Can onboard credit be used in Casino?

[sunnygidget]

Could you use onboard credit in the Casino?  Play a couple of pulls on the slots and then cash it out for cash?

 

[CruiserBruce]

Asked many times here....the answer is maybe. Technically no, not allowed. But occasionally people report they did use OBC for the casino.

[OlsSalt]

OBC is not "real money"; but taking out cash for winnings is. OBC winnings could be paid in more OBC, if at all. 

 

Are you on a casino deal? Maybe they have special arrangements. 

[sunnygidget]

Nope, just a lot of onboard credit. Finally hope this is a go, we were compensated for a booking that didn't happen for 3 years, they keep rebooking us.  We have prepaid gratuities, a fee drink package, 2 free specialties dinners, free laundry, and excursions.  Not much of spa user either.  Not sure what do with the credit. May have to visit the shops.

 

[Florida_gal_50]

21 minutes ago, sunnygidget said:

Nope, just a lot of onboard credit. Finally hope this is a go, we were compensated for a booking that didn't happen for 3 years, they keep rebooking us.  We have prepaid gratuities, a fee drink package, 2 free specialties dinners, free laundry, and excursions.  Not much of spa user either.  Not sure what do with the credit. May have to visit the shops.

 

You can’t use it.  They plugged that hole a few years back.  It’s been reported that if you do you will end up paying it back.

[sunnygidget]

18 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

You can’t use it.  They plugged that hole a few years back.  It’s been reported that if you do you will end up paying it back.

Thank you for the finite answer, good to know.

[VMax1700]

9 hours ago, sunnygidget said:

 We have prepaid gratuities,

If you pre paid grats with your own credit card (as different from getting 'included free grats') you should get these refunded if there is still a credit balance at the end of the cruise.

[DaveOKC]

14 hours ago, sunnygidget said:

Could you use onboard credit in the Casino?  Play a couple of pulls on the slots and then cash it out for cash?

 

It depends on the type of OBC you have.  OBC from HAL generally cannot be used in the casino, while OBC that you (or your TA or someone else) provided can be used.  Having said that, remember that rules do change by ship and also some ships are stricter than others.

Interestingly, the $200 pp OBC that you get from booking a casino free cabin deal can be used, as basically it is money that you provided at the time of booking.

[Banditswife]

We found that we could charge our room for casino play, which is then deducted from your OBC.  But cashing it out was not an option.  Winnings from playing w/OBC can be cashed out

[Florida_gal_50]

2 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

It depends on the type of OBC you have.  OBC from HAL generally cannot be used in the casino, while OBC that you (or your TA or someone else) provided can be used.  Having said that, remember that rules do change by ship and also some ships are stricter than others.

Interestingly, the $200 pp OBC that you get from booking a casino free cabin deal can be used, as basically it is money that you provided at the time of booking.

Thanks for pointing out the difference.  My mind always goes to non refundable as that's pretty much all I ever have.

[sunnygidget]

5 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

If you pre paid grats with your own credit card (as different from getting 'included free grats') you should get these refunded if there is still a credit balance at the end of the cruise.

They had free grats for us when they postponed our cruise more than once.

[alyssamma]

Trying to follow this and confused 🙂

 

Say I have $100 OBC and go into the casino and ask for $100 in chips and promptly loose it all on slots. Are you saying that I'll still have the $100 OBC and now also have a $100 charge that, at the end of the cruise, will result in me a) losing the $100 OBC and b) paying $100 for the casino chips?

 

Or will the $100 OBC cover the $100 casino charge?

 

TIA

[mcrcruiser]

Could each HAL ship be different in regards to this subject as well ? Seems to me it is not a very clear policy 

[richwmn]

1 hour ago, alyssamma said:

Trying to follow this and confused 🙂

 

Say I have $100 OBC and go into the casino and ask for $100 in chips and promptly loose it all on slots. Are you saying that I'll still have the $100 OBC and now also have a $100 charge that, at the end of the cruise, will result in me a) losing the $100 OBC and b) paying $100 for the casino chips?

 

Or will the $100 OBC cover the $100 casino charge?

 

TIA

If your OBC came from HAL or CCL as a promotion you will lose the $100 credit and owe for the casino chips.

If your OBC came from your Travel Agent, but was provided by HAL or CCL you will lose the $100 credit and pay for the chips. Sometimes TA provided OBC comes from agreements they have with HAL.

OBC provided by HAL or CCL, either directly or through your TA, is non refundable.

If you or your TA purchased the OBC, it is refundable and can be used in the casino. Any remaining will also be refunded to you at the end of the cruise, either to your card on file on in cash.

Your on board statement will show both refundable on non refundable OBC, and other than the casino the non refundable will be used first.

Edited March 3, 2023 by richwmn

[alyssamma]

14 minutes ago, richwmn said:

If your OBC came from HAL or CCL as a promotion you will lose the $100 credit and owe for the casino chips.

If your OBC came from your Travel Agent, but was provided by HAL or CCL you will lose the $100 credit and pay for the chips. Sometimes TA provided OBC comes from agreements they have with HAL.

OBC provided by HAL or CCL, either directly or through your TA, is non refundable.

If you or your TA purchased the OBC, it is refundable and can be used in the casino. Any remaining will also be refunded to you at the end of the cruise, either to your card on file on in cash.

Your on board statement will show both refundable on non refundable OBC, and other than the casino the non refundable will be used first.

Thank you so much. If you would indulge me on a couple of follow up questions, I'd appreciate it. This is all for OBC coming from HAL.

 

1) I noticed I can purchase casino chips (Log into HAL, manage my cruise, Cruise Activities->Packages and Gifts->Shipboard Credit->Casino Chips).. If I wait until I'm on the ship to do this, can my OBC be used for that? I'm assuming "no", but wanted to make sure.

 

2) My gratuities were prepaid via a promo. I have HAI and don't really need to upgrade my drink package, although I could upgrade internet. Excursions I wanted were covered by HAI (I actually have $20 left over). So...what large ticket items can you spend OBC on? My wife has already looked at the spa, but anything else?

[richwmn]

55 minutes ago, alyssamma said:

Thank you so much. If you would indulge me on a couple of follow up questions, I'd appreciate it. This is all for OBC coming from HAL.

 

1) I noticed I can purchase casino chips (Log into HAL, manage my cruise, Cruise Activities->Packages and Gifts->Shipboard Credit->Casino Chips).. If I wait until I'm on the ship to do this, can my OBC be used for that? I'm assuming "no", but wanted to make sure.

 

2) My gratuities were prepaid via a promo. I have HAI and don't really need to upgrade my drink package, although I could upgrade internet. Excursions I wanted were covered by HAI (I actually have $20 left over). So...what large ticket items can you spend OBC on? My wife has already looked at the spa, but anything else?

For #1, I doubt that you could use your OBC to purchase chips. It is a casino purchase. If you purchase them in advance, the casino 'cage' will give you either cash or chips when you redeem your purchase.

 

#2. The shops have a wide variety of items you can purchase, from HAL logo items to large jewelry items. All can be purchased with non refundable OBC. You or your DW can shop for a while.

 

[sunnygidget]

Wow this has been informative.  Guess we'll just have to visit the shops on board😛.

[kazu]

9 hours ago, alyssamma said:

2) My gratuities were prepaid via a promo. I have HAI and don't really need to upgrade my drink package, although I could upgrade internet. Excursions I wanted were covered by HAI (I actually have $20 left over). So...what large ticket items can you spend OBC on? My wife has already looked at the spa, but anything else?

 

Specialty dining, surcharge items in the restaurants, laundry, wine tastings or mix tastings, increase the gratuity for the crew - lots of things besides the shops that you can use OBC for. 😉 

[Florida_gal_50]

10 hours ago, alyssamma said:

Thank you so much. If you would indulge me on a couple of follow up questions, I'd appreciate it. This is all for OBC coming from HAL.

 

1) I noticed I can purchase casino chips (Log into HAL, manage my cruise, Cruise Activities->Packages and Gifts->Shipboard Credit->Casino Chips).. If I wait until I'm on the ship to do this, can my OBC be used for that? I'm assuming "no", but wanted to make sure.

 

2) My gratuities were prepaid via a promo. I have HAI and don't really need to upgrade my drink package, although I could upgrade internet. Excursions I wanted were covered by HAI (I actually have $20 left over). So...what large ticket items can you spend OBC on? My wife has already looked at the spa, but anything else?

I got some absolutely gorgeous flowers on my last cruise if that’s of any interest.

[DaveOKC]

When I have excess OBC I often use them for transfers to the airport, or an excursion with transfers that morning.

[saltshell]

Last cruise had $200 credit. Couldn't find anything I wanted in the shops. Last couple of days I tipped bar waiters $25/$50 dollars rather than let the $ default. Very happy staff. " Generosity is the greatest luxury "