Stockholder benefit impact on payment of Tour Conductor credit

[Raisinette]

This question is aimed at any of the travel agents or group organizers posting here that may be able to shed light on this scenario...

 

I organized a small 'group' of 6 cabins (10 people) for a recent cruise, and in discussion with my travel agent we agreed to use the amenity points to receive a Tour Conductor credit (basically a payment from Princess of a % of the value of the total booking) rather than allocating some Onboard credit to each cabin.  The Tour Conductor credit was worth more than the offered OBC.

 

When it was time to initiate the Tour Conductor payment my TA was informed by Princess that I (the group organizer and part of the travelling group) could not receive the payment as I was already receiving the Stockholder benefit.  Allegedly anyone receiving the stockholder benefit is ineligible for the Tour Conductor credit.  (I don't keep the tour conductor payment for myself, I take it out in cash and divvy it up between the group as we are all family, but like to keep it as a nice surprise for once we are on board) So I had to cancel the surprise aspect and instruct my TA to pay the Tour Conductor credit to a person in our group that does not claim the stockholder benefit.  Then have that person transfer the funds to me so I could get the cash and split between everyone.  

 

The reason I'm asking about this here is that I organized my first and only other 'group' (with mostly the same participants) in 2019 and there was no issue with me receiving the Tour Conductor credit that time - even though I definitely claimed the stockholder benefit on that cruise too.

 

So, does anyone know if Princess has changed their policy regarding payment of the Tour Conductor credit since the fall of 2019?

 

thanks,

Becky

[PacnGoNow]

33 minutes ago, Raisinette said:

This question is aimed at any of the travel agents or group organizers posting here that may be able to shed light on this scenario...

 

I organized a small 'group' of 6 cabins (10 people) for a recent cruise, and in discussion with my travel agent we agreed to use the amenity points to receive a Tour Conductor credit (basically a payment from Princess of a % of the value of the total booking) rather than allocating some Onboard credit to each cabin.  The Tour Conductor credit was worth more than the offered OBC.

 

When it was time to initiate the Tour Conductor payment my TA was informed by Princess that I (the group organizer and part of the travelling group) could not receive the payment as I was already receiving the Stockholder benefit.  Allegedly anyone receiving the stockholder benefit is ineligible for the Tour Conductor credit.  (I don't keep the tour conductor payment for myself, I take it out in cash and divvy it up between the group as we are all family, but like to keep it as a nice surprise for once we are on board) So I had to cancel the surprise aspect and instruct my TA to pay the Tour Conductor credit to a person in our group that does not claim the stockholder benefit.  Then have that person transfer the funds to me so I could get the cash and split between everyone.  

 

The reason I'm asking about this here is that I organized my first and only other 'group' (with mostly the same participants) in 2019 and there was no issue with me receiving the Tour Conductor credit that time - even though I definitely claimed the stockholder benefit on that cruise too.

 

So, does anyone know if Princess has changed their policy regarding payment of the Tour Conductor credit since the fall of 2019?

 

thanks,

Becky

I’ve heard they are now enforcing the rules, which they sometimes didn’t in the past.  Agents or Tour conductors would not be eligible.  Your TA probably knows that. 
 

[Raisinette]

Thanks for the info, likely that's the reason. My sometimes TA (a friend of a friend) had never had a 'group' booking prior to mine so was learning with us. 

You learn something new most days!

[cruzin4us]

I think it might have more to do with the Stockholder's Credit.   The SC is not combinable with any other travel agent rates, blah, blah, blah (casino comps it seems to work with).   Here's the fine print at the bottom of the SC's page.   That's my guess anyway.

 

 

[MileHighAko]

Now I'm curious about the value of the tour conductor credit? I organized a group of 10 cabins (18 people) with a CVP (who has done an amazing job by the way), but have not received any TC credit or even mention of it. (Additionally, part of our group received 50% more OBC than the others, which is causing some strife in the group, something I need to resolve this week.)

 

What is the going % or value of TC credits?

[PacnGoNow]

8 hours ago, MileHighAko said:

Now I'm curious about the value of the tour conductor credit? I organized a group of 10 cabins (18 people) with a CVP (who has done an amazing job by the way), but have not received any TC credit or even mention of it. (Additionally, part of our group received 50% more OBC than the others, which is causing some strife in the group, something I need to resolve this week.)

 

What is the going % or value of TC credits?

You should check with Princess and your TA to get the variables in how the TC credits can be dispersed.

 

 

[Raisinette]

On 2/18/2023 at 10:14 PM, cruzin4us said:

I think it might have more to do with the Stockholder's Credit.   The SC is not combinable with any other travel agent rates, blah, blah, blah (casino comps it seems to work with).   Here's the fine print at the bottom of the SC's page.   That's my guess anyway.

 

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head...the 'fine print' above seems quite clear to me - I guess I was just lucky in 2019!

Thank you!

[caribill]

On 2/18/2023 at 10:07 PM, MileHighAko said:

 (Additionally, part of our group received 50% more OBC than the others, which is causing some strife in the group, something I need to resolve this week.)

 

 

When making a booking, the customer selects what promotion is currently going on and then a group discount is factored in.

 

So if the members of your group booked under different promotions, then the OBC received from that source may be different.

 

Also, different Travel Agents may or may not add onboard OBC to a booking. If the members of your group used different TAs, then that could also explain some of the difference.

 

Sometimes the amount of OBC depends on the type cabin booked. An inside cabin could get less OBC than a balcony cabin. Did all of your group book the same type cabin?

 

Even with a group booking, an FCD can be used as a deposit. Did some of your group apply an FCD and thus get the OBC associated with it?

 

Sometimes Princess has special OBC promotions based on where a person lives. Do all of the people in your group live in the same geographical area?