firstforty2012 Posted February 19, 2018 #1 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Ive taken many cruises and many have included some sort of OBC. My question is this: who actually pays the OBC? The Cruise Line or the Agent? Recently I was offered a cabin upgrade by the line but my TA told me that in doing so the cruise line would withdraw the modest OBC included with my former cabin. I found this hard to believe as I had a pretty clear understanding that the TA offers OBC from their commission. Anyone have the real skinny? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bury me at sea Posted February 19, 2018 #2 Share Posted February 19, 2018 I can speak only to Carnival. If the OBC was offered by Carnival at the time you booked and you subsequently want to take advantage of a price drop, you will lose that OBC UNLESS it is also currently being offered. If you got the OBC from your TA you should discuss it with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare wishIweretravelling Posted February 19, 2018 #3 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Ive taken many cruises and many have included some sort of OBC. My question is this: who actually pays the OBC? The Cruise Line or the Agent? Recently I was offered a cabin upgrade by the line but my TA told me that in doing so the cruise line would withdraw the modest OBC included with my former cabin. I found this hard to believe as I had a pretty clear understanding that the TA offers OBC from their commission. Anyone have the real skinny? Some OBCs come from the agent, some from the cruise line. On my agent's invoices, the sources of the credits are clearly delineated. If they are not spelled out on yours, ask your agent explicitly who is providing the OBCs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hllb Posted February 19, 2018 #4 Share Posted February 19, 2018 We have an OBC from our TA. Will I not see that until the cruise? I had thought I could see it in my cruise details but it’s not there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul929207 Posted February 19, 2018 #5 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Some is from the cruise line and other from the TA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCC retired Posted February 19, 2018 #6 Share Posted February 19, 2018 (edited) We have an OBC from our TA. Will I not see that until the cruise? I had thought I could see it in my cruise details but it’s not there. TA OBC ( from their comm) will not show in your cruise lines personal info for your booking. It will show as a Gift once onboard or may also be on a invoice that the TA may give you . Other OBC comes from the cruise line: Group Amenity OBC (chosen by TA from Group Amenity Points) Shareholder OBC Book Future OBC Sale Promo OBC Military OBC Goodwill OBC Sent from my iPad using Forums Edited February 19, 2018 by MCC retired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul929207 Posted February 20, 2018 #7 Share Posted February 20, 2018 On Princess, there is also the Loyalty OMC. It is $25 to $100 per cabin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanger727 Posted February 20, 2018 #8 Share Posted February 20, 2018 It can come from either. Many times cruise lines will offer OBC as a bonus when you book. If you change booking terms later by trying to get a price adjustment or cabin upgrade, you can certainly lose the OBC. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie J. Posted February 21, 2018 #9 Share Posted February 21, 2018 When we had a Carnival charge card (actually Barclay Bank) we would get $200 OBC, which we claimed, from them after spending $20,000. We weren't given it, we had to get it ourselves. (We were using this card to pay for rehabbing investment property.) We dropped it when the interest rate got too high though. When we book on line with Carnival, we have gotten $25 OBC each. This is from Carnival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtkeyTech Posted February 28, 2018 #10 Share Posted February 28, 2018 On Princess, there is also the Loyalty OMC. It is $25 to $100 per cabin This May we'll be on our 18th cruise with Princess, and we've never noticed any Loyalty OBC. How many cruises before they start giving it?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted February 28, 2018 #11 Share Posted February 28, 2018 It varies. Some credits come from the TA, their office, their consortium or from the cruise line. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul929207 Posted March 1, 2018 #12 Share Posted March 1, 2018 This May we'll be on our 18th cruise with Princess, and we've never noticed any Loyalty OBC.How many cruises before they start giving it?? It starts when you have completed 20 cruise credits. Now to far to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docmda Posted May 26, 2018 #13 Share Posted May 26, 2018 Interesting replies. My question is what is an adequate OBC from a TA for say a 21-25 day booking? Do TA's offset prices offered with OBC's (gifts) for net incentive being unchanged? Has anyone compared online TA's for OBC's for same booking and found one TA very superior to another? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candydane Posted May 26, 2018 #14 Share Posted May 26, 2018 Definitely OBC can vary alot with different TAs for different cruises and even cruiselines. Definitely will vary based on price of cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted May 26, 2018 #15 Share Posted May 26, 2018 Depends on who gives it to you, the line, or the agent out of their commission Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheezedr Posted May 26, 2018 #16 Share Posted May 26, 2018 Interesting replies. My question is what is an adequate OBC from a TA for say a 21-25 day booking?Do TA's offset prices offered with OBC's (gifts) for net incentive being unchanged? Has anyone compared online TA's for OBC's for same booking and found one TA very superior to another? Thanks Really more closely tied to the retail price of the cruise rather than the length. My TA basically provides 7-8% of the cruise charge. Not based on taxes and fees as those are generally non commissionable. On ocean cruise it has been as refundable OBC. On a Viking river it came as a gift card I received after the cruise. Certainly different TA’s may vary but I gave up shopping because I felt this was a reasonable return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docmda Posted May 27, 2018 #17 Share Posted May 27, 2018 I am impressed by the speed of replies. My "newbie" (at least to Cruise Critic) take away is shop TA's and 5% OBC (gift Credit from TA) is on lower end of spectrum and probably too low. I also noted that this % is based on price before tax and fees. Thanks to all for replies. And it seems all have obeyed rule of not mentioning specific TA's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss prairie girl Posted May 27, 2018 #18 Share Posted May 27, 2018 It starts when you have completed 20 cruise credits. Now to far to go. Paul, when you say "20 cruise credits", is that 20 cruises or is it the credits that accrue to move you through the loyalty levels Blue, Gold, Ruby, Platinum, Elite.....? Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kartgv Posted May 27, 2018 #19 Share Posted May 27, 2018 It starts when you have completed 20 cruise credits. Now to far to go. If we're still talking about Princess, how do they determine 'cruise credits'? My profile shows 13 cruises, 157 cruise days, and it shows $50 OBC (not including the Military credit). Nowhere does it state 'cruise credits'. Maybe the 'cruise credits' terminology is for a different cruise line? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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