How does the gift card work?

[pakarinen]

Noob here. SIL wants to get us a cruise gift. We were going to suggest a Princess gift credit which the Princess site says can be used for "anything".

 

Is that accurate? Could we use it for upcharge dining, for example?

 

Do you present a card at the time of purchase or is the credit just subtracted off your final bill? Thanks!

[Pam in CA]

The gift is onboard credit. The onboard accounting system is a very simple debit/credit system. You'll start with the amount of the gift as credit and everything you buy, from T-shirts to drinks to shore excursions to specialty restaurants to the "auto-tip", are subtracted from that. It literally can be used for anything.

[sportsmum]

They would buy you the gift card which, I belive, is an on board credit after you have booked your cruise?

 

If so, then it would be on your ship board account when you board so you do not have to present it- just check at the front desk that it is there. You will most likely have a card in your room saying it's on your account and who it's from. It can be used for anything; spa, dining, drinks, daily gratuities, shore excursions, etc.

 

One thing I did learn recently- when buying the onboard credits you have to 'pick a day'. It is for their book keeping only and doesn't mean you have to use it all on that day. When you pick the day choose an 'at sea' day and you avoid a bit of tax. They have to add tax if you choose an in port day.

[west2000]

Also new to Princess having cruised RCI. If we paid for a gift card before we leave am I right in thinking this will be added to the onboard credit we already have and we could cover gratuities and soda packages this way so we can budget over the next couple of months and avoid paying it all on the credit card bill that arrives after the cruise? Would be good.:)

[Soon2Barmn]

what happens if you dont spend all the gift card $$???? do they credit your account or does it just stay with Princess?

[Pam in CA]

West, that is correct. You can send yourself enough "gift" to cover your onboard account expenses. If you send too much and don't use it all, it will be refunded. Not all onboard credit can or will be refunded but gifted OBC will be. That's your money, not a perk earned or given. :)

[Soon2Barmn]

awesome... thx Pam

[west2000]

Thanks Pam this has made DH and I very happy as we budget through the year and are 'pay up front' kind of people. Will be setting this up shortly as made final payment last week.:)

[WVBill]

Thanks Pam this has made DH and I very happy as we budget through the year and are 'pay up front' kind of people. Will be setting this up shortly as made final payment last week.:)

 

Same way here - we cruise in March 2012 and I plan to -buy OBCs for ourselves over the next six months to cover all of our planned expenses.

 

If I book shore excursions through Princess for both of us will mine be charged to my on-board account and hers to her on-board account? In other words, do I have to make sure to split up the OBCs I pre-purchase to avoid a bill at the end?

[DrivesLikeMario]

It's not an actual "gift card". It's a gift of onboard credit. There will be a note card in your cabin sometime during the first day you're on the cruise that explains who the credit is from and the amount.

 

Just to clarify - you can use it for anything you charge onto your onboard account. FYI - Princess is different from other cruise lines when it comes to shore excursions. You don't have to pay for shore excursions in advance. They're added to your onboard account once you're onboard so you can even use the credit for that too. Enjoy!

[Pia1913]

Same way here - we cruise in March 2012 and I plan to -buy OBCs for ourselves over the next six months to cover all of our planned expenses.

 

If I book shore excursions through Princess for both of us will mine be charged to my on-board account and hers to her on-board account? In other words, do I have to make sure to split up the OBCs I pre-purchase to avoid a bill at the end?

 

Split them. If you book two, they will both be charged to your account. And Vice Versa.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Unless they've changed this recently, your 2 onboard accounts should be merged by the end of the cruise if you entered the same credit card number on your Cruise Personalizer.

[Pia1913]

Unless they've changed this recently, your 2 onboard accounts should be merged by the end of the cruise if you entered the same credit card number on your Cruise Personalizer.

 

Lots of discussion about variables on this topic. Why take a chance.

[WVBill]

Split them. If you book two, they will both be charged to your account. And Vice Versa.

 

So if I plan to book all the excursions for both of us, the pre-bought OBCs to cover the excursions should all go on my account. Right?

[Dietemann]

West, that is correct. You can send yourself enough "gift" to cover your onboard account expenses. If you send too much and don't use it all, it will be refunded. Not all onboard credit can or will be refunded but gifted OBC will be. That's your money, not a perk earned or given. :)

Pam or Pia, I was wondering about that. What if you send yourself a gift (or get one from family) and you have to cancel the cruise for illness:(. Does Princess automatically refund the gift amount to the CC once they receive the cancellation notice? (Don't plan on emergency, but it has happened in the past.)

 

Angelika

[DrivesLikeMario]

I'm not Pam or Pia, but the answer is yes - automatically goes back to the CC it was charged on originally.

[Dietemann]

I'm not Pam or Pia, but the answer is yes - automatically goes back to the CC it was charged on originally.

Thanks, I should have known that you, too would have the answer.

 

Angelika

[DrivesLikeMario]

Thanks, I should have known that you, too would have the answer.

 

Angelika

 

;) Have a great cruise!