Warning About Using Up Onboard Credits

[Loonbeam]

I'm trying to find out if this had anything to do with some of the new Credit card rules enacted in the US or was just related to a software change. The new CC rules have some stricter guidelines on how charges can be made for things like hotels and cruises for multiple parties. In short, without specific authorization, charges one person makes on a house account can't be directly charged to another person's account, so they have to make sure they break out individual person's transactions to make sure they are prevented from chargebacks.

 

Bear in mind I don't think that the rules change is a direct cause, but the changing of accounting rules to address it might have had an unintended side effect.

[Tralynn]

Be very careful trying to transfer your OBC onboard, I am going to doubt that they will allow this, at least at this point. The OBC is assigned to each persons name, and from what I have found out, it is non transferable. So you will have to keep a close eye on the accounts and the charges for each one. What a pain!

Oh geesh! Now, my DH can't get credit for buying me a drink first! LOL

Okay, I'll just have to break out my card and even up the charges.

Thanks for the clarification, Toto!

[asctony]

I'm trying to find out if this had anything to do with some of the new Credit card rules enacted in the US or was just related to a software change. The new CC rules have some stricter guidelines on how charges can be made for things like hotels and cruises for multiple parties. In short, without specific authorization, charges one person makes on a house account can't be directly charged to another person's account, so they have to make sure they break out individual person's transactions to make sure they are prevented from chargebacks.

 

Bear in mind I don't think that the rules change is a direct cause, but the changing of accounting rules to address it might have had an unintended side effect.

 

This can't be the reason for Princess changing this. When you book a cruise and then given them your credit card info, you normally put it on 1 credit card and allow your other to charge to it. This also makes it easier for Princess to reduce the number of charge accounts that they would charge to. Instead of more than 1 per cabin, it is normally just 1.

[marym933]

Thank you for posting this topic! I am the planner of the family, so everything goes in my name. I've already booked $600 worth of excursions for our Alaska trip. My DH is the veteran with $100 OBC, which can't be used for tips. Just a couple key strokes and he now has booked all the excursions. Thank you for saving me a hassle at the purser's desk!

[Jasperdo]

My DH is the veteran with $100 OBC, which can't be used for tips.

OBC can be used for tips. $10.50 or $11.00 will be deducted from your OBC each day.

[PescadoAmarillo]

My DH is the veteran with $100 OBC, which can't be used for tips.

This may be stated somewhere, but DH used his military OBC for tips on 5 cruises without a single issue. It just appears at the top of his statement and the daily autotip simply draws down that balance.

[caribill]

It would seem that even if you did not use one of the two cards for purchases, the OBC on both cards would be wiped out by the Hotel Charge would it not?

 

Depends how much OBC you have. The total OBC for two in a cabin can often be more than $1000.

[caribill]

Yep! Those smart plumbers can make the accountant look like a pauper.

 

 

And a smart accountant can fix the books to make anybody rich or poor.

[caribill]

Toto

 

 

An interesting question arises, however, in how Princess keeps track of the refundable and non-refundable OBCs. Which OBC do they use first (of course it should be the non-refundable used first)?

 

The previous accounting system could not tell the difference when posting any charges, so no matter what the source of the charge, it went aginst the OBC until the OBC was used up.

 

 

The new accounting system? Well, so far it does not seem as smart as the old one.

[caribill]

I can just see the lines at the Purser's desk now as hundreds of passengers line up to switch the cost of a shore excursion or a specialty restaurant charge or a shop purchase from one account to another.

[DMRick]

Not in our case it won't. Our 16 day cruise will still leave over $100 on each of our invoices in OBC. However, my husband is doing an excursion that is $200..and I seldom spend anything, so it looks like I will lose my $100 extra, and he will have $100 more than we planned on, charged to our creidt card...unless I can figure out how to take it out in the Casino, without extra charges, in cash..which I would then use to pay towards his invoice.

 

It would seem that even if you did not use one of the two cards for purchases, the OBC on both cards would be wiped out by the Hotel Charge would it not?

[EYE-V]

I've been buying onboard credit for the past few months to have enough to cover the daily tips and other known expenses. When sending the paper work in, I have both our names on it. Will this all be on one person or split between us? Just trying to spread out some expenses.

[donna5]

I've been buying onboard credit for the past few months to have enough to cover the daily tips and other known expenses. When sending the paper work in, I have both our names on it. Will this all be on one person or split between us? Just trying to spread out some expenses.

 

If you have a credit card on file why buy OBC. You are prepaying for OBC.:confused:

[mytime53]

If you have a credit card on file why buy OBC. You are prepaying for OBC.:confused:

 

This always puzzles me, too. I'd rather squirrel it away in a drawer than let a large company use it for however long. Even though the interest rate in my checking account isn't much anymore, it's still better than 0.

 

And if something happens and you have to cancel....then what? I'm sure you'd get your money back, but if things are bad enough to have to cancel (or due to weather or acts of nature you don't catch your cruise), getting prepaid money back would be one more thing that wouldn't be fun to deal with.

[coo359a2]

Sorry if this is a repeat of what others have said. I’m on the Dawn Princess right now so internet time is used carefully trying to read Cruise Critic,.

I was told the exact same thing that Carolyn was told while I was on the Sun Princess around New Zealand cruise about 14 days ago. Had gone down to the Purser’s desk to make sure that my account was set to have credit card convert final bill from AU$ to US$ instead of Princess converting the amount. That was ok but the CSR mentioned that my husband still had more OBC on his Folio than he would be using to cover his daily hotel charges and that he would lose it if he didn’t spend it using his room card. She told me that it was a new accounting system Princess was using. She did offer to move all his OBC (at that time) to my Folio. She did it and everything worked out as we both had a few dollars that we owed to Princess at the end of the cruise. They did merge to my Folio what we both owed and we had one charge against our credit card. Since Carolyn had the same problem, I will make sure to have DH OBC moved over to my Folio for this cruise.

[Bucky3]

Thanks to the OP and all who have provided information on this thread. Sounds like ONE BIG HEADACHE for both the Princess staff and the passengers.

 

Bobbie

[iluvcruzin]

While it may seem upsetting that there were changes, it really just affects those who are keeping the charges together as a couple. It is quite possible this was a result of fixing a problem for those who cruise together yet have separate shipboard accounts. OBC based on staterooms get SPLIT equally between the 2 passengers. The only time it's on one account is if it's something like OBC for shareholders benefit. So now you know - just monitor the spending and switch off using the card. It's not that hard to do.

[DMRick]

So now you know - just monitor the spending and switch off using the card. It's not that hard to do.

It's not that easy of a fix. We don't charge much of anything on our card other than the tips. One of us is going on a $200 tour. We'll need $100 of that to come off of each of our accounts.

[caribill]

The only time it's on one account is if it's something like OBC for shareholders benefit.

 

or OBC from the Princess credit card

or OBC from the military service

or OBC from the Captain's Circle after 20 cruises

[mytime53]

While it may seem upsetting that there were changes, it really just affects those who are keeping the charges together as couple..

 

I'd be curious what % keep them together and what % separate them--I would think far more keep them together.

 

It is quite possible this was a result of fixing a problem for those who cruise together yet have separate shipboard accounts. .

 

I've frequently traveled with friends or my sister. I find it easier to keep track of the expenses when one person pays most of the bills, and then settle up at the end.

 

So now you know - just monitor the spending and switch off using the card. It's not that hard to do.

 

The problem I see is that only people reading this thread know--it doesn't seem that it is information being widely disseminated on board. Whether you're a new cruiser who doesn't know that the folios are separate, or an experienced cruiser who is used to the old way, there would be no reason for you to switch off charging to your account.

[ferry_gal]

I just finished a South American cruise in Rio on 2/9/11 and am pleased to report that the elite happy hour was alive and well every day of the voyage! I've got three upcoming cruises scheduled in May 2011 and look forward to meeting friends in Skywalkers for a cocktail and the "day in review." When were you on a cruise where they only held an elite happy hour on port days?:eek:

 

 

It sure is nice of Princess to inform us all of their new changes. Cruise lines are always quickly informing us of things that make us happy. However, when it is taking away something or changing the rules, they seem to forget to tell us.

Just this year alone, 2011, they have done away with the daily Elite Happy Hour unless you are in port. Now, the OBC combined credit per cabin with the same credit card. Then the $2.99 drinks that many people can't find or know about, even the bartenders don't know about them either?

What's next?

Princess, get your act together. Remember, there are other cruise lines out there.

[itsajoke]

We usually purchase extra OBC's before traveling to cover all our expenses - but I think now we'll just take the cash with us and pay down whatever extra we charge over the existing OBC's instead of having to worry about who has what left over.

 

This is just ridiculous - it is bad enough you can't track your charges through the t.v. on Princess, but this really is inconvenient to passengers. I can just see the lines at guest services.

[bjkTX]

or OBC from the Princess credit card

or OBC from the military service

or OBC from the Captain's Circle after 20 cruises

 

We had $785 of OBC for our cruise a couple of weeks ago. $142.50 was on DW's account, the rest showed up on mine.

[Shoalwater]

just follow the money. Unclaimed OBC = REVENUE!! Enough said. Make a change, don't publicize it, make it difficult for PAX to adjust or at least follow the balance split while on-board and enough of those suckers will "forget about it" to justify it. I accept that companies are for-profit operations, but hey, give us the information to manage our expenses, don't act like a thief in the night.

 

We have been loyal Princess cruisers since our first trip, but this policy change, the way they flew it in in under radar and the extra effort PAX must take to balance their OBC is totally UNACCEPTABLE! Glad that Carnival is bringing in some new ships to Galveston.

 

I will gladly retract my opposition if Princess can adequately explain their actions :rolleyes:.

[penlanspice]

I'm going to post this here as it's kind of related.. -

 

Is there anything you can't spend your OBC on?

 

Is there anyway to check your OBC before you leave for your cruise? I booked with a TA and just want to make sure it's there.

 

Thanks