TA Question & OBC Question

[roothy123]

I have never really understood, and not sure if I want to ask our TA: When a TA says they have "group booking" privileges with Oceania, what exactly does that mean? Can the company book any particular available stateroom on any cruise on a guarantee basis, or what?

 

I really like having a guarantee on a stateroom category, and know they often eventually get offered to everyone on O's web site if a category is really full, but never really understood whether this is an option a travel agent can get for any booking, or just something that sometimes becomes available through the web site.

 

Also, I know this has probably been covered a million times, but: Besides the casino, what other places are off limits for use of on board credit?

[YoHoHo]

Also, I know this has probably been covered a million times, but: Besides the casino, what other places are off limits for use of on board credit?

The OBC can be used on ship for anything else.

 

Just to clarify / confuse, the casino only takes cash. You can buy for the casino charging it to your ship account with a 3% service fee. In most cases that purchase will be paid on your final account settlement using you credit card. Considering most CCs charge 3% or more plus immediate interest this is very fair. To add to this though some OBC can be withdrawn as cash. The purser should be able to tell you if any of the OBC s refundable and it should list it as such on your invoice. Note in personal experience 3/4 Reception staff were wrong. 1 plus a purser did get me some of my refundable OBC.

 

So as a workaround IF any of your OBC is refundable you could use that to get cash for the casino.

[YoHoHo]

I have never really understood, and not sure if I want to ask our TA: When a TA says they have "group booking" privileges with Oceania, what exactly does that mean? Can the company book any particular available stateroom on any cruise on a guarantee basis, or what?

 

I really like having a guarantee on a stateroom category, and know they often eventually get offered to everyone on O's web site if a category is really full, but never really understood whether this is an option a travel agent can get for any booking, or just something that sometimes becomes available through the web site.

Unlike other lines O does not sell guarantee category from the start. Many lines offer available cabins at certain prices and also a GTY in that same category at a reduced price.

 

In return for the savings the pax gives up on being able to select their cabin. Some pax are very particular for the choice. Some ships have some poor choices, such as noise from a bar or pool deck, etc. O's ship there are some better choices but few poorer choices so it does not make such a difference.

 

What O does is once the bookings reach a certain threshold then they no longer offer a choice of staterooms but only sell a booking as a GTY. You might not find out your cabin until you arrive at the pier (rare).

 

So you never get a choice of selecting a certain or taking a chance at reduced price for 'run if the house' cabin.

 

A group booking has nothing to do with a guarantee but that they have contracted to sell a certain number of cabins and for that they get a reduced price. They can take that or give it as OBC or what they want. If they cannot fill them all then they return the inventory to O at some point while there is still good time to sell them. I assume but do not know, if they do not meet their sales obligations they lose out on all or part of the price reduction and so are taking a risk on return for the reward of being able to offer you the OBC that some other agent that has no group on that sailing can offer. The pax wins on these, the agent takes the risk to improve the chance of making a sale and hopefully a good client.

Edited July 26, 2014 by YoHoHo

[roothy123]

Thank you. I currently have a guarantee on a "G" category, and now (2 1/2 weeks pre-cruise) that category is listed as being available only as a Gty. However, for a long time a G was bookable. I guess my question is how that G guarantee was available to my TA - can his company request a Gty? I wanted one, as I 1) don't care where I end up, as long as I'm not sleeping on a deck chair, and 2) I figure that with a Gty, there is a chance they will offer me something else for a slight upsell. (It has happened before, although this cruise seems a bit weird in what's still available. Every suite and veranda cabin is waitlisted, with only the cheaper categories available! On past cruises, the cheaper cabins (and many of the suites) are the first to be full.)

 

I never really paid much attention to the OBC before because it was easy to use it up on excursions. However, now I'm in the enviable position of not knowing for sure if I'll be able to use it up. Then again, there's always a splurge in the gift shop.

 

I was not aware until just recently that ANY OBC was ever refundable, whether it came as a result of my bronze status or from the TA. I will definitely inquire on board about the possibility of a refund, should I not find a way to use it - although I suspect using it will not be a problem....

Edited July 26, 2014 by roothy123

[kiawahdon]

Even though I routinely did it in Jan-Feb., there is now a 5% fee for getting refundable OBC 's paid in cash. I went all the way to upper mgm't 2 months ago to get this change in policy affirmed. A very poor decision for those of us that want some casino dollars.

[treasure4two]

I did not know about the 5 % charge and also, I thought I had to use all my OBC, so we did, but too late learned that I could have cashed in what the TA had given us. On well, I have a beautiful purse!

[LHT28]

even if you book a specific cabin you may or may not get an upsell offer

 

I prefer to choose my cabin location as I do not like to be in the forward portion of the ship

 

YMMV

[pacheco18]

In my experience a group always means free gratuities among other things

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[orchestrapal]

In my experience a group always means free gratuities among other things

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Other things are OBC.

[roothy123]

So are you guys saying that when a travel agent has a "group booking" it means that he/she can usually get extra onboard credit and free gratuities for a person? Mine always gives me, or perhaps gets, me that, but I'm never totally sure who's giving it - the TA or Oceania!

[LHT28]

So are you guys saying that when a travel agent has a "group booking" it means that he/she can usually get extra onboard credit and free gratuities for a person? Mine always gives me, or perhaps gets, me that, but I'm never totally sure who's giving it - the TA or Oceania!

 

Maybe your TA is giving you the GROUP deal

 

Usually the pre paids come from O that is my understanding

[Queen of DaNile]

My TA has us booked as part of a group for an upcoming cruise and between what she and O offered we are looking at $1900. in OBC, some of it refundable. I took the option of getting a check for $1200. that we will get just before departure or after we return. I plan on using it to pay for private excursions. If I exceed the $700. that I have to use on the ship, I'll use a cc and get points. There was no mention of a service charge but perhaps that's because it is coming back directly from the TA.

[ronrick1943]

My TA has us booked as part of a group for an upcoming cruise and between what she and O offered we are looking at $1900. in OBC, some of it refundable. I took the option of getting a check for $1200. that we will get just before departure or after we return. I plan on using it to pay for private excursions. If I exceed the $700. that I have to use on the ship, I'll use a cc and get points. There was no mention of a service charge but perhaps that's because it is coming back directly from the TA.

 

WOW, my old TA should read this, then besides bad service she'll know why we and my friends will never ever book with her again. And make sure anyone using a TA get everything in writing-mind changed her mind on what she wanted to give me 30 days before the cruise---but since I had it in writing, no way.

Rick

[roothy123]

Wow is right. I love our TA but he has never offered us that much money. However I am guessing that you did not book an inside cabin so I feel better.

[bob278]

I have a question about what OBC is refundable. I would assume (hope) that anything that is given by my TA would be refundable and I could use it anywhere on board or get it back on the last night. On Celebrity which is where my experience is, they do charge 5% if you get chips (cash) in the casino, but on the last night of the cruise I can go to Guest Relations and get all of any remaining refundable OBC with no charge.

 

So I guess I have two questions:

 

Is TA-provided OBC always refundable?

Is there a charge for getting it in cash at the end of the cruise?

[YoHoHo]

I have a question about what OBC is refundable. I would assume (hope) that anything that is given by my TA would be refundable and I could use it anywhere on board or get it back on the last night. On Celebrity which is where my experience is, they do charge 5% if you get chips (cash) in the casino, but on the last night of the cruise I can go to Guest Relations and get all of any remaining refundable OBC with no charge.

 

So I guess I have two questions:

 

Is TA-provided OBC always refundable?

Is there a charge for getting it in cash at the end of the cruise?

1. No, some is, some is not. The TA might be passing along a promo from O or from an arranged group booking and those are not refundable. How would you know if it is refundable? Ask your TA or as per post #2

 

2. No charge if it is refundable

 

You mention another cruise lines policy so I'll add that unlike some other lines any OBC can be applied to the auto-charged daily tips so if those are not pre-paid the OBC is as good as cash

[bob278]

1. No, some is, some is not. The TA might be passing along a promo from O or from an arranged group booking and those are not refundable. How would you know if it is refundable? Ask your TA or as per post #2

 

2. No charge if it is refundable

 

You mention another cruise lines policy so I'll add that unlike some other lines any OBC can be applied to the auto-charged daily tips so if those are not pre-paid the OBC is as good as cash

 

Thank you for the quick response. Good to know that I can ask my TA. But since I booked our cruise directly with Oceania and transferred it to her with no change in price, I am pretty sure there is no group booking involved, but I WILL ask. She looked at it before I booked with O and gave me a quote and the numbers stayed the same.

 

I think I got a pretty good deal. We got free air and gratuities from O and a generous OBC from my TA on the Insignia Montreal to Southampton next July. The only negative (and it is minor) is that we have only a GTY category. I really prefer to pick our cabin, but felt that there are no really bad PH2 on that ship. Hope I'm right.

[LHT28]

I think I got a pretty good deal. We got free air and gratuities from O and a generous OBC from my TA on the Insignia Montreal to Southampton next July.

 

Was there a promo for OBC when you booked with O ?

 

You can still ask if the OBC is refundable or not

sometimes it is noted on your invoice ...page 2 or 3 under the itinerary

Edited July 27, 2014 by LHT28

[bob278]

Was there a promo for OBC when you booked with O ?

 

You can still ask if the OBC is refundable or not

sometimes it is noted on your invoice ...page 2 or 3 under the itinerary

I booked about a month ago and it was the promo that was on the O website at the time. There is no mention on my O invoice of any OBC, but my TA's invoice has hers noted.

 

All that is on the O invoice is the price and a section called "Promotional Amenities that lists Concierge Internet Benefit (that I was told was unlimited for the cabin and we could share using one log-in) and "Limited Time Offer/Prepaid Gratuities".

 

We haven't even sailed on out first O cruise and are already thinking about booking one in 2016. :D

[LHT28]

I booked about a month ago and it was the promo that was on the O website at the time. There is no mention on my O invoice of any OBC, but my TA's invoice has hers noted.

 

All that is on the O invoice is the price and a section called "Promotional Amenities that lists Concierge Internet Benefit (that I was told was unlimited for the cabin and we could share using one log-in) and "Limited Time Offer/Prepaid Gratuities".

 

We haven't even sailed on out first O cruise and are already thinking about booking one in 2016. :D

 

So many promotions flying around lately it is hard to keep up

Not all OBC from the TA actually come from the TA but come via Oceania

best just to ask the TA if it is refundable or not ;)

 

We are doing a similar trip in May

enjoy the cruise

Lyn

[kiawahdon]

1. No, some is, some is not. The TA might be passing along a promo from O or from an arranged group booking and those are not refundable. How would you know if it is refundable? Ask your TA or as per post #2

 

2. No charge if it is refundable

 

You mention another cruise lines policy so I'll add that unlike some other lines any OBC can be applied to the auto-charged daily tips so if those are not pre-paid the OBC is as good as cash

 

I suggest you check with O. Unless the policy has changed in the last 30 days, there is definitely a 5% fee for taking refundable OBC's in cash.

[terry&mike]

Something else you may want to double check on is the line under your Amenities that states Concierge Internet Benefit. If I read you correctly, you understand it to be unlimited free internet for your cruise, but I am wondering if it actually means

*Guests staying in concierge-level staterooms and above

are eligible for a 10% discount on internet packages.

[LHT28]

I suggest you check with O. Unless the policy has changed in the last 30 days, there is definitely a 5% fee for taking refundable OBC's in cash.

 

Just wondering if before tha last day a refundable OBC is treated as a cash advance with a 5% fee but the last day it is just a refund?

Are you saying if you have $ left at the end of the cruise if you want cash they still charge the 5% fee?

 

I will never have money left over so no worries ;)

 

lyn

Edited July 28, 2014 by LHT28

[YoHoHo]

Just wondering if before tha last day a refundable OBC is treated as a cash advance with a 5% fee but the last day it is just a refund?

Are you saying if you have $ left at the end of the cruise if you want cash they still charge the 5% fee?

 

I will never have money left over so no worries ;)

 

lyn

 

I suggest you check with O. Unless the policy has changed in the last 30 days, there is definitely a 5% fee for taking refundable OBC's in cash.

Your experience is more recent so either:

as you suggest the policy has changed

or

I got lucky

or

Lyn's additional consideration came into play

 

Thanks for posting a your more recent experience. I should have qualified mine at least time-wise and not made the blanket statement. As so often with cruises YMWV (butler, behaving children, food (this venue, all venues, additonal seatings for specialty restaurants, etc )

 

Regardless I still think the 5% fee is fair. It recovers the credit card fee for the original transaction and is cheaper than a CC cash advance.

 

I have read others posting of a method to work-around the 'cash for the casino' by making a payment as as credit to their on-board account in advance of sailing with their credit card. Then withdrawing from that as a refundable OBC to get cash for the casino. O becomes a personal bank and the pax is not charge for cash withdrawal on the CC but simply a transaction plus the pax does not have to carry the cash with them while travelling. O pays the transaction fee. Well more correctly, all the pax pay for the transaction fee. The 5% is at least a cost recovery.

Edited July 28, 2014 by YoHoHo

[bob278]

Something else you may want to double check on is the line under your Amenities that states Concierge Internet Benefit. If I read you correctly, you understand it to be unlimited free internet for your cruise, but I am wondering if it actually means

*Guests staying in concierge-level staterooms and above

are eligible for a 10% discount on internet packages.

The exact wording on my invoice is: CONCIERGE INTERNET BENEFIT (1 guest per stateroom). It wasn't something I was looking for and I would be happy either way. We generally take our iPads ashore and look for internet cafes if we need to connect.

 

I will e-mail the O rep who booked me (and hope he will answer the question since the booking has been transferred to a TA). But I am pretty satisfied overall. I looked today at our cruise and our cabin category is shown as Wait List, but the price is the same as we paid. But the current offer does not include gratuities so that is already a price increase of $1,012. I don't remember if I saw anything about internet on the website but what I posted is what I remember from my many discussions with the rep.

 

Our GTY is a PH2. Would that category not automatically get the Concierge (or better) benefit?

 

My wife and I are very frequent Celebrity/RCL cruisers and I have a solid handle on their benefits but I am in uncharted waters (pun intended) here.