Can we use gift cards on European cruise?

[KKB]

Like to get AARP Princess gift cards to apply to our account.

Just found out can’t do that in Australia.

How about Europe?

[Yehootu]

Are you talking about adding them for OBC pre cruise?  I tried to pay for excursions using AARP gift cards, but that was a No Go. I was told I could add them on as OBC once onboard.

[jwattle]

Actually, you can use them on Princess cruises anywhere: Australia, Europe, etc. What happened in Australia?

[milolii]

The onboard currency for Australian cruises is the AUD, not USD.  Posters have also reported that OBC such as the stockholder’s OBC was transferred 1:1.  So quite a bit of a loss of about 35% or more.  (as of today).

 

 I think there maybe some exceptions regarding transpacific crossing and dates, but will let others comment on that piece. 

 

[Torfamm]

Yes, you can use gift cards online to pay cruise fare or by phone for OBC or excursions. They are accepted for AUD cruises but the exchange rate is 1:1, a terrible value.

 

[NavyVeteran]

3 hours ago, milolii said:

The onboard currency for Australian cruises is the AUD, not USD.  Posters have also reported that OBC such as the stockholder’s OBC was transferred 1:1.  So quite a bit of a loss of about 35% or more.  (as of today).

 

 I think there maybe some exceptions regarding transpacific crossing and dates, but will let others comment on that piece. 

Princess does not transfer shareholder or military OBC from USD to AUD. As stated in the description of shareholder military OBC, the amount of OBC is dependent on the onboard currency. They give us exactly what they say. For some reason, they provide smaller amounts of shareholder and military OBC on AUD cruises.

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, Torfamm said:

Yes, you can use gift cards online to pay cruise fare or by phone for OBC or excursions. They are accepted for AUD cruises but the exchange rate is 1:1, a terrible value.

 

Exactly.  I would never be looking to use a PCL gift card on a ship with AUD on board currency.

[jwattle]

I believe (not positive) that they only do the 1:1 for the "gifted" OBC (military, shareholder, etc). I think that when it is purchased, they actually convert it. I will be chasing this rabbit down the hole today.

[Torfamm]

18 minutes ago, jwattle said:

I believe (not positive) that they only do the 1:1 for the "gifted" OBC (military, shareholder, etc). I think that when it is purchased, they actually convert it. I will be chasing this rabbit down the hole today.

Using USD gift cards to purchase AUD shore excursions as well as OBC is converted 1:1.  I tried it recently. 

[jwattle]

I just got off of both a phone call and live chat where I got the same answer. From the live chat transcript:

 I was able to check my resources. Upon checking here, For ships operating in Australian Dollars, the Gift Card value will be converted onboard using current exchange rate into the shipboard currency and applied to the guest folio.

 

[jwattle]

59 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

Using USD gift cards to purchase AUD shore excursions as well as OBC is converted 1:1.  I tried it recently. 

Did you use the card onboard, or buy before you left?

 

[Torfamm]

3 minutes ago, jwattle said:

Did you use the card onboard, or buy before you left?

 

Before boarding.  Tried using them to pay for Shore Excursions as well as purchase OBC. Cancelled when I found out that the exchange rate was 1:1. Others report the same in using the cards onboard to make payments on account.

Edited September 13, 2023 by Torfamm

[jwattle]

It's more the onboard experience that I'm thinking...

 

[voljeep]

2 minutes ago, jwattle said:

It's more the onboard experience that I'm thinking...

 

I'm gonna explore the 'gifted' part - do TA's 'gift' the PLUS packages to clients ... or they quoted in the price and just show up on the 'travel summary' as gifted from either the TA or 'compliments of Princess?

 

If this needs to be removed, no problem, sorry - just curious

[jwattle]

2 minutes ago, voljeep said:

I'm gonna explore the 'gifted' part - do TA's 'gift' the PLUS packages to clients ... or they quoted in the price and just show up on the 'travel summary' as gifted from either the TA or 'compliments of Princess?

 

If this needs to be removed, no problem, sorry - just curious

They just show up that way in the travel summary 99.9% of the time. Once in a GREAT while we will gift it, either to a whale of a client, or to make up for a HUGE snafu.

[voljeep]

Just now, jwattle said:

They just show up that way in the travel summary 99.9% of the time. Once in a GREAT while we will gift it, either to a whale of a client, or to make up for a HUGE snafu.

Thanks - I always shake my head when someone posts that their TA 'gifted' them the PLUS - and it happens quite a bit here.

Hope y'all are doing well - always enjoy your posts

[jwattle]

Thank you! We're doing great, and hope y'all are too as well! We love reading yours too. We're in serious countdown for "the down under adventure" of November. 😄🥂

 

[c-boy]

5 minutes ago, jwattle said:

Thank you! We're doing great, and hope y'all are too as well! We love reading yours too. We're in serious countdown for "the down under adventure" of November. 😄🥂

 

after the last couple of weeks, I'm looking forward to some time off. I love you, thanks for taking me with you  😄

Edited September 13, 2023 by c-boy