Unused OBC

[dorisis]

If all or part of the the OBC is deemed by Celebrity to be an incentive that is non-refundable, then you may walk away and pocket the $300 cash leaving what appears on your shipboard account print out to be a $300 (plus 5%) charge...eating up your OBC. When you check your Credit Card details, do not be surprised to find a charge for any amount of the OBC (plus 5%) you took out that Celeb determines is not refundable.

It is a good idea to check with CS to see which portions of your OBC are refundable or not.

 

I have found this to be true. I now spend all my leftover OBCs in the shops onboard.

[stoddaj1]

I have purchased OBC for our upcoming cruise. How exactly do I go about getting it out through the casino? I know there is a 5% fee to do so. Thanks

[BBsails]

When you check your Credit Card details, do not be surprised to find a charge for any amount of the OBC (plus 5%) you took out that Celeb determines is not refundable.

 

I have found this to be true. I now spend all my leftover OBCs in the shops onboard.

 

Have you actually had your credit card charged for the OBC + 5% that you took out? I'm trying to figure out if anyone has actually experienced this or is it speculation about what may happen.

[cbr663]

I have purchased OBC for our upcoming cruise. How exactly do I go about getting it out through the casino? I know there is a 5% fee to do so. Thanks

 

Just remember that you are actually not requesting the OBC cash out at the casino. You simply go to the casino and request an amount of cash and that amount (plus 5%) is charged to your onboard account. If you have OBC for $300, you can request cash of $300 and you will receive $300 and your onboard account will be charged $315. The $300OBC will take care of all of the casino charge except the $15.

[MicCanberra]

Just remember that you are actually not requesting the OBC cash out at the casino. You simply go to the casino and request an amount of cash and that amount (plus 5%) is charged to your onboard account. If you have OBC for $300, you can request cash of $300 and you will receive $300 and your onboard account will be charged $315. The $300OBC will take care of all of the casino charge except the $15.

Cheers.:D

[need2bespoiled]

It depends which country you live in.:eek:

 

I know a Brit, who owns an agency in Britain (he lives in Spain now) that gives roughly 5% back on bookings. He's an avid cruiser himself.

 

If you're interested, email me at my first name, my last initial g and the number 6 at gmail.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[Duanerice1]

When you check your Credit Card details, do not be surprised to find a charge for any amount of the OBC (plus 5%) you took out that Celeb determines is not refundable.

 

 

 

Have you actually had your credit card charged for the OBC + 5% that you took out? I'm trying to figure out if anyone has actually experienced this or is it speculation about what may happen.

 

Yea, I'd like to find out too as we've done it many times and have never been charged. Not saying it doesn't happen as we all know Celebrity changes their polices from day to day.

[fleckle]

Have you actually had your credit card charged for the OBC + 5% that you took out? I'm trying to figure out if anyone has actually experienced this or is it speculation about what may happen.

Our credit card is not charged for individual transactions that occur on the cruise ship

(with the exception of deposits for future cruises; there may be others but if so, I don't recall them at the moment).

 

Everything else that is purchased or refunded on the ship gets credited or debited to our shipboard account.

 

Then at the end of the cruise, our credit card is charged one amount for the final remaining balance in our shipboard account, which may be a debit or a credit.

 

It is not pay as you go, but pay once after the cruise ends.

 

The detailed itemization of purchases and refunds during the cruise appears on our shipboard account, not on our credit card statement.

 

 

Another exception would be if you should need an adjustment to your final account balance after closing out your shipboard account, in which case that credit or debit would appear as a separate credit card item.

 

[need2bespoiled]

Our credit card is not charged for individual transactions that occur on the cruise ship

(with the exception of deposits for future cruises; there may be others but if so, I don't recall them at the moment).

 

Everything else that is purchased or refunded on the ship gets credited or debited to our shipboard account.

 

Then at the end of the cruise, our credit card is charged one amount for the final remaining balance in our shipboard account, which may be a debit or a credit.

 

It is not pay as you go, but pay once after the cruise ends.

 

The detailed itemization of purchases and refunds during the cruise appears on our shipboard account, not on our credit card statement.

 

 

Another exception would be if you should need an adjustment to your final account balance after closing out your shipboard account, in which case that credit or debit would appear as a separate credit card item.

 

 

What is being asked here is:

 

Has anyone who has taken out CASH at the casino, in ANY FORM, that was once charged against their OBC or onboard account, later after settlement it was not allowed to charge against OBC, but shown up as a charge against their account and then at settlement had it charged directly to their credit card? This IS the policy: you can't take out cash in the casino as OBC. BUT it has been widely stated on these boards that this is possible and seems to never be enforced, in fact, I am not sure they have a way to actually reconcile the different charges unless someone does it manually, and I am not sure they care.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[gimletgal]

What is being asked here is:

 

Has anyone who has taken out CASH at the casino, in ANY FORM, that was once charged against their OBC or onboard account, later after settlement it was not allowed to charge against OBC, but shown up as a charge against their account and then at settlement had it charged directly to their credit card? This IS the policy - ????: you can't take out cash in the casino as OBC. BUT it has been widely stated on these boards that this is possible and seems to never be enforced, in fact, I am not sure they have a way to actually reconcile the different charges unless someone does it manually, and I am not sure they care.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

 

This whole subject is really simple. You charge something/anything (purchases, casino cash withdrawal, specialty dining, spa treatments, drinks, tips added to purchchases, excursions) against your SeaPass card. It all automatically goes on your account. (Already explained by many posters here) ANY OBC you may have covers those charges. At the end of the cruise, if there is any OBC left, and you have a credit, it is refunded to your credit card. If you have a plus balance, it is charged to your credit card on record. Celebrity uses up the OBCN (non-refundable) first.

 

The casino issue is moot. You just go to the cashier and ask for a cash withdrawal. (You don't say "I want to withdraw OBC".) Cash is cash. It gets charged against your shipboard account + 5%. That's it. End of story.

 

(Thank you fleckle for your excellent/easily understandable explanation.)

[need2bespoiled]

This whole subject is really simple. You charge something/anything (purchases, casino cash withdrawal, specialty dining, spa treatments, drinks, tips added to purchchases, excursions) against your SeaPass card. It all automatically goes on your account. (Already explained by many posters here) ANY OBC you may have covers those charges. At the end of the cruise, if there is any OBC left, and you have a credit, it is refunded to your credit card. If you have a plus balance, it is charged to your credit card on record. Celebrity uses up the OBCN (non-refundable) first.

 

The casino issue is moot. You just go to the cashier and ask for a cash withdrawal. (You don't say "I want to withdraw OBC".) Cash is cash. It gets charged against your shipboard account + 5%. That's it. End of story.

 

(Thank you fleckle for your excellent/easily understandable explanation.)

 

Yes. We know how it is currently working. It's not that simple when:

 

A: the cruise line specifically states OBC can not be used at the casino. While they currently allow it they could stop allowing what many are doing to cash it out without notice

 

B: there are people on this thread who seem to be reporting that some have cashed out ONC at the casino and then later have been charged for it as they weren't allowed to use it against OBC. Some posters we're looking for clarification and first hand account.

 

It's a valid question because if it was true many who have significant OBC plan to use casing out OBC to get their funds back can't it would mean a change of strategy.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[poshgirl]

Hi all,

We are about to book celebrity Infinity Alaska cruise, and was wondering whether to book a drinks package. How much do they cost? Or is it better to go for free gratuities?

Looking at the thread of OBC, could you use this on anything?

 

Lots of factors to be being taken into consideration?

 

Gaynor

[Bruin Steve]

Hi all,

We are about to book celebrity Infinity Alaska cruise, and was wondering whether to book a drinks package. How much do they cost? Or is it better to go for free gratuities?

Looking at the thread of OBC, could you use this on anything?

Lots of factors to be being taken into consideration?

 

Gaynor,

For most people it's fairly simple...

Some categories on some cruises get ALL three, some get none...

IF you are in a cabin category and cruise where you get either one or two, the alleged value of the drink package is ALWAYS much more than the Free Gratuities or the OBC...

Because what it costs were you to purchase the classic drink package is quite a bit more than the easily discernable value of the other two.

 

BUT, the drink package is really of different value to different people...depends on how much you drink.

The normal cost of the drink package, were it not a bonus offer, comes out to about the equivalent of six drinks per day per person more or less...just to break even. So many of us would never pay the ascribed price for the package...we just don't drink that much...

But, if you are, say, on a 7 night cruise and it's a choice between the drink package and free gratuities or $200 per cabin OBC, the formula is much different...You are now only exchanging a value of $100 OBC pp for the drinks (The Gratuities would only be worth $84 pp)...

$100 pp for the drink package means you have to drink the equivalent of $14.28 per day per person to break even...So, you are ahead of the game if you drink two drinks per day each...

And, remember, sodas and specialty coffees are included as well...So, even if you don't drink alcohol, you will still be ahead with a combination of about five soda refills and/or Capucchinos...

 

It is only a question for those of us who generally drink only iced tea or plain coffee onboard...and don't consime alcohol...Or folks like me who are Elite Plus in Celebrity's Captains Club--we already get free Capucchinos...and free drinks from 5:00 to 7:00 each night--and that's about all we drink...

 

Even with that, we just switched ours to the Free Drinks...partly because the thing about unused OBC and partly because, we might just have a glass of wine with dinner and a diet coke at lunch or maybe a drink or two late night in a lounge...maybe just enough to hit that $14.28 mark...

[cle-guy]

Hi all,

We are about to book celebrity Infinity Alaska cruise, and was wondering whether to book a drinks package. How much do they cost? Or is it better to go for free gratuities?

Looking at the thread of OBC, could you use this on anything?

 

Lots of factors to be being taken into consideration?

 

Gaynor

 

If one were to buy the Classic Beverage Package, it costs $49 + 18% Gratuity ($8.82) = $57.82 per person per day.

 

Assuming a 7 day cruise with 2 people, the value is $809.48.

 

OBC is only applicable "per cabin" not per person so where you get 2 beverage packages you only get 1 OBC grant, so often, especially for anyone who has a few drinks that cost on the ship, the beverage package wins out.

[need2bespoiled]

Gaynor,

For most people it's fairly simple...

Some categories on some cruises get ALL three, some get none...

IF you are in a cabin category and cruise where you get either one or two, the alleged value of the drink package is ALWAYS much more than the Free Gratuities or the OBC...

Because what it costs were you to purchase the classic drink package is quite a bit more than the easily discernable value of the other two.

 

BUT, the drink package is really of different value to different people...depends on how much you drink.

The normal cost of the drink package, were it not a bonus offer, comes out to about the equivalent of six drinks per day per person more or less...just to break even. So many of us would never pay the ascribed price for the package...we just don't drink that much...

But, if you are, say, on a 7 night cruise and it's a choice between the drink package and free gratuities or $200 per cabin OBC, the formula is much different...You are now only exchanging a value of $100 OBC pp for the drinks (The Gratuities would only be worth $84 pp)...

$100 pp for the drink package means you have to drink the equivalent of $14.28 per day per person to break even...So, you are ahead of the game if you drink two drinks per day each...

And, remember, sodas and specialty coffees are included as well...So, even if you don't drink alcohol, you will still be ahead with a combination of about five soda refills and/or Capucchinos...

 

It is only a question for those of us who generally drink only iced tea or plain coffee onboard...and don't consime alcohol...Or folks like me who are Elite Plus in Celebrity's Captains Club--we already get free Capucchinos...and free drinks from 5:00 to 7:00 each night--and that's about all we drink...

 

Even with that, we just switched ours to the Free Drinks...partly because the thing about unused OBC and partly because, we might just have a glass of wine with dinner and a diet coke at lunch or maybe a drink or two late night in a lounge...maybe just enough to hit that $14.28 mark...

 

And don't forget, there is the pure convenience factor of having the drink package.

 

There is a great FAQ on drink packages that was recently posted and is comprehensive.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

Edited February 28, 2015 by need2bespoiled

[suec12]

OK we never to to the casino but I thought in the casino you played with chips? and then cashed them in at the end of the night? But if I am reading these boards correctly, you can go and just ask for cash? and then it is charged to your onboard account? Remember the old adage "there are no stupid questions :)"

[cle-guy]

OK we never to to the casino but I thought in the casino you played with chips? and then cashed them in at the end of the night? But if I am reading these boards correctly, you can go and just ask for cash? and then it is charged to your onboard account? Remember the old adage "there are no stupid questions :)"

 

You do play with chips, but you first need cash to buy the chips to play, and hopefully have some left at nights end to cash in. :D

 

You get cash however you can, got to a table to play, and they take your cash and give you equivalent value in chips.

[Bruin Steve]

If one were to buy the Classic Beverage Package, it costs $49 + 18% Gratuity ($8.82) = $57.82 per person per day.

 

Assuming a 7 day cruise with 2 people, the value is $809.48.

 

You ARE confusing "value" with cost however...

The ordinary cost of the package may be $809.48...but, at that cost, it is rarely a "value" for most people. If you assume an average drink price including tip of $9.50 (and drink prices do vary, but, remember, this package allows none of the "premium" brands), then, drinking SIX drinks a day, EVERY day, would get you a value of only $798. You've got to drink MORE than that to get full value for what you've paid...

As to the "convenience" factor, paying by the drink isn't really that much less convenient--they still ask for your card either way, you don't have to carry around cash either way, etc.

 

The true "value" of the drink package is what the cost is of what you actually drink...Under normal circumstances, if you drink six drinks per day each or LESS, then there is NO value to buying the package.

 

HOWEVER, the value vis-a-vis cost calculation with the 123Go deal alters the formula--since you are NOW getting the drink package in lieu of either $168 worth of free tips or $200 of OBC...

 

The "value" is still the cost of whatever you drink...The normal price of $809.48 is now irrelevant...

The new calculation is that, assuming only TWO drinks, per day rather than six plus, and you are ahead of break even...

MOST people might drink at least that...though some still won't. If you are one that doesn't run up a $200 bar tab during a cruise, then there is NO "value", no matter what full retail price is...

 

For me, for example, I would NEVER pay $809 for the package...and even $200 becomes borderline...and I DO drink! But, my normal bar tab is often UNDER $200 a cruise...

Why?

Because most days I am off the ship in port...

When I get back to the ship, I dress for dinner, then go have pre-dinner drinks for free in the Elite Lounge...

At dinner, I normally drink Iced Tea...

As an Elite Plus, I get my after dinner Capucchino included...

I may or may not have one late night drink in a lounge--but, often, I've had enough pre-dinner...

 

So, the "value" for me is nowhere near the $809...and maybe not even near a $200 value...

 

EVERYONE would have a different value calculation...

[need2bespoiled]

You ARE confusing "value" with cost however...

The ordinary cost of the package may be $809.48...but, at that cost, it is rarely a "value" for most people. If you assume an average drink price including tip of $9.50 (and drink prices do vary, but, remember, this package allows none of the "premium" brands), then, drinking SIX drinks a day, EVERY day, would get you a value of only $798. You've got to drink MORE than that to get full value for what you've paid...

As to the "convenience" factor, paying by the drink isn't really that much less convenient--they still ask for your card either way, you don't have to carry around cash either way, etc.

 

The true "value" of the drink package is what the cost is of what you actually drink...Under normal circumstances, if you drink six drinks per day each or LESS, then there is NO value to buying the package.

 

HOWEVER, the value vis-a-vis cost calculation with the 123Go deal alters the formula--since you are NOW getting the drink package in lieu of either $168 worth of free tips or $200 of OBC...

 

The "value" is still the cost of whatever you drink...The normal price of $809.48 is now irrelevant...

The new calculation is that, assuming only TWO drinks, per day rather than six plus, and you are ahead of break even...

MOST people might drink at least that...though some still won't. If you are one that doesn't run up a $200 bar tab during a cruise, then there is NO "value", no matter what full retail price is...

 

For me, for example, I would NEVER pay $809 for the package...and even $200 becomes borderline...and I DO drink! But, my normal bar tab is often UNDER $200 a cruise...

Why?

Because most days I am off the ship in port...

When I get back to the ship, I dress for dinner, then go have pre-dinner drinks for free in the Elite Lounge...

At dinner, I normally drink Iced Tea...

As an Elite Plus, I get my after dinner Capucchino included...

I may or may not have one late night drink in a lounge--but, often, I've had enough pre-dinner...

 

So, the "value" for me is nowhere near the $809...and maybe not even near a $200 value...

 

EVERYONE would have a different value calculation...

 

We would never pay for the package either, the convenience comes from not having to worry about "do I pick-up the bottle of water as I leave the ship, just in case" or not. Sure, I'll have a second latte, smoothie with lunch? SURE.

 

We (I should say "I" because it impacts my partner less, she's more along the lines of getting what she wants regardless) consume more, because I don't think twice with the package, as I do when paying buy the drink due to what I perceive as high prices.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna

[helen haywood]

As further explanation re cash from the casino....you don't have to have anything to do with chips or gambling at all. You can use the casino as an ATM that will be charging you a 5% fee for a cash advance. So even if you had no OBC you were trying to use up and needed some cash to tip your steward or to go ashore or whatever, you can get cash from the casino.

[poshgirl]

Hi all,

Thanks to everyone who replied, it's given me a lot of food for thought. ( or should I say drink)!

 

I shall weigh up the pros and cons.

 

Thanks again.

[Bruin Steve]

As to the "cash from the casino" thing, years back, they didn't charge...

The casino cashier was set up for two things: To cash out your chips and/or to get coinage to feed through the slot machines...

But, since you could get cash for the machines--using your shipboard account, people started using it as an ATM...or as a way to cash out their OBC...

...Which the cruise lines didn't like...

They didn't want to have to carry too much currency at the casino...or to create longer lines for the people actually there to gamble away their money...

So, the 5% charge was created--to act as a disincentive for using it as an ATM...

They really want you to USE that ATM on the ship...to use the spa, to purchase at the gift shops, to buy drinks...They have huge profit margin from that stuff...

They DON'T want you just cashing it out...and they don't want to let you use the casino as an ATM...

At some point, they will likely get really smart--They'll convert all slot machines to tokens or "card readers"...and they'll create chips that must be circulated through a gambling game before they can just be cashed out...and only give cash-outs in the form of a credit to your shipboard account...

That would take away the "ATM" function entirely...and force everyone to spend their OBC onboard...

AND, when that happens, if it's in conjunction with the current type of 123Go deal, you won't be able to cash out the OBC, can't use it to purchase drinks and can't apply it to gratuities...which will force you to spend it on the spa, gift shops, shore excursions and gambling only...

 

This will make pricing schemes with higher prices but with OBC much more attractive for the cruise line...

Say you would have had a cruise fare of $1200 pp...but instead, they offer the cruise at $1500 pp but with $300 pp OBC...Same net cost?

Sort of, but not really...

With the $1200 cruise fare, the passenger may not drink, go to the spa, gamble or drink--and books their port tours independently...and the cruise line makes $1200...But, with $1200 +$300 OBC, the cruise line still makes the $1200, but they guarantee that the customer spends another $300 pp onboard--and all that extra money comes back to them--at pretty good profit margins...

[MicCanberra]

Hi all,

Thanks to everyone who replied, it's given me a lot of food for thought. ( or should I say drink)!

 

I shall weigh up the pros and cons.

 

Thanks again.

 

Welcome to Cruise critic,:D

I think if you drink more than 4 drinks a day every day, it is worth getting the package as generally any OBC with the 123 go would not cover that amount.:D

[MicCanberra]

As to the "cash from the casino" thing, years back, they didn't charge...

The casino cashier was set up for two things: To cash out your chips and/or to get coinage to feed through the slot machines...

But, since you could get cash for the machines--using your shipboard account, people started using it as an ATM...or as a way to cash out their OBC...

...Which the cruise lines didn't like...

They didn't want to have to carry too much currency at the casino...or to create longer lines for the people actually there to gamble away their money...

So, the 5% charge was created--to act as a disincentive for using it as an ATM...

They really want you to USE that ATM on the ship...to use the spa, to purchase at the gift shops, to buy drinks...They have huge profit margin from that stuff...

They DON'T want you just cashing it out...and they don't want to let you use the casino as an ATM...

At some point, they will likely get really smart--They'll convert all slot machines to tokens or "card readers"...and they'll create chips that must be circulated through a gambling game before they can just be cashed out...and only give cash-outs in the form of a credit to your shipboard account...

That would take away the "ATM" function entirely...and force everyone to spend their OBC onboard...

AND, when that happens, if it's in conjunction with the current type of 123Go deal, you won't be able to cash out the OBC, can't use it to purchase drinks and can't apply it to gratuities...which will force you to spend it on the spa, gift shops, shore excursions and gambling only...

 

This will make pricing schemes with higher prices but with OBC much more attractive for the cruise line...

Say you would have had a cruise fare of $1200 pp...but instead, they offer the cruise at $1500 pp but with $300 pp OBC...Same net cost?

Sort of, but not really...

With the $1200 cruise fare, the passenger may not drink, go to the spa, gamble or drink--and books their port tours independently...and the cruise line makes $1200...But, with $1200 +$300 OBC, the cruise line still makes the $1200, but they guarantee that the customer spends another $300 pp onboard--and all that extra money comes back to them--at pretty good profit margins...

 

There are other cruise companies that have already stopped using OBC for casino use and have also stopped cashing out at the casino. X won't be far behind either one or both of these strategies.:(

[Project_gal]

Oops! Apologies, mis-read the post.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Project_gal