On board credit

sailing Cunard for the first time. Are there restrictions about using on board credit? Can I use it for gratuities? Thanks

I don't know the complete set of where you can and can't use OBC but you can use it on gratuities; you can't use it in the infirmary or to book a future cruise.

I don't know the complete set of where you can and can't use OBC but you can use it on gratuities; you can't use it in the infirmary or to book a future cruise.

Or in the casino

From the Cunard website

"When on board spending money (either received as part of a promotion or purchased via our Gift Collection is applied to your on board account, you may use this against most purchases on board. This includes:

• Items purchased from any of the shops
  
• Spa, & salon treatments and services (when booked on board and not prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser)
  
• Photography prints, products, workshops and services
  
• Laundry & dry cleaning
  
• Internet and telephone charges
  
• Shore excursions (when booked on board and not prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser)
  
• Beverages from the bar and restaurants (where applicable)
  
• Restaurant cover charges (when booked on board and not prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser)
  
• Automatic tips (gratuities)
  
• Artwork from the Gallery
  
• gift items such as Celebrations Packages, flowers and cakes (when booked on board and not prior to embarkation)
  

On board spending money may not be used against:

• Purchasing shore excursions prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser
  
• Purchasing Alternative Fine Dining restaurant cover charges prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser
  
• Purchasing Spa treatments and services prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser
  
• Visas that require payment
  
• Medical charges (including services, prescriptions and supplies)
  
• Future Cruise Down payments
  
• Future cruise payments
  
• Ad hoc gratuities
  
• Foreign currency
  
• On board gaming (including the casino)
  
• Charitable donations"
  

However, should you have any left over, you CAN ask to have it added to the gratuities. We have done this after signing a form to say that was what we wanted to do.

Thanks so much

From the Cunard website

 

"When on board spending money (either received as part of a promotion or purchased via our Gift Collection is applied to your on board account, you may use this against most purchases on board. This includes:

• Items purchased from any of the shops
  
• Spa, & salon treatments and services (when booked on board and not prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser)
  
• Photography prints, products, workshops and services
  
• Laundry & dry cleaning
  
• Internet and telephone charges
  
• Shore excursions (when booked on board and not prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser)
  
• Beverages from the bar and restaurants (where applicable)
  
• Restaurant cover charges (when booked on board and not prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser)
  
• Automatic tips (gratuities)
  
• Artwork from the Gallery
  
• gift items such as Celebrations Packages, flowers and cakes (when booked on board and not prior to embarkation)
  

On board spending money may not be used against:

• Purchasing shore excursions prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser
  
• Purchasing Alternative Fine Dining restaurant cover charges prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser
  
• Purchasing Spa treatments and services prior to embarkation via Voyage Personaliser
  
• Visas that require payment
  
• Medical charges (including services, prescriptions and supplies)
  
• Future Cruise Down payments
  
• Future cruise payments
  
• Ad hoc gratuities
  
• Foreign currency
  
• On board gaming (including the casino)
  
• Charitable donations"
  

Also you can only use OBC for wine packages once on board, not prior to boarding.

Be sure to have proof of your entitlement to OBC. From what I have read on this forum over several years I am not the only one who has had difficulty getting what was promised. It only happened to me once, but it took four days for it to be sorted. Now I check with the purser's office on embarkation day.

^ Same here. We had an issue one cruise and because it was over the Christmas holiday it stool several days to straighten out. Your final invoice from the TA or the line should state the OBC you're entitled to.

We didn’t have our OBC applied to our booking once - $2,500 worth - but they claimed it could not be added as the ship had sailed.

The TA added the amount to our CC - in sterling with a little extra for the exchange rate - and sent flowers and champagne. So it all worked out ok in the end, but it caused no end of angst first.

So we always check with Reception on the first day now.

Word to the wise, verify your account with the purser on the first or second day and bring your documentation that has all you’re entitled to spelled out. I’ve experienced an issue once as well.

Is it necessary to check with the Purser. On Seabourn and Regent we not only receive a letter in our suite stating our onboard credit but we can inspect our account on the Onboard TV system. Does not Cunard have both of these or are they so far behind the other cruise lines.

You will normally receive a mid- voyage statement where your OBC will be shown. If you want to be sure it's on there before that it's best to check with the Purser or Concierge (in the Grills).

You cannot use the television to check your account.

You cannot use the television to check your account.

Oh dear. What century are Cunard in?

I believe it was available when QM2 was first launched so they were probably ahead of the pack but it's been removed since and wasn't available on the other 2 ships.

Yes I remember using in in the early QM2 days, but not for a long time.

On HAL ships there is a free website once you're aboard where you can verify your onboard account, book shore excursions, read the Daily Programme equivalent, etc. Cunard must think they can get away without all of that due to their emphasis on tradition.

It seems that Cunard might have cut back on this facility and possibly other passenger benefits when it became directly owned by its parent rather than through Seabourn. Maybe the cut backs were to further distinguish the brands. All this makes us very anxious about our forthcoming cruise on Cunard, since we are used to the attention, comforts and benefits given to passengers on Seabourn.

On HAL ships there is a free website once you're aboard where you can verify your onboard account, book shore excursions, read the Daily Programme equivalent, etc. Cunard must think they can get away without all of that due to their emphasis on tradition.

I have always been able to access the Cunard website for free on board but it doesn't offer those facilities as far as I know.

Hattie, you should read what Underwater has written, rather than rush to the defense if Cunard. The difference between what is available online on board Cunard and that of HAL and many other cruise lines is not availability of the host line’s internet site but the ability to see your account, book excursions, see the daily programme and a host of other things on the TV in your cabin/suite.

Hattie, you should read what Underwater has written, rather than rush to the defense if Cunard. The difference between what is available online on board Cunard and that of HAL and many other cruise lines is not availability of the host line’s internet site but the ability to see your account, book excursions, see the daily programme and a host of other things on the TV in your cabin/suite.

Apologies if it came across that way, I wouldn't defend Cunard's use of technology as it's pretty woeful.

(Continuing the detour...)

On Cunard ship you can access Cunard.com, true, but back a few years ago Cunard's booking pages were hosted under a P&O URL for some reason so as a result you needed to be on the Internet clock to see detailed pricing & availability. They eventually got moved to Cunard.com where they belong, so now we can at least do some price checking before heading down to visit the onboard booking department.

(Continuing the detour way far afield...)

The TVs on QM2 originally also had this marvelous state-of-the-art feature, for those who might want a bit of a chuckle with regard to how times have changed.

The format for the Cunardmail e-mail addresses was "first initial + last name + booking reference number + two-digit passenger sequence number.QM2GUEST@cunardmail.com".

Regards, John

A Cunard agent confirmed we have a $425 gift on our account for a 5/12 sailing from our travel agent. There are different opinions on whether the unused portion is refundable to a passenger's credit card or check. I would appreciate hearing from anyone that has had success with a refund on how it was done.

Thank you, Nick

A Cunard agent confirmed we have a $425 gift on our account for a 5/12 sailing from our travel agent. There are different opinions on whether the unused portion is refundable to a passenger's credit card or check. I would appreciate hearing from anyone that has had success with a refund on how it was done.

Thank you, Nick

Best to get Cunard to confirm the correct protocol in writing.

Previously, we had $500.00 gift, plus Cunard Booking $600.00 OBC, and plus $250.00 Shareholder Benefit.

Thought we had over $200.00 remaining at end of Cruise.

Wrong. Cunard used the gift monies first, and according to the rules, the Cunard issued OBC was not refundable.

Used it to purchase perfume on last evening.

This may have changed, but best to obtain written confirmation.