Booking bonuses with online TAs

[mspamela]

Hello everyone--

 

I've never used an online TA but am intrigued by all of the booking bonuses they seem to offer...prepaid gratuities (great deal!), OBC, free spa treatments. I have a friend who cruises all the time, and actually works P/T at a brick-n-mortar travel agency, and even he couldn't get a better deal for himself than these online agencies are offering. So he booked a cruise online--and got himself several hundred dollars off his cruise and several vouchers!!

 

I'm curious as to how the online agencies get and pay for these vouchers? Are they just given to them by the cruiselines due to mass volume bookings? Or do they pay for them outright? Has anyone ever had any trouble redeeming these types of vouchers? (Such as pre-paid gratuities)

 

We love our TA but it's hard to turn away from these types of bonus offers. Would enjoy hearing thoughts from others. We are addicted to cruising but can only go in the summer right now--and pay top dollar. These vouchers would help!

[mishdoob]

I'm curious as well, usually we book direct through cruise line but have been tempted to book with online TA's we've seen advertising here....

[paul929207]

We sail mostly with Princess and they still allow TA's to discount. I have a list of 30 or 40 "discount" TAs. I check the price with all of them. Many are the same as Princess, but I usually find some that are about 15% below Princess.

[AnnesBask]

I have cruised many times and usually awlays book with online TA. Sometimes I book directly with cruise line then move the booking to my online TA when the bonuses are good on that sailing usually doubling onboard credit.

[moopig]

I usually book with an online TA. I compare between the different online ones as well as through the cruiseline. Last one I booked I was able to get $100 onboard credit! Never had any problem redeeming this on previous cruises.

[ninkb]

. . . collecting any of the promised amenities. I do take copies of the promised OBC with me but have never had to follow up. We've booked with a variety of TA's and with HAL directly. When I'm preparing to book, not only do I have to choose a cruise, but also with whom I will book. Do your homework. It's worth the time!!! And happy cruising in the future. What you save on today's cruise puts you that many steps closer to the next cruise.

[mspamela]

Thanks everyone! We booked 2 weeks for next year already, while onboard last month. Aren't the special vouchers usually just for new bookings? Love getting OBC, but pre-paid gratuities would be fantastic too.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Hello everyone--

 

I've never used an online TA but am intrigued by all of the booking bonuses they seem to offer...prepaid gratuities (great deal!), OBC, free spa treatments. I have a friend who cruises all the time, and actually works P/T at a brick-n-mortar travel agency, and even he couldn't get a better deal for himself than these online agencies are offering. So he booked a cruise online--and got himself several hundred dollars off his cruise and several vouchers!!

 

I'm curious as to how the online agencies get and pay for these vouchers? Are they just given to them by the cruiselines due to mass volume bookings? Or do they pay for them outright? Has anyone ever had any trouble redeeming these types of vouchers? (Such as pre-paid gratuities)

 

We love our TA but it's hard to turn away from these types of bonus offers. Would enjoy hearing thoughts from others. We are addicted to cruising but can only go in the summer right now--and pay top dollar. These vouchers would help!

Ask her to match them

[Beachgal528]

I have cruised many times and usually awlays book with online TA. Sometimes I book directly with cruise line then move the booking to my online TA when the bonuses are good on that sailing usually doubling onboard credit.

 

How do you move a booking from the cruise line to a travel agent once you're already booked?? I may would like to try this for my May cruise if I could get some obc or something.

[paul929207]

How do you move a booking from the cruise line to a travel agent once you're already booked?? I may would like to try this for my May cruise if I could get some obc or something.

Find a TA you like, agree upon a price, the perks, etc and then tell the TA to transfer it to themself. They handle everything.

 

I believe you cannot transfer after final payment.