Better deals with online booking vs Ncl?

[jb456]

I've always booked directly with NCL and thinking of trying out online travel agents. I know we can't say names but most know the site that you enter the cruise then quotes are emailed to you.

 

A few questions.

 

1 - I thought travel agents can't go lower than NCL?

 

2 - Are these online travel agents legit or am I just looking for trouble?

 

The reason I am asking is I received 3 quotes. One was more then NCL price and two were much lower. The Canadian price on NCL is X amount. The lowest price quote from an online site after doing the currency exchange from USD to CAD comes to over $500 Canadian cheaper than NCL price.

 

What am I missing? It says price include all port charges, taxes and fees.

 

Zero fare for 3rd and 4th guest.

 

It lists two different OBC amounts I could get. Not sure why it lists two different amounts?

 

Lastly it says for limited time I'm eligible for two perks. Unlimited open bar for two, specialty dining package for two, or 250min internet, or $50 per port shore excursion credit.

 

It then says guests are responsible for 20% gratuities and services charges.

 

So are these online sites legit or am I going to be scammed haha. Over $500Canadian cheaper seems to good to be true.

 

I don't want to get on the ship and get extra charges or be told sorry sir you never got the drink package or we only booked you for two people not four.

 

Thank you

[zqvol]

I've always booked directly with NCL and thinking of trying out online travel agents. I know we can't say names but most know the site that you enter the cruise then quotes are emailed to you.

 

A few questions.

 

1 - I thought travel agents can't go lower than NCL?

 

2 - Are these online travel agents legit or am I just looking for trouble?

 

The reason I am asking is I received 3 quotes. One was more then NCL price and two were much lower. The Canadian price on NCL is X amount. The lowest price quote from an online site after doing the currency exchange from USD to CAD comes to over $500 Canadian cheaper than NCL price.

 

What am I missing? It says price include all port charges, taxes and fees.

 

Zero fare for 3rd and 4th guest.

 

It lists two different OBC amounts I could get. Not sure why it lists two different amounts?

 

Lastly it says for limited time I'm eligible for two perks. Unlimited open bar for two, specialty dining package for two, or 250min internet, or $50 per port shore excursion credit.

 

It then says guests are responsible for 20% gratuities and services charges.

 

So are these online sites legit or am I going to be scammed haha. Over $500Canadian cheaper seems to good to be true.

 

I don't want to get on the ship and get extra charges or be told sorry sir you never got the drink package or we only booked you for two people not four.

 

Thank you

 

Until you speak with the online agent you have no idea if you are comparing apples to apples or something different. You are also converting dollars to $CAD, and your conversion may or may not be accurate, especially if the cruise is priced in $CAD, since NCL may be using a different rate and/or charging Canadians more.

 

 

Do your due diligence.

[CruisingNole]

"Can" travel agents offer lower prices than NCL? Yes. Are they "supposed" to? I don't know. Mine does it. Every time. Which leads me to believe it is perfectly acceptable.

 

However, if booking anything on RCCL, his price is exactly the same as booking directly with RCCL. They have some kind of agreement in place that does not allow the TA to give a lower price. BUT, he will throw in perks like OBC.

 

It's all the same at the end of the say, reduced fare or OBC. It's free money.

 

Not sure if NCL allows it, but RCCL lets you transfer a booking to a TA at no charge. My most recent trip was handled 100% on my own, selected my cabin, preferences, etc, paid deposit directly to RCCL and then a few weeks later I reached out to my TA. Got $125 OBC simply for transferring it over to him. I still have control over booking excursions, drink packages, dining, whatever. His only involvement in the future will be to make final payment.

 

RCCL seems to want you to use TAs and on their own website they have preferred agents and their phone numbers. That's how I found mine. No searching online and wondering whether or not it was "legit." And since finding him, I also have used him for NCL and CCL.

 

Some people claim they like to "be in control" of their booking. I do too. But if the guy's only involvement is to make final payment, I'll take the $125. You're a fool not to.

 

Do you homework and it will payoff.

[RD29P5]

"Can" travel agents offer lower prices than NCL? Yes. Are they "supposed" to? I don't know. Mine does it. Every time. Which leads me to believe it is perfectly acceptable.

 

However, if booking anything on RCCL, his price is exactly the same as booking directly with RCCL. They have some kind of agreement in place that does not allow the TA to give a lower price. BUT, he will throw in perks like OBC.

 

It's all the same at the end of the say, reduced fare or OBC. It's free money.

 

Not sure if NCL allows it, but RCCL lets you transfer a booking to a TA at no charge. My most recent trip was handled 100% on my own, selected my cabin, preferences, etc, paid deposit directly to RCCL and then a few weeks later I reached out to my TA. Got $125 OBC simply for transferring it over to him. I still have control over booking excursions, drink packages, dining, whatever. His only involvement in the future will be to make final payment.

 

RCCL seems to want you to use TAs and on their own website they have preferred agents and their phone numbers. That's how I found mine. No searching online and wondering whether or not it was "legit." And since finding him, I also have used him for NCL and CCL.

 

Some people claim they like to "be in control" of their booking. I do too. But if the guy's only involvement is to make final payment, I'll take the $125. You're a fool not to.

 

Do you homework and it will payoff.

 

I don't disagree, but aren't you giving the TA a free commission when you did all the work yourself? Granted it's not your money. Then again maybe it is since I have no idea how the cruise line's pay commission to the TA's.

[jb456]

Until you speak with the online agent you have no idea if you are comparing apples to apples or something different. You are also converting dollars to $CAD, and your conversion may or may not be accurate, especially if the cruise is priced in $CAD, since NCL may be using a different rate and/or charging Canadians more.

 

 

Do your due diligence.

 

The price on ncl is Canadian.

 

The price on online travel agent is American.

 

I used my Canadian Banks current price to buy American currency.

 

So if I went to my bank at this very moment to buy X amount to pay online travel agent it would be over $500 cheaper than if I just got Ncl to charge my credit card.

 

Yes I also know there is a conversion fee charge that visa will charge. But in the end travel agent price will still be much less than being charged directly from Ncl.

 

So I'm curious how they could offer a cheaper price for all the same stuff. Same room category, same perks, but better obc??

 

Thought agents were not allowed to go lower than NCL??

[pghflyer]

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2661889

[CruisingNole]

I don't disagree, but aren't you giving the TA a free commission when you did all the work yourself? Granted it's not your money. Then again maybe it is since I have no idea how the cruise line's pay commission to the TA's.

 

That's the great part. I like doing the work myself. I'm a planner. But I also like free money. As does a TA. So the partnership is mutually beneficial.

[TFLG]

The price on ncl is Canadian.

 

Thought agents were not allowed to go lower than NCL??

 

I believe some agencies reserve blocks of rooms and doing so gets them a better rate. They can kick back a portion of thier commision. Your local big bulk-buy warehouse store does this by giving you a store gift card for around 8% of the purchase price. Some agencies kick in additional perks or OBC.

[yummysbakery]

I use a travel agent. Regularly receive a lower price than Ncl and I can still participate in the bidding program. As far as compensation for cancelled cruises or anything in that regard that has not been my experience.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2661889

 

Sent from my 2PQ93 using Tapatalk

[jb456]

Thanks for the responses. Appreciate it. Still a bit skeptical but the other thread helped.

[alreadypacked]

OP just remember if you book through a travel agent (in person, online...whatever), you'll likely forfeit direct control over your booking--such that you may have to go through the travel agent to make a cabin change, take advantage of a price drop or better promotion etc.

[jb456]

OP just remember if you book through a travel agent (in person, online...whatever), you'll likely forfeit direct control over your booking--such that you may have to go through the travel agent to make a cabin change, take advantage of a price drop or better promotion etc.

 

Thanks not worried about all that booking last minute.

 

Looking at a cruise end of next month (leaves in like 55 days) just want to pay it and that's that.

 

Over $500 CAD in savings just don't want to get screwed over with this online stuff. But savings are savings. The savings will pay most of the plane tickets :)

[newmexicoNita]

I've always booked directly with NCL and thinking of trying out online travel agents. I know we can't say names but most know the site that you enter the cruise then quotes are emailed to you.

 

A few questions.

 

1 - I thought travel agents can't go lower than NCL?

 

2 - Are these online travel agents legit or am I just looking for trouble?

 

The reason I am asking is I received 3 quotes. One was more then NCL price and two were much lower. The Canadian price on NCL is X amount. The lowest price quote from an online site after doing the currency exchange from USD to CAD comes to over $500 Canadian cheaper than NCL price.

 

What am I missing? It says price include all port charges, taxes and fees.

 

Zero fare for 3rd and 4th guest.

 

It lists two different OBC amounts I could get. Not sure why it lists two different amounts?

 

Lastly it says for limited time I'm eligible for two perks. Unlimited open bar for two, specialty dining package for two, or 250min internet, or $50 per port shore excursion credit.

 

It then says guests are responsible for 20% gratuities and services charges.

 

So are these online sites legit or am I going to be scammed haha. Over $500Canadian cheaper seems to good to be true.

 

I don't want to get on the ship and get extra charges or be told sorry sir you never got the drink package or we only booked you for two people not four.

 

Thank you

Many buy up groups of cabins so they can offer a better price, but basically they are not allowed to offer prices any lower than the cruise line is offering. There is nothing that prevents them from throwing in extra perks.

The secret is, always talk to a live agent and always get the quote including everything in writing before you give a credit card.

[newmexicoNita]

"Can" travel agents offer lower prices than NCL? Yes. Are they "supposed" to? I don't know. Mine does it. Every time. Which leads me to believe it is perfectly acceptable.

 

However, if booking anything on RCCL, his price is exactly the same as booking directly with RCCL. They have some kind of agreement in place that does not allow the TA to give a lower price. BUT, he will throw in perks like OBC.

 

It's all the same at the end of the say, reduced fare or OBC. It's free money.

 

Not sure if NCL allows it, but RCCL lets you transfer a booking to a TA at no charge. My most recent trip was handled 100% on my own, selected my cabin, preferences, etc, paid deposit directly to RCCL and then a few weeks later I reached out to my TA. Got $125 OBC simply for transferring it over to him. I still have control over booking excursions, drink packages, dining, whatever. His only involvement in the future will be to make final payment.

 

RCCL seems to want you to use TAs and on their own website they have preferred agents and their phone numbers. That's how I found mine. No searching online and wondering whether or not it was "legit." And since finding him, I also have used him for NCL and CCL.

 

Some people claim they like to "be in control" of their booking. I do too. But if the guy's only involvement is to make final payment, I'll take the $125. You're a fool not to.

 

Do you homework and it will payoff.

Is it ok, NO! what your agent probably has done and this is acceptable is; reserve a block of cabins at a discounted price from NCL and yes, that is acceptable. Your agent isn't doing anything wrong if that is what they are doing, but only the larger TA companies can do this. Of course most of the larger companies are umbrellas for smaller companies. they sell franchises just like the fast food restaurants or other companies do

 

As for some saying you lose control this is true but it is nice to have an agent behind you if something does go wrong. As for some agents not being part of the upsale bidding war: I guess this is true as well, but all the ones I know do participate.

[Grampyb]

Thanks not worried about all that booking last minute.

 

 

 

Looking at a cruise end of next month (leaves in like 55 days) just want to pay it and that's that.

 

 

 

Over $500 CAD in savings just don't want to get screwed over with this online stuff. But savings are savings. The savings will pay most of the plane tickets :)

 

 

 

If you choose the beverage package as one of your perks, the tax and gratuity will be added to your price which will eat into your savings.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums