Why can’t I use OBC

[mel8kri]

I want to book excursions and a balcony breakfast. I have a lot of OBC but if i try to book it wants a card. I am on the emerald in March.

 

[PacnGoNow]

1 minute ago, mel8kri said:

I want to book excursions and a balcony breakfast. I have a lot of OBC but if i try to book it wants a card. I am on the emerald in March.

 

Usually, you can use OBC for excursions.

You will know if your OBC is eligible for excursions, if you book it, you’ll see it will take OBC first before the credit card.

 

The balcony breakfast…no, but you can book it once OB using OBC. 
 

On Board credit is to be used “on board.”

Only exception I know is excursions.

[mel8kri]

I guess I can book on board?

[memoak]

What is it about “on board credit” do people not get it is to be used on board. They do allow it to be used for excursions but that is it until you get on board

[PacnGoNow]

16 minutes ago, mel8kri said:

I guess I can book on board?

Yes.  Just call the RS line, from your cabin, when you get OB.

[voljeep]

5 minutes ago, memoak said:

What is it about “on board credit” do people not get it is to be used on board. They do allow it to be used for excursions but that is it until you get on board

well, I guess because I won't be eating the balcony breakfast until "I'm OnBoard" 😎

[Bobbiegentry]

Just now, memoak said:

What is it about “on board credit” do people not get it is to be used on board. They do allow it to be used for excursions but that is it until you get on board

You were a rookie once too. Best not to forget the little things. 

[PacnGoNow]

39 minutes ago, mel8kri said:

I guess I can book on board?

Yes, you can.  Sometimes I book ahead and pay for it, if it’s like a really important date, like anniversary or birthday.

 

 

 

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, mel8kri said:

I want to book excursions and a balcony breakfast. I have a lot of OBC but if i try to book it wants a card. I am on the emerald in March.

 

 

I'm not sure if you are unable to book both excursions and the balcony breakfast or are just having an issue with the breakfast. Princess OBC can be used to book excursions before the cruise. If you have OBC from another source such as a TA that won't be available before you are on the ship so you can't use it in advance for excursions.

[vjmatty]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

well, I guess because I won't be eating the balcony breakfast until "I'm OnBoard" 😎

 

Exactly... on-board credit is for things you do on board. This is one of those rules about Princess that annoys me since other cruise lines allow you to purchase anything from specialty dining to beverage packages ahead of time in the cruise planner with OBC.

[voljeep]

2 minutes ago, vjmatty said:

 

Exactly... on-board credit is for things you do on board. This is one of those rules about Princess that annoys me since other cruise lines allow you to purchase anything from specialty dining to beverage packages ahead of time in the cruise planner with OBC.

what I would add is 'EVERYTHING' that is booked pre-cruise with OBC would NOT be able to be cancelled and the OBC returned to your account for any reason.  That seem's fair - including excursions unless cancelled by Princess.  You book it with OBC - you own it.

[julie3fan]

24 minutes ago, voljeep said:

what I would add is 'EVERYTHING' that is booked pre-cruise with OBC would NOT be able to be cancelled and the OBC returned to your account for any reason.  That seem's fair - including excursions unless cancelled by Princess.  You book it with OBC - you own it.

 

Oh, no, really?  I just booked 2 different excursions on the same day, different times, to hold them until I could talk to DH as to which he'd prefer.  Are you saying I'm stuck with them both?

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 hour ago, julie3fan said:

 

Oh, no, really?  I just booked 2 different excursions on the same day, different times, to hold them until I could talk to DH as to which he'd prefer.  Are you saying I'm stuck with them both?

You can always cancel an excursion...

[julie3fan]

6 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

You can always cancel an excursion...

 

8 hours ago, voljeep said:

what I would add is 'EVERYTHING' that is booked pre-cruise with OBC would NOT be able to be cancelled and the OBC returned to your account for any reason.  That seem's fair - including excursions unless cancelled by Princess.  You book it with OBC - you own it.

 

I'm sure it can be cancelled, but according to voljeep the OBC is not refunded.  Thinking on it logically, that doesn't seem right, but I don't have first hand experience.  I hope I'm misunderstanding this, or that a key word was missing from a post. 

[sunviking90]

11 hours ago, memoak said:

What is it about “on board credit” do people not get it is to be used on board. They do allow it to be used for excursions but that is it until you get on board

It is different for different cruise lines and not everyone just sails on Princess. Celebrity for example, allows you to use OBC to prebook anything from spa treatments, specialty dining to wifi using OBC. 

[Valiamo]

1 hour ago, julie3fan said:

 

 

I'm sure it can be cancelled, but according to voljeep the OBC is not refunded.  Thinking on it logically, that doesn't seem right, but I don't have first hand experience.  I hope I'm misunderstanding this, or that a key word was missing from a post. 

I have first hand experience..   

 

Before Boarding....

 

You can book AND cancel excursions both using OBC (first charge) and then to your credit card on file (for any remaining amounts).  If you cancel an excursion, it is first credited back to OBC and THEN any remainder is credited back to your credit card.    The credit card refund is quick (1-2 days) and always split into the base price per person.  Available OBC is always used for excursions first, then credit.

 

My example:  I had booked an excursion (2 people) costing $519.90, could not justify the expense, so Sunday I cancelled it and think I got $400 back in OBC and then 2x transactions of $59.95 back to my credit card, one yesterday and one today. 

 

There is really no way to check the actual OBC balance, but I am hoping that it is the $400 that was returned and my Shareholder credit...

  

Edited February 15, 2023 by Valiamo

[Valiamo]

12 hours ago, mel8kri said:

I want to book excursions and a balcony breakfast. I have a lot of OBC but if i try to book it wants a card. I am on the emerald in March.

 

I suspect that you had both the Balcony Breakfast and the Excursion in your shopping basket at the same time, and the system defaulted to payment via credit card.   

 

If you try the order just with the Excursions, it will be deducted from the OBC.   Balcony Breakfast cannot be charged to OBC before sailing (only after you board).

[julie3fan]

35 minutes ago, Valiamo said:

I have first hand experience..   

 

Before Boarding....

 

You can book AND cancel excursions both using OBC (first charge) and then to your credit card on file (for any remaining amounts).  If you cancel an excursion, it is first credited back to OBC and THEN any remainder is credited back to your credit card.    The credit card refund is quick (1-2 days) and always split into the base price per person.  Available OBC is always used for excursions first, then credit.

 

My example:  I had booked an excursion (2 people) costing $519.90, could not justify the expense, so Sunday I cancelled it and think I got $400 back in OBC and then 2x transactions of $59.95 back to my credit card, one yesterday and one today. 

 

There is really no way to check the actual OBC balance, but I am hoping that it is the $400 that was returned and my Shareholder credit...

  

 

That would be the logical way to handle this.  I think it's awkward that the OBC balance doesn't reflect the excursion reservations when booked, and apparently it doesn't reflect the refunds either.  I hope you get your $400 back!

[Coral]

7 hours ago, Valiamo said:

I have first hand experience..   

 

Before Boarding....

 

You can book AND cancel excursions both using OBC (first charge) and then to your credit card on file (for any remaining amounts).  If you cancel an excursion, it is first credited back to OBC and THEN any remainder is credited back to your credit card.    The credit card refund is quick (1-2 days) and always split into the base price per person.  Available OBC is always used for excursions first, then credit.

 

My example:  I had booked an excursion (2 people) costing $519.90, could not justify the expense, so Sunday I cancelled it and think I got $400 back in OBC and then 2x transactions of $59.95 back to my credit card, one yesterday and one today. 

 

There is really no way to check the actual OBC balance, but I am hoping that it is the $400 that was returned and my Shareholder credit...

  

I have not had shore excursions booked with credit card and cancelled - refund to my credit card. It shows up as OBC on the ship. Princess is inconsistent with this. I have had to call Princess before and the conversation is useless - they say "it is OBC, who doesn't want OBC" even after I explain that it is my credit card money.

[TN-Mountains]

20 hours ago, voljeep said:

well, I guess because I won't be eating the balcony breakfast until "I'm OnBoard" 😎

This!  Plus, it is odd that the one thing you can pre-book using OBC is shore excursions that occur off the ship.  🙂 

[Valiamo]

On 2/15/2023 at 5:40 AM, Coral said:

I have not had shore excursions booked with credit card and cancelled - refund to my credit card. It shows up as OBC on the ship. Princess is inconsistent with this. I have had to call Princess before and the conversation is useless - they say "it is OBC, who doesn't want OBC" even after I

explain that it is my credit card money.

 

Is that a recent experience?   I can only go by what has happened to me in the past month, we are not sailing until July if that makes a difference, I suspect if we were on the ship, and cancelled, it would be a different story.

 

OBC was taken to pay for the excursions and the remainder from my CC ($400 OBC and $679 via credit card).  When I recently cancelled one of the excursions ($519), I received a refund to my CC of $119 and assume the rest $400 went to OBC.   Alas, I cannot figure out how to display "remaining" OBC on either the app or website.

[Coral]

Just now, Valiamo said:

 

Is that a recent experience?   I can only go by what has happened to me in the past month, we are not sailing until July if that makes a difference, I suspect if we were on the ship, and cancelled, it would be a different story.

 

OBC was taken to pay for the excursions and the remainder from my CC ($400 OBC and $679 via credit card).  When I recently cancelled one of the excursions ($519), I received a refund to my CC of $119 and assume the rest $400 went to OBC.   Alas, I cannot figure out how to display "remaining" OBC on either the app or website.

Not this year but it has happened a number of times, last year and previous years.

 

It happened before the cruise (not on ship).

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, Valiamo said:

 

Is that a recent experience?   I can only go by what has happened to me in the past month, we are not sailing until July if that makes a difference, I suspect if we were on the ship, and cancelled, it would be a different story.

 

OBC was taken to pay for the excursions and the remainder from my CC ($400 OBC and $679 via credit card).  When I recently cancelled one of the excursions ($519), I received a refund to my CC of $119 and assume the rest $400 went to OBC.   Alas, I cannot figure out how to display "remaining" OBC on either the app or website.

Did you try to book another excursion, just pretend…did it show the correct remaining OBC now?

[Valiamo]

9 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Did you try to book another excursion, just pretend…did it show the correct remaining OBC now?

I tried an Ensenada excursion for giggles.  The totals match up what we have already paid, and what OBC we figure we have available.

 

It was at the final payment click screen it gives me a link to view credits, and that shows the correct available amount for this cruise.  At least I now have a method to view used/available credits. 

 

Woohoo!

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Valiamo

[Willwils]

It's  a shame Princess apparently doesn't allow OBC to go towards gratuities like Royal Caribbean. Anyone have experience with Princess applying remaining OBC towards gratuities at end of cruise?