Best TA for OBC

[Billinaz]

I've seen OBC's also ..

In the past decade that I have been using Costco, I have never seen an OBC. I have only seen (and got) the Costco cash card on our return that was about 8 to 9 percent of the cruise cost.

 

[belac]

We used DU and very happy. We decided to get a car to port so emailed our TA to cancel the DCL transfers, another person answered my email within an a few hours since our regular TA is out due to illness. They took care of it right away and we have already been credited. The OBC was nice and nice to have someone to take care of things, as life around here is super busy crazy most days.

 

[MillauFr]

I'm not sure what you mean by this. The cruise cost no more or less when you use a travel agent. The shipboard credit that an agency gives is coming out of their commission.

And who is paying the commission? The customer booking the cruise. When I book with Costco they are getting some of my money but really don't provide any useful service. I just don't understand why Costco should get any portion of my cruise fare.

 

[JW9DVC]

And who is paying the commission? The customer booking the cruise. When I book with Costco they are getting some of my money but really don't provide any useful service. I just don't understand why Costco should get any portion of my cruise fare.

It's not like you are paying more for using Costco or another travel agency. If you wish to book directly with DCL. Go ahead. They provide a very nice Costco cash card at end of cruise. Not sure what type of "service" you need. They always have someone to answer questions right away and make requests for us.

I'm a former Travel Agent that worked directly for Disney. Maybe I don't need the hand holding as much as others. Many still come to the DIS with any questions and everyone here is able to find an answer rather quickly.

JW

 

[Billinaz]

And who is paying the commission? The customer booking the cruise. When I book with Costco they are getting some of my money but really don't provide any useful service. I just don't understand why Costco should get any portion of my cruise fare.

Well, then book with Disney. They do the same as Costco and get to keep even more of your cruise fare.

Disney is a travel agent like every other travel agent out there. Instead of paying a commission they essentially pay themselves the commission.

If I book a flight on the AA website, it is the same price as using Expedia, Kayak, etc. The only difference is that Expedia or Kayak gets a commission from AA.

 

[Flossbolna]

The reason for the commission is that DCL needs the travel agents to fill their ships. It might be less so today than it used to be like in the past, but travel agents are a great way of advertising the DCL product - for free to DCL. See the commission as a kind of marketing spending and then it makes sense. If the cruises were cheaper if you booked through DCL itself, then the travel agents would lose business - and might be less inclined to provide that kind of marketing for Disney that they currently do.

 

[squirk]

The reason for the commission is that DCL needs the travel agents to fill their ships. It might be less so today than it used to be like in the past, but travel agents are a great way of advertising the DCL product - for free to DCL. See the commission as a kind of marketing spending and then it makes sense. If the cruises were cheaper if you booked through DCL itself, then the travel agents would lose business - and might be less inclined to provide that kind of marketing for Disney that they currently do.

Right. And I would also suspect that there is (was) considerable "soft dollar" savings in working through TAs, since they are not your employees and carry none of those employee-related expenses (e.g., HR admin, healthcare benefits, 401k matching contributions, etc.).