Using excursion OBC pre sailing

[markrph]

Hi-

 

Can we book excursions using our excursion OBC pre boarding or do we have to wait and hope the excursion is not sold out? Thanks. I really don't want to pay first and hope to get reimbursed on board.

[Mike07]

You most definitely can use OBC on the reservation and apply that money towards shore excursions. I have done it several times before.

 

I've also had luck paying for the excursion with CC, then using OBC once on board. In this scenario, you receive a refundable OBC for the amount paid with CC and then Princess charges you again for the excursion and it'll hit your portfolio (that then preferentially uses non-refundable OBC).

[Mike45LC]

I was unable to use onboard credit for excursions booked pre-cruise. I had to use a credit card. As the name implies, onboard credit is to be used “on board.“

[Mike07]

42 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

I was unable to use onboard credit for excursions booked pre-cruise. I had to use a credit card. As the name implies, onboard credit is to be used “on board.“

 

 

I can 100% assure you that on the Princess ship I got off of 2 weeks ago, and the trip I have coming up in 2 months.... I used OBC (military and shareholder) to book shore excursions pre-cruise.

 

Again, this is with Princess (not celebrity or HAL).

 

The only thing I can think of is if your TA is giving you OBC as part of your deal with them, because in those scenarios, they have to send monies to Princess to reflect the OBC and not the promise of a check.

Edited November 20, 2022 by Mike07

[Thrak]

Just try to book online and it will tell you if you can use OBC. Simple way to check.

[phoebe2m]

I booked excursions with our OBC for our upcoming cruise. The only problem I had was my CCL stock OBC wasn't split between my husband and me. So I got $250 of the OBC and he got $0 but he had other OBC. So when I booked the excursions I had to pay with a credit card for a small amount even though I had OBC my husband didn't have enough to cover his excursion. If we were on the ship we wouldn't have this problem. 

[ontheweb]

6 minutes ago, phoebe2m said:

I booked excursions with our OBC for our upcoming cruise. The only problem I had was my CCL stock OBC wasn't split between my husband and me. So I got $250 of the OBC and he got $0 but he had other OBC. So when I booked the excursions I had to pay with a credit card for a small amount even though I had OBC my husband didn't have enough to cover his excursion. If we were on the ship we wouldn't have this problem. 

The same happened to us years ago. When I posted about it, I was told I should have tried again. A different agent might have allowed it, but it was only a small amount ($35 IIRC), and I figured it would just be there to spend when we got onboard. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

3 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

I was unable to use onboard credit for excursions booked pre-cruise. I had to use a credit card. As the name implies, onboard credit is to be used “on board.“

I booked using my OBC.  No credit card needed.  Again the OBC was from Princess- any OBC from a TA usually is not available until after you board - and the amount was less than the amount available.

[Thrak]

32 minutes ago, phoebe2m said:

I booked excursions with our OBC for our upcoming cruise. The only problem I had was my CCL stock OBC wasn't split between my husband and me. So I got $250 of the OBC and he got $0 but he had other OBC. So when I booked the excursions I had to pay with a credit card for a small amount even though I had OBC my husband didn't have enough to cover his excursion. If we were on the ship we wouldn't have this problem. 

 

I had the same problem. Called my TA and he called Princess. Princess then called me and took care of the problem. In the past this wasn't an issue but now things are just plain weird.

[Doug R.]

When we booked excursions on our 10/29 cruise on the Enchanted we were given the option to pay using credit card or OBC.