Defence discount/blue light cards

[Harryjacobs]

Greetings.

I understand that to get the OBC that comes with these cards it needs to be claimed at time of booking.  However on the online booking page I cannot find anywhere to claim this.  So one must phone up and make the booking over the phone?  If so that is a ballache being on hold for ages to make a booking.  Or am I reading this wrong?

Further, those of you who use a TA, have you managed to get the TA to apply the Blue light/DDC OBC?

[Selbourne]

I got our TA to add Blue Light discount for one of our daughters around 18 months after we booked!

[Son of Anarchy]

2 minutes ago, Harryjacobs said:

Greetings.

I understand that to get the OBC that comes with these cards it needs to be claimed at time of booking.  However on the online booking page I cannot find anywhere to claim this.  So one must phone up and make the booking over the phone?  If so that is a ballache being on hold for ages to make a booking.  Or am I reading this wrong?

Further, those of you who use a TA, have you managed to get the TA to apply the Blue light/DDC OBC?

My understanding is that to get the BLC OBC you have to book direct with P &O and it can only be done on the phone.  Which is what we have done.  Yes, can be a pia at times, at other times you get straight through.

 

Have managed once to get a discount off the price of a cruise with a TA, which was to the value of the OBC we have got if we had booked direct.  I felt that this was more of pia than phoning P & O directly so book direct for Select fares ever since.

[Harryjacobs]

6 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I got our TA to add Blue Light discount for one of our daughters around 18 months after we booked!

I tried to retro claim my DDC for a trip on Iona but as I claimed after I had booked P&O would not honour it.

I am eyeing up a trip on Ventura next year and would like to get the OBC.  

Edited June 28, 2023 by Harryjacobs

[Happy2023]

I booked online four weeks ago, direct with P&O, for a trip in October 2023. I didn’t think at the time to check Blue Light or Defence Discount - I have both. I rang yesterday and was told the Blue Light discount had to be done at time of booking, by ringing P&O. However, the Defence Discount could be applied there and then. I just had to give my membership number. I had a new email in a matter of minutes confirming the new OBC. I rang about 6pm and waited about 7 minutes to get through. You can’t have both discounts applied at the same time, but the amounts are the same for each. Just depends on duration of trip and cabin selection.The P&O agent was really helpful.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Happy2023
Typo

[Winifred 22]

Do you know if can be applied to Cunard cruises ? 

[tring]

I have a BLC and the rules are for this to be applied at booking time only and it has to be a direct phone booking with P&O.  I had heard that the defence card can be applied at a later date.  

 

The BLC is not combinable  with an agent booking - only direct with P&O, but the agent I use is happy to apply a  discount equivalent to the OBC we would have got if booked direct with P&O, but it is instead of their normal agent discount they give, so not much different, but they check to see which would be the better discount.  They did ask for a scanned copy of my BLC to be sent to them for my last booking (a couple of months back), which is fair enough - apparently they have had people trying to claim the discount who who did not have a card.

 

The benefit is not permanent and can go off sometimes, then go back on again, so need to check the BLC website.

 

Edited June 28, 2023 by tring

[tring]

9 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

Do you know if can be applied to Cunard cruises ? 

 

I think there is usually an offer, but suggest you check on the relevant website to check what is offered currently (it does change).  I know BLC website lists the offers that are currently available and they are searchable and I assume the defence card site will do the same.  Offers can be quite different - not the same for all Carnival Corporation brands.

 

[Winifred 22]

Thanks I will get my son in law to check. I can only get Blue Light Discount on P&O so may well be the same. 

[Grumpycruiser60plus]

Have just checked D.D.S. Website, cannot find Anything for Cunard, only P & O and Princess cruises. Best to check with T.A.

 

[NavyPanda]

Can anyone confirm the specific benefits when using the Blue Light Card?

 

Can it be used with Early Saver or Saver bookings?

[Winifred 22]

Thank you for looking 

[Winifred 22]

Just now, NavyPanda said:

Can anyone confirm the specific benefits when using the Blue Light Card?

 

Can it be used with Early Saver or Saver bookings?

No I have just checked when looking for other information can only be for select and at time of booking. Have to call can’t do it online either . 

[Winifred 22]

3 minutes ago, NavyPanda said:

Can anyone confirm the specific benefits when using the Blue Light Card?

 

Can it be used with Early Saver or Saver bookings?

 

[sandancer]

39 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

Do you know if can be applied to Cunard cruises ? 

I have only ever been able to claim BLC obc on P&O. We use an agent and they can’t give us obc but discount the cruise by the specific amount we would receive if we booked direct. 

[Book bug]

As previously mentioned,  the discounts / obc seem to come and go. I have previously had 5% discount with Cunard. Celebrity and RCI also have been on blc with discount

[Harryjacobs]

Booked a trip on Ventura yesterday over the phone to use my DDC.  On hold for just 5 mins then spoke to a lovely lady.  I did point out that they ought to put a way on entering the DDC/BLC onto the online booking page.