Awkward travel agent question

[DocJames]

cwn: Are you actually able to use OBC's as a "cash source" and also get your OBC's put back on your credit card?? We often have an "excess" of OBC's, and I feel so wasteful spending them on way over-priced items in the boutique or in the spa.

I wonder: Do others of you also have the option of receiving credit back, or receiving cash?

 

Yes, our TA provides a percentage of total costs and is very generous depending on the cruise line. We usually sail on Seabourn, Regent or Silversea. We can chose a rebate, OBC or combination of both. If OBC, anything not used I am able to cash out before disembarkation.

[Host Dan]

My thought is if a rebate is that important to you, do not book with a "friend" that can't offer one. This would put a "price" on the friendship, and a small one at that!

[boblerm]

My thought is if a rebate is that important to you, do not book with a "friend" that can't offer one. This would put a "price" on the friendship, and a small one at that!

Thanks Dan, but the fact of the matter is that she has been my travel agent for about 30 years, and I only recently came to learn that so many of my fellow CC members have been getting significant benefits that I have been missing out on.

For the amount of money that I have been missing out on, I could have booked several cruises.

I still have 3 bookings with her over the next year, on which I am missing out on a substantial amount. Under no circumstances would I cancel these with her and book elsewhere, but unless she comes to me with a new arrangement, future bookings will be made with a different agency.

If that damages our friendship, I think that is on her, not on me.

 

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[alainciao]

Boblerm,

You are absolutely right that is on her. My former TA booked me on a 69 day cruise for which her commission would have been between $7 and $10,000. I called her with all necessary info. 30 minutes work for her. Maybe there would be some more communication but there never was before. That is not friendly.

[cwn]

cwn: Are you actually able to use OBC's as a "cash source" and also get your OBC's put back on your credit card?? We often have an "excess" of OBC's, and I feel so wasteful spending them on way over-priced items in the boutique or in the spa.

I wonder: Do others of you also have the option of receiving credit back, or receiving cash?

 

Yes, these gift OBCs are directly from the agent/agency, so the balance, if any, is refunded to our credit card. This last time we didn't have any OBC indirectly from Regent...that is the kind of OBC that is use it ir loose it.

 

One thing that I noticed on the WC that is new since our last cruise is that the office is now restricting the cash withdrawal to $400 a segment. This wasn't a problem, as we never asked for more than $200-300 on any segment. But it nice to know for the future planning.

[RJ2002]

This is an interesting discussion, and a topic that I have run across from time to time on a travel industry website I visit: https://www.travelweekly.com/

 

This site has several columnists, and one in particular has written pieces that were very much against rebating. However, I can discern from his background that he apparently owns his own small independent agency. These types of agencies (and agents) seem GENERALLY less likely to offer the more generous rebates which one can obtain from the larger agencies, particularly those specializing in luxury travel.

[Stickman1990]

This has been a good and in my view healthy discussion that hopefully has helped a number of members out. It is interesting to see many “experienced” cruisers who don’t (or haven’t until recently) receive rebates or discounts

 

I don’t think it’s a case of “either or” in terms of rebates v service - there seems to be (many?) agents out there who manage to deliver both

 

I think mixing business and pleasure (in this case friendship) can have its problems but I also know some of us do value our relationships with our TAs and rate them far beyond transactional interactions.

 

After all we are entrusting them with a very important role regarding our leisure spend

[jeb_bud]

I’m not a very experienced cruiser so please bear that in mind as you read this.

 

Up until our first cruise (a Danube river cruise) in 2015 I always did my own research and travel arrangements. My only experience with travel agents was working with the travel department at work arranging business travel in the pre-internet days. Based on that lack of experience I booked our river cruise directly with Scenic. Everything went fine, and since I didn’t know about TA rebates I didn’t miss it.

 

By the time I booked our first Regent cruise I had begun to be more educated and I found an agent who offered some OBCs. That cruise was aborted when DW broke her leg while we were traveling to Alaska to start the cruise.

 

For our next cruise we found an agent that offered OBC and rebate. We felt good about that until the end of the cruise when we wound up buying a bunch of crap just to use up the OBC.

 

After considerable web research and quote requests we have settled on an agent who offers 10-11% rebates on Regent and Scenic cruises. I personally prefer the straight rebate approach since it allows me to manage my onboard spending better.

 

I have not had a need for emergency help from a TA, and my current TA does not generally respond instantly but will get back to me within a few days. They did promptly take care of our deviation request, getting us the flights we wanted for our Barcelona to Venice cruise next April. It’s too early to arrange flights for our river cruise next October but hopefully they’ll be as helpful.

 

As others have indicated, you really need to decide for yourself how much handholding you need from your TA and act accordingly. My own opinion is that a friend who is only a friend when you are putting money in their pocket is not all that good a friend.

 

 

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[Travelcat2]

jeb_bud - your post was really interesting! Agree that you can get great service as well as receive a rebate from a TA.

 

We definitely do not require handholding. We find our own flights - give them to our TA to work out with Regent (we give them two or three choices based on our limited knowledge of current airline contracts). Most of the time we get the flights that we request.

 

They have intervened for us when we became Titanium and were having difficulty with a couple of private transfers. We prefer to call our TA rather than Regent since we get accurate answers.

 

One area that I cannot keep up with are the promotions and when prices increase or decrease. This is where our TA really excels. They keep track of everything and advise us if there are changes that we should know about. We booked another cruise line with them a few months ago, and we have already received two decreases in the fare which we are obviously very happy about. If it were not for our TA, we would have no clue that these decreases existed.

 

Last, our TA is not one individual but rather a staff of very qualified people. If one is not in the office, they always have a back-up so we never have to wait for a call back for more than a few hours. One of the owners even checks email during the weekend and has responded. This is important to us but may not be important to others.

 

We do not get the highest or lowest rebate and sometimes get OBC's along with the rebate (depending upon the cruise). If/when there is an upsell offer, they advise us immediately and we have been able to take advantage of some of these offers.

 

There are a lot of really good TA's out there - it just takes some time to find one and I highly recommend that you interview them (asking questions that only a TA that booked several Regent cruise would be comfortable answering).

[poss]

I appreciate that others are piping in about that situation of not having to use OBC's frivolously. That would be terrific.

Tc, Rachel, etc. Is it your experience that OBC's can be traded for cash or put onto credit cards? What have I been missing? Or I wonder if I'm just misunderstanding this whole thing.

[MalbecWine]

The great thing about our agent outside of rebates as we have her cell number when something comes up and she is able to access everything from the office and from home on a weekend. Really never needed to do that.

 

The agency we deal with is excellent and if our agent is on a fam trip there is always someone for a backup land or cruise and this is very important. Consortiums, well good luck with that on a weekend if an issue arises.

 

Having control over your trip or trips and dealing direct with a cruise line is the biggest mistake you can make. When I read, oh we got a three hundred dollar credit paying big bucks in a suite that is pitiful and others in the same category who have a great agent will get more and depending on the length of the cruise and price you can get much more in a rebate by check or OBC or a private special event.

 

It’s wise to ask other people or google agents who are at the top of their game in luxury travel of any type.

[LadyandtheTramp]

As for our TA, we actually have two of them. The first, a neighbor and friend, books our land tours, etc., but not any of our cruises. Our second is a high volume luxury cruise TA who takes pretty good care of us and provides a decent (but not quite 10%) post-cruise check. He is also able to provide some OBC, either directly from his agency or from the consortium to which they belong. So we feels we're getting the best of both worlds.

 

The OBC that we've received has come in two flavors - refundable and non-refundable. The refundable we can get in cash if we have any leftover at the end of the cruise. The non-refundable is use it or lose it. Last time we got it (not on Regent) we bought stuff we never would have but wanted to try to not leave any on the table, and we almost did it. (Couldn't use about $4)

[rcandkc]

I really appreciate the replies and education. My husband and I will now have to decide how to approach this discussion. Thank you everyone for understanding the spirit of the question.

[MalbecWine]

I really appreciate the replies and education. My husband and I will now have to decide how to approach this discussion. Thank you everyone for understanding the spirit of the question.

 

It’s great to hear all angles from each of the posters this way you know what to ask for. Mom, used to say if you don’t ask you don’t get.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Thanks Dan, but the fact of the matter is that she has been my travel agent for about 30 years, and I only recently came to learn that so many of my fellow CC members have been getting significant benefits that I have been missing out on.

For the amount of money that I have been missing out on, I could have booked several cruises.

I still have 3 bookings with her over the next year, on which I am missing out on a substantial amount. Under no circumstances would I cancel these with her and book elsewhere, but unless she comes to me with a new arrangement, future bookings will be made with a different agency.

If that damages our friendship, I think that is on her, not on me.

 

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Agree with you 100%. Just lived through the same situation.

[GOARMY]

Great Thread. Everyone civil when discussing various aspects of the Eternal Question(s) about TAs; booking on one's own; and changing horses (TAs) in the middle of the stream of either river, land, or ocean cruises/adventures.

 

No new insight here; just ditto experience as to when deciding to change TAs from a friend, or the TA used by in-laws through which we booked a shared cruise; to a new TA. The final switch was about 11 years ago when on a Regent Auckland to LA cruise. Met our next-door "neighbors" at the Block Party event. Interesting couple, about 20 years' senior to us, with extensive cruising experiences, to include three world cruises on the 5+lines plus a few more on Cunard.

 

My spouse and I established a friendship with them which has continued for many years. They more-or-less became our honorary parents as to all cruise-related aspects. Several mutual sailings on Regent and Seaborne have followed.

 

That's background. At a Compass Rose dinner during that initial cruise, "Robert" inquired as to whom we utilized for our TA. Following our discussion, he suggested we contact the TA he and his spouse had been using for several years. Upon return home, we did so. That resulted in switching alliance to our current TA. Have saved countless dollars; obtained additional on-board credits; and have been well-served with 24-7 call-back service when "stuff" has happened. This relationship has also facilitated ease of communication with Regent management when issues have cropped-up. Prompt responses.

 

We have also sailed with our TA and family aboard Explorer. Very-comfortable relationship. Boundaries are observed.

 

So--as to severing the former TA relationships: did what others have detailed in earlier postings. Contacted them to advise of the "package" of benefits being offered by the new, prospective TA and that TA's group. Strictly business. No counter-offer; no argument. And, we never had any issues with former TAs as to service. Simply, they could not "compete" with what we were being offered.

 

That has been our experience, and why four cruises to far-away places, or river boat adventures in Europe have been planned in the near-future through that agency. It is large-enough to provide specialized service by agents who have been on these 5+ships, or river boats, or when on land excursions and safaris in Africa. Our TA has also been invited to attend our March, 2020 50th wedding anniversary ceremony which will be presided over by Regent's "Splendor" Captain and the Cruise Director.

 

That's our experience while cruising through this most-recent phase of our lives.

 

GOARMY!

[RachelG]

I appreciate that others are piping in about that situation of not having to use OBC's frivolously. That would be terrific.

Tc, Rachel, etc. Is it your experience that OBC's can be traded for cash or put onto credit cards? What have I been missing? Or I wonder if I'm just misunderstanding this whole thing.

Poss, there are different types of OBCs. Some you have to use onboard or you lose. This is the most common type. Others, you can cash out. This is usually from a credit card company. Just received an email today from Regent that OBCs can be now used to book excursions prior to being onboard. This is huge for us.

[goldenrod]

Echo Poss, interesting topic, thanks for asking rcandkc.

 

Believe Regent TA's (not going to comment on Regent TA's who are members

of the Seven Seas Council Members) get between 15-17% commission from Regent.

 

So, you can determine for yourselves, how generous (or not) your TA is w/regards

to rebates/discounts. chuckw has good points to consider in his post above as well.

 

 

 

Our TA is giving us a 11.3 percent rebate on our cruise fare of $38,700 .

 

 

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[Jonoro7]

Fascinating thread, thanks to all contributors.

Anyone had success with rebates from UK agents??

T&Cs are different UK-US but does this extend to TA commisson?

Thank you for any information.

[DaisyUK]

Fascinating thread, thanks to all contributors.

Anyone had success with rebates from UK agents??

T&Cs are different UK-US but does this extend to TA commisson?

Thank you for any information.

 

Hi, we book some cruises in the US and receive rebates as mentioned in many of the above posts, and some in the UK. In our experience, it's different in the UK in that we receive straightforward discounts off the brochure price (rather than rebates). It varies by cruiseline, but we usually get about 8% off Crystal, and about 10% off Regent.

[MalbecWine]

Back in the day rebating was frowned upon with IATA and CLIA. Now it is more common with certain agencies and agents especially high producers. As the old saying goes you get more bees with honey than vinegar and better retention of clients.

 

I worked in corporate travel and also remember when corporations would not let the employee who is traveling on business would not be able to personally collect airline miles since the company was paying for the trip. Things have really changed over the years for sure.

[poss]

Rachel, thanks for replying to my query. Thing is (and I hope that cwn will come back to clarify) the poster said that the OBC's that he/she is able to cash in come from travel agency, not a credit card type of thing. We have $900 in obc's for next cruise and there isn't a single upgraded excursion I'm interested in (sometimes there definitely are). I sure could use that $$, and I sure don't want to spend it frivolously. I love massages, but my masseuse here is much better than anyone I've had on ship, and much (Much) less expensive. I'm remembering that there was a thread a while ago on what to do with OBC's. I'll look at that, but imagine it won't much help.

Again: Thanks to rcandkc and to everyone for this thread.

[LoonCall]

My TA sends me both the TA invoice and the guest invoice that they receive from Regent. The TA invoice shows the commissionable fare and the commission rate. The commissionable fare is usually about 10% less than the total fare due to noncommissionable items such as government fees and taxes. Our TA receives 17% of the commissionable fare and rebates 10% of the commissionable fare (works out to about 9% of the total fare) to all those who I recommend to them.

I believe the 5% mentioned is the most TAs are allowed to advertise as a discount but has no effect on what an agent can give as a rebate.

Hope this helps.

And I receive excellent service from the TA.

On one of my bookings I mistakenly received the agent's invoice clearly stating a 17% commission percentage to the TA. This was a large national company so the percentage may have been higher due to volume.

After a bad experience with small agency on a rebate, I've worked with another company who regularly rebates close to 10%. I manage most booking issues on my own and don't consider myself high maintenance for my TA. They have made a business decision to offer the rebate to get the booking and if I can utilize that we both benefit.

[flossie009]

Fascinating thread, thanks to all contributors.

Anyone had success with rebates from UK agents??

T&Cs are different UK-US but does this extend to TA commisson?

Thank you for any information.

As DaisyUK reports, from our TA in the UK we receive a good up-front discount off the Regent web/brochure prices :)

A much better system than in the US as we benefit at final payment stage rather than having to wait until near to sailing.

We sometimes also receive some OBC in addition, but not often.

[cwn]

Rachel, thanks for replying to my query. Thing is (and I hope that cwn will come back to clarify) the poster said that the OBC's that he/she is able to cash in come from travel agency, not a credit card type of thing. We have $900 in obc's for next cruise and there isn't a single upgraded excursion I'm interested in (sometimes there definitely are). I sure could use that $$, and I sure don't want to spend it frivolously. I love massages, but my masseuse here is much better than anyone I've had on ship, and much (Much) less expensive. I'm remembering that there was a thread a while ago on what to do with OBC's. I'll look at that, but imagine it won't much help.

Again: Thanks to rcandkc and to everyone for this thread.

 

Poss, The OBC that our TA gives us is her/Agency's money and a gift to us for using the agency. This money is not sponsored in any way (directly or indirectly) by Regent. We can get cash from the front desk during the cruise and any OBC left at the end, we have the option of cash back or credit to our card. We got a OBC form to fill out with all the end of cruise paperwork so they would know what we wanted done with the remainder.

 

We have used AmEx for cruises in the past. On our last cruise (another line) using AmEx, the OBC through them was the "use it or leave it kind". I was told that it was somehow tied to the cruise line. We have had OBC in the past on Regent some of which had to used on the ship. other that was free to be cashed out kind. The type of OBC is clearly shown on the ship board statement and the ship charged the non refundable kind first until it was used up.

 

Your TA can tell you what kind of credit you have right now. Just depends on where the OBC came from to begin with and the Agent will know. Call her and ask so you can plan for it.

 

Hope this helps. I agree that it is hard to use up a big OBC on Regent and you can no longer donate the "use it or leave it" OBC to the crew fund.

 

Carolyn