I just redeemed my visa points with RCCL but I didn't go thru my TA

[4merlurker]

Is that going to be a problem? I called in the numbers, copied the certs and mailed them to RCCL. I guess I should let my TA know? RCCL says final payment is due 8/20, my TA says 8/13. I want the $$ to come off my final payment....Do you think it will be applied before then? The RCCL rep wasn't sure :confused:....Should I call back and confirm?

 

I can't believe how nervous I am LOL

~Connie

[catnt2]

Giving your Visa Cert to RCI should not be a problem.

 

But Yes, let your TA know that you used a Visa Cert for a discount/free cruise. This will affect the final price and their commissions.

 

Your final payment is due 8/20, but smart TA's will usually ask for the payment ahead of time. The reason behind this is because if they can not get a hold of you or there is a problem with your payment. The TA has a few days to work it out.

 

The final payment amount will be reduced when RCI/Visa Awards Department receives the cert.

[4merlurker]

Thanks for the reassurance catnt2! Commission should not be affected. I just redeemed cash off and OBC.

 

~Connie

[catnt2]

Your welcome!

 

I love the visa cc. We have received 3 free (7 night) cruises, $500 off a (9 night) cruise and have enough points for another free (7 night) cruise!!

 

FYI, keep an eye on your points, they do expire. If you don't use them, you will loose them.

[elleluv]

Thanks for the reassurance catnt2! Commission should not be affected. I just redeemed cash off and OBC.

 

~Connie

 

 

 

Actually, your TA's commission will be affected by the cash off certificate... It will not be affected by the OBC. You should definitely call them.

 

There shouldn't be a problem with the certificates getting applied before you final payment... you'll be fine.

[4merlurker]

Actually, your TA's commission will be affected by the cash off certificate... It will not be affected by the OBC. You should definitely call them.

 

Actually, your information is incorrect. Cash off the cruise is just a payment not a discount. If I pay $500 towards my cruise or cash in 50k points for $500 off the cruise it's the same thing. Commission is not effected.

 

example:

 

cruise price $2000

50K visa cert - $500

Balance due: $1500

 

OR

 

cruise price $2000

payment -$ 500

Balance due: $1500

 

Its the same thing.

 

~Connie

[kyriecat]

Actually, your information is incorrect. Cash off the cruise is just a payment not a discount. If I pay $500 towards my cruise or cash in 50k points for $500 off the cruise it's the same thing. Commission is not effected.

Are you certain about that? I had a TA who would not accept the Visa point certificates because he said they affected his commission. I ended up using them for OBC and dumping the TA next cruise. I didn't try sending the certs to RC directly so I don't know what would have happened. He might have been mistaken or else didn't want the extra paperwork.

[Richiebaseball]

Actually, your information is incorrect. Cash off the cruise is just a payment not a discount. If I pay $500 towards my cruise or cash in 50k points for $500 off the cruise it's the same thing. Commission is not effected.

 

example:

 

cruise price $2000

50K visa cert - $500

Balance due: $1500

 

OR

 

cruise price $2000

payment -$ 500

Balance due: $1500

 

Its the same thing.

 

~Connie

 

The certificates when used as dollars off are posted as a discount and not a payment. As a discount this comes off the commissionable fare.

[4merlurker]

The certificates when used as dollars off are posted as a discount and not a payment. As a discount this comes off the commissionable fare.

 

This is not what I was told by RCCL or my TA. Why would it post as a discount? It's not a discount.

 

~Connie

[jmf123]

TA commission is affected with use of a Visa certificate. When I was in the business I booked long time clients on a free 7 night cruise as a courtesy. No commission except on the Travel Guard insurance policy I issued for them.

 

Another client's wife sailed on a 7 night cruise for only $50+ with Visa points. I received commission on his cruisefare and her reduced fare only.

 

Crown & Anchor coupons and Future Cruise Credits both also affect TA commissions.

[Bruin Steve]

I am using my points (125,000 point "free cruise") for a January 2011 cruise on the Allure of the Seas...

We previously used the points for a "free cruise" two years ago on the Liberty of the Seas...

Last time, I went through my TA...but we also booked a second cruise and did two back-to-back...

But, my TA did NOT get anywhere close to her full commission on the Liberty of the Seas cruise...She got some because we upgraded to a balcony and paid the difference in cash...

 

The Allure cruise will be entirely covered by the 125,000 award...the fare is $1159 pp for an oceanview...but a balcony is only $1259 and we get a $100 pp discount for being Diamond Crown & Anchor members...So, there is no additional cost...and the "up to 2500" credit covers it...

 

But my understanding is that the TA only gets a token commission on these...

Rather than run my TA through hoops for less money than she'll spend on dealing with it, I just booked directly through Royal Caribbean...

[Richiebaseball]

This is not what I was told by RCCL or my TA. Why would it post as a discount? It's not a discount.

 

~Connie

 

Anytime the price is lowered the commission is affected. And if you take a look at the certificate one of the options is "Cruise discount Max value $500". I know because I have a stack of them within easy reach. And I know the commission is affected because, well, I have a stack of them within easy reach. It is a discount and is treated as such when it comes to agency commissions.

[4merlurker]

Technically the price is not being lowered I am still paying X amount for my cabin. I make monthly payments towards my cruise....does that lower commission?

 

Now, if RCCL is posting the points as a discount that's not fair to TAs. RCCL is still getting the full fare. It doesn't make sense.

 

~Connie

[Richiebaseball]

I am using my points (125,000 point "free cruise") for a January 2011 cruise on the Allure of the Seas...

We previously used the points for a "free cruise" two years ago on the Liberty of the Seas...

Last time, I went through my TA...but we also booked a second cruise and did two back-to-back...

But, my TA did NOT get anywhere close to her full commission on the Liberty of the Seas cruise...She got some because we upgraded to a balcony and paid the difference in cash...

 

The Allure cruise will be entirely covered by the 125,000 award...the fare is $1159 pp for an oceanview...but a balcony is only $1259 and we get a $100 pp discount for being Diamond Crown & Anchor members...So, there is no additional cost...and the "up to 2500" credit covers it...

 

But my understanding is that the TA only gets a token commission on these...

Rather than run my TA through hoops for less money than she'll spend on dealing with it, I just booked directly through Royal Caribbean...

 

That's pretty much correct. A free cruise is a free cruise and there is no commission on a free cruise. However in looking at your cruise history, I would expect your agent would be happy to help with a "free" one every once in a while.

[Richiebaseball]

I'm sorry but I still don't understand. The visa points are not changing the cruise fare, how can that affect commision? :confused:

 

I can see if you are redeeming for a "free" cruise or "free" companion fare but in my case its just $'s off. I've also been making monthly payments towards my balance.....so this is affecting commission too?

 

~Connie

 

But it is changing the cruise fare. It's a discount. Just like a Future Cruise Certificate or a Crown & Anchor savings certificate or a platinum/diamond discount. Basically if it's not an onboard credit, it's a discount. And discounts come off the commissionable fare.

 

Your monthly payments aren't affecting the cruise fare at all. They are just that, payments. Using the visa points is a discount though.

[jmf123]

I'm sorry but I still don't understand. The visa points are not changing the cruise fare, how can that affect commision? :confused:

 

I can see if you are redeeming for a "free" cruise or "free" companion fare but in my case its just $'s off. I've also been making monthly payments towards my balance.....so this is affecting commission too?

 

~Connie

 

The Visa points definitely change the cruisefare, you are paying less money for the cruise. As noted in my previous post my clients booked a cruise that was $1,200 cruisefare per person. In using points, the one cruisefare was reduced to about $50. My commission was then based on $1,250...not $2400.

 

Bruin Steve, I would gladly book your free cruises as a courtesy. I hope you gave your TA the option to do so for you! :)

[4merlurker]

Sorry. I'm not trying to be difficult.:o I get it now. Thanks.

~Connie

[CruisinDawn]

Are you certain about that? I had a TA who would not accept the Visa point certificates because he said they affected his commission. I ended up using them for OBC and dumping the TA next cruise. I didn't try sending the certs to RC directly so I don't know what would have happened. He might have been mistaken or else didn't want the extra paperwork.

I too had a TA tell me that I was lucky they were willing to accept our discount on the cruise and warned me that if I even intended on using one again to let them know at the time of booking. TA's DO NOT have to honor the certificate period is what I was told. It was a mess and I was having to deal with all of this while on a Christmas vacation traveling in and out of phone reception, very frustrating. :( I book direct now.

 

BonVoyage

Dawna

[golfer84]

I have enjoyed reading all about the coke card and the TA/discount problems. My cruise to Canada/New England Sept 19th with RCCL will be my third one. You all are so fun to read. Just wanted to let you know.

[MIcruiser99]

Is that going to be a problem? I called in the numbers, copied the certs and mailed them to RCCL. I guess I should let my TA know? RCCL says final payment is due 8/20, my TA says 8/13. I want the $$ to come off my final payment....Do you think it will be applied before then? The RCCL rep wasn't sure :confused:....Should I call back and confirm?

 

I can't believe how nervous I am LOL

~Connie

 

Did you call Crown & Anchor with the certificate numbers? After receiving the number from the visa card over the phone, I immediately called C & A and gave them the certificate numbers. The credit was applied in about a day. It was great!

[publicpersona]

Your welcome!

 

I love the visa cc. We have received 3 free (7 night) cruises, $500 off a (9 night) cruise and have enough points for another free (7 night) cruise!!

.

Have you found the free cruise redemption is significantly better than the OBC redemptions? I'm been redeeming every 5000 point for $50 simply because I'm afraid they will change the terms of the program if I have too many points accumulated.

[elleluv]

Actually, your information is incorrect. Cash off the cruise is just a payment not a discount. If I pay $500 towards my cruise or cash in 50k points for $500 off the cruise it's the same thing. Commission is not effected.

 

~Connie

 

 

 

It looks like others have already spoken up, but I'm actually a TA, so when I said that the commission was affected when you get a credit using the Visa Certificate, it wasn't just a guess. They do consider it a reduction in price. Future Cruise Credits, Platinum/Diamond Balcony Discounts, and Savings Certificates are also considered a reduction in price and in the commissionable cruise fare.

 

I'm a little surprised to hear that agents would refuse to take them or say that a client was "lucky" that they did... I don't even mention to my clients in those cases that my commission is being affected. It's not professional, IMO, and if looking out for your client's best interest is your number one priority, it comes back to you.

[1cruise2U]

Is that going to be a problem? I called in the numbers, copied the certs and mailed them to RCCL. I guess I should let my TA know? RCCL says final payment is due 8/20, my TA says 8/13. I want the $$ to come off my final payment....Do you think it will be applied before then? The RCCL rep wasn't sure :confused:....Should I call back and confirm?

 

I can't believe how nervous I am LOL

~Connie

 

I called the number on the back of the certs, sent then in last Tuesday, when I checked on Monday the discount was applied.

 

When I used the TA, I was getting onboard credit with the cert, I never told the TA, just did the same process, called, mailed and got the credit onboard.

 

This cruise no TA direct with RCCL

[bubbie617]

FYI, keep an eye on your points, they do expire. If you don't use them, you will loose them.

 

How long are the points good for? We've used 50,000 for a $500 credit twice and now we're more than 3/4 the way to a free cruise at 125,000. I'd be a very sad person if my points began to disappear.

[elleluv]

How long are the points good for? We've used 50,000 for a $500 credit twice and now we're more than 3/4 the way to a free cruise at 125,000. I'd be a very sad person if my points began to disappear.

 

 

They are good for 3 years, Susan.