So we booked a cruise with too much on board credit...

[JF - retired RRT]

22 minutes ago, villauk said:

 

 

They did change it on X after many years of being able to do it and many posts stating how.

What are the new X restrictions? Wondering how they did it.

[Cafedumonde]

Thanks for all the input.  I especially like the princess hat idea!  We have an upcoming 7 night eastern Caribbean cruise and then booked the same cruise, same week, same 6 people, same 2 cabins, but different ship and different year.    The big difference is the 2121 cruise is $2300 more than the 2020 cruise.  The 2020 cruise comes with $340 ($100 cruise line, $240 big box travel agent) in OBC only.   The 2121 cruise comes with free grats and $1050 ($600 cruise line, $450 big box travel agent) in onboard credit.  So the way I see it we are paying for the free stuff, even if you add 10-15% onto the cost of the cruise for inflation.  I was hoping to be able to drop the free stuff and just get a better rate, but so far that hasn’t happened.  In fact, all new deals have been worse than the one I got.  So... we have found a couple of other cruises with a couple of other lines at better prices (Royal, HAL).  I would rather stay with Princess, just looking for ways to justify it!   I know there is still time and I might get closer to the desired rate, but I have become less optimistic about that.   I did google search, and it is as I thought— but I am just surprised that it is so easy.  I thought I was missing something, but I guess I am not.  

[fluffybunny22]

43 minutes ago, argenta01 said:

How do you manage to get $595 of refundable credit? On my last cruise Princess even made the loyalty credit non-refundable! 🤔

From the TA

[Coral]

53 minutes ago, Cafedumonde said:

Thanks for all the input.  I especially like the princess hat idea!  We have an upcoming 7 night eastern Caribbean cruise and then booked the same cruise, same week, same 6 people, same 2 cabins, but different ship and different year.    The big difference is the 2121 cruise is $2300 more than the 2020 cruise.  The 2020 cruise comes with $340 ($100 cruise line, $240 big box travel agent) in OBC only.   The 2121 cruise comes with free grats and $1050 ($600 cruise line, $450 big box travel agent) in onboard credit.  So the way I see it we are paying for the free stuff, even if you add 10-15% onto the cost of the cruise for inflation.  I was hoping to be able to drop the free stuff and just get a better rate, but so far that hasn’t happened.  In fact, all new deals have been worse than the one I got.  So... we have found a couple of other cruises with a couple of other lines at better prices (Royal, HAL).  I would rather stay with Princess, just looking for ways to justify it!   I know there is still time and I might get closer to the desired rate, but I have become less optimistic about that.   I did google search, and it is as I thought— but I am just surprised that it is so easy.  I thought I was missing something, but I guess I am not.  

Find an agent who will give you money off the top of the cruise as opposed to OBC. I get a discount off of my cruise up front - I don't get OBC on the ship. It solves all the problems you have.

[billco]

If I buy $100 OBC to use on an upcoming cruise with Princess credit card points, is it refundable?

[dog]

19 hours ago, fluffybunny22 said:

I've got $300 nonrefundable and $595 refundable. There's no way we can spend all of that. I'm expecting to get most of the refundable back.

What cruise. I wouldn’t mind getting that!!

[dog]

15 hours ago, Coral said:

Find an agent who will give you money off the top of the cruise as opposed to OBC. I get a discount off of my cruise up front - I don't get OBC on the ship. It solves all the problems you have.

Yes, lately I’ve been asked no my TA to quote me a refundable deposit fare without perks. 

[Coral]

4 hours ago, dog said:

Yes, lately I’ve been asked no my TA to quote me a refundable deposit fare without perks. 

Really? Do you think they are refusing to or just don't know how.

 

I recently booked a cruise and my agent went through all the options. It was past final payment but she went through flash prices and Big Sale Ever and another price.

[dog]

3 minutes ago, Coral said:

Really? Do you think they are refusing to or just don't know how.

 

I recently booked a cruise and my agent went through all the options. It was past final payment but she went through flash prices and Big Sale Ever and another price.

???

sorry iPhone changed my post.   My TA is great. She will always try to get me the best price.   I was in agreement with your post. 

[Coral]

2 minutes ago, dog said:

???

sorry iPhone changed my post.   My TA is great. She will always try to get me the best price.   I was in agreement with your post. 

I now understand! Yes - they should be giving people options. Glad your agent did the right thing. 

 

Things are becoming more difficult for agents. I personally preferred what booking was like 10 years ago. I am not a fan of all the promos and just preferred changing prices when prices change. Just the base fare. Now after saying that, I did book under Best Sale Ever on this trip.

Edited February 1, 2020 by Coral

[fluffybunny22]

7 hours ago, dog said:

What cruise. I wouldn’t mind getting that!!

6/8 Sky Baltics. Big box agency.

[Hlitner]

About the second day you are onboard just print out you statement from the Kiosk or ask Guest relations to give you a copy.  The Statement will give you the breakdown of refundable vs non-refundable credits.  The non-refundable is used first.  Any remaining refundable will be sent to you, via check, a few weeks after your cruise.

 

Hank

[Gretchendz]

When all else fails, at the end of the cruise, buy jewelry!!!

[hobbyfarmer2]

On 1/31/2020 at 11:38 AM, argenta01 said:

How do you manage to get $595 of refundable credit? On my last cruise Princess even made the loyalty credit non-refundable! 🤔

Easy.  On our Dec TA Princess gave us $500 each for $1000.  The box store gave us $330 for $1330 refundable.  Add in $450 for FCD and shareholders thingies brought us up to $1780 for that leg.  It was a b2b and the first leg added another $860 of mixed OBC.   The total was $2610.  This is our record from all our cruises.  It happens sometimes.

[hobbyfarmer2]

On 1/31/2020 at 1:05 PM, billco said:

If I buy $100 OBC to use on an upcoming cruise with Princess credit card points, is it refundable?

Yes.

[Oceansaway17]

well you can use it for daily gratuities.  I have 600 dollars for upcoming HAL, and I decided to not prepay my tips for a change.  

[RocketMan275]

My wife assures me there is no such thing as too much OBC.

[worldtraveller]

On 1/30/2020 at 5:12 PM, riffatsea said:

There's no such thing as "too much" OBC! LOL

Buy some excursions with it.

Go to the spa.

Get a specialty dinner.

Play in the casino .Then cash out your winnings.

BTW some OBC must be spent on board.

I don't know what kind you have?

Sorry to be ignorant but how do you play the casino and cash out to get the OBC back?  I have $1000 non-refundable on my next cruise and no way will I spend that much.

[Redtravel]

When you board, go to guest services. Ask them how much OBC is refundable.  On some cruises, you can get cash immediately for the refundable part.  I have cashed in many times.  Just because your TA “gave you OBC”, don’t just assume that it is refundable.  Often TAs offer OBC that is partially from the cruise line. That is not refundable.  You can spend it many ways. I will not repeat the suggestions from other posts.  After I have bought the excursions that I want, I usually spend the rest on something in the ship store.  I have bought watches, iPads and accessories (Celebrity), designer handbags, hats, bathing suits, sweats, wine carriers, totes, and gold jewelry.  Have a good time.  

[Schonert]

On 1/30/2020 at 6:25 PM, Kenswing said:

Whatever your TA gave you is refundable.  If you don't use it, Princess will send you a check in a couple of weeks after your cruise. 

Not all TA is refundable, the one we currently have form ours is not.

 

If you look in your booking under payments at the bottom is your OBC info those with an * are not refundable.

[joepeka]

On 2/8/2020 at 5:41 AM, worldtraveller said:

Sorry to be ignorant but how do you play the casino and cash out to get the OBC back?  I have $1000 non-refundable on my next cruise and no way will I spend that much.

Since it does not appear any of the previous responses have answered this, here is my experience on on Carnival Corp. lines in this situation.

 

Go to the casino and play a slot machine, transferring however much of your OBC you want to your casino bank. I suggest not transferring all your OBC, do it in portions over a day or two.

Play for a while and when you're ready, cash out your balance (the credit you transferred plus any winnings).

Go to the casino cashier and get your balance in cash.

 

This method is something that I'm sure the casino cashiers are accustomed to observing so it's best not to wait until the last day of the cruise to try and cash out your OBC but rather spread it out over the last few days. I'm sure I will be flamed for for this but so be it.