Will I spend all of my OBC?

[momrox1]

We are three in a cabin and have a travel agent OBC of 500 to share. We plan on using this for tips as we've done in the past on Princess. We'll be on the Jewel on a 14 day out of Boston and I have $250 that I can use from my RC credit card. I'm wondering if I would use it all...or be scrambling to buy things I don't really want/need in the end so as not to waste it. I know I can do spa things but it kills me as they are so pricey and so inexpensive at home especialy with groupons, etc. I can buy wine..which I do like. I am not familiar with the cost of comfort extras such as thermal spa or something similiar to the Sanctuary on Princess which I gladly spend the money for and thoroughly enjoy..so...any suggestions?

Thanks

[temple1]

On a 14 day cruise the gratuity is going to take a major bite out of the $500 OBC. If you plan to try any of the specialty restaurants or even a couple of cocktails or a glass of wine with dinner you will soon be through the whole $750.

 

IMHO.

[momrox1]

temple1...the 500 will cover the tip for the three of us. The 250 is mine alone to spend on well....me :)

[Clarea]

Gratuties for 3 people on a 14 day cruise will be $489.30, so the $500 OBC is pretty much gone. If you wait until you are on board to book excursions, then you can use OBC for those too. Remember, on Royal, you cannot use your OBC for anything you book ahead of time. Anything you book on Royal's website before the cruise is immediately charged to your credit card.

[temple1]

temple1...the 500 will cover the tip for the three of us. The 250 is mine alone to spend on well....me :)

 

Ohhhh - I understand now. I guess have a discussion with your cruise buddies what they want to do on the cruise. If the 3 of you want to dine in one of the specialty restaurants one night - thats $30, glass of wine or cocktail another $6 - $7, a ship sponsored excursion can be $70 - $$$$.

 

Look at it this way - on a 14 day cruise it is less than $20 a day in extra onboard expenses.

[marci22]

Go to the casino and cash it out. You'll pay a 3% charge.

[FLACRUISER99]

Go to the casino and cash it out. You'll pay a 3% charge.

Isn't RCI BOA OBC fully refundable?

[momrox1]

What great ideas...thanks. I'd also like to know if it's fully refundable. Also, anyone know the cost of the spa extras...not services..just the places that you can go for quiet like a thermal lunge or solarium? Thanks..not familiar with RC any longer so this is quite helpful.

Judy

[knittinggirl]

I don't think onboard credit is refundable. Now if you prepaid shore excursions that were cancelled, that's refundable.

 

I'd stay out of the casino. Heard something from a gambler on our post-cruise night. He says never to gamble on cruise ships. Even if you win at first, you're too tempted to return and losses will cut into those winnings. Also, the casino is too accessible, and you're ''stuck on the ship with the casino.'' It's not like you can drive away.

 

I'd try shore excursions or specialty dining. Another idea are photos. But the photos usually aren't very good, especially those in the MDR. They check to make sure it turns out, and not much with composition. The last photo we bought that had a good shot of my husband but later I noticed the waiter's rear end behind him. Personally, I think Princess does better with the photos. Bought more on Sapphire than we ever do on Royal. We've also purchased wine with dinner.

[kathyemma]

two years ago I had a huge obc - almost 1k due to a price drop. There was NO way I was going to spend that in 7 days. I just went to guest services on the 2nd or 3rd day and got 500 in cash. By the end of the cruise I still had money left so I went to guest services the last night and got the rest back in cash.

 

Kathy

[Cheryl H]

We tried two specialty restaurants last time which I said I'd never do, but since it wasn't my money. We fell in love with Chops Grille.

 

Also we purchased the soft drink package for the two of us which I also didn't think I'd ever need. But we ended up really enjoying it.

 

Then we spent about 100 on jackets etc. at a sale the gift shop had up by the pool. We ended up with 2 fleece jackets that said Alaska and they matched our waterproof coats exactly. Also we got some hats, caps, and a fleece blanket.

 

There's no charge for to enjoy the solarium area. There is a charge for the heated tiled seats in the spa. I've never splurged for that. With recent hot flashes, what I really need is a chilled tile chair or maybe visit the walkin freezer in the galley.

 

The spa prices scare me too. Watch for specials on port days. They will be advertised in your cruise compass.

[kathyemma]

There's no charge for to enjoy the solarium area. There is a charge for the heated tiled seats in the spa. I've never splurged for that. With recent hot flashes, what I really need is a chilled tile chair or maybe visit the walkin freezer in the galley.

 

The spa prices scare me too. Watch for specials on port days. They will be advertised in your cruise compass.

 

Oh I bet they could make a fortune off the chilled chairs! Maybe they can start offering the "chillow pillow" - it was named something like that!

 

Kathy

[PCWalton1]

In 2010 the two of us had $850 OBC for a seven day europe cruise and we blew right through it. And we don't even drink much. :)

Between pictures, excursions, laundry, internet, it didn't take much work.

[BillOh]

temple1...the 500 will cover the tip for the three of us. The 250 is mine alone to spend on well....me :)

 

Too add to the what the others have said, you could have no trouble spending that. I'll add if you would normally see a photograph and say, "That's not worth $29, but since its not my money, ok, I'll take it" or something similar. I've never left OBC behind on 3,4,5, or 7 day cruise.

[Ambiverol]

To clarify an earlier post, the casino method works without gambling.

 

You are able to charge $2000/day to your room at the casino. They take 3% for this "convenience". It used to be free.

 

The earlier post was not referring to gambling with the money, simply withdrawing it from the casino.

 

For example, you have around $200 OBC left toward the end and don't feel like blowing it on overpriced, unwanted stuff. You can go to the casino cage, a blackjack table, roulette, etc...and ask for $200. Tables will give you chips (which you can immediately cash) and the cage will give you cash (or chips if you prefer). You can then leave with that money and never gamble.

 

$206 will be charged to your room (3% vig). Losing the 3% is annoying, but is far better than spending $200 for something that you don't want. RCCL waives that fee for players in their "invite only" players club, but that probably doesn't apply here.

 

Obviously, if OBC can be directly refunded from guest services with no fee, that is more desirable. This is just an effective, simple method to keep in mind. Also, you will probably have no trouble spending the OBC in 14 days and this will be a non-issue!

[orville99]

OBC from your TA should be fully refundable if not used. OBC from your BOA Visacard may be different. The BOA redemption site doesn't say whether it's refundable if not used, but if you make sure that OBC is used up first, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

As far as I know, the only OBC that isn't refundable is the OBC you get from booking onboard, or OBC you get directly from RCL as part of a promotion.

[momrox1]

Thanks for all the help. I won't gamble but it's a great idea to cash in the chips. I don't even let them take my photo so that's not an option. I would eat in the specialty restaurant but don't drink soda but love wine. One more question...anyone know the cost of the thermal chairs on a two week cruise and is it indoors and what exactly does it include? Does it have it's own hot tub? I remember one indoor heated tile place and the smell of the chlorine from the adjacent hot tub was horrible..it had no place to escape.

Thanks

Judy

[bajathree]

$500OBC for 3 people on a 14night sailing....and you are worrying about how you are going to spend it.....man Royal must LOVE me.

[sr4mjc]

Thanks for all the help. I won't gamble but it's a great idea to cash in the chips. I don't even let them take my photo so that's not an option. I would eat in the specialty restaurant but don't drink soda but love wine. One more question...anyone know the cost of the thermal chairs on a two week cruise and is it indoors and what exactly does it include? Does it have it's own hot tub? I remember one indoor heated tile place and the smell of the chlorine from the adjacent hot tub was horrible..it had no place to escape.

Thanks

Judy

 

I seem to remember the thermal suite being around $99 for the week when we were in Alaska, but we didn't sign up for it.

 

Here's some information

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1370221

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

It will be used ..

[kymbakitty]

We always buy fresh flowers. We always have flesh flowers 24/7 at home too (Sam's Club).

 

The prices for flower arrangements on cruise ships seems very reasonable to us, and since you'll be on the ship for more than a week, you'll definitely get your $$ worth.

 

:-)

[marci22]

BOA credit should be refundable because you earned it (but I think you will lose double points on the amount?) Onboard, they will take the non-refundable obc before the refundable obc.