Travel Agent OBC HELP

[AtlAlyson]

I recently went on a cruise with Royal Caribbean we booked 2 rooms though an independent travel agent. She said when we booked we would get a $100 On board credit for one room and a $50 on board credit for the other room. When we got on board we noticed that neither of these had been added to our account. Royal Caribbean said it was the agent’s responsibility to do this and she did not. We even made a call on the boat to the agent to try and get things worked out and no help. It was toward the end of the cruise and they said it would be too late to add the on board credit. Now we are trying to get checks from the travel agent for the cruise. I know it is not RC fault and that my travel agent will never get business from me again but what do I do moving forward.

Where do I need to go to file a complaint and get my money I should have gotten on board? Advice?

[cruisenfever]

I recently went on a cruise with Royal Caribbean we booked 2 rooms though an independent travel agent. She said when we booked we would get a $100 On board credit for one room and a $50 on board credit for the other room. When we got on board we noticed that neither of these had been added to our account. Royal Caribbean said it was the agent’s responsibility to do this and she did not. We even made a call on the boat to the agent to try and get things worked out and no help. It was toward the end of the cruise and they said it would be too late to add the on board credit. Now we are trying to get checks from the travel agent for the cruise. I know it is not RC fault and that my travel agent will never get business from me again but what do I do moving forward.

Where do I need to go to file a complaint and get my money I should have gotten on board? Advice?

With the person that owns the travel agency......and then the Better Business Bureau.

Edited November 12, 2012 by cruisenfever

[jletsgo]

It is your TA's responsibility to provide you with an OBC you may be due....OBC from your TA is a perk from that TA...Doesn't have anything to do with RCL.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I recently went on a cruise with Royal Caribbean we booked 2 rooms though an independent travel agent. She said when we booked we would get a $100 On board credit for one room and a $50 on board credit for the other room. When we got on board we noticed that neither of these had been added to our account. Royal Caribbean said it was the agent’s responsibility to do this and she did not. We even made a call on the boat to the agent to try and get things worked out and no help. It was toward the end of the cruise and they said it would be too late to add the on board credit. Now we are trying to get checks from the travel agent for the cruise. I know it is not RC fault and that my travel agent will never get business from me again but what do I do moving forward.

Where do I need to go to file a complaint and get my money I should have gotten on board? Advice?

 

Am I understanding correctly that your TA said it was too late for it to be applied and left it at that explanation?

[iloverags2]

Do you know what agency your agent is affiliated with? Independent agents are often working under a host agency; find out which one he/she is with and contact the host to let them know about this snafu. The host will most likely not do anything for you either, but they should certainly be aware of an agent they are hosting making false promises. Good luck!

[xxoocruiser]

Unless you have an invoice actually confirming the OBC amounts that the TA was to have provided than really don't think you have a chance of getting any money now.

Edited November 12, 2012 by xxoocruiser

[CoachT]

Unless you have something in writing, you are going to be out of luck. You can try to file a claim in small claims court, but that could cost you more than the credit you are trying to get when you factor in time.

 

Chalk it up to lesson learned. This happens far more often than anyone will admit.

[PH8]

Next time(if there is a next time),ask your TA to send you something in writing......if they bought you OBC,they get emails from RCCL confirming it..

[jagoffee]

I recently went on a cruise with Royal Caribbean we booked 2 rooms though an independent travel agent. She said when we booked we would get a $100 On board credit for one room and a $50 on board credit for the other room. When we got on board we noticed that neither of these had been added to our account. Royal Caribbean said it was the agent’s responsibility to do this and she did not. We even made a call on the boat to the agent to try and get things worked out and no help. It was toward the end of the cruise and they said it would be too late to add the on board credit. Now we are trying to get checks from the travel agent for the cruise. I know it is not RC fault and that my travel agent will never get business from me again but what do I do moving forward.

Where do I need to go to file a complaint and get my money I should have gotten on board? Advice?

 

You did not mention it specifically, but does you invoice from the TA state that you were to receive the OBC? Some people are assuming that it is not stated on your invoice. I would agree that you are SOL if you do not have it in writing or e mail from your TA.

 

Good luck.

Edited November 14, 2012 by jagoffee

[Morecruisesplz]

You should always insist on an updated invoice which shows the OBC before you sail to avoid this type of problem. The OBC will not be a credit on your invoice but will show as a line item something like this:

AD16-$100 ONBRDCR

 

You should insist on that no matter if the OBC is promised from Royal directly or from a TA because it is very difficult to resolve once on the ship. I've had it done once onboard but it took up way too much of my vacation time, speaking with supervisors and having them email and fax the corporate office for approval.

[rontravel]

Wow! Talk about poor customer service.

When a TA books with RCCL via online or over the phone, they will get both a agent copy and guest copy of the invoice. The only difference between the two is the guest copy does not show the commission details. All other line items should be listed such as OBC, insurance (if purchased) any discounts, etc.

The TA should have at the very least checked their documentation to assure the OBC had been applied.

That being said there is one more possibility for why the OBC was removed. If a TA books you within a group booking sometimes the group will have OBC in which case every stateroom in that group receives OBC. RCCL has a policy that any group must sail 8 staterooms to receive the group OBC. If this was the case and the group sailed less than 8 staterooms the OBC may have been removed by RCCL.

But any reputable TA should make good on a promise. Apologize profusely to the client and send them a check. I made a error on an invoice recently indicating that my clients had pre paid their gratuities when in fact they had not. It was my mistake so I called RCCL and paid their gratuities out of my own pocket. Guess what? I now have 6 more bookings upcoming for them. Simple customer service is not rocket science.

[PH8]

 

That being said there is one more possibility for why the OBC was removed. If a TA books you within a group booking sometimes the group will have OBC in which case every stateroom in that group receives OBC. RCCL has a policy that any group must sail 8 staterooms to receive the group OBC. If this was the case and the group sailed less than 8 staterooms the OBC may have been removed by RCCL.

Not true.....an agent can book a cruise and if it falls below the 8 staterooms, the client can still get the OBC,even if they are the only booking,

 

AND if the TA gives them OBC out of their own pocket,it will not show on the invoice,but they can get an email proving they 'bought some"

Edited November 14, 2012 by PH8

[cruisenfever]

You should always insist on an updated invoice which shows the OBC before you sail to avoid this type of problem. The OBC will not be a credit on your invoice but will show as a line item something like this:

AD16-$100 ONBRDCR

 

You should insist on that no matter if the OBC is promised from Royal directly or from a TA because it is very difficult to resolve once on the ship. I've had it done once onboard but it took up way too much of my vacation time, speaking with supervisors and having them email and fax the corporate office for approval.

Just to clarify, but the code you show above is for OBC received from booking a cruise while on a cruise or creating a NextCruise booking.

 

OBC from a TA will not show up on an RCI Confirming Invoice. There is no code for OBC from a TA just like there is no code for OBC that is gifted.

[jagoffee]

Just to clarify, but the code you show above is for OBC received from booking a cruise while on a cruise or creating a NextCruise booking.

 

OBC from a TA will not show up on an RCI Confirming Invoice. There is no code for OBC from a TA just like there is no code for OBC that is gifted.

 

I was not referring to the RCI confirming invoice, but the invoice from the TA. At least that it has always worked with the TAs that I have used.

[Clarea]

I was not referring to the RCI confirming invoice, but the invoice from the TA. At least that it has always worked with the TAs that I have used.

The TA's invoice might help if it's a reputable agency and they stand behind their word after the cruise, but the TA invoice won't be any help to get the OBC while on board.

[fi'fi]

My ta promised us 120 obc for our upcoming cruise. I printed out the email of final payment that included a statement about the obc she promised us.

We have always received any obc she has promised us on past cruise and it was always waiting for us in our stateroom

[Morecruisesplz]

Just to clarify, but the code you show above is for OBC received from booking a cruise while on a cruise or creating a NextCruise booking.

 

OBC from a TA will not show up on an RCI Confirming Invoice. There is no code for OBC from a TA just like there is no code for OBC that is gifted.

 

I'm sorry! As usual Patti you are right! Thank you for keeping us all straight. I went back and looked and that cruise was booked direct with RCI. (We don't often book direct.) The ones where the the OBC is from our TA, that amount shows on his separate invoice for informational purposes only. The only time we were successful getting the OBC to show on a RCI invoice was when it was a large amount for an Alaska cruise/tour and it was the first time we used our current TA. With a $400 OBC we were not willing to board the ship and wonder if it would show up on our account on the second day. I don't know who the TA talked to at RCI but they finally sent the invoice with the OBC line item.

[AtlAlyson]

Thank you all for the help. My TA said she would send checks to the house and then tried to tell me that one was for $75 and the other $50 when I know that is less than the amount promised. Now she will not answer emails or phone calls. Still waiting on checks…

Looked at my bills from RC and the OBC is not on there but trying to find old emails with what she promised on there and move forward.

Customer Service is important mistakes happen I get it but make it right and quickly. Waiting a few more days and if nothing happens I will turn to the BBB.

Update to come…

[cruisenfever]

Thank you all for the help. My TA said she would send checks to the house and then tried to tell me that one was for $75 and the other $50 when I know that is less than the amount promised. Now she will not answer emails or phone calls. Still waiting on checks…

Looked at my bills from RC and the OBC is not on there but trying to find old emails with what she promised on there and move forward.

Customer Service is important mistakes happen I get it but make it right and quickly. Waiting a few more days and if nothing happens I will turn to the BBB.

Update to come…

You will not see any OBC on your RCI Confirmation Invoice that your TA is giving you. You need written confirmation from your TA that she has given you OBC for your cruise.

[Pipo]

One thing I’ve learned from all our prior cruises is that EVERYONE pays the same price for a category (on the day they book it) no matter which travel; agency you use...

 

Not everyone. My TA usually reserve excursions (blocks of cabins, not shore expeditions) as soon they are available for booking, and they keep prices lower than the "real time" pricing.

On my recent Harmony cruise, I requested a quote eight months before the sailing date, then I requested another one four months before, and the price was the same, despite on other TAs and RCI webpage it was several hundred of dollars more expensive for the same cabin category, without OBC, nor perks.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Pipo