Onboard Credit - Use it or lose it???

[PAGA]

We just received an onboard credit of $660 between our 2 cabins due to a new post-final payment residency rate promotion.

 

I have already pre-booked/paid excursions, specialty restaurant, and drink packages (including the deluxe alcohol package, so no need for additional alcohol purchases onboard). There are reasons (which I won't go into) for pre-booking all of these items and I do feel that pre-paying these items is the right financial and logistical decision for our cruise/group size.

 

So that being said, I need to figure out how to use up these OBC's.

 

The one thing we have not prepaid are our gratuities. So that burns up $402.50 - leaving us with $227.50. I am assuming we will easily burn this up in the gift shop and purchasing photos...but just in case, I have a few questons:

 

The Captain's Club desk told me that OBC's are "use it onboard or lose it"...no cash or credit card refunds at the end of the cruise. Is that accurate?

 

We were also told that the OBC stays with each cabin - even though all passengers in both cabins are assigned to my husband's credit card for our onboard expense account. Is this accurate? One cabin is all minors...so my minor children's SeaPass cards have to be the ones used for their cabin's portion of the OBC?

 

Is Celebrity charging a surcharge to use your SeaPass card in the casino? I understand the surcharge if it is a cash advance from your credit card, but what about drawing on an OBC?

 

Thanks in advance...the more I think about it we probably won't have any problem using the entire OBC, but having the answers to these questions in advance will hopefully pevent us from needing to stand in a long line at guest relations during our vacation!

[Gonzo70]

The casino would be the best bet to take out any positive balance left that you do not anticipate spending. There is a 3% fee for doing this, but 97% of your money back is better than 0% or being forced to spend the money on something you don't really want. You may not want to wait until the last night to take out the cash in the casino as I have heard they sometimes give people a hard time when they suspect they are just taking out cash to cover unspent OBC.

[Wine-O]

Get yourself the Seaweed Wrap Massage. My wife swears by it.

 

It is my understanding that if you booked prior to 17 May and the price goes down (residency rate), you get OBC, and that OBC can be considered as cash if you don't use it all. Same for OBC from your TA. Only type of OBC you use or lose is that you get for booking a cruise while on another cruise, or stockholder OBC, or OBC Celebrity gives you because you were inconvenienced in some way.

 

Go for the Seaweed Wrap.

[PAGA]

Get yourself the Seaweed Wrap Massage. My wife swears by it.

 

It is my understanding that if you booked prior to 17 May and the price goes down (residency rate), you get OBC, and that OBC can be considered as cash if you don't use it all. Same for OBC from your TA. Only type of OBC you use or lose is that you get for booking a cruise while on another cruise, or stockholder OBC, or OBC Celebrity gives you because you were inconvenienced in some way.

 

Go for the Seaweed Wrap.

 

I think all OBC's are treated the same. My understanding is that booking prior to May entitled me to an OBC when there was a price drop after final payment. Had I booked after the May deadline I would not have received any compensation for the post-final payment price drop.

 

But the spa is a good idea - thanks! I don't usually do that at sea since there are so many other ways to fill my day, but if it looks like I won't spend all of the credit I definitely see a spa treatment in my future!

[PAGA]

The casino would be the best bet to take out any positive balance left that you do not anticipate spending. There is a 3% fee for doing this, but 97% of your money back is better than 0% or being forced to spend the money on something you don't really want. You may not want to wait until the last night to take out the cash in the casino as I have heard they sometimes give people a hard time when they suspect they are just taking out cash to cover unspent OBC.

 

Thanks...good tip.

[Wine-O]

I think all OBC's are treated the same. My understanding is that booking prior to May entitled me to an OBC when there was a price drop after final payment. Had I booked after the May deadline I would not have received any compensation for the post-final payment price drop.

 

But the spa is a good idea - thanks! I don't usually do that at sea since there are so many other ways to fill my day, but if it looks like I won't spend all of the credit I definitely see a spa treatment in my future!

 

No, all OBC is not treated the same. Your stocholder OBC is treated as "use or lose" whereas your TA OBC is treated as cash.

 

I'm pretty sure that if you booked prior to 17 May, that OBC for price reductions after final payment, as in the past, will be treated as cash.

[colocop004]

I received OBC for a price drop after final payment as well. While we had no problem spending it all, and then some, we were advised that we would have received a credit to our credit card for the unused OBC in this circumstance.

 

I did just see a new promotion where it specifically states that unused OBC expires on the last night at 10 pm. So what ever you decide to do, use it up before then.

[Gonzo70]

There are different types of OBC; some is refundable, some not. I'd advise going to guest relations a couple of days into your cruise (it usually takes a couple of days for OBC to post to your account) and inquire there if your OBC is refundable or not.

[PAGA]

I received OBC for a price drop after final payment as well. While we had no problem spending it all, and then some, we were advised that we would have received a credit to our credit card for the unused OBC in this circumstance.

 

I did just see a new promotion where it specifically states that unused OBC expires on the last night at 10 pm. So what ever you decide to do, use it up before then.

 

 

Thanks. I will verify with guest relations once onboard, but the Captain's Club rep who assigned the OBC was very specific that there would be no refund for any unused portion. I asked her twice just to make sure there was no misunderstanding.

 

Yet another policy change, perhaps...But as you said I doubt I will have any problem spending it. Just best to be prepared...

[beachmom57@aim.com]

Can you just put your own cash or change in the slot machines or do they take it from your onboard card? Thanks, Karen