true or not, no more refundable OBC?

[susiesan]

My TA informs me that Oceania has a new policy as regards OBC from travel agents. In the past it was refundable. if it wasn't all spent onboard you could get the balance in cash back from the purser. I had this happen to me once, walked off of a O cruise with $200 in my pocket. The TA tells me the current policy regarding OBC is that no matter where it comes from, it is all non refundable. If it is not used, it is gone.

 

Can anyone verify if this is true? When did this happen? As someone who spends very little extra onboard, never takes ship excursions, I counted on the refundable OBC to help defray the cost of the cruise since O does not allow or do any discounting.

[Flatbush Flyer]

6 minutes ago, susiesan said:

My TA informs me that Oceania has a new policy as regards OBC from travel agents. In the past it was refundable. if it wasn't all spent onboard you could get the balance in cash back from the purser. I had this happen to me once, walked off of a O cruise with $200 in my pocket. The TA tells me the current policy regarding OBC is that no matter where it comes from, it is all non refundable. If it is not used, it is gone.

 

Can anyone verify if this is true? When did this happen? As someone who spends very little extra onboard, never takes ship excursions, I counted on the refundable OBC to help defray the cost of the cruise since O does not allow or do any discounting.

I (and others) have posted numerous explanations regarding our informed understanding of SBC (and related) $ perk sources and rules for O cruises. Here we go again.....

It appears that TAs have three basic sources for funding “their” provided SBC or other perks (beyond O Club and o Life):

1) pass through funding from O as a TA booking incentive for passengers. This will appear with the notation “OCAPP” on your O invoice. It can be in the form of gratuities or SBC. This is non-refundable and is not coming out of the TA’s pocket..

2) Gratuities and or SBC funding from the TA’s consortium membership. This appears on the O invoice with notation of the TA’s consortium name  if it is based on a deal that Consortium has with O. I have never seen this offered as “refundable.”

3) TA “commission sharing” - either as a rebate check or as refundable SBC. The rebate version will not appear on the O invoice. But it will appear on the TA’s invoice. The refundable SBC may appear on an O invoice as a “gift” actually purchased by the TA - I have never seen this being “non-refundable” (because neither Oceania nor the TA Consortium are providing this).

 

Perhaps you’ve misunderstood your TA or you’re getting incomplete info. I suggest that you ask your TA where the SBC they’re offering you is coming from. If it’s a “pass-through” from someone else, it may very well be non-refundable (past, present and/or future). If it’s “out-of-pocket” for the TA, I have never seen it as non-refundable. 

Of course, if it is truly funded by TA commission sharing, that SBC should be refundable. If the TA insists that s/he is the sole provider and, for whatever reason, they can only purchase “non-refundable” gift SBC, ask them to send you a rebate check instead.

[pinotlover]

It would indeed be strange if all OBC became non refundable. I personally know of people and groups that have gifted OBC for things like Honeymoon cruises, certain Anniversary cruises, or company merit award cruises. Those funds were always there for OBC, but refundable to the cruiser if not used. Hard to imagine any cruise line eliminating that program.

[basor]

15 hours ago, susiesan said:

My TA informs me that Oceania has a new policy as regards OBC from travel agents. In the past it was refundable. if it wasn't all spent onboard you could get the balance in cash back from the purser. I had this happen to me once, walked off of a O cruise with $200 in my pocket. The TA tells me the current policy regarding OBC is that no matter where it comes from, it is all non refundable. If it is not used, it is gone.

 

Can anyone verify if this is true? When did this happen? As someone who spends very little extra onboard, never takes ship excursions, I counted on the refundable OBC to help defray the cost of the cruise since O does not allow or do any discounting.

There are plenty of TA's that offer rebates which are sent directly to the client, which in the long run is discounting the cost of the cruise  I agree with pinotlover that there are several different types of OBC that can come from a TA and if the TA is offering OBC that they have purchased for their client it is still refundable (the same as any other pre-purchased OBC).  Ask you TA to send you the rebate check direct instead of the OBC and you will have the $$$ prior to embarkation.