OBC from Travel Agent

[NewSalty]

About to take our first cruise on Viking...so a newbie question:

 

The TA we booked through provided some OBC.  My question is this - when should I expect this to show up in Viking's "system"?  It doesn't show in MVJ, so I've been assuming it will show up in our account when we get on board.

[Clay Clayton]

29 minutes ago, NewSalty said:

About to take our first cruise on Viking...so a newbie question:

 

The TA we booked through provided some OBC.  My question is this - when should I expect this to show up in Viking's "system"?  It doesn't show in MVJ, so I've been assuming it will show up in our account when we get on board.

Welcome to Viking!

 

In the before times, we never saw it until we were onboard. Usually a card in the room and then it would show up on the app/tv a day later. However, on our cruise last July in Iceland, when we booked excursions before departure, the Viking system deducted the cost from the shipboard credit.  
 

Just an fyi for future cruises (based on your sentence it doesn’t sound like you’re particularly tied to he/she) if the TA isn’t providing Viking’s max allowable credit you might want to look around. FYI-Viking allows up to $150 pp for cruises of 7 nights or less, $300pp for 8-14 nights, and $500 for cruises over 15 nights. 

If you haven’t already, you might want to Check out this thread:  

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2416372-tips-for-new-viking-ocean-cruisers/page/62/#comment-62141739

 

[Heidi13]

Same as Clay. We didn't see our TA's OBC until we boarded the ship and checked the account.

[basenji56]

8 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Same as Clay. We didn't see our TA's OBC until we boarded the ship and checked the account.

On December 13th, I didn't see them when I boarded the ship but they showed up a day later.  

[CILCIANRQTS]

I have to disagree that OBC from your TA should be a primary factor in agent selection or retention.

We’ve had absolutely great service from our TA over the years and she offers us no OBC. She has saved us thousands and secured OBC and discounts from Viking for us however, including price drops without rebooking.

My take is that the mega-agencies offer OBC because their basic service is so spotty. I’d much rather have a dedicated and professional TA working for me than some newbie in a big agency.

Plus, $150 wouldn’t sway my long-term relationship with a solid TA.

YMMV.

[Clay Clayton]

2 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

I have to disagree that OBC from your TA should be a primary factor in agent selection or retention.

We’ve had absolutely great service from our TA over the years and she offers us no OBC. She has saved us thousands and secured OBC and discounts from Viking for us however, including price drops without rebooking.

My take is that the mega-agencies offer OBC because their basic service is so spotty. I’d much rather have a dedicated and professional TA working for me than some newbie in a big agency.

Plus, $150 wouldn’t sway my long-term relationship with a solid TA.

YMMV.

I am confused, you say your agent doesn’t offer OBC but in the next sentence you state the agent has provided onboard credit. Additionally you state they have gotten discounts from Viking.  You’re the first report I have seen of Viking discounting fares via an agent. We have gotten discounts via Viking promos but those were available to anyone on Viking’s email list.  Based on your post, I may be emailing you!
 

I personally have never enjoyed working with a travel agent (had a dedicated in-house one when I was working) since until the Vulcan mindmeld is perfected it’s impossible for any agent to know what and what isn’t acceptable to me, which means either they spend inordinate amounts of time and tell me all the possibilities (which is what I do) or I only hear about what they think works for me.  
 

Therefore, for me, an agent is really only for booking what I’ve already decided I want, going to bat when there is an issue, and providing b the best deal possible.  So far we have been pleased with ours. Since we typically do longer cruises, the shipboard credit is usually $300pp which covers the daily service charge and leaves a little which either gets drunk or if we have SS gets refunded after the cruise. 
 

I recognize  that perhaps I haven’t found the right travel agent yet but given we don’t travel all that much and as a retiree what else do I have to do except research, I’m happy with our current arrangement but always interested in hearing about others arrangements. 
 

 

[NewSalty]

Thanks all for the quick answers!

 

And yes, we did receive the max OBC, which is really all the more I want out of a TA.  With so much info and booking capabilities online these days, plus wonderful sources to advice (like Cruise Critics!), I'd rather deal direct as much as possible. 

[CILCIANRQTS]

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

I am confused, you say your agent doesn’t offer OBC but in the next sentence you state the agent has provided onboard credit. Additionally you state they have gotten discounts from Viking.  You’re the first report I have seen of Viking discounting fares via an agent. We have gotten discounts via Viking promos but those were available to anyone on Viking’s email list.  Based on your post, I may be emailing you!
 

I personally have never enjoyed working with a travel agent (had a dedicated in-house one when I was working) since until the Vulcan mindmeld is perfected it’s impossible for any agent to know what and what isn’t acceptable to me, which means either they spend inordinate amounts of time and tell me all the possibilities (which is what I do) or I only hear about what they think works for me.  
 

Therefore, for me, an agent is really only for booking what I’ve already decided I want, going to bat when there is an issue, and providing b the best deal possible.  So far we have been pleased with ours. Since we typically do longer cruises, the shipboard credit is usually $300pp which covers the daily service charge and leaves a little which either gets drunk or if we have SS gets refunded after the cruise. 
 

I recognize  that perhaps I haven’t found the right travel agent yet but given we don’t travel all that much and as a retiree what else do I have to do except research, I’m happy with our current arrangement but always interested in hearing about others arrangements. 
 

 

We get OBC on our statement that does not conform to Viking allowables and never any note that our TA was happy to provide it.

We also get generic discounts on the statement that seem to be pricing concessions by Viking.

I agree fully that anyone can book a cruise, but the true value of a TA is when the excrement hits the fan and someone needs to fix it.

Thank goodness we all have different perspectives.

[Heidi13]

13 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

I have to disagree that OBC from your TA should be a primary factor in agent selection or retention.

We’ve had absolutely great service from our TA over the years and she offers us no OBC. She has saved us thousands and secured OBC and discounts from Viking for us however, including price drops without rebooking.

My take is that the mega-agencies offer OBC because their basic service is so spotty. I’d much rather have a dedicated and professional TA working for me than some newbie in a big agency.

Plus, $150 wouldn’t sway my long-term relationship with a solid TA.

YMMV.

 

So true. Especially when you consider some of the complaints we have recently received regarding FCV. A competent TA will fully explain the situation and permit making an informed financial decision.

[Heidi13]

8 hours ago, NewSalty said:

Thanks all for the quick answers!

 

And yes, we did receive the max OBC, which is really all the more I want out of a TA.  With so much info and booking capabilities online these days, plus wonderful sources to advice (like Cruise Critics!), I'd rather deal direct as much as possible. 

 

I would like to consider myself reasonably well informed, but I certainly won't book a cruise without using a competent TA that I know & trust. Lots of things I can research, but the TA is working for me, whereas the Viking employee is a sales person working for Viking, not for me.

[Squawkman]

12 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

I would like to consider myself reasonably well informed, but I certainly won't book a cruise without using a competent TA that I know & trust. Lots of things I can research, but the TA is working for me, whereas the Viking employee is a sales person working for Viking, not for me.

Not true. Viking agents are commissioned for sales just like TAs. And like TAs, there are great ones who work for you and others to avoid. We have used the same Viking agent for over 4 years who has bent over backwards to,advocate for us. Last week, I rebooked a cruise paid for primarily with vouchers and saved a net of $600 keeping all details (and cabin) as we originally booked over a year ago. And that was just last week.