Combine Onboard Accounts?

[JamieLogical]

On our last sailing on the Enchanted Princess in May, it seemed that my husband and I had completely separate onboard accounts. I can't remember if this was true on our Emerald sailing back in 2022. This is problematic because the OBC seems to all be under my name (shareholder benefit and casino). On the May sailing, I also redeemed a bunch of AARP gift cards and all of those got applied to my account, which meant my husband had no OBC on his account and I had a lot. We plan on using OBC and gift cards to upgrade both of us from Plus to Premier so it could be problematic if none of the OBC gets applied to his upgrade. Is there a way to make it so we share an account so any OBC and charges all go to one account and offset each other?

[voljeep]

are you both using the same credit card to secure account(s)  If so, you will have separate running accounts that will be combined into one net total at the end of the cruise.

[JamieLogical]

6 minutes ago, voljeep said:

are you both using the same credit card to secure account(s)  If so, you will have separate running accounts that will be combined into one net total at the end of the cruise.

 

We are, but that doesn't help the situation. My husband will be charged $280 to upgrade from Plus to Premium. If that gets charged to his account, but all the OBC and gift cards get applied to MY account, then at the end we will end up with a charge for $280 to our credit card, even if we had OBC that could have covered the charge.

[alwalaska]

That is interesting and I'm hoping it doesn't pose a problem for us. Our OBC is split, but I plan on using all of it for my soda package.  Hubby is happy with the free beverages and won't drink enough sodas to make it worth the cost.  

 

We both have the same credit card linked, but like the OP said, that doesn't help if the two are tallied independently. If having the same credit card makes them tally together, both charges and OBC before payment, then it solves both of our concerns.

 

@JamieLogical Is there something about your final bill statement that said they weren't combined on your last cruise?  

[GoDucksNation]

You just need to go to guest services at some point to make sure your accounts are linked. It seems to happen to me just about every cruise.

[LACruiser88]

Our shipboard accounts have always been linked and charged to one credit card.  This has never been an issue for us.

[TM]

We've also always had our accounts linked and on one credit card.  My account typically has the most of the credits and my wife's expenses just mostly go against my account.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

56 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

Is there a way to make it so we share an account so any OBC and charges all go to one account and offset each other?

yes, use the same credit card, especially if you are in the same cabin.

 

I was in the same cabin with DH and DS, using the same CC, so all of our OBC was pooled.

 

I also needed to transfer my parents' OBC to myself, but GS couldn't do it until I used the same credit card for all 5 of us. Then it only took a minute for GS to then transfer my parents' OBC from a different cabin to mine. I spent all of it because we don't use the casino and I can't convert it.

 

We had a combined $250 OBC (I know it's peanuts compared to some people), plus $25 Princess prizes, plus $12 pp tax refund OBC, and we spent it to cover DS's specialty dining and gratuities, dad's excursion, and my onboard shopping with leftovers ($123).

 

Edited June 20 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Itchy&Scratchy]

41 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

We are, but that doesn't help the situation. My husband will be charged $280 to upgrade from Plus to Premium. If that gets charged to his account, but all the OBC and gift cards get applied to MY account, then at the end we will end up with a charge for $280 to our credit card, even if we had OBC that could have covered the charge.

no, it will be taken out of OBC automatically. Look at the statement I posted above.

[suekel]

59 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

On our last sailing on the Enchanted Princess in May, it seemed that my husband and I had completely separate onboard accounts. I can't remember if this was true on our Emerald sailing back in 2022. This is problematic because the OBC seems to all be under my name (shareholder benefit and casino). On the May sailing, I also redeemed a bunch of AARP gift cards and all of those got applied to my account, which meant my husband had no OBC on his account and I had a lot. We plan on using OBC and gift cards to upgrade both of us from Plus to Premier so it could be problematic if none of the OBC gets applied to his upgrade. Is there a way to make it so we share an account so any OBC and charges all go to one account and offset each other?

All you have to do is ask at Guest Services.  I find Princess to very inconsistent on which ships do this.  Ask and they will combine.  they have every time for me.  

[Rick&Jeannie]

We have *always* just used the same credit card and it has always worked out in the end.

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, JamieLogical said:

On our last sailing on the Enchanted Princess in May, it seemed that my husband and I had completely separate onboard accounts. I can't remember if this was true on our Emerald sailing back in 2022. This is problematic because the OBC seems to all be under my name (shareholder benefit and casino). On the May sailing, I also redeemed a bunch of AARP gift cards and all of those got applied to my account, which meant my husband had no OBC on his account and I had a lot. We plan on using OBC and gift cards to upgrade both of us from Plus to Premier so it could be problematic if none of the OBC gets applied to his upgrade. Is there a way to make it so we share an account so any OBC and charges all go to one account and offset each other?

 

I would suggest having your accounts combined as suggested above by others and, if you are still uncertain it will fix your issue, simply have each of you redeem some of the gift cards as OBC to your own accounts. That way you will be certain it's going to work out the way you want and you won't have to deal with any angst regarding the process.

[CruiseMom88]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

yes, use the same credit card, especially if you are in the same cabin.

 

I was in the same cabin with DH and DS, using the same CC, so all of our OBC was pooled.

 

I also needed to transfer my parents' OBC to myself, but GS couldn't do it until I used the same credit card for all 5 of us. Then it only took a minute for GS to then transfer my parents' OBC from a different cabin to mine. I spent all of it because we don't use the casino and I can't convert it.

 

We had a combined $250 OBC (I know it's peanuts compared to some people), plus $25 Princess prizes, plus $12 pp tax refund OBC, and we spent it to cover DS's specialty dining and gratuities, dad's excursion, and my onboard shopping with leftovers ($123).

 

Thanks for this info.  We have similar situation as yours:

 

* 2 cabins

* Each person has individual OBC

* Wish to combine all 4 individual OBC into "1" lump sum OBC

* Using same credit card for each person so same credit card for the 2 cabins

 

Based on your experience: 

*  Ask Guest Services to combine the "4" individual OBC into "1" lump sum OBC and "transfer" the combined OBC amount to "1" person?  Or to "1" cabin?

 

*  Once done, the "1" person?  Or "1" cabin?  will have access to the combined OBC amount.

 

1)  Is my understanding correct?  Thanks.

 

2)  Also ... did you physically go to see a Guest Services agent OR did you chat with a Guest Services agent via Ocean Now App?

 

Thanks!

Edited June 20 by CruiseMom88

[Itchy&Scratchy]

15 minutes ago, CruiseMom88 said:

Based on your experience: 

*  Ask Guest Services to combine the "4" individual OBC into "1" lump sum OBC and "transfer" the combined OBC amount to "1" person?  Or to "1" cabin?

they made me the Account Owner (all the way at the top of the folio), and the rest of the people were authorized users. But yes - to transfer the OBC from cabin #2 to my cabin/account, I had to make a trip to GS to request it. I prefer to do everything in person, because I hate typing on the phone.

 

I did this on the last night because I wanted to spend the entire leftover $123 on one purchase instead trying to match the leftover amounts to 2 smaller purchases. The shops could not split the payment for one item between two cabins, and that's why I had to combine OBC into one lump sum.  Once it was combined, I went and spent the entire leftover amount in one store. My son's specialty dining was charged to our cabin's folio sometime later that night as well (I figured it into the total before making the store purchase).

 

Before the last night we simply told waiters to charge specialty dining or extras in MDR to X or Y's account.  Then GS combined the leftover OBC into one account and put my parents on my folio, which is the resulting folio you see above. At that point it wouldn't have mattered who in our group of 5 made the purchase - it would be applied to a combined OBC.

[CruiseMom88]

27 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

 

I did this on the last night because I wanted to spend the entire leftover $123 on one purchase instead trying to match the leftover amounts to 2 smaller purchases.   YES!  THIS IS ME EXACTLY.  Thanks!!

 

 

Thank you.  Exactly the info I was looking for,  Appreciate the detailed explanation.