Carnival Splendor Australia Cruise credit and spa question?

[shanaroundtheworld]

We are about to head out on the Carnival Splendor this month (June 2023) out of Sydney for 9 nights. We have an OBC of $1500 AUD. Typically, we are able to use those credits pre-cruise to book towards shore excursions, spa packages, drink packages, ect. Australia seems to be different than other Carnival cruises we have taken in the US. The options to use the OBC until we are on the cruise. Is this typical for Australian cruises? Booking spa treatments even paying out of pocket are not available at all.

[Host Kat]

18 hours ago, shanaroundtheworld said:

We are about to head out on the Carnival Splendor this month (June 2023) out of Sydney for 9 nights. We have an OBC of $1500 AUD. Typically, we are able to use those credits pre-cruise to book towards shore excursions, spa packages, drink packages, ect. Australia seems to be different than other Carnival cruises we have taken in the US. The options to use the OBC until we are on the cruise. Is this typical for Australian cruises? Booking spa treatments even paying out of pocket are not available at all.

 

@shanaroundtheworld

 

Hello and welcome to the Cruise Critic message boards!

 

Thank you for your first new thread. I have moved it to another forum where hopefully you will hear from locals that have knowledge of Carnival's Australia policies.

 

Be sure to find and post on the specific Roll Call thread for your cruise. 

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Happy sails,

 

Host Kat 

[Relaxing Robbies]

22 hours ago, shanaroundtheworld said:

We are about to head out on the Carnival Splendor this month (June 2023) out of Sydney for 9 nights. We have an OBC of $1500 AUD. Typically, we are able to use those credits pre-cruise to book towards shore excursions, spa packages, drink packages, ect. Australia seems to be different than other Carnival cruises we have taken in the US. The options to use the OBC until we are on the cruise. Is this typical for Australian cruises? Booking spa treatments even paying out of pocket are not available at all.

In Australia we have previously not been able to prebook any Carnival shore excursions etc until we are onboard. This changed recently and now you can book shore excursions etc in advance. Unfortunately Carnival did not enable the use of onboard credit to pay for these excursions.

 

 It is really frustrating. We have large onboard credits on our cruises booked for July and October. I chose some excursions to use the credits, but need to wait until onboard to book them. Meanwhile some of the popular excursions are already showing as sold out. Who knows what will still be available onboard. We may have to spend our credits in the casino or something.

[clairebearinaus]

The situation seems to have changed very recently - I was able to use OBC to book a Splendor shore excursion yesterday.  I suggest trying again.

[Relaxing Robbies]

2 hours ago, clairebearinaus said:

The situation seems to have changed very recently - I was able to use OBC to book a Splendor shore excursion yesterday.  I suggest trying again.

Thanks so much for this information. I have just logged in and booked some tours using onboard credits.

[aussielozzie18]

3 hours ago, clairebearinaus said:

The situation seems to have changed very recently - I was able to use OBC to book a Splendor shore excursion yesterday.  I suggest trying again.

That’s good news!  Would have been handy being able to use my OBC last month towards the Amadee Island excursion, that isn’t cheap.