TA credit, told can't book excursion with it til I'm onboard

[wendyp247]

I have a large on board credit from my TA. I tried to book an excursion for our trip this fall and was told I could only book an excursions on board using that credit. Is this true and why? I like to have my excursions set before I l sail.

If I don't use all of the OBC, will celebrity refund this to me? TIA

[Bo1953]

I have a large on board credit from my TA. I tried to book an excursion for our trip this fall and was told I could only book an excursions on board using that credit. Is this true and why? I like to have my excursions set before I l sail.

If I don't use all of the OBC, will celebrity refund this to me? TIA

 

Yes, that is true as X will not credit until day of or day two of the sailing.

 

X will credit its' OBC at time of booking for use.

 

You can book your sailing now, pay for it, cancel once on board and rebook with OBC. X will refund in OBC which will be refundable to you, if not used.

 

As for refundability, that is a different issue, sometimes it is, sometimes it is not. It depends on how the TA reports it.

 

bon voyage

[Gonzo70]

To further clarify regarding the issue of whether or not the OBC is refundable: Often travel agent's (TAs) allot a portion of their commission to their customer in the form of OBC as an incentive to book with them. If this is the case, the OBC is refundable. However on some occasions TAs merely pass on OBC that is part of a promotion from Celebrity - in which case the OBC is rarely refundable (and may even carry some restrictions as to what it can/can't be used towards while on-board). If you contact your TA they might be able to inform you if it is refundable OBC or not.

 

Bo is correct that only OBC provided directly by Celebrity can be used to book excursions or other items prior to the start of your cruise.

[Sharon2U]

I have a cruise booked for 2/19 and have already booked an excursion with my OBC. Celebrity website shows my available balance.

I booked my excursion on the Celebrity website.

My OBC consists of promotional credit received with booking and TA credit.

[jelayne]

I have a cruise booked for 2/19 and have already booked an excursion with my OBC. Celebrity website shows my available balance.

I booked my excursion on the Celebrity website.

My OBC consists of promotional credit received with booking and TA credit.

 

There are 2 kinds of OBC- non-refundable and refundable. OBC from Celebrity (perks, special promo, etc) is non-refundable but can be used before sailing to purchase excursions, speciality dining, Internet, etc).

 

OBC from a TA is generally (although not always) refundable. It is not available to use until you actually board the ship and generally takes 2 days before it is credited to your onboard account. Any unused refundable OBC will be refunded to your credit card on file or you can get the cash on the last night of the cruise by going to Guest Services.

[jagoffee]

I have a cruise booked for 2/19 and have already booked an excursion with my OBC. Celebrity website shows my available balance.

I booked my excursion on the Celebrity website.

My OBC consists of promotional credit received with booking and TA credit.

Based on my experience the OBC that you see on the website/on line is not refundable and is not really a “TA credit”. You will see the TA OBC Credit on your account within a two days of boarding. Maybe you have more OBC than you think.

[Gonzo70]

I have a cruise booked for 2/19 and have already booked an excursion with my OBC. Celebrity website shows my available balance.

I booked my excursion on the Celebrity website.

My OBC consists of promotional credit received with booking and TA credit.

 

The OBC showing on the Celebrity website is TA coming from Celebrity - and is not OBC provided by the TA.