Commission Paid To Cdn Agent - What Is Reasonable OBC to Customer?

[ABoatNerd]

Greetings dearest Oceania experts!

 

Have just booked a March 2019 cruise "Imperial Majesty" which I wish to transfer to a Cdn travel agent who will help customize pre and post tours and air deviations etc. We are beyond excited!

 

The fare for the A1 is $20,000 US$ for 2 or about $27,000 Cdn $ (yes I know the currency conversion drives one to drink, and we did drink shortly after we booked !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

 

The TA in Toronto is willing to give us either OBC or cash back after the cruise. We wish the cash back option.

 

Being new to Oceania, what I do not know is:

 

Q1 - What is the Cdn $ commission my TA would receive?

 

Q2 - What is a reasonable Cdn $ cash back to me based on the booking cost of the cruise?

 

I am not greedy, but I am not interested in giving my TA excessive compensation.

 

Your analysis and expertise would be greatly appreciated.

 

Kindest Regards,

 

ABoatNerd

[ronrick1943]

I don't think anyone can give you an answer to your question. It's what your happy with, and the service you get from your TA.

[Mura]

Some of the Canadian posters may be able to help you more than the rest of us can. I have no idea what kind of commission any agent gets but I suspect it's dependent upon a number of factors. Maybe not just the price of your cruise.

[LHT28]

TA's can earn 10-20% depending on if they belong to a consortium that deals in volume sales with cruise lines, hotels/ resorts

How much will you pay for the extra service for you TA to do the leg work for your pre & post tours ?

The travel agent will not get the full commission it is usually shared with the company

So the big question is are you getting cash back from the Company or the TA?

How much would you be happy with getting back ?

[pete_coach]

I think that after you have paid Oceania, there is no more commission going back to the travel agent. The only money they will make from you comes form whatever else they arrange for you.

I am not positive but, I don't think Canadian travel agents kick back anymore. My agents have stopped so i stopped using agents and deal directly with the cruise lines.

[Kamloops50]

Greetings dearest Oceania experts!

 

Have just booked a March 2019 cruise "Imperial Majesty" which I wish to transfer to a Cdn travel agent who will help customize pre and post tours and air deviations etc. We are beyond excited!

 

The fare for the A1 is $20,000 US$ for 2 or about $27,000 Cdn $ (yes I know the currency conversion drives one to drink, and we did drink shortly after we booked !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).

 

The TA in Toronto is willing to give us either OBC or cash back after the cruise. We wish the cash back option.

 

Being new to Oceania, what I do not know is:

 

Q1 - What is the Cdn $ commission my TA would receive?

 

Q2 - What is a reasonable Cdn $ cash back to me based on the booking cost of the cruise?

 

I am not greedy, but I am not interested in giving my TA excessive compensation.

 

Your analysis and expertise would be greatly appreciated.

 

Kindest Regards,

 

ABoatNerd

 

When I used a TA I've never any OBC back. I've used about 6 different TA's in Canada.

[Hawaiidan]

There is an old saying that" you do not get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate"

Many of the posters here on this board have negotiated for OBC and various "revenue sharing" with our agents. . These vary with your long term loyalty and repeat business, The value of your cruising dollars to the agency.

Is this your first cruise with the agency, or do you book several trips or more a year with them. Are you a bargain basement shopper always booking the cheapest cabins or do you book verandas and penthouses normally? Whats the annual dollars you spend with that agent, and they can rely on you spending in future years to come all come into consideration

All relate to how valuable you are as a customer and how can they retain your business relation for the future:confused:

Its a business relation, when spending 25,000 on a cruise you should lay out your terms, not accept what an agent will offer. Would you make a full price offer on a house, a car? Why would cruises be different:rolleyes:

Generally speaking many people get anywhere from 7 to 12% of their fare in "considerations from their agent or agency. O does not prohibit this, but does prohibit the agent or agency from advertising this.

As a customer...nobody makes anything unless you make a purchase....you need to use that power to your advantage.

[pete_coach]

There is an old saying that" you do not get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate"

Many of the posters here on this board have negotiated for OBC and various "revenue sharing" with our agents. . These vary with your long term loyalty and repeat business, The value of your cruising dollars to the agency.

Is this your first cruise with the agency, or do you book several trips or more a year with them. Are you a bargain basement shopper always booking the cheapest cabins or do you book verandas and penthouses normally? Whats the annual dollars you spend with that agent, and they can rely on you spending in future years to come all come into consideration

All relate to how valuable you are as a customer and how can they retain your business relation for the future:confused:

Its a business relation, when spending 25,000 on a cruise you should lay out your terms, not accept what an agent will offer. Would you make a full price offer on a house, a car? Why would cruises be different:rolleyes:

Generally speaking many people get anywhere from 7 to 12% of their fare in "considerations from their agent or agency. O does not prohibit this, but does prohibit the agent or agency from advertising this.

As a customer...nobody makes anything unless you make a purchase....you need to use that power to your advantage.

As the thread starter said "which I wish to transfer to a Cdn travel agent who will help customize pre and post tours and air deviations etc.".

Although he never said where he bought the ticket but if he wants to transfer it to an agent, I suggest he bought it from Oceania?

[St Paul Girl]

Being a Canadian, eh, we just went through this process of deciding whether to use a Canadian or US TA. We found out that most, if not all of the CDN TAs would not discuss a discount with us. We then decided to book with a large volume US Oceania TA who was VERY generous with us. Oceania has CDN pricing on some cruises and this was one as well, but the US TA still beat the CDN pricing by a lot.

It was easier for us as we have a US based credit card and we buy a lot of US currency every year for other expenses that we have in the US.

No right answer for this person. Hope they find the right TA to deal with.

[Paulchili]

NB.

It is my understanding that if you already booked the cruise with Oceania, you must transfer the booking to your agent (US or Canadian) within 30 days of booking for the agent to receive their commission. You can transfer the booking later but the agent gets nothing from Oceania.

This is my understanding - others will correct me if this is not right.

[Carol From California]

NB.

It is my understanding that if you already booked the cruise with Oceania, you must transfer the booking to your agent (US or Canadian) within 30 days of booking for the agent to receive their commission. You can transfer the booking later but the agent gets nothing from Oceania.

This is my understanding - others will correct me if this is not right.

 

That is true. You must transfer the booking within 30 days. That being said, my TA gives 12% off in the form of a rebate.

[Jancruz]

That may end as cruise lines are talking about cutting commission back to 5% for all

Jancruz1

[LHT28]

That may end as cruise lines are talking about cutting commission back to 5% for all

Jancruz1

Is that for rebates or paid commission for TA's ??

[Kamloops50]

It's the agencies commission. They only get discounts if group cruise is booked.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[ronrick1943]

If that's the case better book now and get under contract.

[Kamloops50]

Currently in Canada different cruise lines pay different commission rates.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Caroldoll]

That cutback may not be a good thing for any of us.

[JimandStan]

Pigs get fat

Hogs get slaughtered-

[pete_coach]

Pigs get fat

Hogs get slaughtered-

Huh? :confused:

 

Inside joke??

[pinotlover]

Rather distasteful conversation. The OP claims not to be greedy, but doesn't want their TA to get "excessive " commissions! Notice how they didn't define excessive . I wonder if service counts at all, or just cash back?

 

Is this board an extension of that concept? How often have I read here "I don't want to bother my TA, so I'll ask here"? For me, that's what the TA is for, to ask questions that either they can answer or get directly from O, the actual source? But, if you're one of those that want something for nothing, squeeze the TA, then come here for a free answer.

 

My TA does provide free gratuities and a bit of OBC, along with excellent service. When I need information on a topic concerning O or Uniworld, I ask her and she goes to them and comes back with a written reply from the source, not varying opinions from a Board. It's like the Lady that wants to know if she can use her own clothes detergent on the ship! Why the hell doesn't she give her TA the exact detergent she wants to use and allow the TA to take that info directly to O for an answer? That's what a TA is paid to do! I'm happy to pay for that service. Is she scared of O's answer, or just prefer pages of pure speculation on the subject without ever getting the official answer?

 

I don't have a need to know what the Agency agreement with O is, nor my TA's payout percentages. As a past business owner, I understand that companies need to make a profit, and good employees deserve decent incomes. I'm not wealthy, but I don't book this cruise line vs another, or use one TA vs another over a couple hundred dollars in costs or kick backs. Some here obviously do. I'm happy with the services my TA provides and the extra benefits she/they provide me me.

 

I want the OP to define "excessive ", as used in her thread starter! Will be an interesting reply!

[Hawaiidan]

Huh? :confused:

 

Inside joke??

 

 

No just a statement of how business works..... in Canadian terms, those agents who are non discount, dont share and keep every dime for themselves are hogs, and their future is to get slaughtered If they were just pigs and shared they would get comfortable and fat.

Agents get all sorts of different commission book a inside one rate book a PH and even more for a OS... its a sliding scale. In addition, the commission can rise depending on the agency and agents volume and status, too group bookings The cruise lines reward business, The agent needs to pass down the fruit of that relation.... to you. Not be hogs:eek:

[ABoatNerd]

As the OP, thanks to everyone for your responses - there is a lot of knowledge on the Oceania board.

 

It seems to me that Cdn TA's will not offer much if anything to customers making a booking (this is my observation from this thread and many others on Cruise Critic). There is no competition, no sense of customer service and no volume discounts cause well, it is Canada.

 

We booked directly with Oceania to ensure we got the cruise and cabin we wanted. But at $25K Cdn, this is no small matter.

 

I have asked my preferred TA to tell us the $ amount back to us at the end of the cruise BEFORE I transfer the booking to her. She knows that we will do a air deviation and pre- and post travel likely with her Asia office. The TA is in Toronto. They do significant business with Asian folks in Toronto and she knows the scope of work. Waiting now for 24 hours.

 

I am hesitant to book with a US based internet agent cause of the air and pre and post travel - the basic point of having a bricks and mortar which is direct customer care, I have to pay for this via the commission. I would think that 5% back is reasonable given the service I will need from the TA (vs the up to 12% from an internet TA).

 

This is a good booking so I expect the Cdn TA's to at least provide something $ - maybe I am expecting too much.

 

ABoatNerd

[Hawaiidan]

As the OP, thanks to everyone for your responses - there is a lot of knowledge on the Oceania board.

 

It seems to me that Cdn TA's will not offer much if anything to customers making a booking (this is my observation from this thread and many others on Cruise Critic). There is no competition, no sense of customer service and no volume discounts cause well, it is Canada.

 

We booked directly with Oceania to ensure we got the cruise and cabin we wanted. But at $25K Cdn, this is no small matter.

 

I have asked my preferred TA to tell us the $ amount back to us at the end of the cruise BEFORE I transfer the booking to her. She knows that we will do a air deviation and pre- and post travel likely with her Asia office. The TA is in Toronto. They do significant business with Asian folks in Toronto and she knows the scope of work. Waiting now for 24 hours.

 

I am hesitant to book with a US based internet agent cause of the air and pre and post travel - the basic point of having a bricks and mortar which is direct customer care, I have to pay for this via the commission. I would think that 5% back is reasonable given the service I will need from the TA (vs the up to 12% from an internet TA).

 

This is a good booking so I expect the Cdn TA's to at least provide something $ - maybe I am expecting too much.

 

ABoatNerd

 

Your getting smart... your in the driver seat and they dont want YOU to know that.:rolleyes:

For a 25,000 cruise I would insist on a a OBC over and above what is advertised of not less than $2000-2200. either as OBC or an outright gift/rebate.

Search for Oceania Concierge club agents.:hearteyes:... and talk to them in the USA. make them an offer and be surprised...in a good way

[Jancruz]

Not always in a good way..

Jancruz1

[JimandStan]

Not always in a good way..

Jancruz1

 

+1

I have at least 3 acquaintances who have sailed with me on previous Oceania cruises who regularly ask me to intervene with a top Oceania Agent (perhaps THE TOP?), after getting themselves banned for demanding exorbitant kickbacks....er....rebates.

They miss the perquisites and above all the access which this agent provides. Money isn't everything.