TA offered OBC or prepaid Visa card?

[MargieB65]

My husband and I are recently booked on The Sirena for Nov of this year and I am looking around at perks I could receive from TAs if I move my reservation to one of them. One agency that I have seen quite a lot of online and who appears legit is offering OBC of $1100 or a prepaid Visa card of $2200 which would arrive 6 weeks after our cruise. I've never gone the TA route before. I have looked around online and can't find any mention from cruisers of the Visa card option so it seems new or unique. Does anyone have any experience with or thoughts on this? 

[ronrick1943]

Remember you only have so many days to transfer a booking to a TA.  I don'y understand the OBC vs Visa card, If the TA is paying (and it's real) why wouldn't someone take double.  Doesn't make sense.  Just be sure to check them out before making the move.

[Harters]

I've never heard of a supplier of goods or services offering a pre-paid Visa as an inducement but maybe it's not uncommon where you are in the world.

 

If entirely genuine, then it seems to offer a two-fold benefit over OBC. Firstly, it's twice the amount. And, secondly, it could be used to pay for anything not just cruise related. 

[MomC]

I recently booked a Crystal cruise with a high end cruise TA and was offered the Visa with an $1800 credit.  I took it.  I don’t received it until I get home, but I figure I can use that money for a down payment on another cruise.

[ORV]

I've seen emails from a couple of agencies with this offer for years. I've never used them as I have a TA I prefer, but I'm aware of it. Most of the time you have to pay attention to the details. Watch for words or phrases like "up to". Just like so many offers the amount is dependent on how much you're spending. 

[Sthrngary]

When something looks to good to be true......

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[mnocket]

2 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

When something looks to good to be true......

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

See Post #4

I tend to agree with you, but this may be legit.

[ronrick1943]

I seen credit done by a prepaid Visa, however this one doesn't seem right.  A OBC or double the amount on a Visa.  Why would anybody take the OBC when you can double it.  Really doesn't make any sense to me.

[Russiamomm]

We booked our August O cruise with a large online travel agent.  First time we ever used a TA to book a cruise.  We weren’t offered OBC but are getting a $1900 Visa gift card when we return,  I believe this is legit.  (At least I hope it is!), but am skeptical about being given the option, especially when the pre-paid card is twice the value of the offered OBC.   We were offered no option for OBC.

[Sthrngary]

I really love cruising.  I love talking, discussing and writing about cruising. There was a time, when I thought, I could be a good travel agent since I am retired now.  All my life, every part of my business life, I was on some sort of commission.  My friends would say, to risky.  They all wanted a salary and bonus.  I on the other, I wanted to create my own salary and bonus through commission.  

 

A great travel agent is worth all the commission the cruise brands will give them.  Just like a great real estate agent, or dare I say it, a great automobile salesperson. Now those in their craft that paint by the numbers, don't deserve all the commission given and usually give that commission away to sell their products and services. Why, because they don't think they are worth what they are getting paid and usually they are right. 

 

I hope those that are promised huge rebates get them after their cruises.  If it is in the form of a credit card, they receive that card. The same hold true for those that buy cruises from a big box store.  I personally am completely willing to allow my Travel Agent to have ALL of her commissions.  Every red cent.  She offered me some after many cruise and I turned her down.  WHY, I was on commission all my life.  I only work or buy from those that deserve all they earned.  

 

"If a person or organization is so willing to give you a deep discount, how much of the personalized service when I really need it will also be deeply discounted."

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.  

[cruisr]

@Sthrngary As usual, well said.  I agree 100%.  Enjoy your future cruises.

[pinotlover]

In that this is the first time that Travel Agency has been used, I might be a bit more conservative and request the refundable OBC. Use what I want aboard ship, take the rest home. Then, if all happens accordingly, the next cruise I’d take the Visa card.

 

Once you take the card, you will forever be on that bank’s mailing list. Be careful to understand use restrictions on the card. 

[MargieB65]

Thanks for all the replies. I have also talked to another well known TA who originally offered me $400 OBC but after hearing what the big online TA offered told me he would beat the OBC by $50 but that the amount of the Visa card perk is a violation of the contract with Oceania and could result in my cruise being cancelled. Does that sound like anything anyone has heard?? Worries me, but also doesn't sit right as it seems like possible scare tactics but maybe he is being legitimately helpful? He said he was able to up the OBC after calling his connections at the cruise line... 

[EJL2023]

Not knowing which company is making this offer it is difficult to know for sure the terms. But I have seen an online company that is offering this option to take the OBC or Prepaid Visa. However, when clicking through the offer and the terms and conditions, it states the OBC is not refundable and any OBC not used by the final night of the cruise is lost.  

[edgee]

46 minutes ago, MargieB65 said:

Thanks for all the replies. I have also talked to another well known TA who originally offered me $400 OBC but after hearing what the big online TA offered told me he would beat the OBC by $50 but that the amount of the Visa card perk is a violation of the contract with Oceania and could result in my cruise being cancelled. Does that sound like anything anyone has heard?? Worries me, but also doesn't sit right as it seems like possible scare tactics but maybe he is being legitimately helpful? He said he was able to up the OBC after calling his connections at the cruise line... 

My TA is a big booker of Oceania and Regent. They routinely send me a rebate check for 8 to 10 % of the cruise cost about 3 weeks before embarkation. This is in addition to prepaid gratuities when and if their consortium offers it on a specific cruise. They also arrange for the Amex Platinum shipboard credit if prepaid grats are not available on a specific cruise, as Amex benefit can not be combined with prepaid gratuities.

[mnocket]

14 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

I really love cruising.  I love talking, discussing and writing about cruising. There was a time, when I thought, I could be a good travel agent since I am retired now.  All my life, every part of my business life, I was on some sort of commission.  My friends would say, to risky.  They all wanted a salary and bonus.  I on the other, I wanted to create my own salary and bonus through commission.  

 

A great travel agent is worth all the commission the cruise brands will give them.  Just like a great real estate agent, or dare I say it, a great automobile salesperson. Now those in their craft that paint by the numbers, don't deserve all the commission given and usually give that commission away to sell their products and services. Why, because they don't think they are worth what they are getting paid and usually they are right. 

 

I hope those that are promised huge rebates get them after their cruises.  If it is in the form of a credit card, they receive that card. The same hold true for those that buy cruises from a big box store.  I personally am completely willing to allow my Travel Agent to have ALL of her commissions.  Every red cent.  She offered me some after many cruise and I turned her down.  WHY, I was on commission all my life.  I only work or buy from those that deserve all they earned.  

 

"If a person or organization is so willing to give you a deep discount, how much of the personalized service when I really need it will also be deeply discounted."

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.  

I tend to agree.  imho any TA that is giving away the majority of their commission (e.g. 10%, really?) isn't a travel agent - they are a booking service at best. How do they make money if they routinely give away almost their entire commission?  Doesn't make sense to me. 

[Vallesan]

4 minutes ago, mnocket said:

I tend to agree.  imho any TA that is giving away the majority of their commission (e.g. 10%, really?) isn't a travel agent - they are a booking service at best. How do they make money if they routinely give away almost their entire commission?  Doesn't make sense to me. 

In the UK we regularly get 10% discount on all cruise lines, well, Oceania and the ultra luxury lines. So I’m guessing they get maybe 20% commission here. Could be wrong about the agents commission because they have high volume so could be less?

[MEFIowa]

Though I tend to approach the issue up front, by purchasing cruises that are on sale. Saving money directly. Now whether your TA will be so generous in such a case, during a deep sale, who knows. But the actual sale comes from O not the TA. And I wouldn't rely on a TA to keep checking on potential sales for the booked cruise.

[pinotlover]

Another thread where people use TA interchangeably. Is the Agent or Agency making this offer? 2. We have zero knowledge of the commissionable amount of the mystery cruise. 3. Are the numbers quoted for each individual or for the couple combined?

 

We’ve been over this before, not all Travel Agents work on commission. While some do, others are hourly employees of an Agency, and others work on an arranged flat fee amount for each assigned account..

 

I’ll tell you that if your getting 9-10% rebates, it’s coming from the Agency not the Agent.

 

 

Edited June 14 by pinotlover

[Vallesan]

Think the system in the UK is different to the US. We pay far higher rates!

[mnocket]

2 hours ago, Vallesan said:

In the UK we regularly get 10% discount on all cruise lines, well, Oceania and the ultra luxury lines. So I’m guessing they get maybe 20% commission here. Could be wrong about the agents commission because they have high volume so could be less?

Good point.  Perhaps TAs outside the US get a larger commission.  Still there are people based in the US who say they regularly get 10% from their TAs.  I just don't see how those TAs make any money. 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, mnocket said:

Good point.  Perhaps TAs outside the US get a larger commission.  Still there are people based in the US who say they regularly get 10% from their TAs.  I just don't see how those TAs make any money. 

As a former travel agency owner I can tell you with 100% certainty that high-producing agencies in the US and agencies that belong to high producing consortia can and do make significantly more than 10%. 

Edited June 14 by njhorseman

[mnocket]

10 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

As a former travel agency owner I can tell you with 100% certainty that high-producing agencies in the US and agencies that belong to high producing consortia can and do make significantly more than 10%. 

You're the expert.  I had no idea cruise lines paid that high a commission. 

[clo]

19 hours ago, Russiamomm said:

We booked our August O cruise with a large online travel agent.  First time we ever used a TA to book a cruise.  We weren’t offered OBC but are getting a $1900 Visa gift card when we return,  I believe this is legit.  (At least I hope it is!), but am skeptical about being given the option, especially when the pre-paid card is twice the value of the offered OBC.   We were offered no option for OBC.

When I'm dealing with a company I know nothing about I research them before giving them any money. Just google 'abc company reviews' is usually enough.