New to Princess - a couple of questions

[Saint Panda]

Hello Everyone,

 

I have been a member here for a while and have learnt a lot from everyone (thank you).

 

I have booked my first cruise with Princess and it came with a $100 shore excursion gift credit (not OBC). This shows up on my travel summary but not on my personalizer. I rang Princess and they can see the credit but the guy on the phone said that he is not sure why it is not on the personalizer and that I am better off waiting til the cruise and booking on board (I would prefer to prebook). He really didn't seem sure and I thought that I would check if anyone here had experience with this.

 

Also my boarding time says 3:30pm for a 4:00pm departure. That can't be right can it? The Princess rep said that it seemed odd and that he wasn't sure why unless it was a leg from a longer cruise and that they weren't expecting many people to board - cruise is Sydney- Hobart on Nov 5th on the Sun. Half an hour to board seems ridiculously tight, can I get there earlier do you think?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Colo Cruiser]

Hello Everyone,

 

I have been a member here for a while and have learnt a lot from everyone (thank you).

 

I have booked my first cruise with Princess and it came with a $100 shore excursion gift credit (not OBC). This shows up on my travel summary but not on my personalizer. I rang Princess and they can see the credit but the guy on the phone said that he is not sure why it is not on the personalizer and that I am better off waiting til the cruise and booking on board (I would prefer to prebook). He really didn't seem sure and I thought that I would check if anyone here had experience with this.

 

Also my boarding time says 3:30pm for a 4:00pm departure. That can't be right can it? The Princess rep said that it seemed odd and that he wasn't sure why unless it was a leg from a longer cruise and that they weren't expecting many people to board - cruise is Sydney- Hobart on Nov 5th on the Sun. Half an hour to board seems ridiculously tight, can I get there earlier do you think?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

When is your cruise?

After signing in the personalizer did you go to payments/credits and scroll to the bottom?

If it's on your travel summary it should be in the personalizer.

 

Boarding starts around Noon. Do not show up at 3:30 for a 4:00pm departure, you may be denied boarding.

I would show up at noon.

[Saint Panda]

Thanks for replying. I have nothing under Credits in the personalizer but the rep said that was because it can only be used for excursions and is therefore not technically OBC.

 

I thought that 3:30 seemed too late. I'll do as you suggest and get there earlier.

 

Thank you

[easyboy]

Print your Travel Summary that shows your $100 shore excursion gift credit and bring with you onboard. Show it at the shore excursion desk.

You can go to the port terminal around noon.

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for replying. I have nothing under Credits in the personalizer but the rep said that was because it can only be used for excursions and is therefore not technically OBC.

 

I thought that 3:30 seemed too late. I'll do as you suggest and get there earlier.

 

Thank you

 

 

Are your excursions requiring pre payment only when you try and reserve them?

Or does it let you hold them without payment?

If you can pre book without payment they will be charged to your onboard account and should be offset by the $100obc.

[Saint Panda]

Are your excursions requiring pre payment only when you try and reserve them?

Or does it let you hold them without payment?

If you can pre book without payment they will be charged to your onboard account and should be offset by the $100obc.

 

Unfortunately I have to prepay my excursions if I book online. The princess rep recommended pre booking the one I really want and then using the credit for a different one when on board but I wasn't really planning to do another excursion (they are very expensive).

 

Thanks all for the advice on arriving at the cruise terminal. I wasn't sure that we could ignore the 3:30 boarding time but we will definitely get there earlier to be on the safe side.

[leck57]

Unfortunately I have to prepay my excursions if I book online. The princess rep recommended pre booking the one I really want and then using the credit for a different one when on board but I wasn't really planning to do another excursion (they are very expensive).

 

Thanks all for the advice on arriving at the cruise terminal. I wasn't sure that we could ignore the 3:30 boarding time but we will definitely get there earlier to be on the safe side.

 

Seems to me like the Princess rep was not that helpful or had much of a clue. I'd be ringing back and hope you get someone else. That's ridiculous advice about booking the excursions you want now and use the credit for another one which as you say you might not want to do.

[skynight]

Hello Everyone,

 

I have been a member here for a while and have learnt a lot from everyone (thank you).

 

I have booked my first cruise with Princess and it came with a $100 shore excursion gift credit (not OBC). This shows up on my travel summary but not on my personalizer. I rang Princess and they can see the credit but the guy on the phone said that he is not sure why it is not on the personalizer and that I am better off waiting til the cruise and booking on board (I would prefer to prebook). He really didn't seem sure and I thought that I would check if anyone here had experience with this.

Also my boarding time says 3:30pm for a 4:00pm departure. That can't be right can it? The Princess rep said that it seemed odd and that he wasn't sure why unless it was a leg from a longer cruise and that they weren't expecting many people to board - cruise is Sydney- Hobart on Nov 5th on the Sun. Half an hour to board seems ridiculously tight, can I get there earlier do you think?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Here is some general information that addresses some of your concerns

-Boarding normally begins around noon. You should show up at the pier around that time or maybe a little sooner. 3:30pm is probably the latest boarding time after which they remove the gangways. Your muster drill will be before you sail probably around 3 or 3:30.

-If the $100 gift credit is from your T.A. it may not show in the cruise personlizer. If it is from Princess then it should show. Even though it is designated as a shore excursion credit in reality it should show up as just a credit balance on your on board folio which can be used for any on board expense. On board expenses will added to your account as they occur and will be netted daily against any credits. If you plan to spend more on board than you have in OBC then pre-paying for a tour should not be a negative. Also, obtain a copy of the actual Princess booking if you don't have it.

-Suggest you join your roll call for your cruise. The link is below. Here you will find others on your voyage. I didn't see too much activity on the roll call, but it should increase as the cruise gets closer. You may even find some privately organized tours which are usually less expensive with smaller crowds.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2368456

[Jerseyden]

If departure is at 4 pm and you show up at 3:30 you most likely will not be allowed to board. The 3:30 is really some type of mistake and I would follow up with Princess and not rely on posters from cc no matter how helpfull they want to be.

[ToriaT]

I bought my cruise from a travel agent company. The cruise credits did not show up in my Princess cruise account. I called the agent and she said I had to fill out an on line form to get the credits. There was a 21 day window before the cruise or it would be forfeited. So if you got the credits from a travel agency as part of a promotion deal, call them and see. Also if you pay for anything in advance you can't use your credits because they are only ship board credits. So I did not pay for my excursions I only reserved them.

[Colo Cruiser]

If departure is at 4 pm and you show up at 3:30 you most likely will not be allowed to board. The 3:30 is really some type of mistake and I would follow up with Princess and not rely on posters from cc no matter how helpfull they want to be.

 

 

Really? :(

So arriving at Noon won't work?

[Aus Traveller]

If departure is at 4 pm and you show up at 3:30 you most likely will not be allowed to board. The 3:30 is really some type of mistake and I would follow up with Princess and not rely on posters from cc no matter how helpfull they want to be.

Also my boarding time says 3:30pm for a 4:00pm departure. That can't be right can it? The Princess rep said that it seemed odd and that he wasn't sure why unless it was a leg from a longer cruise and that they weren't expecting many people to board - cruise is Sydney- Hobart on Nov 5th on the Sun. Half an hour to board seems ridiculously tight, can I get there earlier do you think?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

I feel the answers given here regarding the time are correct. The OP said the Princess rep indicated that the 3.30 time is probably because the cruise is one leg of a longer cruise.The advice from Princess is incorrect. This is a 6-night cruise from Sydney returning to Sydney. If the OP relied on the advice from the Princess rep, they could arrive at the terminal at 3.30, or 3.31pm and find that boarding has closed. It seems clear to most of us that the 3.30 time quoted is the absolute latest for boarding, but I would not rely on being able to board if I entered the terminal at that time.

 

 

My suggestions are to either arrive early (10.30 or 11am) if you want to board early and don't mind waiting a while, or leave it until 1pm or a bit later when there should not be much waiting time. Definitely be there before 3pm.

[Kamloops50]

Hello Everyone,

 

 

 

I have been a member here for a while and have learnt a lot from everyone (thank you).

 

 

 

I have booked my first cruise with Princess and it came with a $100 shore excursion gift credit (not OBC). This shows up on my travel summary but not on my personalizer. I rang Princess and they can see the credit but the guy on the phone said that he is not sure why it is not on the personalizer and that I am better off waiting til the cruise and booking on board (I would prefer to prebook). He really didn't seem sure and I thought that I would check if anyone here had experience with this.

 

 

 

Also my boarding time says 3:30pm for a 4:00pm departure. That can't be right can it? The Princess rep said that it seemed odd and that he wasn't sure why unless it was a leg from a longer cruise and that they weren't expecting many people to board - cruise is Sydney- Hobart on Nov 5th on the Sun. Half an hour to board seems ridiculously tight, can I get there earlier do you think?

 

 

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

 

The latest boarding is usually about an hour before departure.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Sea Hag]

I would definitely arrive way before 3:30!

[Saint Panda]

Thanks everyone for all your responses.

 

An update on the shore excursions credit for those interested or similarly affected. Someone with the same issue received the following information from Princess - they are aware that certain types of credits are not showing up in the personalizer (the shore excursion credits) for people to access. They have escalated the matter to their business team and hope to have a solution in the coming week.

 

Ultimately it wasn't an issue before because people could book online and pay on board but because of the introduction of pre paying for your excursion it has become a problem.

 

I will keep checking about my boarding time as the cruise gets nearer but definitely plan to get to the ship around lunch time. Prefer to wait for a while than have any chance of missing the ship.

 

Thanks again :)