Military and shareholders OBC no longer combinable soon.

[Italy52]

1 minute ago, DJ Cruisers said:

Thanks for the info.  We haven't been with Princess since 2021.  Did get a quick response today but they said they were missing the shareholder statement.  Huh, it was attached.  Well we just resent it and will see what happens.

Sounds like you are making progress --- I am sure Princess will rectify it soon.  You might know this already, but if you don't, Princess did not contact me to say I received my benefits --- I just kept checking my OBC for our booking and I saw it was given to us.

[DJ Cruisers]

Just now, Italy52 said:

Sounds like you are making progress --- I am sure Princess will rectify it soon.  You might know this already, but if you don't, Princess did not contact me to say I received my benefits --- I just kept checking my OBC for our booking and I saw it was given to us.

Thanks I do know I can check my personalizer for it.  But I just read a previous poster who got a response today that you could not combine it with the Military anymore.  So....we may have missed out because they say we didn't send the shareholder attachment with our request last Friday, even though we did.  Frustrating.

[Coral]

43 minutes ago, Mud_Shark said:

 

 

The move by Princess seems to be geared to cost savings, and as such, if it just forces people to adjust "ownership", the work-around would kill their cost cutting measure.  So I am doubtful that when the dust settles 2 people sharing a room can qualify for 1 benefit each, but we shall see.

I think the goal is to get out of debt and be profitable.

[voljeep]

what is the current 'policy' for when you can apply for shareholder OBC? - wonder if P will be tightening that up until after final payment> - Yes, I know that will impact excursions if that happens

[Ken the cruiser]

59 minutes ago, Mud_Shark said:

I could add my wife to the investment account - she should be on there anyway as we age.  But will wait and see if anyone else gets both benefits by splitting the ownership.

 

The move by Princess seems to be geared to cost savings, and as such, if it just forces people to adjust "ownership", the work-around would kill their cost cutting measure.  So I am doubtful that when the dust settles 2 people sharing a room can qualify for 1 benefit each, but we shall see.

 

Thanks for the advice though.  I have time to wait and see what the final answer shakes out to be.

One of the groups it may affect are those where both stateroom guests are military veterans (like us) and at least one of them is a CCL shareholder (my DW). In our case based on a booking refare we completed last Thursday, it appears we will both get to keep our Military OBC perk, but the shareholder benefits perk disappeared. We resubmitted the SHB request on Friday, but as of a few minutes ago, it has not reappeared.

 

On the bright side when we're on our Japan cruise next month, we're going to be loading up on FCDs to apply to 4 cruises we currently have booked that don't already have them applied. In addition, we're also going to buy enough to cover 3 more cruises we'll probably book within the year. Added to the AARP Gift Card perk, purchasing FCDs while onboard, and booking through a TA, there are still a few extra ways to save $$$ booking with Princess. 😉

Edited June 19, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[voljeep]

13 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

we're going to be loading up on FCDs to apply to 4 cruises we currently have booked that don't already have them applied

why, if you don't get the OBC for FCD's for cruises already 'booked'?

[Ken the cruiser]

7 minutes ago, voljeep said:

why, if you don't get the OBC for FCD's for cruises already 'booked'?

I was under the impression we would be able to apply the FCD OBC to an existing booking which did not have an FCD already applied,along with getting the $100 pp posted to our deposit total. Is that not the case?

[Guest ldtr]

32 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

One of the groups it may affect are those where both stateroom guests are military veterans (like us) and at least one of them is a CCL shareholder (my DW). In our case based on a booking refare we completed last Thursday, it appears we will both get to keep our Military OBC perk, but the shareholder benefits perk disappeared. We resubmitted the SHB request on Friday, but as of a few minutes ago, it has not reappeared.

 

On the bright side when we're on our Japan cruise next month, we're going to be loading up on FCDs to apply to 4 cruises we currently have booked that don't already have them applied. In addition, we're also going to buy enough to cover 3 more cruises we'll probably book within the year. Added to the AARP Gift Card perk, purchasing FCDs while onboard, and booking through a TA, there are still a few extra ways to save $$$ booking with Princess. 😉

My under standing is that you cannot buy and apply FCDs and get the OBC to an already booked cruise without canceling and rebooking.  You can use the FCD at any time, but you only get the OBC if it is applied at time of booking.

 

I ran into the same issue when I booked a couple of cruises after I ran out of FCDs.

Edited June 19, 2023 by ldtr

[Ken the cruiser]

19 minutes ago, voljeep said:

why, if you don't get the OBC for FCD's for cruises already 'booked'?

 

1 minute ago, ldtr said:

My under standing is that you cannot buy and apply FCDs and get the OBC to an already booked cruise without canceling and rebooking.  You can use the FCD at any time, but you only get the OBC if it is applied at time of booking.

 

I ran into the same issue when I booked a couple of cruises after I ran out of FCDs.

Thanks for the heads up. We had bought 8 FCDs (4 each the last summer on the Regal), which got sucked up pretty quickly when we started booking our 2024 cruises. Oh well ... 

[rosevew]

2 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

 

Thanks for the heads up. We had bought 8 FCDs (4 each the last summer on the Regal), which got sucked up pretty quickly when we started booking our 2024 cruises. Oh well ... 

I was told recentl by a staff member that you can apply FCD to an already booked cruise and get the OBC. I plan to get some on my next booked cruise and apply them to the subsequent, already booked cruise

[cr8tiv1]

8 minutes ago, rosevew said:

I was told recentl by a staff member that you can apply FCD to an already booked cruise and get the OBC. I plan to get some on my next booked cruise and apply them to the subsequent, already booked cruise

 

And I have been told the opposite.  Good Luck.

[Ken the cruiser]

12 minutes ago, rosevew said:

I was told recently by a staff member that you can apply FCD to an already booked cruise and get the OBC. I plan to get some on my next booked cruise and apply them to the subsequent, already booked cruise.

Thanks! I guess we'll just have to ask the question when we're on the Diamond in 3 weeks when we stop by the Future Cruise desk. As we have learned these past few years, rules change. 

 

But I will add I see no real advantage for Princess to allow you to add an FCD to an existing booking, other than to allow you to apply the $100 you initially paid to help pay for the cruise.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Guest ldtr]

15 minutes ago, rosevew said:

I was told recentl by a staff member that you can apply FCD to an already booked cruise and get the OBC. I plan to get some on my next booked cruise and apply them to the subsequent, already booked cruise

Which staff member?  I suspect that they were ill informed. Was it one of the relatively new folks at the future cruise sales staff employed by Open Network Exchange?

[Guest ldtr]

5 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Thanks! I guess we'll just have to ask the question when we're on the Diamond in 3 weeks when we stop by the Future Cruise desk. As we have learned these past few years, rules change. 

Might be better to ask your PVP or your TA.  They can certainly apply one and you can see.

 

A lot of new Open Network Exchange employees at the future cruise sales desk when they converted the department to a contract function with 4 to 5 employees instead of the  1 Princess employee that used to be there.  The future cruise department is also taking over a lot of the duties of the Captains Circle Host according to what I was told by the one on my last cruise a few weeks ago.

[Ken the cruiser]

1 minute ago, ldtr said:

Which staff member?  I suspect that they were ill informed. Was it one of the relatively new folks at the future cruise sales staff employed by Open Network Exchange?

To be honest I see no real advantage for Princess to allow you to add an FCD, to include the OBC, to an existing booking, other than to allow you to use the $100 you initially paid to help pay for the cruise.

[travellingnana]

Sent in shareholder request forms for 2 cruises in 2024 this morning. The OBC is already posted to the accounts…as is husband’s military OBC. 

[travellingnana]

Sorry…should have mentioned the shares are in my name. 

[rosevew]

37 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

And I have been told the opposite.  Good Luck.

Maybe it's a USA v UK difference as friends have just done what I mentioned following my advice.

[rosevew]

32 minutes ago, ldtr said:

Which staff member?  I suspect that they were ill informed. Was it one of the relatively new folks at the future cruise sales staff employed by Open Network Exchange?

In the UK, so maybe different over here. Friends have just been able to do what I said can be done. No I'll informed staff involved

[kapsgp]

Yesterday we applied for shareholder obc for two cruises that already have military obc. This morning we received notice that one was applied.  As of this evening we have had no response of the second cruise.

Edited June 19, 2023 by kapsgp
Correction

[Steelers36]

After reading the most recent posts, I create this example of a couple.  Both have Military eligibility and both own >= 100 shares of Carnival Corp.

 

One of them can claim SH OBC and one can claim Military. 

Or, both can claim Military.

 

Whatever is claimed is Non-Ref OBC.

[Guest ldtr]

36 minutes ago, rosevew said:

Maybe it's a USA v UK difference as friends have just done what I mentioned following my advice.

Have their checked the web site to confirm that the OBC has actually been added.  Princess will certainly take the FCD and credit the value against the booking.  But they might want to check that they are actually getting the FCD OBC.

[Ken the cruiser]

29 minutes ago, ldtr said:

Have their checked the web site to confirm that the OBC has actually been added.  Princess will certainly take the FCD and credit the value against the booking.  But they might want to check that they are actually getting the FCD OBC.

OK, I apologize for adding the squirrel to this awesome thread. But just to close the FCD question out, I have seen the light in another ongoing thread! In simple terms: 

 

Your FCD acquire date has to be before your booking date.

 

Adding FCD to booking with cash deposit - Princess Cruises - Cruise Critic Community

 

[wallyj]

12 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

OK, I apologize for adding the squirrel to this awesome thread. But just to close the FCD question out, I have seen the light in another ongoing thread! In simple terms: 

 

Your FCD acquire date has to be before your booking date.

 

Adding FCD to booking with cash deposit - Princess Cruises - Cruise Critic Community

 

Thank @Ken the cruiser for find my post on the other thread.
 

Many years ago, Princess would ‘backdate’ the FCD so you could use it and get the OBC, but they have stuck to their official rules which is understandable with the amount of debt incurred.

[Astro Flyer]

4 hours ago, whitecap said:

Mud_Shark;  I have always been the one to fill out and apply for the Shareholder benefit to go along with my Military benefit.  I have always been given both.  That said, since this thread was started, I have checked my booked cruises and here is what I just discovered moments ago:  The Shareholder Benefit that had been posted under my name on each of our upcoming cruises, has been moved from my account to my wife's account as we are joint holders of the stock.  This would indicate that the change is going to be, one benefit per person.  Not sure who you may be traveling with and whether or not they are joint holders on your stock statement but worth checking out.

Thanks for sharing your experiences…we have always applied for SOBC for our jointly owned shares in my wife’s name to balance with my MOBC for pre-booking tours. Every time it is issued to me because my name is listed first on our reservations (couldn’t get my wife listed first). Thus even if a married couple is allowed to have one person receive MOBC & the other person SOBC, we’d be ineligible due to Princess’ policy of issuing SOBC to me & not to my wife. Both of our future bookings currently show SOBC/MOBC issued to me but being 9 & 21 months away things could change as Princess changes their policies.

 

Unless this change is grandfathered, the conditions we booked under by receiving both SOBC & SOBC are changed for us. That’s a poor way to treat their guests…book based on certain criteria & then take it away later. Our trust in them has been eroding away & if I lose my MOBC that’s more lost trust for them to provide as advertised.

 

Looking forward to soon having a definitive answer from Princess to see if they will treat passengers fairly or not. 🤔