Travel Agent Question

[roothy123]

This may be a dumb question, but I'll ask it anyway, as I know at least one or two people will reply! I have booked a South American cruise in Feb. A friend who lives in Buenos Aires mentioned that I could get this same cruise from a well-known (or at least well advertised) online travel company if I go Jan. 2nd instead of Feb. 19th. I looked at the site, and the difference between Oceania's web site and this site was $1100 for an ocean-view cabin! Is this possible, just a bait and switch tactic, the agency's quote without air fare, the agency's quote that contains a ship-board credit, or what? I have always assumed that travel agents have to go to Oceania for bookings, and that they couldn't buy up cabins in advance. Is this correct?

[LHT28]

January cruise may be cheaper than the Feb date check Oceania website for price differences.

Also some internet agencies quote Cat D as ocean view prices

..not sure what Cat you are comparing

[LHT28]

A moot point, as they seem to be wait listed or sold out for the lower CAT cabins on those cruises

 

I had an idea that maybe they were higher because of Carnival in Rio.... it is usually Feb but in 2011 it is early March

 

Lyn

[meow!]

the agency's quote without air fare,

Travel agency quotes are usually without air. I don't know how much is the air allowance for South America, but typically $800 to $1,000 for Europe. Depending on the volume the agency sells, it gets commission which it can give part to you.

 

Silversea, for example, gives the TA 13%, one agency (cannot be named) will refund the passenger 12%. We asked them how they made a living, and they said they would get volume bonuses, and on sepcial sailings for which they booked by the "block", the discount could be even higher.

 

Some other cruise lines, such as Celebrity and Azamara will not allow refunds. So agencies can give shipboard credit instead. For a voyage costing 2x$4,500, the shipboard credit can be $700 or so. Some discount agencies also provide good service, and as long as you are able to handle the booking process (and don't need a "full service agent" to lead you by the hand), look around and get good discounts. Call several agencies and find out how much each gives for Oceania!

[roothy123]

Hhmm..I was originally thinking they were quoting without the air, which would allow them to "discount" by a good amount of the $1100 difference, but if so, it doesn't look like that's the case for the Feb. 19 sailing, which was only $300 less than what Oceania was quoting for their lowest priced ocean view cabin. And Lynn, sorry, I don't know what cabin the cruise site was offering - it just said "ocean view." I suppose that could be one of the cabins with a porthole (Cat D?) in addition to the 2 Ocean view cats that Oceania has.

 

In any case, as you guys have said, it's really a moot point as most of the lower-priced cabins are sold out, but I was just curious! It's also really a moot point for me because the cabins we like (inside, believe it or not - OR sometimes B2 veranda) are wait listed for just about all of the "Samba" cruises. I'm sticking with the B2 on Feb. 19th, which includes air. The travel agency I used didn't discount much, but that's ok.

[wripro]

Also, in most cases cruises right after the holidays, just like those right before are less expensive since people normally prefer not to travel at those times.