so disappointed with my TA...

[Working 2 Cruise]

I thought that with the future cruise credits earned during the promotion last fall that travel agents were assured to receive their full commissions... Well, not sure if my TA will receive her full commission, but she did cut her discount to the amount of the fare minus the future cruise credit... to add insult to injury, no OBC...

 

On the positive side, the cruise has maybe 30 or 40 cabins sold, at the most... it's a little over 7 months until the cruise and I've never seen so many unsold cabins at this time. It's good for us as sales and fare reductions will happen but not sure about my TA...

 

Do you think the way my TA handled my booking correctly? I have to say she's very efficient...

[Ethel5]

I thought that with the future cruise credits earned during the promotion last fall that travel agents were assured to receive their full commissions... Well, not sure if my TA will receive her full commission, but she did cut her discount to the amount of the fare minus the future cruise credit... to add insult to injury, no OBC..................................snip..........................................................

Do you think the way my TA handled my booking correctly? I have to say she's very efficient...

 

Your TA handled it perfectly. How on earth should she discount something you're getting for free? OBC is a function of amenity points and since your fare was "free" there wasn't any points for OBC. If she's efficient and you're happy with her, send her a gift and cherish her. :)

[Working 2 Cruise]

Donna, you must have misunderstood me... My fare was definitely not free... Just a small portion of it. There was a discussion on the boards on how TAs would handle the future cruise credits... Discounting 100% of the fare or just a portion of it, which is what she did.

 

I just wanted to know if I was right to be disappointed or not. Either way, I'll be keeping my booking with her.

 

Now, another question: it seems unusual to have only 30 cabins booked on a 10 day cruise a little over 7 months away. Is this usual?

 

I do know that, one way or another, it will fill up but I thought it was odd...

[Ethel5]

Donna, you must have misunderstood me... My fare was definitely not free... Just a small portion of it. There was a discussion on the boards on how TAs would handle the future cruise credits... Discounting 100% of the fare or just a portion of it, which is what she did.

 

I just wanted to know if I was right to be disappointed or not. Either way, I'll be keeping my booking with her.

 

Now, another question: it seems unusual to have only 30 cabins booked on a 10 day cruise a little over 7 months away. Is this usual?

 

I do know that, one way or another, it will fill up but I thought it was odd...

 

What you paid for the cruise minus taxes and port charges will be given back to you in the form of a credit off the price of a future cruise. So the cruise portion was essentially free. TA's do not discount taxes or port fees. Those charges don't count toward their commission. So, don't be disappointed.

 

How are you getting the info that only 30 cabins have been booked for the 10 day cruise? It does seem unusual.

Edited March 22, 2014 by Ethel5

[Working 2 Cruise]

Donna, the "free" cruise was in January. The upcoming one is in October. But in the end, it's not a big deal.

 

I did a mock booking and went through every category... The other weird thing is that all the WS suites are sold out... A few Caribe deck balconies and a few insides have been booked. That's it!!!

[Coral]

I actually don't understand your wording of what the price is.

 

Maybe you can use numbers to explain. For example - cruise is $1000 (not including fees and taxes). Credit was $400 which leaves the cruise fare $600. Is your agent charging you $600 or a discounted amount of $600?

[rdsqrl]

I read it that her agent is giving her a (for example) 20% discount off of $600 ($120, so she's paying only $480) and she's wanting a 20% discount off of $1000 ($200, leaving her to pay only $400).

[Working 2 Cruise]

Cruise fare = $2150. Future Cruise Credits = $578. TA is discounting on $1580... 10% and no OBC. I just assumed the discount would be $215... I guess it's my bad!

[hpeabody]

When I applied my Future Cruise Credit my on-line TA based my bonus OBC on the cruise fare less the future cruise credit. It is a fairly expensive 28 day cruise, so I will receive a really nice OBC. I will get another $100.00 OBC because of the promotion on at the time. About the TA commission, I booked before all the broo-ha-ha started. TA still claims they will not receive commission on the future cruise credit portion. I am NOT disappointed, I am happy to have had a nice couple of short cruises and then had that money applied to this more expensive longish cruise. A win-win :)

[Coral]

Cruise fare = $2150. Future Cruise Credits = $578. TA is discounting on $1580... 10% and no OBC. I just assumed the discount would be $215... I guess it's my bad!

 

Thanks - I understand now. I need to re-look at the notes from before.

 

The OBC isn't something that really plays into this as most OBC is from booking into group space and travel agents can't hold space on every sailing. You should still get OBC from a Future Cruise Deposit, or possible other promos, etc...

 

As far as the ship being less than full, I am not surprised as the Mexican market has not been a huge seller lately. It is not a cruise people book far in advance unless it is a special occasion such as Christmas or an anniversary.

[always_cruisin]

What you paid for the cruise minus taxes and port charges will be given back to you in the form of a credit off the price of a future cruise. So the cruise portion was essentially free. TA's do not discount taxes or port fees. Those charges don't count toward their commission. So, don't be disappointed.

 

I agree. For some reason people expect TAs to rebate commission on every sailing. They don't work for free, do you?

[caribill]

What you paid for the cruise minus taxes and port charges will be given back to you in the form of a credit off the price of a future cruise. So the cruise portion was essentially free.

 

The cruise from which the credit came from was either a 3, 4 or 5 day sailing.

 

The credit is being applied to a 10 day cruise.

 

No way is the credit from a short cruise making the cruise portion of a 10 day cruise essentially free.

[caribill]

Donna, the "free" cruise was in January. The upcoming one is in October. But in the end, it's not a big deal.

 

I did a mock booking and went through every category... The other weird thing is that all the WS suites are sold out... A few Caribe deck balconies and a few insides have been booked. That's it!!!

 

What you do not see is how many GTY bookings there are which have not yet had cabins assigned.

[Ethel5]

The cruise from which the credit came from was either a 3, 4 or 5 day sailing.

 

The credit is being applied to a 10 day cruise.

 

No way is the credit from a short cruise making the cruise portion of a 10 day cruise essentially free.

 

Of course not! The short cruise is essentially free minus the taxes and port charges.

[Coral]

I think the OP has a valid point.

 

I remember hearing from my agent that they were changing how the future money was going to be treated and that it would be commissionable. When it wasn't - I felt sorry for my agent (and other agents) as there were many people who were taking multiple cruises in high cabins knowing that it would reduce a future cruise down quite a bit. I was thinking my agent would probably be making just a few dollars off of an expensive cruise and how unfair that was.

 

Is your agent a cruise agent? Or do they do a lot of bookings with Princess?

 

I see nothing wrong with asking the question that you had heard that the future cruise amount was commissionable now and if you could receive a discount on the entire booking. Maybe the agent missed the memo or is not familiar that Princess changed their policy. It can be asked diplomatically.

 

When using a local agent (before moving to a cruise agent), we received a significant credit towards a future cruise due to a mishap. The cruise was $750 per person and we received a $500 per person credit. So it left the cruise around $250. The price of the cruise was lowered to $600 and when I called to get a price adjustment, she wasn't with it and saw that I was only paying $250 for the cruise and $600 was more then what I was paying. She missed the point but I was able to explain it to her and did get the additional price reduction.

 

My logic may be wrong but I think the OP is not asking for anything out of the ordinary if their agent usually discounts. If someone very familiar with the situation can explain why my logic is wrong, I would be interested in hearing so.

Edited March 22, 2014 by Coral

[Loonbeam]

It's important to note that saying that the FCCs are commissionable doesn't mean they are compensated at the same rates as the remainder of the fare either. Princess could very easily be adjusting to a lower rate on those which precludes a commission.

 

I think the OP has a valid point.

 

I remember hearing from my agent that they were changing how the future money was going to be treated and that it would be commissionable. When it wasn't - I felt sorry for my agent (and other agents) as there were many people who were taking multiple cruises in high cabins knowing that it would reduce a future cruise down quite a bit. I was thinking my agent would probably be making just a few dollars off of an expensive cruise and how unfair that was.

 

Is your agent a cruise agent? Or do they do a lot of bookings with Princess?

 

I see nothing wrong with asking the question that you had heard that the future cruise amount was commissionable now and if you could receive a discount on the entire booking. Maybe the agent missed the memo or is not familiar that Princess changed their policy. It can be asked diplomatically.

 

When using a local agent (before moving to a cruise agent), we received a significant credit towards a future cruise due to a mishap. The cruise was $750 per person and we received a $500 per person credit. So it left the cruise around $250. The price of the cruise was lowered to $600 and when I called to get a price adjustment, she wasn't with it and saw that I was only paying $250 for the cruise and $600 was more then what I was paying. She missed the point but I was able to explain it to her and did get the additional price reduction.

 

My logic may be wrong but I think the OP is not asking for anything out of the ordinary if their agent usually discounts. If someone very familiar with the situation can explain why my logic is wrong, I would be interested in hearing so.

[Pam in CA]

Too confusing for me. :) I'm just thrilled to save on a cruise.

[pablo222]

The cruise from which the credit came from was either a 3, 4 or 5 day sailing.

 

The credit is being applied to a 10 day cruise.

 

No way is the credit from a short cruise making the cruise portion of a 10 day cruise essentially free.

 

Suite on 5-day sailing; inside on 10-day sailing.

 

Suites were very popular during the 'free' promotion.

Edited March 22, 2014 by pablo222

[janetz]

Too confusing for me. :) I'm just thrilled to save on a cruise.

 

 

 

:p You are so right Pam

[Nomsayin]

:p You are so right Pam

 

x3:confused: