Best way to spend ship board credit?

[bob brown]

What I mean is, if you have “non-refundable” shipboard credit on your account, that you have to spend during your cruise or lose it, what would give you the most “bang for your buck”?

 

Options include: items in their shops, specialty restaurants, spa treatments, shore excursions, drink packages, etc…

 

Which of those have the most real value, where the line makes the least mark-up or profit?

 

I would think it could vary between companies, but maybe not.

 

Not saying I would choose based on that, and would probably choose based on what I want the most, but just curious as to what it is…

[CruiserBruce]

Most of us don't know what the mark up it on cruise line stuff, and yes, it probably does vary between cruise lines. And yes, the mark up can be high.

 

In this post Covid world, we have had hundreds of dollars of OBC to spend, have hundreds more on two future cruises, and we have spent it on many of the things you listed. We got what interested us, or we needed, not spending a lot time on cost/benefit research.

[cruisemom42]

It does seem that people get more OBC than pre-Covid…

 

Rather than looking at it as bang-for-buck, it makes more sense to me to use it on whatever you would normally spend on board. Applying toward the daily service charge/gratuity charge would be my number one, if not already included. After that possibly a drink package or package upgrade. 
 

I never use the spa, gamble or buy photos. Don’t like shopping onboard either. I’d consider specialty dining or (rarely) a ship excursion.

[StollyBolly]

We usually spend most in the spa.   The rates are pretty steep and it’s a treat we don’t usually do at home.   I’d say it depends on cruise line and what appeals most to you.  

[Honolulu Blue]

7 hours ago, bob brown said:

What I mean is, if you have “non-refundable” shipboard credit on your account, that you have to spend during your cruise or lose it, what would give you the most “bang for your buck”?

 

Options include: items in their shops, specialty restaurants, spa treatments, shore excursions, drink packages, etc…

 

Which of those have the most real value, where the line makes the least mark-up or profit?

 

I would think it could vary between companies, but maybe not.

 

Not saying I would choose based on that, and would probably choose based on what I want the most, but just curious as to what it is…

Top of the list, IMHO, are items you have to pay for anyway, like the mandatory gratuities if not prepaid.

 

A close second is items that have full value to you in that you were going to purchase them anyway. Extra cost restaurants and excursions can go in this category.

 

Then comes the casino, when allowed. The Right Thing is to gamble any amount of OBC at least once, but you may be able to get away with less - again, depending on cruise line. The casino has the edge on almost every bet, so consider that a cost of doing this.

 

The worst use is to buy goods and services that you don't value highly. Anything can go in this category.

[9tee2Sea]

How I spend my onboard credit.

Have a few Starbucks fancy coffee's  ( I NEVER have those at home).

Buy a better watch than the $19.99 Sale watches ( Watch batteries have become very expensive).

Buy some souvenirs glasses from the bar ( Last trip I bought 2 copper looking pineapple mugs )

Maybe buy a cigar for partner ( he smokes, I don't).

Get a  better bottle of wine with dinner ( even if i have the drink package).

 

as far as I know, OBC cannot be used for gratuities or in the casino ( at least on my preferred cruise line).

[Reina del Mar]

If you haven’t prepaid gratuities you can use for that or a drinks’ package on the lines I have travelled on.

 

I have no idea how to do this..but hopefully someone will come along later and explain….use a small amount in the casino, then cash out the whole amount, making it  ‘refundable’…as I said I have no idea how.

 

Items in the shops, in my opinion, are very overpriced and not wonderful quality.

 

Spa prices are extortionate, (about three times what you might pay shoreside) you are charged 18% gratuity and they try to persuade you to purchase goods from them, again at inflated prices.

 

If you are booking cruiseline shore excursions, be aware you can get similar at the pier for lower prices, but cruiseline operated tours offer the security of the ship being held if the tour is delayed.

 

If you need internet, you could use to pay for a package. We have paid for Speciality restaurants, but for us it was unnecessary as Main Dining Rooms offer food which is fine for our tastes.

 

Good luck !

[CruisingAlong4Now]

If there is a crew fund, I donate the OBC to the crew fund.

[LHT28]

I shop  rather than leave  it on the table

 Maybe buy  a bottle of wine or  2 for dinner which we normally do not do  but  if they are giving out OBC  I will use it  😉

 

 

[GTO-Girl]

Casino!!!😎😎😎

[XBGuy]

When I read this my first thought was the same as @CruiserBruce.  "Most of us don't know what the mark up it on cruise line stuff,"  However, if you are a wine person, I can offer this observation.  If you see a bottle of wine on your ship's wine list for about $40, there is a good chance that the "street price for that wine is less than $15.  Obviously, the cruise line paid even less than that.  

 

The markup for lower priced wines is egregious.  However, the markup on the higher priced wines is much more reasonable.  (The same rule of thumb applies to land-based restaurants.)  I have only seen this once and I doubt that I will ever see it again, but Princess was once offering Penfold's Grange, a wine whose street price at the time was about $600, for $480.

 

So, if you are a wine guy and want to enjoy a special bottle of wine with the lowest "gouge factor" look for something over $100.
 

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, GTO-Girl said:

Casino!!!😎😎😎

what line allows you to use OBC in the casino??

 

[GTO-Girl]

32 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

what line allows you to use OBC in the casino??

 

if I have an OBC on my room account then I just transfer that amount of money to the machine I am playing.  

[Honolulu Blue]

38 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

what line allows you to use OBC in the casino??

Carnival, Celebrity, and Princess, to name three. More interesting to me is a list of cruise lines that explicitly disallow this practice.

[bob brown]

Lots of interesting responses, thanks to all!

 

I can’t say for sure which, but I have heard in the past that only “refundable” ship board credit can be used for gratuities or casino spending.  Obviously those would offer the most value as there is no “mark up” on the money you spend.

 

I have read though about the “workaround” you can do on some lines that allow transferring your non-refundable ship board credit into casino credit, and after placing the minimum bet, win or lose, you can then “cash out” the entire remainder.   If allowed, that would be the best choice for me.

 

I agree that the mark up on other choices are huge, and sometimes it is easy to see just how much.  As a recent example, Oceania was selling Hop On, Hop Off tours in Capetown, South Africa for $75. per person.  At the pier, you could buy them for only $15.41 each, from the same company, and even less online…

You can also compare name brand merchandise, such as Citizen watch prices offered on board with online retail store prices.

 

I have lots of choices to consider before the end of my cruise, but one thing’s for certain., I will not leave anything left in my account…😉🙂

[Honolulu Blue]

9 minutes ago, bob brown said:

Lots of interesting responses, thanks to all!

 

I can’t say for sure which, but I have heard in the past that only “refundable” ship board credit can be used for gratuities or casino spending.  Obviously those would offer the most value as there is no “mark up” on the money you spend.

 

I have read though about the “workaround” you can do on some lines that allow transferring your non-refundable ship board credit into casino credit, and after placing the minimum bet, win or lose, you can then “cash out” the entire remainder.   If allowed, that would be the best choice for me.

 

I agree that the mark up on other choices are huge, and sometimes it is easy to see just how much.  As a recent example, Oceania was selling Hop On, Hop Off tours in Capetown, South Africa for $75. per person.  At the pier, you could buy them for only $15.41 each, from the same company, and even less online…

You can also compare name brand merchandise, such as Citizen watch prices offered on board with online retail store prices.

 

I have lots of choices to consider before the end of my cruise, but one thing’s for certain., I will not leave anything left in my account…😉🙂

1.  Using nonrefundable OBC in the casino varies by cruise line.  It might be a good idea to go on your favorite board and ask about the mechanics there.

 

2.  Another option for OBC is to give some of it to selected crew members that you deem worthy.  You should be able to set it up through guest services once you're onboard.

[bob brown]

14 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

1.  Using nonrefundable OBC in the casino varies by cruise line.  It might be a good idea to go on your favorite board and ask about the mechanics there.

 

2.  Another option for OBC is to give some of it to selected crew members that you deem worthy.  You should be able to set it up through guest services once you're onboard.

Good ideas.  Can you be certain that selected crew members would receive the full amount you designate to them?

 

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by bob brown

[LHT28]

Bob  just let Betsy go shopping onboard  & buy an extra suitcase to get it home 😉

 Gifts  for the family  another option

 

[Honolulu Blue]

1 hour ago, bob brown said:

Can you be certain that selected crew members would receive the full amount you designate to them?

I don't think you can ever be certain since you're not going to see the actual cash handed over, but all you can do is go to GS and make your wishes known.  That's all you can do.

[shipgeeks]

We are long past the days of buying Things onboard, and we have done just about all the excursions we will ever want.  We prepay our gratuities.

So any OBC left over goes to extra gratuities for crew members (by name and department) and/or crew welfare fund.

[George C]

Casino

Specialty restaurants 

Wine

 

[wcook]

Me? Booze. 

[bonsai3s]

On 4/16/2023 at 4:49 AM, LHT28 said:

what line allows you to use OBC in the casino??

 

Royal Caribbean

[white oak]

On 4/16/2023 at 12:17 PM, Honolulu Blue said:

1.  Using nonrefundable OBC in the casino varies by cruise line.  It might be a good idea to go on your favorite board and ask about the mechanics there.

 

2.  Another option for OBC is to give some of it to selected crew members that you deem worthy.  You should be able to set it up through guest services once you're onboard.

Just asked on Silversea and they do not allow the OBC to be used as a donation to the crew fund.

[Markanddonna]

On 4/16/2023 at 5:17 AM, Honolulu Blue said:

1.  Using nonrefundable OBC in the casino varies by cruise line.  It might be a good idea to go on your favorite board and ask about the mechanics there.

 

2.  Another option for OBC is to give some of it to selected crew members that you deem worthy.  You should be able to set it up through guest services once you're onboard.

We filled out the form to give our credit to our servers and stateroom attendant. Then, Celebrity billed my charge card for that exact amount. I put in a complaint, but once you are off the ship, cruise lines tend to forget you.