Will obc and paid gratuities from travel agent show up in Cruise Personalizer?

[erber]

We have gone on a lot of Princess cruises but this is a new issue for us -- gratuities and also some obc to be paid by travel agent as part of a package deal. We are hoping the obc from the travel agent shows up soon so we can use it along with other obc (shareholder credit, future cruise credit) to pre book some excursions.

 

The question is, when we look in the cruise personalizer at what point will we be able to see that our gratuities are prepaid and also the  obc from travel agent, or will we have to wait until we are on the ship to see it? It is on the invoice from the travel agent, but does not, as of yet, show in our cruise personalizer (mind you, we only booked the cruise yesterday and it is not until July 2020 so we are not even close to final payment).

[hobbyfarmer2]

You should bee able to see the data after the TA enters it under the "Print travel summary" option found after you select the cruise in question using "Manage your cruises".

[erber]

Thank you. I forgot about the Travel Summary. I looked at it and it shows the prepaid gratuities. However,  instead of obc lists coupon books for each of us. So I contacted the agent to correct it so that we receive the right amenity in our offer. Thanks again. This was a big help.

[voljeep]

12 minutes ago, erber said:

Thank you. I forgot about the Travel Summary. I looked at it and it shows the prepaid gratuities. However,  instead of obc lists coupon books for each of us. So I contacted the agent to correct it so that we receive the right amenity in our offer. Thanks again. This was a big help.

the coupon book should be in addition to the OBC ...

[erber]

I know the coupon books are usually useless, but assumed it was instead of obc. You are correct!  I looked at Travel Summary more carefully and it indicates that gifted obc won't show up on summary but will be listed on the folio once we are on board. So that obc can't be used to prebook excursions. But that's ok. We may use it to convert our free internet minutes to unlimited internet or decide to book a transfer back to airport when we are on board.

[ontheweb]

32 minutes ago, erber said:

I know the coupon books are usually useless, but assumed it was instead of obc. You are correct!  I looked at Travel Summary more carefully and it indicates that gifted obc won't show up on summary but will be listed on the folio once we are on board. So that obc can't be used to prebook excursions. But that's ok. We may use it to convert our free internet minutes to unlimited internet or decide to book a transfer back to airport when we are on board.

Right TA OBC does not show up until you are on the cruise.

 

Our TA once told me not to sweat it or ruin our cruise if it does not show up. Rather call him when we get back, and he will fix it. (Never had to do that.)

 

And it is unfortunate that you cannot use it to prebook excursions.

[voljeep]

34 minutes ago, erber said:

I know the coupon books are usually useless,

look for a BOGO coupon for the first night only in a specialty restaurant

[erber]

I remember when looking for BOGO coffee cards in the coupon book. That was a long time ago. Heck now there are no coffee cards!  We will definitely look and see if there are any "deals" in the coupon book. Honestly, the specialty restaurants are not that big a draw to us. My husband is 6' 5" and can eat so much food it is crazy (without gaining any weight!!! ) and so he prefers buffet ... or dinner in MDR and then buffet....Or "let's check out the Trident Grill bar b que too. Unlike him, I have to control myself so I don't become a blimp. Thank goodness cruises also involve a lot of walking and exercise.

 

We have been on over 30 Princess cruises but this is the first one we ever booked through an agency that happened to offer a really great land and cruise package. What is amazing is we found out about them through a cruise critic email advertising cruises! Cruise Critic is our best friend!

[skynight]

12 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Right TA OBC does not show up until you are on the cruise.

 

Our TA once told me not to sweat it or ruin our cruise if it does not show up. Rather call him when we get back, and he will fix it. (Never had to do that.)

 

And it is unfortunate that you cannot use it to prebook excursions.

Some T.A. OBC does show up. It depends on how the T.A. handles it. 

[Mary Ellen1]

My TA doesn't purchase the OBC from Princess until the last minute, in case you cancel your cruise.  So we can't use it for any pre-cruise expenses.

[wheezedr]

My OBC from my TA has always shown up on my account on board, but never in advance on my personalizer.

[Ep010835]

12 minutes ago, wheezedr said:

My OBC from my TA has always shown up on my account on board, but never in advance on my personalizer.

 

Same here. Never deviates. 

[Thrak]

For the pre-paid gratuities just look in the personalizer. Go to Payments and Credits.  Choose the gratuities as if you want to pay them. It should then expand and show they are already paid. The gratuities show below were paid by the TA.

 

[Paula_MacFan]

My TA OBC shows up in my personalizer as 'Travel Agent Grp Promotion' and I was able to use it to purchase shore excursions.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Why not ask your TA?  If the OBC is part of a Group amenity, then it will not show up on the Cruise Personalizer but will show up on your Princess invoice (not your TA's in-house invoice) which you should've received a copy of after booking.  If not, ask the TA to forward it to you.  You should always have this.  Print it out and take with you on your cruise after final payment.

[Colo Cruiser]

My TA OBC always shows up in the personalizer. Always has.  

[BigGuy25]

Any perks that come as part of the Princess package (OBC, free grats, drink package, etc.) show up right away in the Personalizer.  As others have said, the OBC that comes from your TA usually shows up in your onboard account by the 2nd day of the cruise.

Edited June 21, 2019 by BigGuy25

[erber]

Interestingly the paid grats from the TA is not part of princess sale right now, but shows up in my personalizer now both right under gratuities and also on the travel summary page. I am not worried any longer about not seeing TA obc -- not only  based on these posts but as well from as learning the travel agency is a Princess commodore agency and appears very legitimate after more research. 

[land lover]

As another poster mentioned many TAs do not want to purchase your OBC until they know you have boarded the ship...thus the comment "on board credit should show by the second day."

[caribill]

Some OBC listed as being from the TA is really from Princess as part of amenity points used by the TA to give you that benefit. This OBC will usually show up in the Personalizer.

 

If the OBC is really being purchased by the TA, the TA has no incentive to purchase it early and it may not appear on your onboard account for a day or two after embarkation. Even if purchased by the TA a while before the cruise, it will not show up in the Personalizer just as any gift OBC purchased for you by anyone else will not show up there as Princess does not want to ruin the "surprise" of gift OBC by posting it before the cruise.

[Coral]

7 hours ago, caribill said:

Even if purchased by the TA a while before the cruise, it will not show up in the Personalizer just as any gift OBC purchased for you by anyone else will not show up there as Princess does not want to ruin the "surprise" of gift OBC by posting it before the cruise.

I recently purchased a gift for someone on Princess. There was a choice to have it show up in their personalizer. A friend recently purchased my gratuities and they also had a choice to show it up in the personalizer (or hide it).

 

Though - my TA doesn't give me OBC, she discounts the cruise upfront so I don't know how that is handled.

Edited June 22, 2019 by Coral

[caribill]

4 hours ago, Coral said:

I recently purchased a gift for someone on Princess. There was a choice to have it show up in their personalizer. A friend recently purchased my gratuities and they also had a choice to show it up in the personalizer (or hide it).

 

 

That option is a welcome addition to the Princess computer system.