Back to the "old" OBC leftover policy

[PescadoAmarillo]

We have $1100 OBC and prepaid gratuities for our 20 day cruise next April. We are vegan, so don't access specialty restaurants. We don't drink a lot, so the two bottles of wine we bring on board plus the wine we get from our TA will probably last the cruise. I'll probably sign up for the TRX classes. We will buy two coffee cards and possibly maitre d' wine tasting. We don't gamble. Wonder what else we can spend the OBC on. I don't think I am cheap, but I don't generally spend on things just for the sake of spending.

 

We have $1250 on our 20-night. We always get the soda stickers, generally 2-4 bottles of wine, a few drinks and DH likes to shop on board, but for polo shirts, not diamonds. I just yesterday signed us up for an excursion in Aruba that is a pricey one we've always wanted to do, but didn't want to spring for in the past. In that sense, this is a great opportunity to try something new.

 

This will not induce me to gamble and I certainly won't be using the spa (really dislike the hard sells). On certain cruises, we may continue to get the military OBC in cash, and, as in the past, it will go to the crew in the form of extra tips. If you know our situation, we cruise for long periods of time and cash is far more an issue than cruising for 7 days. We simply can't take enough with us for the extra tips we generally find cause to distribute.

 

Of course I'm not thrilled that Princess changed financial terms after final payment, but for those cruises not yet at final payment, I'm not canceling. It's just important, in our situation, that we receive the facts about rolling over or not rolling over.

 

And it's been a great lesson in CC values, too. It's obvious people only care about an issue if they are personally affected. With Alfredo's and room service, this board exploded, though it would certainly be possible to avoid either charge quite easily. This situation is not avoidable, and the money involved is much, much higher, and people have expressed very different opinions or none at all.

Edited October 14, 2014 by PescadoAmarillo

[billco]

We have $1250 on our 20-night. We always get the soda stickers, generally 2-4 bottles of wine, a few drinks and DH likes to shop on board, but for polo shirts, not diamonds. I just yesterday signed us up for an excursion in Aruba that is a pricey one we've always wanted to do, but didn't want to spring for in the past. In that sense, this is a great opportunity to try something new.

 

This will not induce me to gamble and I certainly won't be using the spa (really dislike the hard sells). On certain cruises, we may continue to get the military OBC in cash, and, as in the past, it will go to the crew in the form of extra tips. If you know our situation, we cruise for long periods of time and cash is far more an issue than cruising for 7 days. We simply can't take enough with us for the extra tips we generally find cause to distribute.

 

Of course I'm not thrilled that Princess changed financial terms after final payment, but for those cruises not yet at final payment, I'm not canceling. It's just important, in our situation, that we receive the facts about rolling over or not rolling over.

 

And it's been a great lesson in CC values, too. It's obvious people only care about an issue if they are personally affected. With Alfredo's and room service, this board exploded, though it would certainly be possible to avoid either charge quite easily. This situation is not avoidable, and the money involved is much, much higher, and people have expressed very different opinions or none at all.

I'm well aware of how long you cruise. I check out your blog. Always great stuff. Soda stickers is not an option. Might look at the pricey excursion. We have two ports that are still open. just don't like those big busses. I am wondering if we still had OBC over $250 at the end, if we could get the $250 military. I agree you never know which issues are going to go viral. I definitely wouldn't cancel over this issue or any of the other ones either. Princess will know about my concern over changing the terms after final payment.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I know you know.:) I just added that for the benefit of someone else who didn't know, and would wonder why we didn't simply take enough cash with us to cover all these things. We try to, but it just never seems to last long enough.:eek:

 

The trip we booked was a boat trip, and those generally seem to be the more expensive ones. We also dive, and that's always a huge opportunity for us to spend money through Princess. On non-Caribbean itineraries, I don't imagine these concerns will even come up. Like you, we're not averse to spending money (obviously, or we would just stay home), but typically refrain from spending it unnecessarily, at home or on a cruise, and, in the Caribbean, it's simply not as necessary for us to do so. But we're willing to learn.

[hawkeyetlse]

And it's been a great lesson in CC values, too. It's obvious people only care about an issue if they are personally affected. With Alfredo's and room service, this board exploded, though it would certainly be possible to avoid either charge quite easily. This situation is not avoidable, and the money involved is much, much higher, and people have expressed very different opinions or none at all.

There's nothing wrong with people having very different opinions, is there?

 

With over 400 posts, I would consider this thread to have "exploded", but I think the lack of unanimity is precisely due to the fact that a lot more money is at stake here for a relatively small number of cruisers. Anyone could imagine themselves wanting to eat at Alfredo's or order room service at some point and then finding out it wasn't free. But most cruisers are happy to get $50 or $100 of OBC and I don't think you can expect them to relate to what it's like having $1000+ and complaining about it. When you say "this situation is not avoidable" most people just wonder why it is that they have never found themselves in that situation and why in the world would they want to avoid it??? As you say, maybe they don't feel personally affected by this issue, and don't feel moved to be outraged on your behalf, but I really don't think that means there's anything wrong with their values.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I didn't judge, I simply observed. And it seems we agree on the conclusion.

[Griller]

There's nothing wrong with people having very different opinions, is there?

 

With over 400 posts, I would consider this thread to have "exploded", but I think the lack of unanimity is precisely due to the fact that a lot more money is at stake here for a relatively small number of cruisers. Anyone could imagine themselves wanting to eat at Alfredo's or order room service at some point and then finding out it wasn't free. But most cruisers are happy to get $50 or $100 of OBC and I don't think you can expect them to relate to what it's like having $1000+ and complaining about it. When you say "this situation is not avoidable" most people just wonder why it is that they have never found themselves in that situation and why in the world would they want to avoid it??? As you say, maybe they don't feel personally affected by this issue, and don't feel moved to be outraged on your behalf, but I really don't think that means there's anything wrong with their values.

 

Its been non-refundable and non Casino spendable on Cunard for as long as I can remember, and I have been in the situation of having $1300 OBC on a Transatlantic for 7 days and no ports so couldn't spend it on excursions.

Now that was a problem.

Citizen Ecodrive Watches for the whole family was the answer, and I never regretted that purchase.

Princess sell them at a decent price as well. They are excellent watches which should last a lifetime with no winding up, batteries or servicing.

Edited October 14, 2014 by Griller

[caribill]

But onboard gift credit that someone buys for you, or that you buy for yourself, should continue to be refundable.

 

This does continue to be fully refundable.

 

However, some TA gift credit is really a pass through from Princess (via use of amenity points) and not a true TA gift and is thus in the non-refundable category.

Edited October 14, 2014 by caribill

[Thorpe]

Other ways to spend OBC would be to buy perfume or make-up or jewellery for your female relatives. Stock up for Xmas, birthdays, you'd have some happy daughters, granddaughters, nieces, mothers, Aunts.

[DanaPointBob]

Its been non-refundable and non Casino spendable on Cunard for as long as I can remember, and I have been in the situation of having $1300 OBC on a Transatlantic for 7 days and no ports so couldn't spend it on excursions.

Now that was a problem.

Citizen Ecodrive Watches for the whole family was the answer, and I never regretted that purchase.

Princess sell them at a decent price as well. They are excellent watches which should last a lifetime with no winding up, batteries or servicing.

 

 

Outstanding idea! A nice Nikon camera would be good as well.

[Ronnieslady]

How about booking the Thermal Suites for the entire cruise, in the Lotus Spa, if you don't want any massages, do to high pressure selling. Those warm loungers are great for making you feel soooo relaxed. I fall asleep everytime:D

That is a great way to spend some of that OBC!!!

 

A few years ago we thought we had to spend it all, so we did a great excursion thru Princess in Maui. It was $500.00 for the both of us. It was one of the best excursions we have ever been on. It was a very small group ( 7 of us I think ) in a really nice new comfee van.

 

I would never have any problems spending OBC & we don't drink & I don't gamble, but my DH does gamble. It's going to be an extra fun cruise using up our OBC since we have free gratitues on our next cruise.

 

How about this: instead of handing the room service girl a few dollars in cash every AM we will just write in the tip on the back of the card each morning:)

Edited October 15, 2014 by Ronnieslady

[PunkiC]

I think we get about as much OBC as it is possible to get as we are both veterans, as well as stockholders and always have FCC, and look for great bargains with prepaid gratuities and additional OBC gifts, not to mention the OBC we get from our travel agency.

 

Even with all of that, we never have a problem spending it all. Actually spending it all is fun, even for a normally very careful person like me.

 

Go for it. Spend your money and have a ball. :p

[caribill]

 

How about this: instead of handing the room service girl a few dollars in cash every AM we will just write in the tip on the back of the card each morning:)

 

If you give the person cash, he/she can keep it. If you write in the tip on the back, it goes into the tipping pool to also be shared by others.

[pablo222]

I think I posted that Princess told me on their Facebook page that I could carry over OBC from the first leg to the second leg of my B2B. But, I could not carry over OBC if I was changing ships.

 

Thanks, Bill. I hope this is correct.

 

With Princess you never know if an answer you get before the

cruise matches the actions on the cruise.

[pablo222]

Outstanding idea! A nice Nikon camera would be good as well.

 

Sure. But, they don't sell any nice 'Nikon' cameras.

The last time I looked, they had a very basic DSLR

(which was two generations back from current)

and some cheap point-and-shoots.

 

You might as well buy film from them.

[WAVTAM]

On Grand presently, with 200 OBC all marked with *. Went down to pursuer's desk. Just asked for cash on the spot and was graciously received.

[dianef]

I am going to be on the Grand next week.After all the talk on this board about OBC being non-refundable I am surprised they gave it to you in cash.Was it OBC other than military and gifts from someone or to yourself? We have shareholders,military,Princess promotional and FCC.Since we do not drink or gamble I thought we would have to buy something,other than getting the military back.

[bhopal21]

Can someone tell me why we should get it "back"? Since we never had it in the first place and it is "Onboard Credit" to be spent onboard.

 

Mike:)

[Thorpe]

Can't agree more. I'll like to know as well

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

On Grand presently, with 200 OBC all marked with *. Went down to pursuer's desk. Just asked for cash on the spot and was graciously received.

That's what they always been doing in the past even if the credit was indicated as being non refundable.....so there's not much of a change that I can see. Same thing on the CB a few weeks ago.

We'll just have to find our for ourselves how it's handled on the other ships even if it's indicated with a * mark.

[WAVTAM]

I am going to be on the Grand next week.After all the talk on this board about OBC being non-refundable I am surprised they gave it to you in cash.Was it OBC other than military and gifts from someone or to yourself? We have shareholders,military,Princess promotional and FCC.Since we do not drink or gamble I thought we would have to buy something,other than getting the military back.

 

Ours was FCC, Stock and Elite loyality.

[DMRick]

What we had left yesterday (took some as cash out in casino) on the Caribbean, was refunded, although all of ours was non refundable. It said right on our invoice, refunded to credit card, and today it's there.

[DMRick]

I believe that 'person' was me on the caribbean two weeks ago. Many were very happy to give me the info, and I used it. Many heard your indignation LOL. Hold you back? That's funny. I can stand on my own, he didn't need to hold you back from your 'shouting'. Nope, they not only didn't put a stop to it, they also gave me my leftover non refundable back at the end of my two weeks yesterday. When they stop doing it, I'll stop accepting it.

 

And by the way, I have never cashed out before. We actually would have used some of it in the casino, but they made us cash out before the second week of the cruise (by the second to last day of the first week), which I booked as a 14 day. I learned about it on cruise critic. In the past, it was just put back on my credit card.

 

 

I had almost this very conversation with a "person" who came around during the meet and greet asking if anyone knew how she could cash out her OBC from the casino. Believe me, my husband almost had to hold me back!

 

I am delighted Princess is finally putting a stop to that nonsense. One would think that On Board Credit would be understandable.

Edited October 19, 2014 by DMRick

[DMRick]

This past week they offered many on the current cruise a chance to stay on board for $199 with $200 OBC each. Several took the offer.

 

The short cruises from Ft. Lauderdale this fall are some of

the ones that are getting large OBC added to induce people

to book.

 

There have been several posts here from people returning

from Carribbean where the ship was (a lot) less than full.

 

Apparently, the 'plenty of other passengers' are not booking either.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

What we had left yesterday (took some as cash out in casino) on the Caribbean, was refunded, although all of ours was non refundable. It said right on our invoice, refunded to credit card, and today it's there.

 

Same on our cruise on the CB 2 weeks ago. No problem.

 

This past week they offered many on the current cruise a chance to stay on board for $199 with $200 OBC each. Several took the offer.

 

I'd be there to book it. I wonder if they would have let you use an FCC and apply stockholders credit also?

Don't forget about loyalty credit if applicable.

Edited October 20, 2014 by Lovetocruiseprincess

[DMRick]

Same on our cruise on the CB 2 weeks ago. No problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd be there to book it. I wonder if they would have let you use an FCC and apply stockholders credit also?

 

Don't forget about loyalty credit if applicable.

 

 

 

You could use SH only if you booked it in advance as a few did I was told..they actually had this price on line about two weeks in advance. They did let at least one couple use an FCC they had bought the week before (they were already on a back to back). The one couple told me their obc from the previous week was also going to roll over. I didn't ask about loyalty credit, but I bet they would have.

 

 

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