OBC from RC unable to be used for pre-cruise purchase

[direptor]

Has anyone ever experience receiving OBC from RC but being unable to use it for pre-cruise purchase? After over a month bouncing emails with RC, i was informed that the 100 OBC given by RC when we purchase the cruise can't be used for pre-cruise purchases and can only be used onboard.

[crystalspin]

Yes this phenomenon is well-known on at least several lines. They want you to use your 'real money' before the cruise on excursions and such, and then spend their OBC on drinks and meals where they have a better return. I think this is not cynical but supported by observation and experience.

[Merion_Mom]

32 minutes ago, direptor said:

Has anyone ever experience receiving OBC from RC but being unable to use it for pre-cruise purchase? After over a month bouncing emails with RC, i was informed that the 100 OBC given by RC when we purchase the cruise can't be used for pre-cruise purchases and can only be used onboard.

 

What is the source of the OBC, specifically?  Is it called something?  How/why did you get it?

 

Also, it is possible that there are different rules for Asian-originating bookings.

[Merion_Mom]

24 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Yes this phenomenon is well-known on at least several lines. They want you to use your 'real money' before the cruise on excursions and such, and then spend their OBC on drinks and meals where they have a better return. I think this is not cynical but supported by observation and experience.

 

I believe that you misunderstand.  Royal Caribbean DOES allow you to spend OBC in your Cruise Planner, when the OBC comes directly from Royal Caribbean.  (for example, OBC from your travel agent does not show up on your account until you are on your cruise).  Now we need to figure out why direptor is running into roadblocks.

[direptor]

50 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I believe that you misunderstand.  Royal Caribbean DOES allow you to spend OBC in your Cruise Planner, when the OBC comes directly from Royal Caribbean.  (for example, OBC from your travel agent does not show up on your account until you are on your cruise).  Now we need to figure out why direptor is running into roadblocks.

 

This OBC came from Royal Caribbean as I made the booking through the website.

 

The ship is sailing out of Singapore and usually Singapore sailings follows most processes similar to the rest of the world. I do understand that China sailings have different rules but that should not have been the case for my sailing.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

On my recent cruise on the Ovation I also had $100 OBC from RCI . While the website kept telling me that it was available to use when making purchases pre cruise it kept kicking it back when I tried to apply it. I finally gave up and just used it on the ship. 

[nelblu]

34 minutes ago, Sunny AZ Girl said:

On my recent cruise on the Ovation I also had $100 OBC from RCI . While the website kept telling me that it was available to use when making purchases pre cruise it kept kicking it back when I tried to apply it. I finally gave up and just used it on the ship. 

 

I had mixed results with my OBC on the Feb. Symphony sail.  Initially I used a portion of the OBC via the cruise planner, and even though went thru the process of applying the balance on a future excursion, it would not allow me.  Don't know if it was an IT (what a surprise) problem.  Called the Pre-Cruise Planner Dept. (800) 398-9819 and they applied it right away.  Got e-mail confirming transaction.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

7 hours ago, nelblu said:

 

I had mixed results with my OBC on the Feb. Symphony sail.  Initially I used a portion of the OBC via the cruise planner, and even though went thru the process of applying the balance on a future excursion, it would not allow me.  Don't know if it was an IT (what a surprise) problem.  Called the Pre-Cruise Planner Dept. (800) 398-9819 and they applied it right away.  Got e-mail confirming transaction.

I figured that is what I would have to do.  I didn't bother. I figured that I would use it one way or another, which I did.

[actuarian]

If you do not prepay your gratuities, then you can apply your OBC to your gratuities.  My wife and I always use our OBC that way and, since we always pay gratuities, it makes no difference to us whether we can apply the OBC to pre-cruise purchases.