OBC Question

[jc foster]

 We have booked a cruise which sails in two weeks . We booked thru a well known large online agency and are suppose to receive OBC. Our OBC does not show on the orders section on the Celebrity website. Could someone please tell me how this works? Does it show up after boarding? Thanks

[cruisestitch]

Onboard credit that comes from the travel agency doesn’t show up until you’re on the ship in most cases.  Onboard credit that comes from Celebrity may or may not be visible before the cruise. It’s one of those quirks in the Celebrity website.

Edited April 7, 2019 by cruisestitch

[montekat]

Yes, it will show up within a couple of days once you have boarded.  We have never had a problem, but it is always best to have proof just in case.  I print out the billing from the cruise agency or you could show it on your phone.

[davekathy]

6 minutes ago, jc foster said:

 We have booked a cruise which sails in two weeks . We booked thru a well known large online agency and are suppose to receive OBC. Our OBC does not show on the orders section on the Celebrity website. Could someone please tell me how this works? Does it show up after boarding? Thanks

You will see all OBCs on your  stateroom TV, usually day 2. The OBCs will either be listed as NROBC or ROBC. 

[jchipgcs]

It depends on the way the TA is doing the OBC.  They COULD purchase it outright as a "gift" in which it would show in your cruise planner.  I highly doubt this with a large online TA as you mentioned you booked with.  More than likely you are booked into group space they had taken out on the sailing and the OBC is a group "perk".  If this is the case then the OBC will not show or be available to you until you're on the ship.

[jc foster]

 Thanks for your quick responses.

[Bruin Steve]

And remember--the OBC from your TA is refundable.  If you don't spend it, you get a credit back at the end of your cruise...I always look at it as a delayed discount...OBC from the cruise line is not refundable--use it or use it...

 

On one of my upcoming cruises, I have $400 in OBC from my TA and $200 from Celebrity...The $200 shows up on my booking on the website, the $400 doesn't.  Under new Celebrity policy, you can use that cruise line OBC toward shorexes, drink packages or other items purchased ahead of the cruise.

 

My problem is that, on that particular cruise with the way it was packaged, I already have the free drinks, free internet and free gratuities.  I've already booked all of the shorexes I want--and used up what I originally had in cruise line OBC toward that--this $200 is "new".  I could cancel shorexes and rebook to use this $200--except I bought the shorexes on a big sale...and they all cost a lot more money today.  I guess that, when I am on the ship, I'll just have to buy souvenir T-Shirts and maybe a piece of jewelry for my wife in the gift shops...

[jc foster]

48 minutes ago, Bruin Steve said:

And remember--the OBC from your TA is refundable.  If you don't spend it, you get a credit back at the end of your cruise...I always look at it as a delayed discount...OBC from the cruise line is not refundable--use it or use it...

 

On one of my upcoming cruises, I have $400 in OBC from my TA and $200 from Celebrity...The $200 shows up on my booking on the website, the $400 doesn't.  Under new Celebrity policy, you can use that cruise line OBC toward shorexes, drink packages or other items purchased ahead of the cruise.

 

My problem is that, on that particular cruise with the way it was packaged, I already have the free drinks, free internet and free gratuities.  I've already booked all of the shorexes I want--and used up what I originally had in cruise line OBC toward that--this $200 is "new".  I could cancel shorexes and rebook to use this $200--except I bought the shorexes on a big sale...and they all cost a lot more money today.  I guess that, when I am on the ship, I'll just have to buy souvenir T-Shirts and maybe a piece of jewelry for my wife in the gift shops...

     Thanks

 

[SteveGT3]

I have a question related to this thread. I know that OBCs given to customers by Celebrity are not redeemable but OBCs from a TA may or may not be redeemable for cash at the end of the cruise.

 

If I get a Celebrity-issued OBC and an OBC from my TA, which OBC is used first by Celebrity to pay for any on-board expenses I incur? I assume it would be the Celebrity-issued OBC since it is credited to my account before any TA OBCs are added to my account.

 

 

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, SteveGT3 said:

I have a question related to this thread. I know that OBCs given to customers by Celebrity are not redeemable but OBCs from a TA may or may not be redeemable for cash at the end of the cruise.

 

If I get a Celebrity-issued OBC and an OBC from my TA, which OBC is used first by Celebrity to pay for any on-board expenses I incur? I assume it would be the Celebrity-issued OBC since it is credited to my account before any TA OBCs are added to my account.

 

 

Your nonrefundable OBC is used first. 

[SteveGT3]

davekathy

 

Thanks for the reply. We have been on 25+ cruises and I have never bothered to check how the OBCs were used up. It was only 2-3 months ago, that I realized that some OBCs from TAs could be redeemed for cash at the end of the cruise. We have always used the unspent OBCs to buy nice, but usually unnecessary things like liquor, cameras, electronics, etc..  When you have a remaining, redeemable OBC, will the ship give you cash for it and when can you redeem it?

[davekathy]

5 minutes ago, SteveGT3 said:

davekathy

 

Thanks for the reply. We have been on 25+ cruises and I have never bothered to check how the OBCs were used up. It was only 2-3 months ago, that I realized that some OBCs from TAs could be redeemed for cash at the end of the cruise. We have always used the unspent OBCs to buy nice, but usually unnecessary things like liquor, cameras, electronics, etc..  When you have a remaining, redeemable OBC, will the ship give you cash for it and when can you redeem it?

I always check my account on the stateroom TV.  The OBCs will show up as refundable (ROBC) and non refundable (NROBC). I've never asked about cash back.  I just let any refundable OBC we may have left be credited back to my credit card. 

[SteveGT3]

I did not realize that any unused, redeemable could be returned in the form of a credit to my credit card. That is a great option. Is this automatically done by the cruise line at the end of the cruise, or do I have to go to Guest Relations and request it?

[davekathy]

7 minutes ago, SteveGT3 said:

I did not realize that any unused, redeemable could be returned in the form of a credit to my credit card. That is a great option. Is this automatically done by the cruise line at the end of the cruise, or do I have to go to Guest Relations and request it?

Automatically done. Always posted within a week of returning home. 

[SteveGT3]

Thanks for educating me....greatly appreciated!

[davekathy]

10 minutes ago, SteveGT3 said:

Thanks for educating me....greatly appreciated!

You're welcome. 

[Luvcrusn]

4 hours ago, davekathy said:

I always check my account on the stateroom TV.  The OBCs will show up as refundable (ROBC) and non refundable (NROBC). I've never asked about cash back.  I just let any refundable OBC we may have left be credited back to my credit card. 

We've sometimes gone to Guest services the last night of the cruise and been given the balance of OBC-R back in cash. A couple of times they've asked us to return the final morning, and the rest of the time, if we were busy, we just allowed it to be automatically refunded to our credit card on record.

[SteveGT3]

Cash or a credit to my credit card are both great options instead of buying something else I do not need! 😊

[Luvcrusn]

4 minutes ago, SteveGT3 said:

Cash or a credit to my credit card are both great options instead of buying something else I do not need! 😊

Agreed! We use the OBC-N for the purchases of things we don't need.😜

[helen haywood]

Just make sure that your OBC IS the refundable type before leaving it unspent!