NCL says you cannot cash out any OBC onboard!

[Lady Arwen]

I just spoke to a supervisor at NCL regarding purchased OBC and getting cash from the casino with a 3% fee and they told me that NCL will not give you cash in the casino against your OBC account.

 

I asked her how to get cash in the casino and she said that it would be charged to your credit card plus the 3% and that OBC was applicable only to onboard purchases and if you did not use it NCL would send it back to you after the cruise. She said finally "The casino will not give you cash and that's the way it is. Use your OBC in the stores!"

 

I told her I would call back and cancel my OBC since it's my money, not NCL's and I should be able to do with it whatever I choose to.

 

I've read on CC how it is common practise for people to obtain cash from the casino. What am I missing here? Can I get my money as I had planned? It's only $500.00, but it's mine!

[MrMike45]

I hate to disagree with a supervisor at NCL...but I am.

 

I have been on many cruises, and spend wayyyy too much time in the casino. Unless something has changed since our last cruise, you definitely can take money against your on board account, with a 3% fee.

 

OBC deducts from your on board account/total balance.

 

So you should be able to withdraw $485 from the Casino, charged to your account, with the 3% fee, that will make it $500 and it will be a wash

[tinker 4]

I have to agree with you. I love to gamble when I cruise and I buy OBC to do just that. I am Canadian and I hate to have to explain why I am taking too much cash over the boarder. If I buy my OBC I should be able to spend it as I see fit. If they give me OBC then they can tell me how to spend it.

[Lady Arwen]

I have to agree with you. I love to gamble when I cruise and I buy OBC to do just that. I am Canadian and I hate to have to explain why I am taking too much cash over the boarder. If I buy my OBC I should be able to spend it as I see fit. If they give me OBC then they can tell me how to spend it.

 

Exactly as I thought, too. I asked her how she can tell me that it's NCL's policy to only let guests use their OBC at NCL's discretion. She had no answers to why, but just kept repeating "It's NCL policy".

[NLH Arizona]

I hate to disagree with a supervisor at NCL...but I am.

 

I have been on many cruises, and spend wayyyy too much time in the casino. Unless something has changed since our last cruise, you definitely can take money against your on board account, with a 3% fee.

 

OBC deducts from your on board account/total balance.

 

So you should be able to withdraw $485 from the Casino, charged to your account, with the 3% fee, that will make it $500 and it will be a wash

I think the difference would be charging it to your account at the current exchange rate versus cashing it out at the casino (at a better than current exchange rate) with no plans to use it on the ship, which apparently many do. I guess I just don't understand why anyone would think that OBC should be used for anything other than to purchase something on board the ship. I do think NCL needs to come up with a program to allow those that truly want to gamble in the casino to do so, without giving them cash.

[cb at sea]

The telephone folks at cruise lines know NOTHING except what is printed in their "cheat sheets"....

 

If you are BUYING OBC...it IS your money, and you can get it back. It the cruise line GIVES you OBC, it's use it or lose it.

[NLH Arizona]

Exactly as I thought, too. I asked her how she can tell me that it's NCL's policy to only let guests use their OBC at NCL's discretion. She had no answers to why, but just kept repeating "It's NCL policy".

Did you ask if you charged your gambling money to your onboard account, does your OBC cover those costs? I would think, of course, the gambling purchase would be at the current exchange rate, while your OBC would be at your initial exchange rate.

[vince_g]

I have to agree with you. I love to gamble when I cruise and I buy OBC to do just that. I am Canadian and I hate to have to explain why I am taking too much cash over the boarder. If I buy my OBC I should be able to spend it as I see fit. If they give me OBC then they can tell me how to spend it.

 

But keep in mind they now limit the OBC purchase to $1000 per cabin. If your luck is like mine, you'd be burning through it pretty quick.

[Lady Arwen]

Did you ask if you charged your gambling money to your onboard account, does your OBC cover those costs? I would think, of course, the gambling purchase would be at the current exchange rate, while your OBC would be at your initial exchange rate.

 

Sorry, I'm confused! What difference does it make what the rate was when I purchased my OBC? I can purchase something in the ship's store with my OBC and the rate I purchased it at is not relevant. Why would this be different that using this money in the casino?

 

I'm not being disrespectful to you, I just really don't seem to grasp this idea that the money is not mine to use wherever and whenever I choose.

[MrMike45]

But keep in mind they now limit the OBC purchase to $1000 per cabin. If your luck is like mine, you'd be burning through it pretty quick.

 

They limit how much OBC you can purchase? Or how much you can charge to your room? I'm allowed to charge more than $1000 right, it just gets charged to my CC that I have my onboard account set up with

[Lady Arwen]

But keep in mind they now limit the OBC purchase to $1000 per cabin. If your luck is like mine, you'd be burning through it pretty quick.

 

I only purchased $500 OBC for myself to use in the casino. We have US cash to take with us, but I wanted my own little stash to use in the casino. It will be gone first 2 days at sea!!

[vince_g]

They limit how much OBC you can purchase? Or how much you can charge to your room? I'm allowed to charge more than $1000 right, it just gets charged to my CC that I have my onboard account set up with

 

It was in reference to pre-purchased OBC, as to not have to bring big sum of cash across the border. Of course you can charge more than $1,000 on board.

[MrMike45]

It was in reference to pre-purchased OBC, as to not have to bring big sum of cash across the border. Of course you can charge more than $1,000 on board.

 

oh ok, whew lol

[vince_g]

I only purchased $500 OBC for myself to use in the casino. We have US cash to take with us, but I wanted my own little stash to use in the casino. It will be gone first 2 days at sea!!

 

Yeah, it doesn't take long!!

[NLH Arizona]

Sorry, I'm confused! What difference does it make what the rate was when I purchased my OBC? I can purchase something in the ship's store with my OBC and the rate I purchased it at is not relevant. Why would this be different that using this money in the casino?

 

I'm not being disrespectful to you, I just really don't seem to grasp this idea that the money is not mine to use wherever and whenever I choose.

I would bet that if you purchased money from the casino (charging it to your account), it would be at the existing rate (not the one you got for your OBC), since she said you can charge it to your credit card, meaning it would be a new purchase.

 

I'm not sure I said anything about it not being your money to spend as you please, so no disrespect taken. I'm sure NCL agrees with you that it is your money and you should be able to spend it on the ship as you please and I would bet that they are probably working on a program where those that want to use it in the casino can, because they probably don't want to loose that revenue (hopefully they will mirror what Celebrity did with non-refundable OBC). It is unfortunate that a few sought to profit from the exchange rates they were given or wanted money to spend in ports instead of spending it on board the ships that ruined it for everyone, including us in the US who can now only purchase $1,000 OBC per cabin as well.

Edited March 8, 2016 by NLH Arizona

[crapking]

I think the difference would be charging it to your account at the current exchange rate versus cashing it out at the casino (at a better than current exchange rate) with no plans to use it on the ship, which apparently many do. I guess I just don't understand why anyone would think that OBC should be used for anything other than to purchase something on board the ship. I do think NCL needs to come up with a program to allow those that truly want to gamble in the casino to do so, without giving them cash.

 

 

There is a way - join the Casinos at Sea program prior to cruising and apply for a line of credit. No transaction fees, simply sign for the 'marker' when you need $, and square up with Casino at end of cruise with a check against your line of credit.

[NLH Arizona]

There is a way - join the Casinos at Sea program prior to cruising and apply for a line of credit. No transaction fees, simply sign for the 'marker' when you need $, and square up with Casino at end of cruise with a check against your line of credit.

I suggested that on another thread about the subject, but was shot down. I guess most just want to pre-purchased OBC. Edited March 8, 2016 by NLH Arizona

[SeaShark]

I just spoke to a supervisor at NCL regarding purchased OBC and getting cash from the casino with a 3% fee and they told me that NCL will not give you cash in the casino against your OBC account.

 

I asked her how to get cash in the casino and she said that it would be charged to your credit card plus the 3% and that OBC was applicable only to onboard purchases and if you did not use it NCL would send it back to you after the cruise. She said finally "The casino will not give you cash and that's the way it is. Use your OBC in the stores!"

 

I told her I would call back and cancel my OBC since it's my money, not NCL's and I should be able to do with it whatever I choose to.

 

I've read on CC how it is common practise for people to obtain cash from the casino. What am I missing here? Can I get my money as I had planned? It's only $500.00, but it's mine!

 

The rep is correct. You cannot get cash from the casino against OBC that has been prepurchased.

 

You CAN charge cash from the casino against your onboard account (subject to the 3% fee) and then use your OBC to pay that at the end of the cruise.

 

What the rep was trying to say is that you can't, for example, buy $500 in OBC and then go to the casino and ask for $500 against that OBC. They can only give you cash against your onboard account. The OBC is for the onboard account desk to worry about, the casino will not be involved.

[Lady Arwen]

There is a way - join the Casinos at Sea program prior to cruising and apply for a line of credit. No transaction fees, simply sign for the 'marker' when you need $, and square up with Casino at end of cruise with a check against your line of credit.

 

All I wanted was $500.00 to spend in the casino. I've purchased the SDP, pre-paid the DSC and have the beverage package promo. I don't need the OBC for anything else. I did not think that this would be so complicated. I wish I'd just gone to the bank last year and bought $500.00 US cash and put it way for myself.

[Loonbeam]

Here's the deal. According the credit card companies using the casino withdrawl services is technically a cash advance and subject to different rules and much higher fees and interest. The cruise lines are obligated to report it as such. Now, since OBC is not real time, there is nothing technically stopping you from charging to the room then cashing out OBC before it posts denying them higher fees. So, officially, to keep the credit card companies happy, the policy on paper is no cashouts and that's what the rep has to say.

 

Now, in practice, the cashier will look at the balance, look at transactions, realize the OBC will be there, cash it out, and the line gets its 3 percent cut.

[vince_g]

oh ok, whew lol

 

 

Mike, NCL wants you to spend WAY more than 1,000 on board! They want you to have a 20 page bill on disembarkation morning.

[rochelle_s]

Did you ask if you charged your gambling money to your onboard account, does your OBC cover those costs? I would think, of course, the gambling purchase would be at the current exchange rate, while your OBC would be at your initial exchange rate.

 

Regardless of what favourable exchange rate you might have gotten when you booked, and that follows you through any pre cruise purchases, once you board the ship all of that disappears. Anything bought or spent on board is calculated in US funds and will be reflected in credit card charges.

 

 

Rochelle

Edited March 8, 2016 by rochelle_s

[rochelle_s]

They limit how much OBC you can purchase? Or how much you can charge to your room? I'm allowed to charge more than $1000 right, it just gets charged to my CC that I have my onboard account set up with

 

Yes you can charge as much as your credit card can bear. In the casino if you ask for $1000 or more at one time they will need to call for approval from accounting -- this is a slow process in the middle of the night :o (been there done that). If you ask for $900 they do not need to call.

 

 

Rochelle

[boopsahoy]

Yes you can charge as much as your credit card can bear. In the casino if you ask for $1000 or more at one time they will need to call for approval from accounting -- this is a slow process in the middle of the night :o (been there done that). If you ask for $900 they do not need to call.

 

 

Rochelle

 

I recall last cruise we now have the ability to charge to your account through the slot machine (and I'm pretty sure they told me up to $2000 and anything over you had to go to the desk). This is so convenient that its TOO convenient. Thankfully last trip we didn't find out until the last 2 days so we didn't do TOO much damage!:D

[MrMike45]

Mike, NCL wants you to spend WAY more than 1,000 on board! They want you to have a 20 page bill on disembarkation morning.

 

I've been close...prior to the Beverage package and on a trip when the Casino decided no matter what we played we were losing lol