get me a specific cabin. I don't want or need my hand held booking cruises.

 

Great post by the way :)

[labeachcomber]

 

Is there a website where you can openly chat about these types of CC-forbidden topics? It would be good to know where people have had good experiences.

 

I'm new to using online TAs but this is what I've learned so far...

 

- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If Celebrity has a 1A cabin going for "X" amount of dollars and the online TA says they will give it to you for "X-300", then it's probably not right. Celebrity does not allow any TAs to undercut Celebrity's price. So look for the TAs who have the exact same price as Celebrity and then the largest OBC that is out there.

- Once you've identified a particular TA, do a simple Google search of "[name of travel agent] complaints". There's always bound to be a few complaints on the internet, but if there's an inordinate number, you might want to look elsewhere.

- Even once you've "hired" the TA, treat your booking as your own! Log on to Celebrity periodically to check for price drops, better cabins, etc. Make sure your final payment is made - confirm with Celebrity directly, check your credit card statement, and get your final invoice showing it is paid in full.

- Figure out who is the boss/supervisor of the online travel agency. I had a payment problem with my agent and immediately contacted her supervisor and it was corrected immediately. I might not know what the online TA looks like and I can't show up at the actual office, but at least I know there is somebody who is responsible for running the business to make sure the transaction occurs smoothly.

[pacheco18]

It is true that Celebrity processes your credit credit even if you book with a TA. And this is the way it SHOULD be. Several months ago, I believe, there was a thread on these boards about an agency that charged everyone directly, and then they ended up taking the money and running. I would not feel comfortable unless Celebrity was the one charging my credit card! I don't expect Celebrity to go to bat for me should the OBC not show up in my account. The agreement that I made with my TA - the "contract" - is stated explicitly without any confusion whatsoever in my TA cruise invoice. That is what I would use to make sure that I get what was promised me. If it wasn't honored, then there are multiple avenues for the client to seek resolution (BBB, internet message boards, etc.)

 

If a TA is not willing to give up any of their commission in the form of gifts and OBC in order to attract clients then he/she must

1) Be so great at what he/she does that the same service cannot be provided by any "Wal-Mart" TA

2) Be willing to accept the likely fact that the number of people calling, emailing, or walking through the door is going to be dramatically reduced when compared to the large online TAs. The commission that he/she garners from those few prestigious clients needs to be very high in order for the TA to stay in business. I could see how this might lead to a lot of bitterness towards the large online TAs and the customers who service them (such as us Cruise Critic folk).

3) Have clients of the type that probably don't even pay their own bills (their accountant handles it all) or pay attention to their own finances. I have some friends who have so much money that they have a person to do everything for them. Why not have a cruise specialist to book the entire vacation?

 

Cruise Junky says there are "Nordstrom TAs" who do give out hefty OBC. That's great to hear! But I'm just wondering what one's criteria for a Nordstrom TA is? It gets back to my above comment about wondering what exactly it is that a Nordstrom TA would do for you that a regular TA could not. Am I getting a personal cell phone number? Are my documents being Fed-Ex'd to me? Is my precruise hotel contacted ahead of time to make sure that I get the corner suite with the oceanview? I'm just not sure, as I've never really worked with travel agents much before in the past, only these online TAs.

 

If a cruiseline eliminates commissions to TAs, then how does the TA get paid? This has been a fascinating thread to read and watch develop. I think one of the best comments was comparing travel agents to bookstores. The Barnes & Nobles/ Borders of the world forced out the local bookstores, and they now are in turn facing stiff competition from Amazon. The same is true with these large online TAs. Perhaps there will be a time in the future where there is an "Amazon" for cruising.

 

I don't think it's fair to compare a travel agent to a doctor or a car salesman. For one, doctors do indeed give discounts to patients who pay in cash. And if you have bought a car without negotiating, then you are either buying a Saturn or you're buying a Bentley.

 

I don't really care if there are TAs out there who don't want a Cruise Critic member as a client. In fact, I wouldn't care to use that TA in the first place and would wonder why they even read these boards if they feel CC's are beneath them. I don't feel like I "deserve" an OBC, but I of course am going to look for one and am going to use the TA who will give me one. I think in the travel agency industry, it is common practice to entice prospective clients with gifts and OBC. That's part of the job and the nature of the industry. Just because a TA may have to do this to be competitive, it doesn't mean that everyone else who has other jobs has to do the same to make it "fair".

 

 

Brilliantly said! I could not agree more.

[mafig]

Well on my last cruise on Solstice I went down to ask if my OBC was showing. The very nice person at the desk (Sergio) told me yes $50! I said I was promised $150 by the TA, not Celebrity. He ask me if I had documentation, I did, and he said he would fax my invoice to Celebrity HQ and they would contact the TA and it would be resolved within 24 hours. And it was!:)

[testifyoncruises]

If a TA is not willing to give up any of their commission in the form of gifts and OBC in order to attract clients then he/she must

1) Be so great at what he/she does that the same service cannot be provided by any "Wal-Mart" TA

2) Be willing to accept the likely fact that the number of people calling, emailing, or walking through the door is going to be dramatically reduced when compared to the large online TAs. The commission that he/she garners from those few prestigious clients needs to be very high in order for the TA to stay in business. I could see how this might lead to a lot of bitterness towards the large online TAs and the customers who service them (such as us Cruise Critic folk).

3) Have clients of the type that probably don't even pay their own bills (their accountant handles it all) or pay attention to their own finances. I have some friends who have so much money that they have a person to do everything for them. Why not have a cruise specialist to book the entire vacation?

There is a TA in SOCAL who charges a retainer of $500 and limits his clients on retainer to 200. With that kind of income commissions are gravy and not his bread and butter. His clientelle comes from all over the socioeconomic strata. TA's who charge fees are more than willing to let the big folks chase the smaller fish. There are TA's in all areas of the country who charge fees and there numbers are growing year over year. Think people are not willing to pay fees, well you are mistaken as well. There are also people who will pay $5 a pop for a cup of coffee at Starbucks and then those who will pay much less at McDonald's. There is no comparison between the two. The single or two person shop may not even have a store front. They are also not selling travel but their advice.

 

Cruise Junky says there are "Nordstrom TAs" who do give out hefty OBC. That's great to hear! But I'm just wondering what one's criteria for a Nordstrom TA is? It gets back to my above comment about wondering what exactly it is that a Nordstrom TA would do for you that a regular TA could not. Am I getting a personal cell phone number? Are my documents being Fed-Ex'd to me? Is my precruise hotel contacted ahead of time to make sure that I get the corner suite with the oceanview?

They are doing that and more. They are also doing some of the same services than many TAs that only work on commission are doing except they are charging for what was an included service. They are specialists in their niche and have cruiseline executives on speed dial as well as hotel general managers. They know vendors in a variety of ports that can provide a truly unique experience that you wont share with 300 other cruiseline guests.

If a cruiseline eliminates commissions to TAs, then how does the TA get paid?

They will have no choice but to all charge fees just like they did when the airlines stopped paying commission.

I think in the travel agency industry, it is common practice to entice prospective clients with gifts and OBC. That's part of the job and the nature of the industry. Just because a TA may have to do this to be competitive, it doesn't mean that everyone else who has other jobs has to do the same to make it "fair".

This is where you are very wrong. It is a common practice for those who deal in volume to offer discounts or rebates in the form of OBC. However just try to get real service when you need it. Many TA's are not bothered by the competition and realize there will always be a Wal-mart customer as there will be a Nordstrom customer. Think you "deserve" on OBC, then be willing to discount 50% of your income and more for the service you provide. Like I said before, there is a huge difference between a transactional agent and a travel adviser. If you think people are loyal to the transactional agent, you are sorely mistaken. They will always be chasing the next deal the next time around. The travel advisers will also always have group space on a variety of sailings and be able to leverage that group space so the cruiseline provides that bottle of wine or on-board credit and not have it come out of their commission.

 

As far as service in an emergency, did you check how the online discount agencies reacted to the earthquake in Santiago, or the shutting down of airspace in Europe due to the ash cloud? We did and we know now exactly what kind of "Service" the discounters/rebaters can provide. They also cannot get a last minute name change like that Nordstrom TA is able to accomplish.

[SeaCod]

. If you think people are loyal to the transactional agent, you are sorely mistaken. They will always be chasing the next deal the next time around.

 

Sorry, you are the one who is "sorely mistaken" about this and a number of the scare tactics you've used to discredit online TAs. Also, why are you dissing CC members? What gives?

[testifyoncruises]

Sorry, you are the one who is "sorely mistaken" about this and a number of the scare tactics you've used to discredit online TAs. Also, why are you dissing CC members? What gives?

 

Sorry but you are the one wrong on this one. The cruise line own research shows only 20% of their passengers will book with the same agency the second and more times. No one is dissing a CC poster just sharing facts. But I promise most single agency agents are not chasing CC business, in fact I know of several who will not take on one as a client. CC posters think they know more than a travel adviser and to those most agents will say good luck getting assistance from the agency of they said or I heard/read!

[labeachcomber]

This is where you are very wrong. It is a common practice for those who deal in volume to offer discounts or rebates in the form of OBC. However just try to get real service when you need it. Many TA's are not bothered by the competition and realize there will always be a Wal-mart customer as there will be a Nordstrom customer. Think you "deserve" on OBC, then be willing to discount 50% of your income and more for the service you provide. Like I said before, there is a huge difference between a transactional agent and a travel adviser. If you think people are loyal to the transactional agent, you are sorely mistaken. They will always be chasing the next deal the next time around. The travel advisers will also always have group space on a variety of sailings and be able to leverage that group space so the cruiseline provides that bottle of wine or on-board credit and not have it come out of their commission.

 

As far as service in an emergency, did you check how the online discount agencies reacted to the earthquake in Santiago, or the shutting down of airspace in Europe due to the ash cloud? We did and we know now exactly what kind of "Service" the discounters/rebaters can provide. They also cannot get a last minute name change like that Nordstrom TA is able to accomplish.

 

I specifically said that I don't feel I "deserve" an OBC, but now that I am aware of them, it is my right and my desire to look for one. I don't think I am very wrong in saying that there are many travel agents whose standard practice is to give OBC to clients. And I certainly don't understand the repeated request for Cruise Critic members seeking OBC to give up half of his/her own income for the services that we provide in our working lives. I am having trouble understanding how one equates to the other.

 

"Transactional agent" might be what a Nordstrom TA will call these large volume online travel agents, perhaps simply to try to discredit them or to make it seem like they provide a lower class of service. And yes, I may not be very loyal to them, especially if the next time around another agency offers more OBC. But the beauty is that I don't really care. I'm not looking for any hand holding, I just want you to complete the transaction so I can get on the boat and enjoy my cruise with a hefty OBC to boot.

 

I don't feel that last minute name changes are a concern to most cruisers.

 

These concierge type TAs may have a bit more connections, but to the average cruiser, is it really going to matter? I also fail to see how one of these TAs will make the ash cloud go away or the ground not shake. Natural disasters occur. If air travel is shut down to Europe, I don't see how a Nordstrom TA is going to make sure a client gets there, unless he sends his private jet to pick them up and fly them over himself. I'm curious as to how the response and level of service that an online travel agent provides is gauged. Are there statistics, and if so, what exact statistics are we talking about?

[ccletzgo]

If a TA's commission is $78.00 on the cabin that the first time cruiser has booked and needs hand holding along with numerous phone calls to answer questions, how much OBC do people feel this TA should give out of that $78.00?

 

The first time cruiser has booked. They have had a zillion questions and concerns about just traveling out of the country. They needed help choosing a cabin and an Itinerary. One day first time cruiser stumbles upon Cruise Critic. They read where all these people are getting OBC and posters are saying if your TA isn't giving you OBC, then they are horrible, (the same TA that has been hand holding sense the beginning of the booking) and you should cancel before final payment and rebook with a TA that will give you OBC.

 

People on Cruise Critic forget about the needs of a first time cruiser or the demanding cruiser or the many cruisers that go for the cheapest inside cabin just to be able to cruise. I hate all the generalized ideas of OBC when no body is taking these things into consideration.

 

I think OBC is great, as are gifts and upgrades, but it has to depend on the amount of the booking, and the work involved in the booking in the first place doesnt it?

[ccletzgo]

I specifically said that I don't feel I "deserve" an OBC, but now that I am aware of them, it is my right and my desire to look for one. I don't think I am very wrong in saying that there are many travel agents whose standard practice is to give OBC to clients. And I certainly don't understand the repeated request for Cruise Critic members seeking OBC to give up half of his/her own income for the services that we provide in our working lives. I am having trouble understanding how one equates to the other.

 

"Transactional agent" might be what a Nordstrom TA will call these large volume on line travel agents, perhaps simply to try to discredit them or to make it seem like they provide a lower class of service. And yes, I may not be very loyal to them, especially if the next time around another agency offers more OBC. But the beauty is that I don't really care. I'm not looking for any hand holding, I just want you to complete the transaction so I can get on the boat and enjoy my cruise with a hefty OBC to boot.

 

I don't feel that last minute name changes are a concern to most cruisers.

 

These concierge type TAs may have a bit more connections, but to the average cruiser, is it really going to matter? I also fail to see how one of these TAs will make the ash cloud go away or the ground not shake. Natural disasters occur. If air travel is shut down to Europe, I don't see how a Nordstrom TA is going to make sure a client gets there, unless he sends his private jet to pick them up and fly them over himself. I'm curious as to how the response and level of service that an on line travel agent provides is gauged. Are there statistics, and if so, what exact statistics are we talking about?

 

There are dozens of situations other then natural disasters where making a phone call to someone that can get online in a hurry and find a person a flight to get there ship on time occur. Canceled flights. Mechanical malfunction, delayed flights, it goes on and on. Not everyone carries a laptop and can get to immediate flight info in a hurry. (or knows how) Whats interesting is a TA will do this for a client when the TA has not even booked the air for client. Its just service.

 

There are situations where documents are lost, (birth certificates, etc.) where a TA has jumped into action and been able to get there client on board. The term "Transactional agent" is not to discredit the agency, its just that is what they are. They are a numbers agency which is fine as long as people know what to expect. There is a very popular on-line agency that kicks back about 10%. They also have a warning on there web site basically stating that you better know what you are doing because they deal in numbers which is why you get the 10%. No one is discrediting them. If you do know exactly what you want and you know you don't need help, then I say go for the biggest OBC you can get. But DO not make the general statements that anyone that is not receiving a hefty OBC should look else where. EVERY booking is different and requires different attention.

 

Also last min change is important to every cruiser if at last min someone in there party is unable to cruise. With all the cruises I have under my belt, its just as important to me that IF I had too, I can make a last min change easily. :rolleyes:

 

""members seeking OBC to give up half of his/her own income for the services that we provide in our working lives. I am having trouble understanding how one equates to the other.""

 

You seriously dont see a commission as income for a TA?:confused:

[Cruise Junky]

If a TA's commission is $78.00 on the cabin that the first time cruiser has booked and needs hand holding along with numerous phone calls to answer questions, how much OBC do people feel this TA should give out of that $78.00?

 

 

Absolutely zero. But if a high volume agent who's making 16% on my booking of $5,000 and I do all the work, then yeah, I expect some back if they want to keep my business.

[ccletzgo]

Absolutely zero. But if a high volume agent who's making 16% on my booking of $5,000 and I do all the work, then yeah, I expect some back if they want to keep my business.

 

I agree. My point exactly.

[mafada]

For those who mentioned that Celebrity doesn't allow discounts up front via TAs. So, you are saying that every TA should offer you the same price as what the cruise line offers, and you are just choosing the TA gives you the bigger OBC/perks?

 

If that's the case, why on certain "bidding or compete" online sites, the TAs would offer difference pricing? Some are the same prices, but some TAs are offering much cheaper prices and no OBC. Is it pretty much the same? You get OBC for paying higher fare or no OBC by paying cheaper fare?