Upsell offers from a travel agency

The only time I've taken an upsell was when I booked directly with Princess last year. It was a casino rate, so even if a TA had been able to give us 10 percent off, it wouldn't have been much. I booked direct since I could not contact my TA at the time. (But I did book through the big box when we did another casino rate cruise this spring and got a little bit of OBC.)

My regular TA forwards upsell offers. We've had them for about a quarter of our cruises booked through him.

I typically book my own cruise with Princess and transfer reservation over to a TA. Typically we use the Big Box TA but have on occasion used an Online agency TA. The OBC for both have always been refundable.

The Big Box TA re upsells has expressed that with the volume of cruises they book they can't keep up with the upsell offers. The offers come in via fax and they can't get to the faxes fast enough to get them to travelers before snatched up by others. This is just information they passed along to me when I asked years ago. I have snatched up upsells despite with big box TA. Best of which was move to Penthouse on HAL. have had a few others but the process is not easy. I need to find an online agency that I like that I can offer the upsells and the same amount of OBC as the big box.

The offers come in via fax and they can't get to the faxes fast enough to get them to travelers before snatched up by others. This is just information they passed along to me when I asked years ago..

My agent gets them via email and just resends them out. Maybe they are using a fax server but you would think a big box store would do this also (if they do come in via fax).

My agent gets them via email and just resends them out. Maybe they are using a fax server but you would think a big box store would do this also (if they do come in via fax).

Surprised to read that any agency, big box or not, is still faxing. I really don't understand why any agency or agent would not immediately pass along an upsell opportunity.

Surprised to read that any agency, big box or not, is still faxing. I really don't understand why any agency or agent would not immediately pass along an upsell opportunity.

Because Princess is sending the offers via fax.

They also send itinerary changes via fax as well, one per each reservation affected.

Sent from my iPhone while I probably should be working.

Surprised to read that any agency, big box or not, is still faxing. I really don't understand why any agency or agent would not immediately pass along an upsell opportunity.

Because Princess is sending the offers via fax.

They also send itinerary changes via fax as well, one per each reservation affected.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone while I probably should be working.

I really find it hard to believe that Princess only sends itinerary and upsell offers via fax.

The itinerary change on my last Princess Cruise was sent to me via e mail.

Surprised to read that any agency, big box or not, is still faxing. I really don't understand why any agency or agent would not immediately pass along an upsell opportunity.

I haven't asked for several years but when they addressed it years ago the theme was that they have so many clients and they cannot keep up with upsell offers and cannot offer that service despite being happy to move my cabin with an upsell when I called. So I called the day the upsells started and they called HAL and then I paid for upgrade. Same scenario with Princess as well. I have called Big box to initiate the upsell not them call me.

LOL I thought the same thing about fax last time I had to send princess shareholder info. I haven't sent in yet this year is it still the same rule...

not sure if big box is now receiving emails vs fax but with recent cruises it seems to be the same theme, I don't get called/emailed/faxed for upsells. I have been ok with that choice for the amount of benefits I have received.

I really find it hard to believe that Princess only sends itinerary and upsell offers via fax.

The itinerary change on my last Princess Cruise was sent to me via e mail.

I too received an email from Princess with the itinerary change, but my TA received the info before I did, via fax, which they forwarded to me.

Our TA (aligned with a major credit card company) offered a cash back rebate of 10% on our upcoming 10 night Eastern Caribbean cruise in Feb 2019. Hard to beat that deal, that's a substantial amount of money. Plus we got some OBC.

Sticking with board posting rules, I'm not looking for any specific recommendations, just general information about the terms used in this thread.

What is a big box agency versus an on-line agency (big, small or otherwise)? Examples of each?

Thanks

Sticking with board posting rules, I'm not looking for any specific recommendations, just general information about the terms used in this thread.

 

What is a big box agency versus an on-line agency (big, small or otherwise)? Examples of each?

 

Thanks

A big box agency is usually affiliated with a "big box" store. These are often stores where you have to purchase a "membership" in order to shop there and they sell things in large quantities....as well as some smaller sizes.Examples of big box stores would be things like Costco and Sam's Club. These agencies are not known for their service, but often give large amounts of OBC or store credit.

An on line agency is an agency that operates primarily on line. Some have a brick and mortar office where travel agents work but do a large amount of on line business. Others do not have an office where the agents come to work regularly; they may be a loose network of people working from home computers. The amount of service that they give varies widely. Some do nothing more than what you can do on line at the Princess site while others are truly full service agencies. Some discount from the Princess rates, some belong to umbrella groups that work with Princess to give small OBCs. Some specialize in one or two cruise lines but will book others for you, some work primarily or exclusively with one agency. Since I'd be naming agencies rather than stores, I think that is not permitted here.

I do my reservations through a big box TA (and occasionally get lunch for $1.50). For me, the OBC is the benefit. In May, our OBC for a 14 night HAL cruise was $1280. Our next Princess 12 night we get prepaid grats plus $1160 OBC. (Our OBC doesn’t include our Carnival Corp shareholder benefit)

If I book through Princess, I’m leaving a lot of money on the table. Also, I’m not interested in upgrade offers, I don’t want to change cabins after I book.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I do my reservations through a big box TA (and occasionally get lunch for $1.50). For me, the OBC is the benefit. In May, our OBC for a 14 night HAL cruise was $1280. Our next Princess 12 night we get prepaid grats plus $1160 OBC. (Our OBC doesn’t include our Carnival Corp shareholder benefit)

 

If I book through Princess, I’m leaving a lot of money on the table. Also, I’m not interested in upgrade offers, I don’t want to change cabins after I book.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Usually, that is the case but on this sailing, no OBC to speak of ... but a great price through Princess. They say they base the OBC on a percent of the base price of the cruise but it is really based on the commission. Because the deal was so good, no real commission so no measurable OBC either ... so no money left on the table for this sailing.

Usually, that is the case but on this sailing, no OBC to speak of ... but a great price through Princess. They say they base the OBC on a percent of the base price of the cruise but it is really based on the commission. Because the deal was so good, no real commission so no measurable OBC either ... so no money left on the table for this sailing.

Are you implying that a TA cannot at least get you the exact same price with all the same benefits that you can get from Princess when booking direct?

Usually, that is the case but on this sailing, no OBC to speak of ... but a great price through Princess. They say they base the OBC on a percent of the base price of the cruise but it is really based on the commission. Because the deal was so good, no real commission so no measurable OBC either ... so no money left on the table for this sailing.

We have fortunately never experienced this.The OBC at the big box TA is directly related to the amount paid and it increases and decreases based on the amount paid.If we take upsell the OBC has increased. If we get a last minute sail rate that is fairly low the OBC will likewise below but have never had it be zero thankfully

Is there typically a timeframe when the upsell offers go out? Should I contact my TA and see if anything has been offered? We embark Aug 6, so a little over a month from now..

We received an upsell offer on our last cruise from a mini-suite to a full suite, which we took. We use a regional TA that is not 'big box' but does enough volume to book group blocks, and they pass the savings on to their customers. I don't know their business model, all I know is every time we've used their services, we've gotten fares on the specific cabin of our choice for FAR less than the prices posted on Princess' website. In addition, we've always received OBC and prompt service on questions or changes. They communicated our upsell offer immediately and we accepted -- it was wonderful and I hope to get one again someday.

Our next cruise is booked for New England this fall, and our aft balcony cabin is $750 less per person than what is posted on Princess' website, plus OBC. We also booked under the Sip n Sail promotion and got the free drinks package. Win/win.

Are you implying that a TA cannot at least get you the exact same price with all the same benefits that you can get from Princess when booking direct?

No, not implying that at all. They would give me the price that I booked it with through Princess, they just could not give me any significant benefits to transfer it over to them. I lose some control over my own booking and the only OBC they could offer me (because the commission for this one was so low due to all the discounts I got), was $40 for the cabin. For me, that wasn't worth it for missing out on the chance to get an upsell or call the cruiseline directly to make any changes / requests. It might be worth it for some people, just not for me. There was another agency I called that would give me $75 but that was based on a referral and a loyalty credit....nothing as a percentage of their commission. I didn't go with them because they charge a cancellation fee.

No, not implying that at all. They would give me the price that I booked it with through Princess, they just could not give me any significant benefits to transfer it over to them. I lose some control over my own booking and the only OBC they could offer me (because the commission for this one was so low due to all the discounts I got), was $40 for the cabin. For me, that wasn't worth it for missing out on the chance to get an upsell or call the cruiseline directly to make any changes / requests. It might be worth it for some people, just not for me. There was another agency I called that would give me $75 but that was based on a referral and a loyalty credit....nothing as a percentage of their commission. I didn't go with them because they charge a cancellation fee.

Thank you for the clarification. I also would not transfer to a TA for $40-$70 savings or to one with a cancellation fee.

Is there typically a timeframe when the upsell offers go out? Should I contact my TA and see if anything has been offered? We embark Aug 6, so a little over a month from now..

If an offer is made, it should go to your TA and the TA should promptly pass it on to you. If you have a good TA, that is what will happen.