Question about using onboard credit

We are first time cruisers. We are sailing next week and have $350 onboard credit. My plan was to use this to purchase Royal Replenish drink packages for both of us, but as I was just going over some of my cruise documents, it appears that onboard credit is not available until the second day? Should I just purchase the drink package now and use the OB credit toward something else or buy drinks day one and purchase it the second day?

not exactly. it does not SHOW UP until the second day. its available to use/spend immediately

you can wait until you get on board no problem.

not exactly. it does not SHOW UP until the second day. its available to use/spend immediately

 

you can wait until you get on board no problem.

Thank YOU!!!

All charges onboard go to your ship account, and there are lots of desks on the first day (plus the bars) where you can buy drink packages. Your first night gratuities also get debited. When the OBC shows up it is exactly like you going down to the front desk and handing them cash - it becomes a credit to the account. On the last night they bill your credit card for whatever is owed if any.

If you run up a $500 bill the first night and have a cash account not linked to a credit card they might ask you to come down to the desk. Otherwise they really don't care until the end of the cruise.

If you want your drink package to be paid by the OBC you have to buy the drink package onboard.

Enjoy your cruise.

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We are first time cruisers. We are sailing next week and have $350 onboard credit. My plan was to use this to purchase Royal Replenish drink packages for both of us, but as I was just going over some of my cruise documents, it appears that onboard credit is not available until the second day? Should I just purchase the drink package now and use the OB credit toward something else or buy drinks day one and purchase it the second day?

Being "newbies", I have to ask if you have done the math on whether the Drink package is worth what you will pay. Know that you will both have to have your own package.

Usually 5 drinks each per day is the "Break-Even". If you think you will drink less than that, you might not want to get the package.

That being said, if you don't use the OBC for that, it will cover whatever you spend onboard. Drinks, shopping, bingo, pictures, etc.

If you find you have some left near the end of the cruise, be aware that what you don't spend, you lose. So I usually go to the Casino and cash out anything left. (there is a 5% fee for this, but it's free money. ;) )

Hope This Helps.

Thank you for all of the information! I appreciate it. I'm getting very anxious the closer it gets! I had planned to buy the drink package onboard, but it confused me when I read the OBC wouldn't be available until day 2.

I'm not going to get an alcohol drink package because there is no way we would ever break even on that. Hubby drinks maybe 1-2 beers a day and I might drink a glass of wine at dinner. But we both LOVE our flavored coffees and bottled water. That's the only reason I was going to buy us the Royal Replenish packages.

Being "newbies", I have to ask if you have done the math on whether the Drink package is worth what you will pay. Know that you will both have to have your own package.

Usually 5 drinks each per day is the "Break-Even". If you think you will drink less than that, you might not want to get the package.

 

That being said, if you don't use the OBC for that, it will cover whatever you spend onboard. Drinks, shopping, bingo, pictures, etc.

If you find you have some left near the end of the cruise, be aware that what you don't spend, you lose. So I usually go to the Casino and cash out anything left. (there is a 5% fee for this, but it's free money. ;) )

 

Hope This Helps.

Not all OBC is "use it or lose it".

We will have about $450 in cruise credit between our travel agent and the cruise line. But I want to prebook dining and other things and don't have access to the credits yet. If we choose a 3-4 night dining package in advance will they then work with us to use the credit onboard and refund the money to our credit card we used to prebook?

is there any way to use our cruise credit for prebooking dining packages

We will have about $450 in cruise credit between our travel agent and the cruise line. But I want to prebook dining and other things and don't have access to the credits yet. If we choose a 3-4 night dining package in advance will they then work with us to use the credit onboard and refund the money to our credit card we used to prebook?

 

is there any way to use our cruise credit for prebooking dining packages

No, you cannot use your onboard credit until you are on board.

No matter what the customer service reps tell you, I've never heard of any onboard refund going to a credit card. Onboard refunds go to the onboard account (OBC).

There is NO need to purchase "packages" prior to boarding..they do not run out!

Your OBC is merely a credit against any charges you make ON BOARD! You can't specify which charges it will be used for....if you have $450 in OBC, then $450 comes off of your bill!

There is NO need to purchase "packages" prior to boarding..they do not run out!

 

Your OBC is merely a credit against any charges you make ON BOARD! You can't specify which charges it will be used for....if you have $450 in OBC, then $450 comes off of your bill!

To anyone reading this who is interested in accuracy, there is no guarantee that dining packages will be available for purchase on board.

Being "newbies", I have to ask if you have done the math on whether the Drink package is worth what you will pay. Know that you will both have to have your own package.

Usually 5 drinks each per day is the "Break-Even". If you think you will drink less than that, you might not want to get the package.

 

That being said, if you don't use the OBC for that, it will cover whatever you spend onboard. Drinks, shopping, bingo, pictures, etc.

If you find you have some left near the end of the cruise, be aware that what you don't spend, you lose. So I usually go to the Casino and cash out anything left. (there is a 5% fee for this, but it's free money. ;) )

 

Hope This Helps.

you both don't have to purchase a package. That was changed a couple years ago

We are first time cruisers. We are sailing next week and have $350 onboard credit. My plan was to use this to purchase Royal Replenish drink packages for both of us, but as I was just going over some of my cruise documents, it appears that onboard credit is not available until the second day? Should I just purchase the drink package now and use the OB credit toward something else or buy drinks day one and purchase it the second day?

No problem at all with buying the packages onboard. I think it's already been explained pretty well, but what it means that the OBC will be available on the second day is that you just won't see it applied to your onboard account until them. So, if you buy those drink packages the first day and immediately check the balance on your account, you'll see the cost of the packages there with nothing to offset them.

If you check later in the cruise, you'll see the OBC credited to offset those drink packages and/or whatever else you've spent money on.

No, you cannot use your onboard credit until you are on board.

 

No matter what the customer service reps tell you, I've never heard of any onboard refund going to a credit card. Onboard refunds go to the onboard account (OBC).

Bob, believe it or not I had $55.51 unused OBC credited to my Celebrity Visa following my February B2B cruises. I thought I remembered that so checked my Visa statement and the credit is there in black and white. I was certain I had spent all but the $5.51 and have no idea where the $50.00 came from. I was happy to accept it.

Grace

Bob, believe it or not I had $55.51 unused OBC credited to my Celebrity Visa following my February B2B cruises. I thought I remembered that so checked my Visa statement and the credit is there in black and white. I was certain I had spent all but the $5.51 and have no idea where the $50.00 came from. I was happy to accept it.

 

Grace

Yes, they do credit back unused refundable on board credit, I should have been more specific. Thanks for the catch.:)

Bob, believe it or not I had $55.51 unused OBC credited to my Celebrity Visa following my February B2B cruises. I thought I remembered that so checked my Visa statement and the credit is there in black and white. I was certain I had spent all but the $5.51 and have no idea where the $50.00 came from. I was happy to accept it.

 

Grace

That's not what Bob was saying. He was saying that if you purchase something before your cruise, but cancel it on the cruise, THAT amount goes on your SeaPass, not directly back to the credit card that you used to make your purchase.

Keep in mind that if you buy a package on board, and do it prior to the ship reaching international waters, you may get charged local sales tax on it.

To anyone reading this who is interested in accuracy, there is no guarantee that dining packages will be available for purchase on board.

Unfortunately the person who should be reading your post never does.

That's not what Bob was saying. He was saying that if you purchase something before your cruise, but cancel it on the cruise, THAT amount goes on your SeaPass, not directly back to the credit card that you used to make your purchase.

Have read Bob's post over and over and am confused by your reply. I read two different responses in Bob's answer and I was responding to the second sentence, not the first.

All I was saying is apparently I did not use all of my OBC while on the cruise and Celebrity refunded unused amount to my Celebrity Visa.

Sorry if I posted something that was offensive to you.

Grace

Have read Bob's post over and over and am confused by your reply. I read two different responses in Bob's answer and I was responding to the second sentence, not the first.

 

All I was saying is apparently I did not use all of my OBC while on the cruise and Celebrity refunded unused amount to my Celebrity Visa.

 

Sorry if I posted something that was offensive to you.

 

Grace

There was nothing offensive. I don't see where you can read any "offense" in *my* post. :confused:

I was staying on topic. normr asked what would happen if he pre-booked specialty dining. Would OBC pay for it?

Bob explained that it would not.

You jumped in with a refund to your credit card for leftover OBC. That is a wonderful thing that happened for you, but is not what this discussion was about.

I just try to make things clear.

:)

Just to jump in with my own similar question....husband and I both have unlimited drink package and will be adding a credit card for onboard expenses. we were contemplating buying each other a little onboard credit as birthday presents before we go...to use for drink overages and stuff like ala cart foods such as ritas cantina. The cost of those things come from the onboard credit before it gets billed to the credit card, correct? just want to make sure i've got the order of it all down, we're new to this LOL

Just to jump in with my own similar question....husband and I both have unlimited drink package and will be adding a credit card for onboard expenses. we were contemplating buying each other a little onboard credit as birthday presents before we go...to use for drink overages and stuff like ala cart foods such as ritas cantina. The cost of those things come from the onboard credit before it gets billed to the credit card, correct? just want to make sure i've got the order of it all down, we're new to this LOL

The credit card is charged once, at the end of the cruise. Any on board credit will be used first, to reduce the balance, and the amount outstanding is then charged to the credit card.

The credit card is charged once, at the end of the cruise. Any on board credit will be used first, to reduce the balance, and the amount outstanding is then charged to the credit card.

awesome...thanks for the quick answer!

For our upcoming cruise, we already have access to the OBC provided by the cruise line and have made 'purchases' from in in the Cruise Planner.

What we do not yet have access to, and it won't be 'available' until the 2nd day, is the OBC from our travel agent.

OP: you may want to look carefully at your Planner to see if the cruise line provided OBC is available.