Being Pro Active on an Upsell

[MisterBill99]

You miss an important idea...Agents work on commission. only. O dosent have to pay them a dime till they sell a cruise. For them to bypass the agent is bad business and not reasonable even counter productive for them to treat you in any way better...

Just want to respond to one point. My TA told me that the upsell is not commissionable (I had asked if she would increase my OBC if I took the upsell). So since it is not a commission situation, there's not reason why they wouldn't deal directly with the passenger. You can book excursions directly with the cruise line, you don't need to go thru your TA.

[Jancruz]

Just want to respond to one point. My TA told me that the upsell is not commissionable (I had asked if she would increase my OBC if I took the upsell). So since it is not a commission situation, there's not reason why they wouldn't deal directly with the passenger. You can book excursions directly with the cruise line, you don't need to go thru your TA.

 

She flat out lied

Jancruz1

[ORV]

But they will talk to you directly if you want to accept the offer.

 

I got a new offer (thru my TA, of course) today to upgrade from a B1 to Penthouse for $500 per person. PH2 just showed up as available on the website today for my cruise on Friday. I'm going to pass.

 

Depending on the length of the cruise and itinerary I'd jump on that. The PH is worth it.

[Hawaiidan]

She flat out lied

Jancruz1

 

Bill ol'e buddy...

your agent is NOT working for YOU.. she is working for herself..... and willing to lie to avoid having to give you anything extra.

She will get a larger commission, and the better the cabin you get the larger the commission.

 

Get rid of her pronto she is out, it seems to screw you over to make a buck for herself .

I can understand now your attitude about agents... as you dont really have one really now.

 

Is she a a top agent or just someone you picked at random?

[MalbecWine]

She flat out lied

Jancruz1

 

 

Yes she did lie I worked for a travel agency and yes the upsells are all commissioned. That is a total lie. I have seen this before. Great agents are worth their weight in gold and want the best benefits for you and want your business. Run like heck from that agent or agency.

[MisterBill99]

Yes she did lie I worked for a travel agency and yes the upsells are all commissioned. That is a total lie. I have seen this before. Great agents are worth their weight in gold and want the best benefits for you and want your business. Run like heck from that agent or agency.

That is disappointing and I will question her on it. I have used her quite a bit and I really like her. She is a single person agency (one of the franchise operations) and responds to my emails late at night and on weekends and gives me decent perks although sometimes I can do better with the "con" agency.

[MisterBill99]

Depending on the length of the cruise and itinerary I'd jump on that. The PH is worth it.

10 nights and only 3 sea days. I'm sure it will be nice but we don't do suites so the normal balcony will be what we are used to.

[LHT28]

it would be to the TA's advantage to offer the upsell when they would get more commission

Unless the TA just did not want to be bothered because you would want more of her $$

[MisterBill99]

it would be to the TA's advantage to offer the upsell when they would get more commission

Unless the TA just did not want to be bothered because you would want more of her $$

She forwarded me the emails promptly both times it was offered.

[ano]

When you look at upgrades, I learned something many years ago, they say the most important cabins that cruise lines DON'T want wait-listed are the cheapest rooms. These are likely people new to a cruise line, and if they can't get on, they will go somewhere else. So cruise lines will try to upsell to get everyone aboard if they can.

 

For TA commissions there is a publication online called the cruise report that tracks this kind of thing. For Oceania, it claims TA's get commissions on base fares, taxes, air fare, and insurance, but not for spa, ancillary services, dining packages, shore excursions, port charges, gratuities, hotels or transfers. Every cruise line seems to be a bit different. I assume upgrades would be "base fare." If you don't agree, don't yell at me, this is what the publication says, which is known to be pretty reliable.

[neilrr]

 

On 9/3/2018 at 12:47 AM, ano said:

When you look at upgrades, I learned something many years ago, they say the most important cabins that cruise lines DON'T want wait-listed are the cheapest rooms. These are likely people new to a cruise line, and if they can't get on, they will go somewhere else. So cruise lines will try to upsell to get everyone aboard if they can.

 

Hi All: We are about 35 days out and waiting to see if an upsell comes along. We are fine if it doesn't.  We currently have an outside (which we got $700PP off the marketed price on a flash sale/with all the perks). On our last Oceania cruise, we moved to an A2 cabin and were quite pleased. Oceania currently shows every category as "Wait Listed" so we shall see...When we took the upsell, we did receive additional SBC from our TA. I am sure that they would love to suck some more revenue out of us.

 

I do agree with ano above - many people in the lower rate cabins are dipping their foot in the pool for the first time (especially in the summer months) so they want make a good first impression... As many of us know, it is all about the repeat cruisers...😊

 

Have a great weekend....   

Edited May 31, 2019 by neilrr

[PaulMCO]

1 hour ago, neilrr said:

 

Hi All: We are about 35 days out and waiting to see if an upsell comes along. We are fine if it doesn't.  We currently have an outside (which we got $700PP off the marketed price on a flash sale/with all the perks). On our last Oceania cruise, we moved to an A2 cabin and were quite pleased. Oceania currently shows every category as "Wait Listed" so we shall see...When we took the upsell, we did receive additional SBC from our TA. I am sure that they would love to suck some more revenue out of us.

 

I do agree with ano above - many people in the lower rate cabins are dipping their foot in the pool for the first time (especially in the summer months) so they want make a good first impression... As many of us know, it is all about the repeat cruisers...😊

 

Have a great weekend....   

Why do you wait for an upsell...  Ask if there is a possibility of an upsell..

[neilrr]

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

Why do you wait for an upsell...  Ask if there is a possibility of an upsell..

Hi PaulMCO - Based on what I have been reading in various threads, I thought it might be a bit early to check with Revenue Mgmt. I also was thinking about the protocol, as I did book through a TA. You are correct - it doesn't hurt to give Oceania a call.

Thank you...😀

[pinotlover]

Neilrr;

 

I believe you meant “ have your TA call Oceania!”

 

If all categories are waitlisted at 35 days out. What upsell are you anticipating. Nothing to upsell to. The only upsell offer I’ve ever received in that situation was a lucrative offer to move to a different cruise. I refused the offer even though it was incredibly sweet. 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2019 by pinotlover

[neilrr]

6 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Neilrr;

 

I believe you meant “ have your TA call Oceania!”

 

 

pinotlover - I actually just called -- no TA required at this point - and was told by a very nice representative that he would contact Revenue Mgmt. for me while I am on the phone and got right back to me that Revenue Mgmt. said the ship is currently oversold and to check back with them mid-month.

[pinotlover]

Neil;

 

Sorry I didn’t get my edit up before your last post. I didn’t predict success in this situation.

 

For future reference on other cruises, did you notice how easy to was to politely and kindly tell you NO? We haven’t a clue, nor should we, as to whom your TA is, however history has proven to me that a higher level of success typically comes when a high volume OCC TA makes that call on your behalf. The TA works through an entirely different organization than the nice professionals picking up the main 1-800 line that you utilized. Things work differently there to say the least! I fully realize that many posters here are totally diy ers and avoid/ refuse to use their TA. Do so at your own risk. Enjoy your cruise and good luck!

[neilrr]

29 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Neil;

 

Sorry I didn’t get my edit up before your last post. I didn’t predict success in this situation.

 

For future reference on other cruises, did you notice how easy to was to politely and kindly tell you NO? We haven’t a clue, nor should we, as to whom your TA is, however history has proven to me that a higher level of success typically comes when a high volume OCC TA makes that call on your behalf. The TA works through an entirely different organization than the nice professionals picking up the main 1-800 line that you utilized. Things work differently there to say the least! I fully realize that many posters here are totally diy ers and avoid/ refuse to use their TA. Do so at your own risk. Enjoy your cruise and good luck!

 Pinotlover - Thank you... It does not hurt to work it a both ends. I have confidence in my TA - but it is a busy time with summer coming on - so it does not hurt to advocate for yourself to feel out the waters... I work closely with the TA to get the best deals possible and all of the extras too... Let's see what happens in the next few weeks...😊

[LHT28]

7 hours ago, neilrr said:

for me while I am on the phone and got right back to me that Revenue Mgmt. said the ship is currently oversold and to check back with them mid-month.

maybe they will offer you  a refund  to cancel  if the ship is oversold   or move to another sailing  with a good offer of a cash incentive

[GeezerCouple]

All of this "O won't speak directly to you, or make *any* changes, if you booked through an agent"...

 

Is that just for "changes" that require financial changes?

 

A few months ago, I suddenly realized that we hadn't changed our PH location as we had planned.  "Specific location" is one thing that is very difficult to convey to someone else.  For example, would we prefer forward on one deck vs. mid on another, or even perhaps changing the specific PH 'level' if the new location was "enough better" or such.  There are times when the specific location can matter to us, sometimes a lot (not just on O).  We usually make reservations far in advance, so there's lots of choice, and I simply give 2 or 3 PH numbers, in the order we'd prefer.  We often get our first choice at that point.  But to make a change later, when there are limited vacancies?  Not quite so easy.

Anything else, working with an agent has been absolutely fine, mostly routine, occasionally extra helpful, etc.

 

So on the spur of the moment, I called O directly (rather than disturb our agent at an off time, as this certainly wasn't urgent).  There was a special sequence in the voice menu instructions for passengers who were working with agents, so I clicked on that.  Got a rep, discussed what other PH's were available, and selected a new one.  Done.  Easy.

Then I emailed the updated info to our agent.

 

Having read in several places that O won't talk with a passenger who has an agent, I expected to get nowhere, so the entire conversation was a surprise.

I didn't ask to change to a different price PH, so I now wonder if the nice, cordial conversation with the O rep would have screeched to a halt?? 

 

GC 

[pinotlover]

It is my understanding that any changes or alterations to the basic contract must go through your TA. Changing cabins within a category might not apply. Changing from a PH 3 to a PH 1 would be a change to the basic contract and would have to go through the TA. 

 

Every upsell offer I’ve ever received came via the TA. I know of one instance where a fellow cruiser rejected an upsell offer from our TA, then called O direct hoping to work a better deal himself. O told him “ Upsell Offer? What upsell offer? You need to talk to your TA concerning any of those.”

 

Restaurant reservations such as La Reserve are not alterations to the basic contract so they may be done directly. Accepting and negotiating air deviations and special air arrangements are and must be done via the TA from my experience. 

[Hawaiidan]

Based on experience....trying to  go around your Travel Agent is very shortsighted.    You hired him to work for you. If you dont  think he is cutting the mustard   get another.    It is total folly to contemplate that you can cut a deal 1/2 as good as your agent can.    To O the Agent is way more important than you  they will offer him stuff  they would never offer you.   The Agent sell lots of cruises for O.  they want to keep him happy..    Your just  one guy  one cruise...  chump change in the big picture  to O !

Find a good agent   tell him your wants and budget... then sit back and let him work for you.  Back-dooring him is not looked on well by either O or the Agent.

[neilrr]

On 5/31/2019 at 10:47 PM, LHT28 said:

maybe they will offer you  a refund  to cancel  if the ship is oversold   or move to another sailing  with a good offer of a cash incentive

LHT28  - Thank you for the suggestion... My time schedule will not allow me at the present time to move to another sailing. We also have booked our hotels in Lisbon and Rome. We are fine with the cabin we have if nothing else pops up. It looks like a busy summer season.. Have a great one!!!

[LHT28]

43 minutes ago, neilrr said:

LHT28  - Thank you for the suggestion... My time schedule will not allow me at the present time to move to another sailing. We also have booked our hotels in Lisbon and Rome. We are fine with the cabin we have if nothing else pops up. It looks like a busy summer season.. Have a great one!!!

if you get such an offer  just say NO  then & enjoy the cruise

[pinotlover]

Some of the posts above are near comical. One’s TA brings them an upgrade offer to upgrade for $500. That means the TA has chased you down, by what ever means, gotten your response, and hopefully gotten back to Oceania before all the upgrades are taken. For these efforts the Agency receives ~ $75 give or take. The actual agent may get between $0 and ~$50 depending upon her deal with the Agency. 

 

So the wise counsel here thus far has been to fire the Agent, that admittedly has been prividing great service because you won’t get a split on the $50! Geez!

 

Another poster was correct, the Agent should take the upsell offer to a cruiser that would be excited to have a PH, and don’t waste their time with those wanting to gravel over whether they get their cut on the deal. The cheapskate will probably never know he didn’t get the call others did!

Edited June 2, 2019 by pinotlover

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

On 8/20/2018 at 2:13 PM, roberts2005 said:

I have found the Oceania agents to be very helpful, even if you have a TA. As long as you keep your questions of a general nature and don’t ask them to make changes.

I agree.  They will answer non-monetary questions, but if there's a possible purchase or credit involved (having Oceania purchase a visa for you, or an upsell), they will politely tell you to contact your agent.