Cash refund fro remaining OBC

[sunneesmile]

We just got back from Alaska on the Island Princess for 7 nights. We actually got $200 in cash refunded to us from leftover OBC. That has NEVER happened to us before. People we were traveling with got amounts from $70 to $165 refunded to them in unused OBC.

 

When I asked about this, the girl at the cust svce desk said it was a new program. I was stunned when they gave us cash.

 

Anybody heard of this?

 

We had OBC from Shareholders, Military, Future Cruise Credit and TA gift for a total of $350.

[Treven]

We just got back from Alaska on the Island Princess for 7 nights. We actually got $200 in cash refunded to us from leftover OBC. That has NEVER happened to us before. People we were traveling with got amounts from $70 to $165 refunded to them in unused OBC.

 

When I asked about this, the girl at the cust svce desk said it was a new program. I was stunned when they gave us cash.

 

Anybody heard of this?

 

We had OBC from Shareholders, Military, Future Cruise Credit and TA gift for a total of $350.

I've gotten cash back from certain OBCs that I hadn't used up; not often :-( but occasionally. This is nothing new. There are certain OBCs that aren't refundable, I can't recall just which ones. If Pam in CA happens by she'll probably remember which ones aren't; not to say that she's the only one.

[beg3yrs]

That is very unlikely to ever happen to us. :(

[Happy2cruise]

That is very unlikely to ever happen to us. :(

Us either:D

[waltd]

I should be so lucky. :(

[scootin_cruizer]

Yep, last 3 cruises I got OBC back in cash.

[Roses2]

On a 14 day cruise, Stockholder's, Military, Future Cruise Credit, and other OBC add up to a fairly significant amount that generally covers hotel charges, wine in the dining room, drinks and incidental purchases. When there is a positive balance Princess returns the excess.

P&J

[Pam in CA]

I've gotten a check for unused OBC after I got home.

 

Not all OBC can or will be refunded. It depends on the source.

[Coral]

Yes - I have gotten it back several times over the past few years. Last summer, I got about $100 back. I went up to the Passenger Services Dept the last night and they handed me cash. I have on another cruise had my name called on the last day which sort of freaked me out as I thought that was only for those who do not pay their bills. They called me to give me money back.

[satxdiver]

You mean to tell me that pax actually get money back for unused (?) OBC. Who does not spend their OBC and more. We get FCC, military and shareholder OBC and have never had that problem. :D

[Coral]

You mean to tell me that pax actually get money back for unused (?) OBC. Who does not spend their OBC and more. We get FCC, military and shareholder OBC and have never had that problem. :D

 

Yes! We did a B2B2B. By the 3rd cruise, we were not going to speciality restaurants, buying anything onboard and we take private tours. If they had a running balance for all 3 cruises, I would not have gotten money back as I had a large bill the first week but they cashed out each cruise at the end of the week.

[PunkiC]

We always plan to spend all of ours, but once I was too tired to go out to dinner one night so we didn't buy the bottle of wine we had planned on buying and ended up getting a refund.

[Pam in CA]

You mean to tell me that pax actually get money back for unused (?) OBC. Who does not spend their OBC and more. We get FCC, military and shareholder OBC and have never had that problem. :D

I either get money back or have a very small charge at the end of the cruise (less than $50), and that's with trying to spend all the OBC.

[jnc411]

I usually manage to spend any OBC :).

Cori

[PescadoAmarillo]

We have, several times, gotten cash refunds for unused OBCs. These were "Princess" OBCs too. DH always asks, and usually he's told to come back on the second last full day of the cruise to get it.

[dorisis]

That seems to vary by ship and purser.. i have never understood how it works. So i usually buy a piece of jewelry or something else if there is any left at the end of the cruise. Once we had 28 cents and they called us back as we were leaving the ship to refund it in cash. Another time I had a few dollars left and they said it would be credited to my chargecard. It never was. I have also been told that the type of OBCs we get are non refundable.

[sunneesmile]

I've gotten a check for unused OBC after I got home.

 

Not all OBC can or will be refunded. It depends on the source.

 

So what kinds of OBC qualify for the refund?

[hillslife]

I consider it "found money" and manage to spend it all....:(

[bjkTX]

After 13 cruises I have no idea what to do about unused OBC, left over wine, or winnings in the casino.... Maybe some day.

[sunneesmile]

After 13 cruises I have no idea what to do about unused OBC, left over wine, or winnings in the casino.... Maybe some day.

 

Oh I can help you with ALL of those things! LOL

[PescadoAmarillo]

So what kinds of OBC qualify for the refund?

With two exceptions, I don't think anyone can answer this with certainty. As has been mentioned, it really seems to depend on the ship and the cruise.

 

The two exceptions are OBCs you've purchased for yourself ahead of time, and TA OBCs. I've never heard of Princess keeping those, if unspent, at the end of a cruise. Where it gets nebulous are the Princess gifted OBCs: FCC, Military, CCL and Captains Cricle OBCs. For those, we've had it both ways, cruises where we couldn't get a refund and other cruises where the refund was openly offered (meaning we didn't even ask for it...we received a phone call in our cabin towards the end of the cruise advising us to come to the PSD for a refund).

 

I think this is one area where people really need to ask for themselves once they're on a ship. The other is, if you're doing B2B cruises, to make sure that the PSD intends to roll over your statement from one cruise to the next. We've rolled over our OBCs to the next cruise, and then used them on that one. It would be a pity if the unspent OBCs just disappeared and there was still another cruise left.

[HappyAmma]

We just got back from Alaska on the Island Princess for 7 nights. We actually got $200 in cash refunded to us from leftover OBC. That has NEVER happened to us before. People we were traveling with got amounts from $70 to $165 refunded to them in unused OBC.

 

When I asked about this, the girl at the cust svce desk said it was a new program. I was stunned when they gave us cash.

 

Anybody heard of this?

 

We had OBC from Shareholders, Military, Future Cruise Credit and TA gift for a total of $350.

 

On our June Sapphire Alaska trip, we also were refunded Military, T/A & Shareholders etc OBC, this after paying our tips and buying gift shop stuff. We were told that casino spending could not be paid by OBC. We were so happy and surprised that Princess did that, as we tried mightily to spend our money!!!

 

We've booked another Princess Alaska trip, 2 weeks Sept 11, first time we've done B2B. Thanks for the credit info on B2B.

[socialworker]

I always thought we'd be doing great if our obc covered all our onboard expenses; breaking even would be fine with me. Now I find out folks are actually walking away with cash from unused obc. How does that happen?

 

Second question - we're on a 14 day Alaska r/t Vancouver next month. We bought it as a 14 day, although it is also sold as two 7 day cruises, or as various numbers of days of inland touring with a 7 day (north or south) cruise. So...is our stockholders, military, and FCC onboard applicable for the 14 day cruise, or do I need to resubmit for the final 7 day return? I only have one Princess Voyage Number, one embarkation date and one disembarkation date, so I'm thinking we're okay.

 

Thanks.

 

Judy

[caribill]

we're on a 14 day Alaska r/t Vancouver next month. We bought it as a 14 day, although it is also sold as two 7 day cruises, or as various numbers of days of inland touring with a 7 day (north or south) cruise. So...is our stockholders, military, and FCC onboard applicable for the 14 day cruise, or do I need to resubmit for the final 7 day return? I only have one Princess Voyage Number, one embarkation date and one disembarkation date, so I'm thinking we're okay.

 

Thanks.

 

Judy

 

Stockholders, military and FCC OBC are all based on the length of the voyage booked. With one booking number you get each based on a 14 day cruise length.

 

If you are Platinum or higher, the internet benefit will be for each segment. You need to do nothing about this for it to occur.

[NavyVeteran]

I always thought we'd be doing great if our obc covered all our onboard expenses; breaking even would be fine with me. Now I find out folks are actually walking away with cash from unused obc. How does that happen?

 

Generally, I agree with you - I don't have any trouble spending my OBCs. However, I will have $100 OBC for a 1-night cruise from Seattle to Vancouver ($50 military and $50 shareholder). I may have to work to spend that in one night.:rolleyes: