OBC -- What to Buy?

[GStonelake]

Looking for ideas on what to buy with OBC ... have the drink package, tend to do excursions on our own, don't gamble, tips are included, no interest in internet package (we cruise to "disconnect), have BLU for dining so really on fence about speciality dining, don't normally do any spa services. We have a combined total of $300.00. May look at spin classes. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

 

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[Ocean Dancer]

if it's refundable, it will go back on your credit card.

[GStonelake]

Sorry ... Grats are also included in fare.

 

 

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[BuckeyeMan]

New camera? Pictures?

[rain_bowbrite]

Looking for ideas on what to buy with OBC ... have the drink package, tend to do excursions on our own, don't gamble, tips are included, no interest in internet package (we cruise to "disconnect), have BLU for dining so really on fence about speciality dining, don't normally do any spa services. We have a combined total of $300.00. May look at spin classes. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

 

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- Can you use to book future cruises on board?

- Some of those interesting fitness tests they have in the fitness center or like you said some of the classes.

- I could easily speed it for you in the onboard shops :D

 

Curious to see what others say...

[cruisestitch]

Here's a list I compiled some time ago. You cannot use your OBC to book future cruises, but otherwise you can consider:

 

Acupuncture

Airport transfers

Alcove rental (S Class ships)

Apple products and Ilounge classes

Art Auctions

Beverages -- Alcoholic, soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas, bottled water

Bingo

Bottles of wine

Casino

Dining room uncharge items

Duty free liquor and cigarettes

Fitness classes

Flowers

Gelato

Gift shops

Gratuities

Hair and nail salon

Internet

Laundry/pressing/drycleaning

Luggage Valet

Medical Center

Mini bar

Shore Excursions

Pay-per-view movies

Photos & cameras

Room service up charge items

Shore Excursions

Shuttle to town (some ports)

Spa -- massages and treatments

Specialty restaurants

Teeth Whitening

Voyage in Review DVD

Wine and liquor tastings

Zumba

[4cats4me]

Spa treatments, jewelry, gelato, excursions, overage amounts on Really expensive bottles of wine, champagne, $50 bottles of beer in the Gastro Bar on the Equinox, photos, clothing,

I wish we had $2,000 OBC, because I will find a way to spend every last cent.

We have $800 that we will need to spend. [emoji79][emoji79]

 

 

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[AmazedByCruising]

It's not really gambling if you use the casino to turn a sizeable (probably >90%) portion of your OBC in cash. Just buying things you didn't really want has probably less value.

[jelayne]

Spa treatments, jewelry, gelato, excursions, overage amounts on Really expensive bottles of wine, champagne, $50 bottles of beer in the Gastro Bar on the Equinox, photos, clothing,

I wish we had $2,000 OBC, because I will find a way to spend every last cent.

We have $800 that we will need to spend. [emoji79][emoji79]

 

 

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That's a lot of nonrefundable OBC! I think I would get a new IPad. Most of our OBC is refundable and we don't spent that by design.

 

We take the non-refundable & upgrade if we have the Classic package and the rest goes to the casino where DH turns it into cash which we use for extra gratuties for the staff

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

Looking for ideas on what to buy with OBC ... We have a combined total of $300.00. May look at spin classes. Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Good question!

We have $300 per cabin, too. I wasn't thinking and prepaid all of our ship excursions when I made our final payments, or I would have used it for those.

 

I am thinking the drinkers can use some (or all!) of it on drinks, but the non-drinkers may have to go shopping or buy some photos?? :confused:

[4cats4me]

That's a lot of nonrefundable OBC! I think I would get a new IPad. Most of our OBC is refundable and we don't spent that by design.

 

 

 

We take the non-refundable & upgrade if we have the Classic package and the rest goes to the casino where DH turns it into cash which we use for extra gratuties for the staff

 

 

 

For the record, we only have $800 OBC . I stated that I "wished"we had $2,000 [emoji6]

I don't believe it is nonrefundable because my TA said that she could send us a check before sailing if we didn't think we could spend it all. I will have to reconfirm since we had this discussion last August when we booked. I already have more iPads than I know what to do with and a premium drink pkg, internet, Grat and OBC are Included, plus we got a killer deal on this cruise with a large loyalty discount. The deal was there for a minute then revoked because so many took advantage of it

On second thought, maybe we should go to the casino !

 

 

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[WeLuv2Cruz13]

How did you get so much OBC?

[merinski]

I would get some spa treatments! or get Jewelry...shopping

[2theship]

Check the cosmetic shops to see if they carry anything you use. The prices are the same as at home but there's no sales tax.

 

 

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[NemoCrownie]

We had $900 which somehow turned into $950 (Guest Services said the extra $50 was from the TA) , $500 was nonrefundable and I worried how we would spend it, too. We also had free gratuities and didn't use any of our 180 WiFi minutes or provided laundry. I suggested DH upgrade his drink package, which he declined and the spa was too pricey for me, even using OBC (I did get a message the night before we left home so I wasn't even tempted). Here's how we spent it: $380 for a Panama Canal excursion through the locks, $174 for the Reidel Wine Tasting ( with 8 included glasses plus shipping), a $100 night in Murano (after 30% off and extra gratuities added), luggage valet and finally, a magnet and Christmas ornament; we came home with $260 in refundable credit. The excursion and wine tasting were both more $'s onboard but, oh well. There wasn't anything in the Apple store that we needed (we aren't Apple people and have surge protecters, GoPro and accessories), we don't enjoy the casino or ship's pictures and nothing in the shops called my name. I had a blast figuring out how to use it so we would both enjoy it, checking out the spa, classes, purses (they usually call out to me - but not this time), etc. I didn't intend to bring any home but that was a pleasant surprise. My advice, check out the offerings on the ship and decide once you board and don't pre-book anything. I had more fun with it than I anticipated - I am not a shopper so I was surprised at how much fun it was to spend "free" money.

 

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[Hawkstar33]

You are going on a cruise. TREAT YOURSELF. Do something you would not normally do. LIVE. $300 should be easy to use up.

[Hawkstar33]

Ok. I thought $800 was a lot of OBC. But now $900. Clue me in please. Show me the way. $425 was the most ever for us. I have never seen anything on any site with these numbers.

[bigbenboys]

We normally have $600 OBC with all 4 perks. We find a way to spend it all. I bought 2 bottles of Johnnie Walker Blue. There goes $305 of your OBC. I bought my mother a new purse. We played Bingo. I did not like hard cards at Bingo. Blu is nice but not open for lunch. Some or one of the specially restaurants should be open on sea days for lunch.

 

On one of our cruises we were going to have $1200 OBC. I told our TA. She was able to get our OBC down to $600 OBC.

Edited April 6, 2017 by bigbenboys
more info

[4cats4me]

Ok. I thought $800 was a lot of OBC. But now $900. Clue me in please. Show me the way. $425 was the most ever for us. I have never seen anything on any site with these numbers.

 

 

 

We booked this one 14 months in advance after X pulled the ship from Europe and repositioned it to the Caribbean, so they were offering extra incentives. 10 night cruise, $500 OBC from cruise line, $200 of that is from a FCC that we had on file from 3 years ago (open booking) and the remainder of the OBC is from our Travel Agent, plus we got a discount on the cruise as well. The same cruise now would cost $1,300 more for our category.

 

 

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[ClaudiaB]

I went home with a Michael Kors bag last cruise, as we had $1500 in OBC from the TA and Celebrity combined.

:D

[NemoCrownie]

Ok. I thought $800 was a lot of OBC. But now $900. Clue me in please. Show me the way. $425 was the most ever for us. I have never seen anything on any site with these numbers.

We had $300 from the 123Go promo plus $200 onboard booking and $400 from the TA - the big box store starting with a C (starting with our 2019 booking they give cash cards instead 😢 ) - and when we got onboard had another $50 from TA. We have almost that much for 2018 but 2019 we only have the $200 onboard booking and will receive a $400+ cash card for the C store.

 

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[waterbug123]

OP- you said you don't NORMALLY get spa treatments. Well why not treat yourself on this cruise if you can't think of anything else to spend the OBC on?

[GStonelake]

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions!

 

 

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[hcat]

So many great ideas already listed..

I spend most of ours in the spa....

 

You could get Persian Garden passes..package or one day

 

Personal trainer

 

Special classes...yoga, spinning

 

Canyon Ranch sells nice work out clothing, a few interesting pieces if new age jewelry, nice swim visors flip flops. Dh got a nice hat..i got new pool shoes

 

Perfume and cosmetics store...most brands

 

Liquor store for items to take home

Splurge on a pricey excursion...culinary etc. Extra cost full ships tour,

 

Specialty dining splurge!

[CruisersTimesThree]

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