What can OBC used for?

[royal65]

On an upcoming cruise, we have $700 in OBC ($250 in shareholder credit, $150 for future cruise credit and $300 from our travel agent). I think the shareholder credit has restrictions on use -- is that true and are there other restrictions on OBC use? thanx

[sail7seas]

We have always used all OBC for all things we purchase while aboard including daily applied hotel service charge.

 

If yours has restrictions, you likely know what they are or should inquire from the source.

Edited July 18, 2014 by sail7seas

[Cologal50]

We have always used all OBC for all things we purchase while aboard including daily applied hotel service charge.

 

If yours has restrictions, you likely know what they are or should inquire from the source.

 

Somebody who knows how to search on this site better than me can find where I got this quote. But I found it on CC in the last month and copied it to a Word document on HAL information for my trip. I thought that I would share what I found that day:

 

Hi I spoke with Holland the other day and they said OBC could not be used for the $60.00 per day charge. I thought that was odd so I even called back and spoke to another gal who told me the same thing??

[traveler111]

What costs $60.00 a day, surely not tips?

[Typhoon1]

OBC is just like cash. It is applied against the balance on your account.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

What HAL Reps state and what actually happens on the ship are two different stories. In the past the ship actually did not always have a way to distinguish between what ship board credit came from and what source. I know of people that got back more the last morning of their cruise in unused ship board credit than was given to them as a gift. I also know of a very recent case that had SBC as a gift of $50 and $250 ( Future Cruise Deposit, CCL Stock and HAL Promo) from HAL. They told me they only spent about $40 on board so figured they would get back about $100 after taking out the gratuities. The last morning they only got back the $50 that was the gift. So possibly they can now figure out what came from HAL and what did not. But HAL Reps are still telling people that the Ship Board Credit on promos cannot be used toward the gratuities but that is NOT correct it can be.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

What costs $60.00 a day, surely not tips?

 

The $60 per day is the Hold placed on Credit cards for purchases. It is $60 per person per day. But If someone has Ship Board Credit that totals that and does not register a Credit card that works as well.

[PROCRUISE]

OBC is just like cash. It is applied against the balance on your account.

 

Exactly right! Just came off the Oosterdam last month. We allowed our OBC to cover the daily service charge and a few drinks. We had $43 still left at the end of the cruise and it was immediately credited to my credit card the next day.

[DaveOKC]

We have used it towards the daily service charge (tips if you will), which is about $11.50-$12.00 daily per person. He have done this on several cruises, even within the past 3 months.

 

The only thing you need to be aware of that it has to be used toward things you purchase "onboard". For example, if you purchase a shore excursion before you sail, you pay for this with your credit card from home and this purchase cannot be credited toward your OBC. This is a bit of a pain if you really want to do a certain excursion and do not want to run the risk of it selling out before you sail.

 

Other on board purchases that it can be used for - Specialty dining fees, drinks/beverages, gift shop purchases, shore excursions, spa charges/fees, thermal pool charge and I am sure many other things I forget about at the moment.

 

While Casino gambling is not supposed to be included in this, I think some folks have done it, but I would not count on this.

 

DaveOKC

[Krazy Kruizers]

We get shipboard credit through several different means. Our TA sends us detailed list of them.

But once on the ship I have always noticed that the shipboard credits are in a lump sum. So the ship has no way of distinguishing what amount came from where.

You find the shipboard credit is "eaten" up quickly starting with the Hotel Service Charge.

[POA1]

What costs $60.00 a day, surely not tips?

That's the 'hold' amount placed on your credit card. It's not really a charge, so posting OBC against it wouldn't make sense.

[POA1]

The fine print usually says that the OBC can't be applied to the hotel service charge (HTC.) We've never had more OBC than our charges net of HSC, so I can't say how it works in practice.

Edited July 18, 2014 by POA1

[kazu]

The fine print usually says that the OBC can't be applied to the hotel service charge (HTC.) We've never had more OBC than our charges net of HSC, so I can't say how it works in practice.

 

I watch as my obc dwindles and it has been applied against the Hsc until we are down yo 0' then we start to owe them money.

 

I've never gotten off yet without a bill:D:D:eek:

[POA1]

I watch as my obc dwindles and it has been applied against the Hsc until we are down yo 0' then we start to owe them money.

 

I've never gotten off yet without a bill:D:D:eek:

Thanks. That's what I thought.

[PathfinderEss]

On our last cruise we had a large obc credit and we had pre booked the Pinnacle. Being 5 stars we get several free Pinnacle's and also half off the others, so we got credit back on that. Then our TA gave us a drink card, the one worth 15 drinks a day. Well at the end of that cruise Hal owed us alot of money. I had them credit it back to my card. I will say it was a first.:D:D:D

 

OBC is just like cash. It is applied against the balance on your account.

 

Typhoon is absolutely right. Now OP go have a wonderful cruise and don't worry about spending money, you have lots.:D Oh, but I will say if you have paper work on any of your OBC bring it along, just in case.

Edited July 18, 2014 by PathfinderEss

[sail7seas]

Somebody who knows how to search on this site better than me can find where I got this quote. But I found it on CC in the last month and copied it to a Word document on HAL information for my trip. I thought that I would share what I found that day:

 

Hi I spoke with Holland the other day and they said OBC could not be used for the $60.00 per day charge. I thought that was odd so I even called back and spoke to another gal who told me the same thing??

 

 

As has been explained, the daily hotel service charge and $60 pp per day hold are two different things.

 

You can apply your hotel service charge to your OBC. We have done it again and again and again....... as have a great many others here. :)

 

The telephone reps so often misspeak or just plain don't always know about what they are speaking. Ask three reps and get three answers. :rolleyes:

[Linda&Vern]

What HAL Reps state and what actually happens on the ship are two different stories. In the past the ship actually did not always have a way to distinguish between what ship board credit came from and what source. I know of people that got back more the last morning of their cruise in unused ship board credit than was given to them as a gift. I also know of a very recent case that had SBC as a gift of $50 and $250 ( Future Cruise Deposit, CCL Stock and HAL Promo) from HAL. They told me they only spent about $40 on board so figured they would get back about $100 after taking out the gratuities. The last morning they only got back the $50 that was the gift. So possibly they can now figure out what came from HAL and what did not. But HAL Reps are still telling people that the Ship Board Credit on promos cannot be used toward the gratuities but that is NOT correct it can be.

Lisa - I'm not a travel agent, but I would think that your "recent case" was calculated correctly. The $50 they got back was the gift. I understand that is refundable. I thought the FCD, CCL Stock and HAL Promo could not be refunded for cash, but had to be used on the ship. They didn't use it - and they can't get it refunded. Just curious - we always use ours, so I don't have this problem. :(

[sail7seas]

What HAL Reps state and what actually happens on the ship are two different stories. In the past the ship actually did not always have a way to distinguish between what ship board credit came from and what source. I know of people that got back more the last morning of their cruise in unused ship board credit than was given to them as a gift. I also know of a very recent case that had SBC as a gift of $50 and $250 ( Future Cruise Deposit, CCL Stock and HAL Promo) from HAL. They told me they only spent about $40 on board so figured they would get back about $100 after taking out the gratuities. The last morning they only got back the $50 that was the gift. So possibly they can now figure out what came from HAL and what did not. But HAL Reps are still telling people that the Ship Board Credit on promos cannot be used toward the gratuities but that is NOT correct it can be.

 

 

What a shame they just wasted it. You'd think they could have found something to spend it on. :cool: Most anything would have been better than leaving it unused and wasting it.

 

[take us away]

OBC can be used for ANYTHING that is on the bill - have never seen any restrictions. If HAL gave you the OBC at booking or as a promotion, it cannot be refunded. Any OBC that was provided to you, i.e. from your TA, a gift,, etc and is remaining on your account will be credited to your credit card the last day. Also, any remaining balance on a beverage card is also refunded to you as these are all 'turned off' when you disembark. The only exception is the $50 soda card - HAL only reimburses for any of the original cost of $25 that is remaining so if you have $10 left at the end of the cruise, this is lost.

[kazu]

What HAL Reps state and what actually happens on the ship are two different stories. In the past the ship actually did not always have a way to distinguish between what ship board credit came from and what source. I know of people that got back more the last morning of their cruise in unused ship board credit than was given to them as a gift. I also know of a very recent case that had SBC as a gift of $50 and $250 ( Future Cruise Deposit, CCL Stock and HAL Promo) from HAL. They told me they only spent about $40 on board so figured they would get back about $100 after taking out the gratuities. The last morning they only got back the $50 that was the gift. So possibly they can now figure out what came from HAL and what did not. But HAL Reps are still telling people that the Ship Board Credit on promos cannot be used toward the gratuities but that is NOT correct it can be.

 

I am totally flabbergasted that anyone could spend only $40 on a cruise other than hsc. I could take some lessons, but prefer not to:D I'm astounded

[LAFFNVEGAS]

What a shame they just wasted it. You'd think they could have found something to spend it on. :cool: Most anything would have been better than leaving it unused and wasting it.

 

Yes, but two years ago the same people were given it all back, personally I thought that was a fluke so they thought they could do it again and cash in and get more money back. It did not quite work out for them like they hoped. They were warned in advance though so luckily they were not too. mad

[cp556]

Kazu's right ... the OBC appears on your onboard statement as a credit, and then charges are posted against it. It does dwindle as HSC and other charges are applied.

 

I kept a close eye on ours on the last cruise and had a good idea of what our final bill would show on the last morning (around $100). The bill appeared in our door mailbox, I snatched it, opened it, and my eyes got THISBIG. The total due was $1900!

 

Then I looked at the name and cabin # on the bill, and quietly placed it in our neighbor's door mailbox, where it belonged :)

 

Whew.

[sail7seas]

Yes, but two years ago the same people were given it all back, personally I thought that was a fluke so they thought they could do it again and cash in and get more money back. It did not quite work out for them like they hoped. They were warned in advance though so luckily they were not too. mad

 

 

 

Wow.....

So they denied themselves some extra fun and enjoyment in the hope of bringing home the cash and ended up with neither. I feel badly for them but hope they learned to listen to you in the future. :)

 

[solocanadian]

I watch as my obc dwindles and it has been applied against the Hsc until we are down yo 0' then we start to owe them money.

 

I've never gotten off yet without a bill:D:D:eek:

 

Me neither. Like the Crow's Nest Bar too much.;)

[jtl513]

If you have OBC that you think may not be refundable (e.g. HAL promo, CCL stock) here are three suggestions:

 

(1) Go to the casino, put your key card in a slot machine, and charge money to your account. (I think the max is $300, but two people on the same account can both do it, and you can do it on multiple days.) Take at least one spin, then cash-out of the machine and cash-out the card at the cage.

(2) Go to the front desk and take a cash advance against your account. There will be a 3% fee, but at least you get 97% of what you would otherwise lose.

(3) Go to the front desk and increase your HSC so the money goes to the crew and not to HAL.

Edited July 19, 2014 by jtl513