Booked with Big Box TA, $300 shipboard credit not available until on ship?

[PKNC]

I booked a Princess cruise with CC (not naming the warehouse in case it's not permitted) for the first time. I noticed today that a $300 shipboard credit won't be available to use until we're on the ship in July. I'd like to book a few excursions now, but I'd prefer to use up the shipboard credit first. Based on my reading of the Princess excursion cancellation policy, I would only get a shipboard credit, not a refund, if I cancel an excursion within the "closing time for cancellations" while on board. Is this true? Do excursions sell out?

 

I'm concerned that we won't want to use our credit for much other than excursions. I could delay one excursion sign up costing $79.95 per person because I'm not overly vested in it - it's the last day in port, transfer to airport. I'm sure I could arrange this on my own, but I would go with Princess if available. I'm wary about excursions we're interested in selling out. We have drinks, prepaid tips, etc. in our fare already.

[Thrak]

If the OBC is being provided by the "booking agency" (the big box isn't really a full service Travel Agency) it most likely won't be available until you board. Yes, excursions do sell out and the price can go up. I believe it is correct that cancelling an excursion on board results in On Board Credit but, if you paid for the excursion with cash or a credit card, the OBC should be fully refundable.

[Outerdog]

Why would you expect that shipboard credit (or onboard credit) would be available at any time other than on board? I mean, it's right there in the name.

[malba2366]

If these OBC are coming from Princess (ie. advertised on the princess website when you look at your cruise), then you should be able to use them for excursions now.  Every time I have used the bog box store they have given me a store gift card as their promotion. 

Edited January 27, 2023 by malba2366

[Thrak]

22 minutes ago, Outerdog said:

Why would you expect that shipboard credit (or onboard credit) would be available at any time other than on board? I mean, it's right there in the name.

 

OBC provided by Princess is available to use prior to the cruise for booking excursions.

[PacnGoNow]

22 minutes ago, Outerdog said:

Why would you expect that shipboard credit (or onboard credit) would be available at any time other than on board? I mean, it's right there in the name.

I have used OBC for excursions pre cruise.  When you book your excursion, it will show if you have OBC available to use.  If you don’t, then it will show payment due and you give a CC number.

Some of the TA OBC are only available once OB. 
 

[MIJOY]

In the past I would use onboard credit to pay tips.  I was actually surprised that they  used my OBC for excursions on my next cruise.

 

[caribill]

It is not just the big box bookings that the OBC will not be available until on the ship.

 

It happens with many regular TA bookings. It really depends on who is really supplying the OBC. Some TA OBC is really out of the TA's pocket. Some TA OBC is really coming from Princess.

 

But---the way the accounting system works (at least at present) is when you board all the excursions will really then get posted to your onboard account and non-refundable OBC will get used up first even if you paid for an excursion pre-cruise with a credit card.

 

So if you have enough non-refundable OBC to cover the excursions and do not spend all of your refundable OBC during the cruise, you will get what's left back after the cruise.

[nini]

On 1/27/2023 at 12:58 PM, PKNC said:

I booked a Princess cruise with CC (not naming the warehouse in case it's not permitted) for the first time. I noticed today that a $300 shipboard credit won't be available to use until we're on the ship in July. I'd like to book a few excursions now, but I'd prefer to use up the shipboard credit first. Based on my reading of the Princess excursion cancellation policy, I would only get a shipboard credit, not a refund, if I cancel an excursion within the "closing time for cancellations" while on board. Is this true? Do excursions sell out?

 

I'm concerned that we won't want to use our credit for much other than excursions. I could delay one excursion sign up costing $79.95 per person because I'm not overly vested in it - it's the last day in port, transfer to airport. I'm sure I could arrange this on my own, but I would go with Princess if available. I'm wary about excursions we're interested in selling out. We have drinks, prepaid tips, etc. in our fare already.

 

We book the same as you. Our OBC was perfectly fine to use to book shore excursions BEFORE boarding the ship. We did exactly that last September on the Grand. This is one exception to using OBC before boarding.

[PKNC]

Thanks for this info, I will see what I can do! 

[memoak]

There is a reason it is call “on board credit”

[PKNC]

Yes, in case someone else has the same issue - I haven't used CC before as a travel agent. Anyway, on the Princess web site, I was able to find my booking by  logging in with my confirmation number, etc. but I wasn't seeing the onboard credits or other extras included in my booking. I was confused because the Princess web site prompts me to upgrade the drink package, etc. and I knew that I had already purchased these extras through CC. What you need to do is under Onboard Services, scroll to the very bottom of the page (ignore the graphics encouraging you to upgrade before you reach the bottom) and you will see your included upgrades listed as "Compliments Of" in various data tables. To see the onboard credits, go to the Payments link, scroll down, and you will see them listed in in a table there. In my case, I can book excursions now and apply the credits because they were issued by Princess as part of the promotion.