On Board Credit

If I purchased onboard credit before my cruise would I still have to provide a credit card when we embark? I would like to avoid giving my credit card and I don't want to carry a lot of cash.

yes, it is best to setup the account as cash instead of credit

when we embarked a few weeks ago, I had $170 in OBC saved up, and gave them $100 cash for our account. We did a back to back, and only spent about $50 of it, so they gave me $100 cash back at the end, and are hopefully sending a check for the remainder. I was surprised that it was so easy, and they didn't give me a hard time about the $100. But we had pre-paid all of our gratuities, so it was no problem.

Super easy to set up a cash account, you just go to guest services once on board:)

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I've done a cash account before but this is a 10 day cruise, myself and hubby. NCL wants $900 for a cash account. Will be spending time in Rome before cruise and don't want to have large amount of cash on hand. I'm thinking I'll purchase onboard credit in that amount and if we don't use all of it they can give us a check to take home. Excursions will take most of it. And we prepaid the service charge. Can I just show that we have that amount in onboard credit when we embark?

we were on 2 seven day cruises, and they accepted the $100 cash, no question, even though the website says different. If you get close to the amount you have in OBC plus the cash, I have read that they will freeze your account until you give them more. But I really think you'll be ok with a smaller amount. I had pre-purchased $170 in OBC, and pre-paid our DSC for both cruises. When I gave them the cash at guest services, they had our OBC amount available so they had that when I checked in.

Be aware though that they would only give me the cash amount we had given them upon embarkation ($100) and would not give us the rest of the OBC, but said they would mail a check to us.

Thank you for the responses. Sounds like we'll be ok with the OBC. Our excursions will take most of the 900 so we may end up adding some cash part way through the cruise.

Do you know if the excursions will be deducted the first day of the cruise or as we do each port?

I will be keeping a close eye on our account to make sure we always have credit available for what we need, ha ha, but good to know the timing of deductions.

Another suggestion to carrying a lot of cash is a have a no foreign transaction fee CC ie Capital One, and withdraw the $$$'s before you board the ship.

Just a thought.

Thank you for the responses. Sounds like we'll be ok with the OBC. Our excursions will take most of the 900 so we may end up adding some cash part way through the cruise.

Do you know if the excursions will be deducted the first day of the cruise or as we do each port?

I will be keeping a close eye on our account to make sure we always have credit available for what we need, ha ha, but good to know the timing of deductions.

We just got off the Star last week. I had purchased $1000 refundable OBC before we went because we had the shore excursion credit as one of our perks. We were charged the first day for all of the shore excursions I had prebooked. I had booked this cruise before the discount for shore excursions started so I went to the shore excursions desk after getting on the ship and they adjusted the cost of each excursion. If you happen to have the shore excursion credit as a perk they apply the $50 credit for each port only after you complete each excursion. We still had a refundable credit on our account towards the end of the cruise and they sent us a letter explaining how it could be handled if we had money left over. Of course we spent it all so we didn’t need to worry about getting any back. Enjoy your cruise.

I like the part where you say 'of course we spent it all' so didn't have to worry about how you wanted it back. LOL exactly what I would/will be doing!

And we also have the excursion credit but haven't called to book them yet as we still have 8 months to go. Will probably try to book them in January. Am waiting to see if any new ones get listed.

Thank you for the responses. Sounds like we'll be ok with the OBC. Our excursions will take most of the 900 so we may end up adding some cash part way through the cruise.

Do you know if the excursions will be deducted the first day of the cruise or as we do each port?

I will be keeping a close eye on our account to make sure we always have credit available for what we need, ha ha, but good to know the timing of deductions.

As another option, you can always purchase before you leave a prepaid card (Visa or Mastercard) most banks carry them. Just purchase the amount you want to put on your account and then give it to them at check in.

If you purchase on board credit through Norwegian's website using a credit card will the credit card company consider it a cash advance?

Honestly wondering... If you're using a credit card to buy obc why the aversion to giving them a credit card at check in? It's going on your credit card either way.

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If you purchase on board credit through Norwegian's website using a credit card will the credit card company consider it a cash advance?

no, it should be a regular purchase. a cash advance is something that can be done at the guest services or the casino

Honestly wondering... If you're using a credit card to buy obc why the aversion to giving them a credit card at check in? It's going on your credit card either way.

 

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credit card holds. depending on your credit card company, when Norwegian places a 200 dollar hold on your card that sometimes decrease the available balance on that card until the hold is removed. some people forget this and wonder why their card is declined if they use it

I know. We're still tossing the idea around. If I buy it now, and they are only giving the option for a credit card, then I can pay it off before we even go and have a finite amount to spend while on the cruise. I would like to have it all paid before we go and not have to carry a large sum of money to the ship. So just wondering.

no, it should be a regular purchase. a cash advance is something that can be done at the guest services or the casino

 

 

credit card holds. depending on your credit card company, when Norwegian places a 200 dollar hold on your card that sometimes decrease the available balance on that card until the hold is removed. some people forget this and wonder why their card is declined if they use it

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Thank you for the response shof515, I had forgotten about the hold.

As another option, you can always purchase before you leave a prepaid card (Visa or Mastercard) most banks carry them. Just purchase the amount you want to put on your account and then give it to them at check in.

You may run into the hold issue here. If you have $800 of credit on the card and the first day, a $400 hold is placed, it won’t cover an $800 final charge.

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