How to cash out onboard credit on Celebrity ships

[Ma Bell]

Yes, the system has been changed. Can no longer get cash from Casino or anywhere else. They want to keep OBC onboard. Another thread on this change.

 

I'm not surprised. They changed from cash incentives to credits for Blue Chip members a while ago so it was just a matter of time for others who don't even play. When the system gets abused, they usually close the loophole.

[constantcruiser]

We cashed out $250 in NON-REFUNDABLE OBC last month in the casino on Eclipse. No questions asked...but they did deduct the 5% fee.

[az_tchr]

That was last month and last year. New year and new policy. Makes sense. Will probably end up with spending it on a dinner and a couple drinks on our next TA cruise.

 

To the OP - If OBC is from your TA it is OBC-R and will be refunded to you if not used.

[Orator]

That was last month and last year. New year and new policy. Makes sense. Will probably end up with spending it on a dinner and a couple drinks on our next TA cruise.

 

To the OP - If OBC is from your TA it is OBC-R and will be refunded to you if not used.

 

Yes , the OBC-R will be returned.

[schlimazel_traveler]

A friend on Facebook posted this sign. Slot credits cannot be cashed out. They must be played and any winnings over and above the credit amount can be cashed out.

 

http://s1287.photobucket.com/user/mabell85255/media/12484723_1540618626249900_5376965328816500655_o_zpsdoqshsmu.jpg.html?sort=4&o=5

 

I suppose most slot players already know this, but I think it isn't as hard as I thought it would be to play and cash out slot credit--you just need "coin-in" in the amount of your credit, then you can cash out whatever you've got, whether you're up or down at that point. At least, that was our experience in another casino.

[schlimazel_traveler]

(Of course this only helps if you want to play slots anyway.)

[waveandwen]

Just off the Celebrity Summit (January 9 2016 SAIL DATE) and we were able to cash out $500 from our OBC. NO QUESTIONS ASKED. We had no fee as we were in a Suite.

I can tell you that the casino has NO idea how much OBC you have and if you tell them you want to cash out your OBC they will tell you they cant do it. Simply ask for cash on your account.

[Ontario Cruiser]

On the Summit now and just cashed out non refundable obc at casino no questions asked and actually when I asked at the front desk they also suggested the casino

Ontario Cruiser

[az_tchr]

Bottom line is the policy change is coming. OK? Obviously being started at one ship and if there is not a huge blow back then it will quickly move to the rest. Since doing this makes total sense (and yes I liked not having to spend it all on board too) since it is after all ON BOARD CREDIT then I think the policy will expand to the rest of the fleet.

[irishgal1970]

The card that you used to pay for the cruise would, I think, have no bearing on the matter. When you check-in online you'll have to provide a credit card number to settle your OB account. It can be any card that Celebrity accepts. It doesn't have to be the card that you charged the cruise to. Because the card is tied to your onboard account, I would assume that any OBC that you cash out onboard would be credited to that account. I've never actually cashed out OBC. I've used it for our gratuities, excursions, etc. This time I may use it to get a massage. So, while I've never done it, I would think that it would go back to the card that you provide during check-in, because that is the card that would be charged if you owe Celebrity any money.

[gimletgal]

On the Summit now and just cashed out non refundable obc at casino no questions asked and actually when I asked at the front desk they also suggested the casino

Ontario Cruiser

 

There are those on CC who will insist that the policy has changed/is changing. This clearly is not fact as everyone cruising now and in the recent weeks and months has been able to cash out OBC in the casino.

 

There was a thread some time ago talking about the Blue Chip program which is a totally different program and would not apply to most cruisers. I'm afraid the program got "muddled" in with questions such as "can I cash out OBC in the casino"? The answer is still.....YES, you can.

[schlimazel_traveler]

The card that you used to pay for the cruise would, I think, have no bearing on the matter. When you check-in online you'll have to provide a credit card number to settle your OB account. It can be any card that Celebrity accepts. It doesn't have to be the card that you charged the cruise to. Because the card is tied to your onboard account, I would assume that any OBC that you cash out onboard would be credited to that account. I've never actually cashed out OBC. I've used it for our gratuities, excursions, etc. This time I may use it to get a massage. So, while I've never done it, I would think that it would go back to the card that you provide during check-in, because that is the card that would be charged if you owe Celebrity any money.

 

Yes, that is exactly true--

Come to think of it, we booked three cabins on our most recent cruise, one for my husband and me and one for each of our adult daughters who each brought a traveling companion. These were charged to my credit card. At check-in, my older daughter provided her own card to link to her cabin. We each had, if I recall correctly, about $300 NR and $250 refundable OBC, but my daughter and friend booked an excursion using their NR credit. That excursion was cancelled, and miraculously, the credit they spent on it was refunded to their account as REFUNDABLE credit. She wound up with a sizeable credit to her card at the end of the cruise. (We let her keep it.) Our younger daughter's cabin was linked to our card, so her leftover refundable credit went back to our card, as did our own.

Edited January 19, 2016 by schlimazel_traveler

[az_tchr]

There are those on CC who will insist that the policy has changed/is changing. This clearly is not fact as everyone cruising now and in the recent weeks and months has been able to cash out OBC in the casino.

 

There was a thread some time ago talking about the Blue Chip program which is a totally different program and would not apply to most cruisers. I'm afraid the program got "muddled" in with questions such as "can I cash out OBC in the casino"? The answer is still.....YES, you can.

 

Did you miss the sign and post about the Connie? You certainly cannot cash out there! Agree Blue Chip is off the map for 99% of posters. How do you dispute the following:

http://s1287.photobucket.com/user/ma...tml?sort=4&o=5

 

Things are clearly changing or the poster of this photo did a heck of a photoshop job.

 

And the last poster is correct. Once the OBC-N is spent and later credit or refund is then OBC-R. This should give some pause for thought.

Edited January 19, 2016 by az_tchr

[Project_gal]

Bottom line is the policy change is coming. OK? Obviously being started at one ship and if there is not a huge blow back then it will quickly move to the rest. Since doing this makes total sense (and yes I liked not having to spend it all on board too) since it is after all ON BOARD CREDIT then I think the policy will expand to the rest of the fleet.

 

Whilst I agree with you that change is coming, I feel that there is a wider perspective to this than the one you see.

 

For any one "in the know" outside the USA, purchased OBC is likely to be the major portion of their OBC. Not non-refundable OBC awarded by Celebrity. The matter is not so clear-cut in the case of purchased OBC.

 

It seem extremely likely that Celebrity values this purchased OBC as much as their guests. In different parts of the world at different times, they offer OBC at extremely advantageous rate compared to the retail exchange rate available at the time. I believe that selling OBC at advantageous rate to the guest also provides a source of foreign currency at advantageous rates to them. Once they have what they want, they adjust the rate accordingly.

 

We have held some purchased OBC for our next cruise [starting the coming Sunday] since March 2014. Celebrity have had the benefit of our money for their use for 22 months. We have lost the use of that money for the same period in exchange for a good rate of exchange and the freedom of not having to carry cash whilst travelling. As I see it we are scratching each others backs.

 

Most of this cash is for spending on board but not all of this is for our final on-board account. By pre-purchasing OBC at an advantageous, we spend freely on board. In the future, if we cruise at a time, such as now, when the pound is doing badly against the US dollar, we are likely to be more frugal on board. You will note that there is a current Cruise Critic thread indicating that Canadians may be reluctant to cruise at present because of their exchange rate.

 

A small amount is for on-shore and post-cruise spend. My husband will probably stop playing the slots if he is unable to play with cash. Do not ask me to explain why. I cannot understand the attraction of playing slot with or without cash. However, if he stops playing Celebrity will lose a large donation to their funds for each of our future cruises! We will also not purchase OBR for crew additional gratuities. Because we cannot know for certain if additional gratuities paid through our on board account is as attractive to the crew as cash, we prefer to pay in cash.

 

In future, if this change goes ahead, we are only likely to purchases sufficient OBC to pay our on-board account [excluding Casino and additional gratuities]. For our upcoming cruise, only 60% of the OBC we purchased is budgeted for our non-Casino on-board spend. Thus, a consequence of Celebrity's change of policy is likely to be a large reduction is their foreign currency cashflow.

 

Nothing is ever as straightforward as it seems.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Project_gal

[MicCanberra]

It appears that differing ships have different policies regarding cashing out of OBC or at least the staff seem to apply the different interpretations of those policies. I suppose nothing unusual there.

[sunflower46]

Just off Constellation sailing Jan. 14th. No you cannot cash out any longer - not even with the 5%. They will give you chips that you have to pay -called promotional chips. In fact, they specifically asked two passengers if it was obc when they asked for cash. Were told we no longer cash out. Orator also stated this as he was on Connie as well.

[Miaminice]

The matter is not so clear-cut in the case of purchased OBC.

 

No problem with purchased OBC. Purchased OBC will ALWAYS appear as OBR (refundable OBC) on your account. Made use of the fantastic exchange rate (EUR/USD) on a few cruises and redeemed the cash at guest relation at the end of the cruise.

 

Now, however, Celebrity adapted the exchange rate and in regards of EUR/USD there´s no advantage any more. Not sure about GBP or Canadian $ though.

[Project_gal]

No problem with purchased OBC. Purchased OBC will ALWAYS appear as OBR (refundable OBC) on your account. Made use of the fantastic exchange rate (EUR/USD) on a few cruises and redeemed the cash at guest relation at the end of the cruise.

 

I am not concerned with the balance at the end of the cruise but access to MY money during the cruise for use in the Casino, for example.

 

Now, however, Celebrity adapted the exchange rate and in regards of EUR/USD there´s no advantage any more. Not sure about GBP or Canadian $ though.

 

The pound is dropping like a stone against the US$ [probably more like the US$ is climbing] at present making Celebrity's rate advantageous again.

[Miaminice]

I am not concerned with the balance at the end of the cruise but access to MY money during the cruise for use in the Casino, for example.

 

Same thing here... as long as it is OBR you´ll always get chips for it - regular chips, not the promotional chips.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Miaminice

[az_tchr]

Whilst I agree with you that change is coming, I feel that there is a wider perspective to this than the one you see.

 

For any one "in the know" outside the USA, purchased OBC is likely to be the major portion of their OBC. Not non-refundable OBC awarded by Celebrity. The matter is not so clear-cut in the case of purchased OBC.

 

It seem extremely likely that Celebrity values this purchased OBC as much as their guests. In different parts of the world at different times, they offer OBC at extremely advantageous rate compared to the retail exchange rate available at the time. I believe that selling OBC at advantageous rate to the guest also provides a source of foreign currency at advantageous rates to them. Once they have what they want, they adjust the rate accordingly.

 

We have held some purchased OBC for our next cruise [starting the coming Sunday] since March 2014. Celebrity have had the benefit of our money for their use for 22 months. We have lost the use of that money for the same period in exchange for a good rate of exchange and the freedom of not having to carry cash whilst travelling. As I see it we are scratching each others backs.

 

Most of this cash is for spending on board but not all of this is for our final on-board account. By pre-purchasing OBC at an advantageous, we spend freely on board. In the future, if we cruise at a time, such as now, when the pound is doing badly against the US dollar, we are likely to be more frugal on board. You will note that there is a current Cruise Critic thread indicating that Canadians may be reluctant to cruise at present because of their exchange rate.

 

A small amount is for on-shore and post-cruise spend. My husband will probably stop playing the slots if he is unable to play with cash. Do not ask me to explain why. I cannot understand the attraction of playing slot with or without cash. However, if he stops playing Celebrity will lose a large donation to their funds for each of our future cruises! We will also not purchase OBR for crew additional gratuities. Because we cannot know for certain if additional gratuities paid through our on board account is as attractive to the crew as cash, we prefer to pay in cash.

 

In future, if this change goes ahead, we are only likely to purchases sufficient OBC to pay our on-board account [excluding Casino and additional gratuities]. For our upcoming cruise, only 60% of the OBC we purchased is budgeted for our non-Casino on-board spend. Thus, a consequence of Celebrity's change of policy is likely to be a large reduction is their foreign currency cashflow.

 

Nothing is ever as straightforward as it seems.

 

I understand perfectly. As a part time resident outside the US I get it about purchased OBC - something not done much in the USA. It is still really simple. OBC-R is refundable and this includes purchased OBC. There is no change here. Your husband can continue to play with cash or he can turn OBC into credits and play the slots with those. Really no difference to you at all. And any unused OBC you purchased can be refunded. What there has changed or is likely to change? When I cruise out of Australia I book and pay in $AUD. I buy OBC with $AUD and at the end of a cruise any remaining OBC (if any) is credited to my credit card. Is it different for Canada?

 

The exchange differences certainly make for things to be difficult now for Canadians and as in January here in Arizona there are more Canadians the change from restaurants to shopping in grocery stores is very evident. The only OBC-N comes from Celebrity via promotions of some sort. It was always intended to be spent on board by Celebrity and they are simply beginning to close (sort of) a loophole. The trial has begun on one ship and am guessing it will expand to become policy. I also fully expect someone has already found another way to turn OBC-N into cash at the end of a cruise.

 

Celebrity would certainly like OBC-R to all be spent on board but bottom line is those $$ did not come from Celebrity! They came from either purchased OBC or a TA (mostly TAs in the USA). Thus no change there. The casino restriction means nothing as you can get cash at the end of a cruise with no fee. Americans are fighting to get OBC-N out in cash and not spend it on board. OK?

[BosoxI]

I go to the Customer Relations counter and cash out my OBCR, except on this last cruise when my DW insisted I apply our considerable unused credit towards a very unecessary ring for me. I would have preferred the cash. :(

[RosieCanberra]

I go to the Customer Relations counter and cash out my OBCR, except on this last cruise when my DW insisted I apply our considerable unused credit towards a very unecessary ring for me. I would have preferred the cash. :(

 

Lol!

You can no longer get cash at Guest Relations on Solstice, I had OBCR and had to cash out at the casino less 5% charge. I disembarked 5 January 2016.

 

Cheers

Rosie

[JMG]

We used our OBC several ways. We booked specialty restaurants after boarding...we also asked if they had any specials...we got 30% off on 3 different evenings.

 

DH also bought a pricey shirt that he liked..

 

We disembarked in FLL and Celebrity has a Luggage Valet program in FLL for some of the airlines...American, Delta and JetBLue are the ones I remember. It cost $20pp and we had to pay the airline luggage fee at that time.($50)....$90 came out of our OBC..so we got $ for $ instead of losing 5% plus we did not have to carry our bags to the airport. We did not have to stand in line to check in for our flight. We got our boarding passes on board the ship. We did not have to stand in line to go through TSA. We were directly to the short line. For us it was a great way to use up some OBC.

Edited January 19, 2016 by JMG

[MicCanberra]

Just off Constellation sailing Jan. 14th. No you cannot cash out any longer - not even with the 5%. They will give you chips that you have to pay -called promotional chips. In fact, they specifically asked two passengers if it was obc when they asked for cash. Were told we no longer cash out. Orator also stated this as he was on Connie as well.

 

Thanks, we are on the Connie and was hoping to have some OBC left and then cash some of it out for tips, and shorex, it seems this won't happen now.

[livingasia]

Thanks, we are on the Connie and was hoping to have some OBC left and then cash some of it out for tips, and shorex, it seems this won't happen now.

 

I seem to be in the same boat (no pun intended). I have $600 non refundadable credit that I cannot imagine needing to spend onboard as we got the best suite deal for a song. So we have premium drinks, tips, Internet and something else that escapes me now. All the places we are going, I have been already and we will do our own thing. The only possible thing we may do is one of the specialty restaurants but as I recall when booking at least one of those was free as well. We seem to be struggling to spend money lol.

 

Right now it's looking likely we will see how we go and then on the last night draw out whatever remains in promo chips, put 45% of it on Red, 45% on Black and 10% on zero and keep repeating with the promo chips while pulling out the cash winning chips. We'll likely end up with somewhere around 80% of the OBC value back to us in real cash, possibly much higher if the zero comes in. knowing my run of luck on this, we'll be told we cannot do that either. Anyhow, will be good fun trying.