What is your onboard spend at the end of a 7 nighter?

[Xcitdcruiser]

Thanks to my fellow aussie cruisers I've just found out that OBC can be pre-purchased at rate of $1AUD = $1USD so I'm planning to stock up!

 

Question is - how much? I called X & they said that pre-purchased OBC is non refundable.

 

We are sailing for 7 nights departing from San Juan.

 

Free classic package has been upgraded.

We aren't doing any excursions via X

Planning on eating at Bistro 5 on embarkation day

Unsure about the speciality restaurants or spa treatments

 

Has anyone been in a similar position? With all the necessities pre paid, how much is your account at the end of your cruise?

[digital_curator]

Have you prepaid your gratuities?

 

That is the only reason I would buy OBC in your position. We sometimes get a massage at the spa but usually our only onboard expenses are drinks and tips, so if you have this covered, I would be hesitant to buy OBC.

[Wastegirl]

I am a HAL cruiser doing my first Celebrity in October, then another in February. Are you sure they wont refund pre-purchased OBC if you don't use it all, HAL does. This is just another thing I am finding really strange about Celebrity, their customer relations 'suck'.

 

After all if you pre-purchase OBC, it is your money, not something Celebrity has given you, nor is it given by your TA, you paid for it. I'm glad you have mentioned this because I love to stock up on pre-purchased OBC so that I get a negative balance at the end of my cruise.

 

Things that annoy me so far about Celebrity:

• Wait ages and ages to speak to their Call Centre
  
• Don't automatically honour price drops that occur while still in the 'promo' period
  
• Had to fight tooth and nail to get the price drop, finally stating categorically I will cancel my cruises
  
• Then to be told, we will do it this time, but don't ask again and don't try cancelling and rebooking the same cruise because that won't work either, they keep track of these details.
  

 

There just seems to be a general lack of the care factor. Hopefully once on board it will be different. Sorry to rant, this just got me as another niggle, which are slowly mounting up.

[sunrise2]

I am a HAL cruiser doing my first Celebrity in October, then another in February. Are you sure they wont refund pre-purchased OBC if you don't use it all, HAL does. This is just another thing I am finding really strange about Celebrity, their customer relations 'suck'.

 

After all if you pre-purchase OBC, it is your money, not something Celebrity has given you, nor is it given by your TA, you paid for it. I'm glad you have mentioned this because I love to stock up on pre-purchased OBC so that I get a negative balance at the end of my cruise.

 

Things that annoy me so far about Celebrity:

• Wait ages and ages to speak to their Call Centre
  
• Don't automatically honour price drops that occur while still in the 'promo' period
  
• Had to fight tooth and nail to get the price drop, finally stating categorically I will cancel my cruises
  
• Then to be told, we will do it this time, but don't ask again and don't try cancelling and rebooking the same cruise because that won't work either, they keep track of these details.
  

 

There just seems to be a general lack of the care factor. Hopefully once on board it will be different. Sorry to rant, this just got me as another niggle, which are slowly mounting up.

 

I agree with you about their Call Centre. This is the first time in a very long time we will be cruising Celebrity and I feel the same way. We already told them we were not satisfied with their phone system, although we know it will not change. Guess it makes one feel better to vent. Hope we will not be disappointed with our cruise to Bermuda.

[2aussiecruisers]

Thanks to my fellow aussie cruisers I've just found out that OBC can be pre-purchased at rate of $1AUD = $1USD so I'm planning to stock up!

 

Question is - how much? I called X & they said that pre-purchased OBC is non refundable.

 

We are sailing for 7 nights departing from San Juan.

 

Free classic package has been upgraded.

We aren't doing any excursions via X

Planning on eating at Bistro 5 on embarkation day

Unsure about the speciality restaurants or spa treatments

 

Has anyone been in a similar position? With all the necessities pre paid, how much is your account at the end of your cruise?

 

It doesn't sound to me like you will need too much on board spending as you already have your beverage requirements sorted but as an Aussie cruiser and with our low $ I would love to know how you buy US$ on board credit at A$ rates.

[Xcitdcruiser]

It doesn't sound to me like you will need too much on board spending as you already have your beverage requirements sorted but as an Aussie cruiser and with our low $ I would love to know how you buy US$ on board credit at A$ rates.

 

I got the tip off another thread- On their website you can buy obc in increments of $25aud but it doesn't state how much USD you are actually purchasing - I called X (Sydney office) & they confirmed it was 1 for 1 . Not noted as they don't like to 'advertise' it.

 

 

 

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[Xcitdcruiser]

I am a HAL cruiser doing my first Celebrity in October, then another in February. Are you sure they wont refund pre-purchased OBC if you don't use it all, HAL does. This is just another thing I am finding really strange about Celebrity, their customer relations 'suck'.

 

After all if you pre-purchase OBC, it is your money, not something Celebrity has given you, nor is it given by your TA, you paid for it. I'm glad you have mentioned this because I love to stock up on pre-purchased OBC so that I get a negative balance at the end of my cruise.

 

I am not 'sure' the prepaid obc is non refundable - that is what the consultant in the Sydney office said. It's well known that information changes depending on who you speak with so it may be worth a call to the us office to see whAt they say...

If I do have any of it left over I will be checking on board re my options. We sail next month so I can report back.

 

 

 

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[bessinfl]

We had a similar situation recently on a five-day -- free drinks, no excursions. We ate at Bistro on 5 twice, and at the end of the cruise our bill was $32. I can't remember what the remaining $12 was for (after $20 for Bistro), but I can assure you I was pretty happy.

[waterbug123]

 

We are sailing for 7 nights departing from San Juan.

 

Free classic package has been upgraded.

We aren't doing any excursions via X

Planning on eating at Bistro 5 on embarkation day

Unsure about the speciality restaurants or spa treatments

 

Has anyone been in a similar position? With all the necessities pre paid, how much is your account at the end of your cruise?

 

Other people's spending habits really have no bearing on what your expenses will be. Only you can decide if and how often/how much you want to spend money on other things, which might include:

-spa appointments

-salong appointments

-fitness classes

-specialty restaurants

-bottles of wine above and beyond the wine-by-the-glass from the drink pkg

-gift shop purchases

-camera equipment or jewelry purchases

-casino spending

-gratuities

-future cruise deposits

[cyntil8ing]

Consider the list above of possible purchases. Don't forget photos.

 

On our last cruise, we had the premium beverage package, prepaid gratuities and a $25 OBC. Our final bill was $1.95. We bought one photo and ate at Bistro on Five.

[CathyCruises]

We had prepaid gratuities, no beverage package, ate at Qsine twice, and at the end of a 15 day cruise our bill was $250.00

[WestLakeGirl]

You can't use OBC for future cruise deposits but otherwise that's a good list of possible expenses. Also bingo, on board liquor shop, fresh flowers

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Unless the rules in Australia are different from the US, any unused pre purchased on board credit is refunded back to the credit card at the end of the cruise.

 

Mary Lou

[moswinner1]

Find it strange that Celebrity won't help if the price drops, We had a cruise to the Baltic last summer on Celebrity Eclipse and when the cruise price went down (after we had paid in full) they refunded us £170 without question.

 

As for how much you will spend on board it's very difficult to say, often the holiday mood clicks in and bills can easily add up. With most cruise lines you can keep an eye on your spending with the interactive TV in your cabin.

[cherylroslyn]

Thanks to my fellow aussie cruisers I've just found out that OBC can be pre-purchased at rate of $1AUD = $1USD so I'm planning to stock up!

 

Question is - how much? I called X & they said that pre-purchased OBC is non refundable.

 

We are sailing for 7 nights departing from San Juan.

 

Free classic package has been upgraded.

We aren't doing any excursions via X

Planning on eating at Bistro 5 on embarkation day

Unsure about the speciality restaurants or spa treatments

 

Has anyone been in a similar position? With all the necessities pre paid, how much is your account at the end of your cruise?

You can always go to the casino and refund the money with a 3% charge.

 

So if you were desperate, and realized you have $200.00 left you could get your $200.00 back for six bucks.......but obviously you want to get the number as close to what you are going to spend as possible.....

[miched]

You can always go to the casino and refund the money with a 3% charge.

 

So if you were desperate, and realized you have $200.00 left you could get your $200.00 back for six bucks.......but obviously you want to get the number as close to what you are going to spend as possible.....

 

I read that if you set up a cash account instead of using a credit card the OBC will be refunded aa a cash advance thru the casino with no fees.

 

 

.⛄💨🍻🍸

[WestLakeGirl]

The fee for casino withdrawals went from 3% to 5% some time ago

[cherylroslyn]

The fee for casino withdrawals went from 3% to 5% some time ago

yeah I thought it might have...I became Bluechip a few cruises ago so I don't pay anything....thanks for pointing that out.

[Sherman78]

We had the beverage package, prepaid gratuities and didn't take any excursions through Celebrity. Our account at the end of a 7 day cruise was a little over $25 for an internet package. It was great!

[drfun48]

Are we speaking in terms of dollars or the toll taken on my liver with the premium liquor package ?

[DebbieMacG]

Pre purchased OBC is totally refundable. I've done it several times on different ships.

[youwash]

I have pre-purchased OBC for us for our 11 night sail on the Equinox. I did $400.00 for the 2 of us. My basic reason was that the credit card that we use for our on board account has a VERY low line of credit. We have upgraded to premium beverage package, our gratuities are paid and all our excursions are reserved and paid for. I picked this amount for specialty dining and the casino.

[Beanb41]

I got the tip off another thread- On their website you can buy obc in increments of $25aud but it doesn't state how much USD you are actually purchasing - I called X (Sydney office) & they confirmed it was 1 for 1 . Not noted as they don't like to 'advertise' it.

 

 

 

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Thanks for the heads up on the $A to $US at parity. I rang the Celebrity Office earlier today and spoke with a representative. The Sydney also covers NZ. The rep had no idea what I was talking about and put me through to Celebrity Admin who conformed that currently $A1 will buy $1US OBC. As I had paid for my cruise with $A I was able to take up the offer. I purchased $300 OBC which when converted from $A to $NZ will cost me approx. $320. Buying the same OBC on line using $NZ the same cost would have been $NZ380 based on the exchange rate offered. The $A is tanking against the $NZ at the moment and the exchange rate is very favourable. The $NZ is the highest it has been against the $A in over 8 years.

 

Thanks again for the tip

[darbs7]

Are we speaking in terms of dollars or the toll taken on my liver with the premium liquor package ?

 

Great answer!!!!!!!

 

We have never cruised (cruised 11 times) with a prepaid package and we gamble and we have never pre-purchased tips and we eat most nights in a specialty restaurant…so….our bill is always in the $2000 range…drinks $800ish, restaurants $200ish, tips $200ish, gambling $500ish, then extra stuff $200-300 (spa, shopping)

 

We have the package this year, pre-paid gratuities, no excursions through Celebrity (just beaches and shopping), no restaurants (we are Aqua..will enjoy Blu), and going to avoid the casino as we have a Vegas trip right after the cruise. So our goal is to walk off with a ZERO account this year!

[Negrilgirl]

Last year when we cruised on the Reflection we had the premium beverage package, prepaid gratuities due to select dining. Our final bill was 32.00.

 

 

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