Uses for onboard credit?

[Need-a-vacation]

If you buy a plus or premier package, what things do you end up charging to your folio?  The main things I can think of are: 

-extra specialty/casual meals

-spa

- gift shops

 

Can you use your folio to buy casino credit, or do you have to use cash? I'm wondering if I can use gift cards to buy on board credit to have money to play in the casino.

 

My understanding is that any unused onboard credits will be refunded in cash?

[memoak]

Just charge your casino charges to your rooms d sny OBC will work  as a credit

[dreamin'ofthesea]

Excursions

[Need-a-vacation]

18 minutes ago, dreamin'ofthesea said:

Excursions

Good call. This specific cruise doesn't have any, but it's good to remember!

[Ombud]

58 minutes ago, Need-a-vacation said:

My understanding is that any unused refundable onboard credits will be refunded in cash?

Corrected and OBC can be used everywhere onboard except to purchase Future Cruise Deposits. Those are billed to whichever account you set up to pay off your bill

 

(MasterCard,  Visa, Amex, etc)

Edited August 25 by Ombud

[arizonaperson]

@Need-a-vacation not all onboard credit is refundable,check the specifics on what you have.

[Need-a-vacation]

4 minutes ago, arizonaperson said:

@Need-a-vacation not all onboard credit is refundable,check the specifics on what you have.

I'm only thinking of credit that is bought pre-cruise or with a gift card.  I don't have anything given by princess or TA.

Basically, I want to know that if I buy (or receive) gift cards, that I won't be left with princess credits

 

[mtnesterz]

14 hours ago, Need-a-vacation said:

My understanding is that any unused onboard credits will be refunded in cash?

Ombud is correct about the redundable part. The ship will use the non-refundable first by default.

Unused refundable OBC under $25 is refunded at Passenger Services in cash. If over $25, it will show up by check in a very plain mailed envelope about 2 weeks after your cruise. Don't throw it out by mistake.

Edited August 25 by mtnesterz

[cruzsnooze]

Gift card credit gets put back onto gift cards not cash. If I could get cash for my gift cards I'd buy a thousand dollars worth at 8% discount just for the cash but of course that's not reasonable. You can use it for casino, just charge to your folio at the casino and it's deducted from your on board credits.

[Tranquility Base]

49 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

If over $25, it will show up by check in a very plain mailed envelope about 2 weeks after your cruise. Don't throw it out by mistake.

For the benefit of those who live in a country where cheques are no longer used.

Princess will organise the refund electronically a few weeks after the cruise.

[Seafan22]

Laundry is another good use.  We are on a 31-day trip in a few weeks so there will be a few loads of laundry.

[Ombud]

19 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

For the benefit of those who live in a country where cheques are no longer used.

Princess will organise the refund electronically a few weeks after the cruise.

I can only wish Princess will update this ^^.  It should be amazingly simple to post it to the card on file for everyone. 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

22 hours ago, Need-a-vacation said:

I'm only thinking of credit that is bought pre-cruise or with a gift card.  I don't have anything given by princess or TA.

Basically, I want to know that if I buy (or receive) gift cards,

If I had a premier/plus package, I wouldn't be buying any extra OBC 

[memoak]

9 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

If I had a premier/plus package, I wouldn't be buying any extra OBC 

We use them for spa services

[dweidensaul]

Photos, gift shops, medallion accessories.....

[Need-a-vacation]

1 hour ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

If I had a premier/plus package, I wouldn't be buying any extra OBC 

That's kind of what I was thinking - that my onboard spending would be pretty limited with the plus package. I don't want to end up with money trapped on a princess gift card if I don't use it all.

[mahasamatman]

23 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

The ship will use the non-refundable first by default.

There have been reports that they sometimes use refundable first.

[mtnesterz]

44 minutes ago, mahasamatman said:

There have been reports that they sometimes use refundable first.

My experience dates from May of his year on Enchanted. Had a lot of refundable OBC from cancelled excursions. Our non-refundable was used up onboard first, I confirmed my questions with Passenger Services. As I wrote, I received my refund as I was told I would be.

Edited August 26 by mtnesterz

[Cruisemeister2002]

Only my advice, but personally I'd make sure I didn't have refundable or non refundable OBC by the time I disembarked. Saves problems afterwards and to me it's a downright cheek using refundable OBC before non refundable. What right has anyone to take a persons money when they are offering as part of your cruise an incentive/enticement or whatever you call it to book a particular cruise with a particular cruise line.

[skynight]

18 hours ago, mahasamatman said:

There have been reports that they sometimes use refundable first.

I have never seen this in almost 50 Princess cruises.  It has always been non refundable first, then refundable. 

[cheezenip]

21 hours ago, skynight said:

I have never seen this in almost 50 Princess cruises.  It has always been non refundable first, then refundable. 

What is more relevant...the fact that you have almost 50 Princess cruises or people like myself who have DIRECTLY EXPERIENCED Princess taking refundable credit before non-refundable?? I have provided a separate post with my OWN EXPERIENCE in great detail this past Jan-Feb on Discovery Princess. It took me approx. 4 months before Princess was able to acknowledge and address the problem. Sadly it hasn't been fixed on Discovery as some have reported similar experiences on Discovery after my cruise.....are they to be discounted b/c they haven't been on close to 50 cruises with Princess??  🤨

 

 

Edited August 28 by cheezenip

[ghgeckos]

We use our OBC for the sanctuary.

[Iamcruzin]

On 8/26/2024 at 10:38 AM, Ombud said:

I can only wish Princess will update this ^^.  It should be amazingly simple to post it to the card on file for everyone. 

Yes but by sending a check it allows them hold on to your money longer.