RCCL Pre buying OBC.

[MicCanberra]

They've pulled it within a week of it being widely publicised when it was around for much longer, stated it needed to be fixed, and stopped further purchases.

 

Seems pretty clear that they didn't see those benefits you suggested earlier.

 

Why offer those rates in the first place then, I think it was only due to social media causing a run and overloaded the system, so RCI had to pull it.

Princess, Cunard and NCL continue have their rates at a far better conversion than the current exchange rate.:D

Edited February 13, 2015 by MicCanberra

[KAYTWO]

We bought some yesterday, but are now wondering when we get on board if it will really be honoured as 1 for 1 or if a conversion rate will have taken place. The rep on the phone assured me it would be, but where do we stand if they don't honour as I certainly wouldn't have done it otherwise.

[The_Big_M]

Why offer those rates in the first place then, I think it was only due to social media causing a run and overloaded the system, so RCI had to pull it.

Princess, Cunard and NCL continue have their rates at a far better conversion than the current exchange rate.:D

 

Though there are other likely reasons for why it was set, once there was a big run it caused the losses to mount dramatically, which is why it would have been pulled, not because of the system being overloaded. System volume wasn't an issue.

 

Yes, the other three lines do but:

a) their rates were nowhere near as generous

b) their volume would be a tiny proportion. Most local Princess cruises are AUD anyway so no loss there, and Cunard and NCL aren't even local.

[Yorto]

We bought some yesterday, but are now wondering when we get on board if it will really be honoured as 1 for 1 or if a conversion rate will have taken place. The rep on the phone assured me it would be, but where do we stand if they don't honour as I certainly wouldn't have done it otherwise.

 

I got confirmation from RCI that they will be honouring previous transactions before their "System error"

[MicCanberra]

We bought some yesterday, but are now wondering when we get on board if it will really be honoured as 1 for 1 or if a conversion rate will have taken place. The rep on the phone assured me it would be, but where do we stand if they don't honour as I certainly wouldn't have done it otherwise.

 

You can always cancel it.

[MicCanberra]

Though there are other likely reasons for why it was set, once there was a big run it caused the losses to mount dramatically, which is why it would have been pulled.

 

Exactly, up until then it didn't matter.

[Aussie FF]

The fact it's been pulled shows that's clearly not the case.

 

Nope, I got plenty, so it's clearly working for me.:D:D:D

[Port Power]

I took a screen grab of RCI's confirmation and printed it out to take with me - paranoid much! :)

 

My confirmation shows the receipt for AUD but no wording that it equates to OBC US$. I will trust their word that it shows up as such on our on board account.

[Aussie Jeep]

Trying to upload RCL confirmation that they will honour purchases of OBC by those of us lucky enough to have purchased some

[MicCanberra]

Trying to upload RCL confirmation that they will honour purchases of OBC by those of us lucky enough to have purchased some

 

I really don't see how a facebook entry would mean anything to guest services when you get on board if you find out you didn't get the $USD for $AUD.

[Aussie Jeep]

I really don't see how a facebook entry would mean anything to guest services when you get on board if you find out you didn't get the $USD for $AUD.

Only put it there for others who don't have facebook. I have already had confirmation that the several thousand that i lodged on my three cruises is already there in US Dollars.

[The_Big_M]

Nope, I got plenty, so it's clearly working for me.:D:D:D

 

Mic suggested it was intended as it benefited them by boosting their cash levels, and allowed more onboard spending.

 

The fact you loaded up on a mistake doesn't make it worthwhile for them. :D

[MicCanberra]

Only put it there for others who don't have facebook. I have already had confirmation that the several thousand that i lodged on my three cruises is already there in US Dollars.

 

Fair enough.:D

[Aussie FF]

Mic suggested it was intended as it benefited them by boosting their cash levels, and allowed more onboard spending.

 

The fact you loaded up on a mistake doesn't make it worthwhile for them. :D

 

Nope, not a mistake, as it was clearly available to all. Mic's and my opinion, does not make it a fact.

No-one has demonstrated, in fact, that it was a mistake.

RCI provided a benefit, then withdrew it, as is their right.

Where is the proof?

Edited February 13, 2015 by Aussie FF

[The_Big_M]

Nope, not a mistake, as it was clearly available to all. Mic's and my opinion, does not make it a fact.

No-one has demonstrated, in fact, that it was a mistake.

RCI provided a benefit, then withdrew it, as is their right.

Where is the proof?

 

Just because it was available doesn't mean it was not a mistake. If you've never seen a mistake in public before then you've missed a lot!

 

They've said it was a mistake, and retracted it once attention was drawn to it. If it was intentional - or beneficial to them - they wouldn't have done that.

 

It'd just be extended interminably like all their sales!

[cheznandy]

When I called I asked for the OBC "promotion" , asked if it was 1 : 1 etc, the woman knew what I was talking about. My confirmation states "discount", that sounds like special or promotion to me.

Easier for them to pull it by saying it was a mistake than say we are running at a loss!!!

Either way it is what it is and it is gone:(

Chez

xx

Edited February 13, 2015 by cheznandy

[MicCanberra]

When I called I asked for the OBC "promotion" , asked if it was 1 : 1 etc, the woman knew what I was talking about. My confirmation states "discount", that sounds like special or promotion to me.

Easier for them to pull it by saying it was a mistake than say we are running at a loss!!!

Either way it is what it is and it is gone:(

Chez

xx

 

Agreed, doesn't really matter why they did it or what it is called. the fact is they were offering special rates but it has been like this for some time with threads back in mid January discussing this. Many, many people were buying the OBC in Canada, the UK, Europe and Australia (which had the best rate of parity), once it hit social media, it was pulled. Now it is gone.

Edited February 13, 2015 by MicCanberra

[timtam2]

Promo, special, glitch, system error....whatever. It's their company and they can pull it anytime they want. Good luck to the whingers on FB who think Fair Trading will go in to bat for them.' Boo hoo... its not fair!" is not a valid case.

 

I didnt bother with it because I thought Id save money by NOT doing it - I wouldve been tempted to load more than I would normally spend.

[The_Big_M]

Promo, special, glitch, system error....whatever. It's their company and they can pull it anytime they want. Good luck to the whingers on FB who think Fair Trading will go in to bat for them.' Boo hoo... its not fair!" is not a valid case.

 

I didnt bother with it because I thought Id save money by NOT doing it - I wouldve been tempted to load more than I would normally spend.

 

Yeah, I saw those.

 

Pretty shocked by the rampant greed and entitlement of some, though I suppose I shouldn't be.

[AussieVisi2r]

Yeah, I saw those.

 

Pretty shocked by the rampant greed and entitlement of some, though I suppose I shouldn't be.

 

It's quite bizarre how upset some people are getting and how much some people have bought. I missed out on a special at Woolies last week. Think Fair Trading will help me?

 

I think lots of people think they will cash it all out in the casino and make a profit.

 

It was lovely. I probably saved a few hundred over three cruises. Yahh. But the deal is gone now.

 

R

[MicCanberra]

Agreed, I was warning people to not get greedy, with Cunard's deal, you cannot cash out and you cannot use it for the casino. With Princess it is a similar story, which is why I was advising people to only buy what they thought they needed and be wary of being burnt. As it is with X and RCI you can cash out (for a 5% commission) but again they can change the rules whenever they wish.

[AussieVisi2r]

Agreed, I was warning people to not get greedy, with Cunard's deal, you cannot cash out and you cannot use it for the casino. With Princess it is a similar story, which is why I was advising people to only buy what they thought they needed and be wary of being burnt. As it is with X and RCI you can cash out (for a 5% commission) but again they can change the rules whenever they wish.

 

And Royal had already told everyone that this money could NOT be cashed out. All the peole that were buying thousands in the hope of taking home lots of US cash are out of luck. it will just go back onto thier credit cards.

[MicCanberra]

And Royal had already told everyone that this money could NOT be cashed out. All the peole that were buying thousands in the hope of taking home lots of US cash are out of luck. it will just go back onto thier credit cards.

 

And we don't know what rate it goes back as, possibly the current exchange but more likely what it was bought for.

[Koz1]

And we don't know what rate it goes back as, possibly the current exchange but more likely what it was bought for.

 

We've just finished two B2B cruises on the Allure of the Seas and I purchased $US200 of OBC for each cruise back on January 14, an amount I thought we would use. On the first cruise we owed $10 after using all of the OBC and that was charged to my card.

 

We returned to Fort Lauderdale from the second cruise on Sunday and had the $200 OBC as well as $US70 as a refund from cancelling a shore excursion that we had already paid for months ago and booking another one that was $35 each cheaper. We spent most of the $270 and had $US7.07 left that we had not used, which was credited back to my American Express card. It showed up on my account today and I had $A9.25 credited back to my Amex account so it was returned to me at a rate of .7643 . I tried to keep a few dollars left that we had not spent so, out of interest, I could see what rate it would be returned at, and report back here.

Edited February 18, 2015 by Koz1

[Jatee]

Hi Koz1

When you bought your OBC was it at aud 1:1 usd rate or was it the forex rate?