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Redrider2
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What's your next cruise?

We are a retired military couple too.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

 

My wife and I are heading from Indiana to LA via Amtrak, spending a couple of nights in San Pedro before boarding the Star Princess for 15 nights round trip to Hawaii. Princess gives a military OBC which for us is $250.00 but you have to fax your DD 214 to get the credit.;)

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My wife and I are heading from Indiana to LA via Amtrak, spending a couple of nights in San Pedro before boarding the Star Princess for 15 nights round trip to Hawaii. Princess gives a military OBC which for us is $250.00 but you have to fax your DD 214 to get the credit.;)

 

You are partially correct, but you don't have to fax the Veterans Benefit Form and DD214 copy, you can also mail them if you are unable or don't want to fax it. Also, the amount of the OBC varies, depending on the length of the cruise from $50 (6 days or less) , to $100 (7-13 days) to $250 (14 or more days). One other thing that you need to know is that if you schedule a cruise through a travel agent, you need to make sure that the travel agent logs in your Captain's Circle number to your reservation as that is what your Veteran's Benefit is linked to. If that agent doesn't include that CC number in your reservation, you will not receive your OBC!

 

 

For anybody reading this, I'm attaching a copy of the Veterans Benefit Form to this message so you don't have to go hunting up the form. The form and copy of the DD214 only has to be submitted one time to Princess after that the OBC will be there on every Princess cruise as long as your Captain's Circle number is linked to your cruise reservation as mentioned above.

 

Tom

Princess Military Personnel Benefit Form.pdf

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  • 3 weeks later...
On ‎9‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 3:49 PM, Pierlesscruisers said:

 

You are partially correct, but you don't have to fax the Veterans Benefit Form and DD214 copy, you can also mail them if you are unable or don't want to fax it. Also, the amount of the OBC varies, depending on the length of the cruise from $50 (6 days or less) , to $100 (7-13 days) to $250 (14 or more days). One other thing that you need to know is that if you schedule a cruise through a travel agent, you need to make sure that the travel agent logs in your Captain's Circle number to your reservation as that is what your Veteran's Benefit is linked to. If that agent doesn't include that CC number in your reservation, you will not receive your OBC!

 

 

For anybody reading this, I'm attaching a copy of the Veterans Benefit Form to this message so you don't have to go hunting up the form. The form and copy of the DD214 only has to be submitted one time to Princess after that the OBC will be there on every Princess cruise as long as your Captain's Circle number is linked to your cruise reservation as mentioned above.

 

Tom

Princess Military Personnel Benefit Form.pdf

Also blackout your SSN. 

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  • 10 months later...

Looks like this post has been quiet since Oct. 2018, so let me revive it. I retired as an Army Sergeant Major/E9 in 2007 after 4 years active duty US Marines, 2 years California Army National Guard, and 22 years US Army Reserves for a total time in service of 28 years. Only one more year remaining of gray area retirement benefits, and then the full retirement benefits kick-in such as a lifetime pension and medical/dental coverage.

I currently live in an RV full-time as well as timeshares & cruises. I take advantage of military RV campgrounds and get to see all the bases I never got to visit while still serving. I always take advantage of the Commissary & PX/BX when on any military bases. The United Service Organizations (USO) is available to retirees on a Space Available basis, and that is just about all the time. The USOs make great resources when traveling (including cruising), and can be found on many bases, large airports, and downtown areas in larger cities. I also love it when cruise lines give discounts to veterans, and I "Especially Love" the Princess Military Cruise Benefit Program.

 

If you ever want to take the attention away from the Ship's Captain, simply wear your Dress Blues or Mess Dress Uniform to the formal dinners. I did this on a 15 day cruise to Hawaii with 2 or 3 formal nights, and will not do so again. You will become the center of attention, like it or not. 🙂

 

I want to say hello to all veterans & their families, and say Thank You For Your Service. May you have safe travels, a long & healthy life, and get to enjoy as many cruises as you possibly can!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Nice to hopefully see this thread revived.  I'm a navy wife (who also posts on her husbands behalf at times).  My husband was 5 years active duty as an Electronics Technician Radioman on submarines.  We were stationed at Pearl Harbor.  His enlistment was up and he was done with the Navy and sick of the BS.  He took an 8 year break and realized some of the best times of his life was in the Navy; along with meeting most of our lifelong friends.  He signed back up, but for the Navy Reserves this time.  We were established with our life in WI.  He has 3 years left until he has his 20 years in. 


The reserves aren't the same..... But now so close to retirement with a decent pension and medical benefits for retirement he is sticking it out, plus he feels it's his duty to serve our country.  He has had some great opportunities with the reserves; twice he spent 3 months in Thailand, did a summer on the east coast for the War of 1812 ceremony and this year he spent a month in Japan and will go back for another month yet this year. 


The travel benefits are also huge for us; traveling back to HI and staying at Hale Koa numerous times.  Staying in Germany at Edelweiss, Disney at Shades of Green.  Then even some of the Gateway Inns in places like Coronado Island or just a town we are driving through and need a decent cheap place to sleep for the night.  When we retire we'll hopefully take advance of the RV parks and possibly Space A flights if we could get on.  

 

Thank you all for your service and stay safe!

 

 

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  • 2 years later...

Retired from active duty, U.S. Army, 95B40V5 (SFC, Military Policeman and Investigator).  Love to travel and cruising is on the top of my love to do list.  We're loyal to Royal Caribbean and the Oasis Class ships.  Our next booked cruise is on the Harmony of the Seas, out of Galveston in January 2024.  But, I'm sure we will be cruising again before then.

 

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  • 3 months later...

Bump it along!  Retired Air Force heading out on Princess in January 2023.  It’s our 2nd cruise since the lock down.  January 2021’s cruise was great, masks or not!  Missed sitting on the balcony and chilling…

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  • 2 weeks later...

Retired Navy Master Chief Electronics Technician after 20 years.  Spent 6 years as a temporary Warrant Officer during the Vietnam era.  Have cruised enough to be 5-star on Holland America and Elite on Princess.  Was last on the Westerdam when we all had to disembark in Cambodia in February 2020 due to Covid.  Our next cruise will be on the same ship for 42 days starting in March of next year.  We will celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary on that cruise.

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That’s awesome, 37 years here.  Thanks for your service.  My wife is an angel.  I just got out of the hospital from covid issues, double vision.  Now she is my DD until it goes away.  Don’t know if the cranial stroke or her driving is worse!  Hopefully will be better by January before next 8 day cruise.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thank you all for your service.  20+ years Air Force (Security Police/Forces) for me and 25 years for my DW.  Just off the NCL Pearl last week, Harmony just before that, and will be on the Grandeur in August.

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  • 2 months later...

Just a common  4 year USAF guy. Did, most of my service in Ramstein Germany with a short tour to Nam. I was in 1966-1969 and was able to get out early because of the Nam thing. 

Proud to have served.

We cruise regularly and our next cruise is a TA on April 30, New Jersey to Rome on the Enchantment. 

 

Cheers

Len

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  • 1 month later...

This thread need another bump 🙂  I was Air Force from 1963 to 1993 and in a few months will have been retired as long as I was on active duty (30 years :-).  Sue and I have been cruising for about 20 years - mostly on Princess.  After telling all our friends 3 years ago we were done with cruising...we took a British Isles cruise last Sep/Oct to celebrate our 50th, and we took an 11 day Christmas cruise in the Caribbean - both Princess.  We have booked a partial Panama Canal cruise out of FLL in Nov because while we have done a full transit, I want to see the new locks.  We also have a 14 day Caribbean cruise out of FLL booked for Feb 2024.  After that we're done cruising!!  Maybe 🙂  We bought Princess stock about the time we started cruising for $8 a share and enjoyed the quarterly dividends and OBC many many times!  We watched the Princess stock go way up again, and then way down and sold it but immediately bought more for $8 again.  So far that $800 investment has given us $700 in OBC in the past year or so - so even though they stopped the dividends it's been a great investment.  Between that and the Military OBC Princess has been very good to us, and while things aren't the same as they were 20 years ago I still find it hard to cheat on her!

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