stockperks for January cruise

[sunsetme]

when will I be able to apply for shipboard credit for a January cruise?

[sandancer]

I applied a couple of weeks ago and it was refused with a request to reapply in November. 

[stinsonm]

Ditto. They have to wait until the perk is renewed for 2025 at the annual shareholders’ meeting. 

[STREETKING]

Same here for a January cruise "Check back in November"

[phoebe2m]

I'm in the same boat (ship). Cruise is January 4th and I want to get my OBC soon. I always request the stock OBC when I've paid for the cruise which I've done. 

[Retired-N-Happy]

1 hour ago, phoebe2m said:

I'm in the same boat (ship). Cruise is January 4th and I want to get my OBC soon. I always request the stock OBC when I've paid for the cruise which I've done. 

November 1 you can apply.  You can only spend your OBC on excursions before you embark anyway.

[lx200gps]

Given the November 1, 2024 opening date for applying for 2025 cruises, how far into 2025 will this extend? IOW would I be able to apply for the OBC for all our 2025 trips, as far as November 2025?  In the old, pre-Stockperks days, we theoretically could only apply a few months before any given trip.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, lx200gps said:

In the old, pre-Stockperks days, we theoretically could only apply a few months before any given trip.

I would get it a year in advance.

[Retired-N-Happy]

1 hour ago, lx200gps said:

Given the November 1, 2024 opening date for applying for 2025 cruises, how far into 2025 will this extend? IOW would I be able to apply for the OBC for all our 2025 trips, as far as November 2025?  In the old, pre-Stockperks days, we theoretically could only apply a few months before any given trip.

I would infer that it would be good for all of 2025 and then November 1 2025 would open up the confirmations for 2026.

[azbirdmom]

They are going to be slammed with requests in November.  We also have a January 2025 cruise.  I guess I should be happy that there still is SHOBC but the mess that this is going to create could have been avoided.

[lx200gps]

2 hours ago, Coral said:

I would get it a year in advance.

...and yet a few years ago, well pre-pandemic,  when I applied for the Shareholders OBC (the old way, via fax) four months in advance of the cruise it was denied as being too far from sail date.  Clearly things have changed for the better and Princess isn't sticking to the old policy. If we really can collect the SHOBC a year in advance it would certainly simplify things.

[Coral]

47 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

...and yet a few years ago, well pre-pandemic,  when I applied for the Shareholders OBC (the old way, via fax) four months in advance of the cruise it was denied as being too far from sail date.  Clearly things have changed for the better and Princess isn't sticking to the old policy. If we really can collect the SHOBC a year in advance it would certainly simplify things.

When they made the change of charging for shore excursions when you booked them, they allowed us to use OBC right away and to also get stock holders credit way in advance.

 

I feel like this is a step behind (not better). I preferred it when we could book excursions and didn't have to pay for them until on the cruise.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, azbirdmom said:

They are going to be slammed with requests in November.  We also have a January 2025 cruise.  I guess I should be happy that there still is SHOBC but the mess that this is going to create could have been avoided.

I agree. I have 2 booked in February 2026. Same issue.

 

With Plus and Premier, there is not much need for OBC except for shore excursions.

Edited September 2 by Coral

[Retired-N-Happy]

2 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

They are going to be slammed with requests in November.  We also have a January 2025 cruise.  I guess I should be happy that there still is SHOBC but the mess that this is going to create could have been avoided.

I don't think it'll be that big of a deal.  Even if it takes a week or so to get approved they have two months before the cruises start.  The only problem would be those cruisers that have a January cruise that wish to spend the OBC immediately towards an excursion.

[Retired-N-Happy]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

 

With Plus and Premier, there is not much need for OBC except for shore excursions.

You can always wait until you board to purchase a package and use your OBC towards it.

[Coral]

Just now, Retired-N-Happy said:

You can always wait until you board to purchase a package and use your OBC towards it.

Which is what I am doing on my next cruise as I am not booking any excursions.

 

I don't drink so buying Plus and Premier is a waste of money but I have no need for $400 OBC so I will be buying that. When in Europe, I prefer to use the money for excursions. 

 

The main issue is that Plus has gone up $20 per day over a 1-2 year time period. So if someone is interested, they are best to pay for it up front at time of booking and not wait. $20 per day over a 14 night cruise is a big chunk of money IMO.

[Retired-N-Happy]

3 minutes ago, Coral said:

Which is what I am doing on my next cruise as I am not booking any excursions.

 

I don't drink so buying Plus and Premier is a waste of money but I have no need for $400 OBC so I will be buying that. When in Europe, I prefer to use the money for excursions. 

 

The main issue is that Plus has gone up $20 per day over a 1-2 year time period. So if someone is interested, they are best to pay for it up front at time of booking and not wait. $20 per day over a 14 night cruise is a big chunk of money IMO.

Yes, I fully agree. At 40 per day, the Plus package was an incredible value.  There was a brief 6 months or so period when it rose to 50 and now of course it's at 60.  Even at 60, it's still the best value around.  You reduce the 17 for grats and you're at 43.  Wifi, all of the non alcoholic drinks, and the two casual meals should put you ahead even if you're a teetotaler.

[azbirdmom]

26 minutes ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

I don't think it'll be that big of a deal.  Even if it takes a week or so to get approved they have two months before the cruises start.  The only problem would be those cruisers that have a January cruise that wish to spend the OBC immediately towards an excursion.

We will soon find out.  As Coral mentioned it's nice to have the OBC to pre-book excursions and with a January cruise you definitely lose some opportunities to book more popular excursions.  I've seen them fall behind in the past and it can take weeks for them to recover.  Don't know if the new way is more automated on the back-end or if it still takes human intervention.  It's not just Princess, all of the Carnival owned lines will be backlogged.

[Coral]

15 minutes ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

Yes, I fully agree. At 40 per day, the Plus package was an incredible value.  There was a brief 6 months or so period when it rose to 50 and now of course it's at 60.  Even at 60, it's still the best value around.  You reduce the 17 for grats and you're at 43.  Wifi, all of the non alcoholic drinks, and the two casual meals should put you ahead even if you're a teetotaler.

It is a bit iffy for me as I don't drink coffee or soda either. I do like the virgin drinks and fresh squeezed OJ.

 

One of those if I have enough OBC, I will do it. But if I need to spend a lot of money on excursions, I probably won't. My next cruise is a coastal so no excursions through the ship.

 

I bought it at $40 and $50 with out thinking. $60 is iffy and if it goes up, I probably won't. I haven't sailed since the inclusion of 2 casual meals yet. Sort of peeved the pizzeria (Alfredos, Gigi's isn't free anymore). 

Edited September 2 by Coral

[mahasamatman]

19 hours ago, Retired-N-Happy said:

November 1 you can apply.

 

7 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Given the November 1, 2024 opening date for applying for 2025 cruises

 

I'm not sure why people think 01 November is a magic date. The app only says "in November" - there is no specific date in November when we can apply. The actual date will be whenever the board extends stockholder perk.

[Retired-N-Happy]

24 minutes ago, mahasamatman said:

 

 

I'm not sure why people think 01 November is a magic date. The app only says "in November" - there is no specific date in November when we can apply. The actual date will be whenever the board extends stockholder perk.

I was going by what I was told by their customer service rep a few months ago when I originally signed up for their service and I applied for my 2024 cruises.  My first 2025 cruise is on January 4, so if by some chance the start date is pushed back it really doesn't matter to me since I won't be spending the OBC until we board.

[BlerkOne]

It is a corporate benefit and Carnival's fiscal year ends Nov 30. AFAIK, the annual shareholder meeting has not changed from the spring. It isn't voted on by the shareholders.

 

 

[azbirdmom]

5 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

It is a corporate benefit and Carnival's fiscal year ends Nov 30. AFAIK, the annual shareholder meeting has not changed from the spring. It isn't voted on by the shareholders.

 

 

They used to extend the duration of the benefit in the February / March timeframe and it would then be applicable to cruises through July of the following year.  This year they extended it only thorough the end of this calendar year so I'm not sure exactly what the process is to extend it through 2025.

[BlerkOne]

44 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

They used to extend the duration of the benefit in the February / March timeframe and it would then be applicable to cruises through July of the following year.  This year they extended it only thorough the end of this calendar year so I'm not sure exactly what the process is to extend it through 2025.

I always thought the end of July was a weird date to pick. It was also stipulated that the cruise reservation had to be made by the end of February.