OBC card purchase?

[Evaha]

Hello,

Not new to cruising but have never purchased OBC cards before. I am wanting to buy $250 worth of OBC to use on purchasing a few drinks around the ship and to have credit left at the end of my cruise to cover the daily room fee so nothing goes on my credit card. I see HAL offers cards in $5.00 increments so am wondering if the best option to reach $250 is to buy 50 units on the $5.00 card and it will all be on one card as a lump sum? Or would I end up with 50 $5.00 cards? Same goes for the $100 card? If I buy 2 units that = $200 am I going to get 2 cards @ $100 ea or $200 on one card? I want the total amount in just one card just on sure how to purchase since a $250 card isn’t available. Thanks for any replies! 

[Higntn]

We just prepay for OBC on the HAL site. No cards involved. I think in $5 to $100 increments.

[Djptcp]

We bought $200 in OBC for our Oosterdam cruise in Feb. and was the first time we did this. Wish HAL had discounted gift cards like Carnival (10% discount). For Carnival cruises, we buy the discounted Carnival gift cards from AARP and those are actual cards we receive in the mail and then take to guest services to have them added. You can also use them to pay for your cruises. Great deal. Royal Caribbean also has them for sale on AARP.

Edited April 6, 2019 by Djptcp
Corrected some info.

[*Miss G*]

If you’re referring to the OBC you can purchase when you log into your booking it does not involve cards and, as higntn says, it can be purchased in up to $100 increments.  You do not receive a card but you will see the credit you purchased in your onboard statement.  You will then use your ship card as usual and any expenses will go against your onboard credit.  

[Evaha]

Sorry. I am confused! I think I didn’t understand OBC vs Beverage cards. I was reading that if you purchase a beverage card you are given a reciept showing your remaining balance after each use of the card. That sounds easier to me than trying to keep track and having to check my statement at the end. I thought the OBC and the beverage card would both be actual cards. Just to make sure I have it right now any unused money on a beverage card would be applied to my statement at the end of the cruise just like it would be with OBC right? Again thanks for your replies to help me get this straight! 

[OVgirl]

No. At the end of the cruise they will refund any balance on your drink card to the credit card used for purchasing it. You cannot use the balance directly to pay for anything else on your final bill. Only if you purchase onboard credit can it be used to cover your final bill.

[*Miss G*]

55 minutes ago, Evaha said:

That sounds easier to me than trying to keep track and having to check my statement at the end.

 

You don’t have to wait until the end to check your statement.  You can do it anytime you like via your TV, on your phone or tablet through the Navigator “app”, from the kiosk, or even at Guest Services.  (Or your Concierge if you are in a Neptune or a Pinnacle Suite.)

 

For what it’s worth, I find the beverage cards a bit of a nuisance.  You need to carry two cards instead of just one and you need to keep tabs on how much is remaining on your card.  Other people love them so your mileage may vary.

[Cruise Suzy]

1 hour ago, OVgirl said:

No. At the end of the cruise they will refund any balance on your drink card to the credit card used for purchasing it. You cannot use the balance directly to pay for anything else on your final bill. Only if you purchase onboard credit can it be used to cover your final bill.

 

On the Koningsdam 2/13-24 the balance on my pre-purchased beverage card was subtracted from my account on the last night. This reduced my account balance which was then charged to my credit card. Same result as if it had been refunded directly to the credit card, so it didn't really matter to me.

[OVgirl]

Thanks for that added information. Very helpfull.

[joekerstef]

5 hours ago, OVgirl said:

No. At the end of the cruise they will refund any balance on your drink card to the credit card used for purchasing it. You cannot use the balance directly to pay for anything else on your final bill. Only if you purchase onboard credit can it be used to cover your final bill.

Unused balance for beverage card is subtracted from your bill at the end of the cruise. It is not refunded to your credit card. If you did not use the beverage card at all, that may be another matter.

[kantonburg]

Unused balance for beverage card is subtracted from your bill at the end of the cruise. It is not refunded to your credit card. If you did not use the beverage card at all, that may be another matter.

When you say beverage card do you mean soda or alcohol or both?

For example my wife was looking into the SBC but we have 3 people over 21 in our cabin. Since we would have to buy 3 and say only one was used is the other two refundable? Or is this the prepaid beverage cards only?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Cruise Suzy]

4 hours ago, kantonburg said:

For example my wife was looking into the SBC but we have 3 people over 21 in our cabin. Since we would have to buy 3 and say only one was used is the other two refundable? Or is this the prepaid beverage cards only?

 

Only unused beverage cards are refunded. Packages are non-refundable - or so I've been told.

[CM1984]

22 hours ago, Djptcp said:

We bought $200 in OBC for our Oosterdam cruise in Feb. and was the first time we did this. Wish HAL had discounted gift cards like Carnival (10% discount). For Carnival cruises, we buy the discounted Carnival gift cards from AARP and those are actual cards we receive in the mail and then take to guest services to have them added. You can also use them to pay for your cruises. Great deal. Royal Caribbean also has them for sale on AARP.

 

I agree completely!  Carnival and Holland are both owned by Carnival Corp.  It would certainly make sense.

Edited April 7, 2019 by CM1984

[joekerstef]

16 hours ago, kantonburg said:

When you say beverage card do you mean soda or alcohol or both?

For example my wife was looking into the SBC but we have 3 people over 21 in our cabin. Since we would have to buy 3 and say only one was used is the other two refundable? Or is this the prepaid beverage cards only?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

First, don't confuse beverage packages with beverage cards. The signature beverage package is not a separate card and you either use it or you don't. You won't get a refund for not hitting 15 drinks a day or not using it at all if you have it. In your example, if you have three people over 21 in your cabin, then all three must purchase the package, and no one will be getting a refund for whatever level of use/non-use there is. Keep that in mind before you buy.

 

There is a difference between the regular beverage cards and the soda fountain card. For the soda card, you pay $25 but that buys you $50 in soda. I have never purchased this card, but my understanding from the board is that if you've purchased more than $25 in soda but still less than $50, the difference will NOT be refunded to you. If you use less than $25, you *might* be refunded the difference up to the $25 purchase value. (I'd confirm that with someone who's actually used the soda card.)

 

For the regular beverage cards (which can be used for any kind of beverage except they offer one for $50 for non-alcoholic beverages only), you pay $100**, you can then buy up to $100 in beverages on the ship. If you purchase less than $100 in beverages using your card (which is a separate card from your cabin keycard), whatever the difference is will be credited to your onboard account when they close the books at the end of the last night. As I noted above, I'm not sure what happens if you don't activate the card and have used none of it, especially if it's given to you as a perk rather than a purchase you made. (The first time you use your beverage card, you need to also present your cabin keycard, presumably so they can link the bevvie card with your account.)

 

** Note: there are several denominations of beverage card ($250, $100, $50; non-alcoholic is $50). Just using $100 as example here. 

[SFO Peter]

You can buy >>non-specific<< $250 beverage cards if so inclined.  Below is unused beverage card transaction showing credit on final ship bill and subsequent credit on Credit Card.

 

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by SFO PETER
added

[midwest 852]

19 hours ago, kantonburg said:

When you say beverage card do you mean soda or alcohol or both?

For example my wife was looking into the SBC but we have 3 people over 21 in our cabin. Since we would have to buy 3 and say only one was used is the other two refundable? Or is this the prepaid beverage cards only?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

 

[Funatabi]

On 4/7/2019 at 12:01 AM, Higntn said:

We just prepay for OBC on the HAL site.

 

On 4/7/2019 at 12:24 AM, *Miss G* said:

If you’re referring to the OBC you can purchase when you log into your booking ..........

I am sorry to ask a "dummies" question here, but after I login, I cannot see on the HAL website any link or function where I can purchase OBC. The site lets me buy excursions and wine packages. Where can I find it? Thanks for indulging me with this question. 

[Higntn]

9 hours ago, Funatabi said:

 

I am sorry to ask a "dummies" question here, but after I login, I cannot see on the HAL website any link or function where I can purchase OBC. The site lets me buy excursions and wine packages. Where can I find it? Thanks for indulging me with this question. 

No worries. It is under "Gifts & Indulgences".

Edited April 8, 2019 by Higntn

[Funatabi]

7 minutes ago, Higntn said:

No worries. It is under "Gifts & Indulgences".

And there it is. Thanks so much.

I was going crazy trying too find it. Unfortunately in my mind, OBC doesn't fit the bill for indulgences and gifts, so never even considered to click that one.  😊

[Randyk47]

2 hours ago, fyree39 said:

Does it matter which guest gets the OBC? I looked at this and it's wanting me to choose which guest gets the OBC.

 

If both people are on the same account it makes no difference.