Transferring booking to TA

[BigB0882]

I have seen a lot of people mention in different threads how they transferred their booking over to a TA and got extra OBC. How does this work? Is it standard to get OBC when you transfer a booking or do you need to know someone or have a history with a TA? I booked for a cruise in 2017 that came with a drink package and $300 OBC. Would be great to transfer and get a little something extra. Any reasons to NOT do this? I once had a TA and they had a line in their contract that said no price drops so I would never go with a TA who did that, although to be honest I don't expect prices to fall but this cruise is a long way away.

 

Any advice would be appreciated!

[az_tchr]

You simply need to have an existing reservation with a cruise line that in the case of Celebrity is less than 60 days old. i used to cal two of three TAs saying I cruised regularly and told them my reservation info and asked what thy would do. Now use the same TA. received about 5% the first time and now usually about 5-8%.

 

The only downsides are: you need now to go thru the TA for everything and some TAs charge a cancel of change fee.

[BigB0882]

5% of the cost of the cruise?

[az_tchr]

5% of the cost of the cruise?

 

Received $600 on a $3200 cruise and $350 on my upcoming cruise with a total cost of $3600.

 

OK?

 

It is simple. Amazed more do not do it.

Edited January 18, 2016 by az_tchr

[rjrpar]

We always get 8-10% of the cost of the cruise in refundable obc

[BecciBoo]

I have seen a lot of people mention in different threads how they transferred their booking over to a TA and got extra OBC. How does this work? Is it standard to get OBC when you transfer a booking or do you need to know someone or have a history with a TA? I booked for a cruise in 2017 that came with a drink package and $300 OBC. Would be great to transfer and get a little something extra. Any reasons to NOT do this? I once had a TA and they had a line in their contract that said no price drops so I would never go with a TA who did that, although to be honest I don't expect prices to fall but this cruise is a long way away.

 

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

I would say it would not serve you to try to transfer when you got the total 123Go pkg. Most agents cannot trump that one. I tried, but could find no agency that would add anything. All the goodies are already there. You might find a better rate, but risk losing all the previous bookings benies. We have that deal on our upcoming Solstice. My usual go to agencies could do nothing for us.

Edited January 18, 2016 by BecciBoo

[az_tchr]

Calling a TA for a "booking incentive" has nothing to do with anything offered by Celebrity or any other cruise line. It has only to do with their commission and do they want your business. Moving your booking does not cause you to lose anything already offered by the cruise line.

 

Also when you transfer a booking you are NOT looking for a better rate. You are simply transferring your existing booking so nothing to lose. The TA incentive comes from them.

Edited January 18, 2016 by az_tchr

[wallysdtr]

I called an online travel agency to see about transferring my brother's booking that is less than 60 days old. We are on the Reflection March 12

The agent said we would have to cancel the reservation with Celebrity and start all over again with them. In all of the times I have read about transferring to a TA, I thought for sure they would just have the booking transferred. Obviously we didn't cancel. But I thought it was very strange.

[Jade13]

5% of the cost of the cruise?

 

 

Many average a 7-8% discount. That is before taxes port fees and non commissionable.

[Jade13]

I would say it would not serve you to try to transfer when you got the total 123Go pkg. Most agents cannot trump that one. I tried, but could find no agency that would add anything. All the goodies are already there. You might find a better rate, but risk losing all the previous bookings benies. We have that deal on our upcoming Solstice. My usual go to agencies could do nothing for us.

 

 

Not true, many Agents discount or will give OBC if you prefer. We have had one or more with only one perk and had our agent pay the gratuities. This is over and beyond what Celebrity is already offering.

[rjrpar]

I would say it would not serve you to try to transfer when you got the total 123Go pkg. Most agents cannot trump that one. I tried, but could find no agency that would add anything. All the goodies are already there. You might find a better rate, but risk losing all the previous bookings benies. We have that deal on our upcoming Solstice. My usual go to agencies could do nothing for us.

 

 

Not true at all, you keep your exact reservation and they split their commission with you. You need a better TA

[Jade13]

I called an online travel agency to see about transferring my brother's booking that is less than 60 days old. We are on the Reflection March 12

 

The agent said we would have to cancel the reservation with Celebrity and start all over again with them. In all of the times I have read about transferring to a TA, I thought for sure they would just have the booking transferred. Obviously we didn't cancel. But I thought it was very strange.

 

 

It can't be within final payment when you have already paid in full and penalties start.

[ClaudiaB]

I called an online travel agency to see about transferring my brother's booking that is less than 60 days old. We are on the Reflection March 12

The agent said we would have to cancel the reservation with Celebrity and start all over again with them. In all of the times I have read about transferring to a TA, I thought for sure they would just have the booking transferred. Obviously we didn't cancel. But I thought it was very strange.

 

That is not what we've ever had to do. Just the email booking transfer form, and voila!

[Rob the Cruiser]

I called an online travel agency to see about transferring my brother's booking that is less than 60 days old. We are on the Reflection March 12

The agent said we would have to cancel the reservation with Celebrity and start all over again with them. In all of the times I have read about transferring to a TA, I thought for sure they would just have the booking transferred. Obviously we didn't cancel. But I thought it was very strange.

 

You need to find a different agent. Transferring a direct booking within 60 days to a TA is simple.

[Wine-O]

We always get 8-10% of the cost of the cruise in refundable obc

 

That's just the cost of the cruise, not the cost of taxes that are built into the cruise cost or the cost of port charges -- that's broken out separately.

[Host Walt]

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[ghstudio]

One gotcha on transferring cruises. If you purchased your cruise on a cruise from a celebrity Travel consultant, the "default" is that the new cruise is assigned to the same travel agency that booked your current cruise. If you don't say anything, that's what happens...and you're going to have a very hard time changing it.

 

Word to the wise...if you book a cruise on the ship, make sure your booking is assigned to Celebrity....so you can easily change it (actually it's an online form) to the TA of your choice.

[Wine-O]

One gotcha on transferring cruises. If you purchased your cruise on a cruise from a celebrity Travel consultant, the "default" is that the new cruise is assigned to the same travel agency that booked your current cruise. If you don't say anything, that's what happens...and you're going to have a very hard time changing it.

 

Word to the wise...if you book a cruise on the ship, make sure your booking is assigned to Celebrity....so you can easily change it (actually it's an online form) to the TA of your choice.

 

When I recently booked a cruise while on a cruise, I was asked by the agent if I wanted it transferred to my TA on record. If this is the one you like, it will be transferred to the TA on the spot at the time of the on board booking. If you want to think about it, just tell them NO, and it will be kept with Celebrity until you get home and want up to 60 days to make your decision which TA you want to go with.

[BecciBoo]

Calling a TA for a "booking incentive" has nothing to do with anything offered by Celebrity or any other cruise line. It has only to do with their commission and do they want your business. Moving your booking does not cause you to lose anything already offered by the cruise line.

 

Also when you transfer a booking you are NOT looking for a better rate. You are simply transferring your existing booking so nothing to lose. The TA incentive comes from them.

 

As for transfering a booking, you totally misunderstood my post on rates. I said about the only thing you could get is a better rate, that would involve cx/rebooking not transferring, thank you.

 

As to booking incentive...Yes it does. If you already have the benies provided by the 123Go program there is nothing left in commission the agent can dicker with. I didn't make this up, I had several agents tell me this. We have $350 OBC, $300 of it on the next cruise, $250 of it on Reflection on which we booked, Prepaid grats, and the Classic Bev.Pkg.

The only way I could get a booking incentive is to cx/rebook to a group rate with the new incentives, which gave me only $75 from the agent and the new program through Celebrity which is more expensive, offers less and this process would lose my current package according to Celebrity. Before you dispute others, make sure you are talking apples to apples.

Edited January 18, 2016 by BecciBoo

[ghstudio]

 

As to booking incentive...Yes it does. If you already have the benies provided by the 123Go program there is nothing left in commission the agent can dicker with. I didn't make this up, I had several agents tell me this. We have $350 OBC, $300 of it on the next cruise, $250 of it on Reflection on which we booked, Prepaid grats, and the Classic Bev.Pkg.

 

Yes, I believe celebrity somehow limits what agents can give to their clients over and above what Celebrity gives....however there are TA's that have overall perks....$75 off on all cruises to celebrate our 240th birthday....and that's OK. Other TA's send you a check after completing the cruise to "thank you" as a customer. There are ways around everything. You just spoke to the wrong TA's.

[az_tchr]

gh and Becci - As a former IATA agent the rules are simple. The comission is a percentage of the cruise fare (ex taxes fees etc.) on a scale depending on the number of cabins etc. It is not dependent on any promotional offers of the cruise line. There are sometimes incentives to TAs for booking cabins on certain cruises etc. Also group booking discounts with may or may not combine with other deals.

 

 

A travel agent cannot legally give a "rebate" on a booking. They can, however, legally and ethically offer any discount they wish seperately from anything booked thru the cruise line. This in effect is giving back part of their comission in the form of OBC. The allowance is determined by the TA (many do and most do not) both as to the offer and amount. The biggest TAs generally get the largest revenues and are most willing to reward loyal or potentially loyal customers.

 

Walt - OK?

[Caribbean Chris]

I would say it would not serve you to try to transfer when you got the total 123Go pkg. Most agents cannot trump that one. I tried, but could find no agency that would add anything. All the goodies are already there. You might find a better rate, but risk losing all the previous bookings benies. We have that deal on our upcoming Solstice. My usual go to agencies could do nothing for us.

 

It's never been a problem for us. We might, for example, book direct with X on a weekend promo and then make the transfer to our agency the following week. The agency always provides a generous OBC and other perks, regardless of our deal from X, including 123Go. If we don't use the OBC, it is refunded to us by the ship,

 

On edit - we've also received 123Go and the promo credit for having booked a future cruise while on board... Then additional OBC from the agency.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Caribbean Chris

[grandgeezer]

As for transfering a booking, you totally misunderstood my post on rates. I said about the only thing you could get is a better rate, that would involve cx/rebooking not transferring, thank you.

 

As to booking incentive...Yes it does. If you already have the benies provided by the 123Go program there is nothing left in commission the agent can dicker with. I didn't make this up, I had several agents tell me this. We have $350 OBC, $300 of it on the next cruise, $250 of it on Reflection on which we booked, Prepaid grats, and the Classic Bev.Pkg.

The only way I could get a booking incentive is to cx/rebook to a group rate with the new incentives, which gave me only $75 from the agent and the new program through Celebrity which is more expensive, offers less and this process would lose my current package according to Celebrity. Before you dispute others, make sure you are talking apples to apples.

 

We had the 1-2-3 promo for our B2B on the Silohuette in December. This is all funded by Celebrity, nothing from the travel agency. We also got an extra $250 refundable obc from our travel agent. We cashed out the obc from Celebrity (through the casino) and the obc from the travel agent home to spend anyway we want, not just on a cruise.

[fleckle]

gh and Becci - As a former IATA agent the rules are simple. The comission is a percentage of the cruise fare (ex taxes fees etc.) on a scale depending on the number of cabins etc. It is not dependent on any promotional offers of the cruise line. There are sometimes incentives to TAs for booking cabins on certain cruises etc. Also group booking discounts with may or may not combine with other deals.

 

 

A travel agent cannot legally give a "rebate" on a booking. They can, however, legally and ethically offer any discount they wish seperately from anything booked thru the cruise line. This in effect is giving back part of their comission in the form of OBC. The allowance is determined by the TA (many do and most do not) both as to the offer and amount. The biggest TAs generally get the largest revenues and are most willing to reward loyal or potentially loyal customers.

Excellent explanation by az_tchr!

 

I just want to add that misunderstandings arise because many times a TA does not differentiate which perks are actually coming from the cruise line and which are added by the TA.

 

Thus they advertise -- book with us and you will get A, B, C, D without mentioning that you can get A, B and C even if you don't book with them.

We see this time and again when people post about how their wonderful TA "gives" them A, B, C and D.

 

 

I agree with others that it is very easy to transfer a booking to a TA by emailing the online transfer form.

On rare occasions, we have even had a TA who was able to transfer the booking just by our authorizing the transfer to them over the phone, without even requiring a transfer form, but that is not the norm.

 

Edited January 19, 2016 by fleckle

[Jade13]

Excellent explanation by az_tchr!

 

I just want to add that misunderstandings arise because many times a TA does not differentiate which perks are actually coming from the cruise line and which are added by the TA.

 

Thus they advertise -- book with us and you will get A, B, C, D without mentioning that you can get A, B and C even if you don't book with them.

We see this time and again when people post about how their wonderful TA "gives" them A, B, C and D.

 

 

I agree with others that it is very easy to transfer a booking to a TA by emailing the online transfer form.

On rare occasions, we have even had a TA who was able to transfer the booking just by our authorizing the transfer to them over the phone, without even requiring a transfer form, but that is not the norm.

 

 

 

Celebrity no longer requires a signed form to transfer a booking.