OBC to prepay excursions without using credit card?

[CruiseToSmile]

Have $300 OBC. Not excursion credit, simple "cash" OBC.

Want to book excursion costing less than my credit before embarking.

How to do this without paying with credit card. Or, does it get reimbursed once on board?

Who has done this in late 2017 and 2018? Thanks for sharing any experiences.

[billslowsky]

Before my last cruise I was told "on board" means "on board" and had to wait to book on the ship.

[CruiseToSmile]

Thanks for the quick response.

I went ahead and called Shorex. They confirmed that OBC means just that, with no option to book, then reimburse after getting onboard.

IF I had a Shorex credit, it could be applied, but what I have is not.

Here's to smooth sailing and happy cruising everyone:)

[BirdTravels]

Have $300 OBC. Not excursion credit, simple "cash" OBC.

Want to book excursion costing less than my credit before embarking.

How to do this without paying with credit card. Or, does it get reimbursed once on board?

Who has done this in late 2017 and 2018? Thanks for sharing any experiences.

You can technically NOT do this. Unlike other cruise lines, OBC can only be used on board,,, for purchases made in board.

 

You would have to book your shore ex on board to use it. That being said, popular shore will sell out before the cruise Leaving you with your second or third choice.

[CruiseToSmile]

You can technically NOT do this. Unlike other cruise lines, OBC can only be used on board,,, for purchases made in board.

 

You would have to book your shore ex on board to use it. That being said, popular shore will sell out before the cruise Leaving you with your second or third choice.

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Thanks... will have to decide on whether to take first choice (using credit card) or alternate (using obc).

[CiaCut]

Just called NCL about this. I was told you can call shore-ex and ask to “pre-book” your excursions, NOT “pre-pay”. If you prebook over the phone you will not be charged until ONBOARD, and therefor can use OBC.

 

 

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[CruiseToSmile]

Just called NCL about this. I was told you can call shore-ex and ask to “pre-book” your excursions, NOT “pre-pay”. If you prebook over the phone you will not be charged until ONBOARD, and therefor can use OBC.

 

 

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hmmmm. When I talked with Shorex, they said I could only prebook with excursion credits -- not onboard credit. I wonder if the NCL agent may have mixed these up? Perhaps I'll try again Monday when I get a break to see if I received bad information from Shorex.

Edited January 13, 2018 by CruiseToSmile
posted to wrong spot

[CiaCut]

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hmmmm. When I talked with Shorex, they said I could only prebook with excursion credits -- not onboard credit. I wonder if the NCL agent may have mixed these up?

 

 

 

It was the Shorex number I called, same people I prebooked with. She said it’s because booking over the phone with them has it charge to your on board account and not paying before the cruise. Hope she is right, or I will have lots of obc and a big bill due.

 

 

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[CiaCut]

It was the Shorex number I called, same people I prebooked with. She said it’s because booking over the phone with them has it charge to your on board account and not paying before the cruise. Hope she is right, or I will have lots of obc and a big bill due.

 

 

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Thought they were all the same company- just different departments, sorry to confuse.

 

 

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[zqvol]

Have $300 OBC. Not excursion credit, simple "cash" OBC.

Want to book excursion costing less than my credit before embarking.

How to do this without paying with credit card. Or, does it get reimbursed once on board?

Who has done this in late 2017 and 2018? Thanks for sharing any experiences.

 

OBC means on board, not ahead of time. You can book the excursion, then cancel and rebook when you get on the ship, but if there is a wait list you go to the bottom of the list, so there is no guarantee that you get the spot, plus the fees are not refunded to your CC, they are returned as OBC.

 

You either wait or pay for the excursion.

[zqvol]

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Thanks... will have to decide on whether to take first choice (using credit card) or alternate (using obc).

 

Most shore excursions DO NOT sell out before sailing. A few do but those are the exception.

[Nola26]

I usually select the ShoreX option for my promotion. As a result I am able to prebook shore excursions without being charged or payment being required. I am charged onboard and credit is posted to the account after the excursion has been completed. If the excursion cost more than the credit then I have a bill to pay otherwise the credit covers the expense. All charges and credits post to my onboard account.

[FIRSTSGT]

I have done this for my upcoming cruise on Princess, they let me use my obc to prebook excursions

 

 

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[NMLady]

I have done this for my upcoming cruise on Princess, they let me use my obc to prebook excursions

 

 

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But this discussion is about NCL, not Princess.

What is true for one is not necessarily true for the other.

[CruiseToSmile]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Since I have only OBC, not Excursion credit, I will book something once onboard - no prebooking available using OBC. But... that's ok with me. Eager to enjoy the sun and warmth after this extraordinarily cold winter!

[zqvol]

I have done this for my upcoming cruise on Princess, they let me use my obc to prebook excursions

 

 

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Just curious how Princess' policies relate to NCL? NCL doesn't allow that, or at least the last time I was on board 10 months ago they did not.

[FIRSTSGT]

Just curious how Princess' policies relate to NCL? NCL doesn't allow that, or at least the last time I was on board 10 months ago they did not.

 

 

 

Well I guess you should use Princess and not NCL

 

 

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[mamkam]

You could book a popular excursion now using credit card to insure a spot. Cancel that when you get on board and rebook it with on board credit

 

 

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[KeithJenner]

You could book a popular excursion now using credit card to insure a spot. Cancel that when you get on board and rebook it with on board credit

 

 

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But I believe they would refund the payment you have made as OBC, which would negate the benefit.

 

 

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[Stl1599]

I booked an excursion on an upcoming cruise on the Escape. I was told no payment was due now it would be charged to my onboard account and that applies to all excursions. Not sure how OBC will be applied.

[newmexicoNita]

Before my last cruise I was told "on board" means "on board" and had to wait to book on the ship.

That is what we did: we booked our excursions, using OBC after we boarded the ship.

[newmexicoNita]

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hmmmm. When I talked with Shorex, they said I could only prebook with excursion credits -- not onboard credit. I wonder if the NCL agent may have mixed these up? Perhaps I'll try again Monday when I get a break to see if I received bad information from Shorex.

This is just another case of the blind leading the blind as the saying goes. It isn't just NCL or cruise lines, it is everywhere. We had this discussion at bridge yesterday: rumors of 2 restaurants closing or selling out with 2 different answers.

[Nashna]

We have been on Princess, Seabourn and Celebrity in the past two years. They all allowed us to pre book our shore excursions, then use the shipboard credit to pay for them onboard. Seabourn did it automatically while Princess and Celebrity required us to make the request. We did have to pay for the excursions in advance, then it was automatically credited onboard. This is our first NCL cruise and I am really surprised regarding their policy of not allowing us to use shipboard credit for shore excursions or tips. It really devalues the perk.