Rebates on Cruises from Travel Agents

[french12755]

Going to Australia on Princess in January/February. Discovered that friends who are going on the same trip received a $350.00 per person rebate from their travel agent on their booking. We booked directly with Princess and received nothing. When we asked Princess why, they replied the travel agent is free to extend rebates or discounts but the cruise line will not extend any rebates. Why should anyone book directly with the cruise line if you end up paying more?

[STREETKING]

Just now, french12755 said:

Going to Australia on Princess in January/February. Discovered that friends who are going on the same trip received a $350.00 per person rebate from their travel agent on their booking. We booked directly with Princess and received nothing. When we asked Princess why, they replied the travel agent is free to extend rebates or discounts but the cruise line will not extend any rebates. Why should anyone book directly with the cruise line if you end up paying more?

That's not always the case, I received an offer from Princess that no other travel agent could match.  You could transfer your booking to that travel agent and receive the added benefits though.

 

Brad

[paul929207]

We get a discount and some OBC from our TA for every cruise.

[TriumphGuy]

Good question. We have booked with both Princess and a TA (through a major credit card company). Booking with Princess once, we got a lot of OBC but paid full fare. For our upcoming February cruise through the TA  we will get 10% back on our card ($300), plus a small amount of OBC. The fare was good though, have not found it cheaper.

We booked a Australia cruise for 2020 through Princess with the $1 deposit and 3 Perk sale. I may transfer that booking as we get closer, if there is a rebate offer from the TA.

[vmom]

I pays to check around.  Sometimes the deals are better when booking directly, sometimes when booking through a TA.

 

My daughter booked a Celebrity cruise and her aqua class cabin through Celebrity was better priced when booked directly with Celebrity than through the several travel agencies she contacted (it was made only a few weeks before sailing).

 

But often a TA will give a certain percentage back of their commission in the form of either on board credit or something similar.  

 

That said, for complicated travel arrangements or for less experienced travelers, it may be best to work with a travel agency that provides full service and more guidance regardless of the perks or OBC received. 

[Coral]

My TA always gives me a discount over what Princess lists. If for some reason, Princess would ever be lower, all I would have to do is hold it with Princess and then transfer it to my TA and she would discount it even more.

 

There are reasons why I always use an agent and would never book direct. Sounds like you figured out one of them.

[cheeseclan]

Remember Princess also has a new policy that you can only transfer your cruise to a TA within 60 days of booking with Princess.  There is a thread on this on page 5.

[floridalover5623]

2 hours ago, paul929207 said:

We get a discount and some OBC from our TA for every cruise.

Most time that's very true but it always pays to check the Princess site & see what they're charging. If a cruise is discounted by Princess they TA just might not be able to rebate any additional OBC.

[MCC retired]

Any TA , is permitted to discount Princess Best Rates (if they wish) .

As a former TA booking just cruises for many years , I was always able to book 

Princess very best  current rate offered by booking direct , and then could discount it even more . 👍

[voljeep]

MCC retired ... since you opened the door....

 

what % of your commission earned from Princess did you keep for yourself and what % did you 'discount' to the customer?

 

to keep it simple, use a commissionable fare of $ 5000 ...

[Coral]

5 hours ago, floridalover5623 said:

Most time that's very true but it always pays to check the Princess site & see what they're charging. If a cruise is discounted by Princess they TA just might not be able to rebate any additional OBC.

This sort of is not true. For example - TAs usually make the same commission even if it is discounted heavily by Princess. Where you run into smaller commission rebating (or none) is when you book a $400 cruise and half of it is taxes and non-commissionable fees. Then the TA is making only dollars. If you book a $3000 cruise that is discounted to $1800 (heavily discounted), there is still plenty of commission in there.

 

It is important to know where port fees and taxes are more expensive vs some other itineraries that are cheaper.

Edited December 8, 2018 by Coral

[Colo Cruiser]

I always book with a TA and always get 8%-12% discount at least.

Not sure why one would want to leave all those $$$ on the table by booking direct.

But I guess to each his own eh.