Upgrading From Plus to Premier Onboard

[Retired-N-Happy]

We currently have a few future bookings with OBC to spend and we're contemplating upgrading to the Premier package.  Our first booking is 14 days long on the Enchanted in August.  We will have 350 in OBC.  Do you have to upgrade for the entire 14 days or could we wait till there are 9 days left so the upgrade would be 360?   Our second booking is a B2B on the Sun in October, which consists of two 7 day itineraries, but we booked it as a 14 day.  Once again, would we be forced to upgrade for all 14 days or could we just do the second 7 day since we'll have 300 in OBC? 

 

As a side note, does anybody know if the gift store on board sells Princess gift cards?  These are available on Carnival and are an easy way to use up nonrefundable OBC.  Thanks.

[startedwithamouse]

3 minutes ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

We currently have a few future bookings with OBC to spend and we're contemplating upgrading to the Premier package.  Our first booking is 14 days long on the Enchanted in August.  We will have 350 in OBC.  Do you have to upgrade for the entire 14 days or could we wait till there are 9 days left so the upgrade would be 360?   Our second booking is a B2B on the Sun in October, which consists of two 7 day itineraries, but we booked it as a 14 day.  Once again, would we be forced to upgrade for all 14 days or could we just do the second 7 day since we'll have 300 in OBC? 

 

As a side note, does anybody know if the gift store on board sells Princess gift cards?  These are available on Carnival and are an easy way to use up nonrefundable OBC.  Thanks.

You can only upgrade within the first couple days, and yes, you have to pay for the entire duration of the cruise. 

[Retired-N-Happy]

21 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

You can only upgrade within the first couple days, and yes, you have to pay for the entire duration of the cruise. 

I figured as much.  Hopefully we'll be able to do it on the second half of the B2B on the Sun.   If not hopefully gift cards can be purchased on board. 

[startedwithamouse]

15 minutes ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

I figured as much.  Hopefully we'll be able to do it on the second half of the B2B on the Sun.   If not hopefully gift cards can be purchased on board. 

I don't believe we've seen gift cards onboard. 

[jagoffee]

50 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

I don't believe we've seen gift cards onboard. 

Even if Princess were offering gift cards, they certainly would nit  allow you to use non refundable OBC for the purchase.  Just like you cannot use OBC for an FCC.

[jagoffee]

1 hour ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

I figured as much.  Hopefully we'll be able to do it on the second half of the B2B on the Sun.   If not hopefully gift cards can be purchased on board. 

You are referring to the 14 day cruise on the Sun as a B2B.  Since you did not make two separate purchases and do not have two different booking numbers, I am not sure if it is a correct description.

 

I do see your dilemma.  If you book it has two 7 day cruise (B2B), Princess may not allow you to carry over the OBC from the first 7 day cruise to the second 7 day cruise.  If you stay with the 14 day booking, Princess might not allow you to count day 8 and 9 as a 1 and 2 for the purchase of the upgrade on the last 7 days.

 

Actually I do not know.  Worst case is that you cannot, then you can use the Casino to turn your OBC to cash.  

 

Good luck. 

[Retired-N-Happy]

1 hour ago, jagoffee said:

Even if Princess were offering gift cards, they certainly would nit  allow you to use non refundable OBC for the purchase.  Just like you cannot use OBC for an FCC.

Buy them all of the time on Carnival at their Cherry on Top store.  Usually just have stock OBC to spend.  If they won't let me upgrade to Premier then it'll be a small loss in the casino with the rest back in my pocket.

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, jagoffee said:

You are referring to the 14 day cruise on the Sun as a B2B.  Since you did not make two separate purchases and do not have two different booking numbers, I am not sure if it is a correct description.

 

I do see your dilemma.  If you book it has two 7 day cruise (B2B), Princess may not allow you to carry over the OBC from the first 7 day cruise to the second 7 day cruise.  If you stay with the 14 day booking, Princess might not allow you to count day 8 and 9 as a 1 and 2 for the purchase of the upgrade on the last 7 days.

 

Actually I do not know.  Worst case is that you cannot, then you can use the Casino to turn your OBC to cash.  

 

Good luck. 

For the October cruise, did the OP book as two separate cruises (2 booking numbers) or one 14 day cruise.  Each cruise requires the $$ to be zeroed at the end of the cruise.  Any non refundable OBC is lost.  So it depends on how the OP booked.

[Retired-N-Happy]

1 hour ago, jagoffee said:

You are referring to the 14 day cruise on the Sun as a B2B.  Since you did not make two separate purchases and do not have two different booking numbers, I am not sure if it is a correct description.

 

I do see your dilemma.  If you book it has two 7 day cruise (B2B), Princess may not allow you to carry over the OBC from the first 7 day cruise to the second 7 day cruise.  If you stay with the 14 day booking, Princess might not allow you to count day 8 and 9 as a 1 and 2 for the purchase of the upgrade on the last 7 days.

 

Actually I do not know.  Worst case is that you cannot, then you can use the Casino to turn your OBC to cash.  

 

Good luck. 

I'll probably end up doing the casino on our 14 day Enchanted if they are going to be sticklers about it.  It's their loss.  I've got 350 to burn.  Everything is paid via the Plus package and since we're cruising the Caribbean we just stay on board so excursions are eliminated.

Hopefully they let us upgrade on the backend of our Sun cruise.  If not, once again it's their loss and instead of making 280 on a 7 day upgrade they'll make 20 bucks on the slots.

[Retired-N-Happy]

Just now, Arizona Wildcat said:

For the October cruise, did the OP book as two separate cruises (2 booking numbers) or one 14 day cruise.  Each cruise requires the $$ to be zeroed at the end of the cruise.  Any non refundable OBC is lost.  So it depends on how the OP booked.

We booked it as a 14 day with one booking number.  I will get a crystal clear explanation from a supervisor at customer service.  If they don't let us upgrade the last 7 days, or they don't have gift cards for sale, it'll be 280 back in cash and a 20 loss at the slots with my 300 in non-refundable OBC.

[startedwithamouse]

6 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Even if Princess were offering gift cards, they certainly would nit  allow you to use non refundable OBC for the purchase.  Just like you cannot use OBC for an FCC.

Exactly.

[startedwithamouse]

4 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

For the October cruise, did the OP book as two separate cruises (2 booking numbers) or one 14 day cruise.  Each cruise requires the $$ to be zeroed at the end of the cruise.  Any non refundable OBC is lost.  So it depends on how the OP booked.

Not really. 

 

B2b obc rolls over to the next cruise.  We've had this done multiple times. 

[Retired-N-Happy]

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

Exactly.

You can spend non refundable OBC on Carnival with no problem.  Can't see there should be a problem doing it on Princess, unless of course they don't sell the gift cards on board.  If they don't let me use it towards an upgrade, it'll be utilized in the casino with over 90% going in my pocket.  

[NRWPA]

7 hours ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

We booked it as a 14 day with one booking number.  I will get a crystal clear explanation from a supervisor at customer service.  If they don't let us upgrade the last 7 days, or they don't have gift cards for sale, it'll be 280 back in cash and a 20 loss at the slots with my 300 in non-refundable OBC.

When I went on my last 14 day/one booking number cruise (earlier this year) I had to buy Plus for the entire 14 days (I bought it at guest services on the first day in order to use my OBC). I'm actually not sure exactly the value of Premier over Plus (many times they don't have most of the high end wines that would make it worthwhile but YMMV).

[Retired-N-Happy]

2 hours ago, NRWPA said:

I'm actually not sure exactly the value of Premier over Plus (many times they don't have most of the high end wines that would make it worthwhile but YMMV).

There are many drinks on the Sun that are between $15-20 that would be covered on Premier that aren't covered on Plus.  

[PMGS247]

Related question and I think I know most of the answer but not sure about the second part.

 

Upgrade to premier on board.  Already paid for specialty dining before the cruise. 

 

#1 -  I am relatively confident the funds paid towards two of the meals can be converted to on board credit since two meals are included in the premier package. True?

 

#2 - Assuming #1 is true, does this require visiting guest services or will the system be smart enough to figure it out? I'm assuming the former on this one, but curious if anyone has direct experience.

[NRWPA]

On 4/2/2024 at 9:18 AM, PMGS247 said:

Related question and I think I know most of the answer but not sure about the second part.

 

Upgrade to premier on board.  Already paid for specialty dining before the cruise. 

 

#1 -  I am relatively confident the funds paid towards two of the meals can be converted to on board credit since two meals are included in the premier package. True?

 

#2 - Assuming #1 is true, does this require visiting guest services or will the system be smart enough to figure it out? I'm assuming the former on this one, but curious if anyone has direct experience.

I don't know the answer to your exact question but I would just cancel the two dinners you pre-booked and get the credit back now either to your OBC or credit card, depending how you paid for it.