Travel Agent or Book On Board?

[babs135]

I'm looking at a cruise in May 2020 which really appeals but wondering whether to wait until we are on the QM2 in December to book it. Is there any advantage in waiting?

 

BTW I've still to tell DH that I've found the perfect cruise. I'm waiting for the right moment!:D

[majortom10]

Depending on length of cruise and type of cabin/suite booked gives you free OBC from $100 to $400pp and a low deposit of £175pp and you can transfer the booking back to the TA you are onboard with when you book and perhaps they might give you an extra discount.

[Underwatr]

If you wait until December there will probably be a different promotion in effect than now.

 

Ignoring that, I'd advise you to book onboard for the onboard credit, then transfer the booking to your travel agent for whatever benefit they provide. When my TA gets the booking they reprice it lower and send me a corrected booking receipt.

 

The onboard cruise sales office will refer the new booking to the TA who booked the cruise you're on. If you want to refer it to a different agent you have to do that yourself later.

[kohl57]

It may be different in the UK. But as a Platinum member, I always get a better on board credit precisely three weeks after my return when my "Welcome Home" card arrives. Indeed, this time I booked as soon as I got back knowing space was limited (I went from a waitlist to a guarantee to a cabin to a cabin on my preferred deck in the space of a week) and they rebooked me to get the very generous additional OBC and keep the same cabin. At least in the US, the agents are pretty wonderful in ensuring you get the best deal and rebooking if needed to obtain it.

 

Cunard's very attractive rate promotions and extremely generous OBC for past passengers who rebook upon returning from a cruise are one of the reason's we've given Oceania a miss now for two (and now) three cruises in as many years. It just works out as a much better value all around.

[Radar boomer]

When we were on QE this summer...the price of the cruise we wanted to book was very high, they recommended we purchase a future cruise certificate for a deposit of $360 CAN each...good for 4 years...so can wait til a good deal comes along and then book and get the standard credit you would get if booked on board..

 

Interested in the platinum comment, how much credit are you offered, we are going on QM2 in late November and will be our first cruise as platinum

 

 

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[Underwatr]

I'm Platinum and I don't get the "Welcome Home" offers. Maybe because I book via a travel agent and not directly with Cunard.

[babs135]

Never heard of this 'welcome home' offer, but that doesn't necessarily mean that we didn't receive anything, I may have just ignored it.

 

I think we will become Platinum on the return leg in January. If (and I mean if) I can persuade DH to do the cruise are we better off waiting until then?

[kohl57]

Funny you say that.... when I got mine last year, I thought it was just more junk mail and tossed it. Then I vaguely remembered it mentioning $400 pp extra OBC and managed to fish it out of the trash can covered with coffee grounds and used it to book again!

 

Now, I am not sure if they send this out after every cruise or to every just returned passenger or just to Platinum or..... but got mine two years running within three weeks of returning.

 

For 10-24 nights, it's $400 pp for Grills, $300 Balcony, $200 inside/outside extra OBC and relative amounts for 6-9 nights.

[majortom10]

When we were on QE this summer...the price of the cruise we wanted to book was very high, they recommended we purchase a future cruise certificate for a deposit of $360 CAN each...good for 4 years...so can wait til a good deal comes along and then book and get the standard credit you would get if booked on board..

 

Interested in the platinum comment, how much credit are you offered, we are going on QM2 in late November and will be our first cruise as platinum

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Unfortunately we dont get that offer in the UK if we buy a Future Cruise Deposit whilst onboard it costs £50pp but we only have 1 year to book a cruise and if you do not book within a year of purchase you lose your £50.

[Host Hattie]

Funny you say that.... when I got mine last year, I thought it was just more junk mail and tossed it. Then I vaguely remembered it mentioning $400 pp extra OBC and managed to fish it out of the trash can covered with coffee grounds and used it to book again!

 

Now, I am not sure if they send this out after every cruise or to every just returned passenger or just to Platinum or..... but got mine two years running within three weeks of returning.

 

For 10-24 nights, it's $400 pp for Grills, $300 Balcony, $200 inside/outside extra OBC and relative amounts for 6-9 nights.

I don't think it's dependent on World Club level, we travelled with first timers and they had one a couple of years ago.

The current offer for UK bookings is

 

Book 6-9 nights

Queens/Princess Grill$200

Balcony$150

Inside/Oceanview$100

Book 10+ nights

Queens/Princess Grill$400

Balcony$300

Inside/Oceanview$200

[Underwatr]

For 10-24 nights, it's $400 pp for Grills, $300 Balcony, $200 inside/outside extra OBC and relative amounts for 6-9 nights.

That sounds the same as the onboard booking benefit though. The deposit when booking onboard is only $300/pp.

 

US bookings. I don't know other booking benefits.

 

I'll add that the onboard booking department has some influence in booking otherwise sold out categories.

[Lanky Lad]

If you wait the price may go up, but then you will get some extra OBC and can transfer to booking to your travel agent.

 

 

 

We could not wait until we were on board to book our 2019 as my mother wanted a single cabin and there was only one left when we checked.

[phileas]

Earlier this year we booked a future cruise credit with the £50 deposit per person mentioned in earlier posts. This gave us some onboard credit, the amount depending on the length of the cruise and grade of cabin when we make the booking.

 

We then received the Welcome home offer.

 

We made a booking and were able to combine the future cruise benefits with the Welcome home benefits. There was also an early booking offer running and for a 12 night cruise we have ended up with around $2,000 on board credit between the two of us!:D

 

So I would advise making an onboard booking for a future cruise credit, then wait to see if the Welcome Home offer is made. If so take advantage. If not, then make an actual cruise booking when you feel the time is right as you will still get some extra on board credit to spend!

[babs135]

I don't think it's dependent on World Club level, we travelled with first timers and they had one a couple of years ago.

The current offer for UK bookings is

 

Book 6-9 nights

Queens/Princess Grill$200

Balcony$150

Inside/Oceanview$100

Book 10+ nights

Queens/Princess Grill$400

Balcony$300

Inside/Oceanview$200

 

Just for clarification. Are these figures per cabin or per person?

[Host Hattie]

Per person, the rest of the small print -

 

 

"This offer is combinable with Cunard Fares and Early Saver Fares. This offer is not combinable with our ship visit, on board sales or group on board spending money offers. On board spending money can only be spent on board in the shops, bars, spa and shore excursions booked on board. On board spending money is per person, and varies by duration, is based on the number of nights spent on board, stateroom category and applies to the first two passengers sharing a stateroom.*"

[brian1]

Unfortunately we dont get that offer in the UK if we buy a Future Cruise Deposit whilst onboard it costs £50pp but we only have 1 year to book a cruise and if you do not book within a year of purchase you lose your £50.

That's out of order,it's 75 quid on Princess and refunded if not used after 2 years.

[majortom10]

That's out of order,it's 75 quid on Princess and refunded if not used after 2 years.

 

Yes I know I have a Princess FCD at the moment unused but I am afraid those are the rules with Cunard and P&O have scrapped theirs altogether.