Anyone Heard of This?

[Obilix]

So we have booked a cruise and paid.

 

The travel agent tells us a few weeks later that if we pay an extra $700 we will receive a further $1600 in onboard credit.

 

It's a reputable TA so we accepted and paid.

 

But I've been thinking about it since, and I'm a little confused as to why. It's not an incentive, as we've paid, so why on earth effectively give away $900?

 

Am I missing something?

[windsor26]

sounds a bit dodgy unless you are being upgraded and the extra obc is for pricier cabins

[Port Power]

Is it refundable OBC or non refundable (OBN)? It's only a good deal if you planned to spend that much on board in the first place, such as taking the ship's excursions.

[Chiliburn]

So we have booked a cruise and paid.

 

The travel agent tells us a few weeks later that if we pay an extra $700 we will receive a further $1600 in onboard credit.

 

It's a reputable TA so we accepted and paid.

 

But I've been thinking about it since, and I'm a little confused as to why. It's not an incentive, as we've paid, so why on earth effectively give away $900?

 

Am I missing something?

I noticed one mistake in you post ,a reputable agent.

In my opinion there’s no agent you can trust.

 

I just canceled a cruise for next Christmas.it was a junior suite on the ovation for 2.

It seemed like a fair deal,12 nights,$7000.with $500 OBC.

After a few months the agent put the price up to almost $8000 with a $100 OBC.

After a lot of arguments with the agent I canceled.

You should have heard the lies.

 

So be on your Gard. Because there’s a lot of smoke & mirrors out there.

[GUT2407]

Or is it just a promo by the line?

[The_Big_M]

Should have just asked why.

[CruiseGal999]

I noticed one mistake in you post ,a reputable agent.

In my opinion there’s no agent you can trust.

 

I just canceled a cruise for next Christmas.it was a junior suite on the ovation for 2.

It seemed like a fair deal,12 nights,$7000.with $500 OBC.

After a few months the agent put the price up to almost $8000 with a $100 OBC.

After a lot of arguments with the agent I canceled.

You should have heard the lies.

 

So be on your Gard. Because there’s a lot of smoke & mirrors out there.

 

You reserved a cruise, paid a deposit and isn't your price locked in? How can it increase any money ... never mind a $1,000? And how could your OBC go down? Just at the TAs whim?

[Chiliburn]

You reserved a cruise, paid a deposit and isn't your price locked in? How can it increase any money ... never mind a $1,000? And how could your OBC go down? Just at the TAs whim?

It was booked as a double and the second person I wasn’t sure who it would be so just put a fictitious name.

When I wanted to change the second name it all turned to jelly.

Price went up and it would have to be rebooked under a different deal.

I maybe expected a $100 fee but not for a name change at worst.

[MMDown Under]

It was booked as a double and the second person I wasn’t sure who it would be so just put a fictitious name.

When I wanted to change the second name it all turned to jelly.

Price went up and it would have to be rebooked under a different deal.

I maybe expected a $100 fee but not for a name change at worst.

 

Did you check the t&c to see what a change of name should cost? Sounds strange to me!

[NSWP]

Sounds like a rebooking and/or charge for passenger name change. I would ask for a 'Please Explain from T/A management, like the Manager, as to charges.:evilsmile:

 

As for the alleged increase in OBC, sounds extreme.:rolleyes: Perhaps the T/A has 'rolled' gratuities into the total price, thus making the T/A commission greater, as they do.

[MicCanberra]

So we have booked a cruise and paid.

 

The travel agent tells us a few weeks later that if we pay an extra $700 we will receive a further $1600 in onboard credit.

 

It's a reputable TA so we accepted and paid.

 

But I've been thinking about it since, and I'm a little confused as to why. It's not an incentive, as we've paid, so why on earth effectively give away $900?

 

Am I missing something?

Read the T&Cs and make sure you haven't missed something.

[MicCanberra]

It was booked as a double and the second person I wasn’t sure who it would be so just put a fictitious name.

When I wanted to change the second name it all turned to jelly.

Price went up and it would have to be rebooked under a different deal.

I maybe expected a $100 fee but not for a name change at worst.

Sounds like something was missed here, not good if the TA is not acknowledging the original deposit.

[Port Power]

It was booked as a double and the second person I wasn’t sure who it would be so just put a fictitious name.

When I wanted to change the second name it all turned to jelly.

Price went up and it would have to be rebooked under a different deal.

I maybe expected a $100 fee but not for a name change at worst.

The usual rule is there is no problem changing the second person in the cabin as long as Passenger 1 (actually, either one) remains the same. I wasn’t charged for either my October cruise, December cruise (where I sent from solo to double occupancy), or a booked 2020 cruise. None of them was considered rebooking. I haven’t read any T&Cs where it would be. As you say, a small fee might be expected. Was it because that second passenger was fictitious?

[The_Big_M]

It was booked as a double and the second person I wasn’t sure who it would be so just put a fictitious name.

When I wanted to change the second name it all turned to jelly.

Price went up and it would have to be rebooked under a different deal.

I maybe expected a $100 fee but not for a name change at worst.

 

Oh, that makes sense then. RCL are tough with conditions and there's no provision for changing passengers by choice - it needs to be justified.

 

As you say, it needed to be rebooked as it didn't comply with their terms.

[Chiliburn]

Did you check the t&c to see what a change of name should cost? Sounds strange to me!

No I didn’t read the fine print.

I’ve haven’t had a problem doing that before.

I think it was the agent trying to gouge a bit more money out of me.

I only lost $20 deposit and there’s other agents and cruises.

[Chiliburn]

One classic I got from a reputable large agency.

About 10 years ago we booked a holiday and a cruise and the agent booked the return flight a month before we should return.

She pressed 8th month instead of 9 month.

So our return flight was before we left.

At time of booking they get you to sign and accept it.

Sure it was part my fault but I didn’t pick it up.

My wife went and paid for it and got the itinerary.then at home we saw the mistake.

Went back to the agent and they said you will have to pay for another flight.

Nothing I could do.

[MMDown Under]

No I didn’t read the fine print.

I’ve haven’t had a problem doing that before.

I think it was the agent trying to gouge a bit more money out of me.

I only lost $20 deposit and there’s other agents and cruises.

 

Sounds like loss of $20 deposit well spent. Like you, I spread the word.

[MMDown Under]

One classic I got from a reputable large agency.

About 10 years ago we booked a holiday and a cruise and the agent booked the return flight a month before we should return.

She pressed 8th month instead of 9 month.

So our return flight was before we left.

At time of booking they get you to sign and accept it.

Sure it was part my fault but I didn’t pick it up.

My wife went and paid for it and got the itinerary.then at home we saw the mistake.

Went back to the agent and they said you will have to pay for another flight.

Nothing I could do.

 

I hope you didn't book another flight with that incompetent TA. The TA had a responsibility to book the correct month for your flight.

[Gerko]

I noticed one mistake in you post ,a reputable agent.

In my opinion there’s no agent you can trust.

.

 

Appalling comment from an ignorant person. I assume you have some kind of job and wonder how much you'd appreciate it if someone claimed that every single person doing your job was untrustworthy?

You haven't given the full story and I'm sure there is more to it than your comment (there always is).

If you had the original price in writing you're entitled to that price. Cruise companies cannot increase your fare once a deposit has been paid. Did you contact the cruise line to get an explanation, or contact Fair Trading to intervene?

Without a full story I can't say the agent did the right or wrong thing, but as an agent selling cruises for over 40 years I can assure you that the majority of agents are both ethical and honest. Look for an experienced agent who earns a salary and avoid youngsters working for companies that pay only a base retainer plus commission.

[mr walker]

About 10 years ago we booked a holiday and a cruise and the agent booked the return flight a month before we should return.

 

Reminded me of an experience we had. Booked a fly/stay/cruise package to/from Singapore which included transfers from airport to hotel & hotel to port next day in Singapore, which we received vouchers for. No problems on arrival, but when we called to book transfer to port, the agent advised they have no booking for us. I said "oh I have the voucher number, will that help?". "Yes, what's the number?". I read the number and was told "that booking was for last month (same date, just 1 month before)". I said "we only got here yesterday, you brought us from the airport to the hotel!!". "Sorry, that voucher is no good" she replied "nothing I can do".

 

We got a taxi :)

 

BOT, must say it seems strange - I would be certainly asking a few questions.

[Chiliburn]

I have had quite a few good experiences with agents but not resently.

20 years ago we did a road trip around America.the agent got us a great deal though United.those days they threw in car ,hotel,etc

When we got the car they changed us for insurance and mileage which was supposed to be included.

We saw the agent when we got back and he put in a claim for us.

We got a re fund from the airline,car company and insurance .

I bought him a good bottle of scotch and champagne for his wife.

But you don't get that service anymore.

[Hunter69]

Mr Walker; at least the TAXI's are very very cheap in Singapore.. Paid $12 for a 20 min journey from the Northern part of city to OPT.. They should have checked thought to make shaw all dates lined up for you...

[The_Big_M]

Appalling comment from an ignorant person. I assume you have some kind of job and wonder how much you'd appreciate it if someone claimed that every single person doing your job was untrustworthy?

You haven't given the full story and I'm sure there is more to it than your comment (there always is).

If you had the original price in writing you're entitled to that price. Cruise companies cannot increase your fare once a deposit has been paid. Did you contact the cruise line to get an explanation, or contact Fair Trading to intervene?

Without a full story I can't say the agent did the right or wrong thing, but as an agent selling cruises for over 40 years I can assure you that the majority of agents are both ethical and honest. Look for an experienced agent who earns a salary and avoid youngsters working for companies that pay only a base retainer plus commission.

 

He subsequently responded that it arose due to changing a non-existent passenger.

 

As this is not permitted by RCL's terms, they required it to be rebooked, which explains why it was re-fared correctly.

[MicCanberra]

delete.........

[Gerko]

.:evilsmile:

Perhaps the T/A has 'rolled' gratuities into the total price, thus making the T/A commission greater, as they do.

 

Agents cannot just "roll" gratuities into the total, and even if we could we certainly never earn commission on grats. Amazing some of the misinformation about TAs that get spread around on CC.