On-board Spend – Is a sum of money you have in credit due to the way you booked, the deal you got when booking, or other factors and there are many. You can get more! This article is broadly based around P&O, but the system is not unusual and common on many ships. Many clubs like golf clubs have bar spend, it is all similar and as with most money deals there are rules. Always check with the cruise operator, this is a guide. If your cruise line has a system let us know and we will research it. In general:-
There are at least three kinds of on-board spending allocation.
- On Board Spending you PURCHASE by lodging money to your account.
- On Board spending allocated to the cruise you book, on the deal you book. The badge on-line will show you the credit offered on that booking – more of this later
- On-Board spending you may be allocated because you are a company SHARE holder on the stock exchange.
- Military (past or present) deal allocation. This is an interesting one.
Simply, on board spending is a credit, an amount on your account as above in 1, 2, 3 or 4. The on-board spend shown in deals is an amount that booking gives at that price (2 above). If you are allowed £150 on board spending, you are £150 in credit. You can spend it on tours, drinks etc. After the £150 is gone, you pay by what other means you have agreed. People wishing to limit their spend or not use a card will use this as their account by adding a sum of money (1 above).
On-board spend from P&O when booking. Some people have no on-board spend, some have £75, some may get £500. How is it different? If you book via Doris Visits, here by clicking a link, you are taken direct to the P&O site and the deal is transparent. The deal shown is the deal, and if there is an on board spend it shows you.
If you hold SHARES in the company Carnival plc, on the stock exchange, you may be credited with extra on-board spend (see below). But that is not automatic. If you are in the Military, there may be an on board spend allowance (see below).
On-board spending money allocated as 2,3 or 4 is non refundable and no cash alternative available. It may not be spent prior to embarkation.
In general the answers are as below, but re-confirm the terms with your cruise company, this is an overview of what normally happens.
Can you get that money in cash? If you purchased it so it is yours (1 above), yes. If you are credited it (because of 2 or 3 above) no.
Can you use that money above to get foreign currency for destinations? If you purchased it so it is yours (1 above), yes. If you are credited it (because of 2 or 3 above) no.
If you change your booking to another cruise or a different date. If you purchased it so it is yours (1 above), yes it will transfer. If you are credited it as a share holder, (because of 3 above), you will still get that benefit. If it was a deal on the actual cruise, (because of 2 3 above) no, that is cancelled ask what the deal is on the new cruise.
What is on board spend not for?
There are little complications, but they are understandable. You can use the on-board spend for on-board. Not before. So excursions cannot be booked before you go on your personaliser using on -board credit (the clue is in the name). Not before you go. You cannot use on-board spend to purchase in advance via your cruise planner Excursions, Celebration Packages, Spa, flowers or cakes.
On board spending cannot be used for bingo or the casino, and in most cases not for Artwork purchases. Sadly not as a deposit for a future cruise at the futures desk, nor for foreign currency. It is not cash, it is a spend allowance on board. There are other exclusions which all seem sensible, not usable for medical (which in most cases you might have to pay for and claim back from your insurance), not for Visa’s or ad hoc gratuities.
What is on board spend usable for?
So, those general exclusions above here is what you can use it for on-board. You can use it on board for the following:-
- Items purchased from any of the shops, in the Spa, & salon treatments and services (when booked on-board and not prior to embarkation via Cruise Personaliser)
- Photography prints, products, workshops and services
- Laundry & dry cleaning, Internet and telephone charges
- Shore excursions (when booked on-board and not prior to embarkation via Cruise Personaliser)
- Beverages from the bar and restaurants (where applicable) Don’t forget there are rules about taking your own alcohol on board.
- Restaurant cover charges (when booked on-board and not prior to embarkation via Cruise Personaliser)
- Automatic tips (gratuities)
- Gift items such as Celebration Packages, flowers and cakes (when booked on-board and not prior to embarkation)
How do I get more money?
Military Service. Military Benefits can only be applied to a booking if you are registered with Defence Discount Service and have a Defence Privilege Card. These range according to nights on board. You must apply in advance, see shareholders team below. The latest Military benefit can be applied is 7 days before departure. It is not possible to apply the benefit once you are on board.
Shareholder benefit? Each year at the annual board meeting at Carnival in the USA the board decides whether to have a shareholder benefit. At the moment the P&O pages on this appear to be down, which might mean it is board meeting time, and they are waiting to see what the board re-apply. Traditionally the deal has been kept, but I guess we should say the value of your shares can go up and down, the benefit may be there, it might not. Normally, shareholders who hold a set number of Carnival shares, get a set amount of spending money. It is granted in addition to any on board spending money you may get because of the cruise deal. What is good about it, is that once you are registered as a share holder it is easier the next time. The deal has been; to enjoy shareholder benefits, currently the deal available to travellers who hold a minimum of 100 Carnival plc or Carnival Corporation shares. How much you get is slightly complicated by your stay or spend. More stay gets you more benefit. On the 1st June 2018, the shares were listed on the CarnivalCorp web site as being on the NY stock exchange at $62.28. 100 shares would be about £6,000. The maximum benefit appears to be £150, and is not available if your booking is made through certain deals like friends and family deals. Please check and reconfirm details that apply to you. Applications MUST be made at least three weeks before departure.
You might be able to book via a Cash Back site like Top Cash Back, and get their benefit as well as yours.
Can two of us travelling together get two benefits?
No. One benefit per cabin.
How do I apply my shareholder benefits to my booking? Contact (from their site).
Shareholder Benefits Team
Carnival UK
100 Harbour Parade
Southampton
Hampshire
SO15 1ST Email: [email protected]
To apply shareholder benefits to your booking please include the following details in your communication:
- Your name
- Booking Reference
- Ship
- Sailing date
- Provide proof of ownership of Carnival plc stock or securities to Carnival UK. Examples of proof of ownership that will be accepted include dividend stubs, proxy statements or nominee statements. Please be sure to redact or otherwise black out your brokerage account number and all unrelated information about other investments before emailing any documents. Carnival plc is NOT responsible for financial information that has not been blacked out or deleted on documentation you submit to us.
- To ensure your security is not compromised you will be required to provide updated proof of shares prior to each cruise departure All information received is deleted/shredded once viewed. We therefore highly recommend guests submit copies rather than any original document, as original documents will NOT be returned.
If a Carnival share certificate issued by Equiniti (not Equiniti Shareview) is held, proof of shares will not be required. Simply email your reservation number, share certificate number and full name and address the shares are registered to, to [email protected]
- The maximum £150 shareholder benefit is available as a 13 night cruise or longer.
- On board spending money per stateroom on sailings of 13 nights or longer (including world cruise) – £150
- On board spending money per stateroom on sailings of 6 to 12 nights – £60
- On board spending money per stateroom on sailings of 5 nights or less – £30
- United Kingdom brands are P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard Line.
If you have a loyalty discount, like the Peninsular Club, this may not be able to be a double application of a deal. Please check the deals, but expect similar experiences to that above to be applied.
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