Travel Agents with best OBC

[Ohmymonty]

Hey all!

Remember back in the day when Disney gave on board credit for booking a cruise while on board? I guess they don't do that anymore...This is the first time I've used an on board reservation since covid so, it was news to me.

I've used Small World Vacations for the last 10 years because they were referred to me and I didn't have any reason why not. Their policy had always been (I think) to offer half the OBC they would give normally when using a placeholder reservation. It didn't bother me before because I got the extra OBC from DCL.

So for example, I think before the policy was $100 from DCL for cruises under 7 days ($200 for 7 or more). Then Small World Vacations gave me credit based on cruise fare. For my upcoming cruise, their grid says I should have gotten $100 for booking through them. But that $100 is really $50 because of the placeholder reservation. So by old rules I would have ended up with $150 OBC. By the new rules, I only get $50 because of the placeholder reservation.

SO my question is: does anyone else use a travel agency that doesn't change their OBC offerings if you have a reservation you made while onboard? Or does anyone use a travel agency that is better than others in terms of OBC offerings?

Always trying to get more bang for my buck. Thanks!

 

[OKW Lover]

Please be aware that the DIS Boards are sponsored by Dreams Unlimited Travel. Discussion of others TA's is discouraged so it will be difficult to get good answers to this question.

 

[MillauFr]

Costco is the answer

 

[goofy4prez]

I received an excellent $300 OBC from Dreams Unlimited for my cruise coming up in December. But more importantly the service and communication has been excellent. This is my first time using Dreams Unlimited and it will not be the last time that I use them.

 

[lanejudy]

Please be aware that the DIS Boards are sponsored by Dreams Unlimited Travel. Discussion of otters TA's is discouraged so it will be difficult to get good answers to this question.

Discussion of various TAs is definitely allowed. The request is to use the full URL of the travel agency. Only if it ends up *** then that particular TA is not allowed to be discussed.
Small World Vacations: https://www.smallworldvacations.com/
Dreams Unlimited Travel: https://www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com/
Costco Travel: https://www.costcotravel.com/

 

[Kwami]

Except for Costco, you're going to get the same OBC pretty much anywhere. Disney kind of changed the rules and made it harder to add credits for some reason, but I think most agents are still using the old OBC schedule that everyone used a few years ago.

 

[Annabell]

We used Dreams unlimited and were happy with them.

 

[Ohmymonty]

Except for Costco, you're going to get the same OBC pretty much anywhere. Disney kind of changed the rules and made it harder to add credits for some reason, but I think most agents are still using the old OBC schedule that everyone used a few years ago.

Is that because Costco doesn't give OBC? I'm clicking around on the link previously posted and didn't see anything.

But I guess good to know it's about the same across the board.

I guess I'm still not clear though, is that policy of getting 50% OBC when using a placeholder reservation also a policy across the board?

 

[lanejudy]

DCL revamped their commissions a few years ago. I think they may limit how much can be passed along to the customer. And transferred cruises are paid lower (half?) commission -- so that includes placeholders/OBBs. It might be full commission if the TA is named from the start. The agencies that do a lot of DCL bookings will probably offer more OBC than your local mom-and-pop TA who only books a couple of DCL cruises in a year, some of whom don't offer OBC (though they might offer something else).

Costco is the outlier as they apparently offer approx. 8% "cash card" post-cruise, and if you are an executive member another 2%.

Some policies may vary from one agency to another, so if you are interested in one (or more) you may want to contact and ask specifically. Many post a table of expected OBC. Some may also charge change fees and/or cancellation fees, so be sure you know the policies of the agency you decide to use.

 

[Kwami]

DCL revamped their commissions a few years ago. I think they may limit how much can be passed along to the customer. And transferred cruises are paid lower (half?) commission -- so that includes placeholders/OBBs. It might be full commission if the TA is named from the start.

Yeah, Disney went and made things complicated. The OBC used to be pretty much standard across all agencies. Then, Disney changed the system so that it's harder to give OBC. This was especially true after the restart. My TA was telling me that instead of being able to add OBC directly, he had to buy OBC from Disney's website, just like anyone else can. It might be better now, though. I'm not sure.

Anyway, TAs get half commission for existing reservations that are transferred to them. They get full commission for reservations initially assigned to them. So, if you know that you're going to use a particular TA for your next cruise, then make sure that you name that TA on your onboard booking placeholder.

 

[Geomom]

Yes Disney stopped giving OBC with their onboard bookings a few years ago. For our June 2022 cruise, we were happy that we could still use our 2018 placeholder from a cancelled 2020 cruise so we got our final $200 OBC from Disney (as well as the 10% off) and $225 in OBC from Dreams Unlimited. Dreams Unlimited gives more OBC for booking directly thru them, and half that amount for on board bookings and transfers, since they receive half the commission for those bookings.

 

[plutolovr]

Yeah, Disney went and made things complicated. The OBC used to be pretty much standard across all agencies. Then, Disney changed the system so that it's harder to give OBC. This was especially true after the restart. My TA was telling me that instead of being able to add OBC directly, he had to buy OBC from Disney's website, just like anyone else can. It might be better now, though. I'm not sure.

Anyway, TAs get half commission for existing reservations that are transferred to them. They get full commission for reservations initially assigned to them. So, if you know that you're going to use a particular TA for your next cruise, then make sure that you name that TA on your onboard booking placeholder.

This is incorrect. Any booking made onboard, whether or not you assign it to a travel agency from the beginning or transfer it when you get home, will only get a reduced onboard credit from most travel agencies. The commission structure on onboard reservations is different from reservations booked "new". If you weren't aware, the onboard credit comes from the commission the agent receives, so they are basically giving you part of their earnings, so when they get less, you get less.

 

[Kwami]

This is incorrect. Any booking made onboard, whether or not you assign it to a travel agency from the beginning or transfer it when you get home, will only get a reduced onboard credit from most travel agencies. The commission structure on onboard reservations is different from reservations booked "new". If you weren't aware, the onboard credit comes from the commission the agent receives, so they are basically giving you part of their earnings, so when they get less, you get less.

I've confirmed with my travel agent that, as long as I assign the OBB placeholder to him when I make it, he gets full commission. If I don't assign it to him when I book it, then it counts as a transfer and he gets only half commission. Maybe he's special.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

I am late to this thread, but you may want to check out *************.com. We used them and they are great. We are about to book an Adventures by Disney trip with them, also. They were referred to us by someone else who used them, so it seems they have a good reputation. I am not sure what they can do specifically for OBC on Disney cruises, but it doesn't hurt to give them a call.

 

[plutolovr]

I've confirmed with my travel agent that, as long as I assign the OBB placeholder to him when I make it, he gets full commission. If I don't assign it to him when I book it, then it counts as a transfer and he gets only half commission. Maybe he's special.

He probably only gets 10% commission from them. Travel agencies with more bookings with DCL get more commission, but only 10% for onboard bookings and transfers.

 

[happycamper47]

The TA I use works diligently to get my reservations or the partucular cabin we want. He is saving me hours of frustration and aggrevation. Personally the service level provided is primary and the OBC is secondary. I normally hear back in less than an hr when emailing. Also remember, for many TA 's it is their main source of income.

 

[Kwami]

He probably only gets 10% commission from them. Travel agencies with more bookings with DCL get more commission, but only 10% for onboard bookings and transfers.

Whatever the rate is, he gets only half of it from transfers.

 

[SleepyDeb]

USAA.com is great if you’re a USAA member.

 

[Clarkson U]

I have used https://www.cruisesonly.com/
In the past. Some credit or cash back was great in terms of the actual $$ amount (best I could find) but service was only OK. So I moved on.