Princess Share Holders Program?

We’re interested in the Share Holders program, however I’m not sure how it works and if it’s worthwhile.

Thank you for any help you can provide explaining this program. :)

You must own 100 shares of Carnival Corporation stock. This can be in an IRA, 409k, or your own stock fund...just so that the name on the stock matches the name of one of the cruisers in the cabin. It can also be jointly owned between a husband and wife.

After you have booked a cruise, you or your TA faxes a copy of your most recent account page showing the ownership of the stock. I have never faxed the whole report, just that one page...along with the confirmation code, date of cruise and ship. You will have an onboard credit applied based on the length of the cruise. It is $100 for 7-13 nights, $250 for 14+ nights. There are lower cut offs for shorter cruises; I don't know them off hand. You should see this OBC applied to your account within a few days; if not, call Princess and find out what the issue is. Mine has appeared within 90 minutes of my fax.

There used to be a rule that the proof of ownership had to be within 90 days of the cruise--no more. You can now submit any time after you book the cruise.

SO, I get 50 cents dividend per share per quarter, $100 OBC per cruise, plus the stock has increased in value since I purchased it. My favorite part is the OBC--a non-taxed benefit of the stock ownership.

If you are current or retired military, you can also qualify for military OBC.

I purchased the stock specifically for the shareholder's benefit. It's been a good deal for me, and I'm not one who got it ages ago!

My only fault with it is that I've done 2 B2B cruises that were not sold as a single cruise. They were 9+11, and 7+7 nights. I got $200 for each ($100 for each leg); had they been available to book as a single cruise, I would have received $250 each. But it all evens out if you do enough cruises, I guess.

Whether it's worth it is up to you.. The share price has been pretty high for awhile now. I probably wouldn't buy at these levels unless I was retired and cruising a lot.

The stock does pay a pretty good dividend and with the OBC you get when cruising you can make a pretty good return on investment if you cruise often.

The OBC from the stock ownership is as follows:

OBC from CCL Stock

Sailings of 6 days or fewer $50

Sailings of 7 - 13 days $100

Sailings of 14 days or more $250

I can't remember what the quarterly dividend is at this point. I "think" it's $45 per quarter but might have jumped to $50. As others have said, the price of the stock is pretty high now. If you don't have a problem with that the ROI is pretty good and the stock has been a steady performer for us. We bought at $37 per share. Some here bought at a price vastly lower than that.

You know, I bought it at almost a record high several years ago. As of today, it is $16 per share higher than what I paid. Sure, I look enviously at the posts where people say they purchased at $20 per share....but if you don't jump in and buy it, you'll never see the benefits. Based on my purchase price, I'm seeing about 4% per year in dividend income and another 4% or more in OBC. And that's not even counting the price increase.

The current price doesn't matter till you want to sell it.

You know' date=' I bought it at almost a record high several years ago. As of today, it is $16 per share higher than what I paid. Sure, I look enviously at the posts where people say they purchased at $20 per share....but if you don't jump in and buy it, you'll never see the benefits.

 

The current price doesn't matter till you want to sell it.[/quote']

 

Yep. When we bought the money was sitting in a savings account making essentially zero in interest. OK, it was making a very teeny, tiny amount of interest but it was essentially static. We've made much better returns from the quarterly dividends. Add in the OBC amounts we've made and we are vastly ahead of what we would have gotten from a bank with that same money.

I was lucky enough to buy it when it was in the mid 20’s. Apart from how much the stock has increased and the dividends (reinvested) I can’t even begin to think how much I have received in shareholder OBC on Carnival, Holland America and Princess cruises. Even a one night cruise gets $50. And unlike Royal Caribbean you can combine shareholder OBC with other promotions.

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Because I watch CCL so closely, I have bought and sold it dozens and dozens of times. But I always make sure I hold 100 shares when I embark. Not wanting to run afoul of the “law”.

It has been an excellent investment but it is a stock and stocks can go up and go down so there is risk involved.

The OBC from the stock ownership is as follows:

 

OBC from CCL Stock

Sailings of 6 days or fewer $50

Sailings of 7 - 13 days $100

Sailings of 14 days or more $250

 

I can't remember what the quarterly dividend is at this point. I "think" it's $45 per quarter but might have jumped to $50.

 

Those amounts are only good for cruises using US$ as the onboard currency. Princess pays

US$100, AU$100 (≅ US$75), or £60 (≅ US$80) on 7 day cruises, depending. They'd pay

€75 (≅ US$88) if they had any cruises using euros.

And yes, $50 dividend on 100 shares, paid just today even. :D

You must own 100 shares of Carnival Corporation stock. This can be in an IRA' date=' 409k, or your own stock fund...just so that the name on the stock matches the name of one of the cruisers in the cabin. It can also be jointly owned between a husband and wife.

 

After you have booked a cruise, you or your TA faxes a copy of your most recent account page showing the ownership of the stock. I have never faxed the whole report, just that one page...along with the confirmation code, date of cruise and ship. You will have an onboard credit applied based on the length of the cruise. It is $100 for 7-13 nights, $250 for 14+ nights. There are lower cut offs for shorter cruises; I don't know them off hand. You should see this OBC applied to your account within a few days; if not, call Princess and find out what the issue is. Mine has appeared within 90 minutes of my fax.

 

There used to be a rule that the proof of ownership had to be within 90 days of the cruise--no more. You can now submit any time after you book the cruise.

 

SO, I get 50 cents dividend per share per quarter, $100 OBC per cruise, plus the stock has increased in value since I purchased it. My favorite part is the OBC--a non-taxed benefit of the stock ownership.

 

If you are current or retired military, you can also qualify for military OBC.

 

I purchased the stock specifically for the shareholder's benefit. It's been a good deal for me, and I'm not one who got it ages ago!

 

My only fault with it is that I've done 2 B2B cruises that were not sold as a single cruise. They were 9+11, and 7+7 nights. I got $200 for each ($100 for each leg); had they been available to book as a single cruise, I would have received $250 each. But it all evens out if you do enough cruises, I guess.[/quote']

One correction. The military benefit is available for others beyond current and retired. It is available for just about any prior service individual as long as they have received an honorable discharge.

 

A far larger group than just retired or current active duty.

I was lucky to buy my shares in the low 30s. The current quarterly dividend is still $45 for 100 shares. That still works out to be $180 per year lately in dividends. The OBC has probably added up to around $2,000 for me. So even if the stock tanks tomorrow, it's been a worthwhile investment. I like that I also get the benefit when we sail on Holland America (and also our one Carnival cruise).

I was lucky to buy my shares in the low 30s. The current quarterly dividend is still $45 for 100 shares. That still works out to be $180 per year lately in dividends. The OBC has probably added up to around $2,000 for me. So even if the stock tanks tomorrow, it's been a worthwhile investment. I like that I also get the benefit when we sail on Holland America (and also our one Carnival cruise).

Current dividend is $.50/share or $50 for 100 shares.

After you have booked a cruise' date=' you or your TA faxes a copy of your most recent account page showing the ownership of the stock. I have never faxed the whole report, just that one page...along with the confirmation code, date of cruise and ship.[/quote']

 

The page must also contain your name and address. If not, include a page that does.

As mentioned earlier, if you have some kind of stock plan at work (401, 403) or an IRA and don't need to take the money out soon this can be a decent investment. Currently paying $50 on 100 shares a quarter on about $6700 worth of CCL stock. Plus every time you sail you get onboard credit in varying amounts. Dividend can be reinvested to buy more shares, although there is no OBC advantage of owning more than 100 shares. Only one OBC benefit is allowed per cabin, but people have reported booking joint shareholders into two cabins and getting the OBC in both cabins (ex. husband/son one cabin, wife/daughter in another).

Also with Princess virtually all OBC can be added to each other - military, booking, shareholder, loyalty. On RCI you often only get one type of OBC or discount and cannot stack. And stockholder benefit applies to all the Carnival brands.

Is the OBC valid with promotional pricing e.g. Launch fares, Sip and Sail, 3 for free, etc?

I read the following disclaimer at the Carnival Cruise Line site:

“This benefit is available to shareholders holding a minimum of 100 shares of Carnival Corporation or Carnival plc. Employees, travel agents cruising at travel agent rates, tour conductors or anyone cruising on a reduced-rate or complimentary basis are excluded from this offer. This benefit is not transferable, cannot be exchanged for cash and, cannot be used for casino credits/charges and gratuities charged to your onboard account. Only one onboard credit per shareholder-occupied stateroom. Reservations must be made by February 28, 2019.”

Thank you for all the replies

We use a copy of our Proxy Vote statement. Don't have to black out all the info about other investments. We paid about $32.00 a long time ago and have definitely gotten our money's worth!

Is the OBC valid with promotional pricing e.g. Launch fares, Sip and Sail, 3 for free, etc?

 

I read the following disclaimer at the Carnival Cruise Line site:

 

 

“This benefit is available to shareholders holding a minimum of 100 shares of Carnival Corporation or Carnival plc. Employees, travel agents cruising at travel agent rates, tour conductors or anyone cruising on a reduced-rate or complimentary basis are excluded from this offer. This benefit is not transferable, cannot be exchanged for cash and, cannot be used for casino credits/charges and gratuities charged to your onboard account. Only one onboard credit per shareholder-occupied stateroom. Reservations must be made by February 28, 2019.”

 

Thank you for all the replies

Sip 'n Sail, etc, don't reduce the fare for your stateroom, so stack with SOBC.

Across-the-board fare reductions (if the cabins aren't moving) don't count as reduced-fare, so don't

affect SOBC, either.

Oh! And don't let that "28 Feb '19" trouble you. They've renewed the "Stockholders' Benefit" each year for

the last ::mumble, mumble:: years at the annual stockholders' meeting.

Is the OBC valid with promotional pricing e.g. Launch fares, Sip and Sail, 3 for free, etc?

 

I read the following disclaimer at the Carnival Cruise Line site:

 

“.... Employees, travel agents cruising at travel agent rates, tour conductors or anyone cruising on a reduced-rate or complimentary basis are excluded from this offer....

The offer is valid for all fares available to the general public so this includes launch fares, 3 for free, etc. It even includes last minute low pricing that might be used to fill up some voyages since that pricing is available to the general public.

What is excluded would include special fares such as those available to relatives of Princess employees.

I bought mine at $16/share which my dad thought was a waste. Between the rise in price, dividends, and OBC; this has been one of the best investments I have done. Only wish my dad was around to see that he taught me well about buying stocks. (Welll there have been a couple of duds but CCL is the one I brag about LOL)

Does a Shareholder need to hold the stock XX days before the OBC can be applied to a cruise booking? Also, do I have to own the stock “First” before booking a cruise that would qualify for the shareholders benefit?

Thank you for your replies. :)

Does a Shareholder need to hold the stock XX days before the OBC can be applied to a cruise booking? Also, do I have to own the stock “First” before booking a cruise that would qualify for the shareholders benefit?

 

Thank you for your replies. :)

Truth be told... you only need to have a brokerage statement (or other proof) that you owned the 100 shares (or more) of stock within the 75? (or 90?)days prior to sailing.

Between the time of booking and time of sailing, I might have traded my various number of shares a number of times.

Does a Shareholder need to hold the stock XX days before the OBC can be applied to a cruise booking? Also, do I have to own the stock “First” before booking a cruise that would qualify for the shareholders benefit?

 

Thank you for your replies. :)

No to both. You should send proof of ownership at least 3 weeks before sail date, though.

http://www.carnivalcorp.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-sharebenefit

In theory and in practice, you can own the shares for one second during the prescribed time to send your proof.

Truth be told... you only need to have a brokerage statement (or other proof) that you owned the 100 shares (or more) of stock within the 75? (or 90?)days prior to sailing.

 

You no longer have to wait until final payment date to submit the request for OBC. It can be done anytime after you have booked the cruise. This change was made so that you can use the OBC when making shore excursion reservations before the cruise.