On transferring a booking to a non-cruise line agent...

[GUEST71919]

Hello all, hope everyone's holiday was grand and today restful after the hustle and bustle!

 

We normally book ourselves on cruises (either though the cruise line or via an online cruise agency/broker). We use online brokers for the various deals that they offer to add to the value for us (OBC, pre-paid gratuities, Amazon giftcards, one or all) . I have not found a local travel agency to use, certainly not the kind that my father used during my childhood. I have done it for us myself. And to be clear, my question is *not* about what travel agent to use or travel site to use or anything else related to recommending anything related  (note. we have clicked through on CC in the past too so the site would benefit and do so whenever we can). 

 

The question is this (for anyone who may have done this before or tried) - can an existing booking be transferred from the cruise line to one of the large booking online vendors (such as the ones CC uses to refer to) just as someone could transfer to a individual or group of agents and the cruiser thus gain the additional benefits she/he would have gotten booking through that 3rd party site? So for example, could someone move it from the cruise line itself  "Y vendor" .com who happens to offer 100 bags of gummy bears and thus get the gummy bears out of the transfer (don't even ask why gummy bears, there is no good reason  ). 

 

We have not as yet decided what to do, but I would like to know the options since we have not dealt with this specific issue in the past (and I know many of you likely have)!

 

Thanks - and Happy Sailing,

Lynn  

[MCC retired]

The short answer to your long question is , yes most cruise lines allow transferring your Direct Booking to any TA .

However , each cruise line has limits on timing of the transfer request after the booking was made. .

Never after Final.

Go to that cruise line forum and do a search . Lots of postings about this subject.

[LHT28]

Yes you can do it  but  some cruise lines have a time limit after booking  to do the transfer

I would check with the cruise line  that you have/will book with  for the time frame 

some are 30 days  some are until final payment  or any time in between

[Hlitner]

The answer is YES, but the rules and technique do vary depending on the cruise line.  Some lines impose a time frame such as 60 days during which you must do the transfer.  Other lines will allow it up until you make your final payment.  So it is important to know the current policy of your cruise line  (i.e. Princess just changed their policy in the last few weeks to 60 days after booking).  Some cruise lines require you to actually contact them and authorize the transfer while others will allow your chose cruise/travel agent to do the entire transaction.   We will often shop around among a few of our favorite cruise agencies to find out who will offer us the most perks/OBCs.   After we return home I will send out e-mails to a few of these agencies essentially asking them to bid for our booking.  The difference between agencies can amount to hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars difference (the latter on longer expensive cruises).

 

Hank

[zqvol]

3 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

Hello all, hope everyone's holiday was grand and today restful after the hustle and bustle!

 

We normally book ourselves on cruises (either though the cruise line or via an online cruise agency/broker). We use online brokers for the various deals that they offer to add to the value for us (OBC, pre-paid gratuities, Amazon giftcards, one or all) . I have not found a local travel agency to use, certainly not the kind that my father used during my childhood. I have done it for us myself. And to be clear, my question is *not* about what travel agent to use or travel site to use or anything else related to recommending anything related  (note. we have clicked through on CC in the past too so the site would benefit and do so whenever we can). 

 

The question is this (for anyone who may have done this before or tried) - can an existing booking be transferred from the cruise line to one of the large booking online vendors (such as the ones CC uses to refer to) just as someone could transfer to a individual or group of agents and the cruiser thus gain the additional benefits she/he would have gotten booking through that 3rd party site? So for example, could someone move it from the cruise line itself  "Y vendor" .com who happens to offer 100 bags of gummy bears and thus get the gummy bears out of the transfer (don't even ask why gummy bears, there is no good reason  ). 

 

We have not as yet decided what to do, but I would like to know the options since we have not dealt with this specific issue in the past (and I know many of you likely have)!

 

Thanks - and Happy Sailing,

Lynn  

 

Generally yes it can be transferred, but every cruise line has different rules about when it can be transferred. If you wait too long after booking you can't transfer it, so if you are going to move it don't hesitate.

[GUEST71919]

30 minutes ago, zqvol said:

 

Generally yes it can be transferred, but every cruise line has different rules about when it can be transferred. If you wait too long after booking you can't transfer it, so if you are going to move it don't hesitate.

That was my understanding too - for RCL 30 days I believe. I downloaded the form just in case. The thing is I am not sure the larger online travel agencies that offer decent extras such as paid gratuities accept/allow transfer and provide the same benefits to transfer customers if so. Thanks for your help

😊

@LHT28 - thank you for your kind response also!

 

Lynn

Edited November 24, 2018 by 2Beeze

[GUEST71919]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The answer is YES, but the rules and technique do vary depending on the cruise line.  Some lines impose a time frame such as 60 days during which you must do the transfer.  Other lines will allow it up until you make your final payment.  So it is important to know the current policy of your cruise line  (i.e. Princess just changed their policy in the last few weeks to 60 days after booking).  Some cruise lines require you to actually contact them and authorize the transfer while others will allow your chose cruise/travel agent to do the entire transaction.   We will often shop around among a few of our favorite cruise agencies to find out who will offer us the most perks/OBCs.   After we return home I will send out e-mails to a few of these agencies essentially asking them to bid for our booking.  The difference between agencies can amount to hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars difference (the latter on longer expensive cruises).

 

Hank

Good idea on the bidding! I am then assuming some of those you reach out to are some of the larger online entities? We enjoy cruising in suites a few times a year and that can get pricey. I don’t mind spending the money necessary, but I find it foolish to toss it overboard! RCL wants a fax with the details on the new “agent” and the basic reason behind it within 30 days. I was not certain the response that I could expect from those agencies offering decent perks (vs. small agencies), but from you response it is clear it can pay off. Thanks for the info! 👍🏼

 

Lynn

Edited November 24, 2018 by 2Beeze

[Hlitner]

11 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

Good idea on the bidding! I am then assuming some of those you reach out to are some of the larger online entities? We enjoy cruising in suites a few times a year and that can get pricey. I don’t mind spending the money necessary, but I find it foolish to toss it overboard! RCL wants a fax with the details on the new “agent” and the basic reason behind it within 30 days. I was not certain the response that I could expect from those agencies offering decent perks (vs. small agencies), but from you response it is clear it can pay off. Thanks for the info! 👍🏼

 

Lynn

We mostly do this with 3 agencies (sometimes 4) with whom we have been doing business for many years.  They are aware that we are for real and will quickly book with whoever gives us the best deal.  My favorite cruise agent calls me one of her favorite clients because she says I am a fast booker :).  When we decide what cruise we are booking I will tell the agencies that I will book within a few days and they know it is true.  Over the past decade we have found 1 particular agency that usually has the best deals on RCI branded lines and another agency that generally has the best deals on everyone else.  But we keep "shopping around" because things can change.

 

When we are on cruises we will ask others about their favorite agencies and use that info to check pricing on future cruises.   I tease my favorite cruise agent that she will "always be my favorite" as long as she has the best deals.  or perhaps I should say that "loyalty" is only as good as the last booking.  I have never understood why some cruisers give up thousands of dollars just to be loyal to a cruise or travel agent.  Travel is a very competitive industry and taking advantage of that competition is just good business.

 

Hank

[Bevv]

13 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

That was my understanding too - for RCL 30 days I believe. I downloaded the form just in case. The thing is I am not sure the larger online travel agencies that offer decent extras such as paid gratuities accept/allow transfer and provide the same benefits to transfer customers if so. Thanks for your help

😊

@LHT28 - thank you for your kind response also!

 

Lynn

You wold have to verify with your larger online travel agency.  The one I use does give the same benefits as if I booked directly with them. 

[GUEST71919]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

We mostly do this with 3 agencies (sometimes 4) with whom we have been doing business for many years.  They are aware that we are for real and will quickly book with whoever gives us the best deal.  My favorite cruise agent calls me one of her favorite clients because she says I am a fast booker :).  When we decide what cruise we are booking I will tell the agencies that I will book within a few days and they know it is true.  Over the past decade we have found 1 particular agency that usually has the best deals on RCI branded lines and another agency that generally has the best deals on everyone else.  But we keep "shopping around" because things can change.

 

When we are on cruises we will ask others about their favorite agencies and use that info to check pricing on future cruises.   I tease my favorite cruise agent that she will "always be my favorite" as long as she has the best deals.  or perhaps I should say that "loyalty" is only as good as the last booking.  I have never understood why some cruisers give up thousands of dollars just to be loyal to a cruise or travel agent.  Travel is a very competitive industry and taking advantage of that competition is just good business.

 

Hank

 

Hi again Hank! I agree, while apples to apples someone being nicer counts, apples to oranges personality can be a bit less important (a smile will not sway me off $150 extra for example). I want to trust them, but a personal relationship is not necessary when the cost differs significantly. 

 

Some of the big companies have so many people and I have not as yet found a certain agent that I would necessarily want to call for a second round (neither good nor bad). One of the huge ones has so many sites that I cannot imagine how many agents there are (although some of those agents float between sites). I have asked a few people about their favorites, more back channels at home than on a cruise. In fact, I now have burning need to know yours (since there is no sense in reinventing the wheel) - now If only we had those tin cans and string 

 

@Bevv  That would be great, I could use a few hundred shaved off this price (we all could obviously :-) Thanks for letting me know your experience, it helps to know it will work! 

[davekathy]

16 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

That was my understanding too - for RCL 30 days I believe. I downloaded the form just in case. The thing is I am not sure the larger online travel agencies that offer decent extras such as paid gratuities accept/allow transfer and provide the same benefits to transfer customers if so. Thanks for your help

😊

@LHT28 - thank you for your kind response also!

 

Lynn

RC bookings may only be transferred to a Travel Agent up until 60 days from creation if the request is made outside of final payment period and the booking is not paid in full. The larger online TAs we use have always taken care of the paper work to make the transfer(s) happen, followed up by an Email confirmation before sending out the new invoice showing all the details of the booking and what extras we got from RC plus the extras the TA gave us for transferring the booking(s) to their agency.  

Edited November 24, 2018 by davekathy

[davekathy]

On ‎11‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 4:39 PM, Hlitner said:

The answer is YES, but the rules and technique do vary depending on the cruise line.  Some lines impose a time frame such as 60 days during which you must do the transfer.  Other lines will allow it up until you make your final payment.  So it is important to know the current policy of your cruise line  (i.e. Princess just changed their policy in the last few weeks to 60 days after booking).  Some cruise lines require you to actually contact them and authorize the transfer while others will allow your chose cruise/travel agent to do the entire transaction.   We will often shop around among a few of our favorite cruise agencies to find out who will offer us the most perks/OBCs.   After we return home I will send out e-mails to a few of these agencies essentially asking them to bid for our booking.  The difference between agencies can amount to hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars difference (the latter on longer expensive cruises).

 

Hank

I agree and do the same. I never let our bookings that we book while onboard the ship go directly to a TA. We cruise with Celebrity and RC and have the 60 day window to decide. Never had to wait that long.  

[davekathy]

15 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

Thanks, it really is too bad that 99% were perfectly nice and helpful. Like that old Jackson 5 song, about one bad apple spoiling the whole bunch. Not entirely thankfully! Love the kitty pic! ❤️

 

@davekathy I am hoping that I get good results as you have. I sent off some emails today (although a couple were on web forms only). Fingers crossed! 👍🏼🤞🏼👊🏼

 

Lynn

Good luck. IMO you hold the ace in your hand if you get my drift.  I will also call and speak with an agent. That seems to net the best results for me. 

[GUEST71919]

@davekath @Bevv @Hlitner @zqvol @LHT28

 

Just wanted to say a huge thanks to all of you... first for actually reading my question to know what I was asking and second for offering really helpful answers!  I realize that you can't see this, but I am doing the happy dance right now in Atlanta because with some research and leg work I managed a add an additional $750 in value  to the great cruise price we got with the added M Life award. I am sincerely thankful for the people who step up to help here at CC -  I think maybe karma will even it all out and we will get back what we put out into the world ( one can hope that is how it works either direction 

 

Thanks again - and I hope you all had a restful weekend (mine no so much, but the happy dance takes energy )

 

Lynn

 

Edited November 25, 2018 by 2Beeze

[davekathy]

3 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

@davekath @Bevv @Hlitner @zqvol @LHT28

 

Just wanted to say a huge thanks to all of you... first for actually reading my question to know what I was asking and second for offering really helpful answers!  I realize that you can't see this, but I am doing the happy dance right now in Atlanta because with some research and leg work I managed a add an additional $750 in value  to the great cruise price we got with the added M Life award. I am sincerely thankful for the people who step up to help here at CC -  I think maybe karma will even it all out and we will get back what we put out into the world ( one can hope that is how it works either direction 

 

Thanks again - and I hope you all had a restful weekend (mine no so much, but the happy dance takes energy )

 

Lynn

 

Congratulations. That is fantastic. High five. ✋

[GUEST71919]

50 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Congratulations. That is fantastic. High five. ✋

✋👌

[Smokeyham]

On 11/23/2018 at 3:39 PM, Hlitner said:

 We will often shop around among a few of our favorite cruise agencies to find out who will offer us the most perks/OBCs.   After we return home I will send out e-mails to a few of these agencies essentially asking them to bid for our booking.  The difference between agencies can amount to hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars difference (the latter on longer expensive cruises).

 

Hank

I have always just booked my own cruises online, so am intrigued by this. 

 

Can you confirm that what you do is to book the cruise yourself, then within the time frame allowed by the cruise line, you contact several travel agents and ask them what they will give you if you transfer the booking to them?  

[davekathy]

3 hours ago, Smokeyham said:

I have always just booked my own cruises online, so am intrigued by this. 

 

Can you confirm that what you do is to book the cruise yourself, then within the time frame allowed by the cruise line, you contact several travel agents and ask them what they will give you if you transfer the booking to them?  

The bookings are made while onboard a ship. We always know exactly what cruise, cabin, dining preference and any online perks being offered by the cruise line before leaving for the cruise and speaking with a future cruise agent on the ship. Then within the cruise lines time frame for transferring a booking I shop around for a TA that is willing to add in addition to the perks the cruise line gave you for booking onboard. That's what Hank is referring to. 

Edited November 26, 2018 by davekathy

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, Smokeyham said:

I have always just booked my own cruises online, so am intrigued by this. 

 

Can you confirm that what you do is to book the cruise yourself, then within the time frame allowed by the cruise line, you contact several travel agents and ask them what they will give you if you transfer the booking to them?  

What we do varies.  Most of the time we decide on what we want to book and then I check online with 3 or 4 of my favorite cruise agencies to see who has the best deals.  I then check the cruise line's web site to see what they offer...which is never as good as the agencies.  At that point I will usually just book, online, with the best deal agency.  All this takes less then 15 min.   If we are doing a last minute booking I might call one or two of the agencies to find out if there are any better options (this actually led us to book a different ship/cruise line because there was an amazing "secret" deal at about the same time we wanted to travel).

 

The only time we might book directly with a cruise line is with a future cruise consultant when onboard another cruise.  We only do this if there is a special offer for doing the onboard booking (i.e. HAL will sometimes double their OBCs) or we are desperate to lock-in a specific cabin (unusual for us).  When we do the onboard bookings we will tell the future cruise consultant to keep the booking with the cruise line (or they might automatically give it to the cruise agency on record ).  Once we return home we will shop our reservation to several online cruise agencies and transfer to the one that gives us the best offer.  My favorite cruise agent is well aware that this is my practice, so she will usually go to her manager to try and get us a little more so she beat the competition.  For the past 4-5 years this one agent has gotten the bulk of our business because she always seems to have the best overall deals.  This is a win-win for her since we sometimes book over 100 days a year in cruises.  She is quite young,  but good at her job.  She does work for a high volume agency (we only use high volume agencies) so there is always customer service whether she is in or out of the office.  

 

I am old as dirt but try not to get too set in my ways.  So we are always comparing notes with other cruisers (here on CC and while on cruises) about better booking practices.  For me it is all lots of fun and it also generates some big financial savings.   When somebody tells me about a great agency I will usually price out cruises with that agency to see if they really compete.  We are sometimes amazed at how some of the most popular cruise agencies do not often have competitive deals.   For us it is all about the money, with customer service also being important.  I do not believe in "loyalty" to cruise lines or cruise agencies.  They have to earn my respect with each transaction and cruise.  When our once favorite cruise line (RCI) changed its philosophy (about many things) we stopped cruising on that line without ever looking back.  Our next two cruises are on new cruise lines (for us) which has both DW and I excited because we love to try new things.  Part of the reason we are trying some new lines (our 15th and 16th cruise lines) is because we have been growing increasingly unhappy with what has been happening at several other lines upon which we often cruise.

 

Hank

[Smokeyham]

davekathy and Hiltner,

 

Thanks for both of your responses.  I will have to try this the next time I book a cruise.

 

 

[davekathy]

4 hours ago, Smokeyham said:

davekathy and Hiltner,

 

Thanks for both of your responses.  I will have to try this the next time I book a cruise.

 

 

You're welcome.