can I buy OBCs in advance, via the celebrity website?

[trinitygirl]

Hi there, on another thread there was mention of people buying on board credits in advance of their cruise, to cover things they charge to their ship account. I love this idea because our dollar is currently very high and I am pre-paying as much of my trip to the US right now as I can (via creditcard, I don't want to buy more traveller's cheques = the exchange rate is much poorer and they are increasingly difficult to use). Obviously its much too early to pre=pay for expeditions etc but buying an OBC would have the same effect. I have had a look at my reservation page on My Celebrity but I can't see anywhere that I could do this - does anyone have any advice?

 

many thanks.

[kkid]

Since that can lower the ticket price, our travel agent provides an OBC. So there must be a way. You might ask your TA.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

You should be able to purchase onboard credits. Try this #

To Place an order by fax

Dial: 800-882-8292 Outside of the U.S.: 305-982-2406

 

Looks like you can also order on line.

 

I found it on Celebrity's site under Shop Celebrity and search On Board Credit.

 

Mary Lou

[trinitygirl]

I found it on Celebrity's site under Shop Celebrity and search On Board Credit.

 

Mary Lou

 

thank you! that is perfect. :)

[gracecarmo]

OBC: keep in mind, that if you want to use some of the OBC money in the casino, you may be charged 3%.

I don't know if this is true for the type of OBC you will apply for, but other OBC's are charged the 3% for casino cash.

[hajekfam]

It's not on the My Celebrity page - it's at the bottom of the first page of Celebrity's website under Shop Celebrity.

Select Order Celebrity Gifts, the Shop Celebrity page comes up.

Select Gifts by Celebrity, on the page that comes up select Delivery Aboard

On the next page that comes up, on the side menu select Onboard Credit

Click on the Onboard Credit square, and you will see a listing of the various types of onboard credit you can get. By clicking the type of credit you want, you can purchase online or you can phone or fax your order in.

[sunlovermtl]

Hi there, on another thread there was mention of people buying on board credits in advance of their cruise, to cover things they charge to their ship account. I love this idea because our dollar is currently very high and I am pre-paying as much of my trip to the US right now as I can (via creditcard, I don't want to buy more traveller's cheques = the exchange rate is much poorer and they are increasingly difficult to use). Obviously its much too early to pre=pay for expeditions etc but buying an OBC would have the same effect. I have had a look at my reservation page on My Celebrity but I can't see anywhere that I could do this - does anyone have any advice?

 

many thanks.

 

Hello we did this for our last cruise. However beware. If your booking is done in Canadian funds they will give you their Canadian rate. In March their exchange rate was better than the bank so we did call in our OBC order. However right now it is better to just take out us money and put it against your charge account when you get there.

 

Claudette

[Cindy G]

If you buy casino OBC, you are not charged the 3%.

[trinitygirl]

thanks everyone; v helpful. i don't gamble so this is not an issue, and my booking is in US dollars so that is not an issue either - I had planned to buy today but instead of hitting 85 cents, the dollar dropped a point so I'll wait and see what happens tomorrow.

 

just one last question - if you have left over OBCs will they cash them out (transfer them back to your credit card) at the end of the cruise, or do you have to leave them there for another cruise? I'm trying to work out as closely as possible how big my account will be (2 excursions I am not organising independently, tips, drinks etc) so that this does not happen, but just in case ... any info?

 

thanks again!

[CHEZMARYLOU]

thanks everyone; v helpful. i don't gamble so this is not an issue, and my booking is in US dollars so that is not an issue either - I had planned to buy today but instead of hitting 85 cents, the dollar dropped a point so I'll wait and see what happens tomorrow.

 

just one last question - if you have left over OBCs will they cash them out (transfer them back to your credit card) at the end of the cruise, or do you have to leave them there for another cruise? I'm trying to work out as closely as possible how big my account will be (2 excursions I am not organising independently, tips, drinks etc) so that this does not happen, but just in case ... any info?

 

thanks again!

 

Can't answer this one. We've never had left over OBCs once the wine purchases are added up.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Mary Lou

[VistaRio]

If you buy casino OBC, you are not charged the 3%.

 

So you are saying if you buy the 'unspecified' OBC you will be charged 3% then? Looking at the gift categories, I wondered why there is different categories (Bar / Spa / Casino, etc). What would be the point of buying a Bar credit (as opposed to general?

[trinitygirl]

So you are saying if you buy the 'unspecified' OBC you will be charged 3% then? Looking at the gift categories, I wondered why there is different categories (Bar / Spa / Casino, etc). What would be the point of buying a Bar credit (as opposed to general?

 

I wondered that too; given that they are advertised as gifts, viewed from one angle it seems a bit controlling (here you go, have $25 to spend only in the spa, not the casino) but i guess viewed from the other angle it allows you to personalise your gift a bit more than just giving someone money. but none of that really explains why the casino credit includes the 3% - i followed it through to checkout and they don't add any extra to the total.

[GD2J]

I wondered that too; given that they are advertised as gifts, viewed from one angle it seems a bit controlling (here you go, have $25 to spend only in the spa, not the casino) but i guess viewed from the other angle it allows you to personalise your gift a bit more than just giving someone money. but none of that really explains why the casino credit includes the 3% - i followed it through to checkout and they don't add any extra to the total.

 

So on the ship, they can they tell the type of OBC you have purchased? I always thought OBC was OBC. So if I bought the casino OBC, I could not use those funds at the bar for a drink?

[VistaRio]

I'm glad I am not the only one thinking that this did not make sense.

 

Hopefully some one comes along with an answer.

[Pushkin]

If you buy casino OBC, you are not charged the 3%.

 

I was on the April TA and purchase OBC for casino use prior to cruise (based on post on CC). Well, when I attempted to use the OBC in the casino, I was told by the manager that there was a 3% charge. I was not happy about it as it did not mention this on the Celebrity website. After I complained to Guest Services and again at the casino, they "gave" me my money without the charge.

 

Just wanted to make sure no one is surprised if they get charged.:mad:

[Pushkin]

So on the ship, they can they tell the type of OBC you have purchased? I always thought OBC was OBC. So if I bought the casino OBC, I could not use those funds at the bar for a drink?

 

 

Again, on my TA in April when I was having trouble using my "Casino Credits" without the 3% charge, I was told that an OBC is an OBC -- you can use it for anything. But, if you want to use it to get cash, there is a 3% charge.

[GD2J]

If that's that case (and it sounds like it is), then the Celebrity site basically has 6 or so OBC purchase that in the end, all do the same thing: put an OBC on your account to use for any purchase.

 

Seems silly to have multiple purchase options for only one thing.

[VistaRio]

If that's that case (and it sounds like it is), then the Celebrity site basically has 6 or so OBC purchase that in the end, all do the same thing: put an OBC on your account to use for any purchase.

 

Seems silly to have multiple purchase options for only one thing.

 

Maddening.

 

Chalk this one up with Bigfoot, Nessie, and Atlantas: mysteries destined never to be solved.

[fotocruiser]

If you buy casino OBC, you are not charged the 3%.

 

Sorry, but that is not true. I bought the casino OBC prior to sailing on our Solstice TA in April based on what someone in the roll call said. When I went to use it at the casino, the cashier told me that there was a 3% charge. The casino manager also confirmed that. I ended up using the OBC for general purposes and not in the casino.

[Cindy G]

We bought our own casino OBC before our departure and we were not charge the 3% upcharge on the Infinity in Jan. 2009. We cashed it at the casino cashier's register with no difficulty. We got our cash and then went directly to the slot machines. Again, no 3% surcharge anywhere along the way.

 

We have been told this will not apply unless it's specifically a casino credit.

[VistaRio]

We bought our own casino OBC before our departure and we were not charge the 3% upcharge on the Infinity in Jan. 2009. We cashed it at the casino cashier's register with no difficulty. We got our cash and then went directly to the slot machines. Again, no 3% surcharge anywhere along the way.

 

We have been told this will not apply unless it's specifically a casino credit.

 

There are 3 or 4 folks in this thread claiming the exact opposite. It is frustrating that this policy is not published clearly or enforced consistently. Luck of the draw I suppose.

[fotocruiser]

There are 3 or 4 folks in this thread claiming the exact opposite. It is frustrating that this policy is not published clearly or enforced consistently. Luck of the draw I suppose.

 

It is also frustrating that I relied on information on these boards when I purchased my OBC. I completely agree that X needs to publish a clear policy on this issue, and then needs to consistently enforce it across all ships. But then again, why would they start a trend with this policy when it seems they don't do it with other policies. ;)