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Lovetocruise1950
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When I read posts about people being concerned that they won't spend all their OBC and have some left at the end of the cruise it makes me wonder what they do on board all day. We had £460 credit on our trip in June and it had all gone by the end of the first week. Do people not drink, shop, visit speciality restaurants or pay the £6 pppd service charges?

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When I read posts about people being concerned that they won't spend all their OBC and have some left at the end of the cruise it makes me wonder what they do on board all day. We had £460 credit on our trip in June and it had all gone by the end of the first week. Do people not drink, shop, visit speciality restaurants or pay the £6 pppd service charges?

 

 

 

We work on our final bill being equivalent to £100 a day. I've brought quite a lot of excursions in advance of our next cruise (which is somewhat unusual but I've gone for the easy option), also I've booked a number of speciality restaurants in advance, as I wanted to see all of the acts in the Limelight and go to the Epicurean on day one. So I'm a bit worried about our OBS which is £900 but I figure with gratuities, hydro pool, wine, coffee, more speciality bookings etc. it should be ok. It is annoying that we can't use OBS when pre-booking, but people probably spend more this way - committing and paying in advance for something they may change their mind about when onboard.

 

 

 

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When I read posts about people being concerned that they won't spend all their OBC and have some left at the end of the cruise it makes me wonder what they do on board all day. We had £460 credit on our trip in June and it had all gone by the end of the first week. Do people not drink, shop, visit speciality restaurants or pay the £6 pppd service charges?

 

I think thats the case for some folk though not us

Many fellow travellers have told us they would never visit a speciality restaurant as they have already paid for their food. On my recent Adonia cruise we had several lunches and one evening meal in the Glass House and apart from one occasion the restaurant was never more than one third full (and you can eat in there for £5 or £6!) I also think some don't drink much in the bars and restaurants to save money - once we had a couple like that at our table and they had a drink in their cabin (inside one) before they came out in the evening

 

Horses for courses - but its my holiday and I am enjoying it

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When I read posts about people being concerned that they won't spend all their OBC and have some left at the end of the cruise it makes me wonder what they do on board all day. We had £460 credit on our trip in June and it had all gone by the end of the first week. Do people not drink, shop, visit speciality restaurants or pay the £6 pppd service charges?

I pay the tips. But as for shopping, I've never seen that as a special holiday activity - we have shops at home, after all - and the idea of spending a couple of hundred pounds on food and drink on top of the unlimited free food and drink that's already available - not going to happen. (It helps that I don't actually like super-fancy fifty-ingredients food, and prefer tea to alcohol.)

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I pay the tips. But as for shopping, I've never seen that as a special holiday activity - we have shops at home, after all - and the idea of spending a couple of hundred pounds on food and drink on top of the unlimited free food and drink that's already available - not going to happen. (It helps that I don't actually like super-fancy fifty-ingredients food, and prefer tea to alcohol.)

 

I'm at one with you there. As someone who is looking forward to my first ever cruise next year, can I just ask - is it obvious on board which venues charge extra as opposed to being included in your fare, or do I need to start researching the subject?

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I'm at one with you there. As someone who is looking forward to my first ever cruise next year, can I just ask - is it obvious on board which venues charge extra as opposed to being included in your fare, or do I need to start researching the subject?

 

Yes it is pretty obvious. If staff are hanging about outside the venue, handing out fliers etc. it will be a paid for venue. It will also be indicated in the daily programmes.

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I think thats the case for some folk though not us

Many fellow travellers have told us they would never visit a speciality restaurant as they have already paid for their food. On my recent Adonia cruise we had several lunches and one evening meal in the Glass House and apart from one occasion the restaurant was never more than one third full (and you can eat in there for £5 or £6!) I also think some don't drink much in the bars and restaurants to save money - once we had a couple like that at our table and they had a drink in their cabin (inside one) before they came out in the evening

 

Horses for courses - but its my holiday and I am enjoying it

 

What's wrong with inside cabins ?????

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What's wrong with inside cabins ?????

I think the point isn't that there's anything wrong with inside cabins as a bedroom, but anyone who uses them as a cheap drinking zone might just be slightly too much in need of alcohol :(. I always have an inside cabin, but wouldn't want to hang out there.

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When I read posts about people being concerned that they won't spend all their OBC and have some left at the end of the cruise it makes me wonder what they do on board all day. We had £460 credit on our trip in June and it had all gone by the end of the first week. Do people not drink, shop, visit speciality restaurants or pay the £6 pppd service charges?

 

We've got £1550 for our next cruise!! It's 35 days so we will spend it. We'll probably do a couple of tours as we've done this itinerary a few times before - though we usually DIY. We love the Glass House and Beach House so we'll eat there a few (or more!) times. We'll also buy a bottle or two to drink in our cabin + water + mixers. Add that to our usual wine over dinner and drinks on deck, coffees etc - it's easily £300 per week. Apart from odds and ends we don't buy things in the shops.

Edited by tartanexile81
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Where do you get all this on board spending money? We were given £90, that wont last one day!

 

We received £400 per person as a booking offer on B730.

 

It's pure luck as to when you book. Although the current obc iffer has been running for some months.

 

 

With the original question, we did it last year. If you book excursions after the 72 hour cut off window, it's charged to your onboard account.

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Where do you get all this on board spending money? We were given £90, that wont last one day!

 

All depends when you book and length of cruise. We booked the one we've got £1550 for onboard and from previously experience we knew we'd get lots of obc by waiting till we then. We got £1400 plus we'll get £150 shareholders' benefits. BUT we've only for £250 for our next 24 day cruise :(

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My God, now that would give us a problem! £1400 OBC? We have a couple of drinks in the bar every evening and then wine with dinner. I think our last bill was £500 or so and that's without tips, so we would definitely have a problem spending that amount, as we hate organised excursions.

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We've got £1550 for our next cruise!! It's 35 days so we will spend it. We'll probably do a couple of tours as we've done this itinerary a few times before - though we usually DIY. We love the Glass House and Beach House so we'll eat there a few (or more!) times. We'll also buy a bottle or two to drink in our cabin + water + mixers. Add that to our usual wine over dinner and drinks on deck, coffees etc - it's easily £300 per week. Apart from odds and ends we don't buy things in the shops.

 

My God, now that would give us a problem! £1400 OBC? We have a couple of drinks in the bar every evening and then wine with dinner. I think our last bill was £500 or so and that's without tips, so we would definitely have a problem spending that amount, as we hate organised excursions.

 

As I said above. 5 weeks at £300 a week.

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To return to the topic of excursions; the shore excursion I wanted to book for my next cruise in five weeks is full, but there is an option to be waitlisted. Has anyone had any luck in being allocated a place on a waitlisted excursion? If there are enough passengers waitlisted would they be likely to provide an extra tour? Must say that I am very cross with myself for leaving things so late.

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We have been talking to P&O about this exact thing - my (non drinking) Mum and I are going on a two-week Med cruise on October 1st and we have £250 onboard spend each. We booked it via my travel agent and I thought we could book a couple of tours and the money would vanish no worries. But not so and P&O have told me the if we don't use it we loose it - now I'm worried my Mum, especially, may well have a surplus as she's not a designer shopper nor someone who likes to get herself pampered! She'd rather go for a nice walk, bless her!

It's a one off cruise for her and she won't fly so I want her to see what she wants to, but am also very wary about a big spend on top of our initial outlay beforehand when we have a lot to spend on board (we've got two single cabins)

So, I've no experience of booking tours onboard. Can anyone tell me how to go about it when we get on board (and where?) and how likely we are to be able to get booked? Obviously it'll be easier if we are flexible. I thought maybe book one that's very important to us beforehand and after that book one or two more on board if they really do have some availability - also reading other comments people are talking about wait-listing five weeks before sailing ..... that's got me worried. Can I ask where you're going please?!

I thought of phoning P&O for advice but I'm sure they'll try and get us to book ahead. My experience has been that I find their answers very much following a script.

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We have been talking to P&O about this exact thing - my (non drinking) Mum and I are going on a two-week Med cruise on October 1st and we have £250 onboard spend each. We booked it via my travel agent and I thought we could book a couple of tours and the money would vanish no worries. But not so and P&O have told me the if we don't use it we loose it - now I'm worried my Mum, especially, may well have a surplus as she's not a designer shopper nor someone who likes to get herself pampered! She'd rather go for a nice walk, bless her!

It's a one off cruise for her and she won't fly so I want her to see what she wants to, but am also very wary about a big spend on top of our initial outlay beforehand when we have a lot to spend on board (we've got two single cabins)

So, I've no experience of booking tours onboard. Can anyone tell me how to go about it when we get on board (and where?) and how likely we are to be able to get booked? Obviously it'll be easier if we are flexible. I thought maybe book one that's very important to us beforehand and after that book one or two more on board if they really do have some availability - also reading other comments people are talking about wait-listing five weeks before sailing ..... that's got me worried. Can I ask where you're going please?!

I thought of phoning P&O for advice but I'm sure they'll try and get us to book ahead. My experience has been that I find their answers very much following a script.

 

Booking on board is simplicity itself. There is a dedicated tours desk, usually adjacent to, near the reception and/or atrium, dedicated to booking (and selling) of tours. And, don't worry overmuch about using the OBC, a good chunk of it will be used up for the auto gratuities.

Edited by FangedRose
Thought of something else.
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