On board credits (OBC)

Ive taken many cruises and many have included some sort of OBC. My question is this: who actually pays the OBC? The Cruise Line or the Agent? Recently I was offered a cabin upgrade by the line but my TA told me that in doing so the cruise line would withdraw the modest OBC included with my former cabin. I found this hard to believe as I had a pretty clear understanding that the TA offers OBC from their commission.

Anyone have the real skinny?

I can speak only to Carnival. If the OBC was offered by Carnival at the time you booked and you subsequently want to take advantage of a price drop, you will lose that OBC UNLESS it is also currently being offered.

If you got the OBC from your TA you should discuss it with them.

Ive taken many cruises and many have included some sort of OBC. My question is this: who actually pays the OBC? The Cruise Line or the Agent? Recently I was offered a cabin upgrade by the line but my TA told me that in doing so the cruise line would withdraw the modest OBC included with my former cabin. I found this hard to believe as I had a pretty clear understanding that the TA offers OBC from their commission.

 

Anyone have the real skinny?

Some OBCs come from the agent, some from the cruise line. On my agent's invoices, the sources of the credits are clearly delineated. If they are not spelled out on yours, ask your agent explicitly who is providing the OBCs.

We have an OBC from our TA. Will I not see that until the cruise? I had thought I could see it in my cruise details but it’s not there.

Some is from the cruise line and other from the TA.

We have an OBC from our TA. Will I not see that until the cruise? I had thought I could see it in my cruise details but it’s not there.

TA OBC ( from their comm) will not show in your cruise lines personal info for your booking.

It will show as a Gift once onboard or may also be on a invoice that the TA may give you .

Other OBC comes from the cruise line:

Group Amenity OBC (chosen by TA from Group Amenity Points)

Shareholder OBC

Book Future OBC

Sale Promo OBC

Military OBC

Goodwill OBC

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On Princess, there is also the Loyalty OMC. It is $25 to $100 per cabin

It can come from either. Many times cruise lines will offer OBC as a bonus when you book. If you change booking terms later by trying to get a price adjustment or cabin upgrade, you can certainly lose the OBC.

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When we had a Carnival charge card (actually Barclay Bank) we would get $200 OBC, which we claimed, from them after spending $20,000. We weren't given it, we had to get it ourselves. (We were using this card to pay for rehabbing investment property.) We dropped it when the interest rate got too high though.

When we book on line with Carnival, we have gotten $25 OBC each. This is from Carnival.

On Princess, there is also the Loyalty OMC. It is $25 to $100 per cabin

This May we'll be on our 18th cruise with Princess, and we've never noticed any Loyalty OBC.

How many cruises before they start giving it??

It varies.

Some credits come from the TA, their office, their consortium or from the cruise line.

Keith

This May we'll be on our 18th cruise with Princess, and we've never noticed any Loyalty OBC.

How many cruises before they start giving it??

It starts when you have completed 20 cruise credits. Now to far to go.

Interesting replies. My question is what is an adequate OBC from a TA for say a 21-25 day booking?

Do TA's offset prices offered with OBC's (gifts) for net incentive being unchanged?

Has anyone compared online TA's for OBC's for same booking and found one TA very superior to another? Thanks

Definitely OBC can vary alot with different TAs for different cruises and even cruiselines. Definitely will vary based on price of cruise.

Depends on who gives it to you, the line, or the agent out of their commission

Interesting replies. My question is what is an adequate OBC from a TA for say a 21-25 day booking?

Do TA's offset prices offered with OBC's (gifts) for net incentive being unchanged?

 

 

Has anyone compared online TA's for OBC's for same booking and found one TA very superior to another? Thanks

Really more closely tied to the retail price of the cruise rather than the length. My TA basically provides 7-8% of the cruise charge. Not based on taxes and fees as those are generally non commissionable. On ocean cruise it has been as refundable OBC. On a Viking river it came as a gift card I received after the cruise. Certainly different TA’s may vary but I gave up shopping because I felt this was a reasonable return.

I am impressed by the speed of replies. My "newbie" (at least to Cruise Critic) take away is shop TA's and 5% OBC (gift Credit from TA) is on lower end of spectrum and probably too low. I also noted that this % is based on price before tax and fees. Thanks to all for replies. And it seems all have obeyed rule of not mentioning specific TA's.

It starts when you have completed 20 cruise credits. Now to far to go.

Paul, when you say "20 cruise credits", is that 20 cruises or is it the credits that accrue to move you through the loyalty levels Blue, Gold, Ruby, Platinum, Elite.....? Thank you.

It starts when you have completed 20 cruise credits. Now to far to go.

If we're still talking about Princess, how do they determine 'cruise credits'? My profile shows 13 cruises, 157 cruise days, and it shows $50 OBC (not including the Military credit). Nowhere does it state 'cruise credits'. Maybe the 'cruise credits' terminology is for a different cruise line?