OBC for existing booking

[zlinuk]

My wife and I are booked for a 10 day eastern caribbean cruise next April. Its was booked direct with Princess through their website in August and at that time there was no offer of an on board credit "sweetener ".

 

Looking at the website last night it seem that they are now offering $150 per head. If I give them a call am a likely to get this offer applied to our booking?

 

Sorry if this is a noobie question, it's our first experience of cruising and we're still learning the ropes.

[Arlened236]

My wife and I are booked for a 10 day eastern caribbean cruise next April. Its was booked direct with Princess through their website in August and at that time there was no offer of an on board credit "sweetener ".

 

Looking at the website last night it seem that they are now offering $150 per head. If I give them a call am a likely to get this offer applied to our booking?

 

Sorry if this is a noobie question, it's our first experience of cruising and we're still learning the ropes.

 

I would definitely call Princess...this far out they can rebook you at the new offer unless the offer says 'new booking only'...we often get a reduced price and better obc after we book. I check the prices weekly and call my TA if I see a better offer. Unless its after final payment we get the new price.

Good luck

Arlene

[zlinuk]

I think tomorrow is the last day to cancel without penalty, so I'd better call them in the morning.

 

Should I be able to cancel and immediately re-book the same cabin?

[ar1950]

I think tomorrow is the last day to cancel without penalty, so I'd better call them in the morning.

 

Should I be able to cancel and immediately re-book the same cabin?

 

You should, but, be sure to check that the cabin price is the same (or less).

[zlinuk]

Ok, thank you both.

[fishywood]

Should I be able to cancel and immediately re-book the same cabin?

 

If you booked early in order to choose a specific cabin, you are taking a big risk in losing that cabin by making any changes to the booking.

 

If that particular cabin category is sold out, your cabin will automatically go to the next person on the waiting list the moment you cancel. And even if not sold out, the cabin you are "vacating"--even for the nanoseconds it takes to cancel then rebook--may not go back into the pool of cabins available for re-booking immediately, or the next day, or ever.

[zlinuk]

Just checked, the cabin is also £150.00 cheaper so we stand to gain £300 + $300

 

Will call them first thing.

[zlinuk]

If you booked early in order to choose a specific cabin, you are taking a big risk in losing that cabin by making any changes to the booking.

 

If that particular cabin category is sold out, your cabin will automatically go to the next person on the waiting list the moment you cancel. And even if not sold out, the cabin you are "vacating"--even for the nanoseconds it takes to cancel then rebook--may not go back into the pool of cabins available for re-booking immediately, or the next day, or ever.

 

Hmm, that muddies the water a little.

[Pia1913]

If you booked early in order to choose a specific cabin, you are taking a big risk in losing that cabin by making any changes to the booking.

 

If that particular cabin category is sold out, your cabin will automatically go to the next person on the waiting list the moment you cancel. And even if not sold out, the cabin you are "vacating"--even for the nanoseconds it takes to cancel then rebook--may not go back into the pool of cabins available for re-booking immediately, or the next day, or ever.

 

Not so, if you have the right TA. They have a way of holding the cabin while rebooking at the new price/offers.

[zlinuk]

Having just checked I had misread, it says prices from £xxx, our cabin is actually the same price that we paid, so only looking to gain the OBC.

[NavyVeteran]

If it is before final payment, you booked with a refundable deposit, and there are cabins available in your category, then you should be able to change the booking to the new sale. However, you may use OBC or other benefits that came with the original booking.

 

If you booked directly with Princess, then call Princess and ask. I've done it several times with direct bookings with no problems. And I've also done it several times with a travel agent when I booked that way.

 

Two of my booked cruises are included in the current sale, but I was not able to take advantage of it for either one.

• In one case, the price had gone up more than the amount of additional OBC I would receive. They would have rebooked me if I had wanted, but I said no thanks.
  
• In the other case, my category was completely sold out. I would have had to change categories to take advantage of the sale, and I did not want to give up my Window Suite.
  

[caribill]

OP is in the UK, not the USA, and so what can be done may be different there.

 

Hopefully the OP can get that OBC that is offered now.

 

Also hope the OP reports back on what happened.

[zlinuk]

I spoke to Princess CS here in the UK and found them to be polite, helpful and well informed.

 

We discussed a number of thing which I'll summarise here;

 

Princess operate a "Buy in Confidence" scheme, which means that early bookers can enjoy the benefits of any promotions that are offered post booking up until 90 days prior to the departure date.

 

The $150 OBC was indeed coupled with an increase in the cabin rate, so the actual benefit would only have been $30 each.

 

Instead I accepted a different promotion that gave us $50 OBC each + 100 minutes of internet each + a bottle of champagne in the cabin on arrival.

 

The promotion was added directly to our account without running the risk of cancelling and rebooking.

 

We are free to take advantage of any promotions that appear between now and 8th Jan (approx).

 

The all inclusive beverage package definitely includes gelato and crepes.

 

Thank you all for your help and advice.

[Pia1913]

I spoke to Princess CS here in the UK and found them to be polite, helpful and well informed.

 

We discussed a number of thing which I'll summarise here;

 

Princess operate a "Buy in Confidence" scheme, which means that early bookers can enjoy the benefits of any promotions that are offered post booking up until 90 days prior to the departure date.

 

The $150 OBC was indeed coupled with an increase in the cabin rate, so the actual benefit would only have been $30 each.

 

Instead I accepted a different promotion that gave us $50 OBC each + 100 minutes of internet each + a bottle of champagne in the cabin on arrival.

 

The promotion was added directly to our account without running the risk of cancelling and rebooking.

 

We are free to take advantage of any promotions that appear between now and 8th Jan (approx).

 

The all inclusive beverage package definitely includes gelato and crepes.

 

Thank you all for your help and advice.

 

Thank you for letting us know how you made out. Even though the extras weren't huge, you are getting something. And you are happy. That's all that matters.