Military OBC not applicable to gratuities?

[biogirl]

First, let me say that I think it is wonderful that princess offers this benefit. I was reading the fine print and noticed that it actually says it can not be applied toward gratuities. We can find plenty of other things to use it on, but I've never seen on board credit uses specified like this. Usually it's been a lump some taken off our bill at the end and I know we have applied it to gratuities in the past. Are there different types of OBC?

[paul929207]

Like other OBC, the Military benefit is a credit to your account. Any charges, including tips are applied to it until the credit(s) are used up. If you are in doubt, just ask for a copy of your bill to verify.

[Astro Flyer]

First, let me say that I think it is wonderful that princess offers this benefit. I was reading the fine print and noticed that it actually says it can not be applied toward gratuities. We can find plenty of other things to use it on, but I've never seen on board credit uses specified like this. Usually it's been a lump some taken off our bill at the end and I know we have applied it to gratuities in the past. Are there different types of OBC?

While that exclusion is written into the military OBC Princess does not enforce it. It's a simple debit and credit accounting system onboard and thus the military OBC is just a credit to offset any type of debit including gratuities.

[biogirl]

I love cc so much. It takes no time at all to get answers from awesome people! Thank you! I thought that was the case, but you never know when things could have changed on me.

[chipq]

On many cruise lines exclsusions are made when dealing with the promotional OBC. Say you get a $100 promotional OBC and use toward gratuity. That cost the cruise line $100. Now if you use the promotioanl gratuity to purchase drinks, the actual cost to the cruise line is only a small fraction of the $100. Those $8 specialty drinks only cost the line a buck or two.

 

Now in reality there is such a mix of on board charges that I have not experienced the promotional OBC not getting fully used. As a PP said it is more for an accounting system than anything although I imagine, if a guest truly did not have any other charges than gratuities that the cruise lines may make an issue of it. It is rare to not have on board charges but it does occur from time to time.

 

http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

[fishywood]

As I understand it, the nominal policy which comes down from the parent company (similar language is found from Princess and its corporate siblings) is that OBC awarded to or earned by you (as opposed to one purchased for yourself) cannot be used for additional gratuities you add to your charges in bars, specialty dining, salon/spa et al. Cannot be used in the casino as well. But as said above, it has been reported here many times by those in the know that Princess does not enforce this. What I can report is that at least one other CCI brand (Cunard) does enforce this: an issue I had onboard was settled (amicably) with an OBC; from that point on my folio had two separate columns, one for charges eligible for the OBC, another for those not. I certainly never recall such a format for my onboard charges on Princess.

[preschool teacher]

On our last 4 cruises we have used the military OBC for the gratuity I never thought about it costing princess money.....

[vickie_bernie]

it is true it says this in the policy, also the shareholder benefit says the same thing; however your account works like a bank account showing the initial credit and as your gratuities are charged daily they get deducted. We have never had an issue with our gratuities being applied to our account with just a shareholder benefit.

 

vickie