Commission received by TA"s

.

In my opinion, you get what you pay for. .

 

I guess. I just received an upgrade from an inside cabin to a CP balcony and 225.00 OBC for nothing out of pocket by switching to a online TA. Yeah, there is a cancellation fee but IMHO, the perks outweigh that fee and unless some dire emergency happens I have no plans of cancelling.

 

I cant imagine going through a TA that offers nothing. Its too easy to book directly through the cruiseline for that same amount of "nothing".

 

To each their own I guess :)

Edited June 10, 2015 by ryano

I found out on our last Agent cruise booking they also get commission on the pre-paid beverage packages. We booked two cabins, applied the BOGOHO beverage package to only one cabin. Our local warehouse store that starts with C, gave us $285 for the cabin with the beverage package, but $210 without. With no other differences, the agent didn't even realize they got that additional commission.

I found out on our last Agent cruise booking they also get commission on the pre-paid beverage packages. We booked two cabins, applied the BOGOHO beverage package to only one cabin. Our local warehouse store that starts with C, gave us $285 for the cabin with the beverage package, but $210 without. With no other differences, the agent didn't even realize they got that additional commission.

 

I wonder if like Cruise Critic they have 2 CCs in their title.

I get no onboard credit from my TA either, but on each booking they give a bonus per cabin. Total of 130€ for two cruises. Not as close as some OBC some of them give, but they are awesome to work with. I email them with wishes, questions, etc and they do the rest. They also contact Royal Caribbean Germany for me. So much better than the first TA I used. They charged me 25€ to change staterooms. Didn't know better back then. I love my current one and no OBC could make me switch :)

Cindy

 

 

Verzonden vanaf mijn iPad met Tapatalk

To our foreign friends who state they've never get anything from their TA's, excuse my language, but you're getting screwed!:eek:

 

To everyone else who's getting nothing, ever, even if you're happy with your TA, you're getting screwed!:eek:

 

On last minute, or low cost/big sale cruises, the amount you'll get (should get) is less then a full fare cruise!

 

Reality, there are TA's who are excellent at getting you great deals, and giving you extras! :)

Wow. Does your grocery store give you a credit for buying your groceries there?

 

Yes. Its in the form of giving me X cents off per gallon of gas at their gas station. (The limit for that 'sale' is 20 gallons.)

"I get nothing from her other than fantastic service (she does send us wine and strawberries). I expect nothing from her except the service I need. I email or call and she does ALL the work. She fights for me to get me good deals. Twice she has gotten me good deals on suite upgrades that I was not qualified for (New booking only sort of thing).

It's her job and she does it extremely well. The commission is her livelihood. Why should she share it with her customers? Do you share your paycheck with frequent patrons? People come to you at whatever job you have because they like your service. Why should you have to "kick back" to them. You deserve your pay as you are the best at what you do."

 

 

In your first sentence you tell us you got a kickback, and then tell US not to want kickbacks. Sure the strawberries are free to her most likely, but the wine isn't. So you get something. Why encourage others to want nothing?

 

 

I book through our local warehouse agency. I know what I'm doing, I know what I want, I know what to expect. And I get OBC for it. I could do the exact same thing with Royal and get nothing. But why? Why not get a little something? I'll be able to buy my own wine onboard and order my own strawberries and still be able to pay for gratuities with the OBC.

 

Works for me!

 

 

 

ETA: I, too, sign up for my grocery store rewards programs. Got 50 cents/gallon off my last fillup there, and will get at least 40 cents off the next one. If I don't sign up for the program, I don't get that. Might as well sign up for it! And if one store has that deal and the other doesn't (but still charges the same for the groceries), guess which one I'm shopping at!

Edited June 10, 2015 by mollyeilis

Thinking back, on our first cruise on Holland America, our online TA gave us an OBC equivalent to 10% of the base tariff, came to $375. On two subsequent cruises on Carnival, we got the same deal. The second Carnival cruise was a 12-day Med cruise and we were in a suite so the OBC came to $500. On our upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise, we got a $200 OBC plus prepaid tips, plus they even emailed me when the daily gratuities went up to confirm that they would be covering the difference. And I love our TA - she works for a big online agency, is super knowledgeable and quick to answer all my emails. When she was out on maternity leave, she emailed me to pass on the name of her colleague who would handle her clients, in case I wanted to make a booking during that time. And I've never had to negotiate with her on OBC - it is what it is and its advertised on their Web site and anyone can take advantage of the deals they have.

 

I agree with the previous posters, if you aren't getting something from your TA, you're missing out. Although this may apply more in North America, I'm not sure if cruisers in other countries can get those deals. But in the US, it's definitely there for the taking.

I've been using the same online agent for years (15+) and I get great service. I would never book directly with the cruise line as her price is always less plus I do get an OBC, too. If she isn't in, she has people to handle anything that might come up. She was out of town and they emailed with a price reduction for my Med cruise this Fall.

If the TA wishes to give you OBC or something else, that comes out of their commission. So if they make $200 off your booking and give you $100 OBC, they are only taking $100 home in the end. If TA doesn't want to give you anything, they don't have to.

i'm Canadian and getting obc's are unheard of. what I had been doing is booking online with a us company to get the obc, after all its the same price whether we book here or there.

then one day I decided to look around locally and talk to t.a.'s as I passed their agency's. first agent looked at me like I had to heads and said no, they do not give obc's, no one does. second agency said pretty much the same with the same 'you have to be kidding me' look. third stop I decided to try a different approach. I told the agent that I wanted to book 'abc' cruise, what could she do. after she told me she could do nothing I told her I could get a $100 obc by booking with 'xyz' company. if she could match it then I would gladly book with her, if not, thank you for your time. I had that obc in no time. I have my sixth cruise booked with her now and i'm sure she is happy with the deal we made.

oh, she did ask me not to mention it to anyone because as a rule they don't do this. :cool:

 

moral of the story.....if your not getting an obc then ask for one. let them know you are looking for an agent who will give you one because you have lots of business to give that person.

 

jmo

Wow. Does your grocery store give you a credit for buying your groceries there?

 

Yes, I get 10% pensioner discount from my local IGA on Tuesday & Thursday! Guess what days I shop there! :D

I'm in Australia and for our last two cruises I have booked through a TA rather than RCI. I look up the best price I can get through the RCI website/including C&A and then ask my TA if she can do better. The first time she got me a better price and $300 OBC for two rooms. The last time she gave me a better price than RCI with all the discounts. It never hurts to ask but you need to ask before committing.

 

The OBC didn't come through the first time once we were onboard but she gave it back to me as a gift card so all was good.

 

(edit: and if rooms are in short supply, I put it on a courtesy hold and she takes it over once I've signed a form)

Edited July 1, 2015 by jenibor

from a travel agent...thank you! will tell share this with the office tomorrow!

Something I learned recently is that it seems like FCCs are not counted as commissionable, which seems very unfair to me. I'd always considered them like a gift voucher up until then.

[quote name='Thoie']Something I learned recently is that it seems like FCCs are not counted as commissionable, which seems very unfair to me. I'd always considered them like a gift voucher up until then.[/QUOTE]

whats an FCC? i know one you tell me i'm going to think 'Doh, I knew that' but right now i can't place it.

[quote name='tinkertwo']whats an FCC? i know one you tell me i'm going to think 'Doh, I knew that' but right now i can't place it.[/quote]
Future Cruise Credit, usually given as compensation when something went wrong on a cruise.

[quote name='clarea']Future Cruise Credit, usually given as compensation when something went wrong on a cruise.[/QUOTE]

i did not know that, thanks for explaining.

[quote name='tinkertwo']whats an FCC? i know one you tell me i'm going to think 'Doh, I knew that' but right now i can't place it.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='clarea']Future Cruise Credit, usually given as compensation when something went wrong on a cruise.[/QUOTE]

What she said :)

If a cruise cost $500, and you had an FCC for $100, I'd have assumed that the FCC just counts like a payment towards the $500, so your TA gets their full commission, everything else is normal, but your final bill would be $400.

It seems that the FCC actually discounts the cost of the cruise, so the cruise is considered as now costing $400, and your TA's commission is based on that.