Why book direct and then transfer?

[Ken the cruiser]

5 minutes ago, richwmn said:

I use the same PCC as kazu. I have asked her many times if transferring the booking changes the credit she gets. She always encourages me to transfer the cruse to get the obc the BigBox agency gives me. This is even on a low end cruise (7 day, outside cabin) where the BigBox agency and others will only give a $50 - $50 OBC which in the overall scope of things is kinda insignificant. She has always encouraged me to go ahead and transfer the booking and told me that the only credit she gets/needs is that of making the initial booking. YMMV, etc ad nauium!

 

And that's what she's supposed to say. If you are really curious the next time you talk with your PCC, ask her if she would get any additional $$$ in the form of a commission if you kept the booking with her through final payment.

[Overhead Fred]

2 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

So, how much can we bet in extra OBC (lets say on a $2000 pp cruise).

 

This is easily knowable.

 

The big box that most people are referring to bases (I believe) the OBC on the fare paid. I did a dummy booking (14 day Caribbean on the Nieuw Amsterdam 2/22/2020). A guarantee VF at $1999pp gets you $310 OBC per stateroom or $155 per person. 

 

Is it worth transferring for that amount and possibly souring your relationship with your PCC? Only you can make that call. A long expensive cruise can easily get you over $1,000 in OBC when transferring to a big box TA. A VH guarantee on the 3/15/2010 44 day Koningsdam "Voyage of the Americas" gets you $1,115 per stateroom OBC at today's fare ($6799 pp, non refundable deposit).

[Hflors]

I will be sorry if HAL changes their policy of allowing changing a direct booking with them to a TA before final payment.   I only transfer by booking before final payment to get our TA's discount on the cruise fare.  

[iancal]

I do not think that this makes business sense for HAL.  They have to pay the in house staff and provide facilities.  That costs money.  Then, when the booking is tranferred to an agency the have to pay that agency.  They are increasing their cost of sales significantly by doing this.  They are paying twice for the same function.

Edited February 17, 2019 by iancal

[Caribbean Chris]

12 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

I have never booked with a "big box".  In addition to the OBC's, do they discount the initial fare?

 

I have seen a lower fare once in a while, far in advance on a particular sailing/category, but it’s not across the board. They have some group sailings with a lot of extra events included.

 

One thing I appreciate about the bb web page is that they usually spell out the lower price you can choose to pay - without the current package offer.

 

It makes it easy to decide if you actually want to pay extra for whatever is in that promotion (a beverage package & dinner in the Pinnacle Grill, for example). Often, people on this forum are surprised to learn they have a choice.

 

[Caribbean Chris]

2 hours ago, iancal said:

I do not think that this makes business sense for HAL.  They have to pay the in house staff and provide facilities.  That costs money.  Then, when the booking is tranferred to an agency the have to pay that agency.  They are increasing their cost of sales significantly by doing this.  They are paying twice for the same function.

 

When I worked in the cruise industry (a long time ago), some lines boasted to travel agents that they never took direct bookings, and no agencies theoretically offered dollar discounts (except for group bookings). The lines “protected” their agency-travel partners, and clients paid the set price. 

 

Obviously that all changed, especially with internet knowledge, but travel agencies still have the ability to promote and drive the bulk of the business to cruise lines. What are the cruise lines going to do? - tell the clients who want to switch, “no, you’re stuck with paying more directly to us,” while simultaneously telling the travel agents, “We’re keeping this booking and cutting you out of a commission,”...thus ticking off everybody. So most cruise lines set a policy - yes, you can switch up to X days/months after making the booking.

 

Also, during the life of a booking, some people will have reason to make numerous calls, make changes, etc. Once the line has transferred the booking to a travel agency, they no longer need to talk to that person. The agency is taking on the remaining work load.

[JerryG0828]

When I asked this question I had no idea this was such a sore subject!  I do appreciate all the responses but apologize for starting this thread.

[oldpharmguy]

55 minutes ago, JerryG0828 said:

When I asked this question I had no idea this was such a sore subject!  I do appreciate all the responses but apologize for starting this thread.

 

Has the question been officially answered as to taking money out of PCC's pocket?

[Overhead Fred]

2 hours ago, JerryG0828 said:

When I asked this question I had no idea this was such a sore subject!  I do appreciate all the responses but apologize for starting this thread.

 

No need to apologize! This is a question that I have been wondering about for some time and the thoughts posted in the thread have been useful and interesting. 

 

1 hour ago, oldpharmguy said:

 

Has the question been officially answered as to taking money out of PCC's pocket?

 

I do not think there has been a definitive answer yet. 

[Randyk47]

2 hours ago, oldpharmguy said:

 

Has the question been officially answered as to taking money out of PCC's pocket?

 

Realizing policies and procedures change I can only pass on what a HAL PCC told me a few years ago.  He said they are salaried and don’t work on commission.   He said it’s kind of a performance plus situation where they have a target of bookings to make and can get bonuses for exceeding their quota.   He went on to say a booking is a booking even if transferred to an external TA.   

[Cruising-along]

Just now, Randyk47 said:

 

Realizing policies and procedures change I can only pass on what a HAL PCC told me a few years ago.  He said they are salaried and don’t work on commission.   He said it’s kind of a performance plus situation where they have a target of bookings to make and can get bonuses for exceeding their quota.   He went on to say a booking is a booking even if transferred to an external TA.   

This is what our PCC has told us too.  Plus as long as we do take the cruise (don't cancel after the transfer) our PCC still gets the same credit. 

[kazu]

3 minutes ago, Randyk47 said:

 

Realizing policies and procedures change I can only pass on what a HAL PCC told me a few years ago.  He said they are salaried and don’t work on commission.   He said it’s kind of a performance plus situation where they have a target of bookings to make and can get bonuses for exceeding their quota.   He went on to say a booking is a booking even if transferred to an external TA.   

 

That's what my PCC told me as well and that was just a few months ago.

 

[Mary229]

One thing my sister has told me and she has owned a very large agency for over 30 years is that all sources have access to the same programs and discounts.  If I find something being offered online she can talk to her HAL rep and secure the same deal for me, 90% of the time.   She only asks that I transfer prior to final payment and prefers I transfer prior to any large payment.  

 

As far as programs being canceled, I always make the smallest deposit possible and seek out low deposit deals.  If there is a change forthcoming I am happy to ditch the deposit in favor of a better deal.  It all comes down to dollars and cents once I have made the decision what cruise to choose.  

[richwmn]

37 minutes ago, Randyk47 said:

 

Realizing policies and procedures change I can only pass on what a HAL PCC told me a few years ago.  He said they are salaried and don’t work on commission.   He said it’s kind of a performance plus situation where they have a target of bookings to make and can get bonuses for exceeding their quota.   He went on to say a booking is a booking even if transferred to an external TA.   

This is basically what my PCC told me, and what others have said that their PCC told them.

 

[Fouremco]

37 minutes ago, Randyk47 said:

 

Realizing policies and procedures change I can only pass on what a HAL PCC told me a few years ago.  He said they are salaried and don’t work on commission.   He said it’s kind of a performance plus situation where they have a target of bookings to make and can get bonuses for exceeding their quota.   He went on to say a booking is a booking even if transferred to an external TA.   

That's what we were told as well, although these days we tend to book directly with the TA.

[Overhead Fred]

3 hours ago, oldpharmguy said:

 

Has the question been officially answered as to taking money out of PCC's pocket?

 

2 hours ago, Overhead Fred said:

I do not think there has been a definitive answer yet. 

 

The last few posts (35-40) seem to be reaching a consensus that transferring a booking to a "big box" does not hurt your PCC. 

[DaveOKC]

12 minutes ago, Overhead Fred said:

 

 

The last few posts (35-40) seem to be reaching a consensus that transferring a booking to a "big box" does not hurt your PCC. 

The way I read the responses is that it does hurt the PCC monetarily but that they do get some "credit" for generating the booking.

[bennybear]

HAL has to keep staff to do pricing changes,  cabin changes etc.  It is just they are interacting with the TA rather than the client.   So not sure of the impact overall.  

 

Somtimes ithink it it is easier without the middleman,  than it is how you want it before you transfer.  And you can deal with HAL directly without a PCC as well. 

[Cruising-along]

1 hour ago, Randyk47 said:

 

Realizing policies and procedures change I can only pass on what a HAL PCC told me a few years ago.  He said they are salaried and don’t work on commission.   He said it’s kind of a performance plus situation where they have a target of bookings to make and can get bonuses for exceeding their quota.   He went on to say a booking is a booking even if transferred to an external TA.   

 

15 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

The way I read the responses is that it does hurt the PCC monetarily but that they do get some "credit" for generating the booking.

As Randyk47 said, the PCCs are salaried and don't get commissions.  (unless something has changed within the last few months when others of us have been told the same thing).