Booking with Canadian Travel Agent

[Cruisennerable]

I have recently read about TA's offering OBC or other types of perks for transferring reservations or booking a celebrity cruise with them.

I am wondering if anyone from Canada has had this experience or is this just normal in the US?

 

Thanks

[Fouremco]

I have recently read about TA's offering OBC or other types of perks for transferring reservations or booking a celebrity cruise with them.

I am wondering if anyone from Canada has had this experience or is this just normal in the US?

 

Thanks

From what I've read on the boards over the years, Canadian TA's offer little in the way of OBC or other perks compared to their US counterparts. Our current TA, who works for a national agency, can sometimes offer some limited OBC if she can include us as part of a group booking. She also gives us a bottle of bubbly in our cabin. If I could find a TA that offered much better perks I might try them, but I'm very happy with the current one and I wouldn't change for a minor increase in perks.

[TeaBag]

You don't say where you are from but I'm thinking Canada? We are Canadians who book with a large on-line company based in NH. The have amazing group fares and if you transfer a booking from Celebrity they give very good perks on top of the Celebrity ones.. Sorry I can't be more specific as it is not allowed on here. Google and maybe you will find it.

[Cruisennerable]

You don't say where you are from but I'm thinking Canada? We are Canadians who book with a large on-line company based in NH. .

 

 

Yes Canadian thanks! What is NH, a location?

 

Thanks again

Edited October 18, 2015 by Cruisennerable

[Fouremco]

Yes Canadian thanks! What is NH, a location?

 

Thanks again

New Hampshire

[WpgCruise]

Our past experience is that few Canadian T.A.'s will provide very much in the way of perks. We have had gratuities paid, a bottle of wine, and a small OBC from different Canadian T.A's at different times.

 

For our upcoming February cruise, we had booked on board last year in CDN $$ with Celebrity then moved the booking to the large NH Travel Agent. They have provided prepaid gratuities and $150 OBC. The booking remains in CDN $$.

 

We don't need much in the way of service so I can't speak to the T.A's expertise in this regard, but after several bookings with them am satisfied with their perks. The downfall is they will levy a cancellation fee which they are firm about not waiving, however we haven't had to cancel a cruise since 2002 so it's within our risk tolerance should we need to.

Edited October 18, 2015 by WpgCruise

[Tangocherie]

I use a Florida based travel agency that allows bookings on Celebrity in $CAN and also ads onboard credit.

[Cruisennerable]

My cruise package already includes flight, gratuities, classic beverage package in a Veranda room which came to approx 5000CAD. I emailed a few TA's to ask if they would offer an incentive to transfer the package after finding out that it was an option. I have one agent asking me to tell her what I want indicating I must have something in mind when truly I am not sure what is fair to ask for in Canada. Does anyone have any advice what would be fair to request on an AI cruise. Without the flight the package would be approx 3900CAD

[Host Walt]

Can you give us a hint on this travel agency in Florida? I am thinking of booking on board in Canadian fund and transfer to a US agent. The travel agency in NH that I spoke to only book in US funds. Thanks

There appears to be a need to remind everyone about our posting guidelines.

 

Here's a pertinent part of the guidelines in respect to travel agents:

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Edited October 19, 2015 by Host Walt

[drakes2]

On my first cruise more than 11 years ago, I booked with a Canadian TA and never received so much as a bottle of wine. Since then I have booked with various US travel agents, always with substantial OBC, wine in cabin, and also dinner at a specialty restaurant. Sometimes I use a US credit card and sometimes my Canadian one, depending on the rate of exchange. Don't think I've actually booked in US funds since about 2008 though when we were almost at par. Whenever I have called a local TA here and inquired they always say they don't offer any type perks. Probably because the US does more volume. On my upcoming cruise in January I got such a fantastic deal on a balcony cabin, they price has gone up considerably since then and my category has now sold out.

I have recently read about TA's offering OBC or other types of perks for transferring reservations or booking a celebrity cruise with them.

I am wondering if anyone from Canada has had this experience or is this just normal in the US?

 

Thanks

[Elusive_Cruiser]

Our first cruise we used a local TA (as newbies). Received a bottle of wine and specialty dining. Used same one the following year, received a bottle of wine. Year three... nothing No longer a need for the T.A. - I watch our pricing better than they do anyway!

 

This year, had a large travel voucher gifted to us by DH's employer. Considered moving current booking over to them and asked what would be the benefits of doing so. The response was "we'll keep an eye on your booking and help you where required". Ended up using the voucher to book flights and have since removed them from that booking when they failed to advise us of a pretty major itinerary change.

 

It does appear that U.S. TA's are able to garner large OBCs and other perks and a few of my friends book through them to get these. IMHO, it would have to be a very very large OBC for me to lose control of my booking.

 

But then, I have an A-type personality :D

[Demonyte]

It does appear that U.S. TA's are able to garner large OBCs and other perks and a few of my friends book through them to get these. IMHO, it would have to be a very very large OBC for me to lose control of my booking.

 

 

We have used an US TA for years now and have always gotten about 10% of the total cruise price as OBC and/or as a discount - on top of everything that the cruise line offers.

 

For me that is plenty enough reason not to book direct - and I'm not losing the control, my TA is open 7 days a week (because of the time difference I usually prefer to email my rep) and only difference is that the rep making most changes is the TA rep instead of a cruise line rep.

 

Never had a problem with changes, price drops, etc. Just in March my TA got me a four figure refund as a future cruise credit after a significant price drop (after final payment!) with another cruise line.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Demonyte

[Grandmaanne7]

We currently have two cruises booked, both in CDN. One is with a Canadian TA and the other with an online US TA. We got great prices for both but the perks are far better with the American one. The key is to book onboard in CDN and transfer the booking within 60 days.

 

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[Cruisennerable]

I have spoke to them about a transfer today and they are new to it but trying to figure it out for my CAD booking. I was quoted verbally in CAD did the quote online via website allow for in CAD? Did the OBC show different online as opposed to what the cruise line offered?

Edited October 19, 2015 by Cruisennerable

[BrendaJ]

I have never received much more than a bottle of wine when booking with Canadian travel agents. I use a large American agency now and get significant onboard credit. Booking with an American company, you lose TICO protection, but my credit card provides enough protection that I'm willing to live without the TICO assurances.

 

The key is to find an agent to who is responsive and communicates in the medium that you prefer. I prefer to do everything except share my credit card information via e-mail, and the agent I use always responds to me quickly. The last Canadian agent I used would take days to get back to me via e-mail (she preferred the telephone), which I found unacceptable.

 

I'm sure there are many Canadian travel agencies that provide excellent service, but I am very happy with my always responsive American agent and the generous onboard credit I receive.

[Queen of Oakville]

I just noticed that on the weekend. I put in a dummy booking with them for my upcoming cruise to see if there'd be a savings and was happy to see that I still did a few bucks better with my Spring into Savings booking made early in February. :)

 

Very interesting!!! I have called the US # before and confirmed my ability to book direct. But I always found better deals with other agencies. I have two that I book with now; one in NH and one in AR.

 

 

 

I agree ... will trade off TICO for $$$. Never had to deal with TICO but I imagine it's a lot like TARION/ONHWP .... Every try to put in a claim with Tarion? Guess who they protect? The builders!!! I'd be curious to hear from anyone who ever had to get help from TICO!.

 

Cruising with friends next year on Oasis. I priced out a balcony for LESS than the "deal" they got on the inside with a CAD agent.

Edited October 19, 2015 by Queen of Oakville