Can you use OBC toward gratuities?

[The Mexillents]

Does anyone know if you can use your OBC toward the gratuities?

[neverbeenhere]

Yes you can. You could also cash out the credit at the casino and send me the money.

[jerseygirl3]

Does anyone know if you can use your OBC toward the gratuities?

 

 

No you cannot.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[neverbeenhere]

You apparently can't but I do.

[ozark74]

Does anyone know if you can use your OBC toward the gratuities?

 

Yes, you can use the obc,s to pay for anything on your account.

Edited January 26, 2015 by ozark74

[cruisestitch]

You can use OBC for anything you have on your SeaPass account, gratuities, shore excursions, bingo, wine tastings, specialty restaurants, gift shop purchases, massages, photographs, babysitting services, internet, luggage valet, airport transfers, you name it.

[neverbeenhere]

Use of OBC for pre-cruise select dining... This won't happen. But if you can change to select dining after boarding, then yes. I guess this is the confusion??

[Pushka]

No you cannot.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

 

My unused OBC was credited back to my credit card.

 

You apparently can't but I do.

 

 

Same.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Pushka

[fleckle]

Does anyone know if you can use your OBC toward the gratuities?

Yes, if you do not pre-pay the gratuities.

 

No if you pre-pay gratuities.

 

So the people who gave the "yes" and "no" answers are both correct.

 

[The Mexillents]

Thanks to all for the information.

[bigbenboys]

If you have Select Dining then you must pre-pay your gratuities. Select Dining is the only time you must pre-pay gratuities. So you can not use your OBC.

There are 2 types of OBC. 1 type you will get it credited back to your credit card. The 2nd type it will not be credited back to your credit card.

 

The rule I go by is if the OBC is from the cruise line use it or lose it. If it is OBC from a TA, friends or yourself then it will be credited back to your card.

[jveevers]

If you have Select Dining then you must pre-pay your gratuities. Select Dining is the only time you must pre-pay gratuities. So you can not use your OBC.

There are 2 types of OBC. 1 type you will get it credited back to your credit card. The 2nd type it will not be credited back to your credit card.

 

The rule I go by is if the OBC is from the cruise line use it or lose it. If it is OBC from a TA, friends or yourself then it will be credited back to your card.

If it is all combined together on your Sea Account, both TA given and Cruise Line given, how can you regulate which you are spending and which you might have left over to be credited back?

[fleckle]

If it is all combined together on your Sea Account, both TA given and Cruise Line given, how can you regulate which you are spending and which you might have left over to be credited back?

They are not all combined together but each source of onboard credit is listed as a separate item on your seapass account, with

code OBR or OBC-R for refundable onboard credit

and OBN or OBC-N for non-refundable.

 

As you start charging things to your account, the non-refundable onboard credit is used first, so the amount in that category will be reduced first.

 

By checking your account on the TV screen in your cabin, or requesting a printout from guest relations, you can see all the items that have been charged to your account, which category of onboard credit was used, and how much money you still have remaining in each category.

 

[villauk]

If it is all combined together on your Sea Account, both TA given and Cruise Line given, how can you regulate which you are spending and which you might have left over to be credited back?

 

Fleckle beat me to it :D.

 

The 'N' signifies if it's non-refundable. Ask at Guest Services if you're unsure. If you have any refundable left, it gets put back on your credit card ;).

[Tara Jane]

I had OBC from using a future cruise certificate, thought it was non refundable as it was from celebrity. I spent a bit, then withdrew the balance via casino, leaving me something like $1.30 . A week or so after getting home there is a refund on my credit card for that amount!!! I certainly didn't expect it.

[Ba' Datz]

I had OBC from using a future cruise certificate, thought it was non refundable as it was from celebrity. I spent a bit, then withdrew the balance via casino, leaving me something like $1.30 . A week or so after getting home there is a refund on my credit card for that amount!!! I certainly didn't expect it.

 

How do you cash out at the casino?

[WestLakeGirl]

The casino cashier will do this, give you a charge receipt to sign. It will cost you a fee of 5% of the amount

[Ba' Datz]

The casino cashier will do this, give you a charge receipt to sign. It will cost you a fee of 5% of the amount

 

thanks

[Banjo]

My unused OBC was credited back to my credit card.

 

 

 

 

Same.

 

That's only TA OBC, not Celebrity OBC.

[nannie70]

Still confused. Can you use ta credit or Celebrity obc for tips?

[neverbeenhere]

a lot of fodder but, yes you can use your OBC or Travel agent credit for tips.

Edited January 26, 2015 by neverbeenhere

[varoo]

Still confused. Can you use ta credit or Celebrity obc for tips?

Either or both.

It is done automatically, so you do not get to choose which kind is used.

 

If you have both kinds, the Celebrity obc (the non-refundable kind) will be used first, as previously explained, and when that is all used up, then the refundable obc will be used.

 

 

If you are still confused, I would just suggest checking your account on the TV in your cabin each day throughout the cruise (starting with the second or third day of the cruise, as the gratuities may not show up until then) and you can easily see how the gratuities are charged, easier than trying to explain it here.

 

The exception would be if you pre-pay your gratuities in advance of the cruise, in which case they will not show up on your onboard account at all.

 

Edited January 26, 2015 by varoo

[cruisestitch]

Let's see if this clarifies anything --

 

Say you have $100 in OBC from your TA and $200 in OBC from Celebrity. So $100 OBR (refundable) and $200 OBN (nonrefundable).

 

You begin charging things to your SeaPass card. The first $200 in charges they will use your nonrefundable to cover. Continue to charge $50 more and it starts to use up the TA's gift to you. You have $50 left, which is refundable back to your credit card at the end of the cruise.

 

Say you have no SeaPass charges at all -- you don't drink, get a massage, use the internet, buy bingo cards, nothing. If you do nothing at all, the $200 from Celebrity will be lost, and the $100 from your travel agent will go back to your credit card.

 

In another scenario, you again have no SeaPass charges at all. You go to the casino and take out $190 in cash. They will charge you $9.50 to make this transaction. So $199.50 is charged to your SeaPass card. You still have $100.50 left in on-board credit, but $0.50 is nonrefundable, so you will get $100 back on your credit card, (the amount the TA gave you).

 

Does that help?

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

No you cannot.

 

 

You must be special. Everyone else CAN use OBC to pay gratuities or anything else charged to their account.

[Tara Jane]

My $1.30 that they refunded to my credit card was given to me by celebrity not a TA.

Of course I didn't expect to get it back, that is why I withdrew what I didn't spend through the casino.

No query at all easy just as West Lake Girl said hand over your seapass tell them how much you want, sign the slip and away you go. Best 5% I have ever spent as I now have US dollars for my next o/s trip either land or cruise.