Booking through travel agent question

[JimJam39]

Strange that, I find that my TA fills me with far more confidence than any PO cruise consultant would. After all TA's Need to sell the cruises otherwise they earn no commission, PO sales agents are salaried and therefore will be far less motivated to help you.

Clearly the naïve first time cruiser didn't know this :rolleyes:

[insanemagnet]

Do you mean the 5% discount P&O are offering on their website?

 

No.

 

I mean the 5% discount that P&O will give you off the prices shown on their website, i.e. the website shows £1000, but P&O charge £950, and the booking is direct with P&O and no 'cashback' or similar involved.

 

It is a straight 5% discount on top of any other offers or promotions.

[kruzseeka]

No.

 

I mean the 5% discount that P&O will give you off the prices shown on their website, i.e. the website shows £1000, but P&O charge £950, and the booking is direct with P&O and no 'cashback' or similar involved.

 

It is a straight 5% discount on top of any other offers or promotions.

 

As far as my experience goes this 5% discount from P&O which comes off the price will also come off when you book with a TA - whether that's a promotional launch offer or Peninsular Club offer. As I understand it if there is, say, a 5% launch offer and it also happens to be a Peninsular Club cruise you get a 5% launch discount then a further 5% Peninsular discount (provided of course you qualify as a Peninsular Club member ie. you're a past customer).

 

 

I think it was Dai who demonstrated the arithmetic recently but on your £1000 this would mean:

- 5% P&O launch/promotional discount = £50 (I think this is what you're referring to as currently readily available on many bookings)

- then if it's a Peninsular cruise it's eligible for another 5% discount off the £950 = £47.50

 

 

But then if you book through a TA (who will give you all these P&O discounts as they will come through on the P&O website the TA accesses) you will get a further say, 3% TA discount ....or whatever % they are prepared to offer. Mine would give me 3% so on figures already quoted I'd get 3% off the balance ie 3% of £902.50 which is £27.07 = final balance of £875.43

 

I believe any discount you are seeing on P&O's website you get automatically when booking through a TA but you get their discount as well.

 

I'M sorry if I've misunderstood your point and if I'm wrong I'm sure someone else will correct me but why not do a trial booking on the P&O site then armed with the bottom line try a High Street TA (who does offer a TA discount) to compare the prices?

[miniyorkie]

Clearly the naïve first time cruiser didn't know this :rolleyes:

 

Jim Jam .Please don't feel that you are being naive by booking direct with P/O. It is whatever booking method suits you. I have just booked my 10th cruise and I don't use a travel agent - yes perhaps I should, but I do extensive online research and then usually book online direct with the cruise company. I may be missing out on a little extra discount but its quick, convenient and I can book at a time to suit me (often very late at night as once I have made the decision then I have to book immediately lol ) The most important factor is that you have booked and can enjoy your cruise.

[terrierjohn]

No.

 

I mean the 5% discount that P&O will give you off the prices shown on their website, i.e. the website shows £1000, but P&O charge £950, and the booking is direct with P&O and no 'cashback' or similar involved.

 

It is a straight 5% discount on top of any other offers or promotions.

Are you just talking about the 5% past passenger discount which is offered as a sweetener during the first couple of months of a new brochure launch, or are you suggesting that you can negotiate 5% off any price at any time, including an extra 5% above the past passenger discount?

If the latter can you please indicate your negotiating tactics as I guess we would all like to learn how this is done.

[grapau27]

I believe the 5% P&O loyalty discount is only on certain cruises not all, whereas TA will probably give you it for all cruises and if you have any queries after booking their special phone line gets through to cruise companies quicker​ than an individual's phone which can be frustrating.

 

 

love sailing with RCCL

[dicanio3]

I am a relatively new cruiser and will be joining my 3rd cruise next week and my 4th in September. The first I booked through a travel agent and I did get an additional discount. The next three I have booked direct with P&O as I did not see any benefit using the travel agent and I enjoy researching my cruise options myself using websites like this, youtube videos, etc. Nothing against TA's but enjoy the total control over my bookings and have always travelled independently on other types of holidays.

 

Financially I think I am slightly better off using a cashback website but certainly not worse off. For my September cruise (booked in December) they were offering 4% cashback which came to £403 and hit my bank account last week. The cashback % does vary and for P&O at present it is 3.6%.

 

I have also found dealing with P&O customer services directly relatively easy and I even manged to get them to increase my OBC to £1300 from £700 as a gesture of goodwill (another story) and would be interested to know if TA's have this sort of power or will to get P&O to take this sort of action.

[insanemagnet]

Are you just talking about the 5% past passenger discount which is offered as a sweetener during the first couple of months of a new brochure launch, or are you suggesting that you can negotiate 5% off any price at any time, including an extra 5% above the past passenger discount?

If the latter can you please indicate your negotiating tactics as I guess we would all like to learn how this is done.

 

No I don't mean the past passenger discount, but a 5% discount on (as far as my experience goes) all P&O cruises, whether select or saver fare. I have never booked early so can't tell you if it is in addition to the discount you mention.

 

The discount is offered to members of a wide range of organisations and clubs, and is a feature of the benefits of some bank accounts.

 

You get access to a special web site where you see the discounted fares, or if you prefer to deal over the phone, a phone number with a code to quote.

 

Just Google - P&O 5% Discount

[terrierjohn]

No I don't mean the past passenger discount, but a 5% discount on (as far as my experience goes) all P&O cruises, whether select or saver fare. I have never booked early so can't tell you if it is in addition to the discount you mention.

 

The discount is offered to members of a wide range of organisations and clubs, and is a feature of the benefits of some bank accounts.

 

You get access to a special web site where you see the discounted fares, or if you prefer to deal over the phone, a phone number with a code to quote.

 

Just Google - P&O 5% Discount

You are correct, HSBC Advance bank account holders are one of these, but by quoting this to your TA they will most probably match it.

[grapau27]

You are correct, HSBC Advance bank account holders are one of these, but by quoting this to your TA they will most probably match it.

TBH my travel agent always asks if i have got a price elsewhere.That is the key to getting a bigger discount,shop around and get some prices first.

 

love sailing with RCCL