can we prepay shore excursions on princess site?

[gioia73]

Hello anyone out there sail princess lately, I was just told that you reserve excursions but pay them after cruise is done, other lines allow to order them on the website and pay right away...

 

princess does not seem to know can someone please let me know

[cruisequeen007]

I have ordered tours before the cruise and paid for them on the ship with you settle up with the ship before disembarkation.

[gioia73]

:eek:I want to prepay my tours.. I hope princess does this as don't want on my onboard account

[PescadoAmarillo]

You'll have to go to the Gifts section and purchase on board credits for yourself. This allows you to pay now for cruise excursions you'll be charged for later.

[JimmyVWine]

You can't pay for the excursions per se, but you can buy yourself on board credit which will be added to your account and will be used to offset any expenses such as excursions. The net effect would be the same as pre-paying for your excursions.

[gioia73]

You'll have to go to the Gifts section and purchase on board credits for yourself. This allows you to pay now for cruise excursions you'll be charged for later.

 

 

good idea! however wish I can prepay with credit card...

[JimmyVWine]

good idea! however wish I can prepay with credit card...

 

Just buy your on board credit with your credit card. It really is the same thing. It is all on how you view it.

[BroncoLvrs]

You'll have to go to the Gifts section and purchase on board credits for yourself. This allows you to pay now for cruise excursions you'll be charged for later.

 

 

Yes, I always buy myself ship credits for charges (excursions, UKP, gratuities, etc.) I like getting on the ship knowing everything is paid in full :D

[JimmyVWine]

Yes, I always buy myself ship credits for charges (excursions, UKP, gratuities, etc.) I like getting on the ship knowing everything is paid in full :D

 

Me too. And yet......I always seem to finish the cruise with some balance due.;) Although last cruise, I kept it to around $100.

[Pam in CA]

Just buy your on board credit with your credit card. It really is the same thing. It is all on how you view it.

Exactly. You can send yourself as much onboard credit as a "gift" that you want using whatever payment type you want. The Princess onboard folio is a simple credit/debit system. Any OBC you received from your TA, stockholders, military, "gift", etc. is added up so you start with a credit for the total amount. Whenever anything is charged to your folio, such as tours, drinks, t-shirts, spa, etc., is deducted from the credit until you have a balance due.

 

Some cruise lines require you to pre-pay any booked tours. If you change your mind, you may or may not get a credit. On Princess, when you pre-book a tour, you are making a reservation. The amount will be charged to your folio at check-in and the tickets delivered to your cabin. If they are not on the desk when you board, they'll be delivered shortly afterwards. If you want to cancel or want to take a different cruise, Princess makes it easy: you drop the tickets in the drop box in front of the Shore Excursion Desk. You don't have to wait for the Desk to be opened. The closing day and time for each port will be posted in the Patter.

Edited September 24, 2013 by Pam in CA

[sjmbruce]

so let's say I gift myself OBC and reserve an excursion, but I end up not going on the excursion. as long as I cancel in time, how would I receive my OBC back? would it be credited to my card?

[BroncoLvrs]

so let's say I gift myself OBC and reserve an excursion, but I end up not going on the excursion. as long as I cancel in time, how would I receive my OBC back? would it be credited to my card?

 

On our last cruise we received cash back on the final day...just went to the Purser's Desk :)

[sjmbruce]

thanks!

 

one last question....what if I cancel the cruise? would OBC I bought for myself be refundable?

[rdsqrl]

thanks!

 

one last question....what if I cancel the cruise? would OBC I bought for myself be refundable?

Absolutely.

[Treven]

Between my final payment and departure, I'll instruct my TA to take $xxx from my credit card and apply it to my onboard account. As Pam said, this is merely a credit to my onboard folio and onboard charges are deducted from my beginning credit amount. On a couple cruises ago I ended up owing $9 at the end of the cruise. Thought I budgeted fairly well that trip.

Edited September 24, 2013 by Treven

[skynight]

It's a simple debit/credit system. OBC's are credits. Whatever you purchase on the ship, the daily hotel charges (auto-tip) and pre reserved shore excursions, are added to your account. Once your account uses up the credits you get a positive balance. If you purchase credits and don't use them they are fully refundable to your credit card account. Other OBC's such as Carnival Corp. credits, Promo credits, Military credits, etc are not refundable. Do your math before purchasing credits.

[beg3yrs]

Other OBC's such as Carnival Corp. credits, Promo credits, Military credits, etc are not refundable. Do your math before purchasing credits.

 

This is not as bad as it sounds. If you have these "non-refundable" special credits, they are considered to be spent first, before any of your own pre-purchased OBC is spent.

 

Additionally, I have not read any reports that any residual OBC was not refunded at the end of a cruise.

 

It is a general belief among some of the more experienced posters on this forum that Princess' statements regarding the non-refundability of these special credits is only their attempt to get you to spend it all.

[monakayk]

You'll have to go to the Gifts section and purchase on board credits for yourself. This allows you to pay now for cruise excursions you'll be charged for later.

Jeannie,

Great info...keeping this for future reference.:D

[cbrad]

Is there some reason why one cant or shouldnt pay for exp,enses with credit card while on cruise? Assuming one doesnt mind doing? Thanks for insights.

[Hoosier-Cruiser]

After being jerked around by the credit card companies for years, we finally had enough and cancelled them all. We now have only a debit card.

 

I plan to gift myself enough for what I think we will spend, or at least close to it, so I don't get caught with several holds for my daily charges.

[Pam in CA]

This is not as bad as it sounds. If you have these "non-refundable" special credits, they are considered to be spent first, before any of your own pre-purchased OBC is spent.

 

Additionally, I have not read any reports that any residual OBC was not refunded at the end of a cruise.

As of October, Princess acknowledged that OBC at the end of the cruise is refundable regardless of the source. As you say, it's assumed the non-refundable OBC is used first. I've received refunds but have also bought early Christmas presents with leftover OBC the night before disembarking.

[caribill]

Is there some reason why one cant or shouldnt pay for exp,enses with credit card while on cruise? Assuming one doesnt mind doing? Thanks for insights.

 

Some people like to end the cruise without having a large credit card bill showing up.

[cbrad]

ah - ok. so not b/c some extra fees cruise line attaches to using credit card. thanks for replies. tho I also use debit (primarily!) and will look at that gifting OBC in advance thing - thanks!

[dorisis]

:eek:I want to prepay my tours.. I hope princess does this as don't want on my onboard account

 

You could gift yourself an on board credit or the amount of the tours.

[susancruzs]

I use both debit/credit. On longer cruises, I check my balance, put some cash towards it.

 

I like using the machine where you can swipe your card to print your current balance!

 

On my recent cruise I was behind someone screaming for her husband, what a hoot!!! :) Normally I would think it is the way around, but then maybe he was in the casino!!!