Are the days of large OBC gone?

[roberts2005]

Looking at a cruise next July.  Besides the price of a CC suite being high, there is zero OBC.   ‘in the past we have had as much as $1,000.00  OBC for a cruise.  (Our last cruise in April on the Quest included that amount)

 

Any thoughts?

[tgg]

I'm sure if sales don't meet expectations, you'll see Azamara OBC's reintroduced and prices drop.

 

We always get between 5% and 10% in refundable OBC from our TA.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Before the split, Azamara used to rotate several different offers:  BOGOHO+ [my favorite, but not good for solo travelers], OBC, and something else I forget now.  Too early to tell what the new independent Azamara will do, but they are running a "3 free nights" promotion on some sailings now.  The advice for US customers has always been to book now and keep checking for a new promotion with better terms – sometimes it's so good that even eating the $75pp cancellation fee is worth it.

 

Our last cruise was under the $1,000/cabin OBC promotion, and then when Venice closed to ships they kindly added more OBC, and when Piraeus cancelled our berth and delayed us a day they kindly gave us the added day for free and added more OBC, and a CW includes OBC, and my TA gave OBC.  We ended up with over $3,000 OBC and were forced to take all Azamara excursions to use it up – luckily they were almost all very good.  But in general we prefer to book under the BOGOHO+ promotion and do our own shore excursions.

[ChucktownSteve]

13 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

Looking at a cruise next July.  Besides the price of a CC suite being high, there is zero OBC.   ‘in the past we have had as much as $1,000.00  OBC for a cruise.  (Our last cruise in April on the Quest included that amount)

 

Any thoughts?

 

My TA told me in an email that We're getting $1,200 OBC for a World Class suite but the booking confirmation only says OBC coupon for each of us with no actual $ amount.

[roberts2005]

Our TA will normally give us close to 10 percent in refundable OBC, which we would normally cash out at the end of cruise.

 

While we would do most excursion on our own, there are always a few of ship’s tours that are attractive.  Would be nice to have OBC for these,

 

Will wait it out for a better promotion.

[Host Jazzbeau]

10 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

Our TA will normally give us close to 10 percent in refundable OBC, which we would normally cash out at the end of cruise.

 

While we would do most excursion on our own, there are always a few of ship’s tours that are attractive.  Would be nice to have OBC for these,

 

Will wait it out for a better promotion.

I generally ask my TA for a rebate rather than OBC.  Then I can charge the OBC to a credit card that gives me cash back.

[ChucktownSteve]

10 minutes ago, roberts2005 said:

Our TA will normally give us close to 10 percent in refundable OBC, which we would normally cash out at the end of cruise.

 

While we would do most excursion on our own, there are always a few of ship’s tours that are attractive.  Would be nice to have OBC for these,

 

Will wait it out for a better promotion.

In addition to the AZ OBC, we're getting a similar rebate instead of ROBC since I didn't want to carry that after the international cruise.

[laurieb]

1 hour ago, ChucktownSteve said:

 

My TA told me in an email that We're getting $1,200 OBC for a World Class suite but the booking confirmation only says OBC coupon for each of us with no actual $ amount.

World, Ocean and Spa suites offer 300.00 pp OBC suite credit, so 600.00 total; thisis in addition to any other OBC promotions that you may receive.  

[roberts2005]

Have done it both ways.  One TA will send a check post cruise, the other prefers to give ROBC.

 

 

[tgg]

1 hour ago, ChucktownSteve said:

In addition to the AZ OBC, we're getting a similar rebate instead of ROBC since I didn't want to carry that after the international cruise.

 

You can take refundable onboard credit in cash OR it can be credited to your credit card. I'm aware that I will lose the credit card rebate on that amount. Our TA doesn't do rebates.

[ChucktownSteve]

18 minutes ago, tgg said:

 

You can take refundable onboard credit in cash OR it can be credited to your credit card. I'm aware that I will lose the credit card rebate on that amount. Our TA doesn't do rebates.

Yep, I would be giving back 3% credit card cash back. That's why I use two TAs who do rebates. 😁

[roberts2005]

Getting cash at the end of most cruises isn’t bad.  Most times, if the rate is good, I convert the dollars to euros so I have a start for my next trip.   I agree, do not want it to go back to the credit card and lose the miles

[fruitmachine]

10 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

a CW includes OBC

That's what I thought - until I booked a few weeks ago and the only OBC I had was for the promotion.  When I checked the CW cabin description (where the $300 OBC was stated on the previous booking system) the wording had been removed.

 

Something to be aware of!

[Riocca]

12 hours ago, roberts2005 said:

Looking at a cruise next July.  Besides the price of a CC suite being high, there is zero OBC.   ‘in the past we have had as much as $1,000.00  OBC for a cruise.  (Our last cruise in April on the Quest included that amount)

 

Any thoughts?

July 2024 are still part of the “Early Booking Bonus” promotion which includes a 20% saving and an Essential Package which includes Premium Drinks package for 2, One internet package and $300 OBC.

[Riocca]

1 hour ago, fruitmachine said:

That's what I thought - until I booked a few weeks ago and the only OBC I had was for the promotion.  When I checked the CW cabin description (where the $300 OBC was stated on the previous booking system) the wording had been removed.

 

Something to be aware of!

It’s been removed from the cabin description but is still showing under Suite amenities:

 

[uktog]

Large OBC was something UK guests rarely enjoyed as it is not part of their normal travel agent model.  As regards the big suites, I too was told by the call centre that it is no longer offered.  I suspected it was an agent not knowing the product at the time.

[Riocca]

3 minutes ago, uktog said:

Large OBC was something UK guests rarely enjoyed as it is not part of their normal travel agent model.  As regards the big suites, I too was told by the call centre that it is no longer offered.  I suspected it was an agent not knowing the product at the time.

Did an online dummy booking and although there was no value attached there were 2 OBC coupons showing that had to be the suites credit.

I’m sure once the system migration is completed and everything is running properly we will start to see Azamara go their own way with the benefits on offer including those attached to loyalty. Some we will probably like others maybe not as much but it’s going to be interesting either way.

[Dr H]

Host Jazzbeau, I don't mean to be a pest, while I do have friends who are LGBTQQIP2SAA, to me, "cruising" still means a boat ride. Would you please translate BOGOHO+ for the rest of us troglodytes? If it's a good thing, where would I find one, it has a nice kind of rhythm to it? (Let me contribute my professional favorite, AMFYOYO.  Please don't use it, it's extremely vulgar and highly unprofessional. But it has a great ring to it.)

[roberts2005]

Here it is

 

BUY ONE GET ONE HALF OFF

[uktog]

Buy one get one half off (or half price)

By the way Google can be your friend 🙂 had to use if for AMFYOYO which I agree is an offensive term - however your first line is also a little insensitive also in the context used

[fruitmachine]

7 hours ago, Riocca said:

It’s been removed from the cabin description but is still showing under Suite amenities:

 

My mistake earlier... It's been removed from Club Continent Suites, but is still in place for the other higher categories.

[uktog]

2 minutes ago, fruitmachine said:

My mistake earlier... It's been removed from Club Continent Suites, but is still in place for the other higher categories.

Club continent suites never had it, it was just the bigger ones that got the OBC

[fruitmachine]

10 minutes ago, uktog said:

Club continent suites never had it, it was just the bigger ones that got the OBC

You had me doubting my sanity, but I kept a dump of screenshots as we'd booked on the old system and were travelling just after implementation of the new one.  Perhaps that $300 was just a special offer on this cruise, rather than a standard, and I've just conflated the two.

[uktog]

Just now, fruitmachine said:

You had me doubting my sanity, but I kept a dump of screenshots as we'd booked on the old system and were travelling just after implementation of the new one.  Perhaps that $300 was just a special offer on this cruise, rather than a standard, and I've just conflated the two.

Interesting. The way that’s shown eg not in the standard list of perks I’d say it was a special booking offer. We’ve certainly never had OBC as a standard CC perk 

[Riocca]

35 minutes ago, fruitmachine said:

You had me doubting my sanity, but I kept a dump of screenshots as we'd booked on the old system and were travelling just after implementation of the new one.  Perhaps that $300 was just a special offer on this cruise, rather than a standard, and I've just conflated the two.

Certainly looks like a special offer as it’s a flash banner, it used to be in the text for the larger suites. We’ve been booking CC suites since 2010 and have never had only OBC attached to the suite itself.