Discounts/OBC offered by TAs?

[kymbakitty]

I know the days are over when you went online saw a cruise for say $5,000 and called your favorite TA and they gave you at LEAST a %10 off the top discount.

 

Many cruise lines don't have those types of commissions anymore but there are some cruise lines that do. I think RCI opted out awhile ago.

 

So here is my question. If you see a cruise you like on RCI's website and it cost $7,000 with port and tax for two of you, do you get any discount at all off the price you are quoted on line? If not, you probably get OBC. Do you know how much OBC you would get for that amount spent on a cruise?

 

I'm not sure if going with a TA is really beneficial anymore if they give me the same price I can get myself directly by contacting RCI. I think they may have discretion in OBC though...but what would be a fair amount for a $7,000 cruise?

 

Thank you.

 

Dawn

[brianhodgson]

id say $400

[MagicMike]

Royal has strict guidelines for travel agents regarding On Board Credits. On a 6-9 night cruise the maximum per the guidelines that can be offered is $150.00 per stateroom and it can not exceed 10% of the value of the cruise. On longer cruises it is $200

[brianhodgson]

Royal has strict guidelines for travel agents regarding On Board Credits. On a 6-9 night cruise the maximum per the guidelines that can be offered is $150.00 per stateroom and it can not exceed 10% of the value of the cruise. On longer cruises it is $200

 

 

There is numerous outlets offering over that for 7 day cruises... I doubt they are all doing it illegally.

[Beachin2]

The average we get is right at 8% of the cruise fare - excluding taxes, port fees, insurance & gratuities. Has been that way for last several years with the TA we use.

[Sitzmark]

Royal has strict guidelines for travel agents regarding On Board Credits. On a 6-9 night cruise the maximum per the guidelines that can be offered is $150.00 per stateroom and it can not exceed 10% of the value of the cruise. On longer cruises it is $200

 

my OBC for our 7 night cruise was $235, it did drop to $215 after I got the fair lowered, but still well over $150.

[jelayne]

Royal has strict guidelines for travel agents regarding On Board Credits. On a 6-9 night cruise the maximum per the guidelines that can be offered is $150.00 per stateroom and it can not exceed 10% of the value of the cruise. On longer cruises it is $200

 

This may be old information. We have 2 cruises booked with a on-line TA, each in the $7 - 7.5 range. Our OBC is 8.5% of the fare before taxes & port fees.

 

You can also occasionally get a better fare from a large TA is they have booked a group of cabins. Could have saved about $350-$400 on each of the above cruises but didn't like the location of the cabins so booked outside of the group.

[cruisegirl1]

We get 8-10% OBC based on the cruise only portion of the fare. For our 2 week (Celebrity) European cruises ( often in a nicer cabin) - it is a good chunk of change.

 

The basic cruise pricing is the same if I book with a TA or RCI/Celebrity.

 

I generally book with RCI or Celebrity and then transfer to as TA prior to the date deadlines.

 

M

[Labbiemomx2]

We are cruise newbies. Just booked with RCI via phone yesterday but would love to transfer it to get some OBC. Do we just call a TA and they can transfer it?

[Clarea]

We are cruise newbies. Just booked with RCI via phone yesterday but would love to transfer it to get some OBC. Do we just call a TA and they can transfer it?

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=323&faqSubjectName=After+You+Purchase&faqId=2004

[Sitzmark]

We are cruise newbies. Just booked with RCI via phone yesterday but would love to transfer it to get some OBC. Do we just call a TA and they can transfer it?

 

You have to transfer within 60 days of the original booking. There is a form you can download from RCI that you need to fill out and fax back to them.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/rci_transfer_form_august2013.pdf

 

Then after about 3 days, contact your agent and they can pull the booking in. This is how we did it.

[CroozeAddict]

Royal has strict guidelines for travel agents regarding On Board Credits. On a 6-9 night cruise the maximum per the guidelines that can be offered is $150.00 per stateroom and it can not exceed 10% of the value of the cruise. On longer cruises it is $200

 

Hmm ... we got $450 for a 10 night Alaska cruise-tour (3 land / 7 sea).

[kymbakitty]

Hmm ... we got $450 for a 10 night Alaska cruise-tour (3 land / 7 sea).

 

What percent was $450 from your cruise/tour cost?

 

If it was approx $5700, then it seems that 8% does appear to be the going rate for a TAs OBC.

[brianhodgson]

the 8%-10% sounds right,,, the max of $150 is not right.

[kymbakitty]

the 8%-10% sounds right,,, the max of $150 is not right.

 

Thanks Brian....that's what I was figuring (I knew the caps were incorrect, just from my own personal experience, but I wasn't sure about the percentages.

 

So, if someone contacts the cruiseline directly, and pays approximately $5,000 for their cruisefare, that would just be kissing $400-$500 good-bye for absolutely no gain/benefit whatsoever. Of course any other benefits the cruiseline would be offering would likely also be given by the TA as well.

 

Wow.....that's a lot of $$ to kiss goodbye.

[Raenstoirm]

Royal has strict guidelines for travel agents regarding On Board Credits. On a 6-9 night cruise the maximum per the guidelines that can be offered is $150.00 per stateroom and it can not exceed 10% of the value of the cruise. On longer cruises it is $200

 

Platinum amex travel direct from the amex website.

 

Cruise Privileges benefits aboard Royal Caribbean

$300 shipboard credit (for suites and above) or two-category stateroom upgrade (depending on ship, category booked and availability)

Dinner for two in a specialty restaurant: Chops Grille, Giovanni's Table, Samba Grill or Portofino (for ships without a specialty restaurant, receive a $50 per stateroom spa credit)

Bottle of premium champagne or wine

1 extra Membership Rewards point on each dollar you spend per booking

 

 

And the amex deal is very combinable. We have a $600 OBC for next week because of the $300 amex and the $300 RCCL deal.