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Tinious

Tinious

Posted
Posted
So the consensus is, if you have purchased an OBC then when checking in, check in as a cash account. On our Grandeur cruise, our OBC didn't appear on our account until the next day. When you check in, do you have to give them cash to start your account?

 

As far as I can tell, the *only* advantage to having a Cash Account if you have a bunch of OBC is if you plan on taking cash out in the Casino. In some/most cases people say if you're a Cash Account, you don't/shouldn't pay the 5% commission on cash from your OBC in the Casino. But this thread is littered with people who say they were absolutely required to pay the 5% regardless of being Cash account. So it's hit and miss.

 

So, as far as I can tell -- if you don't plan on taking out Cash in the casino, it doesn't hurt to have a CC on file, if anything it makes it easier because if you blow through your OBC you may not need to bother with the hassle of adding the CC on board or at departure.

 

I have no intention of cash withdrawals in the Casino, so I'm keeping it as a CC account.

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Virtopia

Virtopia

Posted
Posted
Just off the phone with C&A and was able to purchase $2500 all at once in one transaction for my Christmas cruise on Oasis.:). Cost still at the 110% or $2750 vs current exchange that is around $3300. $550 savings!

 

Wow, you got a nice agent LOL or are the rules different if you call C&A? I may add another $250 to my upcoming sailing.

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ronandannette

ronandannette

Posted
Posted (edited)

^^I think it must be "hit and miss" like practically everything else to do with RCCL customer service. I bought my entire $1,000-worth in a single transaction too and the agent made it sound like I was a weirdo for even asking if it was a problem. :p

Edited by ronandannette
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Ourusualbeach

Ourusualbeach

Posted
Posted
^^I think it must be "hit and miss" like practically everything else to do with RCCL customer service. I bought my entire $1,000-worth in a single transaction too and the agent made it sound like I was a weirdo for even asking if it was a problem. :p

 

That's the feeling I got as well. I asked if there was a limit and she said only what your credit card will approve.:)

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ronandannette

ronandannette

Posted
Posted (edited)
Thank you Ourusualbeach and ronandannette and other posters for your responses.

I probably remembered wrong about $500. Great thread for great info.

 

Honestly, this thread is (was) the best piece of information I've ever come across in 10 years on CC! Buying that OBC at 10% felt like winning the lottery! :D

Edited by ronandannette
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hancogran

hancogran

Posted
Posted
Just off the phone with C&A and was able to purchase $2500 all at once in one transaction for my Christmas cruise on Oasis.:). Cost still at the 110% or $2750 vs current exchange that is around $3300. $550 savings!

 

Wow!! That's a REAL savings over the bank rate! :eek: Enjoy spending it. Think I'd better get a cruise booked soon so I can again take advantage of this great deal. :)

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ronandannette

ronandannette

Posted
Posted (edited)
So...just to confirm I have this correct...I can purchase an OBC at a reduced rate' date=' then cash out up to $500.00 on port days to use from the casino at no charge?[/quote']

 

LOL - the reason this question gets repeated so often is that we all have a hard time believing such a great deal exists!! :D

 

Yes; buy an OBC and withdraw cash from the casino cage for use in ports. There is no limit that I know of - my DH took out $600 of our $1,100 all at once. There may or may not be a 5% fee assessed. We had to pay it buy others say they didn't. No way to tell in advance, it could depend on the ship or even the individual cashier at the time. One thing I will clarify, the casino WILL NOT be open in the morning on port days - get your cash out on the evening before.

Edited by ronandannette
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Magicat

Magicat

Posted
Posted

You have to withdrawal it from the Casino not Guest services? And it's a hit or miss if you pay the 5% surcharge. Things to keep in mind. Thanks everyone who has given their feedback. Our cruise isn't for another 7 weeks so we will report back our experience with the OBC.

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nbsjcruiser Great Review Rare

nbsjcruiser

Posted
Posted
LOL - the reason this question gets repeated so often is that we all have a hard time believing such a great deal exists!! :D

 

Yes; buy an OBC and withdraw cash from the casino cage for use in ports. There is no limit that I know of - my DH took out $600 of our $1,100 all at once. There may or may not be a 5% fee assessed. We had to pay it buy others say they didn't. No way to tell in advance, it could depend on the ship or even the individual cashier at the time. One thing I will clarify, the casino WILL NOT be open in the morning on port days - get your cash out on the evening before.

 

If you have on board credit that you purchased there is NO 5% fee for withdrawal at the casino. If they do charge you, simply tell them its a cash account. You may or may not have to go to guest services to get the 5% back but you will DEFINITELY get it back. We've done this several times on different ships over the last 2 years. So have no worries about that,

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hancogran

hancogran

Posted
Posted
You have to withdrawal it from the Casino not Guest services? And it's a hit or miss if you pay the 5% surcharge. Things to keep in mind. Thanks everyone who has given their feedback. Our cruise isn't for another 7 weeks so we will report back our experience with the OBC.

 

You can only withdraw it from Guest Services at the end of the cruise.. if you have any left to withdraw. ;)

 

We made several withdrawals from the casino ($500 each time) and never paid any 5% charge. Our account was set up as a cash account so basically we were withdrawing our own money. I think there's likely more people who weren't charged the 5% than those who were. If you read back to the early posts on this thread, most of us withdrew from the casino without the 5% charge but perhaps things have changed. We sailed this past May . Again, maybe it all depends on the ship and also dependent on whether your account is backed with a credit card or if it's a cash account. :confused:

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Ourusualbeach

Ourusualbeach

Posted
Posted
You can only withdraw it from Guest Services at the end of the cruise.. if you have any left to withdraw. ;)

 

We made several withdrawals from the casino ($500 each time) and never paid any 5% charge. Our account was set up as a cash account so basically we were withdrawing our own money. I think there's likely more people who weren't charged the 5% than those who were. If you read back to the early posts on this thread, most of us withdrew from the casino without the 5% charge but perhaps things have changed. We sailed this past May . Again, maybe it all depends on the ship and also dependent on whether your account is backed with a credit card or if it's a cash account. :confused:

 

Or what colour shirt you are wearing that day.:D:D. Good old Royal. Consistency is not one of their strengths.

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ronandannette

ronandannette

Posted
Posted
[/color]

 

Or what colour shirt you are wearing that day.:D:D. Good old Royal. Consistency is not one of their strengths.

 

Even if you pay the 5%, it's still a huge saving. I am very happy about this deal and have definitely taken advantage of it for our upcoming cruise.:)

 

That's how we felt. A poster has mentioned how to contend for a refund of the fee at Guest Services, which I would never fault anyone else for doing. But as Ourusualbeach says, it's a known fact that RCCL is very weak in knowing/applying their own policies uniformly and I, for one, find it very irksome to have to "fight for my rights". The aggravation wasn't worth the 5%. I just thought of it as a "happiness tax"! :D

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JessyCruises "Live from...." Rare

JessyCruises

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Posted

I just tried to call C&A to do it. They transferred me to gifts & gear. I tried to buy $1500USD. The agent told me I could only do $500 unless I wanted to send in the docs. I told them to go ahead with the $500 - it cost $550 CAD. I called back directly to gifts & gear and was told I could not do more than $499 USD. I did not argue and said to go ahead. It cost me $548.90 CAD. Third call was direct to gifts & gear again and I was able to add $500USD for $550 CAD. Would have been nice to do it in one call, but I am not going to complain! I did not ask but I am pretty sure I got the Guatemala center as well.

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Cruisin'Kim

Cruisin'Kim

Posted
Posted

Just called C&A - they did it for me without going to gifts & gear. $1,000 cost $1,100 - what a great deal! Thanks everyone!! I was able to add the $1,000 with 1 phone call by putting $500 on my account and $500 on my DH's. We will probably add another $500.00 this week.

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barnoner

barnoner

Posted
Posted (edited)

I got the link for this page from my Snowbird CC page and after reading through I called this morning and received $499.00 for $548.90

I'll be calling back to get more.

 

Love the info I learn on these pages.

 

PS I have heard of people doing this on Princess as well, are there any other cruise lines with this offer????

Edited by barnoner
added question
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Virtopia

Virtopia

Posted
Posted
I got the link for this page from my Snowbird CC page and after reading through I called this morning and received $499.00 for $548.90

I'll be calling back to get more.

 

Love the info I learn on these pages.

 

PS I have heard of people doing this on Princess as well, are there any other cruise lines with this offer????

 

I believe someone mentioned above that NCL does it as well. It's an amazing deal that I hope sticks around. In December, I want to start putting down for my cruise next September.

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