On Board Credit Question

[marion10]

We’ll be getting $850 On Board Credit from our travel agent- which I understand will not be an available until we are on Board. I have reserved some culinary classes and of course, want to reserve some additional shore excursions. Can I “ cancel” the classes and extra shore excursions and rebook with the online credit?

Edited May 15 by marion10

[osandomir]

28 minutes ago, marion10 said:

We’ll be getting $850 On Board Credit from our travel agent- which I understand will not be an available until we are on Board. I have reserved some culinary classes and of course, want to reserve some additional shore excursions. Can I “ cancel” the classes and extra shore excursions and rebook with the online credit?

If your OBC comes from the TA it’s most likely a refundable credit. And you will have two options. If the credit either non refundable or refundable you will be able to cancel original bookings that were paid by credit card and rebook on board given the classes and excursions aren’t sold out. That’s the way to go with the non refundable credit. But you can also leave everything as is and then cash out unused refundable credit on the last day of your cruise otherwise the balance will be refunded to the credit card on file.

[marion10]

Really helpful- thanks!

[1985rz1]

4 hours ago, marion10 said:

We’ll be getting $850 On Board Credit from our travel agent- which I understand will not be an available until we are on Board. I have reserved some culinary classes and of course, want to reserve some additional shore excursions. Can I “ cancel” the classes and extra shore excursions and rebook with the online credit?

A key part of @osandomir's excellent response is "if the excursions aren't sold out."  You may find onboard availability quite limited, if even available.

[marion10]

Yes- I am signing up for the ones I really want- but there are ports I don’t really care about and if they are sold out of everything, stay on the ship or arrange my own in port.

[Flatbush Flyer]

19 hours ago, osandomir said:

If your OBC comes from the TA it’s most likely a refundable credit. And you will have two options. If the credit either non refundable or refundable you will be able to cancel original bookings that were paid by credit card and rebook on board given the classes and excursions aren’t sold out. That’s the way to go with the non refundable credit. But you can also leave everything as is and then cash out unused refundable credit on the last day of your cruise otherwise the balance will be refunded to the credit card on file.

No need to choose. 
Even though cash or refundable SBC/OBC was originally used to pay for something onboard (other than cash for a new cruise deposit), it doesn’t necessarily stay tied to that purchase. In the onboard accounting system, everything is basically credit/debit with purchases (past or present) being charged first to the available balance of non-refundable SBC (e.g., O Club SBC) with the last $$$ used  being your cash or refundable SBC. As aforementioned, the exception is future cruise deposits (always cash via CC) and, now with SM, the restriction of excursion SBC only to be used for excursions.

[roger b]

 I Have $1470 credit for shore excursions on my next cruise, I have not paid in full yet.

As I am not interested in doing any of the tours offered do I just lose my credit ?

 

[sitraveler]

Yes you do 

[orchestrapal]

5 minutes ago, roger b said:

 I Have $1470 credit for shore excursions on my next cruise, I have not paid in full yet.

As I am not interested in doing any of the tours offered do I just lose my credit ?

 

Yes that’s the way it is for now.

[AMHuntFerry]

7 hours ago, roger b said:

 I Have $1470 credit for shore excursions on my next cruise, I have not paid in full yet.

As I am not interested in doing any of the tours offered do I just lose my credit ?

 

$1470 is an odd number for SM shorex credit. Is that a typo (I'm guessing it's $1400)?

 

If you do DIY or hire driver/guides, look for the "Executive Car/Van" shorex (basically a vehicle with an English speaking guide). The price is for the entire car/van (not per person), and even though the cost is typically high, it's a good way to burn through the SM credit that would otherwise go unused. You'll need to book two of these...one purchased by each guest since the cost can't be split between guests. For example, Guest1 books a $600 car at one port and Guest2 books an $800 car at a different port. Guest1's SMshorex credit will cover the full cost (with $100 left over for an $89 cooking class if on a larger ship). Guest2 will owe $100 which can be paid with other pre-embarkation OBC or with a credit card.

Edited May 19 by AMHuntFerry

[Tranquility Base]

48 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

$1470 is an odd number for SM shorex credit. Is that a typo (I'm guessing it's $1400)?

It may well be a typo, but not necessarily.

 

For many passengers who book & pay for the cruise in a currency other than USD, their SBC & excursion prices are displayed pre-cruise online converted into their local currency.

Obviously this is not the case once onboard, but pre-cruise it shows that way. 

Edited May 19 by Tranquility Base

[AMHuntFerry]

34 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

It may well be a typo, but not necessarily.

 

For many passengers who book & pay for the cruise in a currency other than USD, their SBC & excursion prices are displayed pre-cruise online converted into their local currency.

Obviously this is not the case once onboard, but pre-cruise it shows that way. 

Good point. I assumed the "$" was USD since that is O's currency.

[tigerfan75]

4 hours ago, AMHuntFerry said:

with $100 left over for an $89 cooking class if on a larger ship)

My understanding is that any unused SM excursion credit cannot be applied to any other activity; it is for excursions only.  However, if the "cooking class" is part of a Marketplace Excursion, then it would certainly be usable.

[AMHuntFerry]

1 hour ago, tigerfan75 said:

My understanding is that any unused SM excursion credit cannot be applied to any other activity; it is for excursions only.  However, if the "cooking class" is part of a Marketplace Excursion, then it would certainly be usable.

There have been people able to book the onboard (no shorex) cooking class with their SM. I am not one of them though so hopefully they will see this and chime in. It gets argued every few weeks.

[AMHuntFerry]

2 hours ago, tigerfan75 said:

My understanding is that any unused SM excursion credit cannot be applied to any other activity; it is for excursions only.  However, if the "cooking class" is part of a Marketplace Excursion, then it would certainly be usable.

I dug up a reliable source (or as reliable as CC gets 🤪 😞

(we

[roger b]

6 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

It may well be a typo, but not necessarily.

 

For many passengers who book & pay for the cruise in a currency other than USD, their SBC & excursion prices are displayed pre-cruise online converted into their local currency.

Obviously this is not the case once onboard, but pre-cruise it shows that way. 

Yes you are right. it is British pounds , l still find this is bit of a marketing ploy that some people would not be able to use .

Not much point of giving More, if you were not able to spend it.

 

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, tigerfan75 said:

My understanding is that any unused SM excursion credit cannot be applied to any other activity; it is for excursions only.  However, if the "cooking class" is part of a Marketplace Excursion, then it would certainly be usable.

Interesting. Regular cooking classes do appear on the prepurchased shorex PDF. 🤔

[roger b]

5 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Interesting. Regular cooking classes do appear on the prepurchased shorex PDF. 🤔

The question is can I use my excursion credit for cooking classes ??

[tigerfan75]

8 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Interesting. Regular cooking classes do appear on the prepurchased shorex PDF. 🤔

Wow!  I didn’t know.  I stand corrected.  😯

[roger b]

1 hour ago, tigerfan75 said:

Wow!  I didn’t know.  I stand corrected.  😯

 So you are saying if I book a cooking class it comes off my shore excursion credit  ??

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, tigerfan75 said:

Wow!  I didn’t know.  I stand corrected.  😯

LaReserve is on that PDF too. But, the name of the tours purchased PDF does say something like “ShoreEx and other…”

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, roger b said:

 So you are saying if I book a cooking class it comes off my shore excursion credit  ??

Unknown until someone(s) confirms that SM $ work.

[ronrick1943]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Unknown until someone(s) confirms that SM $ work.

Last time we booked a class it didn't come as a tour and we paid for it.  Maybe if the class is part of a tour that leaves the ship like a market tour.

[marion10]

I tried to reserve  cooking classes online using my shoe excursion credit and was unable to do so,