Booking directly with Princess?

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

I'm not one of those who claims their savings in dollar amounts.  I always claim a percentage of the cruise fare so the length of the cruise, cabin class, or the number of cruises per year are not relevant.

Dollar savings are meaningless as it depends on cruise cost.  Also, most people are claiming a range of % savings or "about" a certain value (such as 10%).  The reason for this imprecision is that any TA offering a discount is calculating it off the commissionable portion of the cruise fare.

 

Lots of people don't realize that the quoted cruise fares are a combination of commissionable and non-commissionable amounts.  The non-commission amount is a fixed amount per day for the length of the cruise (with Princess it is typically $25/day, but drops to $20 on long voyages, and is a unique amount on Pacific Princess).  The commissionable portion is going to vary greatly as you move up the scale from the lowest cost Inside cabins through to mid-ship Mini's with CC dining.

 

The higher the ratio of commissionable fare to the total fare, the higher the % will seem to be on the overall fare.

 

Our TA always discounts 15% off the commissionable fare and so the overall discount can vary.  For our next cruise it works out to 11.75% off cruise fare for an Inside cabin which obviously has lower commission portion than a Balcony.  Then, when some people quote their discount percent, did they do it based on the cruise fare, or cruise fare + port taxes? 

 

In my research, the highest I found any other TA going was 13% (a rare find) and he was willing to go to 14% at the time in order to secure the booking, but I declined).  More typical was finding 12% - 12.5% off the commission portion of the cruise fare.

 

Anyway, once I see a Princess fare, I can calculate my TA fare in a minute and don't even need to inquire.  They also have a self-serve booking engine page I can use, so it is a lot like booking direct on Princess.  Makes it easy to shop around and check things out before making a booking.  In fact, their last update almost a year ago now shows all possible Princess fare offerings (with the latest sale offer, stripped down basic fare, refundable and non-refundable deposits, any special group rates).   And their info also quotes the net fares after discount.  The ONLY thing I cannot do online with them is apply FCD's for a deposit - but that is something that is cruise-line specific, so I just send an email follow-up.  Is that enough control for the control "freaks"?  LOL

 

 

[voljeep]

10 night cruise - $ 2,000 fare only cost per passenger, so a cabin fare only of $ 4000

 

so how much commission does a TA get from Princess and how much is re-mitted to you as a 'discount'

 

assume this is launch fare on the first day … so no prior price reductions where the TA has locked in cabins or price increases

[RocketMan275]

37 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Depends - usually only for cabin changes, payments, re-fares - things that affect cost and payment.  Anything in the Personalizer, including EZ-Air is not TA-required.

I would guess that any change that affects the TA commission must go through the TA.  Other changes probably don't.  You can book shore excursions, specialty dining, beverage packages, etc.  My TA doesn't do EZ-Air although she did say she would walk me through how to do it if I thought I needed the help.  

[RocketMan275]

4 minutes ago, voljeep said:

10 night cruise - $ 2,000 fare only cost per passenger, so a cabin fare only of $ 4000

 

so how much commission does a TA get from Princess and how much is re-mitted to you as a 'discount'

 

assume this is launch fare on the first day … so no prior price reductions where the TA has locked in cabins or price increases

It would be inappropriate to ask the TA about her commission.  I really don't care.  All I know is that she does reduce the fare shown on the website by 8-10%.  If there are price drops, then I can call and she will apply those. 

[pris993]

On 2/26/2020 at 7:14 PM, RocketMan275 said:

I still don't understand how booking with a TA means giving up control of your booking?  Would you please elaborate?  Maybe I'm missing something.

 

Also, the cruise line won't notify someone of a price drop so why is that an issue with a TA?

 

Okay, I will respond.  When you use a TA you need to get in touch with TA to make any changes... it is easier and quicker to deal with the cruise direct on ship bookings.  Likewise, when I had a TA book air --- this goes back years now, sometimes TA booked with a consolidator or through a block of discounted air (I learned the hard way I could not make any changes in air, could not even up grade to a better seat on day of flying because I booked thru TA).  Booking air direct I had more flexibility and knew exactly what I have booked.  I have booked air, cruise, hotels and insurance now directly for many years. 

[RocketMan275]

10 hours ago, pris993 said:

Okay, I will respond.  When you use a TA you need to get in touch with TA to make any changes... it is easier and quicker to deal with the cruise direct on ship bookings.  Likewise, when I had a TA book air --- this goes back years now, sometimes TA booked with a consolidator or through a block of discounted air (I learned the hard way I could not make any changes in air, could not even up grade to a better seat on day of flying because I booked thru TA).  Booking air direct I had more flexibility and knew exactly what I have booked.  I have booked air, cruise, hotels and insurance now directly for many years. 

You can make many changes.  In fact, you can purchase shore excursions, air travel, beverage packages, etc. without contacting your TA.  You cannot change your room.  How many times do you change the room?

It's been reported on CC that the air fares through the cruise lines are also booked through consolidators so it would appear you have the same issues booking air through a cruise line.

[5:00_Somewhere]

I love CC, but I am once again left wondering whether there is any topic at all that will not devolve into stark polarization on these boards.  

 

Use a TA, don't use a TA. Whatever best satisfies your needs. It looks like lots of information has been presented here to help make a choice.

[PRNole47]

Other than my very first cruise that I booked thru a local independent travel agency at home, since then I've always booked thru the cruise line's 800-number.  Despite all these years since, however, I  have never given a thought as to the job title of the person with whom I was talking. So, some questions:

 

1. Is the CSR I speak with at the cruise line's 800-number the so-called "TA" others are referencing here, or are you referring to the commonly known 3rd party independent "Travel Agent" one may find either on line (i.e., 1-800-Cruises) or in your hometown?

2. If the TA's are Princess agents, are they commissioned?

3. What about those one's never heard of before who suddenly email you from some cruise line with some promo after having cruised with them at least once before, are these the same people who may answer the line's 800-number?

[pris993]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

You can make many changes.  In fact, you can purchase shore excursions, air travel, beverage packages, etc. without contacting your TA.  You cannot change your room.  How many times do you change the room?

It's been reported on CC that the air fares through the cruise lines are also booked through consolidators so it would appear you have the same issues booking air through a cruise line.

The changes you are referring to are not the changes I want to make to a cruise booking... I am looking to take advantage of a cruise fare reduction primarily. Working with the cruise line directly this is very easy to do.  I book a cruise early and often the fare comes down.   I never book air thru cruise line or thru TA either.  I usually book air early especially if international travel involved.  If the air carrier makes changes I don't like I call the carrier and request a change to what will work better for me and have never had a carrier refuse to work with me.   I tell the carrier I am connecting with a cruise.  

[pris993]

2 hours ago, PRNole47 said:

Other than my very first cruise that I booked thru a local independent travel agency at home, since then I've always booked thru the cruise line's 800-number.  Despite all these years since, however, I  have never given a thought as to the job title of the person with whom I was talking. So, some questions:

 

1. Is the CSR I speak with at the cruise line's 800-number the so-called "TA" others are referencing here, or are you referring to the commonly known 3rd party independent "Travel Agent" one may find either on line (i.e., 1-800-Cruises) or in your hometown?

2. If the TA's are Princess agents, are they commissioned?

3. What about those one's never heard of before who suddenly email you from some cruise line with some promo after having cruised with them at least once before, are these the same people who may answer the line's 800-number?

The TA I am referring to  and no longer use are the 3rd party independent brick and mortar type, since I don't work with big box store travel agencies either.  

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, pris993 said:

The changes you are referring to are not the changes I want to make to a cruise booking... I am looking to take advantage of a cruise fare reduction primarily. Working with the cruise line directly this is very easy to do.  I book a cruise early and often the fare comes down.   I never book air thru cruise line or thru TA either.  I usually book air early especially if international travel involved.  If the air carrier makes changes I don't like I call the carrier and request a change to what will work better for me and have never had a carrier refuse to work with me.   I tell the carrier I am connecting with a cruise.  

I have never missed out a price reduction by booking through a TA.  It's a very easy process for me.  I just compose an email with something like this:  I notice they're maybe a price reduction on my cruise (XXX).  Does it make sense for me to refare?  I ask because there maybe some complications like losing perks.  Typically, I get an email back with the new invoice while most are still on hold at the cruise line. BTW, I don't use those big brick and mortar travel agencies.  When I call my TA, she answers the phone with my first name.  (caller id). If she ever goes out of business I'll probably switch to the TA that sells $1.49 hotdogs.

[pris993]

9 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I have never missed out a price reduction by booking through a TA.  It's a very easy process for me.  I just compose an email with something like this:  I notice they're maybe a price reduction on my cruise (XXX).  Does it make sense for me to refare?  I ask because there maybe some complications like losing perks.  Typically, I get an email back with the new invoice while most are still on hold at the cruise line. BTW, I don't use those big brick and mortar travel agencies.  When I call my TA, she answers the phone with my first name.  (caller id). If she ever goes out of business I'll probably switch to the TA that sells $1.49 hotdogs.

Everyone has their preferred booking process.  You have yours, I have mine.  Seems we are both satisfied.  That is what counts.

[Steelers36]

6 hours ago, PRNole47 said:

1. Is the CSR I speak with at the cruise line's 800-number the so-called "TA" others are referencing here, or are you referring to the commonly known 3rd party independent "Travel Agent" one may find either on line (i.e., 1-800-Cruises) or in your hometown?

2. If the TA's are Princess agents, are they commissioned?

No, Princess CSR's are never referred to as TA's on CC.  I think the closest thing to a TA that Princess has is a PVP (Princess Vacation Planner).  A PVP only books Princess cruises and land tours whereas an outside independent TA can book anything they choose to offer.  Another difference is that a PVP can only sell you a cruise at Princess' published rates.