OBC from TA

[piggybabymcpig]

This is the first time I have booked with a TA rather then with Princess. We are receiving OBC from the TA - does it show up on the cruise personalizer ? Thanks!

[MCC retired]

No . it will appear as a gift note in your cabin that OBC will be applied to your onboard acct.

[vampiress]

mine shows up in my cruise personalizer

[Musky Ike]

Ours has always shown on the personalizer.

[nukesubsailor]

We have always used a travel agent. We have been gifted many different things by her from the all inclusive beverage package, wine, specialty restaurant meals, spa treatments and onboard credit. Some of these gifts are shown on our cruise personalizer such as the AIBP and Travel Agent Grp Promotion OBC. Others are not on the personalizer but are shown by vouchers in our cabin on embarkation day.

[skynight]

This is the first time I have booked with a TA rather then with Princess. We are receiving OBC from the TA - does it show up on the cruise personalizer ? Thanks!

If the T.A.'s OBC is part of group package deals that is being offered by Princess for T.A.'s then it will show. If the T.A. is using their own resource it will be a gift OBC and will not show. You will get a gift card in your cabin on boarding day.

[cflutist]

There are two types of TA obc. One is non-refundable group obc that shows up in your personalizer. The other was "gift obc" that is refundable but does not get posted to your account until you are onboard. We received $1730 of gift obc from a big box TA on our last cruise that we were able to use for shorex. We have since changed TAs to one who discounts 10% off the fare upfront and gives a small amount of group obc. This works out much better for us since shorex must be prepaid now.

[lola2013]

Interesting...I received a very generous OBC from my travel agent. 2/3 of it shows on the personalizer, and then there is a note explaining that the balance will show when I board the ship. That will be in addition to the OBC that I'll get for the change to my itinerary on my March sailing.

[Colo Cruiser]

Some shows and some doesn't.

We have had some not show in the personalizer that did not show on the onboard account until a few days into the cruise.

[Astro Flyer]

Our TA purchased an "OnBoard Gift Credits" which is displayed under the Cruise Personalizer's "Onboard Reservations" tab at the bottom of the page.

 

The travel agency's group benefit (OBC) is displayed under the CP's "Payments & Credits" tab as: "Travel Agent Grp Promotion*.

 

The only credits not displayed in the CP for our cruises is the Loyalty credit which is issued onboard by the Captain's Circle host(ess).

[Shadow9612]

We received $1730 of gift obc from a big box TA on our last cruise

 

Slightly off topic, but WOW - $1730 gift OBC is impressive - congrats!

 

I keep seeing posts about big box TAs (and I know cc guidelines don't allow posting names) but I'm just so confused as to how to find these!

 

I usually book a future cruise while on board to get extra discounts or perks and then transfer to my usual travel agent who I've used for years. However, I never get these 'huge' OBC gifts so feel like I'm missing out!

 

If I do an on board booking, and then find a 'big box online TA', can I transfer my booking to them and still receive their bonuses?

 

Thank you for any guidance...

[Thrak]

Slightly off topic, but WOW - $1730 gift OBC is impressive - congrats!

 

I keep seeing posts about big box TAs (and I know cc guidelines don't allow posting names) but I'm just so confused as to how to find these!

 

I usually book a future cruise while on board to get extra discounts or perks and then transfer to my usual travel agent who I've used for years. However, I never get these 'huge' OBC gifts so feel like I'm missing out!

 

If I do an on board booking, and then find a 'big box online TA', can I transfer my booking to them and still receive their bonuses?

 

Thank you for any guidance...

 

If you have a membership card that allows you to shop at the big box then you can likely book with the agency in question. Yes, you can transfer your booking and still get the OBC.

 

We passed on the huge OBC for our upcoming cruise and went with our local TA. He didn't give us any big OBC but did discount the cost of the cruise significantly. We paid far less than the Princess price rather than getting the OBC from the "other folks".

[MCC retired]

If the T.A.'s OBC is part of group package deals that is being offered by Princess for T.A.'s then it will show. If the T.A. is using their own resource it will be a gift OBC and will not show. You will get a gift card in your cabin on boarding day.

 

 

 

Exactly .

The TA's group amenity OBC $$ actually comes from Princess so it is shown. The real TA OBC comes from their comm. . You will get that on the gift card onboard .

 

 

 

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[Lucky TGO]

mine shows up in my cruise personalizer

 

Mine always shows up in my cruise personalizer also.

Tony

[Shadow9612]

If you have a membership card that allows you to shop at the big box then you can likely book with the agency in question.

thank you Thrak! Got it!

With this big box TA, do you actually form a relationship with a 'person' for the future, or is it all done online... I. E. - is there someone to resolve problems if any arise, or answer questions?

 

Yes, you can transfer your booking and still get the OBC.

 

We passed on the huge OBC for our upcoming cruise and went with our local TA. He didn't give us any big OBC but did discount the cost of the cruise significantly. We paid far less than the Princess price rather than getting the OBC from the "other folks".

I would feel guilty asking my regular TA and then not using them...do you just say something like "I found this price online with xxxx OBC, can you beat it" kind of thing?

[cflutist]

thank you Thrak! Got it!

With this big box TA, do you actually form a relationship with a 'person' for the future, or is it all done online... I. E. - is there someone to resolve problems if any arise, or answer questions? No, it is whomever answers the phone.

 

 

I would feel guilty asking my regular TA and then not using them...do you just say something like "I found this price online with xxxx OBC, can you beat it" kind of thing?

Yes. My new TA beat the big box store, so I moved my Alaska cruise to her. You will not find discounted fares advertised online, you need to call to find out how much obc or discount they are offering. The $1730 obc was 8.65% of the cruise fare. My new TA just discounts the 9% or better which is better than tying your money up from final payment until your cruise is over for any refund, then to wait 4 to 6 weeks for Princess to refund any remaining TA gift obc. Edited September 16, 2017 by cflutist

[drsel]

Yes. My new TA beat the big box store, so I moved my Alaska cruise to her. You will not find discounted fares advertised online, you need to call to find out how much obc or discount they are offering. The $1730 obc was 8.65% of the cruise fare. My new TA just discounts the 9% or better which is better than tying your money up from final payment until your cruise is over for any refund, then to wait 4 to 6 weeks for Princess to refund any remaining TA gift obc.

Your TA gives you a 9% discount out of his 10-16% commission? That's interesting!

[cflutist]

Your TA gives you a 9% discount out of his 10-16% commission? That's interesting!

 

That's about right, got the referral from a poster here who has more than 50 Princess cruises. Have read that other TAs are the same or better.

Will be getting a $3000 refund on our Silversea cruise because they don't allow fare discounting like Princess does.

[lovedecruise]

We are using a TA for the first time - no mention of discounting and no mention of OBC. It was just potluck, choose a TA out of the phone book. Guess I should have shopped around to see if I could have gained any perks, even if they were small.

[Steelers36]

if you have a membership card that allows you to shop at the big box then you can likely book with the agency in question. Yes, you can transfer your booking and still get the obc.

 

We passed on the huge obc for our upcoming cruise and went with our local ta. He didn't give us any big obc but did discount the cost of the cruise significantly. We paid far less than the princess price rather than getting the obc from the "other folks".

ho ho ho.

 

BTW, I'd rather have the nice discount off the fare as well, plus a little OBC up front. IDK if you can do better, but I have done pretty well and recently found one where I am getting 15% off the commissionable fare (for those that don't know, if you have a Princess $999 fare for a Caribbean cruise, plus port taxes, that whole $999 is not commissionable. You need subtract out $25/day and then the net is what you get the discount on. So you can certainly end up with >10% overall). TA's are only discounting the commissionable fare. And that is why you are not getting much off an Inside compared to a Balcony. The non-commission amount is a constant value, depending on length of cruise (and perhaps area of world as I don't have experience in that).

 

IDK how the BBox types work in the USA, and I have not checked here in Canada, but GL finding the kind of discounts like USA has up here. It's like they are all in cahoots. I cannot be bothered searching around when can readily find in USA. And some report being able to book in CAD if they choose, but be careful of the exchange rate used in that case.

Edited September 16, 2017 by steelers36

[GUT2407]

Actually the answer is "sometimes"

[joybook]

Boy - you guys in the US should consider yourselves very fortunate. I have yet to find a TA in Australia that will offer you anything and I mean anything.

[Steelers36]

We are using a TA for the first time - no mention of discounting and no mention of OBC. It was just potluck, choose a TA out of the phone book. Guess I should have shopped around to see if I could have gained any perks, even if they were small.

 

I don't understand why use a TA if there is no advantage in pricing over Princess? You have more control of your reservation and communication with Princess if you book direct. But the money I save is worth it to me to give up some of that direct control.

[GUT2407]

Boy - you guys in the US should consider yourselves very fortunate. I have yet to find a TA in Australia that will offer you anything and I mean anything.

 

 

Yeah it's rare.

 

I had one that did, but they also totally got everything else wrong.

[Steelers36]

Actually the answer is "sometimes"

 

What's the question? Is this Jeopardy? :D