UK passengers - pre purchase of shipboard credit

[jones721]

Was very interested in reading the thread about being able to purchase shipboard credit at a rate of approximately $1.62 to £1. Having problems however.

 

Was about to book the cruise at the beginning of the UK drinks package offer in January - but overnight the cruise went from £899 to £1399!

 

Ended up booking via an American TA (have a holiday home in Florida and therefore an American address and bank account), but only an inside cabin as the outside cabin was around $600 more per person.

 

Have tried to purchase onboard credit following the very luseful link provided and the price for $25 is showing as £15.40. Great.

 

But when I enter reservation number, it must then take me from the UK site to the US site as on the final page, it then requests payment in US$ and therefore I will only get about $1.48 to £1. Not much point in that.

 

My holiday started off at $1.62 at the deposit stage but by the time final payment came around, it was about $1.52 to £1 so the cruise has worked out much more expensive. Would quite like to take advantage of the shipboard credit but any ideas how?

 

Anyone else from the UK who has used an American TA been able to do it??

 

Thanks,

 

Tracey

[karpela]

I think what you are saying is exactly what happened to us last year.

We booked through an American TA and ordered OBC via the UK website but were charged in dollars.

 

I hadn't realised until reading your post that this was why.

 

When we ordered some a few weeks ago, I rang Celebrity UK to ask them if we'd be charged in dollars again and he said no.

I now realise its because we booked with a TA from the UK this time.

 

I have a feeling there's no way round it. :confused:

[windra06]

Have you tried buying on board credit over the phone direct with celebrity?

 

I didn't use a TA but I added on board credit by calling the UK customer call centre and was charged the same rate as above.

[Guernseycruiser]

I also had the same problem, and posted on the previous thread with regards to this subject. Unfortunately none of the posts were able to assist, and I tried various different ways of trying to purchase on the website. I had telephoned Celebrity Cruises to purchase the OBC, as soon as they typed in my reservation number, they said that because I had booked with a US agent, I would have to pay in US Dollars.

 

If you do find some way around this, please post. We are due to cruise is just over 3 weeks.

[Project_gal]

Was very interested in reading the thread about being able to purchase shipboard credit at a rate of approximately $1.62 to £1. Having problems however.

 

Was about to book the cruise at the beginning of the UK drinks package offer in January - but overnight the cruise went from £899 to £1399!

 

Ended up booking via an American TA (have a holiday home in Florida and therefore an American address and bank account), but only an inside cabin as the outside cabin was around $600 more per person.

 

Have tried to purchase onboard credit following the very luseful link provided and the price for $25 is showing as £15.40. Great.

 

But when I enter reservation number, it must then take me from the UK site to the US site as on the final page, it then requests payment in US$ and therefore I will only get about $1.48 to £1. Not much point in that.

 

My holiday started off at $1.62 at the deposit stage but by the time final payment came around, it was about $1.52 to £1 so the cruise has worked out much more expensive. Would quite like to take advantage of the shipboard credit but any ideas how?

 

Anyone else from the UK who has used an American TA been able to do it??

 

Thanks,

 

Tracey

 

Tracey

 

If you purchase your cruise in US$, then everything else attached to the cruise also has to be purchased in US$. It is one of the disadvantages of trying to buck the system along with the risk of exchange rate movements and giving up many of your consumer rights. It is the choice you have made by using a US TA.

 

Sue

[ladylemondrop]

I have been trying to purchase it online, i booked through a uk travel agent. I have made two purchases successfully, but a further four, that have not gone through, its really frustrating!!

[bengaltiger1]

Louise did you see my post on the other thread? Amex have told me they didn't decline the payment, it just didn't go through!! I think there must eb a glitch in the system. I am waiting to see if my other purchase goes through now!!

 

Pamela

[ladylemondrop]

I was told mine simply not gone through too, but to try again, which I have dine a few times with no joy! But what if they suddenly ALL go through?!! (Panic) I dont want too much OBC!! I have emailed Celebrity and copied in all kinds of departments to see what they say.

[karpela]

I was told mine simply not gone through too, but to try again, which I have dine a few times with no joy! But what if they suddenly ALL go through?!! (Panic) I dont want too much OBC!! I have emailed Celebrity and copied in all kinds of departments to see what they say.

 

Louise, I think if they do all go through and you do end up purchasing more, then you can just have the unwanted OBC credited back to your card.

Not ideal, I know, but at least you can make sure you get some at the good exchange rate that way.

 

Adele :)

[ladylemondrop]

Thanks Adele, good to know! These boards are so helpful, its a great idea to pre pay for OBC, I would never have thought to do it.

[jones721]

Tracey

 

If you purchase your cruise in US$, then everything else attached to the cruise also has to be purchased in US$. It is one of the disadvantages of trying to buck the system along with the risk of exchange rate movements and giving up many of your consumer rights. It is the choice you have made by using a US TA.

 

Sue

 

I'm not trying to 'buck the system'. We have a home in Orlando, a US bank account, pay US local/state taxes and property taxes, just wanted to try and order shipboard credit in sterling if possible.

 

Everytime I log onto Celebrity I can only access the UK site because I am in the UK right now (even when I try and get on the US site) and my reservation number only puts me through to the US site when I try and purchase shipboard credit. For everything else, it stays on the UK site, no matter how hard I try to get onto the US site!!

 

I often book with US travel agents as I have lots of contacts and friends in the US! I also often book through UK TAs.

 

It is the same with flights, sometimes I pay the airlines in dollars with my US card, sometimes in sterling.

[jones721]

I also had the same problem, and posted on the previous thread with regards to this subject. Unfortunately none of the posts were able to assist, and I tried various different ways of trying to purchase on the website. I had telephoned Celebrity Cruises to purchase the OBC, as soon as they typed in my reservation number, they said that because I had booked with a US agent, I would have to pay in US Dollars.

 

If you do find some way around this, please post. We are due to cruise is just over 3 weeks.

 

When you type your reservation number in, does it stay on the UK site like mine does with the UK phone number in the top corner? Strange. Let me know if you find a way around it.

 

But, with the budget this week and hopefully avoiding a triple dip recession, the pound seems to be recovering slightly. But who knows. I have lots of bills to pay in the US so the exchage rate greatly affects me. Was about to change money over in January, but didn't get around to it!

 

 

From one website . . .

The markets have generally taken budget positively; indeed Sterling has risen against the Euro and the US Dollar. The main reasons for this are the fact that the deficit is being reduced, and despite the revised growth forecasts, it now looks like we may avoid a further contraction that would put us back in recession. Also of interest were changes to the Remit of the bank of England to focus on growth; however we don’t yet have the details of this.

 

But another website says . . .

Last night the Federal Reserve Bank of America (FED) kept interest rates on hold at 0.25% and also left its bond buying scheme in place. This was unsurprising as the US economy contracted in the last quarter of 2012. The FED also stated that interest rates will not change at least until unemployment falls below 6.5% – it currently stands at 7.8%. Despite a struggling economy the Dollar remains strong and I would be surprised if we see the Pound gain any ground against the Greenback.

 

 

 

I would have originally booked with the UK too, if they hadn't put the price up from £899 to £1399 overnight half way through the drinks package promotion! Had to settle for inside cabin with no drinks package, but never mind.

[Project_gal]

Everytime I log onto Celebrity I can only access the UK site because I am in the UK right now (even when I try and get on the US site) and my reservation number only puts me through to the US site when I try and purchase shipboard credit. For everything else, it stays on the UK site, no matter how hard I try to get onto the US site!!

 

That's the same for everyone. You are always taken to the US site not only if you want to purchase gifts - eg if you want to look at cruises or sign onto MyCelebrity. Because of this, I find it extremely annoying that you are force to the UK site first if you log on from the UK. It just means more keystrokes to get where you need to be.

 

However, the currency in which you pay for the cruise determines the currency in which you purchase everything else.

 

Sue

[miss travel]

Don't know you could buy OBC before you sailed. How did you go about doing this.

Many thanks

Kerry

[karpela]

Don't know you could buy OBC before you sailed. How did you go about doing this.

Many thanks

Kerry

 

Hi Kerry, go to Gifts by Celebrity, then Gifts On Board, that's were you'll be able to to find OBC to purchase.

 

Adele :)

[bengaltiger1]

Don't know you could buy OBC before you sailed. How did you go about doing this.

Many thanks

Kerry

 

 

Here is the link Kerry. Make sure you purchase C171.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/bonvoyage/category/viewProductDetail.do?cat=ONBDCR&coll=ONBDCR&itemCode=C171

 

You can purchase as many units as you like. Please be aware that some people myself included have had some problems with not receiving the mails or the money not being taken from the CC. Mine was with my Amex card, but my Mastercard was charged the day after my purchase. make sure you print out the order summary and confirmation e-mail to take with you on your cruise.

 

HTH

 

Pamela

[snowyboy]

Am I right to assume each credit is for 25$ it does not say anywhere and these can be used for anything on the ship.

[bengaltiger1]

Am I right to assume each credit is for 25$ it does not say anywhere and these can be used for anything on the ship.

 

 

Yes the units are $25 giving an exchange rate of $1.62 to the £. I can't remember who first alerted me to this, but it is a great offer. Who ever it was - Many thanks.

 

You can spend it on anything on the ship as long as you buy thr C171 and not the specific credits for the spa etc.

 

Pamela

[LONGLEAVER]

Just told Hubby about this and he would like to know if he can use it in the Casino, can anyone help?

 

Lesley

[Project_gal]

Just told Hubby about this and he would like to know if he can use it in the Casino, can anyone help?

 

Lesley

 

Yes you can but you will still have to pay the same fee as any other cash withdrawal in the casino. You can also but Casino OBC but then you pay the fee up front.

 

Sue

[ladylemondrop]

Just a word of advice if you pre purchase OBC on the celebrity website, the transactions may not appear for some time, I had to email celebrity to get them to process them, by which time I had put them through twice, so I now have almost too much OBC! Instead of trying twice, just email them.

[rickpo]

Hi Louise1809, how long did it take to go through in the end?

 

I bought 3 lots of 9 almost 3 weeks ago, I got email confirmation straight away but still not showing on my credit card.

I phoned Celebrity today and the lady who answered did not even know that you could buy OBC online. She asked me to talk her through the process which she must have carried out whilst we were talking. She then asked if I could hold, came back a minute or so later and asked me to email guest support at RCCL and forward my confirmation emails.

Still waiting to here something.

 

Rick.

[ladylemondrop]

It took couple of weeks, but only happened when I emailed them to say they had not taken payment, so would suggest an email.

[Project_gal]

Just a word of advice if you pre purchase OBC on the celebrity website, the transactions may not appear for some time, I had to email celebrity to get them to process them, by which time I had put them through twice, so I now have almost too much OBC! Instead of trying twice, just email them.

 

As I posted on this thread pages back, they are so busy with orders at present [for obvious reasons] that they are processing them in sail date order. You do not sail until October!

 

Sue

[ladylemondrop]

I am sorry, I must have missed that information, I was thrown by the fact that my first two purchases were almost immediate, and subsequent ones did not happen for weeks, when I rang Celebrity here and in US, they said the subsequent ones had not happened, and I should put through again. They did not say anything about date order, but I guess thats me told! :)