Prepaid Onboard Credit

When you purchase onboard credit, is it refunded if you don't use it all?

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yes

As far as I can tell, you bought it and therefore it is refundable. It is your money.

Somebody, somebody will convince me why it is a good idea to give somebody your money in advance and then worry if it gets lost somewhere along the way, or there is some silly rule you have to deal with.

As far as I can tell, you bought it and therefore it is refundable. It is your money.

 

Somebody, somebody will convince me why it is a good idea to give somebody your money in advance and then worry if it gets lost somewhere along the way, or there is some silly rule you have to deal with.

That was my thinking as well. Some Canadian cruisers replied on another thread that it helps to get their money across the border to use in the casino. I hadn't thought of that reason. Otherwise, why would one want to give use of their money away and then worry about getting it back, just as you said?

We put everything on the credit card that gives 3% back on travel which is a great deal if you pay the bill on time and don't accrue interest.

That was my thinking as well. Some Canadian cruisers replied on another thread that it helps to get their money across the border to use in the casino. I hadn't thought of that reason. Otherwise, why would one want to give use of their money away and then worry about getting it back, just as you said?

 

We put everything on the credit card that gives 3% back on travel which is a great deal if you pay the bill on time and don't accrue interest.

The principle reason is for people outside the US who, depending on when you booked, can get massively better rates than you are charged by your credit card.

We bought OBC a few times lately which resulted in savings of about 20% on our onboard spend. As we were buying cruise credits this was significant.

Outside of that, I too struggle to see any particular reason to buy OBC.

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That was my thinking as well. Some Canadian cruisers replied on another thread that it helps to get their money across the border to use in the casino. I hadn't thought of that reason. Otherwise, why would one want to give use of their money away and then worry about getting it back, just as you said?

We put everything on the credit card that gives 3% back on travel which is a great deal if you pay the bill on time and don't accrue interest.

Yes I'm on board with working the CC. My banking relationship w/B of A gives me an extra 3/4 percent, so I always buy 2 $500 OBC certs. This adds $37.50 to my cash back pot. Having the bev/dine plan and OBC from my TA, I do not usually use much of this 1k. Also prepay DSC since I like getting all charges out of the way. If I feel like visiting the spa or buying something pricy, I have the money available but usually just get if refunded and recycle for next cruise.

We watch the market rates, sometimes we can grab obc at a better rate than bank rate.

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We watch the market rates, sometimes we can grab obc at a better rate than bank rate.

 

 

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Absolutely, you need to put the advantage on your side.

Okay, I get that bank rates move around.

But - how does anyone know that the rates today vs on the day of the cruise will change the GOOD way, vs the BAD way?

Okay, I get that bank rates move around.

 

 

 

But - how does anyone know that the rates today vs on the day of the cruise will change the GOOD way, vs the BAD way?

There are two factors.

Firstly, NCL rates tend to be pretty good anyway. They are very often a percent or two better than the general rate. On almost every cruise I have done the NCL rate has been at least a bit better than what I’d have been charged on my credit card.

More importantly though, they are set when you book. So if as a totally random example, you book a cruise and then the country where you reside votes to leave an economic union resulting in a large devaluation in its currency then you can find that you are locked into a massively better rate. One that day to day changes won’t even dent.

On the two cruises I took this year I was getting around $1.50 for every pound, whereas if I had been spending directly on my credit card I would have only got just over $1.20 per pound.

On our next cruise, I can buy OBC at a rate of $1.45/£1. The current rate I would be charged on my credit card is less than $1.3/£1. Of course I can wait until nearer the time before deciding whether to buy, but if the rate is still anything like that then I will certainly be buying some OBC.

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As far as I can tell, you bought it and therefore it is refundable. It is your money.

 

 

 

Somebody, somebody will convince me why it is a good idea to give somebody your money in advance and then worry if it gets lost somewhere along the way, or there is some silly rule you have to deal with.

It's works for me as I would spend it otherwise.

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That was my thinking as well. Some Canadian cruisers replied on another thread that it helps to get their money across the border to use in the casino. I hadn't thought of that reason. Otherwise, why would one want to give use of their money away and then worry about getting it back, just as you said?

 

We put everything on the credit card that gives 3% back on travel which is a great deal if you pay the bill on time and don't accrue interest.

Not all of us have credit cards. I pay it in advance so that I don't spend it and I don't have to worry about having enough.

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Another reason for buying onboard credit: I'm thinking of buying onboard credit as a way of pre-paying my DSC. I know you can pre-pay the DSC online, but you looks like you can only do it for your whole cabin and I don't know if my cabin mates want to do that.

Now, I've heard that you can't use onboard credit to pay for the DSC but I believe that is only the onboard credit that is given in bonus offers to you - I think the credit you buy yourself can be used for DSC.

I like having my entire vacation paid ahead of time!

That way I don't have to worry about money while on vacation, or any credit card debt afterwards. It's a vacation, so I try to be free from the worries of everyday life. And yes, I get a refund check back from NCL or my travel agent a couple months after the cruise, for any onboard credit that I did not spend. I don't think either one is going out of business soon, nor has faulty accountants, so my money is safe.