OBC Question

I'm sure that I've seen a previous thread where this was mentioned in passing, but I've searched to no avail. So here goes: If I purchase OBC and at the end of the cruise I still have credit left on my account, is it possible to get a cash refund or does it have to go back on a credit card?

I'm asking because, as a Canadian, I take an initial hit when I purchase the OBC in USD. Rather than take a second hit when it's converted back as a credit card credit, I'd rather take it in USD for use another time.

I know that RCI will allow you to do so (you need to set up a cash account on board), but I'm not sure about Celebrity.

I'm sure that I've seen a previous thread where this was mentioned in passing, but I've searched to no avail. So here goes: If I purchase OBC and at the end of the cruise I still have credit left on my account, is it possible to get a cash refund or does it have to go back on a credit card?

 

I'm asking because, as a Canadian, I take an initial hit when I purchase the OBC in USD. Rather than take a second hit when it's converted back as a credit card credit, I'd rather take it in USD for use another time.

 

I know that RCI will allow you to do so (you need to set up a cash account on board), but I'm not sure about Celebrity.

I don't have specific answer, but you can set up a cash account with X as well so maybe that means you can.

I don't have specific answer, but you can set up a cash account with X as well so maybe that means you can.

Not often that you are stumped for an answer! Now I don't feel so bad. :)

Make sure that Crown n Anchor helps get you set up with a Capt Club number. Then call them for your definite answer.

Now the work around is to look at your ship board account the last morning. If you have any monies left go to the casino, and take a draw against the account for what you have left. The only draw back is they will charge a 5% fee to do this. So it may not be any savings for you anyway.

I'm sure that I've seen a previous thread where this was mentioned in passing, but I've searched to no avail. So here goes: If I purchase OBC and at the end of the cruise I still have credit left on my account, is it possible to get a cash refund or does it have to go back on a credit card?

 

I'm asking because, as a Canadian, I take an initial hit when I purchase the OBC in USD. Rather than take a second hit when it's converted back as a credit card credit, I'd rather take it in USD for use another time.

 

I know that RCI will allow you to do so (you need to set up a cash account on board), but I'm not sure about Celebrity.

If you purchase the OBC then it's refundable in US cash from Guest Relations. If you have non-refundable OBC (from a promo or onboard booking) then you can cash it out (in US$) from the cashier at the casino and pay the 5% penalty. We just did this on our Solstice cruise last month.

If you purchase the OBC then it's refundable in US cash from Guest Relations. If you have non-refundable OBC (from a promo or onboard booking) then you can cash it out (in US$) from the cashier at the casino and pay the 5% penalty. We just did this on our Solstice cruise last month.

Wonderful, that's what I was hoping to hear. Did you have to switch to a cash onboard account or did you have a "norma"l credit card based account?

Wonderful, that's what I was hoping to hear. Did you have to switch to a cash onboard account or did you have a "norma"l credit card based account?

Credit card...we have a Sears MC which doesn't have a foreign transaction fee or an annual fee so we use that whenever we travel outside Canada. On this past cruise we had more OBC than we could use (not big shoppers and don't gamble) so we cashed out the last $105, gave up the $5 service fee and pocketed $100US. Not a bad deal considering it was non-refundable and would have lost it all if we hadn't spent it onboard...

Credit card...we have a Sears MC which doesn't have a foreign transaction fee or an annual fee so we use that whenever we travel outside Canada. On this past cruise we had more OBC than we could use (not big shoppers and don't gamble) so we cashed out the last $105, gave up the $5 service fee and pocketed $100US. Not a bad deal considering it was non-refundable and would have lost it all if we hadn't spent it onboard...

Thanks again. Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend!

Thanks again. Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend!

Thanks, you as well!!

If you purchase the OBC then it's refundable in US cash from Guest Relations. If you have non-refundable OBC (from a promo or onboard booking) then you can cash it out (in US$) from the cashier at the casino and pay the 5% penalty. We just did this on our Solstice cruise last month.

I have a question: how you did you get cash in casino? Did you purchase chips first and then exchange them for cash or just simply asked to give you certain amount of cash?

Thanks,

Mike

You just ask for cash. If you want $100 they will charge your SeaPass account $105. No chips involved.

If you purchase the OBC then it's refundable in US cash from Guest Relations. If you have non-refundable OBC (from a promo or onboard booking) then you can cash it out (in US$) from the cashier at the casino and pay the 5% penalty. We just did this on our Solstice cruise last month.

We have purchased OBC for our cruise plus we will have some OBC from our travel agent. So if I understand you correctly, we can go to Guest Relations at any time during our cruise and request some of our purchased OBC in US cash, but for the TA gifted OBC we have to get the cash from the casino by paying the 5% penalty.

Did GR charge any type of service fee for a cash withdrawal from your account?

We have set up a cash account for our sea pass expenses (done via express pass process). We also have a Sears MC with no foreign transaction fees but I would still rather take any left over OBC home in US cash to save for a future trip.

We have purchased OBC for our cruise plus we will have some OBC from our travel agent. So if I understand you correctly, we can go to Guest Relations at any time during our cruise and request some of our purchased OBC in US cash, but for the TA gifted OBC we have to get the cash from the casino by paying the 5% penalty.

 

Did GR charge any type of service fee for a cash withdrawal from your account?

 

We have set up a cash account for our sea pass expenses (done via express pass process). We also have a Sears MC with no foreign transaction fees but I would still rather take any left over OBC home in US cash to save for a future trip.

The only charge we incurred was cashing out our non-refundable obc in the casino. If we hadn't spent it onboard we would've lost it so the 5% was a fair price to pay. I definitely wouldn't want to put leftover refundable obc back on the cc since you may not pay a foreign tx fee but would prob lose out on the conversion to Cdn$. We also saved the refunded US$ for a future trip.

Question for you though, is TA-gifted obc non-refundable? I thought that anything purchased by anyone other than Celebrity would be refundable. Our obc was from a Celebrity promo, not from our TA.

The only charge we incurred was cashing out our non-refundable obc in the casino. If we hadn't spent it onboard we would've lost it so the 5% was a fair price to pay. I definitely wouldn't want to put leftover refundable obc back on the cc since you may not pay a foreign tx fee but would prob lose out on the conversion to Cdn$. We also saved the refunded US$ for a future trip.

 

Question for you though, is TA-gifted obc non-refundable? I thought that anything purchased by anyone other than Celebrity would be refundable. Our obc was from a Celebrity promo, not from our TA.

Your understanding is correct, TA's OBC is refundable.

Your understanding is correct, TA's OBC is refundable.

Thanks for confirming that...our TA pays our grats but if in the future she gives us OBC I'd like to know whether I need to spend or cash out :D

i'm sure this is pretty obvious, but if I want to use my OBC to go to a specialty restaurant, I will have to wait to book it until I get on the ship, correct?

i'm sure this is pretty obvious, but if I want to use my OBC to go to a specialty restaurant, I will have to wait to book it until I get on the ship, correct?

Correct!

Make sure that Crown n Anchor helps get you set up with a Capt Club number. Then call them for your definite answer.

 

Now the work around is to look at your ship board account the last morning. If you have any monies left go to the casino, and take a draw against the account for what you have left. The only draw back is they will charge a 5% fee to do this. So it may not be any savings for you anyway.

This is what we did. To clarify, you have to cash out prior to casino closing time on the last night of the cruise. The casino is closed the morning you arrive at your destination port.

Just wondering if you set up your account as cash would the casino still charge you the 5% services fee, I know on RCCL there will be no charge if your account is cash. Any idea?

OBC from the TA is always refundable, not the case with the cruiseline, however, once onboard, any credit you have from Celebrity will get posted to the account first.

We have purchased OBC for our cruise plus we will have some OBC from our travel agent. So if I understand you correctly, we can go to Guest Relations at any time during our cruise and request some of our purchased OBC in US cash, but for the TA gifted OBC we have to get the cash from the casino by paying the 5% penalty.

 

Did GR charge any type of service fee for a cash withdrawal from your account?

 

We have set up a cash account for our sea pass expenses (done via express pass process). We also have a Sears MC with no foreign transaction fees but I would still rather take any left over OBC home in US cash to save for a future trip.

I always set up my onboard account as cash so any monies left at the remainder of the cruise are given to me in US $$$. At the moment the exchange rate is sitting at just under 1.35 so a good time to buy if you have a few extra $$$.

I'm sure that I've seen a previous thread where this was mentioned in passing, but I've searched to no avail. So here goes: If I purchase OBC and at the end of the cruise I still have credit left on my account, is it possible to get a cash refund or does it have to go back on a credit card?

 

I'm asking because, as a Canadian, I take an initial hit when I purchase the OBC in USD. Rather than take a second hit when it's converted back as a credit card credit, I'd rather take it in USD for use another time.

 

I know that RCI will allow you to do so (you need to set up a cash account on board), but I'm not sure about Celebrity.

The only charge we incurred was cashing out our non-refundable obc in the casino. If we hadn't spent it onboard we would've lost it so the 5% was a fair price to pay. I definitely wouldn't want to put leftover refundable obc back on the cc since you may not pay a foreign tx fee but would prob lose out on the conversion to Cdn$. We also saved the refunded US$ for a future trip.

 

Question for you though, is TA-gifted obc non-refundable? I thought that anything purchased by anyone other than Celebrity would be refundable. Our obc was from a Celebrity promo, not from our TA.

Thanks for your reply.

My thoughts exactly with regards to not putting refundable OBC back onto the credit card.

I should have specified that the OBC we are getting from our travel agent is actually from a Celebrity promotion ($75 non-refundable). I'm sure we will have no problem spending that! :)

Thanks for your reply.

 

My thoughts exactly with regards to not putting refundable OBC back onto the credit card.

 

I should have specified that the OBC we are getting from our travel agent is actually from a Celebrity promotion ($75 non-refundable). I'm sure we will have no problem spending that! :)

Totally agree about being able to spend that amount easily enough. We had $400 from two promos and once we bought the dining package and some laundry we had nothing left to buy (we're not big shoppers, don't gamble and do non-ship excursions). We already had prepaid grats and beverage packages. There was enough leftover for some extra tips for our cabin stewards who did an awesome job and then cash for our future trips.

Our Feb 2016 b2b we only have the bev package as a promo so I did buy some obc when our dollar was more reasonable and will count on having some leftover for spending post-cruise in San Juan.

i'm sure this is pretty obvious, but if I want to use my OBC to go to a specialty restaurant, I will have to wait to book it until I get on the ship, correct?

We always book specialty restaurants on-line prior to boarding, once aboard we then purchase the Ultimate Dining Package. The on-line payments are then refunded back to our seapass account. On the last cruise evening we go to Guest Relations and change our account from Credit Card to Cash Account and the balance on our account is given in cash avoiding any transaction fees.

Does anyone know what exchange rate Celebrity is currently charging to buy OBC with Canadian dollars?