Can I buy OBC if booking is with TA?

[gargoyle999]

My booking for Nov was transferred to a TA so I know I can't call Princess and ask questions about it. But can I call Princess directly to buy OBC or does that need to go through the TA too if you have one?

[Suzanne123]

You can call Princess directly. I bought OBC as a gift that was delivered to the cabin the first day along with shore excursion tickets.

[fun and breezes 2]

You purchase the OBC on the cruise at the Future Cruise Sales Desk. You can't purchase them precruise to use with a booking. You have to wait for your sailing to get them.

[Suzanne123]

Are we talking about the same thing? I was referring to OBC that you can purchase prior to your cruise through Princess:

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/services/gifts/gift_card/GiftCardLanding.jsp

 

Or do you mean the OBC that comes with booking a future cruise while you are on board?

[thinfool]

You can also receive an OBC if you own at least 100 shares of CCL stock. The amount of the OBC varies with the length of the cruise.

[Ethel5]

You can purchase OBC by calling Princess directly with a credit card. Sometimes, depending on the Princess agent you get, you might have to purchase the OBC as a "gift" to yourself. That is not a problem and there will be a card in your cabin saying how much the gift is and who it was from! Either way, it works out just fine. I do it for every cruise so I don't end up with a great big bill at the end.

 

You will also be given OBC when you purchase a future cruise while on board and you will also get OBC if you own Carnival stock but I don't think this is what you were asking.

[mina]

Sorry Ethel-- this is no longer true -- I just called three days ago and was told I can NOT purchase my own OBC directly through princess anymore -- for this purchase I MUST have my travel agent do it -- I had my travel agent call to verify and she was told the same thing -- I posted on this earlier this week -- as it annoys me greatly that I must contact my travel agent and can not purchase directly.

[gargoyle999]

Sorry Ethel-- this is no longer true -- I just called three days ago and was told I can NOT purchase my own OBC directly through princess anymore -- for this purchase I MUST have my travel agent do it -- I had my travel agent call to verify and she was told the same thing -- I posted on this earlier this week -- as it annoys me greatly that I must contact my travel agent and can not purchase directly.

 

Sorry for the confusion. But if this is true it answers my question. I want to purchase OBC ahead of time to cover the tips and the shore excursion we booked in one port through Princess.

 

I was hoping to just be able to do it myself too so that is a little disappointing if I can't.

[Ethel5]

Sorry Ethel-- this is no longer true -- I just called three days ago and was told I can NOT purchase my own OBC directly through princess anymore -- for this purchase I MUST have my travel agent do it -- I had my travel agent call to verify and she was told the same thing -- I posted on this earlier this week -- as it annoys me greatly that I must contact my travel agent and can not purchase directly.

 

Thanks for the head's up! It was true in April. I wonder what happens when people not traveling want to give you OBC as a gift? My kids like to give me OBC's for my birthday and Mother's day as we cruise twice a year.

[WCAB]

Sure seems as though sometimes the cruiselines take a step backwards. Maybe it was not Princess as it has been a few years but our office gave our branch manager a gift and I was able to do it on line wthout calling anyone, once I found out their cabin number. This is just adding one more step to what could be a simple process. I would not take the time to call my TA, have her call me back, if she is busy and then have to give her the information to make an onboard credit purchase for me. I would just forget the whole thing.

[mina]

I agree ethel -- I asked the customer service rep that and she did not have an answer -- she said it was a new policy in effect about three months ago. It makes no sense to me whatsoever -- I am hoping that the agent I spoke with was confused -- but my travel agent did call and got told the same thing!

[gargoyle999]

It annoys me when any company makes it harder then needed for me to GIVE them my money! I think when the time comes to buy the OBC for Nov I'll just give Princess a try. If that doesn't work I'll go through my TA and then write Princess a letter suggesting they improve their system. :)

 

They already have the cruise personalizer. I could add an excursion even though I'm with a TA. Why not just add an option to purchase OBC. So efficient. When I went to Mina's posting and saw someone mention they faxed a form in to buy OBC, I couldn't believe it. Fax a form in?? Does Princess send out promo material on cassette tapes too? :rolleyes:

[Julia’s Journey’s]

It annoys me when any company makes it harder then needed for me to GIVE them my money! I think when the time comes to buy the OBC for Nov I'll just give Princess a try. If that doesn't work I'll go through my TA and then write Princess a letter suggesting they improve their system. :)

 

They already have the cruise personalizer. I could add an excursion even though I'm with a TA. Why not just add an option to purchase OBC. So efficient. When I went to Mina's posting and saw someone mention they faxed a form in to buy OBC, I couldn't believe it. Fax a form in?? Does Princess send out promo material on cassette tapes too? :rolleyes:

 

That was probably my post as I had faxed in a form to order OBC.:D

Try this

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/services/gifts/gift_card/GiftCardLanding.jsp

[Julia’s Journey’s]

That was probably my post as I had faxed in a form to order OBC.:D

Try this

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/services/gifts/gift_card/GiftCardLanding.jsp

 

 

Here's the link to the form to FAX in, old fashioned but true!!!

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/services/gifts/index.jsp

there is a download for the form :D

[gargoyle999]

That was probably my post as I had faxed in a form to order OBC.:D

Try this

http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/services/gifts/gift_card/GiftCardLanding.jsp

 

Yes, it is all your fault my blood pressure is high right now! :p

[snowman]

I don't understnd. Why would you want to give them money now. You will have to pay it sooner or later, I would prefer to have interest paid on my cash. Just wondering!

[gargoyle999]

I don't understnd. Why would you want to give them money now. You will have to pay it sooner or later, I would prefer to have interest paid on my cash. Just wondering!

 

Yeah..it doesn't make sense or cents! But I just like the feeling of having things paid off in advance as much as possible. The amount I would earn on a few hundred for the extra few weeks before I'd have to pay it anyway is negligible. So for me that feeling is worth a few pennies. :)

[Hazmat Guy]

We are sailing in 10 days on the Coral SB from Whittier. The whole trip (our first cruise) was handled by a T/A.

About 2 weeks ago, I called Princess and was able to gift myself Casino credits on my Credit card. Earlier this week, I faxed another credit card directly to Princess and gifted myself some additional casino credit.

At no time was there any question from Princess as to who booked the trip. The policy may have changed, but it certainly held true as of last Monday.

PS both charges have shown up on my respective credit cards.

Hazmat Guy

[mina]

Hazmat guy -- I did not try to purchase casino credits -- I tried to purchase OBC -- I don't know if that makes a difference -- I am just telling you what I was told and that I was turned away. I am going to try faxing the form tomorrow and see if that will work. I am hoping it will -- cause --honestly -- it is the most ridiculous thing I have experienced on a cruiseline -- but I did experience it.

[mina]

Okay -- this was continuing to bug me so I called 1-800 princess again and this time said -- I want to "order a fit" instead of saying I want to buy OBCs -- GUESS WHAT -- NO PROBLEM -- went straight through. I asked the rep why I got told I could not do it earlier and he had no idea -- so if you get the -- you can't answer -- call back and get a different rep!

[mina]

fraudian slip -- I did not order a FIT (although I wanted to) -- I ordered a GIFT