Using Sailor Loot on Pre-Booked Excursions??

[Hydro ergo]

Hi All,

 

I'm trying to book some Shore Things (excursions) for an upcoming cruise.  We have $600 in sailor loot that I would like to use for this purpose.  In fact, that was pretty much my only plan for using this perk.  However, it looks like the app is charging my credit card when I reserve.  Can this be transferred to Sailor Loot once on board, or...is it what I fear...if I pre-book an excursion I have to pay out of pocket and I can only use the Sailor Loot if I book them while on board???  Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Any help appreciated.  I tried calling, but haven't heard back yet.

 

thanks!

[cantgetin]

If you book before boarding, excursions will be charged to your credit card.  There is a way around this, however.

On VV, you can cancel an excursion with full refund to your original pay source provided it is at least 24 hours ahead.  SO...you book in advance to grab a spot.  After boarding, you go to the big red desk on deck 7, cancel your excursion and get the refund to your card, and rebook using Loot.  The only risk it that someone could pick up your spot durng the few minutes between the cancelation and the rebooking.

Do verify with the agent at the desk that the refund will go to your credit card. This used to work, but I've seen some posts recently from people claiming their refund went thru as loot.

[sid_9169]

Sailor Loot can only be used on board, so if you want to use it you'll have to wait till on board to book...

[aviators99]

6 hours ago, cantgetin said:

If you book before boarding, excursions will be charged to your credit card.  There is a way around this, however.

On VV, you can cancel an excursion with full refund to your original pay source provided it is at least 24 hours ahead.  SO...you book in advance to grab a spot.  After boarding, you go to the big red desk on deck 7, cancel your excursion and get the refund to your card, and rebook using Loot.  The only risk it that someone could pick up your spot durng the few minutes between the cancelation and the rebooking.

Do verify with the agent at the desk that the refund will go to your credit card. This used to work, but I've seen some posts recently from people claiming their refund went thru as loot.

I asked this question a while ago, and found out if cannot work.  If you cancel onboard, it gets refunded as sailor loot; not to the original form of payment, even if it's outside of 48 hours before the excursion.  This is because of superseding terms and conditions.

 

I tried to make it work, and could not figure out a way.  It was sort of like trying to build a perpetual motion machine.

[cantgetin]

1 minute ago, aviators99 said:

I asked this question a while ago, and found out if cannot work.  If you cancel onboard, it gets refunded as sailor loot; not to the original form of payment, even if it's outside of 48 hours before the excursion.  This is because of superseding terms and conditions.

 

I tried to make it work, and could not figure out a way.  It was sort of like trying to build a perpetual motion machine.

OK then, sorry for the posting,  It used to work.

[CineGraphic]

God forbid if there's a waiting list for an excursion, and you lose your spot when you cancel.

[Hydro ergo]

Thank you everyone!  That is what I had feared... Honestly a bit disappointed since this is how I had planned to use just about all $600.  Ah well, lesson learned!  Every cruise line does things a little differently.  I guess I'll look at their Sailor Loot promos very differently going forward.

 

thank you all!

[CruisingWalter]

15 minutes ago, Hydro ergo said:

Thank you everyone!  That is what I had feared... Honestly a bit disappointed since this is how I had planned to use just about all $600.  Ah well, lesson learned!  Every cruise line does things a little differently.  I guess I'll look at their Sailor Loot promos very differently going forward.

 

thank you all!

 

Unfortunately it does work that way and their Shore Things tend to be much more limited. One good use of Sailor Loot onboard, at least in our experience, is the Tomahawk Steak in The Wake at dinner. Generally I don't recommend The Wake for dinner because service can be slow and it's a pretty weak steakhouse. But that steak we enjoyed on our very first sailing because our friends had about $100 Sailor Loot left to use on the last night of the cruise. That steak was $65 at the time and it was well worth it. 

 

Another good purchase if they have them onboard is the hammock they have on every balcony. They're incredibly comfortable and if you have a space to hang one, you can buy them from the ship if they have them in inventory. 

[CanadianCruiser21]

I have heard that in order to maximize sailor loot, try to buy things while at sea and not while in port to save on taxes. Local taxes are charged on purchases when the ship is in port. 
I hope that VV increases the number of shore things they offer throughout the next year. I think most people have loot from lift and shift and/or MNVV. I like how it’s all inclusive and there isn’t much you have to worry about in terms of cabin charges, but I’m also not interested in overpriced retail that I would need to lug home. 

[cantgetin]

1 hour ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

 

 

Another good purchase if they have them onboard is the hammock they have on every balcony. They're incredibly comfortable and if you have a space to hang one, you can buy them from the ship if they have them in inventory. 

The problem is the "IF they have inventory,"  They didn't have any for sale on our first two cruises so we ended up ordering one when we got home.  You can get them from Amazon or directly from Yellow Leaf.  You can also order rather much less costly hammock stands than the $3K model shown on the ship.  They aren't a beautiful piece piece of furniture, but do the job well.

The shops are closed while the ships are in port, but yes, local taxes are charged on drink purchases until the ship is in  international waters.  There is very little merch that I would consider buying on board.  The shopping is obviously geared for a different type of cruiser/shopper than my type.  One can only use so many t-shirts.....

[DAP2]

Can sailor loot be used in the spa?

[jon81uk]

13 minutes ago, DAP2 said:

Can sailor loot be used in the spa?

Yes anything that gets charged to your room account gets taken from loot. 

[cantgetin]

2 hours ago, DAP2 said:

Can sailor loot be used in the spa?

It can be used for literally anything that you purchase on board except future cruise certificates.  Yes to spa. 

[MisterBill99]

On 9/12/2023 at 11:18 PM, CineGraphic said:

God forbid if there's a waiting list for an excursion, and you lose your spot when you cancel.

 

But do they have a waiting list for excursions if you get there as soon as you board? And does VV hold spots for booking excursions while onboard, like the other lines do?

 

I'm another one who has Sailor Loot ($700 worth) and planned to use it for Shore Things.

 

Is there any way to use it in the casino as you can on other lines?

[CineGraphic]

1 hour ago, MisterBill99 said:

Is there any way to use it in the casino as you can on other lines?

 

Yes, but you need to speak to the casino cashier in the cage.

You will need to specify an amount and whether you want to use it in the slots or table games.

 

As for the excursions, I'm not really sure.

[MisterBill99]

23 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

 

Yes, but you need to speak to the casino cashier in the cage.

You will need to specify an amount and whether you want to use it in the slots or table games.

 

And can you then play a little on the slots and then turn it into cash, or do you have to play the full amount as if it were a promotional credit? I would be pleasantly surprised if they made it that easy to monetize.

Edited October 6, 2023 by MisterBill99

[CineGraphic]

50 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

And can you then play a little on the slots and then turn it into cash, or do you have to play the full amount as if it were a promotional credit? I would be pleasantly surprised if they made it that easy to monetize.

 

You have to play though the whole amount requested, but can cash-out any winnings.

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by CineGraphic

[MisterBill99]

Just now, CineGraphic said:

 

You have to play it though the whole amount, but can cash-out any winnings.

 

 

OK, so it's like when lines like Celebrity load $5 to your card. I guess, worth doing if you have nothing else to spend it on at the end of the cruise. Or if you would normally use your own money to gamble (I don't).

[cantgetin]

Excursions are operated by outside companies, and most cruise lines have guaranteed them a certain number of participants.  So no, they don't hold back slots for onboard booking.  VV is more generous than most lines in allowing cancelation up to 24 hours in advance.  You can use loot for any excursions you book on board, but you are limited to those that have spots remaining.  Sometimes the tour companies can add additional spots if there is demand, other times not.  Thus, it is pot luck whether there are spots that you want available after boarding.

 

As above you can use loot in the casino.  You cannot convert loot to cash, but you can get your winnings out in cash.

[_tacocat_]

The “waitlist” is basically someone at the shore things desk with a notebook that may or may not book you if something opens up.  You’re better off checking in the app and jumping on it in there if you see it.

 

if they have a huge waitlist, they’ll try to see if the can get another boat/bus/whatever to accommodate the lots of extra people, but they can’t do that at a port stop where there are 4 other ships in port- they’re limited by the physical capacity of the tour operators.