OBC - Service Charge?

Can we use our OBC to pay the $12/day service day?

Usually yes. Occasionally there are certain OBC's that state they cannot be used. Once on board, mostly the credits appear as just that and no on can tell a difference. You should be fine.

Since this is debated quite frequently, hope this recent thread helps.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1521963&highlight=obc

Can we use our OBC to pay the $12/day service day?

Yes, even though many will tell you know. Never heard of anyone with a problem.

Since you are new here, a hearty welcome aboard. See my link below for more help.

had 125 obc from ncl for a booking and used mine last week with no problem

Yes ;)

You better check again - my daughter and son-in-law just got off the Jewel this AM and although their daily invoice showed the OBC being applied for the service charges, the last night it all changed and their credit card was charged $98 and it showed they had a forfeited non-refundable OBC of approx. the same amount.

They (NCL) said they changed their policy starting January 1st, 2012 and supposedly had left that information in the stateroom - but my daughter said she did not get it. If she had, she sure would have done things differently (rather than unknowingly forfeiting the OBC).

It was their first NCL cruise - and now probably their last. What a way to ruin a cruise!

You better check again - my daughter and son-in-law just got off the Jewel this AM and although their daily invoice showed the OBC being applied for the service charges, the last night it all changed and their credit card was charged $98 and it showed they had a forfeited non-refundable OBC of approx. the same amount.

 

They (NCL) said they changed their policy starting January 1st, 2012 and supposedly had left that information in the stateroom - but my daughter said she did not get it. If she had, she sure would have done things differently (rather than unknowingly forfeiting the OBC).

 

It was their first NCL cruise - and now probably their last. What a way to ruin a cruise!

Wow. I'd be upset too!

You better check again - my daughter and son-in-law just got off the Jewel this AM and although their daily invoice showed the OBC being applied for the service charges, the last night it all changed and their credit card was charged $98 and it showed they had a forfeited non-refundable OBC of approx. the same amount.

 

They (NCL) said they changed their policy starting January 1st, 2012 and supposedly had left that information in the stateroom - but my daughter said she did not get it. If she had, she sure would have done things differently (rather than unknowingly forfeiting the OBC).

 

It was their first NCL cruise - and now probably their last. What a way to ruin a cruise!

Have them call NCL. Since this is a new policy I'm guessing that for $98, NCL will make it right.

 

You better check again - my daughter and son-in-law just got off the Jewel this AM and although their daily invoice showed the OBC being applied for the service charges, the last night it all changed and their credit card was charged $98 and it showed they had a forfeited non-refundable OBC of approx. the same amount.

That's just awful!

What was the source of the OBC? (NCL or travel agent? NCL booking incentive? NCL MasterCard points?)

Woody

You better check again - my daughter and son-in-law just got off the Jewel this AM and although their daily invoice showed the OBC being applied for the service charges, the last night it all changed and their credit card was charged $98 and it showed they had a forfeited non-refundable OBC of approx. the same amount.

 

They (NCL) said they changed their policy starting January 1st, 2012 and supposedly had left that information in the stateroom - but my daughter said she did not get it. If she had, she sure would have done things differently (rather than unknowingly forfeiting the OBC).

 

It was their first NCL cruise - and now probably their last. What a way to ruin a cruise!

I would have them contact NCL and send them copies of the earlier statements using the OBC and then the final invoice reversing it. If NCL wants to make it so OBC cannot be used for the DSC that is one thing, but to show it being used and then later reverse it, is totally unfair. They could have bought a FCC for an extra $52 out of pocket and had $250 towards another cruise, if they had known.

That's just awful!

 

What was the source of the OBC? (NCL or travel agent? NCL booking incentive? NCL MasterCard points?)

 

Woody

They said it was from the travel agent. I was told by the travel agent we were getting $200, but NCL somehow broke it down into $100, $50, $15, $15, $10 and $10. $70 was refundable and $130 non-refundable. We asked for a copy of our stateroom charges about every other day and each time it showed that the non-refundable credit was being used for the service charges (the non-ref balance declined and we had no other charges than the service charges). So, we were quite surprised when the final invoice showed that they charged us and also forfeited our non-ref credits. We waited until the final night before purchasing anything onboard just to make sure all gratuities/service charges were covered.

 

They said it was from the travel agent. I was told by the travel agent we were getting $200, but NCL somehow broke it down into $100, $50, $15, $15, $10 and $10. $70 was refundable and $130 non-refundable. We asked for a copy of our stateroom charges about every other day and each time it showed that the non-refundable credit was being used for the service charges (the non-ref balance declined and we had no other charges than the service charges). So, we were quite surprised when the final invoice showed that they charged us and also forfeited our non-ref credits. We waited until the final night before purchasing anything onboard just to make sure all gratuities/service charges were covered.

That's just not right. You did everything humanly possible to ensure that you were applying your OBCs properly. Then NCL pulls this nonsense.

You were treated unfairly, and I truly hope NCL corrects their mistake.

Woody

My wife and I are booked on the Sky in April. Our PCC stated in an email that our OBC can be used for anything onboard, "excluding tips and gratuity", referring to the DSC.

My wife and I are booked on the Sky in April. Our PCC stated in an email that our OBC can be used for anything onboard, "excluding tips and gratuity", referring to the DSC.

NCL treats "tips and gratuities" differently than the DSC for them to say "excluding tips and gratuity" while meaning the DSC would be wrong on so many levels.

I have never had a problem, but my charges are usually more than $1000 - so it all washes together. Just use your pass for all you buy on-board and it works out. A $200 OBC could be spent on a wine package, a couple of nights at the specialty restaurants, or Spa, or shopping.

Good to know there was a policy change for 2012. It seems NCL is still in the process of updating some of the documents. We have $500 OBC from several sources.

$100 Lattitudes NCL

$200 TA OBC

$200 Purchased Bon Voyage that we got for Christmas

I was budgeting to use some of this for the DSC. Do they break out on your account the refundable, the non-refundable and the use for anything/anytime OBC's?

Good to know there was a policy change for 2012. It seems NCL is still in the process of updating some of the documents. We have $500 OBC from several sources.

 

$100 Lattitudes NCL

$200 TA OBC

$200 Purchased Bon Voyage that we got for Christmas

 

I was budgeting to use some of this for the DSC. Do they break out on your account the refundable, the non-refundable and the use for anything/anytime OBC's?

Yes, after a day or two, the credits will post on your account and you will be able to see how much is refundable and how much is non-refundable. Additionally, the stateroom invoice will show both your balance and a non-refundable balance.

In our case, we planned all along to use the OBC to cover the service charges (which was allowed at the time we booked) since NCL doesn't seem to offer free prepaid grat deals. We rarely spend more than $50 during a cruise.

I am just off the Epic and I had $150 in nonrefundable OBC, I got it during an NCL promotion. The second night I a letter delivered to my stateroom regarding my OBC. It stated it could not be used for the daily service charge but could be used towards anything else.

NCL treats "tips and gratuities" differently than the DSC for them to say "excluding tips and gratuity" while meaning the DSC would be wrong on so many levels.

I agree and I think the inconsistency on NCL's part fuels the debate. When I read what the discretionary service charge covers and their own statements (as quoted before) it looks like baseline gratuity. You can give extra for exemplary service but I read it as NCL views it as the basic tips and gratuity.

Hi Guys.

At what point in time, and how do you know you have received OBC for your stateroom...

Thankyou.

Regards Bob.:p:p:p

Hi Guys.

 

At what point in time, and how do you know you have received OBC for your stateroom...

 

Thankyou.

 

Regards Bob.:p:p:p

Usually at the time of booking from your TA or through a promotion from NCL.

Just back from the Sky on 1/19, and our unused non-refundable onboard credit from the travel agent was not applied to the $12 a day, and instead went unused. Guest services staff said it is a new NCL policy and wouldn't apply the credit. I don't know what any fine print from the TA said since I negotiated the OBC via the phone and have never run into this issue on any cruise line. We don't always spend a lot on our cruises (different strokes . . .) so a large OBC won't add much to our vacation experience. This will definitely affect the way we compare and book cruises. It is already affecting my thinking regarding an April transatlantic trip on the Epic with a nice $150 OBC.

Just back from the Sky on 1/19, and our unused non-refundable onboard credit from the travel agent was not applied to the $12 a day, and instead went unused. Guest services staff said it is a new NCL policy and wouldn't apply the credit. I don't know what any fine print from the TA said since I negotiated the OBC via the phone and have never run into this issue on any cruise line. We don't always spend a lot on our cruises (different strokes . . .) so a large OBC won't add much to our vacation experience. This will definitely affect the way we compare and book cruises. It is already affecting my thinking regarding an April transatlantic trip on the Epic with a nice $150 OBC.

Well the lesson here is, that it certainly pays to get and read the fine print on OBC's.

BTW guest services were wrong, it isn't a new policy, just new in their accounting program that allows them to apply it.

I brought this up on CC prior to my Feb sailing, that certain OBC's could not be used for this. At that time the ship's on board account program was unable to tell the difference. I guess now they got that glitch fixed :)

Just back from the Sky on 1/19, and our unused non-refundable onboard credit from the travel agent was not applied to the $12 a day, and instead went unused. Guest services staff said it is a new NCL policy and wouldn't apply the credit. I don't know what any fine print from the TA said since I negotiated the OBC via the phone and have never run into this issue on any cruise line. We don't always spend a lot on our cruises (different strokes . . .) so a large OBC won't add much to our vacation experience. This will definitely affect the way we compare and book cruises. It is already affecting my thinking regarding an April transatlantic trip on the Epic with a nice $150 OBC.

Thanks for posting this! I think you're about the third person to return this year who's had this happen. Like che said, this isn't really a new policy for NCL. That fine print has always been there about not being able to use OBC towards the DSC. What is totally new is that they are actually enforcing it. Up until this year, they've never made a distinction between the types of OBC.

On the one hand, it's good to know that they've finally gotten around to matching procedure with policy. But they have to know that experienced cruisers aren't expecting this so it does seem a little underhanded of them not to communicate this change appropriately to their guests.