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Paying for tips with onboard OBC

mmpadp

By mmpadp,
in Princess Cruises

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Pam in CA

Pam in CA

Posted
Posted
Can tips be paid using OBC? I specifically mean the $11.50 per person per day for room steward, wait staff etc.
Yes. The Princess onboard system is a simple credit/debit system. You start with a credit (the OBC) and anything charged to the account (tips, tours, drinks, specialty restaurant, etc.) is deducted from the credit until it's used up. Then, you start to accrue a balance due. On my Star cruise in March, I had so much OBC that I had leftover credit at the end, which was returned to me.
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Larlin

Larlin

Posted
Posted
Yes. The Princess onboard system is a simple credit/debit system. You start with a credit (the OBC) and anything charged to the account (tips, tours, drinks, specialty restaurant, etc.) is deducted from the credit until it's used up. Then, you start to accrue a balance due. On my Star cruise in March, I had so much OBC that I had leftover credit at the end, which was returned to me.

 

Pam: If I put credit on my cruise account via my credit card points, and don't end up using that much credit, Princess will re-imburse me? I have been putting credit on my account and thought I had to either use the credit or lose it. Thanks for the help!!!

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Pam in CA

Pam in CA

Posted
Posted
Pam: If I put credit on my cruise account via my credit card points, and don't end up using that much credit, Princess will re-imburse me? I have been putting credit on my account and thought I had to either use the credit or lose it. Thanks for the help!!!
I made an effort to use mine up before the last night but I really didn't want any more drinks, didn't want to buy junk, etc. so I just left the credit on my account when I disembarked. I was sent a check a couple of weeks later for the leftover credit. That's probably not the best way to do it. I should have cashed out the credit the last night or used it up rather than leave it for Princess accounting. It wasn't much... around $25. I had a LOT of credit and was surprised at how quickly that credit went bye-bye. I actually expected a lot more credit at the end of the cruise. Check your statement a couple of times a week, and in particular, two days before disembarkation.
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johnmik1

johnmik1

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I made an effort to use mine up before the last night but I really didn't want any more drinks, didn't want to buy junk, etc. so I just left the credit on my account when I disembarked. I was sent a check a couple of weeks later for the leftover credit. That's probably not the best way to do it. I should have cashed out the credit the last night or used it up rather than leave it for Princess accounting. It wasn't much... around $25. I had a LOT of credit and was surprised at how quickly that credit went bye-bye. I actually expected a lot more credit at the end of the cruise. Check your statement a couple of times a week, and in particular, two days before disembarkation.

 

When we had OBC left over, my cruise card beeped upon disembarkation and they would not let me off till they paid me in cash.

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Pam in CA

Pam in CA

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Posted
When we had OBC left over, my cruise card beeped upon disembarkation and they would not let me off till they paid me in cash.
Since I'd been standing on the steps, unable to move up or down, for almost two hours due to a thoroughly screwed up disembarkation, I would have had a total meltdown if my card had beeped and they told me to go back and get cash. :) It wouldn't have been pretty.
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Pam in CA

Pam in CA

Posted
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I have not been able to use the Shareholder OBC for tips. However, all the other OBC's were okay.
Interesting. All of mine was listed separately but accumulated as a total starting credit at embarkation, including Shareholder, Elite, FCC, TA, etc.
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caribill

caribill

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Since I'd been standing on the steps, unable to move up or down, for almost two hours due to a thoroughly screwed up disembarkation, I would have had a total meltdown if my card had beeped and they told me to go back and get cash. :) It wouldn't have been pretty.

 

In any event, there would have been no way to go back.

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caribill

caribill

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Posted
Hence, the meltdown. :)

 

In retrospect, I am sorry that I never took out my camera (it was on my belt, not packed away) and taken a picture of that situation. Sardines have more room in a can then we had.

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Pam in CA

Pam in CA

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In retrospect, I am sorry that I never took out my camera (it was on my belt, not packed away) and taken a picture of that situation. Sardines have more room in a can then we had.
Just in front of me was a couple who pushed others aside and the two of them took up five steps: one for each of them (to sit down sideways, each taking the whole step), one step for each of their bags while the rest of us were squashed. People were yelling and screaming at them but they had staked it out and wouldn't budge. #%*$&@!
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MicCanberra Holiday Sharing Rare

MicCanberra

Posted
Posted
Just in front of me was a couple who pushed others aside and the two of them took up five steps: one for each of them (to sit down sideways, each taking the whole step), one step for each of their bags while the rest of us were squashed. People were yelling and screaming at them but they had staked it out and wouldn't budge. #%*$&@!

 

This world constantly shows that it takes all kinds of people to live in it. Mic:D

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dorisis

dorisis

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When we had OBC left over, my cruise card beeped upon disembarkation and they would not let me off till they paid me in cash.

 

Is that something new? I have disembarked with a small amount of credit still on my account and it has never been refunded. Even if I requested it. Once the guest relations said it would be refunded to my credit card. It was not.

 

~Doris~

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Pam in CA

Pam in CA

Posted
Posted
Is that something new? I have disembarked with a small amount of credit still on my account and it has never been refunded. Even if I requested it. Once the guest relations said it would be refunded to my credit card. It was not.
It depends on the source of the OBC. Not all OBCs can or will be refunded. For instance, if you've pre-paid tips, sent yourself OBC as a gift, put down cash on your account or redeemed OBC from the Princess credit card, that would be returned. OBC from using an FCC, Elite OBC, etc. wouldn't.
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johnmik1

johnmik1

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It depends on the source of the OBC. Not all OBCs can or will be refunded. For instance, if you've pre-paid tips, sent yourself OBC as a gift, put down cash on your account or redeemed OBC from the Princess credit card, that would be returned. OBC from using an FCC, Elite OBC, etc. wouldn't.

 

My OBC's come from FCC,Elite,TA and Shareholder only so the rules must be different on different ships.

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Pam in CA

Pam in CA

Posted
Posted
My OBC's come from FCC,Elite,TA and Shareholder only so the rules must be different on different ships.
The way I understand it, if the OBC is something that was paid for, i.e., a gift or cash of any kind (which would include the credit card OBC), it's refundable. If its OBC that's an incentive such as the FCC or Elite, it's not. I'm not sure about the shareholder OBC.
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