Is on-board credit refundable?

Hi everyone,we're new to cruising[will be going on the valor on Aug 25 for our first cruise]and have a question about on-board credit.We booked our cruise about 8 months ago ,and have since been getting early saver price reductions[i paid in full when I booked]so they have been putting it into on-board credit.We now have almost $1200. in on-board credit [between 2 cabins] and was wondering ,if at the end of the cruise we hadn't used all of it ,is the rest refunded or do you lose it. I've read on here you can turn on-board into cash in the casino but am not sure as we've read that some on-board has no cash value.We are VERY confused at this point.Any help will be appreciated.

According to the terms and conditions, it's non-refundable.

http://www.carnival.com/specials/early-saver.aspx

It does have cash value, however, and you should be able to "cash out" in the casino, or use it in any of the on board shops, etc.

Go to one of the ATMs on board. You can either get cash or apply it to a gift card. Or go to the casino, transfer it to your Bank, pull the slot, then cash out at the cage.

OBC from price drops is definately refunded, the link might say one thing but it will clearly be marked refundable on your onboard account (check it for yourself if you doubt my word).

It also says other things on carnival.com like you cant use it for tips and gambling which is also untrue... dont believe everything you read. Its good you asked here to find out that it is refundable and there is absolutely no need to get it out at the casino.

Go to one of the ATMs on board. You can either get cash or apply it to a gift card. Or go to the casino, transfer it to your Bank, pull the slot, then cash out at the cage.

I'm puzzled by your statement about going to the ATM?

What would be the purpose of that as far as your OBC is concerned?

Bill

I think Original Poster wants to know what is refundable at the end of the cruise and we may be confusing the issue a little, talking about cashing out.

OP - "refundable" at the end of the cruise and "nonrefundable" go with types of OBC. OBCs from price drops are non-refundable if you let the cruise end without spending that money somehow.

But spending it, getting it off your positive balance, can mean that you turned it into cash and put it in the safe! As a previous poster suggested and I will add:

- let it cover your gratuities for the hard-working staff

- if you tip extra for the room stewards, go to Guest Services and add it on as a deduction from your account. They will NOT add to the dining staff name-by-name in that way, just increase your whole gratuity amount, so we tip extra in envelopes for the dining staff.

- if you can choose several excursions and enjoy any one of them, wait til you board to book your excursions. They will be charged against the OBC. If one is sold out, you could be happy with another. (If you have your heart set on one, this might not be best.) If you book excursions through Carnival in advance, you have to pay by credit card.

- toward the end of the cruise, use your room TV or a kiosk to check your spending. If you have been to the gift shop, Bingo, coffee shop, art show, casino slots, or cocktail lounge - you may have more on that account than you realize!

- now it's time to visit the casino and cash out as much of that OBC as you want. It's nonrefundable if it's left over, but it's cash during the cruise. Let's say you have $500 left over. Go to a slot machine. Enter your casino pin-code and transfer $500 from your Sail and Sign card to your casino bank (a separate calculation, but on your card). Now, cash out of that machine. It goes to your casino bank; think of a different pants-pocket than the main Sail and Sign. Go to the casino cashier, ask to cash out. Use the same pin from the slot machine. They'll hand you $500 from the casino bank.

Hope you have a WONDERFUL cruise!

I'm puzzled by your statement about going to the ATM?

 

What would be the purpose of that as far as your OBC is concerned?

 

Bill

There are special ATMs on board. You can set up your account on them, check your balance and spending, add more obc to your card, or in your case, withdraw your Obc.

There are special ATMs on board. You can set up your account on them, check your balance and spending, add more obc to your card, or in your case, withdraw your Obc.

OK thank you for the reply. I haven't been on CCL in a couple years. Must be something new. Sounds like a good idea.:)

Bill

Thanks everyone for the quick responses.The special ATM sounds like the best option at this time[thou we probably won't have much left] .Can't wait to go on the cruise.

I have another question about these ATM's. Do they have them on all the CCL ships or just certain ones?

Bill

Related question:

We have 2 types of OBC, shareholder credit and a price drop after final payment.

We pre-booked our excursions and are not drinkers. Can both types be used for tips? Tips plus internet to be in touch with our son plus DW said I have to buy her something after our TA informed us of the latest price drop should take care of the 2 credits, but only if it can be used for tips.

I have another question about these ATM's. Do they have them on all the CCL ships or just certain ones?

 

Bill

Im not sure the kiosks are the same as the ATMS. I use the red kiosk on deck 5 on conquest to print out my statement. You can also feed bills into it.

I think the ATM machine in front of the purser's desk might be different, though I never checked it to be sure... but there is more than one of the red kiosks where you can see your spending (they charged me for a drink I didnt have so its good to check).

Related question:

 

We have 2 types of OBC, shareholder credit and a price drop after final payment.

 

We pre-booked our excursions and are not drinkers. Can both types be used for tips? Tips plus internet to be in touch with our son plus DW said I have to buy her something after our TA informed us of the latest price drop should take care of the 2 credits, but only if it can be used for tips.

You can use all OBC the same. Non refundable will be used first then refundable. It can be used for anything charged to your onboard account.

You can use all OBC the same. Non refundable will be used first then refundable. It can be used for anything charged to your onboard account.

Thank you. I'll still buy something for DW. She says she needs a new watch. On our last cruise, we had $25 more OBC than we expected, so I bought her a bracelet.

Hi everyone,we're new to cruising[will be going on the valor on Aug 25 for our first cruise]and have a question about on-board credit.We booked our cruise about 8 months ago ,and have since been getting early saver price reductions[i paid in full when I booked]so they have been putting it into on-board credit.We now have almost $1200. in on-board credit [between 2 cabins] and was wondering ,if at the end of the cruise we hadn't used all of it ,is the rest refunded or do you lose it. I've read on here you can turn on-board into cash in the casino but am not sure as we've read that some on-board has no cash value.We are VERY confused at this point.Any help will be appreciated.

On our June cruise we had $150 OBC that we did not use and it was refunded to us. We went down the night before to guest service and cashed it out.

Hi everyone,we're new to cruising[will be going on the valor on Aug 25 for our first cruise]and have a question about on-board credit.We booked our cruise about 8 months ago ,and have since been getting early saver price reductions[i paid in full when I booked]so they have been putting it into on-board credit.We now have almost $1200. in on-board credit [between 2 cabins] and was wondering ,if at the end of the cruise we hadn't used all of it ,is the rest refunded or do you lose it. I've read on here you can turn on-board into cash in the casino but am not sure as we've read that some on-board has no cash value.We are VERY confused at this point.Any help will be appreciated.

I had OBC remaining at the end of a cruise. It was only $8.00, but Carnival put a check under my door before I woke up on debarkation day. I had been told at the service desk that it would be mailed. I was surprised to get a check.

Or go to the casino, transfer it to your Bank, pull the slot, then cash out at the cage.

^^^ THIS.

Or go to the casino, transfer it to your Bank, pull the slot, then cash out at the cage.

 

^^^ THIS.

Isn't it easier to go to the purser's desk?? Maybe because Im platinum (so I can go to the platinum line at the purser's desk) and know its refundable, except for a small amount that is nonrefundable, I dont feel the need to resort to tricks like this... and have to set up a account in the casino (I rarely gamble and use cash if I do, so its something extra for no reason to do to me)

Also, if you try this trick a few times they cut you off knowing what you are doing. Some do it to up their accounts on their Carnival MCs for instance, and then pull out cash and do it to get double points. They are onto this trick. And will look to see if you are really gambling or just pulling cash out mostly.

Isn't it easier to go to the purser's desk?? Maybe because Im platinum (so I can go to the platinum line at the purser's desk) and know its refundable, except for a small amount that is nonrefundable, I dont feel the need to resort to tricks like this... and have to set up a account in the casino (I rarely gamble and use cash if I do, so its something extra for no reason to do to me)

 

Also, if you try this trick a few times they cut you off knowing what you are doing. Some do it to up their accounts on their Carnival MCs for instance, and then pull out cash and do it to get double points. They are onto this trick. And will look to see if you are really gambling or just pulling cash out mostly.

I supposed it could be easier for a platinum member to go to the platinum line.. but I gamble enough ( and lose enough :eek: ) that the casino is never going to "cut me off." - If one sees it as "resorting to tricks" .. so be it. The way I see it, it is my money and simply one way to access it.

( A tip I learned on Cruise Critic before my first cruise...invaluable ! )

Your documents will list the amounts of refundable and non refundable on board credit. The non refundable amounts are used first.

Most of your money. If you have any leftover will be refundable. We received a check for $530 when we left the Dream last year. We also received a check for over $670 in the mail last week from our Breeze cruise.

Or go to the casino, transfer it to your Bank, pull the slot, then cash out at the cage.

 

^^^ THIS.

I supposed it could be easier for a platinum member to go to the platinum line.. but I gamble enough ( and lose enough :eek: ) that the casino is never going to "cut me off." - If one sees it as "resorting to tricks" .. so be it. The way I see it, it is my money and simply one way to access it.

( A tip I learned on Cruise Critic before my first cruise...invaluable ! )

Im just going by what you wrote.. pull the slot (singular) and cash out at the casino window.. then you now want to take issue that the casino would see this as a trick if tried repeatedly (like 3 nights in a row, the 3rd night some have reported being cut off).

For me, since I rarely gamble, it would be a trick as I stated to get nonrefundable OBC back this way.

I will have a bunch of nonrefundable OBC on my milestone cruise, but this would not work for me as a non gambler to pull this much out.

If I gambled and knew how to set up a account at the slot machine, or got someone to help me, it would work ..but Im just planning on spending it on a nice watch and some excursions or whatever.

For you, I can see how it would work.

Im just going by what you wrote.. pull the slot (singular) and cash out at the casino window.. then you now want to take issue that the casino would see this as a trick if tried repeatedly (like 3 nights in a row, the 3rd night some have reported being cut off).

 

For me, since I rarely gamble, it would be a trick as I stated to get nonrefundable OBC back this way.

 

I will have a bunch of nonrefundable OBC on my milestone cruise, but this would not work for me as a non gambler to pull this much out.

It was actually a quote from a poster prior to me ( CCrusieQueen ) FF - but I'm not going to argue apples and oranges with you. and I am not "taking any issue".. other that you are consistently negative on every post I make... same issue occured in 2012 when I was learning about my first cruise. I should have learned from the other posters and blocked you by now.

Atleast you are consistent.

It was actually a quote from a poster prior to me ( CCrusieQueen ) FF - but I'm not going to argue apples and oranges with you. and I am not "taking any issue".. other that you are consistently negative on every post I make... same issue occured in 2012 when I was learning about my first cruise. I should have learned from the other posters and blocked you by now.

Atleast you are consistent.

You are the one who started this.. by arguing with my verbage FOR ME IT WOULD BE A TRICK.

For heavens sake.. PLEASE put me on ignore. I find you argumentative.

Anyway -

Returning to the OP....

Some of the "OBC" is in the form of Cruise Cash now.. which states "use it or lose it"...

While some OBC is from price drops etc - definitely refundable.

EIther way - make sure you have enough cash for ports - that was the dilemna I found myself in.. too much OBC and not enough cash...

and have a great time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You go 2 months before we do - I am so jealous !!!!!!!!!:D:D:D

Sorry to ramble.. another option is to buy Carnival Gift cards, for which you would get your balance back ON a gift card at the end. Not as good as cash, but better than losing it !! :)

Sorry to ramble.. another option is to buy Carnival Gift cards, for which you would get your balance back ON a gift card at the end. Not as good as cash, but better than losing it !! :)

Yes, the kiosks (what I called ATMs) have an option to transfer unused OBC to a gift card to be used on a future cruise.