Military On Board Credit

[JennyPinwire 21]

OBC - of course right in there, glad to receive if it fits what I need but I would be glad to ensure service personnel received it over me, they serve(d) I didn't and I value that concept of service very highly. As a cruiseline marketing measure to get me book early..well its nice to have but actually without it I would still book early for 50% of my annual cruises, my schedule requires that I do. i accept the inevitable and do it. .

 

Of course cruise lines will use it to attract folks to their higher cost 'select' or whatever they call bookings made well in advance at a premium cost. There will always be those that will accept that offer as they want a particular cabin and certainty of holiday arrangements at periods they are forced to take their annual leave. Its just a fact of life, love it or hate it whatever your age and circumstances are that require you to do this early booking. I book 50% of my annual cruises on this basis.

 

Outside those parameters I am happy to book a much lower fare, accept where I may be housed, just because I can make late deal bookings and know my way round a cruise to add in the extras like speciality dining to upscale my budget package for any add in extra cruises I make in a year. There are some who have this flexibility all year and will take whatever offer and maximise their cruise experience at the lowest cost. Thats great. Others also like me can benefit and book a last minute deal for me today with a 6star superior line. My TA notified that a 6* line that suddenly offers a 20% single supplement on certain cruises. Yes please can do that. Will I feel 'slighted' I din't automatically get on board spend, choice of speciality venues I can book at certain times? Nope I understood the offer, I bit their hand off.

 

Darn I need to pay closer attention had to edit this again to answer Richard's point re tipping. I don't give a hoot what culture advocates tips or not. I accept added gratuities and pay whatever. On top of that I will always/usually add more, but I always assess value in that tipping process. Last year my cabin steward got the autograts, I didn't mark him as poor in my feedback questionnaire. He did also got plenty of individual feedback as we went through 42 days together, never argumentative or confrontational but unmade bed at 2pm every day when I am always out and about from 8am sharp. What he didn't get was any additional individual tips, my first time ever. 

[Maddie3 55]

See website

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/before-you-sail/military

Brian

Thank you!!!

[Guest Solent Richard]

OBC - of course right in there, glad to receive if it fits what I need but I would be glad to ensure service personnel received it over me, they serve(d) I didn't and I value that concept of service very highly. As a cruiseline marketing measure to get me book early..well its nice to have but actually without it I would still book early for 50% of my annual cruises, my schedule requires that I do. i accept the inevitable and do it. .

 

Of course cruise lines will use it to attract folks to their higher cost 'select' or whatever they call bookings made well in advance at a premium cost. There will always be those that will accept that offer as they want a particular cabin and certainty of holiday arrangements at periods they are forced to take their annual leave. Its just a fact of life, love it or hate it whatever your age and circumstances are that require you to do this early booking. I book 50% of my annual cruises on this basis.

 

Outside those parameters I am happy to book a much lower fare, accept where I may be housed, just because I can make late deal bookings and know my way round a cruise to add in the extras like speciality dining to upscale my budget package for any add in extra cruises I make in a year. There are some who have this flexibility all year and will take whatever offer and maximise their cruise experience at the lowest cost. Thats great. Others also like me can benefit and book a last minute deal for me today with a 6star superior line. My TA notified that a 6* line that suddenly offers a 20% single supplement on certain cruises. Yes please can do that. Will I feel 'slighted' I din't automatically get on board spend, choice of speciality venues I can book at certain times? Nope I understood the offer, I bit their hand off.

 

Darn I need to pay closer attention had to edit this again to answer Richard's point re tipping. I don't give a hoot what culture advocates tips or not. I accept added gratuities and pay whatever. On top of that I will always/usually add more, but I always assess value in that tipping process. Last year my cabin steward got the autograts, I didn't mark him as poor in my feedback questionnaire. He did also got plenty of individual feedback as we went through 42 days together, never argumentative or confrontational but unmade bed at 2pm every day when I am always out and about from 8am sharp. What he didn't get was any additional individual tips, my first time ever. 

 

Good afternoon Jenny.

 

I see we are on the same wavelength. 

 

Interestingly on day two of my recent Oceania cruise the suite attendant brought a form for me to sign basically so that he recognised I had pre-paid my gratuities.

 

I gave him a brief rundown of how I liked things, including two copies of the daily programme, and never had a cause to complain. 

 

He and the Butler earned their additional cash gratuity.

 

And a belated welcome to the Forum as well.

[Life0nMars 135]

Good afternoon Divemonster and Nicole.

 

As someone with a vested interest in both Carnival and any benefits appertaining to serving in the Armed Forces I will offer my opinion.

 

Carnival, in its American hat offers certain privileges and discounts to United Staes military personnel; as do other US cruise lines.

 

Many years ago Cunard introduced a system where OBC was offered to 'Veterans' and I would hazard a guess that this has now been rolled out across the Carnival UK brand. 

 

Without sifting back through my records I can say that both myself and my wife enjoyed a handsome OBC allowance on two lengthy Cunard cruises in 2011. My wife clocked up 20 years service to my 30 years.

 

So this really is a benefit that recognises service to ones country. The armed forces aren't an emergency service: they are what it says on the tin; an armed force.

 

Personally I don't think service in the armed forces equates to that of other 'services' and it is probably a view that is shared by whoever is in a position to judge these benefits.

 

Now I will be the first to recognise the good jobs, essential springs to mind, that police, firemen (and women) and nurses do. But they don't exactly enter areas of conflict where the name of the game is for the other side to deliberately try to take their lives. Lets not also forget that when a servicemen, or woman, head into a conflict or duty, they leave their wives, husbands, girl and boyfriends, family and children at home: usually for months on end. Food for thought?

 

Oh, and one other thing. When the firemen went on strike,  who was called in to cover for them?

In the 1977 Fire mans strike, Although The Green Goddesses where available all Fire calls in London  were first checked out by The London Police Force, who  checked whether or not a green goddess was required. This made them usually first on scene of a fire. Also I believe the Green Goddesses had at least one Police Officer as their crew or a Police car to direct them to the location required.

 

A similar thing occurred in the 1989 with the Ambulance Strikes with Police Vans being used as Ambulances, together with Medics from the Armed forces ,their vehicles and the Red Cross.

[jules701 0]

Hi, we are going on our first cruise in less than six weeks and truly looking forward to it as were going with another couple and celebrating my husbands 50th birthday. We received a letter recently from Bolsover mentioning the on board spending credit for anyone who has been in the military, after mentioning it to my husband he was rather pleased and gave me his army details. The next day I phoned Bolsover who contacted P&O who stated it wasn't valid for my husband as it came into force in the may two years ago and because we booked the cruise in the april two years ago he could have the credit. Seems a little unfair somehow, if we had known about it we would have booked a month later.

[cruise chef 866]

Regretably I dont think it was something that was even known about until long after that date as nothing has been put in the brochure since, I suppose the best thing is to look forward and know that for any future holidays you can enjoy the extra benefit

[Guest Solent Richard]

In the 1977 Fire mans strike, Although The Green Goddesses where available all Fire calls in London  were first checked out by The London Police Force, who  checked whether or not a green goddess was required. This made them usually first on scene of a fire. Also I believe the Green Goddesses had at least one Police Officer as their crew or a Police car to direct them to the location required.

 

A similar thing occurred in the 1989 with the Ambulance Strikes with Police Vans being used as Ambulances, together with Medics from the Armed forces ,their vehicles and the Red Cross.

 

Kind of common sense really. The Green Goddess crews, of which I was once  a proud member, didn't have the local geographical/street knowledge.

 

It may surprise you that GPS wasn't available either.

[Guest Solent Richard]

Regretably I dont think it was something that was even known about until long after that date as nothing has been put in the brochure since, I suppose the best thing is to look forward and know that for any future holidays you can enjoy the extra benefit

 

Good afternoon Chef.

 

Exactly the point.

 

I missed out on a Cunard cruise last year. No big deal and as you know, I don't moan.

 

Bolsover however made sure I was included for my 2017 P&O cruise.

[Pesky Pirate 172]

I think most of us know that GPS wasn't  around until the early 1990's.

[hturtle 326]

I think most of us know that GPS wasn't  around until the early 1990's.

The US began the GPS project in 1973

[Guest Solent Richard]

I think most of us know that GPS wasn't  around until the early 1990's.

 

 

The US began the GPS project in 1973

 

Whoops.

[Life0nMars 135]

Solent Richard, on 25 Jan 2016 - 7:00 PM, said:

Good afternoon Divemonster and Nicole.

 

As someone with a vested interest in both Carnival and any benefits appertaining to serving in the Armed Forces I will offer my opinion.

 

Carnival, in its American hat offers certain privileges and discounts to United Staes military personnel; as do other US cruise lines.

 

Many years ago Cunard introduced a system where OBC was offered to 'Veterans' and I would hazard a guess that this has now been rolled out across the Carnival UK brand. 

 

Without sifting back through my records I can say that both myself and my wife enjoyed a handsome OBC allowance on two lengthy Cunard cruises in 2011. My wife clocked up 20 years service to my 30 years.

 

So this really is a benefit that recognises service to ones country. The armed forces aren't an emergency service: they are what it says on the tin; an armed force.

 

Personally I don't think service in the armed forces equates to that of other 'services' and it is probably a view that is shared by whoever is in a position to judge these benefits.

 

Now I will be the first to recognise the good jobs, essential springs to mind, that police, firemen (and women) and nurses do. But they don't exactly enter areas of conflict where the name of the game is for the other side to deliberately try to take their lives. Lets not also forget that when a servicemen, or woman, head into a conflict or duty, they leave their wives, husbands, girl and boyfriends, family and children at home: usually for months on end. Food for thought?

 

Oh, and one other thing. When the firemen went on strike,  who was called in to cover for them?

 

 

 

In the 1977 Fire mans strike, Although The Green Goddesses where available all Fire calls in London  were first checked out by The London Police Force, who  checked whether or not a green goddess was required. This made them usually first on scene of a fire. Also I believe the Green Goddesses had at least one Police Officer as their crew or a Police car to direct them to the location required.

 

A similar thing occurred in the 1989 with the Ambulance Strikes with Police Vans being used as Ambulances, together with Medics from the Armed forces ,their vehicles and the Red Cross.

 

 

 

 

 

Kind of common sense really. The Green Goddess crews, of which I was once  a proud member, didn't have the local geographical/street knowledge.

 

It may surprise you that GPS wasn't available either.

 

The Pesky Pirate, on 30 Jan 2016 - 1:19 PM, said:

I think most of us know that GPS wasn't  around until the early 1990's.

 

 

hturtle, on 01 Feb 2016 - 4:49 PM, said:

The US began the GPS project in 1973

 

 

Whoops.

 

 

Is that an apology SR ?

[Guest Solent Richard]

 

Solent Richard, on 25 Jan 2016 - 7:00 PM, said:

 

 

 

 

 

The Pesky Pirate, on 30 Jan 2016 - 1:19 PM, said:

 

 

hturtle, on 01 Feb 2016 - 4:49 PM, said:

 

 

 

Is that an apology SR ?

 

 

No way Jose.

 

I was merely highlighting HT's history lesson to you in one of my  low key subtle styles. 

 

Now that was a lot of effort to elicit a rather succinct response.