On Board Credit

[Qwltngcruiser]

Hi, we’re new to Azamara and we purchased our first cruise through a big box store. That purchase gave us a $400 onboard credit for the cruise. Azamara told us that the credit isn’t usually able to be used until we’re on the ship. What can you use the credit for?  We’re wanting to prebook shore excursions that are important to us. I’m sure we can gamble with waiting to sign up for some others that don’t matter as much, but what else can we buy with the credit if that doesn’t work out?  We already have the upgraded drink package and a few nights of specialty dining. 

[marinaro44]

26 minutes ago, Qwltngcruiser said:

Hi, we’re new to Azamara and we purchased our first cruise through a big box store. That purchase gave us a $400 onboard credit for the cruise. Azamara told us that the credit isn’t usually able to be used until we’re on the ship. What can you use the credit for?  We’re wanting to prebook shore excursions that are important to us. I’m sure we can gamble with waiting to sign up for some others that don’t matter as much, but what else can we buy with the credit if that doesn’t work out?  We already have the upgraded drink package and a few nights of specialty dining. 

If you don't spend the $400 from the big box store, Azamara will put a credit on your credit card on disembarkation day.  Book the excursions you want and get the $400 back later, if you haven't spent it on something else while onboard.

[jelayne]

On the ship you could use the credit to upgrade the  included beverages, spa treatments, use in the shops ( but limited shops) book last minute shore excursions or buy some bottles of wine.   We have about $1300 OBC from our TA and will happily take the credit to our credit card.

Edited June 24, 2021 by jelayne

[Qwltngcruiser]

So they will just pay you the on board credit back in money?

[Vineyard View]

37 minutes ago, jelayne said:

On the ship you could use the credit to upgrade the  included beverages, spa treatments, use in the shops ( but limited shops) book last minute shore excursions or buy some bottles of wine.   We have about $1300 OBC from our TA and will happily take the credit to our credit card.

Wow. That is something. There are lines where you use it or loose it. This is really good to know. We are looking at booking our first time with Azamara. It I climes unlimited wi-if, premium drink package etc. We are usually DIY or I dependent tour people, so we were wondering the same thing. What will we use OBC for. 

[Baynanno1]

3 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

Wow. That is something. There are lines where you use it or loose it. This is really good to know. We are looking at booking our first time with Azamara. It I climes unlimited wi-if, premium drink package etc. We are usually DIY or I dependent tour people, so we were wondering the same thing. What will we use OBC for. 

 

OBC from Azamara via a promotion is indeed "use it or lose it"

 

OBC from your TA will, as has been said, be credited to your card at the end of the cruise if you have not used it.

[Grandma Cruising]

6 hours ago, Qwltngcruiser said:

Hi, we’re new to Azamara and we purchased our first cruise through a big box store. That purchase gave us a $400 onboard credit for the cruise. Azamara told us that the credit isn’t usually able to be used until we’re on the ship. What can you use the credit for?  We’re wanting to prebook shore excursions that are important to us. I’m sure we can gamble with waiting to sign up for some others that don’t matter as much, but what else can we buy with the credit if that doesn’t work out?  We already have the upgraded drink package and a few nights of specialty dining. 

You can book excursions now using your credit card, then once on board cancel them (as long as they’re not on the first couple of days or are not overnight excursions which have a longer cancellation period) and rebook using your OBC. Just check the cancellation period - mostly 48 hours, but overnight excursions tend to be much longer - up to 60 days.

Wifi is another way of using up your OBC, if you didn’t get any/enough free wifi with your booking.

If you’re new to Azamara have a look at the topic ‘Tips for Azamara Newbies’ 

[crzrr]

Usually by the second day of the cruise all of your OBC's show up on your account.  They will be listed as NBC's or RBC's.  NBC's are non-refundable (generally from a promotion), RBC's are refundable (usually from your TA).  They always draw down your NBC's first.  It's been so long (way too long) since we've been onboard that I may have the actual listings wrong but Nonrefundable begin with N, refundable begin with R.  

[Qwltngcruiser]

Thanks everyone!  Very helpful!! 

[Vineyard View]

9 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

OBC from Azamara via a promotion is indeed "use it or lose it"

 

OBC from your TA will, as has been said, be credited to your card at the end of the cruise if you have not used it.

Thank  you for this clarification. I appreciate it. 

[Mackdogmolly]

10 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

 

OBC from Azamara via a promotion is indeed "use it or lose it"

 

OBC from your TA will, as has been said, be credited to your card at the end of the cruise if you have not used it.

You can also donate some of the TA OBC to the crew fund (but not the Azamara OBC). We have done this at the end of a cruise and it is much appreciated.

[Host Jazzbeau]

My OBCs from Azamara and from my TA's group are already showing in the Voyage Planner for my 2022 cruise, and I was able to use them to pre-book shore excursions.

[jelayne]

That’s sometimes is the case when the TA OBC is a joint marketing effort.  We have encountered that twice and the TA OBC was non-refundable in those cases.

[Host Jazzbeau]

That's what I'm afraid of.  We have a total of $1,100 [plus maybe Amex, but not likely].  SpainDayTours is so highly recommended that if the minimum numbers are met, we will have no Azamara shore excursions and nothing to spend it on onboard. 

 

I'm assuming the CO suite unlimited specialty dining doesn't include the Chef's Table.  We may be trying all three!  And really good wine the other nights...

[Medeba]

We have never had any TA OBC.  Have any other UK cruisers managed to get TA OBC on UK booked cruises?

[Riocca]

3 minutes ago, Medeba said:

We have never had any TA OBC.  Have any other UK cruisers managed to get TA OBC on UK booked cruises?

We’ve never had OBC from U.K. travel agents, it’s more normal that they will discount the price. Going back in time our TA used to get 15% commission from P&O we received 10% of that as a discount, these days it’s a little less clear. 
However since Covid and the tricks TA’s have tried to pull not sure wether the minimal discounts now on offer are worth dealing with them anymore.  

[Medeba]

28 minutes ago, Riocca said:

We’ve never had OBC from U.K. travel agents, it’s more normal that they will discount the price. Going back in time our TA used to get 15% commission from P&O we received 10% of that as a discount, these days it’s a little less clear. 
However since Covid and the tricks TA’s have tried to pull not sure wether the minimal discounts now on offer are worth dealing with them anymore.  

Thanks Riocca.  I have booked b2b Journey cruises next year and I got what I thought was a good discount from my new cruise TA.  I debated booking direct but decided on trying a new, well regarded, TA.  I decided to try a new TA because the one I have used for many years have not once contacted me since the start of the pandemic (and I have recommended friends to them!).

[excitedofharpenden]

1 hour ago, Riocca said:

We’ve never had OBC from U.K. travel agents, it’s more normal that they will discount the price. Going back in time our TA used to get 15% commission from P&O we received 10% of that as a discount, these days it’s a little less clear. 
However since Covid and the tricks TA’s have tried to pull not sure wether the minimal discounts now on offer are worth dealing with them anymore.  

I'm totally with you John. I don't think I'll be using a travel agent to get an additional discount on the price. Certainly not for the foreseeable. I'm very sad about that because I had a good relationship with the guy I worked with, but he's now left and dealing with refunds through covid has been messy.  I will go direct. 

 

Phil 

[ChucktownSteve]

The first thing I would do is ask the TA if their OBC is refundable.  Like Jelayne I was caught by a TA's cross promotion that was not refundable.  I learned to ask after that.

 

What I started doing with the refundable OBC is to go to guest relations to ask for the ROBC in cash.  Not only do I have walking around money but I don't get the cash back charge back on the credit card rewards.  If they won't give it to you in cash, then last resort, let it go to your card.

[RonWL]

Old topic, but new question.  We've got an Azamazing amount of onboard credits for a short cruise.  Can we use some of our OBC to buy a dining package for some friends who are also taking the same cruise?