Any reason to NOT prepay for some On Board Credit?

[voljeep]

We leave in about 2 weeks and this is the first cruise where we have NO OBC - bummer. It's just a little 5 day on the Crown, we did get a recent price drop and grats free.

 

I have the drink package, wife doesn't this time. I'm thinking about purchasing about $150 in general OBC to cover her drinks and incidentals. I guess my only concern would be if we didn't use it all, and that's not going to happen, and have credit left over, it would jut go back to my original form of payment, since it wasn't a use it or lose it credit

[easyboy]

I see no reason for me to prepay

 

 

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[DougH]

Why bother? I see absolutely no reason to pay them in advance.

[voljeep]

I'm guessing with answers like that, no wonder you have 18,000+ points

[antsp]

I'm guessing with answers like that, no wonder you have 18,000+ points

None at all unless you are paying in a non usd currency, maybe then the exchange rate will be in your favour. Exchange rate is locked in on the day you book

[voljeep]

I know it's more of a personal thing, but my wife will be more likely to order drinks, since "they have already been paid for" and not be on the final balance.

 

Happy wife, happy life -

[skynight]

When is your credit card cut off. Will pre-purchase and on board charges be on the same credit card bill? I think any left over OBC is refunded by check in a plain envelope about 2+ weeks after disembarkation.

[voljeep]

will use a debit card for this, so it comes out immediately - thus "already paid for"

[Tedferg]

I know it's more of a personal thing, but my wife will be more likely to order drinks, since "they have already been paid for" and not be on the final balance.

 

Happy wife, happy life -

 

 

I understand and agree - your wife will feel like she has the Beverage Package.

[WVBill]

will use a debit card for this, so it comes out immediately - thus "already paid for"

 

Absolutely no reason to buy OBC early with a debit (assuming you're talking US$). Only difference is you'll have $150 sitting in Princess' bank v.s. your bank.

[voljeep]

I understand and agree - your wife will feel like she has the Beverage Package.

 

Totally got it - guess i'll just lose all that interest I would have earned on that $150 for a week or so

[Micahs Grandad]

If prepaying works for you go ahead.

 

We prefer not paying for things before we have too.

[frugaltravel]

If prepaying works for you go ahead.

 

We prefer not paying for things before we have too.

 

I feel exactly the same way. Why pay in advance if it brings me absolutely no benefit?

[voljeep]

oh, there's benefits, believe me...

[JF - retired RRT]

will use a debit card for this, so it comes out immediately - thus "already paid for"

Don't use your debit card to guarantee your onboard account!!!

Unless you have a lot of money in your checking account.;)

Anything you spend on board is debited from your folio. When/if you run out of OBC, the computer will start dinging your credit or debit card. They get very upset, if your bank balance doesn't exceed your onboard charges.

Those pesky charges can add up. Since it's your first cruise, you'll be tempted to try everything. Photos when you board, in the MDR, at each port? Check.

Specialty dining? Check.

A drink here, a drink there, a bottle of wine with dinner? Uh Huh.

That really great t-shirt at the $10 sale? Can't live without it.

An excursion that you just have to take? There's still room for us, let's go!

Bingo? Casino? Gotta try it at least once.

Art auction? Did I just win that bid for that stupid painting?

Some get off the ship after spending more on the ship than the cruise cost. OUCH!!

If you're careful, you can leave without spending a dime, but almost no on manages to do that.

[c-boy]

oh, there's benefits, believe me...

lol... BAZINGA !

[TSM AND JP]

Lots of benefit for me to pre purchase on board credit. I get a better exchange rate than I can get at the bank right now.

[voljeep]

Don't use your debit card to guarantee your onboard account!!!

Unless you have a lot of money in your checking account.;)

Anything you spend on board is debited from your folio. When/if you run out of OBC, the computer will start dinging your credit or debit card. They get very upset, if your bank balance doesn't exceed your onboard charges.

Those pesky charges can add up. Since it's your first cruise, you'll be tempted to try everything. Photos when you board, in the MDR, at each port? Check.

Specialty dining? Check.

A drink here, a drink there, a bottle of wine with dinner? Uh Huh.

That really great t-shirt at the $10 sale? Can't live without it.

An excursion that you just have to take? There's still room for us, let's go!

Bingo? Casino? Gotta try it at least once.

Art auction? Did I just win that bid for that stupid painting?

Some get off the ship after spending more on the ship than the cruise cost. OUCH!!

If you're careful, you can leave without spending a dime, but almost no on manages to do that.

 

12th cruise with Princess - first without ANY OBC is all:evilsmile:

[srpilo]

FYI ..Just make sure you apply it to your Wife's account, Princess separated the onboard accounts sometime last year in regards to OBC, if you log on to your account and purchase OBC, it gets applied to you, and not your wife, otherwise your wife will run a balance on her charges and you'll have the $150.00 just sitting in your onboard account.

 

You can also go to customer service once onboard and have them transfer it to your Wife's side of the account

Srpilo

[msmoger]

FYI ..Just make sure you apply it to your Wife's account, Princess separated the onboard accounts sometime last year in regards to OBC, if you log on to your account and purchase OBC, it gets applied to you, and not your wife, otherwise your wife will run a balance on her charges and you'll have the $150.00 just sitting in your onboard account.

 

You can also go to customer service once onboard and have them transfer it to your Wife's side of the account

Srpilo

 

I'm pretty sure this is only partially true. As long as your reservations are linked and using the same credit/debit card for on board charges, which I assume will be true since it's your spouse and you're in the same cabin ;), your accounts will be combined and netted at the conclusion of your cruise. That has always been the case when we cruise.

[antsp]

FYI ..Just make sure you apply it to your Wife's account, Princess separated the onboard accounts sometime last year in regards to OBC, if you log on to your account and purchase OBC, it gets applied to you, and not your wife, otherwise your wife will run a balance on her charges and you'll have the $150.00 just sitting in your onboard account.

 

You can also go to customer service once onboard and have them transfer it to your Wife's side of the account

Srpilo

 

As long as the same credit card is registered onboard for both passengers you don’t need to do anything else

[satxdiver]

I never prepay unless I have to for pre-cruise items like excursions (ugh!). The money looks better in my account than it does in a Princess account. So to the OP I see no reason to buy OBC.

[voljeep]

If it's out of my account a couple weeks early, it's all good. That's why I go ahead and will prepay is so I've already got it planned for.

[srpilo]

As long as the same credit card is registered onboard for both passengers you don’t need to do anything else

Sorry Wrong

Princess puts daily holds on credit cards, and since last year if you've ever checked your credit card while still onboard, you would have seen that they look at each cabin card holder separately, as far as "pending transaction" holds on your CC every 24 hours .

 

But yes..The final close out on your CC will take in to account both card holders balances and OBC, and close out the cabin in one charge.

 

I only posted this because the OP stated he was using a debit card onboard, and those daily holds might affect his/her's debit card available balance because of the daily holds on his wife's cabin card

 

Last post on this subject.. YMMV

Srpilo

[voljeep]

As long as the same credit card is registered onboard for both passengers you don’t need to do anything else

 

it is - and for the record, I just went into my Princess account and there is no option to designate it to one person or the other, just stated that it could be used by anyone on the booking - just me and m wife.

 

And everytime we have cruised, the accounts have been netted against each other at the end of the cruise. I "like" to have a balance under a $100 at the end and that is easily managed, and if not - meh...