On Board Credit - what is it good for?

Went on a cruise on X (Silhouette - beautiful ship!) last year and enjoyed it quite a bit - we didn't have OBC that time. I'm looking at planning another trip some time next year, and have been wondering what OBC can be applied to.

Some of the packages include OBC plus a drink package - based on my previous cruise, the drink package isn't worth the asking price, but it would be a reasonable inclusion at the right price. If it was included, we probably wouldn't even get through the OBC that comes with the package, either.

Obviously it can be used for drinks and food on the ship, or other services. I'm not likely to spend the money in a shop on board. Can it be used for shore excursions at all? Casino? (If it can be used for the casino, seems easy enough to cash out) What happens if you don't use the full credit?

If you have non refundable OBC, then, use it or lose it. You can use it in the Casino (but you can’t just cash it out. You have to play). You can use it for ShoreEx or Specialty dining too.

And yes, your OBC goes to shopping onboard. And for the Spa for massages, salon, etc. Someone might correct me, but pretty much anything you charge on your Ship’s pass/card, the OBC can be used to pay for it.

Den

You can use it for anything you can purchase on the ship or pre-cruise. Excursions, tips, Duty Free Shop, Specialty Dining, Internet, Spa Treatments, Casino. You can also use it to charge additional gratuities if you choose.

Perfect. Thanks everyone!

Because this gets asked so often I've compiled a list of things to spend OBC on. The only thing I know of now that you CAN'T buy with OBC is a deposit on a Future Cruise. And apparently the entry fee for Texas Hold Em tournaments must be paid in cash.

Otherwise, here you go:

Acupuncture

Airport transfers

Alcove Rental (some ships)

Apple products etc. and Ilounge classes

Art Auctions

Babysitting

Barber Shop services (Edge only)

Beverages -- Alcoholic, carbonated soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas, bottled water

Bingo

Bottles of wine

Casino

Duty free liquor and cigarettes

Extra cost entrees and other items in Main Dining Room and specialty restaurants

Fitness classes

Flowers

Gelato

Gift shop

Gratuities, and extra gratuities

Guests dining with you in Luminae (applies to Suite Passengers only)

Guest entertainers' CD's and DVD's

Hair and nail salon

Hollywood hot glass experiences (some ships)

Internet

Laundry/pressing/drycleaning

Luggage Valet

Martini Flights

Medical Center

Mini bar

Shore Excursions

Pay-per-view movies

Photos & cameras

Room service up charge items, and late night delivery fee

Shore Excursions

Shuttle to town (some ports)

Spa -- massages and treatments

Specialty restaurants

Teeth Whitening

Telephone calls using ship's system

Transfer to another passenger's account

Voyage in Review DVD

Wine and liquor tastings

Zumba

So basically,....and this is a question...I can go to settle up my bill and just have them apply an OBC to the final bill? or does it have to be applied to a specific thing

The OBC is applied to the total bill. You cannot specify that it be used for some things but not for others.

C/STITCH great comprehensive list! TYVM.

If you look at your on board account on the TV you'll see that your OBC will be applied as a credit. As you buy stuff it will use off that credit. Also your gratuities will be posted daily and will work off the credit.

As for the casino you can use it for promotional chips or slot credits. These must be played and you can cash out the winnings just not the original chips. So you can't go buy chips with OBC then turn around and cash them in.

grats

upgrading bev package

specialty dining

The simple answer is that OBC can be used to pay for anything that you can charge to your seapass card.

They like to advertise that you can use OBC to pay for this or to pay for that, but in actuality, it does not pay for any specific item.

It is just posted as a credit to your onboard account, like a deposit to your bank account or a credit on your credit card statement.

You do not get to choose where or how it is applied.

If your OBC is greater than the amount you owe, then the bottom line on your account will show a negative balance.

Example: If the total of all the purchases that I charged to my seapass card is $900 and I have an oboard credit of $100, then the balance due on my account will be $800.

It makes no difference how I spent that $900 that was charged on my seapass card.

I have $1250..OBC for my cruise in Nov...there is no way I will use it all. I learned last year when looking at my acct onboard when it says OBC-N that means non refundable so I use that amount or lose it. OBC- R is refundable credit which means if I don't spend it all it gets credited back to my credit card in USD.

Last year I got back $400 of unused OBC.

So basically,....and this is a question...I can go to settle up my bill and just have them apply an OBC to the final bill? or does it have to be applied to a specific thing

As previously explained, the OBC is automatically applied to the balance on your account, not to any specific individual item.

If you use a credit card for your shipboard account, you don't need to go settle up anything.

At the end of the cruise, the final balance remaining on your account (regardless of whether it is a credit amount or a debit amount) will automatically be posted to your credit card on file and that amount will then appear on your next credit card statement.

The exception would be if you are left with non-refundable OBC, which would not get posted to your credit card at all.

But if you use a cash account for your shipboard account, then you do need to go to Guest Relations to settle your account at the end of the cruise, either to pay whatever you owe, or to receive any refund due.

I have $1250..OBC for my cruise in Nov...there is no way I will use it all. I learned last year when looking at my acct onboard when it says OBC-N that means non refundable so I use that amount or lose it. OBC- R is refundable credit which means if I don't spend it all it gets credited back to my credit card in USD.

 

 

Last year I got back $400 of unused OBC.

how do you get so many dollars of obc?

how do you get so many dollars of obc?

First of all I booked a sky suite which gives me a large amount of OBC and then it has to do with where I book my cruise They gave me OBC for booking a cruise, plus for a loyalty booking I get OBC for Seriving in Military, I also got another 25 in OBC for booking a family member as a referral. It is against cruise critics for me to say where I booked but if you send me a private message I can tell you. Do you use Ship Mate app? I can chat with you there just friend request me...Crash3x. ;)

First of all I booked a sky suite which gives me a large amount of OBC and then it has to do with where I book my cruise They gave me OBC for booking a cruise, plus for a loyalty booking I get OBC for Seriving in Military, I also got another 25 in OBC for booking a family member as a referral. It is against cruise critics for me to say where I booked but if you send me a private message I can tell you. Do you use Ship Mate app? I can chat with you there just friend request me...Crash3x. ;)

No I'm sorry!

Thanks for the explanation !