Onboard credit

Well, I take back any of my comments regarding scepticism and Cunard spinning on the head of a needle to avoid their promise.

 

I now have an email from Cunard confirming my On Board spend amount has increased from $160 to $1,110.

 

To those who have a similar situation, I can only urge you to call Cunard and ask for the value to be matched.

Have you been advised that, in order to receive the increased on-board spend, you will have to transfer your booking to the current promotion?

How does that work? Transferring your booking to the current promotion? The fare is the same presumably/

How does that work? Transferring your booking to the current promotion? The fare is the same presumably/

The fare remains unchanged.

My TA is adamant that Cunard is insisting that in order to receive the increased on-board spend my booking, which was made on the QE's recent cruise, has to be transferred.

No explanation as to the reason why the transfer is necessary, or as to why the OBC on my existing booking cannot just be increased.

I find the whole thing confusing.

Further to reading some of the posts I am feeling more optimistic that we, too, will have our OBC increased. I wrote to Mr Angus Struthers (who appears to be the new face of Cunard) on 24th December outlining the unsatisfactory situation with OBC, we find ourselves in, with early bookers losing out and await his reply with interest. It doesn't seem to make sense to me that some appear to have their OBC increased and others do not - completely illogical. This new pricing policy seems even less well thought out than the earlier Vantage/Gateway farce.

Early bookers should always get the best deal with the most OBC which could be reduced every two or three months . Of course there could also be last minute bargain fares but without any OBC and other add ons. When I receive Mr Struthers reply I will let you all know.

Have you been advised that, in order to receive the increased on-board spend, you will have to transfer your booking to the current promotion?

I should have stated in my earlier note that I was told that, on accepting the increased on board spend, the booking would change from a Vantage to a Cunard fare. I considered the implication of this and the key difference between them, that would be important to me, is the price promise. However the price promise is limited to the first claim only per booking, and this action I would treat as that first claim, so the guarantee becomes a moot point at this stage.

There is, of course, the chance that Cunard will slash prices after the current deal ends to a point where I might have been better waiting, but having accepted the increased spend, I will now no longer check fares for this cruise as I am very happy with Cunard's living up to the price promise and am content with both the price I have paid and the on board spend amount I have been given.

My booking, made on the 16th of this month, is a Cunard Fare, which is why I am puzzled by Cunard's insistence that the booking must be transferred to the current promotion.

I try to get the lowest fare ,and with that I know I wouldn't get much on board

credit. There are ways to save $$$ while on board. eg, buy wine package,

shop at sale days on board, avoid the extra fee dinning.No shore excursions.

I know one woman who have a $900 on board credit on the QM2 and only used a small amount. She wanted to roll it over in her account with Cunard for

a future voyage.:rolleyes:

I have always left the Auto Gratuity in place on my 5 previous cruises with Cunard but I intend to cancel it when on my October 2014 cruise. The reason is as follows. I booked the cruise just before Christmas and paid the full Cunard fare for a balcony thinking, that with the new price structure, I would get a good deal. 5 days later some friends said they would love to join us on the same cruise and asked me to help them with booking online. I booked a balcony grade for them at the slightly lower grade, but only a few cabins away from my own. When booking I discovered that as well as the free parking that I had received, they had also been given $450 each on board spend. I contacted Cunard customer services and asked if I could have an on board spend as well, I was not really surprised when they said NO. This means that I will only ever book last minute in future, will always cancel auto tips, will arrange my own tours and buy my own wine when ashore to avoid Cunard's expensive prices. I calculate that this will result in a loss of revenue from myself and wife of approx. £2000 based on previous spending. I don't consider that to be very good marketing.

I have always left the Auto Gratuity in place on my 5 previous cruises with Cunard but I intend to cancel it when on my October 2014 cruise. The reason is as follows. I booked the cruise just before Christmas and paid the full Cunard fare for a balcony thinking, that with the new price structure, I would get a good deal. 5 days later some friends said they would love to join us on the same cruise and asked me to help them with booking online. I booked a balcony grade for them at the slightly lower grade, but only a few cabins away from my own. When booking I discovered that as well as the free parking that I had received, they had also been given $450 each on board spend. I contacted Cunard customer services and asked if I could have an on board spend as well, I was not really surprised when they said NO. This means that I will only ever book last minute in future, will always cancel auto tips, will arrange my own tours and buy my own wine when ashore to avoid Cunard's expensive prices. I calculate that this will result in a loss of revenue from myself and wife of approx. £2000 based on previous spending. I don't consider that to be very good marketing.

That is very good thinking; you will only achieve punishing the crew by removing the autotip. Well done. I am surprised that you come on here to brag about being so very mean.

I have always left the Auto Gratuity in place on my 5 previous cruises with Cunard but I intend to cancel it when on my October 2014 cruise. The reason is as follows. I booked the cruise just before Christmas and paid the full Cunard fare for a balcony thinking, that with the new price structure, I would get a good deal. 5 days later some friends said they would love to join us on the same cruise and asked me to help them with booking online. I booked a balcony grade for them at the slightly lower grade, but only a few cabins away from my own. When booking I discovered that as well as the free parking that I had received, they had also been given $450 each on board spend. I contacted Cunard customer services and asked if I could have an on board spend as well, I was not really surprised when they said NO. This means that I will only ever book last minute in future, will always cancel auto tips, will arrange my own tours and buy my own wine when ashore to avoid Cunard's expensive prices. I calculate that this will result in a loss of revenue from myself and wife of approx. £2000 based on previous spending. I don't consider that to be very good marketing.

dear captain Pugwash,

Its not I who will be punishing the crew as I will tip where required.

Cunard can use the $900 they saved, by not giving me an on board spend, for my auto tips, thus doubling my contribution to the crews tips.

I wont begrudge them the extra $500.

I really do understand your feelings of injustice bill posters ......and by the way I love your User Name, but do you mean that you would remove the auto grats and then not tip the very hardworking staff onboard, who are in no way to blame for Cunard's pricing policy? I do hope you mean that you will remove the auto grats but continue to tip your waiters and cabin stewards etc for their hard work on your behalf, because personally, I don't think it would be very fair to penalise them for Cunard's poor marketing practices. They really do depend on their tips.

Sorry bill.....just read your post above. So glad you will be rewarding the crew for their hard work.

dear captain Pugwash,

Its not I who will be punishing the crew as I will tip where required.

Cunard can use the $900 they saved, by not giving me an on board spend, for my auto tips, thus doubling my contribution to the crews tips.

I wont begrudge them the extra $500.

I will of course give generous tips to table waiters, cabin stewards and any other staff who give good service. However I will no longer subsidise Cunards wages bill.

dear captain Pugwash,

 

Its not I who will be punishing the crew as I will tip where required.

Cunard can use the $900 they saved, by not giving me an on board spend, for my auto tips, thus doubling my contribution to the crews tips.

I wont begrudge them the extra $500.

Well it's a clever plan but misguided I suggest. If you remove the auto tip, any cash that you give to any crew member will be handed to their supervisors to be included in the tip pool that is otherwise fed from the auto tips. They are duty bound to do this as to not do so puts them in breach of their rules and will probably result in their contract not being renewed.

Well it's a clever plan but misguided I suggest. If you remove the auto tip, any cash that you give to any crew member will be handed to their supervisors to be included in the tip pool that is otherwise fed from the auto tips. They are duty bound to do this as to not do so puts them in breach of their rules and will probably result in their contract not being renewed.

Ditto to that.

Bill P - you will have to think of another way to get back at Cunard. If I were so disgruntled with Cunard I would be sure to take my future business elsewhere.

I will make sure not to repeat each post - once is quite sufficient to make a point.

Thanks for that info Captain, I was not aware of that fact.

What happens if auto tips are left on and one tips extra to

table waiters and cabin staff ? do they have to hand this over as well?

sorry about the repeat post Irish,

Im new to the forum and still trying to find my feet.

I do love sailing with cunard and would not have noticed the cause for my moaning if I had not booked for my friends, as I never recheck prices once I have booked.

I'm sure that I will have resumed my normal calm persona well before the cruise, but it is nice to let off steam about perceived injustices.

Thanks for that info Captain, I was not aware of that fact.

What happens if auto tips are left on and one tips extra to

table waiters and cabin staff ? do they have to hand this over as well?

Provided the autotip is left on, any further payments to individuals are kept by the recipients.

bill p - sounds like you have calmed down. Enjoy your cruise/voyage. Perhaps I was hasty in my comment about repeated posts.

bill p - sounds like you have calmed down. Enjoy your cruise/voyage. Perhaps I was hasty in my comment about repeated posts.

No you weren't :)

bill p - sounds like you have calmed down. Enjoy your cruise/voyage. Perhaps I was hasty in my comment about repeated posts.

No you weren't :):)

Ha ha:)

Captain seems to have developed an echo, heheeh

Loking it all the posts so far it looks like total chaos.

Its a bit like trying to get a GP appointment, depends on the receptionist you speak to.

David.