Bonnie..Please describe the "work-around" for using OBC for excursions

[LuAnn]

Bonnie...since it appears that anyone cruising for the rest of '17 and possibly even into '18 must use the "work-around" to pre book shore excursions with OBC could you please describe for us what exactly that entails? I've seen you mention it in a number of threads but not sure I have the full picture and thought it might be helpful to have it described in one central place. Thanks! LuAnn

[rabin1]

The way I understand it seems pretty simple but who knows..............lol

1. you book and pay on your CC for the tours you want.

2. once you get on board everyone runs to shore excursions and they use your OBC for the tours at the price you paid no increase and they give you your money back on your CC.

3. they tie up your money until you get on board. Who is making money on all that interest?

 

Sounds simple but who knows until you try to do it. Anyone done it yet?

 

Kathy

[uktog]

The way I understand it seems pretty simple but who knows..............lol

1. you book and pay on your CC for the tours you want.

2. once you get on board everyone runs to shore excursions and they use your OBC for the tours at the price you paid no increase and they give you your money back on your CC.

3. they tie up your money until you get on board. Who is making money on all that interest?

 

Sounds simple but who knows until you try to do it. Anyone done it yet?

 

Kathy

 

 

No you are very wrong on Point 2 you have to pay the rate price onboard which can be a bit higher.

 

Also you very important for non US guests. You pay in sterling at the prevailing rate set by Azamara for excursions (the lower exchange rate). On refund, the refund is done at the prevailing rate for currency conversion - there will inevitably be a difference between the buy and sell rate and of course you also carry the currency risk

[Host Jazzbeau]

3. they tie up your money until you get on board. Who is making money on all that interest?

 

You mean the $0.01 the bank puts in my checking account every month? Without that, I would have to cut my cruising in half! :D

[rabin1]

You mean the $0.01 the bank puts in my checking account every month? Without that, I would have to cut my cruising in half! :D

 

That is not what I meant. I meant all the money being collected by Azamara for tours we are paying for and they are holding that revenue until tours are rebooked onboard. I get a whole 6 cents whoopee..............lol

 

Kathy

[excitedofharpenden]

Bonnie...since it appears that anyone cruising for the rest of '17 and possibly even into '18 must use the "work-around" to pre book shore excursions with OBC could you please describe for us what exactly that entails? I've seen you mention it in a number of threads but not sure I have the full picture and thought it might be helpful to have it described in one central place. Thanks! LuAnn

LuAnn, it's hard to believe this is taking so long to sort out. It's been talked about for what seems like ages. For those of us who don't use USD as our major currency it puts us at even more of a disadvantage, for the reasons uktog mentions. If I could go on the website, book my ship tour using my OBC and be sure of place on the tour I'd do it and I'm sure the take up of tours would be better too. Less chance of them being cancelled as is ithe case now. Azamara really need to sort this out.

 

Phil

[Lottie A]

Ditto Phil. We need a LIKE button here.

 

I have a lot of OBC to use for my B2B next June and was planning to use some of it for ship's tours. It seems like we have been waiting for ever for the facility to book tours online prior to boarding and using our OBC.

 

Surely it shouldn't be that hard to update the system? :rolleyes:

[mare s.]

Ditto Phil. We need a LIKE button here.

 

I have a lot of OBC to use for my B2B next June and was planning to use some of it for ship's tours. It seems like we have been waiting for ever for the facility to book tours online prior to boarding and using our OBC.

 

Surely it shouldn't be that hard to update the system? :rolleyes:

It really shouldn't be that hard, especially as RCI has it in place already. If I were cynical it would occur to me that Azamara wins financially by not putting this facility in place. 1) They can "give" OBC which can only be used for shore excursions and then take it back because when people get on board the shore excursions they want are no longer available or 2) the new work around allows Azamara to increase the cost of the shore excursion once people are on board (since you have to cancel and re-book), thus reducing the "buying power" of the OBC.

[Lottie A]

Luckily mare s. my rather large amount of OBC this time can be used for anything and is not limited to shorex. I don't usually do ships tours, preferring smaller private ones but we would probably do some next June to spend some of our OBC. That is, if Azamara allow us to pre book them online and pay from our OBC. If not, they will be losing out and I will spend my OBC on handbags and jewellery.

[mare s.]

Luckily mare s. my rather large amount of OBC this time can be used for anything and is not limited to shorex. I don't usually do ships tours, preferring smaller private ones but we would probably do some next June to spend some of our OBC. That is, if Azamara allow us to pre book them online and pay from our OBC. If not, they will be losing out and I will spend my OBC on handbags and jewellery.

we generally don't have OBC...we'd rather have a lower price for the cruise. But for our next cruise in January, we have a lot...from Azamara (which can be used for shore excursions only) and from our TA. We generally do private excursions too, but I've held back a couple of ports figuring I'd use the dedicated OBC there and, if necessary, part of the regular OBC...I don't know how else to spend it...don't do spa, am happy with the included drinks, and will eat at specialty maybe once or at the most twice. Rarely see anything in the on board shops that I want. It's a nice problem to have, to be sure, but I sure wish Azamara would hurry up with the permanent fix. For as long as we've cruised with them, their IT has been pretty poor. You'd think they'd realize it by now and do something about it.

[critterchick]

Luckily mare s. my rather large amount of OBC this time can be used for anything and is not limited to shorex. I don't usually do ships tours, preferring smaller private ones but we would probably do some next June to spend some of our OBC. That is, if Azamara allow us to pre book them online and pay from our OBC. If not, they will be losing out and I will spend my OBC on handbags and jewellery.

 

we generally don't have OBC...we'd rather have a lower price for the cruise. But for our next cruise in January, we have a lot...from Azamara (which can be used for shore excursions only) and from our TA. We generally do private excursions too, but I've held back a couple of ports figuring I'd use the dedicated OBC there and, if necessary, part of the regular OBC...I don't know how else to spend it...don't do spa, am happy with the included drinks, and will eat at specialty maybe once or at the most twice. Rarely see anything in the on board shops that I want. It's a nice problem to have, to be sure, but I sure wish Azamara would hurry up with the permanent fix. For as long as we've cruised with them, their IT has been pretty poor. You'd think they'd realize it by now and do something about it.

 

I believe that Bonnie confirmed a few weeks back that the OBC no longer has a "shore excursion only" restriction. We have a substantial amount that was likely going to go to waste, since I loathe large excursions, but there may be a Go Pro in my future. Not to mention a bottle or three of really nice wines! :-)

[mare s.]

I believe that Bonnie confirmed a few weeks back that the OBC no longer has a "shore excursion only" restriction. We have a substantial amount that was likely going to go to waste, since I loathe large excursions, but there may be a Go Pro in my future. Not to mention a bottle or three of really nice wines! :-)

was that confirmation retroactive or just for obc going forward? can't find the post from Bonnie.

[LuAnn]

was that confirmation retroactive or just for obc going forward? can't find the post from Bonnie.

 

It was a thread called "Can Onboard Credit Be Used For Anything" her post dated 7/17/17. Bonnie stated "Good News! Yes, the old EBB OBC can be used for anything onboard (with the regular exceptions of the Casino or future booking deposits) I've just had this confirmed by our Hotel Department management. And I apologize for the conflicting information. I'll make sure we are all on the same page."

 

I printed the post and put it in my binder to take with me on my T/A in November as we have that type of OBC. LuAnn

[mare s.]

It was a thread called "Can Onboard Credit Be Used For Anything" her post dated 7/17/17. Bonnie stated "Good News! Yes, the old EBB OBC can be used for anything onboard (with the regular exceptions of the Casino or future booking deposits) I've just had this confirmed by our Hotel Department management. And I apologize for the conflicting information. I'll make sure we are all on the same page."

 

I printed the post and put it in my binder to take with me on my T/A in November as we have that type of OBC. LuAnn

Thanks LuAnn! I guess Bonnie answered this while we were away on our last cruise and I never saw it. I too will be printing it out and taking it with on our cruise. Just in case.

 

mare