On board credit

[palm beach]

We booked a cruise through a TA, we were promised OBC which is displayed on the travel agency invoice.

My silversea invoice does not reflect any OBC. I contacted my TA who is assuring me that my OBC will show once I get on the cruise. I have had many discussions about that issue with the same answer.

Did any encounter a similar situation and hopefully was credited the OBC once on the ship.

[Stumblefoot]

2 minutes ago, palm beach said:

Did any encounter a similar situation and hopefully was credited the OBC once on the ship.

Yes.  And, yes, always was taken care of on the ship.

[jpalbny]

Yes. It appears on board magically. And disappears just as magically once the wine list is inspected. Enjoy!

[Chinaby]

Had same issues with on board credit last year on Silver Moon. ON board there was no sign of it even though I showed guest services the TA receipt. I emailed our private  virtuoso TA and she contacted SS but to no avail. In the end she credited our account the amount promised.

 

On other cruises there has been no problem and this was a one off (hopefully)

[Host Jazzbeau]

11 hours ago, Chinaby said:

Had same issues with on board credit last year on Silver Moon. ON board there was no sign of it even though I showed guest services the TA receipt. I emailed our private  virtuoso TA and she contacted SS but to no avail. In the end she credited our account the amount promised.

 

On other cruises there has been no problem and this was a one off (hopefully)

When a TA offers me OBC, I always ask for a rebate check instead.  Then I can choose what to do onboard: spend the cash or keep it.

[taxatty]

On 4/27/2023 at 3:40 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

When a TA offers me OBC, I always ask for a rebate check instead.  Then I can choose what to do onboard: spend the cash or keep it.

My TA does the same thing--far preferable. 

[noreenconarro]

I have travelled with Silversea's four times and always received OBC but haven't heard of a rebate check.  How does this work?

[taxatty]

31 minutes ago, noreenconarro said:

I have travelled with Silversea's four times and always received OBC but haven't heard of a rebate check.  How does this work?

Your TA gives you back part of their commission through a check.

[canderson]

51 minutes ago, noreenconarro said:

I have travelled with Silversea's four times and always received OBC but haven't heard of a rebate check.  How does this work?

Your TA kicks back a portion of their profit to you either way.  It's costing them the same to have it passed along as refundable OBC (if you don't use all/part of it, the line refunds it to you) for your cruise, or mailing it to you as a check after your cruise.

[Stumblefoot]

8 minutes ago, canderson said:

It's costing them the same to have it passed along as refundable OBC (if you don't use all/part of it, the line refunds it to you) for your cruise, or mailing it to you as a check after your cruise.

Really?  SS issues you a check for unused OBC?

[canderson]

38 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Really?  SS issues you a check for unused OBC?

Note in the previous post the bold word "refundable".  OBC provided directly by the TA (not directly by the line or by the TA as a pass-through from the line) is refundable, and is returned by all lines we've ever sailed.

[WesW]

Exactly right canderson.

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, WesW said:

Exactly right canderson.

Bizarre. Never got one. Just the straight check. Much simpler IMHO.

[Host Jazzbeau]

8 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Bizarre. Never got one. Just the straight check. Much simpler IMHO.

Yes, but my experience is that you have to ask for it that way.  My 8-10%-rebate TA always offers OBC first [even on an all-inclusive cruise where you would be hard-put to use it!].  But when I ask for a rebate check, they agree.

[Stumblefoot]

29 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

But when I ask for a rebate check, they agree.

Yeah. I agree. Taking OBC instead of cash just doesn’t make sense to me. Give me the cash and I’ll choose where to spend it.

[canderson]

32 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Yeah. I agree. Taking OBC instead of cash just doesn’t make sense to me. Give me the cash and I’ll choose where to spend it.

Since we've not cruised for less than 14 consecutive nights for some years now, the TA's OBC hasn't been that hard to spend, though cruising with SS will make it a bit harder!  We did have one, a 'restart' cruise, in late 2021 where a massive repricing caused a silly (high 4 figures) amount of OBC from the line, and we took the TA's post-cruise check for that one.