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TA Question Is This Normal?


AnyShip4Me
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Hi, Granted I have not taken a cruise for awhile due to illness. That being said, I booked a cruise with an online TA. My sailing and state room category went down in price so I contacted them to ask for the price adjustment.

They said "We can't afford to do this. We would have to take away one of your perks. (They are a very large agency)

 

 

"Huh"? Is this normal? If so I don't think I will use any TA again.

 

Thank you in advance!

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normal? no. does it happen? yes. any perks you get from a TA comes directly out of their commission. meaning they actually pay for those free gratuities or the dinner in a specialty dining venue. the lower their profit margin, the less likely they will process price reductions without charging you some sort of fee or penalty.

 

you need to find a TA that does not charge or penalize for repricing.

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Not all TAs provide tons of freebies and not all TAs give you a hard time about reducing your fare.

 

As the OP situation shows, one way or another a pax could end up paying for those freebies. In this case, either a lower cruise fare or the freebie.

 

And while this refers to a TA, it can also refer to a cruise line when the fare is lowered. If originally booked under a promotion, it could happen that those promotional items are lost when rebooked. It is important to figure out which way you benefit the best.

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My current TA actively hunts for discounts. My last cruise ended being about half the original fare (over $1000 saved). I doubt any online TA with massive perks would be willing to give me that kind of money.

As far as included perks, I am awarded several simple, personal type items and a bit of OBC - it seems more like a personal consideration rather than a bribe to use them, which I appreciate. Additionally, the TA contacts me regularly (but not intrusively) to ask about how my trip went as well as what I would be looking for in my next trip.

I think your best bet would be to find a TA that actually runs an office that you can walk in and see them, or at least have them answer the phone when you call, rather than a large "discount" organization that only seem to care about you as a number.

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I don't know who provided your "perks"; the TA or the cruise line.

Sometimes, if the price goes down, it's a special that's only good for new bookings. If you cancel and rebook at the lower price, you loose the perks associated with your original booking.

Could this be the case with your booking?

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Normally when you are refaring, you have a choice of the original offer or the current offer for your booking. Cruise lines will often charge $1000 with $100 BC. A subsequent offer will be $950 with no OBC. You can't take the price for the current offer and the OBC from the original.

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Thank you all, good to know. It's a Celebrity cruise with the $300.00 OBC and Drink Package. The TA added the tip's comp. I guess I should have asked first.

 

I think this is the key. It's important to ask any agent what the effect of a price drop would be on any perks they are offering. Obviously, if the cruise line is providing the perks, like OBC and drink package and that is still available at the lower price, that would be given. But if the TA is providing additional OBC or paying gratuities out of their commission, and the price of the cruise goes down, there is a subsequent drop in commission for the agent and therefore, the cost of those additional offerings becomes too great.

 

So ask your agent if a price drop occurs, will they adjust any perks they are offering, so that you know going in whether something is a good deal or not.

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Hi, Granted I have not taken a cruise for awhile due to illness. That being said, I booked a cruise with an online TA. My sailing and state room category went down in price so I contacted them to ask for the price adjustment.

They said "We can't afford to do this. We would have to take away one of your perks. (They are a very large agency)

 

 

"Huh"? Is this normal? If so I don't think I will use any TA again.

 

Thank you in advance!

 

Was it the TA or the cruise line that was providing the perks. If the cruise line, getting the lower price might be considered rebooking in which case it is likely that you would lose your perks.

 

DON

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Was it the TA or the cruise line that was providing the perks. If the cruise line, getting the lower price might be considered rebooking in which case it is likely that you would lose your perks.

 

DON

 

The first two perks are the same as the cruise line (Celebrity) drink package and 300.00 OBC the TA added paid tips.

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