Ship board credits for excursions

[lenbro]

In the last discuusion about using your ship board credits for excursions it seems that Regent's policy stands that if you prebook before the cruise you have to pay in advance and therefore you can't use your sbc to reserve an excursion. Does anybody know if you can prebook and prepay and once on the ship cancel with sufficient time and immediately rebook then and be able to use your credits. It seems possible as long as there is no waiting list for that excursion. This applies to cruises that don't include your excursions for free. Let me know if anyone has done this or thinks it's possible.

Thanks

[jhenry1]

Our TA told us to do that but I have yet to see anything or anyone that has done that. Another thread about shipboard refered to using it for the casino. We booked our excursions ahead and many of them we had to prepay for and we also have a large amount of OBC that needs to be used.

 

Kandy from Texas

[Travelcat2]

You can't use OBC for the casino, according to Regent president, Mark Conroy. He is a link to his letter posted a couple of weeks ago. It explains what you can or cannot use OBC on. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1010278

[jhenry1]

I am not sure where our credits came from. The TA just told us that we have so much on board credit. Guess I need to check with our TA to see where the credits came from.

 

Kandy from Texas

[dcl]

My plan, lets see if it works

 

- Book excursions online now

 

- As soon as I get on board, talk to the tour desk and see if it would be possible to cancel excursions over 48 hours away and rebook them using ship board credit, if possible.

[PaulaJK]

Upon boarding you will find printed cards in your cabin which indicate any gifts or OBcredits you have rec'd. Regarding the latter, the source of this credit [e.g. Am Ex, your TA, the line, a friend] , the amount and whether it may be redeemed for cash will be clearly indicated/printed.

[Hoosiermama]

Upon boarding you will find printed cards in your cabin which indicate any gifts or OBcredits you have rec'd. Regarding the latter, the source of this credit [e.g. Am Ex, your TA, the line, a friend] , the amount and whether it may be redeemed for cash will be clearly indicated/printed.

 

Thanks for the info. I have been reading about OBC's and I wasn't sure how it worked since this is our first Regent cruise.

[tate23]

I just returned from the Mariner 6/24 cruise (Seward - Vancouver) and had no trouble using my OBC for previously booked (and paid for) excursions. I simply went to the destinations desk, asked them to cancel and re-book 4 excursions, using my OBC. It was no problem at all. They understood what I wanted and handled it within 5 minutes.

[lenbro]

Tate23

Thanks for the info it's just what I needed to know.

Len

[jhenry1]

tate 23

 

Thank you for the info. there has been a lot of discussion regarding this and your input clears it all up.

 

Kandy for Texas

[tate23]

No problem, guys. As I said, the cancel/rebook was very simple. The odd thing was that as we were leaving the ship, we got a phone call asking us to visit registration before disembarking. We stopped by and they asked me to sign a receipt. Next, they counted our $756.00 cash and handed it to me. (!) This was the OBC credit I had (from Regent and AMEX platinum) but had not used. (We only used $$ for internet and wine, so had this much remaining in the account.) I asked if they could just credit my AMEX (which had been used originally for the bookings) and they said 'no'.

So, we just ended up in Vancouver with lots of extra cash.

[debbie ann]

I just returned from the Mariner 6/24 cruise (Seward - Vancouver) and had no trouble using my OBC for previously booked (and paid for) excursions. I simply went to the destinations desk, asked them to cancel and re-book 4 excursions, using my OBC. It was no problem at all. They understood what I wanted and handled it within 5 minutes.

Thanks for the great info. we are going to Alaska on 7/22 & will follow your lead on this.

[DaveFr]

I just returned from the Mariner 6/24 cruise (Seward - Vancouver) and had no trouble using my OBC for previously booked (and paid for) excursions. I simply went to the destinations desk, asked them to cancel and re-book 4 excursions, using my OBC. It was no problem at all. They understood what I wanted and handled it within 5 minutes.

 

No problem, guys. As I said, the cancel/rebook was very simple. The odd thing was that as we were leaving the ship, we got a phone call asking us to visit registration before disembarking. We stopped by and they asked me to sign a receipt. Next, they counted our $756.00 cash and handed it to me. (!) This was the OBC credit I had (from Regent and AMEX platinum) but had not used. (We only used $$ for internet and wine, so had this much remaining in the account.) I asked if they could just credit my AMEX (which had been used originally for the bookings) and they said 'no'.

So, we just ended up in Vancouver with lots of extra cash.

Thanks for your posts. Pardon my confusion but how did Regent refund the money you had paid previously for your canceled excursions? Did they credit your AMEX card or was that amount part of the $756.00 in cash you received when you disembarked?

 

Dave

[tate23]

Not sure if I am being clear (or if I do not understand your question). Here is the sequence of events:

1) booked excursions weeks in advance and pre-paid with my AMEX in spite of knowing I had $800 OBC (AMEX Platinum, Regent) that I could not apply until I was aboard

2) once on board (2nd day), I visited destinations desk and asked to cancel 4 excursions, rebooking them immediately, using OBC. No problem.

3) the cancel/rebook resulted in them using most of my OBC and netting a credit to my account which, as we disembarked, they chose to refund in cash rather than credit to AMEX.

 

I hope this helps.

[verdl]

I just returned from the Mariner 6/24 cruise (Seward - Vancouver) and had no trouble using my OBC for previously booked (and paid for) excursions. I simply went to the destinations desk, asked them to cancel and re-book 4 excursions, using my OBC. It was no problem at all. They understood what I wanted and handled it within 5 minutes.

 

What was the source of the credits: issued by Regent, issued by Travel Agent, received as gifts, or other?

 

I thought I remember reading that some credits could be exchanged and not others.

[verdl]

Not sure if I am being clear (or if I do not understand your question). Here is the sequence of events:

1) booked excursions weeks in advance and pre-paid with my AMEX in spite of knowing I had $800 OBC (AMEX Platinum, Regent) that I could not apply until I was aboard

2) once on board (2nd day), I visited destinations desk and asked to cancel 4 excursions, rebooking them immediately, using OBC. No problem.

3) the cancel/rebook resulted in them using most of my OBC and netting a credit to my account which, as we disembarked, they chose to refund in cash rather than credit to AMEX.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Whoops, sorry I should have read futher. We have the same situation - we booked thru AmEx Plat and also have a few from Regent for first time travellers.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

jj

[DaveFr]

Not sure if I am being clear (or if I do not understand your question). Here is the sequence of events:

1) booked excursions weeks in advance and pre-paid with my AMEX in spite of knowing I had $800 OBC (AMEX Platinum, Regent) that I could not apply until I was aboard

2) once on board (2nd day), I visited destinations desk and asked to cancel 4 excursions, rebooking them immediately, using OBC. No problem.

3) the cancel/rebook resulted in them using most of my OBC and netting a credit to my account which, as we disembarked, they chose to refund in cash rather than credit to AMEX.

 

I hope this helps.

Thanks for the explanation. When you said, "This was the OBC credit I had (from Regent and AMEX platinum) but had not used. (We only used $$ for internet and wine, so had this much remaining in the account.)" in your second post above, the implication I got was that the $756.00 was part of your original AMEX and Regent shipboard credits you had received which should not have been refundable in cash according to Mark Conroy. I asked my question because I didn't see any reference to the money refunded to you for your prepaid excursions. Basically, you received cash for your unused OBC because it was the cash you had already paid before the cruise. Cash that you or someone else puts in your shipboard account is always refundable in cash.

 

It's important to clear up this question so that others don't think Regent has changed its policy and is now refunding unused AMEX and Regent credits in cash.

 

Dave

[tate23]

Dave,

You are correct. The dollars refunded to me were because I had already paid for the excursions. Regent simply used my OBC when I rebooked them and then refunded $$ that I had previously paid via AMEX Platinum.

[jhp]

Thank you Tate. This surely clears up a lot of confusion and angst among current future cruisers on Regent. Glad you posted.

[verdl]

Dave,

You are correct. The dollars refunded to me were because I had already paid for the excursions. Regent simply used my OBC when I rebooked them and then refunded $$ that I had previously paid via AMEX Platinum.

 

We have 500 from Am Ex Platinum and 300 from Regent. We've booked and paid for directly with Regent (on-line).

 

I'm confused now. Are you saying that we can cancel once on board, rebook immediately, and then receive an $800 credit toward the $1400 pre-paid excursions?

 

Sorry to be so dense. I thought I understood until the last qualification.

 

duh

 

jj

[DaveFr]

We have 500 from Am Ex Platinum and 300 from Regent. We've booked and paid for directly with Regent (on-line).

 

I'm confused now. Are you saying that we can cancel once on board, rebook immediately, and then receive an $800 credit toward the $1400 pre-paid excursions?

 

Sorry to be so dense. I thought I understood until the last qualification.

 

duh

 

jj

jj,

 

As I understand it, when you cancel and rebook your excursions, a $1400 charge will be placed on your shipboard account. Your AMEX and Regent credits will be applied against the $1400 charge leaving a balance of $600. Then, if Regent does what it did in tate23's case, they will give you $1400 in cash as a refund of the amount you prepaid for your excursions. At the time you rebook your excursions, you could also ask Regent to credit your AMEX card for the $1400 refund. They might do a credit, unlike tate23's situation, because you would be making the request early in the cruise and not as you were disembarking.

 

Dave

[ededmd]

jj,

 

As I understand it, when you cancel and rebook your excursions, a $1400 charge will be placed on your shipboard account. Your AMEX and Regent credits will be applied against the $1400 charge leaving a balance of $600. Then, if Regent does what it did in tate23's case, they will give you $1400 in cash as a refund of the amount you prepaid for your excursions. At the time you rebook your excursions, you could also ask Regent to credit your AMEX card for the $1400 refund. They might do a credit, unlike tate23's situation, because you would be making the request early in the cruise and not as you were disembarking.

 

Dave

 

Or they might not. The way I understand it, it costs the company a percentage (3%?) to charge against your amex in the first place. There is a second charge to the company to return funds to your amex. So even though it is a lot of cash for them to be forking over, it would be a net gain on the books.

[verdl]

jj,

they will give you $1400 in cash as a refund of the amount you prepaid for your excursions. At the time you rebook your excursions, you could also ask Regent to credit your AMEX card for the $1400 refund. They might do a credit, unlike tate23's situation, because you would be making the request early in the cruise and not as you were disembarking.

 

Dave

 

Maybe it's just me being beyond dense now...so sorry. As I see it in this scenerio I'll receive refunds both in case and credit to my amex card of $2,800 and have $600 remaining somewhere???

 

Whew, guess I'm just cut out to understand this now.

 

Sorry, Dave, thanks for trying!!

[DaveFr]

Maybe it's just me being beyond dense now...so sorry. As I see it in this scenerio I'll receive refunds both in case and credit to my amex card of $2,800 and have $600 remaining somewhere???

 

Whew, guess I'm just cut out to understand this now.

 

Sorry, Dave, thanks for trying!!

I probably wasn't as clear as I should have been. When you made your excursion reservations online, you charged $1400 on a credit card (presumably your AMEX card). When you cancel the excursions after boarding the ship, Regent has to refund the $1400 you previously paid. They could refund the money to you in cash or they could refund the money to you by issuing a credit for $1400 on your AMEX card; one way or the other, not both.

 

Now, when you start the cruise, your shipboard account will show a credit of $800. So when you rebook your excursions, Regent will put a charge of $1400 on your shipboard account. Applying the $800 credit by subtracting it from the $1400 charge leaves a balance due on your shipboard account of $600. If you purchased nothing else during the cruise, Regent would put a charge of $600 (the amount of your shipboard account) on whatever credit card you used to cover charges on your shipboard account.

 

Thus, if Regent gave you a cash refund for your precruise excursion purchases, at the end of the cruise you would have $1400 cash in hand and a credit card charge of $600. I hope this helps and is a little clearer than my previous explanation.

 

Dave

[Fogfog]

Helpful thread