OBC & pre-purchasing beverage packages

Hi all,

I am after some advice re onboard credit and pre-purchasing drinks packages.

We have $300 of OBC for our July cruise to Alaska on the Coral Princess thanks to an offer when we booked (it's technically $150 each, or that's how it shows up in the cruise personaliser anyway).

We'd like to pre-purchase a beverage package each because it is cheaper to do so based on the price in £, which is how it is priced when we log in (£33 per day including tips v $56 is a very good exchange rate). However, because we have on board credit I wasn't sure if the beverage package will actually be charged to our account rather than us physically completing a separate transaction for it (we want to maximise the value of the OBC and use it for things like the ship tour if we can and maybe the chef's table, speciality restaurants, etc. - it's our honeymoon so we're going to treat ourselves!).

Does anyone know how it works?

We want to book an excursion through Princess too so that would use up some of the OBC.

It doesn't really matter, but if we can avoid unnecessary foreign transaction fees, etc. and spend in sterling before we go we may as well.

Any help gratefully received (this is our 2nd cruise, first with Princess).

Hi all,

 

I am after some advice re onboard credit and pre-purchasing drinks packages.

 

We have $300 of OBC for our July cruise to Alaska on the Coral Princess thanks to an offer when we booked (it's technically $150 each, or that's how it shows up in the cruise personaliser anyway).

 

We'd like to pre-purchase a beverage package each because it is cheaper to do so based on the price in £, which is how it is priced when we log in (£33 per day including tips v $56 is a very good exchange rate). However, because we have on board credit I wasn't sure if the beverage package will actually be charged to our account rather than us physically completing a separate transaction for it (we want to maximise the value of the OBC and use it for things like the ship tour if we can and maybe the chef's table, speciality restaurants, etc. - it's our honeymoon so we're going to treat ourselves!).

 

Does anyone know how it works?

 

We want to book an excursion through Princess too so that would use up some of the OBC.

 

It doesn't really matter, but if we can avoid unnecessary foreign transaction fees, etc. and spend in sterling before we go we may as well.

 

Any help gratefully received (this is our 2nd cruise, first with Princess).

I believe that pre paying anything goes on your CC right away.

Purchasing it onboard it will go to your onboard account and use up your OBC.

Brilliant, thank you!

As stated above, if you pre-order you will be charged before the cruise.

If you are using Princess excursions, that plus the daily gratuity charge will easily use up your OBC.

Awesome, thank you. We're going to pre-pay the gratuities too (again, cheaper to do this), but I know we won't struggle to spend the OBC!

I never knew it was cheaper to prepay gratuities. How much cheaper?

I never knew it was cheaper to prepay gratuities. How much cheaper?

It is only cheaper (and only possibly) if you are being charged in advance in a non-USA currency (in this case British pounds) and the exchange rate is favorable to you.

I never knew it was cheaper to prepay gratuities. How much cheaper?

Its not.

Sorry, I have only just seen the additional replies.

As mentioned above it is slightly cheaper for us to pre-pay gratuities because Princess uses a favourable exchange rate.

Gratuities are $11.50 per day per passenger, so $161 total for us. This would cost around £106 based on today's high street exchange rates. However, the pre-pay cost is £96.60. So for us, yes it is cheaper - unless the exchange rate changes significantly!

from australia i have the option to prepay my gratuities for our 20 day cruise next march, $ 506 aus for 2 = 12.65 converted to todays ex rate .73 = $9.23 us, even if i prepay the aibp it works out cheaper than $ 56.35 us.

Sorry, I have only just seen the additional replies.

 

As mentioned above it is slightly cheaper for us to pre-pay gratuities because Princess uses a favourable exchange rate.

 

Gratuities are $11.50 per day per passenger, so $161 total for us. This would cost around £106 based on today's high street exchange rates. However, the pre-pay cost is £96.60. So for us, yes it is cheaper - unless the exchange rate changes significantly!

Also if you think your excursions etc are going exceed your $300 OBC you can gift yourself $500 OBC @ $1.66 rate, which would be another saving. Can't see the $ jumping above 1.66 any time soon.

Yes, for USA cruisers that have no currency conversions involved, there is no savings (obviously). But for us 'foreigners' that have a region specific Princess website that displays prices in our local currency, there definitely is savings to be had.

It appears these 'favourable' exchange rates for pre-paid gratuities, OBC 'gifts' and now also pre purchase of beverage packages through your Personalizer, are rates that Princess have locked in for the year. With any bookings on next years cruises, they have a different (and way less favourable) exchange rate applied in converting the USD prices to your local currency prices.

Like martin Jenkins has pointed out, in Australia this conversion rate used by Princess is very close to $0.91 USD to the $1 AUD. My current bank's rates for 'buy' is now down to $0.72 USD to the $AUD !! This is a 17% savings thank you very much.

Also, because these purchases (pre-paid gratuity, OBC gifts and pre-purchase drinks packages) are in our local currency, when paying by credit card there are no foreign currency transaction fees applicable that the card issuers love to charge.

Yes, for USA cruisers that have no currency conversions involved, there is no savings (obviously). But for us 'foreigners' that have a region specific Princess website that displays prices in our local currency, there definitely is savings to be had.

 

It appears these 'favourable' exchange rates for pre-paid gratuities, OBC 'gifts' and now also pre purchase of beverage packages through your Personalizer, are rates that Princess have locked in for the year. With any bookings on next years cruises, they have a different (and way less favourable) exchange rate applied in converting the USD prices to your local currency prices.

 

Like martin Jenkins has pointed out, in Australia this conversion rate used by Princess is very close to $0.91 USD to the $1 AUD. My current bank's rates for 'buy' is now down to $0.72 USD to the $AUD !! This is a 17% savings thank you very much.

 

Also, because these purchases (pre-paid gratuity, OBC gifts and pre-purchase drinks packages) are in our local currency, when paying by credit card there are no foreign currency transaction fees applicable that the card issuers love to charge.

Yes sounds like a better deal.

Like martin Jenkins has pointed out, in Australia this conversion rate used by Princess is very close to $0.91 USD to the $1 AUD. My current bank's rates for 'buy' is now down to $0.72 USD to the $AUD !! This is a 17% savings thank you very much.

My bad maths. Should be around 20% saving.

And been informed you can add anything on upto 2 days before sailing so the purchases should be on the same credit bill as if you paid at the end of cruise. Win, win ,win for us non $ countries 😉

Yes, for USA cruisers that have no currency conversions involved, there is no savings (obviously). But for us 'foreigners' that have a region specific Princess website that displays prices in our local currency, there definitely is savings to be had.

 

It appears these 'favourable' exchange rates for pre-paid gratuities, OBC 'gifts' and now also pre purchase of beverage packages through your Personalizer, are rates that Princess have locked in for the year. With any bookings on next years cruises, they have a different (and way less favourable) exchange rate applied in converting the USD prices to your local currency prices.

 

Like martin Jenkins has pointed out, in Australia this conversion rate used by Princess is very close to $0.91 USD to the $1 AUD. My current bank's rates for 'buy' is now down to $0.72 USD to the $AUD !! This is a 17% savings thank you very much.

 

Also, because these purchases (pre-paid gratuity, OBC gifts and pre-purchase drinks packages) are in our local currency, when paying by credit card there are no foreign currency transaction fees applicable that the card issuers love to charge.

Glad non-US cruisers are able to save money:). With me, I just like to have my stuff out of the way. So far for our CB T/A in September, I've pre-paid the gratuities and shore excursions. Cruise, air and pre cruise expenses are paid off. I've also pre-purchased the all inclusive drink package as a treat for myself. Lastly, I will have at least $1500.00 OBC when we board. Only thing I'm saving for now is for whatever item in FACETS catches my DW's eye.....:):D:)

Bob