CAD Currency - On Board Credit?

NCL currency rate is much better then the actual bank rate. I noticed you can buy on board credit in blocks of $100 USD in the online account.

My question is can I for example $1000 USD of on board credit and when I get on the boat ask them for the cash?

I hope this is possible as it would be savings of almost $200 CAD instead of buying from the bank.

Thank you!

It is very possible. You will need to do this at the casino for a 3% surcharge. I am sailing in January and plan on doing just what you were thinking.

It is very possible. You will need to do this at the casino for a 3% surcharge. I am sailing in January and plan on doing just what you were thinking.

Could you elaborate on how to do it at Casino? Lets say I have $1000 USD balance of OBC - Do I put my card in the machine and select cash out $1000? Then it gives me $970 out of it?

I thought that when someone had OBC any unused OBC at the end of the cruise is given back to you in cash? Is this not correct?

So only way is casino at 3% charge? A long convo with guest services would not work?

I've heard reports that Canadian OBC can not be used in the casino and that any surplus at the end of the cruise is refunded back to your credit card at the rate paid. None of the sources were speaking first hand.

I have been wondering about this myself and even called once but the person I spoke to was clueless and couldn't even comprehend the question. I would love to hear from someone with first hand experience. I want to know in advance too because it would play a role in how much OBC I buy.

I'm interested in hearing more about this too. Current exchane is like 25%, which is rather painful. :)

Before your you can buy OBCs in CAD $, you must book your cruise in CAD$. This can only be done directly with NCL or through a a Canadian TA. There are some US TAs that can do this also but you have to look for them. If you're before final payment, you can cancel and rebook but you might lose some perks and you have to book at the current rate. So, do the math and see if this works for you.

When everything is said and done, then you can buy the US$ OBCs in CAD$ with the 1.1 exchange rate. At the ship, you can go to Casino and get it cashed less 3%.

:)

 

When everything is said and done, then you can buy the US$ OBCs in CAD$ with the 1.1 exchange rate. At the ship, you can go to Casino and get it cashed less 3%.

 

 

:)

Do you have first hand experience cashing out CAD purchased OBC at the casino?

I've heard reports that Canadian OBC can not be used in the casino and that any surplus at the end of the cruise is refunded back to your credit card at the rate paid. None of the sources were speaking first hand.

 

The reason I tend to believe this is because I could buy $5000 in CAD OBC at my rate of 1.11, 5500 CAD. Cash it out at the casino for .03, leaving me with a US 4850. I take the cash, go to my bank and buy CAD at .77 giving me 6,285.16. So I steal $785 CAD from NCL. Theoretically, I could raise my amount invested to cover the cost of my cruise.

NCL won't let this happen.

I am planning on buying a load of OBC at the 1.1 Fx rate for my cruise in a few weeks and taking the majority out of the casino as cash.

Here is how I look at it. Casino staff do not know or care if you booked in CDN or USD. All OBC purchased is in USD so the base currency is irrelevant.

This comes down to the question of whether you can take cash from the casino "to use in the slots". I have heard multiple reports that you can - for the 3% surcharge.

Unless the policy has changed that you can no longer take cash and charge it to your on-board account then I think this strategy should be fine.

Worse case scenario I will get a refund and still win on the Fx rate.

I am planning on buying a load of OBC at the 1.1 Fx rate for my cruise in a few weeks and taking the majority out of the casino as cash.

 

Here is how I look at it. Casino staff do not know or care if you booked in CDN or USD. All OBC purchased is in USD so the base currency is irrelevant.

 

This comes down to the question of whether you can take cash from the casino "to use in the slots". I have heard multiple reports that you can - for the 3% surcharge.

 

Unless the policy has changed that you can no longer take cash and charge it to your on-board account then I think this strategy should be fine.

 

Worse case scenario I will get a refund and still win on the Fx rate.

Can you please post an update after your cruise to let us know if you were able to get cash. Thank you!

I was on the Dawn the first week of June and am Canadian. I purchased $800 in OBC online, my cruise was booked in CAD$ and the purchase online was converted at a better rate 1.07 when I booked. When I arrived in my room there were cards in there for all $800. I took these to the casino cashier and was able to get US cash no questions asked, it was no problem at all. It was well worth it to purchase the OBC especially noticing the rate is now 1.30 at my bank. It was a 3% surcharge that we paid but with the rate the way it is it was still a savings for us.

I paid NCL for our upcoming cruise in US$ (did not know it was even possible to pay in CAD). Does this mean I am unable to purchase OBC, or prepay gratuities in CAD now?

I paid NCL for our upcoming cruise in US$ (did not know it was even possible to pay in CAD). Does this mean I am unable to purchase OBC, or prepay gratuities in CAD now?

Unfortunately no you will not be able to purchase anything in CAD since you booked in USD. To book a cruise in CAD you can only call in and do it over the phone or use a Canadian online site like sell..off or Canadian travel agent.

We booked a few days ago calling NCL directly. If we booked NCL website in USD and let credit card convert the cruise would have been over $300 more Canadian then it was by booking directly in CAD with NCL over the phone.

Now in our online account all the excursions, gifts, obcs, daily service charge show USD price and the price we will pay in CAD which is such a better exchange rate then the bank..

Can anyone confirm 110% that if you buy OBC online and any amount that is not used is given back to you? Even if it is refunded back to your credit card.

I would like to try buying OBC online and cashing in at casino for cash BUT (knowing it might not work which is fine) I want to be 110% sure that I will get the money back.

For example = I don't want to try this and then end of the cruise I have hundreds of OBC and they say "Sorry the OBC left over is only allowed to be used for future cruises and we will not return your money"

Yes. If you BUY the credit, the unused portion will be refunded. If it's "free" OBC that you have earned via promotions, that will not be refunded.

OMG I had this question stuck in my head for weeks now... I posted something like this on my roll call and no one seems to get it..... Agree that NCL has a better exchange rate.... We booked teppanyaki for 29.95 where U.S. Ppl pay 25. That is 1.198 rate which is better then the banks!! Thanks guys for replying.... If anyone has more info or just recently went, please post!! Thank you!

When you purchase OBC in cad... Let say I bought $100 and bought something on board for $10. Does the enhance rate reflect at time of purchase? So my balance would be approx $86 instead of $90 or it doesn't? I am confuse to when the rate takes in effect. And how often does NCL update their rate?

Cannot say how any left over prepurchased OBC will be refunded, but in my experience:

I paid for my Dec 2014 cruise in CAD.

I prepaid DSC and pre-booked/prepaid excursions, they were charged to my credit card in CAD and at the same exchange rate as when I booked (June 2014)

My onboard account was charged in USD.

So I would assume that if you pre-purchase OBC it would be USD and charged in CAD at whatever rate you are paying for the cruise fare. It should show on your onboard account as USD since that is the currency used onboard.

I think I read somewhere that NCL changes their rate every 3 months but have no experience with that.

Ok can I do this?

Buy $1000 OBC...

Then Cash it almost entirely out at the casino and then if I run a balance...instead of paying for it on my credit card, use the cash I cashed out at the casino to pay off the balance?

I am planning to buy FCC, so was going to use the OBC for that as well...

Ok can I do this?

 

Buy $1000 OBC...

 

Then Cash it almost entirely out at the casino and then if I run a balance...instead of paying for it on my credit card, use the cash I cashed out at the casino to pay off the balance?

 

I am planning to buy FCC, so was going to use the OBC for that as well...

If you are just planning to use any purchased OBC for on ship expenditures, save the effort. Just allow NCL to charge things bought on board to your account. The OBC you purchase in CAD will be credited to your account in USD already since you are paying the exchange when you make the purchase. For example, I am locked in at a $1.11 rate so a $100 obc certificate will cost me $111 CAD and will show on account as $100 USD. No need to complicate things any further. Your FCC and anything else can just be charged to your on board account.

I plan on doing just that but when the need arises for cash, I will cash out some pre purchased OBC in the casino.

Hope this helps...:)

Ok can I do this?

 

Buy $1000 OBC...

 

Then Cash it almost entirely out at the casino and then if I run a balance...instead of paying for it on my credit card, use the cash I cashed out at the casino to pay off the balance?

 

I am planning to buy FCC, so was going to use the OBC for that as well...

You could do that but it would make more sense to NOT cash it *all* out. The casino charges 3% so just leave enough to cover your purchases and FCC, then cash out the rest.

So you buy 1000$. Lets say you estimate your purchases will cost between 300-400$. You leave 400$ in your OBC and cash out 600$ at the casino and they will give you 582$. Then on the last night, you check your balance and its 350$. You go back to the casino and cash out the remaining 50$ (you get 48.5$)

If you cash it all out, you'll be charged 3% on the whole amount. Then you pay your FCC with money on which you've already been 'taxed' 3%. You lose in the end

LOL, we were posting the same reply at the same time !

LOL, we were posting the same reply at the same time !

Indeed! Either one of two things exist.....Fools seldom differ OR great minds think alike. I like to think we fall under the latter. ;)

If you are just planning to use any purchased OBC for on ship expenditures, save the effort. Just allow NCL to charge things bought on board to your account. The OBC you purchase in CAD will be credited to your account in USD already since you are paying the exchange when you make the purchase. For example, I am locked in at a $1.11 rate so a $100 obc certificate will cost me $111 CAD and will show on account as $100 USD. No need to complicate things any further. Your FCC and anything else can just be charged to your on board account.

 

 

 

I plan on doing just that but when the need arises for cash, I will cash out some pre purchased OBC in the casino.

 

 

 

Hope this helps...:)

Hi hi.... I bought some OBC just couple days ago and it was charged in CAD I only bought $100. But when I checked my CC statement it was charged at $100. So does that mean when I get on board it will have only approx $90 dollars OBC?

I would be very interested in the answer to Boorin's question also. On my profile it is charging me $100 cdn, just wondering if any Canadians have recent experience with what the $US amount actually is once on board. Thanks in advance [emoji4]