Using OBC to purchase excursions online

[laurieb]

Just got this email:

Using Onboard Credit to Book Shore Excursions

To use your onboard credit (OBC) to book shore excursions, after logging into your account: Scroll down to Shore Excursions and select “Book” on the $0 Onboard Credit item to authorize use of your onboard credit Book your desired Shore Excursions Once your Shore Excursions are booked, navigate to the payment screen and click “Cancel" Your selected shore excursions are now booked, and onboard credit will be applied

[tgg]

9 minutes ago, laurieb said:

Just got this email:

Using Onboard Credit to Book Shore Excursions

To use your onboard credit (OBC) to book shore excursions, after logging into your account: Scroll down to Shore Excursions and select “Book” on the $0 Onboard Credit item to authorize use of your onboard credit Book your desired Shore Excursions Once your Shore Excursions are booked, navigate to the payment screen and click “Cancel" Your selected shore excursions are now booked, and onboard credit will be applied

 

Why do I have the feeling that these instructions were written in a foreign language - and then translated into English by someone who was proficient in neither.

[laurieb]

They seem pretty clear to me.  Whether or not it works is another matter.

[tgg]

Guess the part I have a problem with is 3. 

 

Once your Shore Excursions are booked, navigate to the payment screen and click “Cancel"

 

It may work but it sounds strange.

[uktog]

Its complicated - many will not realise what the $0 onboard credit excursion is - as I understand that is the Azamazing event.  You could be scrolling through so much to find it.  And what happens if that is not loaded as is often the case.  I get the feeling this is a convoluted work around which is only clear to people more skilled at navigating Azamara's site

 

They need to put that instruction as a link on the manage my booking page, ideally supported by screen shots

[laurieb]

I have an OBC that equals 0 at the top of my available excursions on every one of my future sailings.

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, laurieb said:

I have an OBC that equals 0 at the top of my available excursions on every one of my future sailings.

Me too and I assume that’s what the email is referring to. That item has been at the top of the excursions list on my upcoming cruise for quite a long time.

[uktog]

Interesting I have some excursions booked and a balance of OBC still available to me, but it gives me no option to use it - the method does not work in that situation

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Interesting I have some excursions booked and a balance of OBC still available to me, but it gives me no option to use it - the method does not work in that situation

 

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Interesting I have some excursions booked and a balance of OBC still available to me, but it gives me no option to use it - the method does not work in that situation

This is what I see when I click on theExcursions Paper/pencil icon, then click on the ‘Available’ tab. It’s right at the top.

[uktog]

That is not showing on mine the excursions I’ve booked are there but no way to use the balance 

[Mrs.Dukes]

Interesting, the “Book shore excursions and pay using OBC” online does not show as an option on my upcoming cruise, and I do have OBC available. I have already used some of my OBC to pay for excursions by calling. I also did not get that email.

[uktog]

22 minutes ago, Mrs.Dukes said:

Interesting, the “Book shore excursions and pay using OBC” online does not show as an option on my upcoming cruise, and I do have OBC available. I have already used some of my OBC to pay for excursions by calling. I also did not get that email.

Thats exactly my situation

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

That is not showing on mine the excursions I’ve booked are there but no way to use the balance 

Do you have an’Booked’ tab above your booked excursions then an ‘Available’ tab to the right of the ‘Booked’ tab? That’s above the excursions I haven’t booked, and the use OBC item is right under the Available heading when I choose it.

Edited February 13 by Grandma Cruising

[uktog]

Just now, Grandma Cruising said:

Do you have an’Booked’ tab above your booked excursions then an ‘Available’ tab to the right of the ‘Booked’ tab? That’s above the excursions I haven’t booed.

Yes I have the two tabs

[Grandma Cruising]

1 minute ago, uktog said:

Yes I have the two tabs

It’s very strange, isn’t it!

[mare s.]

Well, I just booked excursions (including the Azamazing Evening) directly with Azamara by phone since the workaround didn't seem to work for me.  I went ahead and "booked" on line but instead of going to "payment" I saved the info and called Azamara.   I got through instantly and the very nice operator asked for my booking #, pulled up the reservations I had made and confirmed them and applied our OBC.   Easy peasy.   I will wait a few days and then go back on line and make sure the reservations still appear, but it seemed to work.  I just don't understand why Azamara's website is so difficult.   I booked excursions on a recent HAL cruise on line using OBC and it was so very easy.   This will be our first Azamara cruise since 2019 (right before the Covid pandemic) and I am hoping the on board experience is as wonderful as it used to be. 

[DenGNNJ]

Here's my most recent experience with this, and what I did to finalize...

The website is really buggy... Not all the excursions that I put into the cart were showing up in the final payment window, the balance owed that was showing was incorrect, and even if it were correct, there was no way for me to apply our OBC to that balance. 

The solution that worked for me was to place the excursions I wanted in the cart, click CONTINUE, click SAVE, and then call Azamara directly to apply the OBC and pay the balance.  The phone call took less than 5 minutes and the representative was great.

[blag]

Digressing, but related.

I have a 'Experience More Essentials' package, which includes $150pp OBC for excursions.

Can this OBC be used for purchasing other amenities/services/goods?

[Grandma Cruising]

No it can’t - we got caught out as once you are onboard it just shows up as OBC so we thought we could use it to buy a watch from the shop, but we ended up paying for the watch on our credit card.

By the ways the Essentials package is $300 shore excursions credit  - $150 per person. 

[tgg]

9 minutes ago, Grandma Cruising said:

By the ways the Essentials package is $300 shore excursions credit  - $150 per person.

That's exactly what Blag wrote:  

 

1 hour ago, blag said:

$150pp OBC for excursions.

 

[LuAnn]

Is there some OBC that you have to wait to use until you board? My TA has confirmed a total amount of OBC but one of the items is missing on my account on the computer? 

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, tgg said:

That's exactly what Blag wrote:  

 

 

You’re right, I missed it!

[Grandma Cruising]

20 minutes ago, LuAnn said:

Is there some OBC that you have to wait to use until you board? My TA has confirmed a total amount of OBC but one of the items is missing on my account on the computer? 

If your TA has given you some OBC I understand that is not usually visible, and thus spendable, until you are onboard.

[ChucktownSteve]

2 hours ago, LuAnn said:

Is there some OBC that you have to wait to use until you board? My TA has confirmed a total amount of OBC but one of the items is missing on my account on the computer? 

In addition to what Grandma Cruising said, also ask your TA if their OBC is refundable or is a cross promotion in conjunction with AZ; thus non refundable. 

 

If refundable, you don't have to spend it unless you want to.  You can get it refunded to you in cash at the service desk.  I don't send it to my credit card, as many do, because that will reduce your cash back on the card it credits to.

[tonyl1956]

I'm not sure whether to even mention this in case they chase me for more money but on our recent cruise, the EXMO Shore Excursion Credit seemed to be treated as simple non-refundable credit by the ship. We didn't book any excursions, though we did book transfers at the end of the cruise. When I booked these, I did ask the guest relations person I talked to whether it would come out of the excursion credit - she looked blank and asked whether it was refundable or non-refundable - another software mismatch between ship and shore?