On Board Credit - UK Passengers

[Caravan 37]

Same here - I took your advice and asked how much $100 was in £ - the Cunard rep then bought 5x this amount

 

 

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[Teddy123]

Just worked for me too - bought $515 wine package for £334 (exchange rate 1.53) compared with the £393 my CC would have charged me (at 1.31) - so saving of £60. Thanks to all for the tip. Without me asking, the agent said the only purchase currently charged in $ not £ is OBC.

[Caravan 37]

As we're sailing Friday I was just completing the Cunard cruise personaliser and saw this:

 

You may credit your account with any major currency, which will then be converted at the ship’s current exchange rates into USD; this will then be applied to your account in USD. We are unable to accept either Personal Cheques or Traveller’s Cheques. We are also unable to accept €500 notes at any time, this includes the Casino.

 

Which seems to suggest that it is in fact not your credit/debit rate (1.26+) that is used but Cunards ship rate (1.53)

[Teddy123]

As I read it, this part of the VP is about settling your account onboard once you've run up a bill. I think it means you can use cash to settle, so you could hand over some £ notes and these would be converted at the ship's rate BUT I think we only have evidence about what the "land" rate used by Cunard is and it's possible the ship's rate is different. Still, worth exploring when onboard perhaps. Anything not settled in cash goes onto the card in $ and gets converted at the card company's rate. Of course, sooner or later Cunard will catch up with the currency markets and this loophole will close!

[Bell Boy]

WOW ! it's just worked for me, I think :confused: after my second telephone call to Cunard this morning.

 

Last week I was told that the us$ exchange rate would be based on the banks rate they were using last week, however, I decided to give them another call this morning and have been given completely different information.

 

They quoted me I could buy my self a gift of $100 OBC

at £64 ( and something pence ?)

 

So just managed to purchase $300 OBC for £194.85

 

Last week I managed to pre order a few bottles of wine on a wine package, so with my additional Carnival shareholder OBC I'm a happy Bunny, roll on September the 1st ;)

[Caravan 37]

WOW ! it's just worked for me, I think :confused: after my second telephone call to Cunard this morning.

 

Last week I was told that the us$ exchange rate would be based on the banks rate they were using last week, however, I decided to give them another call this morning and have been given completely different information.

 

They quoted me I could buy my self a gift of $100 OBC

at £64 ( and something pence ?)

 

So just managed to purchase $300 OBC for £194.85

 

Last week I managed to pre order a few bottles of wine on a wine package, so with my additional Carnival shareholder OBC I'm a happy Bunny, roll on September the 1st ;)

 

Pleased to hear it :D

[Caravan 37]

As I read it, this part of the VP is about settling your account onboard once you've run up a bill. I think it means you can use cash to settle, so you could hand over some £ notes and these would be converted at the ship's rate BUT I think we only have evidence about what the "land" rate used by Cunard is and it's possible the ship's rate is different. Still, worth exploring when onboard perhaps. Anything not settled in cash goes onto the card in $ and gets converted at the card company's rate. Of course, sooner or later Cunard will catch up with the currency markets and this loophole will close!

 

You settle your bill by using the OBC you've bought at a much better rate than you could buy $ for - that's the beauty of this! It clearly says so on the website and many of us have been able to do so far. It's worth another try surely :confused:

[Teddy123]

You settle your bill by using the OBC you've bought at a much better rate than you could buy $ for - that's the beauty of this! It clearly says so on the website and many of us have been able to do so far. It's worth another try surely :confused:

 

There are clearly contradictory statements from Cunard about what can be done to buy OBC, but I agree in principle another try could be worth it. However, I already have promotional and shareholder OBC (and have bought a wine package at the 1.53 rate and bought excursions upfront because I want to be sure of getting them), so my main need for onboard spend is for $ cash when I get to the US. It's not clear to me that purchased (or other) OBC can be used to "buy" $ cash, so rather than end up with OBC I don't really need, I'll give it a miss. I'll still get cash onboard because it will be cheaper than getting from an exchange before I go, even at the CC rate of 1.30. But as I say, I agree that in the light of inconsistency from Cunard, it's worth a go in principle.

[Pennbank]

WOW ! it's just worked for me, I think :confused: after my second telephone call to Cunard this morning.

 

Last week I was told that the us$ exchange rate would be based on the banks rate they were using last week, however, I decided to give them another call this morning and have been given completely different information.

 

They quoted me I could buy my self a gift of $100 OBC

at £64 ( and something pence ?)

 

So just managed to purchase $300 OBC for £194.85

 

Last week I managed to pre order a few bottles of wine on a wine package, so with my additional Carnival shareholder OBC I'm a happy Bunny, roll on September the 1st ;)

 

Like wise - Excellent deal

 

Whilst chatting I was told Cunard are getting loads of enquiries.

Edited August 22, 2016 by Pennbank

[WillH]

Based on this thread, very tempted to purchase a wine package for our Christmas voyage. A quick question, when you pre-purchase a package before the voyage, do you have to state which of the wines from either the Captain's or Commodore's Selection that you want in your package at the time of purchase ?

 

Many thanks

Edited August 22, 2016 by WillH

[rakkor]

You choose, either, the Captain's or Commodore's package and can select any wine from the menu given to you by the Sommelier when you dine - We've found that the wines do vary from the examples shown in the VP, but not by much and the quality is the same. We've gone for the Commodore's because my missus likes a glass of port with her cheese, and there is a bottle of that in the list and if there's a couple of evenings where she doesn't fancy wine, there always an option of getting Champagne for the table instead.

[Solent Richard]

Thanks - so do I just take a chance and buy dollars and see what I get charged?

 

 

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NO.

 

Get back on the phone and stand your ground for the £64.95 per $100 rate.

 

I purchased $600 earlier this morning and had to explain clearly what I wanted and eventually got it.

[Solent Richard]

WOW ! it's just worked for me, I think :confused: after my second telephone call to Cunard this morning.

 

Last week I was told that the us$ exchange rate would be based on the banks rate they were using last week, however, I decided to give them another call this morning and have been given completely different information.

 

They quoted me I could buy my self a gift of $100 OBC

at £64 ( and something pence ?)

 

So just managed to purchase $300 OBC for £194.85

 

Last week I managed to pre order a few bottles of wine on a wine package, so with my additional Carnival shareholder OBC I'm a happy Bunny, roll on September the 1st ;)

 

Like wise - Excellent deal

 

Whilst chatting I was told Cunard are getting loads of enquiries.

 

Looking forward to meeting up guys.

[Solent Richard]

Make sure you spend it all, Cunard don't refund any unspent.

 

David.

 

That's never been a problem I have experienced.

[Solent Richard]

Never bought a wine package before because we prefer the flexibility of ordering what we want when we want, but this thread got me thinking. I didn't realise you saved the 15% service charge although my wife says she had heard this before but had forgotten. (I'll bet the wine stewards just love this :mad:)

 

Also, never bought on-board credit before either as there never seemed any point. I had heard of good exhange rates a number of years ago but not when we had a cruise approaching.

 

So, prompted by this thread, I gave Cunard a call a few minutes ago. (Got through in less than 5 mins)

 

I started with the wine package (thinking it would be a good idea to get them into the way of thinking of giving me a price in pounds, then adding the on-board credit to the sterling transaction) priced on the website at $645, I was given a price of £418.93:) (1.5396) Bingo! I'm on a winner.

 

"Is there anything else?" She asks.

 

"Yes please. $300 worth of on-board credit. How much will that be?"

 

(Keyboard clicking) "That will be a total of £8xx Is that OK?" I was so shocked I missed the exact figure.

 

I pointed out that £400+ for $300 didn't seem like such a good deal and she realised that something was wrong. Lots more clicking and confused noises then she asked if I minded being put on hold. When she came back she said the two transactions would need to go through seperately (I could see where this was heading). We put through the wine package, no problem. Then when she went to process the OBC I pointed out I still didn't have a price. "It will be at your credit card rate." (surprise, surprise!) So I simply said, "No thanks."

 

Maybe I'll get my wife to try again later. You never know.

 

 

As I said, I've never bought a wine package before but at these rates it does seem like a good deal. All the wines on the Commodore Package are priced at either $55 or $60 (I think there's one at $57) so if we compare a $60 bottle bought on board normally, plus 15% service charge, is $69. Settled through your bill as normal by credit card at whatever the rate is at the time (let's estimate 1.25) comes to £55.20. Compare that to 1/12th of the package price of £418.93 is £34.91. That's more than a £20 saving on each bottle!:eek: Or, if I've done my sums right, that's the same as being charged $37.95 onboard for that same $60 bottle ($37.95 +15%=$43.64 converted at 1.25 =£34.91)

 

Thanks for the heads-up, even if I didn't get the OBC.

 

Colin.

 

Hi Colin.

 

Try again. See my comment above re transaction this morning.

[Caravan 37]

NO.

 

 

 

Get back on the phone and stand your ground for the £64.95 per $100 rate.

 

 

 

I purchased $600 earlier this morning and had to explain clearly what I wanted and eventually got it.

 

 

I did, last week! $500 for £324

 

 

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[IMcG666]

Hi

 

What a great wheeze. Thanks for sharing. For some reason however our UK based TA booked our cruise through Cunard in the States (pricing?) and Cunard UK can't help me. The agent can't/won't help and suggests I speak to the USA office direct. Has anyone tried this successfully?

[Caravan 37]

Hi

 

What a great wheeze. Thanks for sharing. For some reason however our UK based TA booked our cruise through Cunard in the States (pricing?) and Cunard UK can't help me. The agent can't/won't help and suggests I speak to the USA office direct. Has anyone tried this successfully?

 

I booked through a UK agent but called Cunard direct to buy my OBC - can't you call Cunard UK yourself?

[Pennbank]

You do not want to mention buying on board Credit, think is why persons our having difficulty and confusion

 

What you do is mention that you wish to purchase a Gift Credit for Booking reference, AB1CD2

 

A gift credit for so many dollars you require up to the limit of $1000 is then purchased in £ at Cunard's Present rate presently of $1.53/4 at the time of purchase. The gift credit will not get shown on your Confirmation but will be in the form of a card in your stateroom.

This gift credit may be used the same way obc is used.

Obtain the reference number when purchasing.

 

https://ask.cunard.com/help/life-on-board/Gifts/

 

https://ask.cunard.com/help/life-on-board/purchase_gifts

Edited August 22, 2016 by Pennbank

[Caravan 37]

Don't think anyone who has bought at the 1.53 rate asked for 'gift credit' - we asked how much $100 on board credit would cost in £ - the Cunard website states this is possible as I quoted in an earlier post.

[Pennbank]

Don't think anyone who has bought at the 1.53 rate asked for 'gift credit' - we asked how much $100 on board credit would cost in £ - the Cunard website states this is possible as I quoted in an earlier post.

 

I think you will find they have

 

Bellboy #55

"WOW ! it's just worked for me, I think after my second telephone call to Cunard this morning.

 

Last week I was told that the us$ exchange rate would be based on the banks rate they were using last week, however, I decided to give them another call this morning and have been given completely different information.

 

They quoted me I could buy my self a gift of $100 OBC

at £64 ( and something pence ?)

 

So just managed to purchase $300 OBC for £194.85

 

Last week I managed to pre order a few bottles of wine on a wine package, so with my additional Carnival shareholder OBC I'm a happy Bunny, roll on September the 1st "

 

Anyway all that matters is that people manage to obtain it. :D

[Caravan 37]

I stand corrected - however I never mentioned 'gift credit' - but you're right, anyway we can all benefit is ok with me :)

[IMcG666]

I booked through a UK agent but called Cunard direct to buy my OBC - can't you call Cunard UK yourself?

 

Hi Caravan 37 I've had some very pleasant conversations with the UK call centre. But that is all they were because they cannot do anything with my booking. They have tried, bless them, but the system won't budge. I have to go through the US.

[WillH]

You choose, either, the Captain's or Commodore's package and can select any wine from the menu given to you by the Sommelier when you dine - We've found that the wines do vary from the examples shown in the VP, but not by much and the quality is the same. We've gone for the Commodore's because my missus likes a glass of port with her cheese, and there is a bottle of that in the list and if there's a couple of evenings where she doesn't fancy wine, there always an option of getting Champagne for the table instead.

 

Rakkor - Many thanks for clarifying that. Very helpful.

[Solent Richard]

Obviously this thread has a silver lining not just for those pre-purchasing their wines and OBC.

 

With so much money pouring in this last week the share price jumped 52p on Tuesday.

Edited August 25, 2016 by Solent Richard