Military and shareholders OBC no longer combinable soon.

[justafem]

I'm thrilled with my 1000 investment for 130 shares.  I bought very low.  I have belief in the cruise industry to rebound from the covid setback.  We're already seeing the finances beating projections.  We won't ever see princess fall to the rate of carnival or rise to the level of cunard.  Cruising is different than it once was.  But they are surviving and paying off their debt.  

 

Didn't serve so I won't miss that.  Sorry to those that might miss out on some onboard credit they've gotten used to. 

 

I'll hold my stock, it's always been worth way more than the FCD match although I really appreciate the return on that too.  I guess I'll make decisions when it comes down to actually having to make a decision, IF a decision ever has to be made. 

[Princessfan20]

7 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

I don’t post trivial information.  I don’t post rumors.  If you took a minute to look at what I post you’d find I only post when I feel I genuinely have something credible to add to the conversation that’s worthwhile.  My Princess CVP is a long time veteran with a stellar reputation that I’ve worked with for many years.  The New Yorker in me has more to say but the Californian in me will stop here. 

 

But at this point it is just hearsay without proof from Princess?

[MissP22]

2 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

 

But at this point it is just hearsay without proof from Princess?

I have no doubt that there's something to the initial report but like everyone I'll wait for the official announcement before selling my stock. 

 

[Guest ldtr]

38 minutes ago, Princessfan20 said:

 

But at this point it is just hearsay without proof from Princess?

You can always wait until June 29th. Considering that the information is coming from multiple Princess employees, PVP.  Passed on when they got notified, the odds of it not being valid is extremely low.

 

Though they and us are still waiting on some of the implementation details such as per person vs per cabin.

Edited June 17, 2023 by ldtr

[Ken the cruiser]

8 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

 

This is what my Princess CVP replied regarding this question"

 

On Jun 16, 2023, at 7:24 AM, ________wrote:

I am interpreting it that a single cabin can get only ONE of EITHER the Shareholder Benefit OR Military OBC.

 

Your CVP definitely has me curious even more now. But I guess we'll just have to wait until we get the official definition on or about June 29. That is unless he knows the answer to whether both veterans in the same cabin or just one will get the Military OBC perk. Right now both my DW and I get it, which works out to $500 OBC on their longer 14+ day itineraries.

[Guest ldtr]

22 hours ago, DJ Cruisers said:

We just submitted the form for receiving the Shareholder's OBC for our December cruise.  Got an automatic response "due to high demand, it will take up to 21 days to process".  Our last submittal was just a few days.  Looks like word is getting out!

The 21 day wording has been there for the entire restart. The last few time I have submitted the response has come within hours. 

 

 We need someone that does not have the Veterans benefit to apply to see if they get a quicker response compared to those with the benefit.

[travellingnana]

17 hours ago, travellingnana said:

Frankly, I don’t see how it could be per cabin. Let’s say I want to cruise with a friend, and we decide to share a cabin. I have shareholder credit. She has military credit. Which one of us would have to give up the credit?

 

16 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

This has always been the case for Shareholder.  Only one OBC per cabin regardless if there are two unrelated individuals.  Singles (and now veterans) are being sidelined. 

Hmm.  I'm confused.  Right now my husband and I travel together.  I have shareholder credit, he has military. We have two types of OBC in one cabin.

So are you saying that right now if two separate individuals, with 2 separate accounts, share a cabin and one has shareholder credit and one has military credit that only one of them can claim their credit?

[nasa1974]

On 6/16/2023 at 8:52 AM, Princessfan20 said:

It really is a form of discrimination because no other group on Princess is having to make this choice except Veterans.

I'm not sure about the discrimination. My military credit is a given. It's my choice to purchase the stock and ask for the OBC. If this option is being taken away it's my choice to sell the stock and not worry about the OBC.I haven't read the other 2 pages of responses yet, but veterans aren't losing their OBC from what I have read. It just looks like we won't be able to get both. I travel solo now, and I do have both OBC's for my October 2023 and April 2024 cruises. I have 2 cruises in October of 2024 and my military OBC has been credited but I haven't requested my stock OBC yet. I will see what happens when I ask for it.

[luv2kroooz]

22 hours ago, DJ Cruisers said:

We just submitted the form for receiving the Shareholder's OBC for our December cruise.  Got an automatic response "due to high demand, it will take up to 21 days to process".  Our last submittal was just a few days.  Looks like word is getting out!

We have the same response. I had to submit mine two times like a month ago. I got the SH credit after the second submission within 1 day. Fast forward... my mom and dad booked separate cabins. Dad has military OBC automatically applied. We submitted both of their SH requests separately on Tuesday. We haven't heard anything from princess and no SH OBC has been posted in either account. I don't know what is going on over at Princess. The process seems very disjointed and inconsistent.

[Princessfan20]

Sounds like it is going to be an accounting nightmare from some of the few scenarios presented here so far.🤣

[suzyed]

14 hours ago, wallyj said:

So getting a little off topic since you brought it up, but a few years ago, RCI used to reduce your shareholder benefit with your other OBC’s, in essence, the maximum you would get most likely is shareholders. Now they allow ‘stacking’, so your other OBC’s and promos will not reduce your shareholder benefit. 
 

Occasionally, RCI will have an extra discount for military but only for specific sailings, unlike Princess which is available for most sailings.
 

Have you applied for RCI shareholders since July 2021?
 

No, we haven't sailed with them since well before Covid. I feel like their prices had escalated even back then.  Once we starting sailing with Princess in 2010 we have sailed mostly with them, with a couple of QM2 and MSC sailings thrown in.

[Steelers36]

On 6/16/2023 at 1:38 PM, PescadoAmarillo said:

The next thing to go will be FCD OBCs not being combinable with either CCL or military OBC. Other cruise lines have had that rule for years. 
 

Meanwhile, am I right in saying we have not yet had confirmation about whether it is one OBC per cabin, or per person?

For us, the FCD OBC usually isn't much per voyage compared to SH OBC.  We don't get military, but I know you guys do.  Hope everyone in your situation can get one of each, but seems unlikely.

[whitecap]

I have spoken with a "well placed source" within Princess and can confirm that the basic information being spoken about on this thread is true.  Beginning September 12, 2023, Military OBC and Shareholder OBC cannot be combined.

Now, with that said, it appears that this information was disseminated to "staff" for review.  Staff have posed a number of questions to upper management and are awaiting a response.  Questions being discussed are:  Is the military/shareholder OBC per person or per cabin?  Will bookings made before September 12, 2023 and which have already been granted the Military and Shareholder OBC be grandfathered?

I'm not sure why these questions weren't addressed when the decision to make this change was made but since it wasn't, we'll all just have to wait and see how it will be resolved. 

[cr8tiv1]

16 minutes ago, whitecap said:

I have spoken with a "well placed source" within Princess and can confirm that the basic information being spoken about on this thread is true.  Beginning September 12, 2023, Military OBC and Shareholder OBC cannot be combined.

Now, with that said, it appears that this information was disseminated to "staff" for review.  Staff have posed a number of questions to upper management and are awaiting a response.  Questions being discussed are:  Is the military/shareholder OBC per person or per cabin?  Will bookings made before September 12, 2023 and which have already been granted the Military and Shareholder OBC be grandfathered?

I'm not sure why these questions weren't addressed when the decision to make this change was made but since it wasn't, we'll all just have to wait and see how it will be resolved. 

 

This seems to be a standard with Princess.  Implement then fix, modify, change, alter, step back, hindsight...It happens way too often (starting with Medallion or before).  If "we" can see the problems, why can't the highly paid see them too?

[Ken the cruiser]

33 minutes ago, whitecap said:

I have spoken with a "well placed source" within Princess and can confirm that the basic information being spoken about on this thread is true.  Beginning September 12, 2023, Military OBC and Shareholder OBC cannot be combined.

Now, with that said, it appears that this information was disseminated to "staff" for review.  Staff have posed a number of questions to upper management and are awaiting a response.  Questions being discussed are:  Is the military/shareholder OBC per person or per cabin?  Will bookings made before September 12, 2023 and which have already been granted the Military and Shareholder OBC be grandfathered?

I'm not sure why these questions weren't addressed when the decision to make this change was made but since it wasn't, we'll all just have to wait and see how it will be resolved. 

Thanks for passing this additional information along. We’re just hoping my DW and I will each be able to continue getting our Military OBC on each cruise we’re on.

Edited June 17, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Guest ldtr]

5 hours ago, whitecap said:

I have spoken with a "well placed source" within Princess and can confirm that the basic information being spoken about on this thread is true.  Beginning September 12, 2023, Military OBC and Shareholder OBC cannot be combined.

Now, with that said, it appears that this information was disseminated to "staff" for review.  Staff have posed a number of questions to upper management and are awaiting a response.  Questions being discussed are:  Is the military/shareholder OBC per person or per cabin?  Will bookings made before September 12, 2023 and which have already been granted the Military and Shareholder OBC be grandfathered?

I'm not sure why these questions weren't addressed when the decision to make this change was made but since it wasn't, we'll all just have to wait and see how it will be resolved. 

So basically what the PVPs got was an internal memo for review and internal use and some prematurely communicated it outside of the company.

[Guest ldtr]

5 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

This seems to be a standard with Princess.  Implement then fix, modify, change, alter, step back, hindsight...It happens way too often (starting with Medallion or before).  If "we" can see the problems, why can't the highly paid see them too?

Except in this case it was supposed to be internal discussion so they could have the answers ready when it was actually supposed to get released.  Cannot really blame the company for employees inappropriately leaking the internal document.

[rosevew]

Spoke to them today and was told that OBC will have grandfather rights. As yet no clarification re combining if 2 separate passengers in cabin, one with each type

[voljeep]

21 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

This seems to be a standard with Princess.  Implement then fix, modify, change, alter, step back, hindsight...It happens way too often (starting with Medallion or before).  If "we" can see the problems, why can't the highly paid see them too?

"We" ARE the beta testers ... for free - so why should Princess pay for that? 🦄

[BabySarge]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something on this discussion but is the implication that at some future date Military OBC will be per cabin and not per person?  I am totally fine with it not being refundable, never thought it should be and have always made a point of spending both mine and DH's whilst on board.  However, if it ends up being per cabin how on earth are they going to decide that if both individuals in the cabin are veterans such as DH and myself?  By rank when retired or left service?  Years of service?  Win, win for me as I both outrank and have more years of service but that totally negates and devalues my DH's 20 years which is just not right.  Again, I think I may have misunderstood something in all the replies and discussions, I surely hope so.

[Guest ldtr]

39 minutes ago, BabySarge said:

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something on this discussion but is the implication that at some future date Military OBC will be per cabin and not per person?  I am totally fine with it not being refundable, never thought it should be and have always made a point of spending both mine and DH's whilst on board.  However, if it ends up being per cabin how on earth are they going to decide that if both individuals in the cabin are veterans such as DH and myself?  By rank when retired or left service?  Years of service?  Win, win for me as I both outrank and have more years of service but that totally negates and devalues my DH's 20 years which is just not right.  Again, I think I may have misunderstood something in all the replies and discussions, I surely hope so.

That has not been announced yet, maybe the decision not even made yet.

 

If they do go that route it will probably just be whoever is primary on the reservation, as simple as that. Just as the shareholder benefit usually goes to the first that applies.

 

Princess has been far more generous than any of their competition in terms of both OBC in general and with the Veterans benefit in general.

 

Do you apply the same standard of the lack of such a benefit negating and disrespecting service on any of the other lines that do not have an equivalent benefit.

 

While this may impact the value we receive from these benefits. I know that between shareholder and veterans I have received around 20,000 I'm benefits over the years. I consider myself to be very happy that the benefit was there.

 

Now  the impact is that a future Princess cruise may go up by a couple of hundred dollars vs their competition whenever I am deciding which cruise and line to take. The same as if one line raised their rates.

[bjkTX]

1 hour ago, BabySarge said:

Maybe I'm misunderstanding something on this discussion but is the implication that at some future date Military OBC will be per cabin and not per person?  I am totally fine with it not being refundable, never thought it should be and have always made a point of spending both mine and DH's whilst on board.  However, if it ends up being per cabin how on earth are they going to decide that if both individuals in the cabin are veterans such as DH and myself?  By rank when retired or left service?  Years of service?  Win, win for me as I both outrank and have more years of service but that totally negates and devalues my DH's 20 years which is just not right.  Again, I think I may have misunderstood something in all the replies and discussions, I surely hope so.

I'm not sure I understand the issue of deciding who gets it.  If only one person gets it it is $100 or $250 depending on the length of the cruise whether you were an E-1 or an O-10.

[rosevew]

40 minutes ago, ldtr said:

That has not been announced yet, maybe the decision not even made yet.

 

If they do go that route it will probably just be whoever is primary on the reservation, as simple as that. Just as the shareholder benefit usually goes to the first that applies.

 

Princess has been far more generous than any of their competition in terms of both OBC in general and with the Veterans benefit in general.

 

Do you apply the same standard of the lack of such a benefit negating and disrespecting service on any of the other lines that do not have an equivalent benefit.

 

While this may impact the value we receive from these benefits. I know that between shareholder and veterans I have received around 20,000 I'm benefits over the years. I consider myself to be very happy that the benefit was there.

 

Now  the impact is that a future Princess cruise may go up by a couple of hundred dollars vs their competition whenever I am deciding which cruise and line to take. The same as if one line raised their rates.

It was confirmed today during my phone conversation with Princess so it seems to be happening

[Guest ldtr]

16 minutes ago, rosevew said:

It was confirmed today during my phone conversation with Princess so it seems to be happening

According to your last post only the grandfathering. not the decision if it was per cabin or per person and not if veterans would only be one per cabin.

 

The only thing that we know so far according to your post and others is that there are changes to the veterans benefit and it will not be combinable with shareholder. The exact details still unknown.

[voljeep]

11 minutes ago, ldtr said:

According to your last post only the grandfathering. not the decision if it was per cabin or per person and not if veterans would only be one per cabin.

 

The only thing that we know so far according to your post and others is that there are changes to the veterans benefit and it will not be combinable with shareholder. The exact details still unknown.

Military per person?

SOBC - per cabin regardless of if related or not - first in cabin to apply gets it?