Question about onboard credit offers

[tallgirl97]

Just wondering whether I can spend onboard credit on a few things, if I receive it as part f a promotion:

 

Can I spend it on internet service? If so, do I have to wait until boarding to purchase the service (I.e. can’t take advantage of any sales I see in the meantime?)

 

If I locked in gratuities when I booked, I assume I can’t put onboard credit toward that, correct?

 

I don’t drink and am not likely to buy any ship excursions, photos, etc. Just trying to see what makes the most sense to do.

[robbinsca]

We like to use OBC to upgrade a meal and go to a Specialty Dining Restaurant. You could also use it to purchase Internet, or a soda package if you don’t drink.

[Biker19]

7 hours ago, tallgirl97 said:

If I locked in gratuities when I booked, I assume I can’t put onboard credit toward that, correct?

You'd have to cancel them before the cruise and then use the OBC to pay for them on board.

 

You can use OBC to pay for anything - look for it in the planner for pre-cruise purchases. Sometimes, the OBC doesn't show up till on board.

[firefly333]

7 hours ago, tallgirl97 said:

Just wondering whether I can spend onboard credit on a few things, if I receive it as part f a promotion:

 

Can I spend it on internet service? If so, do I have to wait until boarding to purchase the service (I.e. can’t take advantage of any sales I see in the meantime?)

 

If I locked in gratuities when I booked, I assume I can’t put onboard credit toward that, correct?

 

I don’t drink and am not likely to buy any ship excursions, photos, etc. Just trying to see what makes the most sense to do.

I use my obc before the cruise for excursions and individual lunches or dinners when they are on a sale. Idk how much obc you have but I dont have enough to cover the cost of internet before the cruise so I dont use it for that but I'm sure you can use you obc and then the rest with a credit card. I get 2 days free as D+ and use obc or even real money onboard for a extra day but not for the whole week, 

 

I always submit my 100 shares of rcl for another obc amount. I'm solo so it covers most of my auto tips. But you already prepaid them. I never prepay tips. 

[smokeybandit]

You don't use OBC to pay for any one specific thing once on board. It's just the initial X dollars charges to your account will be covered by OBC.

[tallgirl97]

Thanks everyone, I didn’t know I could cancel the gratuities and pay them later with OBC. Sounds like that is what will work best for me.

[OCSC Mike]

5 minutes ago, tallgirl97 said:

Thanks everyone, I didn’t know I could cancel the gratuities and pay them later with OBC. Sounds like that is what will work best for me.

 

We have more OBC than we're used to for our Utopia B2B's next year and will likely do the same thing.

[Iamthesea]

1 hour ago, tallgirl97 said:

Thanks everyone, I didn’t know I could cancel the gratuities and pay them later with OBC. Sounds like that is what will work best for me.

 

Unless I am missing something, there is no need to "lock-in" gratuities. Are they cheaper when paying before a cruise?  If not, do not pay them ahead of time, and there is no need to cancel. They will be automatically taken off of your credit each day.  

[smokeybandit]

There is no financial benefit to pre-paying gratuities. It's only a matter of choice to not have to have a bigger on board bill.

 

And yes I know gratuities can increase. But when they do you'll still have the opportunity at that time to pre-pay at the original rate.

Edited July 1 by smokeybandit

[Ken the cruiser]

Just to make sure, as we haven't cruised with RC for some time. Is it OK to use the nonrefundable OBC our TA gives us to pay the daily gratuity charge? When we cruise with NCL, we can't. Just wanted to double-check that we can use any type of OBC to pay for them on a RC cruise.

[smokeybandit]

9 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Just to make sure, as we haven't cruised with RC for some time. Is it OK to use the nonrefundable OBC our TA gives us to pay the daily gratuity charge? When we cruise with NCL, we can't. Just wanted to double-check that we can use any type of OBC to pay for them on a RC cruise.

Think of OBC as just a general fund. OBC will be applied to anything that goes onto your onboard account.

I'm sure there maybe some rare exception to that, but generally that's the case.

Edited July 8 by smokeybandit

[wallyj]

@Ken the cruiser, as @smokeybandithas replied, on RC, you can use any OBC to pay/cover the daily gratuities UNLIKE NCL.

 

I believe NCL also made change you cannot use OBC to buy Next Cruise deposits like I used to do, so essential you will have to SPEND as you probably also know, Casino use does not net against any OBC on NCL.

[Ken the cruiser]

1 minute ago, wallyj said:

@Ken the cruiser, as @smokeybandithas replied, on RC, you can use any OBC to pay/cover the daily gratuities UNLIKE NCL.

 

I believe NCL also made change you cannot use OBC to buy Next Cruise deposits like I used to do, so essential you will have to SPEND as you probably also know, Casino use does not net against any OBC on NCL.

Thanks! When we found out we couldn't use our TA's nonrefundable OBC booking perk to help pay the NCL DSC, we asked them if they could give us a rebate check instead, and they did.

[wallyj]

2 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Thanks! When we found out we couldn't use our TA's nonrefundable OBC booking perk to help pay the NCL DSC, we asked them if they could give us a rebate check instead, and they did.

Great!, depending on the cruise line, my TA will offer OBC, instant discount or rebate check after I have sailed. 

[QTBabyNurse]

You could use the onboard credit in the casino, couldn't you?

[Ken at the beach]

10 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Just to make sure, as we haven't cruised with RC for some time. Is it OK to use the nonrefundable OBC our TA gives us to pay the daily gratuity charge? When we cruise with NCL, we can't. Just wanted to double-check that we can use any type of OBC to pay for them on a RC cruise.

If the OBC is truly from the TA tghen it will be refundable. If it is non refundable then it is actually a pass through OBC that is from Royal.

[Ken the cruiser]

33 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

If the OBC is truly from the TA tghen it will be refundable. If it is non refundable then it is actually a pass through OBC that is from Royal.

That fine and it’s also probably based on the contract the TA has with each applicable cruise line. All I know is that we get a reasonable compensation as a booking perk when we have our TA handle our booking. We get it in the form of a price reduction when we book PCL, HAL, and Disney cruises, nonrefundable OBC posted to our onboard account on embarkation day when we book Celebrity and RCCL cruises, and a rebate check when we book a NCL or Crystal cruise.

 

Edited July 9 by Ken the cruiser