Is the 90 day rule back for shareholder benefit?

I've read here in CC that the "within 90 days rule" for shareholder obc had been relaxed, and indeed it is no longer on the 2018 shareholder request form.

Last Thursday I faxed in the form and brokerage statement for my next two cruises, in Aug 2019 and Jan 2020. The benefit was posted on both cruises later that day and I thought everything was done.

Yesterday, I noticed that the obc was gone so I called Princess. The rep called someone in shareholder benefits and came back to say that although it had been credited to my account, it was subsequently removed due to the 90- day rule. I told her the stipulation was no longer on the form and in the past I had gotten it well prior to 90 days of sailing, but she stuck to her guns, said this had been the rule since she started there 3 years ago, and to re-send it in within 90 days.

Anybody else come across this issue?

Perhaps she should have called someone in the Excursion Sales part of Princess as it seems they would have been involved in the change of policy.

Reverting to 90 days will restrict excursion bookings for folks with the SOBC.

I've read here in CC that the "within 90 days rule" for shareholder obc had been relaxed, and indeed it is no longer on the 2018 shareholder request form.

 

Last Thursday I faxed in the form and brokerage statement for my next two cruises, in Aug 2019 and Jan 2020. The benefit was posted on both cruises later that day and I thought everything was done.

 

Yesterday, I noticed that the obc was gone so I called Princess. The rep called someone in shareholder benefits and came back to say that although it had been credited to my account, it was subsequently removed due to the 90- day rule. I told her the stipulation was no longer on the form and in the past I had gotten it well prior to 90 days of sailing, but she stuck to her guns, said this had been the rule since she started there 3 years ago, and to re-send it in within 90 days.

 

Anybody else come across this issue?

I submitted my paperwork last month for a cruise next June. At least so far it is still there.

Perhaps she should have called someone in the Excursion Sales part of Princess as it seems they would have been involved in the change of policy.

Reverting to 90 days will restrict excursion bookings for folks with the SOBC.

:mad: SNEAKY!!!, if that is the reason.

I suspect it might have more to do with people buying the stock, applying it to booked cruises, then selling. EM

I suspect it might have more to do with people buying the stock, applying it to booked cruises, then selling. EM

Well, yes that was the reason for the rule in the first place. But it had been "overturned" or at least not followed for the last year or two. I was surprised when the rep told me the 90 days was why the obc had been taken off, especially since that stipulation is no longer on the benefit request form.

I checked our Shareholder OBCs in the Cruise Personalizer in response to the OP's post. All Shareholder OBCs are still in place, including our November 2019 cruise on the Sky.

This is just another case of human error and poor corporate communication.

Perhaps she should have called someone in the Excursion Sales part of Princess as it seems they would have been involved in the change of policy.

 

 

 

Reverting to 90 days will restrict excursion bookings for folks with the SOBC.

Seems to vary. I have two cruises coming up one on Dec 7th and one on Dec 21st.

At about 105 days out from the first cruise, I e-mailed requesting my OBC for BOTH cruises in the same letter (I tend not to use the form but include the information in the text of the e-mail.

Received reply saying they would hold letter on file but would not credit OBC until 90 days from departure.

THEN

90 days from first cruise I received credit for the first cruise

BUT

Then received credit for the second cruise two days later (102 days before sailing)

Not that it is entirely relevant to this thread,but although I am in a suite and, am supposed to have priority booking for shore excursions, I was only able to get on the wait list for a tour on the first cruise and at 60 days before departure I am still waitlisted!!!

Not that it is entirely relevant to this thread,but although I am in a suite and, am supposed to have priority booking for shore excursions, I was only able to get on the wait list for a tour on the first cruise and at 60 days before departure I am still waitlisted!!!

The current applicable benefit is for sailings thru end July 2019 ... for sailings beyond that, it would be understandable for the benefit to be denied ... as there is no guarantee the benefit will be renewed, tho it normally is

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I faxed in 4 requests last month, an October 2019 cruise, and 3 2019 Feb, March, April cruises. The Oct cruise was promptly posted. The rest have not been.

The current applicable benefit is for sailings thru end July 2019 ... for sailings beyond that, it would be understandable for the benefit to be denied ... as there is no guarantee the benefit will be renewed, tho it normally is

 

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Interesting point, although the rep didn't bring this up as the reason. Does anyone have a link to the 2019 form? The most recent I have is the one through July 2018.

The suite benefit for excursions says "onboard" priority. You should have priority over other nonsuite guests if there's an opening for the excursion while you're onboard. But once a tour is sold out, Princess isn't going to bump someone from it so that someone in a suite can take their slot.

Yup. Fully understand, and never expected them to bump anyone, but it was annoying to discover that, by the time the shareholder’s OBC was credited, and still 89 days before sailing, I was already too late to book the ship’s tour I wanted and had to go on the wait list.

Last Thursday I faxed in the form and brokerage statement for my next two cruises, in Aug 2019 and Jan 2020. The benefit was posted on both cruises later that day and I thought everything was done.

 

Sometimes when I re-fare the cruise, I lose the OBC. A rep said that happens a lot. Maybe that happened?

I don't really understand the problem. Why is it so difficult to wait until 90 days before and send in the Shareholder Benefit Request Form. So you have to do it twice (because of booking 2 cruises) but what's the big deal with that?

I don't really understand the problem. Why is it so difficult to wait until 90 days before and send in the Shareholder Benefit Request Form. So you have to do it twice (because of booking 2 cruises) but what's the big deal with that?

Read the thread....

It's about booking excursions using the SOBC.

I don't really understand the problem. Why is it so difficult to wait until 90 days before and send in the Shareholder Benefit Request Form. So you have to do it twice (because of booking 2 cruises) but what's the big deal with that?

Especially for those exotic or European cruises where you may want to do shore excursions through the ship. Shore excursions go up quite a bit from the time they are released to when the ship sails. At 90 days out, you would pay a lot more than if you had booked them earlier!

I faxed in our shareholder for our September 2019 cruise about two months ago. It was credited within hours. I just looked and it's still there.

I added the Shareholder Credit in July of '18 for a cruise that doesn't happen until Oct of '19. That was 15 months before the voyage. Recently I changed the booking to take advantage of a different promotion. The Shareholder Credit didn't automatically follow the new booking ... but they had no problem putting it back on. I just checked and it's still there.

Applied for three SOBC last July for Nov 2019 and Apr 2020. They all showed up later the same day. Sounds like everyone at Princess is not on the same page.

Sometimes when I re-fare the cruise, I lose the OBC. A rep said that happens a lot. Maybe that happened?

That's another interesting point. I did refare the July 2019 cruise yesterday morning, and later yesterday is when I noticed the OBC was gone. It hadn't been taken off the Jan 2020 cruise, but I hadn't refared that one. The rep actually went in and took it off the Jan 2020 cruise when I called, citing the 90 day rule.

I think I'll just resend the shareholder request tomorrow morning when I get to work and see what happens. Does anyone have a link to the 2019 request form?

That's another interesting point. I did refare the July 2019 cruise yesterday morning, and later yesterday is when I noticed the OBC was gone. It hadn't been taken off the Jan 2020 cruise, but I hadn't refared that one. The rep actually went in and took it off the Jan 2020 cruise when I called, citing the 90 day rule.

 

I think I'll just resend the shareholder request tomorrow morning when I get to work and see what happens. Does anyone have a link to the 2019 request form?

I think you got a bad phone rep. When I called - the woman rep explained that sometimes when one re-fares, they have to re-apply it. She was extremely helpful. I am sure re-faxing it will solve the issue. I don't think it matters what form you use.

I have 4 cruises booked. November 19, 2018 - May 25, 2019 - October 19, 2019 - and November 4, 2019. that last one is 393 days out. All are showing the shareholder's credit.

If you have the required shares you will get the OBC.

If you have the required shares you will get the OBC.

I do have the required shares, just wondering about the giveth then taketh away.