Online TA

[eyoreblu]

Not sure how ask this. I have 2 previous cruises with HAL and have booked directly through them. One cruise got a great upsell the other cruise got no offers. Am looking to book another cruise but booking through an online TA I can get some shipboard credits. Does anyone know if you book through an online TA with no live people, what are your chances of getting an upsell and from whom since they must go through your TA? Just a little confused about how that works!

[KirkNC]

I do not believe it makes any difference at all going through a TA.

[Randyk47]

Not sure how ask this. I have 2 previous cruises with HAL and have booked directly through them. One cruise got a great upsell the other cruise got no offers. Am looking to book another cruise but booking through an online TA I can get some shipboard credits. Does anyone know if you book through an online TA with no live people, what are your chances of getting an upsell and from whom since they must go through your TA? Just a little confused about how that works!

 

If an upsell offer is forthcoming it wil come through your on-line TA. Hard to say if you'll get an offer or not as there are a lot of factors at work. Personally I've booked just about every way you can for several cruises over 20 years and have gotten only one upsell offer and it was through an on-line agency.

[NoobCruise]

I don't know about upsells, but if you use the online TA just for the OBC, make sure you book one of the rooms that qualifies. We used one of the big ones for our last cruise, clicking on the link for the onboard credit. While looking at the deckplans to pick our cabin, we spotted an aft corner available and on impulse, booked it. It wasn't one of the cabins that qualified for the OBC. We had an awesome cabin though ;)

[eyoreblu]

I don't know about upsells, but if you use the online TA just for the OBC, make sure you book one of the rooms that qualifies. We used one of the big ones for our last cruise, clicking on the link for the onboard credit. While looking at the deckplans to pick our cabin, we spotted an aft corner available and on impulse, booked it. It wasn't one of the cabins that qualified for the OBC. We had an awesome cabin though ;)

 

Thanks for that advice, would not have checked!

[FredT]

Booked the transatlantic leaving Barcelona later this month (Straight through HA) Have gotten three offers for upgrades so far...

[molly2kit]

Holland America cruise last December booked through online TA - got a great upsell offer which we took and then another upsell which we didn't -

 

Only difference is that they don't email you, they email the agent who then contacts you.

[vicocala]

I called my agent just yesterday asking about this. They said they always list their customers as subject to upgrade unless a customer specifies a particular cabin and requests that they not.

[MS7777]

I only use online TA's because I generally get between 12-15% off the HAL direct price. Occasionally get OBC's but prefer just the lower price upfront. We have gotten 4 upsells - 1 ea in our klast 4 cruises but NOT because the TA called me. I start watching the prices pretty religiously about 45 days out, checking a bid type site as well as HAL and also noting on the CC Roll Calls if others are getting upsells. As soon as possible I then cal my online TA and have them check with HAL for an upgrade-upsell whatever. I just got moved from an SY guar to an SC suite on the Zuiderdam that way at $300 per person extra even as the full price thru HAL was over $500 per person. If you use an online TA you are on your own but if you don't mind that and are willing to spend a few minutes every few days you can save some serious money.

[Randyk47]

I only use online TA's because I generally get between 12-15% off the HAL direct price. Occasionally get OBC's but prefer just the lower price upfront. We have gotten 4 upsells - 1 ea in our klast 4 cruises but NOT because the TA called me. I start watching the prices pretty religiously about 45 days out, checking a bid type site as well as HAL and also noting on the CC Roll Calls if others are getting upsells. As soon as possible I then cal my online TA and have them check with HAL for an upgrade-upsell whatever. I just got moved from an SY guar to an SC suite on the Zuiderdam that way at $300 per person extra even as the full price thru HAL was over $500 per person. If you use an online TA you are on your own but if you don't mind that and are willing to spend a few minutes every few days you can save some serious money.

 

Pretty much our experience. :)

[kazu]

I only use online TA's because I generally get between 12-15% off the HAL direct price. Occasionally get OBC's but prefer just the lower price upfront. We have gotten 4 upsells - 1 ea in our klast 4 cruises but NOT because the TA called me. I start watching the prices pretty religiously about 45 days out, checking a bid type site as well as HAL and also noting on the CC Roll Calls if others are getting upsells. As soon as possible I then cal my online TA and have them check with HAL for an upgrade-upsell whatever. I just got moved from an SY guar to an SC suite on the Zuiderdam that way at $300 per person extra even as the full price thru HAL was over $500 per person. If you use an online TA you are on your own but if you don't mind that and are willing to spend a few minutes every few days you can save some serious money.

 

You have a better on line TA than I used to - HAL didn't even send them upsells or upgrades (or so they claimed). I knew what was out there but had no chance to get it. Now I use a TA who knows HAL well and has been enormously helpful to us. We might not be saving as much but we have fabulous service:D service to me is worth something:D Each to their own - I prefer to deal with someone who is caring.:D

 

Smooth seas:)

[eyoreblu]

The only difference right now is the OBC of $165. I am a control freak so I am not sure that is worth it as I would prefer to book with HAL direct and keep a watch out myself.

 

Thanks so much for all the input.

[Syran]

Might want to check Cruise Compete, and see what some TA's there come up with.

[Randyk47]

The only difference right now is the OBC of $165. I am a control freak so I am not sure that is worth it as I would prefer to book with HAL direct and keep a watch out myself.

 

Thanks so much for all the input.

 

This is not a challenge or meant as anything other than a question but I've seen several CC'er post over the years that they feel more in control if they book directly with a cruise line rather than a TA. Maybe I'm personally missing something but I've never felt that I don't have control of my booking through my TA so I kind scratch my head over what, if anything, am I missing? Granted we've never booked a guarantee and we've never changed cabins or cabin categories after booking so it's not like there's been much to manage. We have canceled two cruises over the years but again working through the TA was not an issue or problem. I do watch prices and sales, etc., and indeed got two fare discounts and an increased sales incentive OBC on our last cruise but that was handled through the TA again without any issue. I simply noticed the sales or incentive and contacted them to get those changes made to our booking. I don't know how or even if it could have been any easier if I'd been dealing directly with the cruise line. The rest of the cruise related options, like shore excursions, were handled through the cruise lines on line booking system which is available to all passengers regardless of how they booked their cruise so again I see no advantage. Oh....and I'm a control freak myself. :o:D

[tangerinebunny]

We decided to try a HAL PCC for our December Westerdam cruise. We picked the room we want and firmly said, 'No upgrade.'

 

Guess who called today with a done deal upgrade?

 

We'll go with it and go back to booking for ourselves in the future.