OBC cannot be used towards gratuities!

DebbieCruises was corrected and apologized for the incorrect info. Agree we just returned from a B2B cruise (24 March and 31 March) on the Equinox and nothing has changed from our past Celebrity cruises concerning the use of OBC. No matter if it's refundable or nonrefundable OBC.

Thanks for the heads up, did not see it in time...

bon voyage

We have also been able in the past to use the OBC towards the gratuities, so were somewhat surprised to read the small print saying differently. We have used an American Travel Agent, one we have used on countless occasions previously. It isn't a problem, we just thought it was a new introduction.

Here is a copy of the small print:-

We have also been able in the past to use the OBC towards the gratuities, so were somewhat surprised to read the small print saying differently. We have used an American Travel Agent, one we have used on countless occasions previously. It isn't a problem, we just thought it was a new introduction.

 

Here is a copy of the small print:-

 

 

Terms and conditions:

Offer is valid for new web-made bookings only, and isn't combinable with any other offer or coupons. Onboard Credit (OBC) has no cash value, can't be transferred, and can't be used toward onboard service charges. OBC not used by 10 pm on the last night of the cruise are forfeited. Cancellations & rebooking don't qualify. If your cruise only rate drops after you book, your OBC value will drop. Offer is capacity controlled, and is valid in United States, Canada, and select international markets. Every effort has been made to produce this info accurately; we reserve the right to correct errors. This offer may be modified or withdrawn without prior notice. Additional restrictions may apply.

Okay, it is clear now, this is your TA and not X. I would not worry about it as how will they know what you used the OBC they, and not X, gave you?

Unless they, your TA, has a way to 'tag' their OBC as restricted OR they have to use this language to be in compliance with X's policies for some reason?

bon voyage

We have just returned from a 10 night on reflection...we had a 400$ Obc and the gratuities kept coming off every day - don't worry. It was nice not having a bill at the end of the cruise that needed to be paid,

Sent from my iPad using Forums

How did you do that? Did you take cash out and pay the crew directly?

No, my DH told the bar tender to add a certain amount to the bill each time as gratuity. They no longer give you a slip to sign so he asked how we could tip extra. He was told to tell the amount he wanted to go as a tip and it was added in. It showed up on our account as gratuity the next day.

Could the OP confirm if they are on a European Booking as the rules are different. Many countries require gratuities to be pre-paid.

 

I was wondering the same thing when I read the OP used the word "whilst" in their post. :)

Do not assume that everything will remain the same from cruise to cruise. I have used OBC to pay gratuities many times. I have also been on other lines that do not let you use OBC for gratuities. I have friends who sailed with us on another line that will not allow OBC used for tips. It was in the fine print. They were shocked when they got their final statement on the last night of the cruise. They had OBC which they did not spend thinking it would go toward tips. At that point, there was nothing to buy with the OBC. No excursions left to book, shops were closed because we were overnighting at our final destination. I bought some excursions on the ship. My friends plan ahead and prebooked their excursions before the cruise. They were very upset. Now, after that experience, I read all the fine print and ask for clarification. It wouldn't surprise me if cruise lines ban using OBC for tips. If it is a mandatory service fee, they should include it in the fare.

I was wondering the same thing when I read the OP used the word "whilst" in their post. :)

Hi,

We are Brits who have booked with an American TA, the same agent that we have used many times before and using any awarded OBC towards our account has never been a problem whatever items we have purchased including gratuities. Its no big deal, we will keep an eye on our account during the cruise.

Based on the OP's recent post, this appears to be some special promotional OBC Celebrity is granting through the travel agency (because it is use-it-or-lose-it it does not appear to be from the TA's commission). Sometimes these special OBC's do carry restrictions beyond what typical OBC from Celebrity carries (i.e. OBC as part of a pick-your-perk promotion). I have had such OBC that was designated that it could not be used in the casino. My guess is that Celebrity wants such OBC to be used towards items where Celebrity is not out the full amount of the money (i.e. if someone uses $100 of OBC towards specialty dining, it does not cost Celebrity $100 in expenses - whereas if someone uses $100 of OBC towards gratuities, Celebrity actually has to dole out the full $100 from their pockets to cover the gratuities). So in this scenario if the OP has no other OBC and spends less than $300 on board (aside from gratuities), they would lose the remaining OBC and will have to pay the gratuities out of their own pocket.

No, my DH told the bar tender to add a certain amount to the bill each time as gratuity. They no longer give you a slip to sign so he asked how we could tip extra. He was told to tell the amount he wanted to go as a tip and it was added in. It showed up on our account as gratuity the next day.

Drink gratuity and daily tip surcharges are two different things. If you purchase a beverage it's subject to 18% that is added to the bill/slip. The daily gratuity that is added on your shipboard account is 12-15$ (depending on stateroom).. This tip covers stateroom attendant(s), dining room staff , etc. this is the one that I was referring to that automatically was deducted each day..I had a 400$ Obc by celebrity and its was deducted each day. We went to a couple of specialty restaurants, but other than that we did not purchase anything else. Oh, sorry, had 30$ the last night and bought a nice pair of earrings ..thanks Celebrity!

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Just thinking...obc's can now be used before you board the ship ...I.e., pre purchase excursions, specialty restaurants etc....I'm thinking that they mean you cannot earmark it for gratuities in advance. This is what the policy is referring to...Once you are on the ship though the Obc is treated like a bank balance. Anything you purchase/charge to your sea pass card is debited...along with the auto-gratuities. Happy cruising everyone!

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Just thinking...obc's can now be used before you board the ship ...I.e., pre purchase excursions, specialty restaurants etc....I'm thinking that they mean you cannot earmark it for gratuities in advance. This is what the policy is referring to...Once you are on the ship though the Obc is treated like a bank balance. Anything you purchase/charge to your sea pass card is debited...along with the auto-gratuities. Happy cruising everyone!

Precisely!

I have had OBC from both X and my TA and have never had any issues with using either for daily gratuities on board. The gratuities are charged against our account, the OBC is a credit and are deducted daily.

Like the OP I called today to use some of my shipboard credit (booked through X) to prepay my gratuities. I know that the credit can be used to pay for them daily as they get charged but I simply wanted to prepay so as to remove them from the daily bill and allow me to focus on what we've really spent and how much shipboard credit we have left.

I was told that prepaying the gratuities with a shipboard credit is not allowed (whether the credit is refundable or not) and that I could simply let them be used to pay them from my account or if I wished once I boarded the ship go to Guest Relations and ask to prepay them. Seems odd to me as you would think they would want the gratuities paid any way possible.

Oh well, guess I'll leave them be deducted each day as I have no desire to line up at Guest Relations at the start of my cruise.

On Celebrity, once you are on the ship the non-refundable on-board credit can be used for anything except booking a future cruise on board and entering certain tournaments in the casino

Each cruise line does it differently

We were on the Summit this May to Bermuda. We had a lot of OBC, both Celebrity and TA issued. We used OBC to pay the daily service charges automatically, and we purchased a large amount of alcohol (we were driving to and from the ship/port) and we actually had OBC leftover. The leftover was about $76 and it was immediately credited to our credit card!

Super happy all the way around!

Maybe this is mentioned somewhere in this long thread but even if this is the case, why would it matter if the OBC could not be used for gratuities? Unless your gratuities are the ONLY thing on your bill, the OBC would just get used for something else you would have paid for (excursions, drinks, restaurants, whatever). Bottom line is that it's a wash at the end of the cruise.

Maybe this is mentioned somewhere in this long thread but even if this is the case, why would it matter if the OBC could not be used for gratuities? Unless your gratuities are the ONLY thing on your bill, the OBC would just get used for something else you would have paid for (excursions, drinks, restaurants, whatever). Bottom line is that it's a wash at the end of the cruise.

What if the OP does private excursions, has a beverage package already, doesn't eat in a specially restaurant, and doesn't want to pay the exorbitant prices in the ship's stores? And before you snort derisively at this, the scenario is not as rare as you may think. Cruise line OBC is nonrefundable, so if they can't pay the gratuities with it, it's hardly a wash.

What if the OP does private excursions, has a beverage package already, doesn't eat in a specially restaurant, and doesn't want to pay the exorbitant prices in the ship's stores? And before you snort derisively at this, the scenario is not as rare as you may think. Cruise line OBC is nonrefundable, so if they can't pay the gratuities with it, it's hardly a wash.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

They can pay gratuities with it. They just can't do it pre-cruise.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

Did you read the thread? The terms & conditions of the OP’s OBC specifically states it CAN’T be used for gratuities.

Did you read the thread? The terms & conditions of the OP’s OBC specifically states it CAN’T be used for gratuities.

While their terms and conditions may state this - I would be very surprised if the on board accounting system can differentiate.... They probably want to discourage it, but my guess (and I obviously could be wrong) is that it will be treated as any other OBC.

Mike

Did you read the thread? The terms & conditions of the OP’s OBC specifically states it CAN’T be used for gratuities.

Yes I did. What neither of us read was the specific passage of the

T & C to which OP referred. I was answering based on long time experience aboard. Also, for example, our TA gives us OBC which their terms say is OBC-N and they have verbally confirmed it. However our last three cruises it's been listed on our account as OBC-R and has indeed been refunded. Point being it may be misunderstood or experience on board may vary.

What if the OP does private excursions, has a beverage package already, doesn't eat in a specially restaurant, and doesn't want to pay the exorbitant prices in the ship's stores? And before you snort derisively at this, the scenario is not as rare as you may think. Cruise line OBC is nonrefundable, so if they can't pay the gratuities with it, it's hardly a wash.

I Agree totally that under your scenario they'd have an issue (and I do clarify this in my initial post) but the probability of this happening would be extremely rare.

Yes I did. What neither of us read was the specific passage of the

T & C to which OP referred. I was answering based on long time experience aboard. Also, for example, our TA gives us OBC which their terms say is OBC-N and they have verbally confirmed it. However our last three cruises it's been listed on our account as OBC-R and has indeed been refunded. Point being it may be misunderstood or experience on board may vary.

Apparently you did not read through the thread; the OP cut & pasted the T&C - they read in part: "Terms and conditions:

Offer is valid for new web-made bookings only, and isn't combinable with any other offer or coupons. Onboard Credit (OBC) has no cash value, can't be transferred, and can't be used toward onboard service charges."

As I stated earlier in the thread, sometimes there are promotional OBC's passed on by travel agents, but coming out of Celebrity's pockets that come with some additional restrictions typical OBC does not carry. When a customer uses OBC to pay for gratuities Celebrity is out 100% of that money (i.e. if one uses $100 of OBC towards gratuities Celebrity has to pay the full $100 towards gratuities out of their own money) whereas when customers use OBC for just about anything else Celebrity is only out part of that money (i.e. using $100 of OBC towards an excursion does not mean that Celebrity has to use $100 of their own money to cover their expense for providing this, but likely only is out around $50 of the $100).

Now it is possible the travel agency made an error and once onboard there will be no such restriction, but I personally have had promotional OBC in the past that was not good towards certain things (the casino in my case), so such OBC does exist.

Apparently you did not read through the thread; the OP cut & pasted the T&C - they read in part: "Terms and conditions:

Offer is valid for new web-made bookings only, and isn't combinable with any other offer or coupons. Onboard Credit (OBC) has no cash value, can't be transferred, and can't be used toward onboard service charges."

 

As I stated earlier in the thread, sometimes there are promotional OBC's passed on by travel agents, but coming out of Celebrity's pockets that come with some additional restrictions typical OBC does not carry. When a customer uses OBC to pay for gratuities Celebrity is out 100% of that money (i.e. if one uses $100 of OBC towards gratuities Celebrity has to pay the full $100 towards gratuities out of their own money) whereas when customers use OBC for just about anything else Celebrity is only out part of that money (i.e. using $100 of OBC towards an excursion does not mean that Celebrity has to use $100 of their own money to cover their expense for providing this, but likely only is out around $50 of the $100).

 

Now it is possible the travel agency made an error and once onboard there will be no such restriction, but I personally have had promotional OBC in the past that was not good towards certain things (the casino in my case), so such OBC does exist.

You are incorrect about my not reading through the thread, but I must admit you are absolutely correct that I missed the part of the post with the quoted T & C. It may be that they can't use it as that's stated, however if I were to bet, I'd bet on being able to use it for gratuities. As I stated before, my US TA issues OBC which as stated in their fine print expires on the last evening of the cruise. They have confirmed verbally when I've inquired numerous times about the refundability that it's non-refundable. Yet each cruise, we get the unused portion handed to us, in cash, the last day of the cruise. I think that once the ship received the OBC in question, all they will be able to differentiate is whether it's OBCN or OBCN. Of course that's only my opinion, and as such could be right or wrong. I just wanted to offer a possibility that perhaps OP didn't consider. Thanks for making me go back and re-read.