OBC and wine package/excursiions etc

[Gemlea]

We have quite a large amount of onboard credit for our forthcoming Panama Canal cruise. As we have already pre-booked the premium drinks package (including wine etc) and a whole host of excursions - not yet paid for them though - is it possible to offset these charges against our OBC, and if so, how does it work? I prefer to pre-pay most things (already done the Gratuities) before we embark, but will hold back on the drinks package until we get on the ship if OBC can be used. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[CruiserBruce]

Yes, it is possible to use your OBC against your excursions, and any other charges on your account. Once onboard, your OBC will be added to your account, and the excursions will be charged off against that OBC.

Edited October 17, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[skynight]

OBC’s will show as credits and the first entries on your on board accounts. All on board charges as incurred will be posted to your accounts and the folio will show a net credit or debit amount each day. Pre-booked excursions, that have not been pre-paid, will show as on board expenses, and will be netted against your credits. I don’t think you can pre-book the All Inclusive Beverage Package without paying for it, but the AIBP can be purchased once on board where the charge will go against any OBC you have. Gratuities are also charged each day to your on board account, providing they have not been pre-paid, are netted against any credit balance.

 

So, the bottom line is you have to do some mock accounting to determine what your on board account balances will be, and only pre-pay if needed. Most OBC’s are non-refundable and are use them or lose them. There is a cancellation option in the on line pre-payment screen if you require that option.

Edited October 17, 2015 by sknight

[Gemlea]

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. We will probably pre-pay the AIBP, and leave the OBC to be eaten up by the cost of excursions. Thanks once again.

[hpeabody]

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies. We will probably pre-pay the AIBP, and leave the OBC to be eaten up by the cost of excursions. Thanks once again.

 

Unless you prepay anything the pre-booked onboard extras & gratuities will immediately start coming off you OBC balance. Excursions all at once for which you will have your tickets waiting in your cabin, gratuities once a day. Once your OBC has been "eaten up" you will start to be in the red and your credit on file for your cruise profile will be automatically charged the balance due. There really isn't pick and choose

 

If you specifically want to pay for the AIBP then look into pre-paying it ahead of the cruise.

[kenorus]

So if you pre purchase casino credits on your account and you dont use them can you take the money in cash?

[Pam in CA]

So if you pre purchase casino credits on your account and you dont use them can you take the money in cash?

Anything pre-paid and charged to your credit card before boarding is refundable in cash at the Passenger Services Desk before disembarking. That's your money. OBC such as shareholder's, loyalty, promotion, etc. is not refundable.

 

When you check your folio, your OBC and credits are in an itemized list and noted whether it's refundable or not.

[Nezmo]

Sometimes OBC given as customer goodwill is also refundable. If so, it'll be marked as such in your Cruise Personalizer.

[Gemlea]

Unless you prepay anything the pre-booked onboard extras & gratuities will immediately start coming off you OBC balance. Excursions all at once for which you will have your tickets waiting in your cabin, gratuities once a day. Once your OBC has been "eaten up" you will start to be in the red and your credit on file for your cruise profile will be automatically charged the balance due. There really isn't pick and choose

 

If you specifically want to pay for the AIBP then look into pre-paying it ahead of the cruise.

 

OK, I hear what you are saying. Our 'expensive' :eek:excursions will more than take up the whole of the OBC, so we will pre-pay everything but the excursions, and start the cruise in the red with the excess. I was just worried that Princess may require us to pre-pay excursions in order to guarantee we get the trips we wanted. If they don't require payment until onboard, and we are guaranteed our trips, then I am happy !! On a previous Regent cruise, we had to pay for a couple of 'premium' excursions up front, and they would not take OBC as payment until you were onboard!! So you have to cancel the trip once onboard, request a refund to your CC and then re-booked the trip with OBC !! What a palava !!! Actually, in the end we didn't cancel because the tour was full and we would have gone to the back of the queue and wait listed with no guarantee of them being able to provide the tour.

 

Thanks again for all the help and advice.

[hpeabody]

OK, I hear what you are saying. Our 'expensive' :eek:excursions will more than take up the whole of the OBC, so we will pre-pay everything but the excursions, and start the cruise in the red with the excess. I was just worried that Princess may require us to pre-pay excursions in order to guarantee we get the trips we wanted. If they don't require payment until onboard, and we are guaranteed our trips, then I am happy !! On a previous Regent cruise, we had to pay for a couple of 'premium' excursions up front, and they would not take OBC as payment until you were onboard!! So you have to cancel the trip once onboard, request a refund to your CC and then re-booked the trip with OBC !! What a palava !!! Actually, in the end we didn't cancel because the tour was full and we would have gone to the back of the queue and wait listed with no guarantee of them being able to provide the tour.

 

Thanks again for all the help and advice.

 

Princess does not require prepayment for your pre cruise booked excursions. They actually fairly recently added the option to prepay via your cruise personilizer. In the past it was on board through your on board account. They also have a cancel once on board policy, but you have to pay attention to the deadline. I very much like Princess's policy when it comes to shore excursions.

[caribill]

So if you pre purchase casino credits on your account and you dont use them can you take the money in cash?

 

Pre-purchased casino credits are not treated as OBC and do not show up on your onboard account.

 

For casino credits, there will be vouchers in your cabin. You need to take the vouchers to the casino during the time the cashier is open there and they will exchange the vouchers for cash. There is no requirement that you have to actually use any of the cash you receive in the casino.

 

You need to do this before the casino cashier closes on the last evening of the cruise.

[cadburysmom]

Sometimes OBC given as customer goodwill is also refundable. If so, it'll be marked as such in your Cruise Personalizer.

Does this mean if I use all of my OBC except the amount given as "customer goodwill", it will be "refunded" to my credit card at the end of the cruise? Or, better yet, could I withdraw that amount in cash sometime during the cruise? Edited March 17, 2016 by cadburysmom

[likeadisguise]

If you have leftover refundable OBC you can settle your bill and receive cash at the end of your cruise, or you'll receive a check several weeks after your cruise. It won't go back on your credit card, because they can't "refund" if it was never charged in the first place.

[cadburysmom]

If you have leftover refundable OBC you can settle your bill and receive cash at the end of your cruise, or you'll receive a check several weeks after your cruise. It won't go back on your credit card, because they can't "refund" if it was never charged in the first place.

Great news! I'm good with either of those. :D

[ramrax4]

Princess does not require prepayment for your pre cruise booked excursions. They actually fairly recently added the option to prepay via your cruise personilizer. In the past it was on board through your on board account. They also have a cancel once on board policy, but you have to pay attention to the deadline. I very much like Princess's policy when it comes to shore excursions.

 

Actually that's not all together accurate. Princess is rolling out a new policy which requires excursions to be pre-paid. Once selected they will hold for 24 hours, if no payment is received it will automatically drop off.

We are sailing on the Grand in June and all excursions must be paid within 24 hours.

[avcruz]

Actually that's not all together accurate. Princess is rolling out a new policy which requires excursions to be pre-paid. Once selected they will hold for 24 hours, if no payment is received it will automatically drop off.

 

We are sailing on the Grand in June and all excursions must be paid within 24 hours.

 

 

That applies in Alaska only at the moment. All other itineraries still permit you to reserve ahead of time and then pay with OBC.

Edited March 18, 2016 by avcruz

[suzyed]

Does this mean if I use all of my OBC except the amount given as "customer goodwill", it will be "refunded" to my credit card at the end of the cruise? Or, better yet, could I withdraw that amount in cash sometime during the cruise?

 

FWIW, Our "customer goodwill" OBC is listed as "non-refundable" on our Personalizer.

[latebloomer56]

Anything pre-paid and charged to your credit card before boarding is refundable in cash at the Passenger Services Desk before disembarking. That's your money. OBC such as shareholder's, loyalty, promotion, etc. is not refundable.

 

When you check your folio, your OBC and credits are in an itemized list and noted whether it's refundable or not.

 

Thanks Pam I must be missing the refundable or non-refundable on my folio. I will look in May. Not that it will matter we are taking some excursions with Princess (others SPB thanks again) so any OBC will get used completely. Got zip from Princess this time around but will be using earned OBC from Princess Visa.

Have a good day, Laura

[Don M]

We have quite a large amount of onboard credit for our forthcoming Panama Canal cruise.

 

Just a note. If any of your OBC is for "military/veterans credit", it is refundable.

[JF - retired RRT]

Could I withdraw that amount in cash sometime during the cruise?

The only way to get cash from your nonrefundable OBC is to go to the casino, open an account, play slots (or whatever, slots is easiest) for as long as your nerves can stand and then cash out.

The advantage of doing this is that you may make the "casino discount" list and be able to book a cruise for less $. No one knows what the criteria are to get on the list...it just happens. Like lightning striking:eek:

Edited March 18, 2016 by JF - retired RRT

[cadburysmom]

FWIW, Our "customer goodwill" OBC is listed as "non-refundable" on our Personalizer.

 

Anything pre-paid and charged to your credit card before boarding is refundable in cash at the Passenger Services Desk before disembarking. That's your money. OBC such as shareholder's, loyalty, promotion, etc. is not refundable.

 

When you check your folio, your OBC and credits are in an itemized list and noted whether it's refundable or not.

Hmmm...

 

When I look at the itemized list of OBC in my cruise personalizer, all of the items have an asterisk beside them denoting "non-refundable" EXCEPT the customer goodwill OBC, which leads me to assume my customer goodwill OBC is refundable because there is no asterisk. Is this correct? I'm guessing Suzyed does have an asterisk beside her customer goodwill OBC and is therefore non-refundable?