On Board Credit

[cruzemaven]

We received an OBC for a short 4 day cruise in August and would like to know if we can use it in advance to purchase specialty dining or salon appointments or must we wait until we board the ship? Also, any suggestions as to where best to apply the OBC would be appreciated…could we use it for gratuities or purchasing wi-fi ( if we need it)? Thanks in advance

[cruisestitch]

Because this gets asked so often I've compiled a list of things to spend OBC on. One thing I know of now that you CAN'T buy with OBC is a deposit on a Future Cruise. You need a credit card for that.  Also, there may be some card game in the casino with a cash only buy-in.   And if they do a fundraiser, like selling t-shirts to “save the reefs” and the like, expect to need cash for that.  Otherwise, here you go:

 

 

*Acupuncture

*Airport transfers

*Alcove Rental (some ships)

*Apple products etc. and Ilo unge classes

*Art Auction Purchases

*Babysitting

*Barber Shop services 

*Behind the Scenes Tours

*Beverages -- Alcoholic, carbonated soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas, bottled water — if not in your package, also beverages above your package limits

*Bingo and Deal or No Deal

*Bottles of wine

*Casino

*Chef’s Table

*Corkage charged if you bring your own bottles of wine to the MDR

*Duty free liquor and cigarettes

*Extra cost entrees and other items in Main Dining Room and specialty restaurants

*Extend Your Stay program

*Fitness classes

*Flowers

*Gelato

*Gift shop souvenirs, purses, watches, cosmetics, clothing, jewelry, etc.

*Gratuities, and extra gratuities

*Guests dining with you in Luminae (applies to Suite Passengers only)

*Guest entertainers' CD's and DVD's

*Hair and nail salon

*Hollywood hot glass experiences (some ships)

*Internet if not in your package, also Internet upcharges 

*IV therapy 

*Laundry/pressing/drycleaning

*Liquor Tasting events

*Luggage Valet

*Martini Flights

*Medical Center purchases 

*Mini bar

*Portrait photo sessions

*Pay-per-view movies

*Persian Gardens passes

*Personal Training Sessions

*Photos & cameras

*Room service fees

*Ryde spinning classes

*Shore Excursions

*Shuttle to town (some ports)

*Spa -- massages and treatments

*Specialty restaurants

*Teeth Whitening

*Telephone calls using ship's system

*Transfer to another passenger's account

*Voyage in Review DVD

*Wine and liquor tastings

*Zumba

 

They will always use non-refundable OBC first,  then refundable OBC, And if you run out of that then it goes on your credit card

[canderson]

17 minutes ago, cruzemaven said:

We received an OBC for a short 4 day cruise in August and would like to know if we can use it in advance to purchase specialty dining or salon appointments or must we wait until we board the ship? Also, any suggestions as to where best to apply the OBC would be appreciated…could we use it for gratuities or purchasing wi-fi ( if we need it)? Thanks in advance

That depends upon how you received the OBC.  If it shows up online in your cruise planner, then yes, you can use it in advance for any of the items you mention. However, some OBC does not appear in your folio until you board the ship.  Again, it depends upon how the OBC was obtained.

[leaveitallbehind]

While the information provided by @cruisestitch is very complete and accurate, the short answer is that with the exception of a future cruise deposit, all on board purchases will be charge without discretion as they occur against any non-refundable cruise issued OBC.  You cannot preselect or determine what it is applied to.

 

Pre cruise purchases through the planner will also use OBC first before being applied to your credit card.  These purchases are also refundable up to two days prior to sailing and reinstated to your OBC value.

 

Non-cruise line sponsored third party refundable OBC is applied second with any remaining balance returned to the source of purchase.

[LadyBerard]

1 hour ago, cruzemaven said:

We received an OBC for a short 4 day cruise in August and would like to know if we can use it in advance to purchase specialty dining or salon appointments or must we wait until we board the ship? Also, any suggestions as to where best to apply the OBC would be appreciated…could we use it for gratuities or purchasing wi-fi ( if we need it)? Thanks in advance

If the on board credit is from Celebrity, you can use it to purchase things in advance of your cruise.  If it is from a travel agent, you can't use it until your cruise starts.

[leaveitallbehind]

One thing to add, gratuities, when purchased in advance, typically are done so by way of credit card.  On board the charges are applied daily to your on board account and mitigated by OBC as described.

Edited July 3 by leaveitallbehind