Help please with buying Princess OBC

[Belmont Babe]

I am seeing this when I go to the relevant space on my cruise personaliser, but there is no indication of exactly how many US dollars OBC I am getting for my NZ dollars. Can anyone let me know? Probably only seen by a cruiser from the US.

 

Just to add, I don't need any advice or opinions on whether or not I should buy OBC, just the number!

[d9704011]

Unfortunately, I cannot answer your question but here is a bit of previous discussion on the same topic:

 

 

[Belmont Babe]

7 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

Unfortunately, I cannot answer your question but here is a bit of previous discussion on the same topic:

 

 

Thank you! That was very helpful! Although the final poster had a further dilemma. I wonder how it all panned out?

[OzKiwiJJ]

The amounts are in lots of $25, $50 and $100.

[Belmont Babe]

20 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The amounts are in lots of $25, $50 and $100.

Thank you for answering the question. Succinct and to the point.

[d9704011]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The amounts are in lots of $25, $50 and $100.

Yes.  If I wished, I could buy 25 USD for 33.75 CAD (a 35% exchange rate).  Currently, that's a pretty good deal if a person plans on using OBC.

[arxcards]

Frustrating not to be seeing the $US. It is interesting how they hedge these, as the conversion appears to be linked to the time you booked. For cruises booked:

- A bit over a year ago for next month, Aussie price is $33.75, $67.50, $135, (74 cents to the dollar).

- Early this year for next Feb, Aussie price is $36.25, $72.50, $145 (69 cents to the dollar)

- Booking May this year for 2025 is also $145 per 100.

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 hours ago, arxcards said:

Frustrating not to be seeing the $US. It is interesting how they hedge these, as the conversion appears to be linked to the time you booked. For cruises booked:

- A bit over a year ago for next month, Aussie price is $33.75, $67.50, $135, (74 cents to the dollar).

- Early this year for next Feb, Aussie price is $36.25, $72.50, $145 (69 cents to the dollar)

- Booking May this year for 2025 is also $145 per 100.

It's always been like that - the exchange rate for OBC seems to get set for a booking at the time you book. We made a nice profit on unused OBC back in 2016 as they refund you at the current exchange rate. We'd bought at 0.80 and got refunded at around 0.65 from memory.

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

It's always been like that - the exchange rate for OBC seems to get set for a booking at the time you book. We made a nice profit on unused OBC back in 2016 as they refund you at the current exchange rate. We'd bought at 0.80 and got refunded at around 0.65 from memory.

I was aware of their hedge, and that passengers actively seek it when the rate of the day isn't as good. I hadn't twigged that it was based on the time of booking, thinking it was just their hedged rate of the day. What even twigged me to check was that the rate we have for next month is much more generous than that mentioned by the OP.

 

If we needed money to spend aboard, I would buy ahead. In these days of Plus & Premier, dining vouchers and a bit of booking OBC, we aren't spending anything aboard - 28 degrees is well rested. We won't be getting OBC to pay for any Alfredo's 😂

[Belmont Babe]

2 hours ago, arxcards said:

I hadn't twigged that it was based on the time of booking, thinking it was just their hedged rate of the day. What even twigged me to check was that the rate we have for next month is much more generous than that mentioned by the OP.

 

 

Yes, it is a late booking, just 3 weeks ago, and the figures are NZD not AUD, so there's a 10% difference there as well.

[arxcards]

5 minutes ago, Belmont Babe said:

Yes, it is a late booking, just 3 weeks ago, and the figures are NZD not AUD, so there's a 10% difference there as well.

It all adds up. This year is 69 cents for Aussie, 64.5 cents for NZ. Quite a handy buffer in your favour vs today's official rate.

[MicCanberra]

We used to buy extra OBC often when the prices suited, cruiselines are becoming aware and are now much more fluid in their pricing.