$200 OBC from Travel Agent - Is this sufficient?

[ontheweb]

38 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Total bunk!  (and I am sorry to say this).  Some folks here on CC have talked about this "control" thing for decades and it really is BS.  The truth is you generally will have more "control" by using a decent high volume cruise agent (especially those in the powerful consortiums) because they have personal contact and clout with the cruise lines.  

 

About 3 years ago we had an expensive booking with a well known "premium" cruise line.  Three weeks before the cruise the revamped a good part of the itinerary and even moved the disembarkation port from Lima, Peru to Santiago, Chile (about 1500 miles distant).  We were furious, were not interested in the changed itinerary (which was not even close to the cruise we had booked) and asked the cruise line about our options.  They would only offer a FCC and no refund.  By leveraging the clout of our cruise agency (and their consortium) we were able to quietly get a full refund!  This would not have likely happened if we had booked direct with the cruise line!  And that is just one example (we could cite quite a few) of 50 years of extensive cruising.  

 

So. for those of you who continue to believe this myth of having "control" we say, bless your heart ::).

 

Hank

Control = being able to call the cruise line and talk to a representative who reads from a script, has probably never been on a cruise, and has no power to grant your request. And that assumes you can even understand the representative who is some foreign call center. 🤦‍♂️

[CDNPolar]

9 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Total bunk!  (and I am sorry to say this).  Some folks here on CC have talked about this "control" thing for decades and it really is BS.  The truth is you generally will have more "control" by using a decent high volume cruise agent (especially those in the powerful consortiums) because they have personal contact and clout with the cruise lines.  

 

About 3 years ago we had an expensive booking with a well known "premium" cruise line.  Three weeks before the cruise the revamped a good part of the itinerary and even moved the disembarkation port from Lima, Peru to Santiago, Chile (about 1500 miles distant).  We were furious, were not interested in the changed itinerary (which was not even close to the cruise we had booked) and asked the cruise line about our options.  They would only offer a FCC and no refund.  By leveraging the clout of our cruise agency (and their consortium) we were able to quietly get a full refund!  This would not have likely happened if we had booked direct with the cruise line!  And that is just one example (we could cite quite a few) of 50 years of extensive cruising.  

 

So. for those of you who continue to believe this myth of having "control" we say, bless your heart ::).

 

Hank

 

I know that this will likely never happen, but I wish there was a way that we could share TA information on CC.

 

Why?  Because of stories like this.

 

We have never really had THIS situation happen, and have never had to try to get a refund for a massively changed itinerary, but I wonder after reading this if our TA could achieve what your TA did.

 

The TA that we use is part of a network that is available in Canada and the USA and is nationwide in both countries, but would they have this clout?  I don't know.

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

I know that this will likely never happen, but I wish there was a way that we could share TA information on CC.

 

Why?  Because of stories like this.

 

We have never really had THIS situation happen, and have never had to try to get a refund for a massively changed itinerary, but I wonder after reading this if our TA could achieve what your TA did.

 

The TA that we use is part of a network that is available in Canada and the USA and is nationwide in both countries, but would they have this clout?  I don't know.

Consider this.  TAs, who are part of larger organizations (such as the major consortiums) certainly have a lot more clout than a single cruise customer!  Prior to COVID, nearly 80% of cruise bookings were handled by cruise/travel agents.  I am not sure of that percentage today, but do know it is still the majority of all cruise bookings.  

 

But, the issue is not whether a TA has clout, but whether that particular TA will go to the extra lenghts to help a customer.  Finding the TA who you trust to really help you when the chips are down, is not an easy task.  Many in the travel industry function as mere order takers and everyone lives on a commission structure.  The smart TAs will move heaven and earth for a customer because they are either very nice folks or perhaps because they want to earn your loyalty to attract future bookings.  

 

I have argued, here on CC, for many years, that folks that have this idea of booking direct gives them "control" are simply perpetuating a myth.  The real control lies with the cruise line and they reinforce that control with a written passenger contract!  That being said, the "leverage" lies with high volume cruise/travel agencies (and their higher volume consortiums).  Our two favorite cruise agencies both belong to a huge consortium that books over $1 Billion a year in cruise/travel business!  That, my friend, does give them lots of leverage...if they choose to use it.

 

Hank

[Mum2Mercury]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

I have argued, here on CC, for many years, that folks that have this idea of booking direct gives them "control" are simply perpetuating a myth.

If I book directly with the cruise line, and I see a price drop, I myself can call immediately and ask for a price match.  

If I book with a travel agent, I have to call that person and have him or her make the call for me.  That person is never going to be as concerned about the cost as I am.  

 

What am I missing here?  

[Hlitner]

1 minute ago, Mum2Mercury said:

If I book directly with the cruise line, and I see a price drop, I myself can call immediately and ask for a price match.  

If I book with a travel agent, I have to call that person and have him or her make the call for me.  That person is never going to be as concerned about the cost as I am.  

 

What am I missing here?  

What you are missing I suspect you want to miss :).  If there is a price drop, we simply send an e-mail (which takes me less then 30 seconds) to our agent and ask her to check it out.  She will find out if we are eligible for the lower price, does it impact previously promised amenities, etc.  No work of time for me, no exploring if the price drop will change other things (such as needing to rebook, reprice, lose amenities, etc).   You are right that most cruise agents will not be as concerned about the cost as you, but the good agents will work on your behalf to get the best overall deals.

 

But what you are really missing is losing money!  Sometimes lots of money!  Consider that there are decent cruise agencies that will enhance any booking with either on board credits (which can be thousands of dollars on an expensive voyage), pre-paid gratuities (which can be hundreds or thousands of dollars), and sometimes other amenities.  So, for example, say I book a cruise with a total price of $10,000.  One of my favorite cruise agencies will simply give me exactly what you would get by booking direct...but than they will also give me $700 of On Board Credit which I can take as a refundable on board credit or that same agency will simply give me that $700 within a few days after we return from the cruise (my choice whether I prefer the OBC or post cruise rebate).  

 

We find it interesting when we have discussions with other cruisers (on cruises) about various booking options.  We listen, learn, and also contribute to fun discussions.  It does not matter to us how anyone books their cruise, plans their trips, etc. but the give and take of discussions with other cruisers has taught us an awful lot over our 50+ years of cruising.  Some folks listen, learn, and act.  Others just do their own thing.  Such is life.

 

Hank