ISLAND PRINCESS/Hawaii/Clearing out shipboard acct.

[CapnCat]

I wanted to put a little something in my sister's shipboard account when she sails on the ISLAND PRINCESS in Apr. 2007.

 

My question is: If she doesn't spend the entire amount in the shipboard account, will PRINCESS send her a refund check for the unused portion?

 

Or should she go to the Casino and get the money from that venue? She's not a gambler -- but if PRINCESS doesn't give refund checks for what's remaining in the shipboard account I don't know of any other way for her to access the leftover $$$.

 

Any ideas? Has this ever happened to you -- or anyone that sailed on PRINCESS?

 

Thanks for your input.

[Splinter]

Wow! How much are you giving her? She can charge her shore excursions, classes on board, drinks, wine with dinner, special wine tastings, spa treatments, etc., etc. to her shipboard account. Unless a teetotaler, or you are giving her hundreds of dollars, I can't imagine having anything left after a 15 day cruise!

[CapnCat]

:) I wanted her to have the time of her life on this cruise (her hubby is going with her too)...and since the ship excursions were so pricey I thought a little extra green stuff in her shipboard account would help.

 

I have my eye on a heli tour in KAUAI -- I'm hoping I can convince them to try it -- and as you know they don't come cheap. If that doesn't work out, then perhaps the KAUAI MOVIE TOUR - which I've heard good things about (if it is still available).

 

Then there's the VOLCANOES NATL. PARK tour -- I could go on and on...but you know how the expenses kinda creep up on ya. Anyhoo...anything I can do to help her w/expenses via the shipboard account would be great. Just want to make sure that any left over (if there is any) would be refunded to her -- and not the cruise line!

[KreinKrunker]

I have not heard, one way or the other, about refunds, but I think spending the money would be very easy, anyway we don't have any problem. Don't forget that tips are charged to the account too. That would be $300 for the two of them on the Island to Hawaii. Also, Princess considers money taken from the casino as a cash advance on your credit card, unlike Celebrity which just charges it to your onboard account.

[CapnCat]

:) Wasn't aware that taking money out of the casino would be considered a cash advance and put on your credit card. That's the last thing I want to do!

 

To be sure there will be tips incurred during the voyage -- but I was hoping to put a couple of C-notes in my sister's shipboard account for excursions.

 

I don't understand your statement "That would be $300 for the two of them on the Island to Hawaii". Could you please explain. I've never sailed in my life so am rather dense about shipboard procedures like tipping. Why $300 -- would it be more -- less - depending on what services were incurred? Am very curious. Thanks for your input.

[kruisey]

Days at sea one can gamble out of Hawaiian Waters

Around the Hawaii Islands Territorial Waters no Gambling allowed on the ship.

Just thought I would mention this to you in case you didnot know.

[Phamer55]

How do you put money on someone's onboard account? Is there way on the Princess web site to do it? I couldn't find it, just a way to send gifts.

[alwalaska]

:) Wasn't aware that taking money out of the casino would be considered a cash advance and put on your credit card. That's the last thing I want to do!

 

To be sure there will be tips incurred during the voyage -- but I was hoping to put a couple of C-notes in my sister's shipboard account for excursions.

 

I don't understand your statement "That would be $300 for the two of them on the Island to Hawaii". Could you please explain. I've never sailed in my life so am rather dense about shipboard procedures like tipping. Why $300 -- would it be more -- less - depending on what services were incurred? Am very curious. Thanks for your input.

 

I hope you actually get an answer to your original question as I don't know that one, but I can tell you that Princess has automatic tipping. It is $10/passenger/day. You can go to the pursers desk to increase or decrease it if you feel necessary, but the tip will automatically be added to the shipboard account otherwise.

 

From the Princess site, " The Hotel and Dining charge will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including the wait staff, stateroom stewards and accommodations staff, buffet stewards, galley staff, laundry staff and others. Please note this is a discretionary charge and should you wish to remove or make any adjustments, you may do so by contacting the Purser's Reception desk onboard. "

 

I have heard of people getting cash back from their account at the end, but I don't know the circumstances. Hopefully some of the more cruise savy people out here will be able to answer your original question.

 

Would you like to adopt another daughter? I am going to Alaska next June and would really like to take some of the pricier excursions. :D

[regnig]

I wanted to put a little something in my sister's shipboard account when she sails on the ISLAND PRINCESS in Apr. 2007.

 

My question is: If she doesn't spend the entire amount in the shipboard account, will PRINCESS send her a refund check for the unused portion?

 

Or should she go to the Casino and get the money from that venue? She's not a gambler -- but if PRINCESS doesn't give refund checks for what's remaining in the shipboard account I don't know of any other way for her to access the leftover $$$.

 

Any ideas? Has this ever happened to you -- or anyone that sailed on PRINCESS?

 

Thanks for your input.

 

If what you were planning on doing was to "Surprise your friends with a lucky side bet. Choose a $25, $50, or $100 credit, redeemable in the shipboard casino." from the Princess Send a Gift program be aware that the fine print at the bottom of the form you fill out reads - "All gift cards will be presented in the designated guest’s stateroom and may be redeemed in the appropriate outlets onboard ship. In the event that an item is unavailable or temporarily out of stock, the item may be substituted at Princess’ discretion. Onboard gift voucher valid for item indicated only, with exception of non-alcoholic beverage in exchange for alcoholic beverage. Onboard gift

voucher may not be redeemed for onboard credit and has no cash value."

 

I know TA's can place money in one's shipboard account that can be used for whatever the passenger wants. Ours does that each cruise but never, never, never has it gone unspent. I would suggest you call Princess directly at 1 800 PRINCESS and ask them if you can deposit money directly into her shipboard account for any use she wants and what happens to any remaining monies at the end of the cruise. In fact I would suggest you call them at least three times with the same question and then believe the answer you get twice. THEN post what you find out here, inquiring minds what to know.

[CapnCat]

:) Kruisey - thanks for the warning re: gambling. My sister doesn't

gamble. I just mentioned the getting money from the casino

as a means of using up any left over shipboard account funds

(something some other poster on these boards had mentioned

doing).

 

Pharmer55-- please see larsen's post to my query.

 

Larsen -- excellent advice. I've called Princess once already

and was advised that I could put $$ in my sister's account at

any time...dumb me forgot to ask what happens to any $$

that is left over.

 

The whole idea behind putting $$ in her account was to enable

her to take some of the shore excursions - which are so pricey.

 

I'll be sure to call PRINCESS at least another 2 times. I have a

lot of time to do this as she won't be sailing until April 2007.

[terrierjohn]

My question is: If she doesn't spend the entire amount in the shipboard account, will PRINCESS send her a refund check for the unused portion?

 

Any ideas? Has this ever happened to you -- or anyone that sailed on PRINCESS?

 

Thanks for your input.

Yes she should receive a credit against her credit card. We recently had an onboard credit made to our account, because we missed some days of a cruise due to illness, and we received the balance as a credit card refund. However we are still waiting for this to be processed, Princess says it can take 30 days which expires tomorrow, but I fully expect it will be honoured.

But as previous posters have stated a couple of C notes won't be much use on a 14 day cruise, they are more likely to need a couple of M notes.

[kruisey]

Yes she should receive a credit against her credit card. We recently had an onboard credit made to our account, because we missed some days of a cruise due to illness, and we received the balance as a credit card refund. However we are still waiting for this to be processed, Princess says it can take 30 days which expires tomorrow, but I fully expect it will be honoured.

But as previous posters have stated a couple of C notes won't be much use on a 14 day cruise, they are more likely to need a couple of M notes.

I once had trouble with a refund .My Credit Card Company told me they had not received it from Princess and Princess told me they had sent it....A refund to a credit card should not take more than a few days ,this applies to any debit or credit to an account.It took me nearly a month to get that refund showing on my card account.....I made a big issue of this and accused the credit card company and Princess of holding the money and keeping the interest they where making on it.

To cut a long story short ever since that time refunds from anyone have appeared on my card statement within a few days :)

[CapnCat]

:) I hope you'll be receiving your refund shortly.

 

As for the actual amount I'll be placing in my sister's shipboard

account -- well I hope it will help pay for the bulk of the ship

sponsored cruises she might like to take.

 

This cruise is going to (I hope) be a big surprise -- and knowing

my sister as I do she will probably do a song and dance about

how I can't afford to pay for the voyage for her and her hubby

and the excursions too...but truly, my sis has worked long and

hard over the past 40 years and I hope this trip will be every-

thing its cracked up to be.

 

Thank you again for your thoughts - and hope your next cruise

is a memorable one -- for all the right reasons!

[Ginneeeeee]

Hi Kruisey - I was on the roll call for the Island Princess sailing on 9/23/05. I was away from the boards for a long time due to medical reasons and when I returned I learned of your Fathers death and just wanted to say how sorry I was to hear that news. I was also sorry to hear that you had to cancel your Hawaii trip. I was looking forward to meeting up with you. I hope your new plans work out for you and you have a wonderful time. You are such a good person to care for your parents the way you do. Again please accept my Sympathy for the loss of your dad.

[kruisey]

Hi Kruisey - I was on the roll call for the Island Princess sailing on 9/23/05. I was away from the boards for a long time due to medical reasons and when I returned I learned of your Fathers death and just wanted to say how sorry I was to hear that news. I was also sorry to hear that you had to cancel your Hawaii trip. I was looking forward to meeting up with you. I hope your new plans work out for you and you have a wonderful time. You are such a good person to care for your parents the way you do. Again please accept my Sympathy for the loss of your dad.

Thank you I was over in the UK in May looking after my mom while my sister had a holiday. I like many can only afford one trip per year.

I am saving up now to go next April on the Diamond.

Would love to have been on The Island in September Hawaii is my favorite place so far. Its funny that you wrote this today because on Saturday I am going to take some pictures of the Island Princess at Canada Place if this good weather holds up.

Hope to meet you on another trip one day.....Kruisey.

[Ginneeeeee]

Kruisey I wish you the best and hope you have a wonderful time in April. Hopefully we will meet up on another cruise. Have fun this weekend and know that hawaii will be there for you in the future. Have a great day.

[terrierjohn]

I wanted to put a little something in my sister's shipboard account when she sails on the ISLAND PRINCESS in Apr. 2007.

 

My question is: If she doesn't spend the entire amount in the shipboard account, will PRINCESS send her a refund check for the unused portion?

 

 

Any ideas? Has this ever happened to you -- or anyone that sailed on PRINCESS?

 

Thanks for your input.

Further to my earlier posting (July 24th), If I were you I should forget the idea. We eventually received a cheque from Princess for our on board credit, but nearly 3 months after our cruise and after countless e-mails and phone calls to customer service, which certainly fails to match Princess's onboard service. Even now I am not certain why it took so long, excuses about system problems were given repeatedly, but since they never questioned the validity of the refund I would have thought that any quality service company would have reverted to a good old fashioned hand written cheque just to keep a customer happy.

Better to give your sister a surprise envelope to be opened only when onboard, at least with that she can take any excess home with her immediately.

[Pam in CA]

If you put a couple of "Cs" towards your sister's onboard account, that might pay for some of the tours but your sister (and her husband) will also probably leave the auto-tipping in place ($10/day/pp which for a 15-day cruise is $300) plus they'll probably charge drinks and incidentals to their shipboard account. That means that your 2C's will certainly help but will still leave a shipboard account that they'll have to pay.

 

The bottom line is that even putting 2Cs on your sister's account will not leave a surplus that would have to be refunded. :)