Can you pre-pay OBC?

[mickeymoocow]

Thanks so much for posting this! I received as a gift OBC from my mother and was wondering if this was a great way to prepay for on board expenses (I'm not a good saver, cash just flows out of my pockets). However if (it's unlikely but...) we don't spend all the cash we put on our card do we get a cash refund when we leave the ship or is mailed to us?

[deb63]

This is our first cruise - and while we are very excited, we are very nervous too.

 

I live on my checkcard (debit) - and it's never been an issue before. But I do have a daily limit. So I was concerned, especially considering the cost of the excursions, that if NCL waited until the last day to run everything through I could possibly go over that limit.

 

My initial plan was to buy Traveler's Checks to cover the excursions & DSC, and then give my checkcard for anything over that. But I like the idea of prepaying better.

 

When you buy the onboard account credits - do you have something in writing to provide guest services when you board?

 

If we are putting up our checkcard for overages - they still do not charge it until the end of the cruise, correct? So we would not be risking everything hitting our bank before they acknowlege our prepayment?

[mitsugirly]

This is our first cruise - and while we are very excited, we are very nervous too.

 

I live on my checkcard (debit) - and it's never been an issue before. But I do have a daily limit. So I was concerned, especially considering the cost of the excursions, that if NCL waited until the last day to run everything through I could possibly go over that limit.

 

My initial plan was to buy Traveler's Checks to cover the excursions & DSC, and then give my checkcard for anything over that. But I like the idea of prepaying better.

 

When you buy the onboard account credits - do you have something in writing to provide guest services when you board?

 

If we are putting up our checkcard for overages - they still do not charge it until the end of the cruise, correct? So we would not be risking everything hitting our bank before they acknowlege our prepayment?

 

Sorry, no you do not have anything to give to NCL when boarding to show that you have already established your OBC. You could take a copy of your bank statement or something if you wanted I guess. I didn't take or have anything with me. I just simply told them my OBC was already paid for, which included the day charge for the both of us and the $$ amount. They said ok and we went on with our cabin cards.

 

They do not charge ANYTHING on to your card until the very end. If you purchase a drink, go to a specialty restaurant, do extra items like bowling, go to the "mall" and buy gifts and so on. Everything is charged the very last day when you take care of your account in full. If you have put down a card and you do not come down to take care of the bill (like with cash or something), then they charge the cc you used. But like I said, you do have the option of coming down and taking care of the bill with cash if you wanted to and they would not charge the card then. But when holding a card, remember they can put a hold on it for a certain amount for the cruise...and I've heard horror stories about it from others. This is why I do the cash for OBC.

[Hopes4]

 

When you buy the onboard account credits - do you have something in writing to provide guest services when you board?

 

If you would like something in writing, when you purchase (or at any time really) your OBC, ask them to email you an "amenity confirmation" You can print that out and take it with you... just in case.

 

 

Enjoy your vacation! :)

[deb63]

Mitsugirly/Hopes4 - Thank you both for the information.

 

Hopes4 - I will be sure to ask. The less cash/travelers checks I can carry the better I would feel.

[mitsugirly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deb63

 

When you buy the onboard account credits - do you have something in writing to provide guest services when you board?

 

If you would like something in writing, when you purchase (or at any time really) your OBC, ask them to email you an "amenity confirmation" You can print that out and take it with you... just in case.

 

FYI, I ask for them to send me a confirmation or at least something by email and they said they do not do that. It might have just been the rep that I had at the time, but they denied me of any type of receipt. Hopefully you will have better luck. ;)