Transferring booking to a TA

[TriumphGuy]

I booked a cruise yesterday during the $1 deposit promo directly with Princess. I see some that say they will transfer the booking to their TA, which I assume is travel agent? Why would one do this? What's the advantage?

[Ofmyheart]

I recently transferred a cruise booking to a TA. She is a preferred TA and was able to give me additional OBC.

[BEAV]

The advantage may be the TA can offer lower pricing than you've booked with Princess, or "amenities" such as shipboard credits, prepaid gratuities, etc. These ameneties all add to the bottom line when looking at the total cost of your vacation.

 

An example would be a 15 night cruise priced at $7,500 that a TA is selling for $800 less. The TA may have contracted group rates and/or they are discounting by giving back to you some of their commission.

[magnolia888]

I just booked a cruise with the Twice as Nice promotion, with Princess offering $500 OBC. My TA offered a slightly lower price, included the Princess OBC, and then added an additional $675 OBC on top. So we'll have $1175 OBC on this cruise. It's 15 days, so I think we'll manage to use it up. :D

[jsg4535]

How would I go about moving my booking to a TA? I currently booked direct with Princess for my Oct. cruise and would love to make sure I get the best deal. Thanks

[Colo Cruiser]

How would I go about moving my booking to a TA? I currently booked direct with Princess for my Oct. cruise and would love to make sure I get the best deal. Thanks

 

 

Tell Princess the agency/phone number, then let your TA know you are doing this.

[TriumphGuy]

I just booked a cruise with the Twice as Nice promotion, with Princess offering $500 OBC. My TA offered a slightly lower price, included the Princess OBC, and then added an additional $675 OBC on top. So we'll have $1175 OBC on this cruise. It's 15 days, so I think we'll manage to use it up. :D

 

Wow! That right there will prompt me to call my TA tomorrow. I thought the $720 Princess gave me was a great deal! Ours will a 15 day cruise also.

I used VTG on our last cruise, any idea how they are about this?

[Colo Cruiser]

I booked a cruise yesterday during the $1 deposit promo directly with Princess. I see some that say they will transfer the booking to their TA, which I assume is travel agent? Why would one do this? What's the advantage?

 

 

A 10-12% discount and some possible OBC.

[RocketMan275]

How would I go about moving my booking to a TA? I currently booked direct with Princess for my Oct. cruise and would love to make sure I get the best deal. Thanks

 

How long have you had this cruise booked? I think there is a limit on how long you can wait before you transfer the booking? Sixty days?

[RocketMan275]

How would I go about moving my booking to a TA? I currently booked direct with Princess for my Oct. cruise and would love to make sure I get the best deal. Thanks

 

This post was so good, I thought I would post it twice. Sorry.

 

How long have you had this cruise booked? I think there is a limit on how long you can wait before you transfer the booking? Sixty days?

Edited March 2, 2016 by RocketMan275

[JF - retired RRT]

How long have you had this cruise booked? I think there is a limit on how long you can wait before you transfer the booking? Sixty days?

Pretty sure the cut-off date is final payment.

[Plant]

Even if our TA can't give us OBC or anything else, we're happy to have her to run "interference" if we need it.

[jennybenny]

Sure, your TA might be able to give you OBC, but I prefer to keep my booking with Princess because if the price goes down, I want to be able to call directly and get the lower price (if it's prior to final payment). I want to receive an upsell, or upgrade offer, and I want to be in charge of my own destiny. I myself don't like to call one person (TA), who then call's princess, who then calls me back....

 

I have had two cruises transferred to a TA, one because my cousin wanted to use her TA for our upcoming cruise and I couldn't tell her no (she wanted that extra OBC the TA was offering), and so the next one I also transferred because she said she had OBC, but it did not show up on the booking. I'm not going to be snooty about it, and don't want to deal with HOW to transfer back to Princess, but I won't be doing it again. My mistake for transferring in the first place.

 

It's an individual preference though. Some people like a TA's knowledge on what to book and excursions. So, it's how you prefer to manage your vacation. I prefer to be in control of mine. Even the invoices the TA send me don't match the invoices Princess would send. It makes it more complicated to check on sales.

 

I've also heard some TA's will pocket the discount as their "fee", and apparently that is acceptable.

 

To each his own. :)

[lolane1]

I've stayed with Princess just as JennyBenny suggests, so that I can take advantage of rebooking (often multiple times) at lower prices. A TA sometimes charges a fee for each rebooking. Then, just before final payment, I check my favorite TA for additional perks (OBC or lower prices) and make a decision to move the booking or not.

[caribill]

I've stayed with Princess just as JennyBenny suggests, so that I can take advantage of rebooking (often multiple times) at lower prices. A TA sometimes charges a fee for each rebooking. Then, just before final payment, I check my favorite TA for additional perks (OBC or lower prices) and make a decision to move the booking or not.

 

Then you are using the wrong TA.

 

The ones I use are very happy to re-price when there is an opportunity to do so. Yes, a lower price cuts their commission. Yes, they spend some time doing it. But they know they have a customer who will probably give them future business.

[wheezedr]

Sure, your TA might be able to give you OBC, but I prefer to keep my booking with Princess because if the price goes down, I want to be able to call directly and get the lower price (if it's prior to final payment). I want to receive an upsell, or upgrade offer, and I want to be in charge of my own destiny. I myself don't like to call one person (TA), who then call's princess, who then calls me back....

 

I have had two cruises transferred to a TA, one because my cousin wanted to use her TA for our upcoming cruise and I couldn't tell her no (she wanted that extra OBC the TA was offering), and so the next one I also transferred because she said she had OBC, but it did not show up on the booking. I'm not going to be snooty about it, and don't want to deal with HOW to transfer back to Princess, but I won't be doing it again. My mistake for transferring in the first place.

 

It's an individual preference though. Some people like a TA's knowledge on what to book and excursions. So, it's how you prefer to manage your vacation. I prefer to be in control of mine. Even the invoices the TA send me don't match the invoices Princess would send. It makes it more complicated to check on sales.

 

I've also heard some TA's will pocket the discount as their "fee", and apparently that is acceptable.

 

To each his own. :)

 

One reason your TA's OBC did not show on your booking is that they often pass it along as a "gift" which you do not receive until actually onboard. This is how my TA has always done it. At first I was also concerned but on every cruise the offered OBC has always appeared

[lolane1]

Then you are using the wrong TA.

 

The ones I use are very happy to re-price when there is an opportunity to do so. Yes, a lower price cuts their commission. Yes, they spend some time doing it. But they know they have a customer who will probably give them future business.

 

It's not a wrong choice if the perks are better than a TA who doesn't charge. I mentioned it because people should be aware of rebooking fees when using a TA. It pays to shop around.

[TravelingEA]

Pretty sure the cut-off date is final payment.

 

Once you make your final payment, even if it before it is due, you cannot transfer to a TA.