Just learned that you can also use purchased OBC to pre-pay shore excursions.

[canadarocks]

Not sure if this is widely known, but I just learned that you can use purchased OBC to pay for shore excursions online. :)

[moki'smommy]

Not sure if this is widely known, but I just learned that you can use purchased OBC to pay for shore excursions online. :)

You can use any OBC to pay for excursions, but how is it better to pay for OBC and then use it than to just put the excursions on a credit card? Unless you are dealing with conversion rate issues....

[canadarocks]

Unless you are dealing with conversion rate issues....

 

Exactly. 20% exchange rate to pre-book, with no risk of an excursion price increase or it becoming sold out.

[myfuzzy]

Its been that way for a couple of years now, IF you have OBC to cover the cost, it is "paid" for out of the OBC, if you only have a portion of the OBC to cover the cost, the OBC is taken as partial payment and the rest goes on your CC. BUT, the deduction does not show on your Personalizer, Your OBC still shows as not used.

[canadarocks]

Its been that way for a couple of years now, IF you have OBC to cover the cost, it is "paid" for out of the OBC, if you only have a portion of the OBC to cover the cost, the OBC is taken as partial payment and the rest goes on your CC. BUT, the deduction does not show on your Personalizer, Your OBC still shows as not used.

 

The difference is if it's put on my CC I get charged the current exchange rate, which is far more than 20%. What I learned today is that purchased OBC can be used to order shore excursions online, and that OBC does show as being used once you do.

[myfuzzy]

The difference is if it's put on my CC I get charged the current exchange rate, which is far more than 20%. What I learned today is that purchased OBC can be used to order shore excursions online, and that OBC does show as being used once you do.

According to my personalized my OBC is still showing full amount and when I have purchased an excursion the OBC has be taken first—- only saying of MY experience

[phabric]

In Oct 2017, I had used OBC to pay for my excursions but I did not have enough OBC to pay all the excursions. Instead of using my credit card, I purchased OBC, as it is cheaper to purchase OBC than paying US$ at the bank. I thought I would be able to use my purchased OBC to pay the balance of my excursions. I could not do it online so called and was told I could not use my purchased OBC for my balance of excursions. Now, I have a lot of purchased OBC.

[myfuzzy]

In Oct 2017, I had used OBC to pay for my excursions but I did not have enough OBC to pay all the excursions. Instead of using my credit card, I purchased OBC, as it is cheaper to purchase OBC than paying US$ at the bank. I thought I would be able to use my purchased OBC to pay the balance of my excursions. I could not do it online so called and was told I could not use my purchased OBC for my balance of excursions. Now, I have a lot of purchased OBC.

 

Purchased OBC is separate from any promotional OBC normally most promotional is non refundable

Purchased OBC is normally not added to your account until boarding

[cdngrl]

In Oct 2017, I had used OBC to pay for my excursions but I did not have enough OBC to pay all the excursions. Instead of using my credit card, I purchased OBC, as it is cheaper to purchase OBC than paying US$ at the bank. I thought I would be able to use my purchased OBC to pay the balance of my excursions. I could not do it online so called and was told I could not use my purchased OBC for my balance of excursions. Now, I have a lot of purchased OBC.

this was my experience in november as well. i purchased obc at a more favourable rate through princess but was not able to use it to pre-book excursions.

[phabric]

Not sure if this is widely known, but I just learned that you can use purchased OBC to pay for shore excursions online. :)

 

In Oct 2017, I had used OBC to pay for my excursions but I did not have enough OBC to pay all the excursions. Instead of using my credit card, I purchased OBC, as it is cheaper to purchase OBC than paying US$ at the bank. I thought I would be able to use my purchased OBC to pay the balance of my excursions. I could not do it online so called and was told I could not use my purchased OBC for my balance of excursions. Now, I have a lot of purchased OBC.

 

canadarocks is talking about PURCHASED OBC being able to use to pay for excursions. I replied with my experience since I had PURCHASED OBC hoping to use for the balance of excursions not OBC from perks or TA.

[canadarocks]

I can only tell you what happened yesterday for me. I bought some OBC and then used it to pay for a shore excursion. No charge, and it's showing as paid using that OBC.

[cdngrl]

well that's interesting! i'm glad it worked out. good to know for next time!

[OzKiwiJJ]

You can use any OBC to pay for excursions' date=' but how is it better to pay for OBC and then use it than to just put the excursions on a credit card? Unless you are dealing with conversion rate issues....[/quote']

 

For those of us outside the US Princess sometimes has more favourable exchange rates for the purchase of OBC than current credit card rates. Princess offers those rates on purchases like OBC, which are quoted in local currency ie AUD or Canadian Dollars.

 

The Princess exchange rate appears to be set for that booking when you make the booking and does not change, even when the exchange rate drops considerably. I got a very good deal on a cruise a couple of years ago - the Princess rate AUD to USD was .90 even when the current foreign exchange rate had dropped below .75.

[bugsy43]

Wow! I’ve been cruising for 25 years and never thought to pre-purchase an OBC to significantly save on currency exchange. That’s just brilliant.

 

We are leaving on our cruise in less than 2 weeks.

 

If by chance you don’t use up all of your purchased OBC, is it refunded back to you (and if so is it automatic back to original card or do you have to arrange it with guest relations first prior to disembarkation). I don’t actually anticipate this happening but just wanted to know.

 

Thanks again. :D

[OzKiwiJJ]

Our refund arrived by cheque a few weeks after the cruise. It was converted using close to the current exchange rate so we made a nice little profit on the money we didn't spend. :D:D:D

[canadarocks]

Wow! I’ve been cruising for 25 years and never thought to pre-purchase an OBC to significantly save on currency exchange.

 

Me too! That's why I posted this. :D

[suzyed]

You can use any OBC to pay for excursions' date=' but how is it better to pay for OBC and then use it than to just put the excursions on a credit card? Unless you are dealing with conversion rate issues....[/quote']

I was wondering the same thing?

[suzyed]

Its been that way for a couple of years now, IF you have OBC to cover the cost, it is "paid" for out of the OBC, if you only have a portion of the OBC to cover the cost, the OBC is taken as partial payment and the rest goes on your CC. BUT, the deduction does not show on your Personalizer, Your OBC still shows as not used.

I have two sections on my Personalizer....one showing my OBC in full and another that shows my excursions and how much was deducted from OBC and paid for otherwise (cc)

[suzyed]

According to my personalized my OBC is still showing full amount and when I have purchased an excursion the OBC has be taken first—- only saying of MY experience

Unless you check the little box so you can pay with a credit card and it doesn't take it from the OBC.

[suzyed]

Wow! I’ve been cruising for 25 years and never thought to pre-purchase an OBC to significantly save on currency exchange. That’s just brilliant.

 

We are leaving on our cruise in less than 2 weeks.

 

If by chance you don’t use up all of your purchased OBC, is it refunded back to you (and if so is it automatic back to original card or do you have to arrange it with guest relations first prior to disembarkation). I don’t actually anticipate this happening but just wanted to know.

 

Thanks again. :D

Is it a different exchange rate to purchase the OBC vs purchasing shore excursions? If so, why is it different since they are both technically purchases from Princess?

[phabric]

I am Canadian and my cruise is in Canadian $.

 

If cruise is in CDN $, you can purchase OBC in a rate that is set by Princess at the time the cruise is booked, for my July 2018 cruise my OBC rate is $0.30 and my 2019 cruise is $0.25. For my July cruise I purchased $100 OBC (US$), I pay $130 CDN for $100US OBC.

 

Princess excursions and other onboard purchases are charged in US$. If, I use my CDN credit card, my card is charged in US$ and the credit card will charge my card in the current exchange rate and it will be more than $0.30.

[cdngrl]

I am Canadian and my cruise is in Canadian $.

 

If cruise is in CDN $, you can purchase OBC in a rate that is set by Princess at the time the cruise is booked. For my July cruise I purchased $100 OBC (US$), I pay $130 CDN for $100US OBC.

 

Princess excursions and other onboard purchases are charged in US$. If, I use my CDN credit card, my card is charged in US$ and the credit card will charge my card in the current exchange rate and it will be more than $0.30.

 

exactly! very well explained.

princess gives us the cruise price in $CAD. we can prepay gratuities as princess converts it for us to $CAD. i wish they'd convert the excursions also.

[cdngrl]

Is it a different exchange rate to purchase the OBC vs purchasing shore excursions? If so, why is it different since they are both technically purchases from Princess?

yes, its a different exchange rate.

at the moment, princess is giving me .25 exchange on the cruise and gratuities. (shown in $CAD on the website). excursions are only able to be booked in $USD which will cost me closer to .33 to charge to my canadian credit card.

[canadarocks]

Okay, just learned something else. When you go to purchase OBC online it says "can by used by anyone". Turns out that doesn't apply for pre-paying shore excursions. Be sure to buy enough OBC for each person separately that you have enough to pay for all the excursions you want to buy. So you have to be able access both your own and your "significant other's" accounts to buy the OBC. You can still pay for both with the same credit card and use the same email for confirmation.

 

Make sense? :):)

[The Wood Duck]

Does anyone know if there is a limit to the amount of OBC one can purchase. My personalizer allows for a maximum of 1000 OBC's to be purchased at one time, for longer cruises this amount would fall short.