The real truth about prepaid OBC - can we cash it at Casino? Refundable? and more...

[J18]

I will be going on the Getaway in less than a month.

 

As a Canadian it's favo(u)rable to buy OBC in advance as we get a better exchange than once on the boat.

 

However there is a lot of debate on the following points:

 

- Can we cash it at 3% fee at the Casino? Some say yes, some say no.

 

- If we have unused OBC is it refundable, and if so, how? For Canadians, will it be refunded in U.S or back to the initial amounts we pain in CDN? To the credit card or will they mail us a check?

 

- What if we have a mix of OBC given by NCL and prepaid OBC, and then I have some left over. For example, say I have 500 OBC given from NCL and prepaid my own 500. I end up using 500$ OBC while on the boat.

 

Will they say that the 500 left over is the OBC given to me my NCL, therefore, it's not refundable? Or do they apply the charges to the given OBC first?

 

 

If you have other questions about OBC, post them and I will add them to the first post.

[VideoTech]

I will be going on the Getaway in less than a month.

 

As a Canadian it's favo(u)rable to buy OBC in advance as we get a better exchange than once on the boat.

 

However there is a lot of debate on the following points:

 

- Can we cash it at 3% fee at the Casino? Some say yes, some say no.

OBC is exactly that: On Board Credit. So if you get cash from the casino cage and pay the 3% fee, that will appear on your final statement, and the OBC will be applied against it. So I guess you could say you are cashing out your OBC.

 

- If we have unused OBC is it refundable, and if so, how? For Canadians, will it be refunded in U.S or back to the initial amounts we pain in CDN? To the credit card or will they mail us a check?

Promotional OBC from NCL will not be refunded. OBC that you purchased but did not use will be refunded. Don't know the answer to the currency question, though.

 

- What if we have a mix of OBC given by NCL and prepaid OBC, and then I have some left over. For example, say I have 500 OBC given from NCL and prepaid my own 500. I end up using 500$ OBC while on the boat.

 

Will they say that the 500 left over is the OBC given to me my NCL, therefore, it's not refundable? Or do they apply the charges to the given OBC first?

Don't know for sure. Would seem to make sense that they would apply promotional OBC first.

 

 

If you have other questions about OBC, post them and I will add them to the first post.

[electro]

Charges will be applied to non refundable OBC first.

 

Lois

[Backstage Traveler]

Isn't there a particular OBC for the casino? Either way, if you take money out at the casino, you will be charged 3%. We are also Canadian and cruising soon, and very interested in the answers to these questions! Sounds like a good plan to sock away some OBC pre-cruise. Did you also pre-pay the gratuities?

[J18]

Isn't there a particular OBC for the casino? Either way, if you take money out at the casino, you will be charged 3%. We are also Canadian and cruising soon, and very interested in the answers to these questions! Sounds like a good plan to sock away some OBC pre-cruise. Did you also pre-pay the gratuities?

 

We are on the fence if it's better to tip individually or if we should just do the prepaid gratuities at 210$.

 

If we most likely will do the prepaid for 210$.

 

My exchange rate is 1.11.. just recently I had purchased a product on Amazon.com in u.s funds and my credit card charged me nearly 1.37

 

With that exchange, we would save nearly 50$ on prepaying for gratuities.

[Backstage Traveler]

NCL will automatically charge the gratuities to your cabin per person, so you don't tip individually. It is way better to pre-pay if you have a good exchange rate with NCL, since your credit card will for sure give you a much poorer one!

[J18]

NCL will automatically charge the gratuities to your cabin per person, so you don't tip individually. It is way better to pre-pay if you have a good exchange rate with NCL, since your credit card will for sure give you a much poorer one!

 

You can ask them to not charge you the gratuities that you wish to tip individually. Many people do it and the topic I believe has been debated to death, whether it's right or wrong.

 

We will most likely prepay.

[b_cruise]

Just off spirit. I am canadian.

 

I used my obc in the casino ( cash out 3%)

Non refundable used first.

I got a $7 ck in mail us funds for my left over obc after I got home.

[greenstuff]

Just off spirit. I am canadian.

 

I used my obc in the casino ( cash out 3%)

Non refundable used first.

I got a $7 ck in mail us funds for my left over obc after I got home.

 

Thank you for the useful information

[bmwman]

Thank you for the useful information

 

Is the 3% new as last year i cashed up the OBC in the Casino and no charges:confused:

[insidecabin]

I only see Spa and OBC options on My NCL no casino credit.

 

I need the cash in $ for a US trip, so a refund on return is no good.

 

As long as I can transfer to pay others on board accounts that will work

 

if not looks like 3% hit it is. (that's OK as I am covered by the rate I am getting)

Edited August 31, 2015 by insidecabin

[Demonyte]

Is the 3% new as last year i cashed up the OBC in the Casino and no charges:confused:

 

 

It has been in effect couple of years already, people were abusing the system when there was no charge.

[bmwman]

It has been in effect couple of years already, people were abusing the system when there was no charge.

 

Thanks you are right it is two years ago since.

 

But how does it work if I buy Blackjack chips with my OBC does that still get 3% charge - presume it does?

[xcell]

Just back from the Getaway...

 

Anything from the Casino was 3% charged, whether at the table or at the cashier (I bought $1000 OBC and cashed it all out throughout the cruise - played a little and won back my 3% and 1.11 exchange rate).

 

You can do this for any type of OBC.

 

With the CDN - this gave me some spending money when ack on land to use without having to use my CC or bank exchange rate

Edited August 31, 2015 by xcell

[Demonyte]

But how does it work if I buy Blackjack chips with my OBC does that still get 3% charge - presume it does?

 

 

Yes.

[bmwman]

Yes.

 

Thanks - I will use cash for this then

[ilovetotravel1977]

- If we have unused OBC is it refundable, and if so, how? For Canadians, will it be refunded in U.S or back to the initial amounts we pain in CDN? To the credit card or will they mail us a check?

 

Ours was refunded back to our credit card in Canadian $.

[J18]

Thank you all for the info.

 

Is there a max OBC per adult or cabin?

 

We will be two adults.

 

Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk

[FLchick3]

Hi Everyone,

 

 

I have never gambled, so please excuse if this is a dumb question. I have an OBC from my TA. If I go to the casino do they A) give me cash or B) they give me chips and then I later turn in those chips for cash?

 

 

Thank you in advance!

[mickev99]

Charges will be applied to non refundable OBC first.

 

 

 

Lois

 

 

What exactly qualifies as non refundable OBC? We are getting OBC from a special that NCL had for certain holiday cruises, plus some from our travel agent, plus some from the NCL credit card that we just opened. Thanks.