Cashing out OBC

[triptastic]

Hi,

I am sorry to ask this because there are answers already but I do need clarification.

I will be on the Epic next year out of Barcelona. My question is, if I pre buy ship board credits and don't end up using them, do I cash them out on the ship? are they using USD or Euro?

I would like to buy as many as I could possibly need but don't want to get stuck with extra if not required.

Again, I am a new cruiser so I am looking to you helpful experts for your guidance.

Thanks!

[flowers44]

Do you have a credit card to use to set up an onboard account? If you do, I would just set up the onboard account the regular way and, on the last day, go to customer service and pay off the bill in cash if you don't want the credit card bill to come to you after you get home. If you leave it on the credit card, you will get the friendly reminder of your trip when you get home and your credit card bill arrives. It reminds you of what a great time you had on your cruise.

[luvtheships]

An obc is only good if you get it for free. Lol

 

Btw the above posters advice is spot on. Use a credit card but I would not pay it off in cash on the last day I would wait until the bill came in and then pay it. Why carry the cash around

 

 

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Edited April 14, 2015 by luvtheships

[jjikids]

The ship is dollars. If you cash out on the ship they will charge you a 3% charge.

[luvtheships]

Do you have a credit card to use to set up an onboard account? If you do, I would just set up the onboard account the regular way and, on the last day, go to customer service and pay off the bill in cash if you don't want the credit card bill to come to you after you get home. If you leave it on the credit card, you will get the friendly reminder of your trip when you get home and your credit card bill arrives. It reminds you of what a great time you had on your cruise.

 

Plus they will earn credit card points and if they are really savvy they will apply for an interest free credit card as well!!! That's how my kids college tuition gets paid.... Interest free points earning credit cards.... Plus I make them the joint users of the card so they are building a credit rating since I promptly pay the bill!!!

My college junior has an 800 fico score!!!!!!

 

 

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[triptastic]

I am sorry, but failed to mention that I am Canadian and with my booking today received a favorable conversion rate that is only valid until I board. That being said, I need pre purchase my credits through my NCL online account in advance of departure to get the rate that is offered currently.

So, I was thinking if I bought $1000 worth of credits and only used $500, do I get cash back or do they refund my CC? How does that work?

And to all, yes, i would be buying on a points earning card:)

Thanks again!

[garycarla]

The exchange rate thing is about the only valid reason to prepay anything to anybody.

 

 

But - why is the exchange rate always better in advance, vs later? Just asking.

[Talus731]

What I do is when I need to add money to my ship board account I call NCL and tell them how much I want and they charge me accordingly. I have never bought the certificates they sell online. On our last cruise the day before we had $170.00 left. I went to the casino and took out $100. They charge 3% per $100. I purposely left $70.00 on my account because I knew they would mail me a check for the balance and I was curious to see how long it took. I'm odd that way. I recieved a letter in our cabin saying I would recieve a check in 30 days. I didn't,so I called and was told that it was 6 to 8 weeks. They only process those checks once a week. It ended up being closer to 8 weeks.

 

That being said. I am in the United States and this was a Caribbean cruise. I am not sure how the European cruises operate, but I don't think it would be much different.

 

The certificates you buy online are in your cabin when you board, and you sign them and turn them into guest services and they credit your account.

[willise]

I am sorry, but failed to mention that I am Canadian and with my booking today received a favorable conversion rate that is only valid until I board. That being said, I need pre purchase my credits through my NCL online account in advance of departure to get the rate that is offered currently.

So, I was thinking if I bought $1000 worth of credits and only used $500, do I get cash back or do they refund my CC? How does that work?

And to all, yes, i would be buying on a points earning card:)

Thanks again!

 

I posted this same question today. When we booked, our CDN rate was 1.05 I believe. I wanted to buy OBC, and then withdraw it as spending money on the islands. You will get charged a convenience fee of 3%, and I was told to ask for the money for the slots. That way, they will give you cash, rather than a coupon.

 

With the current exchange rate of about $1.28, it will be significant savings to buy OBC and cash it out on the cruise.

[Demonyte]

The certificates you buy online are in your cabin when you board, and you sign them and turn them into guest services and they credit your account.

 

 

I've never had to take them anywhere, prepurchased or booking perk OBC has always appeared on the account automatically - last time two weeks ago on Jade.