Onboard Credit from your TA

[Knolmom]

I recently posed this question but it was buried deep in another thread and went unanswered. I see quite a few posts from folks with $300 or $400 onboard credit from their TA. How do you get a TA to extend you onboard credit and what is the customary formula or is there a set dollar amount, percentage or policy like free gratuities from agency to agency. Last year and the year before we sailed on the Solstice and Silhouette both 12 Night Med and got free gratuities one year and $350 onboard credit the next. Both sailings had cabins priced in total at about $3500. I am about to book a 14 day Baltic for next May with the same agency with cabins priced at about $7000 and at the last minute I asked about the OBC or other agency perks and he tells me $50... Yes $50 and that's it, nothing else.! He is ( OR WAS) also doing the air and 10 days land for us. I guess I will be taking my business elsewhere. I do see at least one online agency that is offering $400 OBC and another offering free grats, both in addition to pick your perk. By the way, my TA above is giving us $75 for a measley $2200 Allure booking in November. Go figure. How does this happen. He works for one of the largest online agencies. Have they become that perjurious?

[Scrapnana]

If it is not posted on the website, I think what the TA gives is pretty much up to them. For my last cruise, the OBC was posted on their website based on the total cost of the reservation. For my next cruise (different TA) it was a flat amount because they were running a cruise month special.

[Knolmom]

Thought I remember reading here awhile back that customarily it was a certain percentage of the cruise cost, like 8 to 10 %., or maybe free gratuities. Pretty sure $ 50 was for the 3 day party cruises. Frankly, I was offended.

[sandyss]

Our TA gives us OBC of approximately 8% of the cruise fare. It is refundable OBC.

 

She also does not charge for changes or cancellations, which is another very important factor to consider. For some cruises, we have requested cabin changes or requested price adjustments for sale, residence, or senior fares. We even transferred a deposit to another cruise, and she was able to keep the Celebrity OBC that had been applied to our original cruise.

[Iamthesea]

Our TA gives us OBC of approximately 8% of the cruise fare. It is refundable OBC.

 

She also does not charge for changes or cancellations, which is another very important factor to consider. For some cruises, we have requested cabin changes or requested price adjustments for sale, residence, or senior fares. We even transferred a deposit to another cruise, and she was able to keep the Celebrity OBC that had been applied to our original cruise.

 

We get the same services from our long time TA, but rarely do we receive any incentive from her personally. On our upcoming cruise, we will be getting the 1-2-3 Promo and a $500 OBC for Suite guest...FROM Celebrity. Nothing from TA. In fact, I cannot remember the last time we received anything from her. If we did, it was no more than $50. We obviously have been fine with that. I have found, while comparing apples to apples, those that are getting the OBC from TA's, are paying much more for the same cruise/stateroom that we are taking. ;)

[deise17311]

We use a huge online TA and get an average 13% OBC plus other perks...my suggestion is to call 2 or 3 online TA's and get quotes...

[deise17311]

I have found, while comparing apples to apples, those that are getting the OBC from TA's, are paying much more for the same cruise/stateroom that we are taking. ;)

 

This is untrue unless you live in another country maybe besides the US, all TA's sell the cabins at the same price, as this is policy from Celebrity...the discounts come from OBC, free dinners, grats, or the TA is taking a cut out of her/his commission to get your business...

 

If people paid more it is only because prices dip from Celebrity and people may book during different periods...all TA's sell at the same base price...

[phoenix_dream]

Agreed. Celebrity does not allow TAs to sell at discount prices. They have to give you the extra perks out of their commission, which must be fairly substantial based on some of the perks! On our March cruise, in addition to Celebrity perks we got our gratuities paid, an upgrade to a premium drink package (from the class Celebrity was offering) and a free soda package for our third person in the room. It really all depends on what sale is going on at the time, what sailings need to be filled and so on. I have been on cruises with land based TAs where all we got was good service. I did not feel insulted at all - it is my choice to accept whatever a TA offers or move on. Only large, high volume TAs can really afford to offer much in the way of perks. If anyone has found a small land based TA who can do that, never change as you have found a unique gem:)

[Happy2cruise]

Agreed. Celebrity does not allow TAs to sell at discount prices. They have to give you the extra perks out of their commission, which must be fairly substantial based on some of the perks! On our March cruise, in addition to Celebrity perks we got our gratuities paid, an upgrade to a premium drink package (from the class Celebrity was offering) and a free soda package for our third person in the room. It really all depends on what sale is going on at the time, what sailings need to be filled and so on. I have been on cruises with land based TAs where all we got was good service. I did not feel insulted at all - it is my choice to accept whatever a TA offers or move on. Only large, high volume TAs can really afford to offer much in the way of perks. If anyone has found a small land based TA who can do that, never change as you have found a unique gem:)

We booked a cruise on Celebrity with a large online agency and not only received many perks but did receive a discount price....guess we were lucky:D

[cruisestitch]

If a large agency is putting together a group for a cruise, the price you see may appear to be a discount from what an individual price would be. You may not even be aware that you are in a group rate, and may never see others in your group once on board, but that may be the source of your discounted price. Otherwise, as stated, Travel Agents are not allowed to offer discounted prices.

[Happy2cruise]

If a large agency is putting together a group for a cruise, the price you see may appear to be a discount from what an individual price would be. You may not even be aware that you are in a group rate, and may never see others in your group once on board, but that may be the source of your discounted price. Otherwise, as stated, Travel Agents are not allowed to offer discounted prices.

Thanks for your explanation, it makes sense. In the past, have used 2 small online TA's and have also gotten discounted prices both for Celebrity & Princess cruises.....whatever the reason, just happy with the discounts:D

[carolslc]

I'm feeling good about what I got now! This is my first cruise. We booked through a local (albeit big) TA. Great, personal service. We got OBC of 15%. We paid the same amount I would have paid if booking through Celebrity.

[Happy2cruise]

I'm feeling good about what I got now! This is my first cruise. We booked through a local (albeit big) TA. Great, personal service. We got OBC of 15%. We paid the same amount I would have paid if booking through Celebrity.

Hope you enjoy your cruise.....the first of many;);)

[Hlitner]

We book an awful lot of cruises (cruised 101 days in just 2012) and learned a lesson several years ago that holds well today. Our booking formula is simple and has saved us thousands of dollars (once saved $3000 on a single HA cruise). We just shop around among several large online TAs that are on our personal "short list" of preferred TAs (based on previous experience). Once we decide on a cruise and cabin category its just a matter or spending about thirty minutes on the internet pricing-out the cruise on 4-6 TAs and then comparing it to the cruise line's own site. In over 80 cruises there has only been one time where the cruise line's web site could match the best TA deal. These days, because many of the cruise lines (including X) have implemented strict price controls, the savings often come in the form of OBCs, pre-paid gratuities, free hotel rooms, etc.

 

Hank

[Knolmom]

My original TA's price is the same as the cruise line, plus the $50. OBC. Another large online TA is offering the same cabin at the same price with $400 OBC. A third is offering the same cabin at $500 less, with $50 OBC. They are all over the place so far. I know you can't post name names here but looking for some hints.

[ghstudio]

Some people want/need a lot of attention/help from their TA...and they should expect to pay more (or get less). If you do all your own work and are just booking it through someone, then you could reasonably expect more OBC. The real world is in between......but there are some that expect their TA to be available 24 hours a day for questions about how big are the towels in the bathroom...and then they expect a big OBC. Only you know how many demands you place on your TA and what you expect from them....but be realistic when you decide that they owe you more OBC.

[attilamom1217]

We book with a large TA that always offers OBC. Not sure of the percentage - I guess I can do the math - but the OBC does increase with the price of the cruise. For my upcoming cruise I got OBC from the TA in addition to the 123Go Promo from Celebrity.

 

The way this particular Travel Agency works is that the individual TAs receive a salary and their commissions are pooled by the company and used as OBC for their membership paying customers. It is a nice perk. I can't name the TA but check into some of the warehouse memberships as well as the large internet agencies. ;) Some of the smaller Travel agencies cannot afford to give up commissions in order to give booking incentives to its clientele.

[Celtic Fringe]

Hi

 

Do Travel Agents in the UK offer OBC?

[DebbieMacG]

Hi

 

Do Travel Agents in the UK offer OBC?

 

 

Rarely, I've seen it offered when its coming from Celebrity via the TA but usually not more than about $50 extra otherwise.

 

I once used an agency that offered perks such as in room bar set up or romance package but the prices were often high compared to other TAs and Celebrity themselves. :(

[Iamthesea]

This is untrue unless you live in another country maybe besides the US, all TA's sell the cabins at the same price, as this is policy from Celebrity...the discounts come from OBC, free dinners, grats, or the TA is taking a cut out of her/his commission to get your business...

 

If people paid more it is only because prices dip from Celebrity and people may book during different periods...all TA's sell at the same base price...

 

You misunderstood what I was saying. We usually book when a cruise becomes available and at the cheapest rate, or near the last minute (about 3 weeks before a cruise) and end up getting a lower rate than normal. :)

 

My TA is from a large online agency, but wouldn't mind getting recommendations for others. ;)