pcc

[RuthC]

A PCC and a TA do the same thing, and there are good and bad with both. None walk on water so no reason we can't discuss the good with the bad.;)

In an important way, a TA can do more for you than a PCC can. A PCC can only make flight, hotel, or transfer arrangements as provided by the cruise line. A TA can do all that, as well as make arrangements on a larger scale. They can also make private pre- or post- private tour arrangements, and various other plans for you. Mine has found and booked car services to distant airports, which a PCC could never do.

[dmcfad2]

I am wondering why anyone uses a PCC. From what I can understand they can't give any discounts on the fare so what is the point?

 

 

 

When I book a cruise, I already know ship, date and cabin #. If it is last minute I call the ta I use and have her book it. If it is months away I book it myself. If something happens and I have to cancel the cruise I just call and cancel it If everything goes as planned right before final payment I call HAl and tell them I am going to turn the booking over to the TA. Then I call the ta with the booking # and our cc # and she figures the discount and lets me know what kind of discount I will get.

 

 

 

This way I can do what I want with the booking and not have the three way call during the waiting period before we sail.

 

 

 

If the ta didn't give a discount I wouldn't use them.

 

 

I am wondering what kind of discount do you get from using a TA. Are you talking about OBC or do they actually discount the price of the cruise lower than what HAL shows on their website?

[Tom O.]

I am wondering what kind of discount do you get from using a TA. Are you talking about OBC or do they actually discount the price of the cruise lower than what HAL shows on their website?

 

A Travel agent can give you a huge discount, by simply cutting their own commission. Different TAs will give you the discount in different ways - could be OBC, price reduction or both.

For example, my next cruise is listed on HAL as $2100 per person, but my TA is giving us the price of $1600 pp, plus they are giving us $100 per room OBC.

Not much OBC but the price discount is huge. Other agents will throw in a premium dinner.

[Randyk47]

I am wondering what kind of discount do you get from using a TA. Are you talking about OBC or do they actually discount the price of the cruise lower than what HAL shows on their website?

 

I don't know who Hflors uses but my TA sends me a cashier's check after final payment not an OBC. Typically it averages 10-12% of the published/website fare not including taxes, port fees, etc. We've been using Internet based TAs for some 12 years now and I switched to my present one about three years ago based on the recommendation of a fellow CC'er. She really is more like a mixture of a brick and mortar and Internet TA as she can easily be reached phone or email. She also has her own support staff that work for her so I have 24/7 support. One of the reasons I switched was my previous Internet based TA started to go to OBCs rather than a cash discount and I'd rather have the cash.

[Hlitner]

I am wondering what kind of discount do you get from using a TA. Are you talking about OBC or do they actually discount the price of the cruise lower than what HAL shows on their website?

 

It varies! And sometimes in a major way. We have an upcoming HAL cruise (about an 8 week voyage) where one particular cruise agency (one of several that we have used for many years) offered a deal that was more then 25% cheaper then the same cabin on HAL's web site. On other cruises we might pay the same cruise price, but get OBCs (sometimes thousands of dollars) pre-paid gratutities, etc. Over the years we have found that certain high volume agencies tend to have the best deals with specific cruise lines (we cruise many different lines). To find these deals one often has to spend a little time shopping around online. It also pays to register your e-mail with multiple cruise agencies (this may get you more e-mails then you want...but you could create a separate G-Mail account for just this purpose) because some of the best deals (which are authorized by the cruise lines) are not permitted to be advertised online. So you will only learn of these deals via e-mails to registered customers or via word of mouth.

 

Hank

Edited February 21, 2016 by Hlitner