Casino Credits in Australia

[Loritd]

We are going on a New Zealand cruise roundtrip out of Sydney.  If I purchase casino credits will the money automatically be converted to Australian dollars?  If heaven forbid we should be winning and not need all we purchase will it be converted back to US dollars and refunded or will we need to cash out completely before we leave the ship?  Or should we just look into setting up a line of casino credit?  We don't gamble with high stakes but I prefer not to bring a lot of cash with us or get off the boat with a large amount of Australian dollars. We prepaid for our excursions and our tips were included in booking our sail and sign bill shouldn't be much. We will be staying a couple of days post in Sydney so I assume we can pay our hotel room in Australian dollars. Lori

[BRANDEE]

2 hours ago, Loritd said:

We are going on a New Zealand cruise roundtrip out of Sydney.  If I purchase casino credits will the money automatically be converted to Australian dollars?  If heaven forbid we should be winning and not need all we purchase will it be converted back to US dollars and refunded or will we need to cash out completely before we leave the ship?  Or should we just look into setting up a line of casino credit?  We don't gamble with high stakes but I prefer not to bring a lot of cash with us or get off the boat with a large amount of Australian dollars. We prepaid for our excursions and our tips were included in booking our sail and sign bill shouldn't be much. We will be staying a couple of days post in Sydney so I assume we can pay our hotel room in Australian dollars. Lori

  

 

We also are traveling to NZ.  All USD OBC became AUD with no conversion rate used.  Dollar for dollar.  Here is my question.  If I buy $100 USD casino credit pre cruise..Is it put on the personalizer as $100 AUD or $146AUD ?  And is there a rate conversion when cashing out AUD to USD.  I already know we are paying gratuities  in AUD but a rate conversion is being used there.  The $15USD gratuity will be charged as $22AUD

[Loritd]

We booked using a move over offer. Our future cruise deposit onboard credit and our shareholder onboard credit went one to one (they are nonrefundable) but the rest of our onboard credit (refundable) had a .70 to 1 conversion rate. Surely the casino credit would be the same. I see nothing on the website about a one to one conversion rate.  I am going to call Princess in the morning. 

[Expat Cruise]

1 hour ago, Loritd said:

We booked using a move over offer. Our future cruise deposit onboard credit and our shareholder onboard credit went one to one (they are nonrefundable) but the rest of our onboard credit (refundable) had a .70 to 1 conversion rate. Surely the casino credit would be the same. I see nothing on the website about a one to one conversion rate.  I am going to call Princess in the morning. 

The OBC are done 1 to 1 for everything but cash for casino, that they will give you a conversation rate for.  But owners shares, future cruise etc, Princess STEALS FROM THE GUEST WITH 1 to 1. 

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, Expat Cruise said:

The OBC are done 1 to 1 for everything but cash for casino, that they will give you a conversation rate for.  But owners shares, future cruise etc, Princess STEALS FROM THE GUEST WITH 1 to 1. 

 

I don't necessarily like it any better than you do but the Shareholder form clearly states that Australian cruises will receive credit in Australian dollars. If it's in the terms and conditions how is it stealing?

 

[Expat Cruise]

2 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

I don't necessarily like it any better than you do but the Shareholder form clearly states that Australian cruises will receive credit in Australian dollars. If it's in the terms and conditions how is it stealing?

 

Yes I know what it says but they advertise and promote without saying that. Also when we purchase cruises on the US Site and it say $300 OBC, we pay for the  cruise in USD but they then do conversion at  1 to 1 which costs use 40%.  It is stealing and boarders on Fraud.  No full disclosures, But when the benefits go the other way they don't do 1 to 1, for Euros and GBP they do not do 1 for 1 it is just dishonest.

 

[coo359a2]

On the Majestic last January, our US OBC was 1 for 1 to the AUD.  The refundable AU OBC that we had left was converted back to USD at whatever the conversion rate was.  Our AUD$400+ was refunded to around USD$260+.  I had thought it would have been a 1 to 1 conversion back to USD.

[BRANDEE]

10 hours ago, Loritd said:

We booked using a move over offer. Our future cruise deposit onboard credit and our shareholder onboard credit went one to one (they are nonrefundable) but the rest of our onboard credit (refundable) had a .70 to 1 conversion rate. Surely the casino credit would be the same. I see nothing on the website about a one to one conversion rate.  I am going to call Princess in the morning. 

We booked under a $600 per cabin promo.  That is going to be a 1 to 1 .  Also my husband's military credit, and group credit, as well as stock and future cruise credit.  I know all is a "gift" and can be taken away.  But this is one reason we continue to go Princess.  I think it is wrong to use the conversion rate for gratuities.  We use our OBC for gratuities and to me that is cheating us.   I also hear that our loyality credit will now be a 1 to 1 conversion.  But will not know until we board in a month. Not sure I trust pre paying for casino credit, although I like the idea of not carrying too much extra dollars.  

 

[Thrak]

6 hours ago, Expat Cruise said:

Yes I know what it says but they advertise and promote without saying that. Also when we purchase cruises on the US Site and it say $300 OBC, we pay for the  cruise in USD but they then do conversion at  1 to 1 which costs use 40%.  It is stealing and boarders on Fraud.  No full disclosures, But when the benefits go the other way they don't do 1 to 1, for Euros and GBP they do not do 1 for 1 it is just dishonest.

 

 

We have a B2B2B booked for Southern Australia and New Zealand this coming winter. I fully understand why you don't like this policy. We have $925 OBC from Princess and an additional $525 from a TA Promo. I'm guessing that $1,450 USD will all magically become AUD at a strait exchange rather than becoming $2,125 AUD which is the current exchange.

[BRANDEE]

14 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

We have a B2B2B booked for Southern Australia and New Zealand this coming winter. I fully understand why you don't like this policy. We have $925 OBC from Princess and an additional $525 from a TA Promo. I'm guessing that $1,450 USD will all magically become AUD at a strait exchange rather than becoming $2,125 AUD which is the current exchange.

.FYI..your tours on these cruises will be charged in AUD and when charged to your credit card..if you do not have enough OBC, will be billed at the conversion rate.  Also, don't forget to unlink the three cruises to get the roundtrip ticket if using EZAir. If your last leg of the trip is Pacific crossing, that cruise is in USD..just to make matters more complicated.

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, BRANDEE said:

.FYI..your tours on these cruises will be charged in AUD and when charged to your credit card..if you do not have enough OBC, will be billed at the conversion rate.  Also, don't forget to unlink the three cruises to get the roundtrip ticket if using EZAir. If your last leg of the trip is Pacific crossing, that cruise is in USD..just to make matters more complicated.

 

We have the cruises linked for a reason - all 3 are on the same ship in the same cabin. 6 days, 13 days, and 14 days. All sail out of and return to Melbourne. I've booked one-way flights on Virgin Australia each way and will be watching to see if pricing goes down. Currently it's more expensive coming back to California than it is going to Australia. Even with only getting the OBC in AUD we have quite a bit. $1,450 OBC when one already has Gratuities, Beverage Package, and WiFi included should go a long way.

[BRANDEE]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

We have the cruises linked for a reason - all 3 are on the same ship in the same cabin. 6 days, 13 days, and 14 days. All sail out of and return to Melbourne. I've booked one-way flights on Virgin Australia each way and will be watching to see if pricing goes down. Currently it's more expensive coming back to California than it is going to Australia. Even with only getting the OBC in AUD we have quite a bit. $1,450 OBC when one already has Gratuities, Beverage Package, and WiFi included should go a long way.

 

Hi Thrak,

 

I understand why your three are linked.  The same reason my two were linked..same ship and cabin.  However, this prevents a roundtrip ticket.  Unlinking will only effect tradtiional dining assignment from cruise to cruise, if that is what you are doing and that can be addressed once on board.  Also, notify your cabin steward once you are on board that you are staying for three cruises.. 

 

When I originally booked NY to SYD one way and then SYD to NY as a one way my fare was double the roundtrip.  Once unlinked a whole new group of flights were also available to chose from. Do a mock roundtrip flight using only your first cruise without logging in and see if a roundtrip tix is worth it.  When I saw the difference in the Australian flights I called, many times, EZAir to find out why I had to pay double because I could not get a roundtrip tix.  Finally , I got an EZAir agent on the phone who told me what to do.  I called sales department, who unlinked the cruises.  I now have two premium ecomony  roundtrip tickets for the price of two one ways.  (I was told not to relink by sales department even after payment).

 

It took me three weeks to find the answer, so just trying to pass along the savings to my fellow cruisers. 

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, BRANDEE said:

 

Hi Thrak,

 

I understand why your three are linked.  The same reason my two were linked..same ship and cabin.  However, this prevents a roundtrip ticket.  Unlinking will only effect tradtiional dining assignment from cruise to cruise, if that is what you are doing and that can be addressed once on board.  Also, notify your cabin steward once you are on board that you are staying for three cruises.. 

 

When I originally booked NY to SYD one way and then SYD to NY as a one way my fare was double the roundtrip.  Once unlinked a whole new group of flights were also available to chose from. Do a mock roundtrip flight using only your first cruise without logging in and see if a roundtrip tix is worth it.  When I saw the difference in the Australian flights I called, many times, EZAir to find out why I had to pay double because I could not get a roundtrip tix.  Finally , I got an EZAir agent on the phone who told me what to do.  I called sales department, who unlinked the cruises.  I now have two premium ecomony  roundtrip tickets for the price of two one ways.  (I was told not to relink by sales department even after payment).

 

It took me three weeks to find the answer, so just trying to pass along the savings to my fellow cruisers. 

 

Okay. You are now officially a troublemaker!  I had the cruises linked because I am paranoid about Princess giving me an unwanted "upgrade" on one of the segments. I really don't want to have multiple cabins on this trip. Now you come along using logic and finances to throw a monkey wrench into the works. Sigh...

 

I did a fake booking with a courtesy hold this morning after reading your post. While the fare isn't double, a round-trip fare is $567 less than the two one-way flights I have booked. My wife is gone today (one of her quilting groups - she has another one tomorrow) but should be home late this afternoon and I'll discuss the issue with her. Spending an "extra" $567 seems like it would be a huge waste. It's too bad it isn't enough to upgrade to a better class of seating but it's too much money to give away for free.

 

Thanks for your input and insight into the benefit of unlinking the cruises. Hopefully we don't end up having Princess mess with our cabin selection. We're booked in an aft Caribe balcony (C731) for the combined 33 days.

Edited January 24, 2020 by Thrak

[BRANDEE]

52 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

Okay. You are now officially a troublemaker!  I had the cruises linked because I am paranoid about Princess giving me an unwanted "upgrade" on one of the segments. I really don't want to have multiple cabins on this trip. Now you come along using logic and finances to throw a monkey wrench into the works. Sigh...

 

I did a fake booking with a courtesy hold this morning after reading your post. While the fare isn't double, a round-trip fare is $567 less than the two one-way flights I have booked. My wife is gone today (one of her quilting groups - she has another one tomorrow) but should be home late this afternoon and I'll discuss the issue with her. Spending an "extra" $567 seems like it would be a huge waste. It's too bad it isn't enough to upgrade to a better class of seating but it's too much money to give away for free.

 

Thanks for your input and insight into the benefit of unlinking the cruises. Hopefully we don't end up having Princess mess with our cabin selection. We're booked in an aft Caribe balcony (C731) for the combined 33 days.

 

I get it..I asked for no upgrade due to connected balcony with brother's room for both cruises.  Good Luck!  PS..now you can have $567USD  more to use in the casino. or $830AUD..we still don't know which .lol

Edited January 24, 2020 by BRANDEE