What happens to on board credit if you don't spend it?

[Jo and Rob]

Just wondering what happens if you don't spend your OBC? We have never had it before so we are not sure how it works. Is there anything you can't use the OBC for?

[FLACRUISER99]

Just wondering what happens if you don't spend your OBC? We have never had it before so we are not sure how it works. Is there anything you can't use the OBC for?

You will spend it!!!:D

[txsloth]

I know if it was from a rate reduction, you get a refund. I think if it was from some sort of incentive, you lose it.

[osborne66]

if you have obc and they are not used you will loose it on the last day of the cruise - it is the snooze you loose theory - being in the travel industry we are hoping you don't use them as the company pockets all that unused money

[Andy]

Just wondering what happens if you don't spend your OBC? We have never had it before so we are not sure how it works. Is there anything you can't use the OBC for?

 

Hi Jo and Rob !

 

I wrote about OBC's a couple of days ago. I noticed you are from the UK, and I am not certain if the rules are different for our UK friends. This is the latest for US residents. Here is the link : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=24727483&postcount=21

 

I hope this helps. Enjoy your Cruise !

Edited June 9, 2010 by Host Andy

[dzcruisers]

It depends on where your OBC comes from. Some are refundable. Some are not. X is supposed to use the non refundable first. They can be used for tips, excursions, drinks, anything you charge to your account. Unless there is something specified when you get the OBC that they can't be used for tips.

The unused refundable OBC is refunded to you at the end of the cruise.

Edited June 9, 2010 by dzcruisers

[Andy]

if you have obc and they are not used you will loose it on the last day of the cruise - it is the snooze you loose theory - being in the travel industry we are hoping you don't use them as the company pockets all that unused money

 

Hi Osborne !

 

In most circumstances, what you wrote above, is not the case at Celebrity. Many (but not all) OBC's are refundable. Please read my above post for clarification. Thanks !

[texkan]

Had a small amount left on my obc. It was credited back to my credit card after the cruise.

[kasowell2]

if you have obc and they are not used you will loose it on the last day of the cruise - it is the snooze you loose theory - being in the travel industry we are hoping you don't use them as the company pockets all that unused money

 

Not necessarily true. We had an OBC from TA for booking plus another for rate reduction. We ended up spending it all (with a withdrawal from casino) with a 10 cent left on the OBC. We got a credit to the credit card.

[emileg]

You might have onboard credit left over if you never tip, never order a bottle of wine at dinner or a drink in a bar, never buy anything from the gift shops, never take a shore excursion, never dine at a specialty restaurant, never use the Internet, and never visit the salon or the spa. Did I leave out any of the ways one can spend money on the ship?;)

[Smartie Pants]

You might have onboard credit left over if you never tip, never order a bottle of wine at dinner or a drink in a bar, never buy anything from the gift shops, never take a shore excursion, never dine at a specialty restaurant, never use the Internet, and never visit the salon or the spa. Did I leave out any of the ways one can spend money on the ship?;)

Unfortunately, there are people out there who do not spend anything on the cruise including tipping.

[tea4ular]

I was issued a refund of $ on my credit card.

 

I started with a shareholder benefit + $ from TA. Tips, 1/2 the cost of t-pool charges and a few minor purchases were made on board, the rest refunded. Didn't "lose" one penny.

Edited June 10, 2010 by tea4ular

[Massnatives]

Soda, you forgot soda and other soft drinks.

 

We received a $340 OBC and when we checked our account on board (either at Guest Relations or on your in-room TV) we had another $200 - didn't know what it was for and really didn't care.

 

Could we spend it all? God yes, and some extra!!! Your gratuities are added daily for each person on your card.

 

I was able to buy a beautiful handbag for my anniversary with our OBC.

OBC - it's a lovely thing!

[karpela]

We had some OBC from our TA and we sent ourselves quite alot more as onboard gifts. This was our 1st cruise and had no idea how much we would spend and we don't like to use a credit card on holiday if we don't have to.

We pre-paid tips, pre-booked excursions and sent ourselves some bottles of wine as onboard gifts (which we where able to change in the dining room for better wines and pay the difference if we wanted to). We do this so we know exactly what we are spending on a holiday before we go.

We opened a cash account with X rather than a CC account and still had money left on our OBC account at the end which they refunded in cash - $.

We still spent plenty on drinks - just not anywhere near as much as we thought, so this all worked brilliantly for us.

BTW - loved cruising :)

[outerspaceguy]

if you do have any left over, go to the casino and have them turn it into cash as a cash advance. I think there is a 3% charge, and a $20 min, but... it would better than losing it....

[Jo and Rob]

You will spend it!!!:D

 

I think you are right. I have been looking at the drinks packages and getting one for a fortnight will wipe out the OBC so we don't need to worry! ;)

[fleckle]

Just wondering what happens if you don't spend your OBC? We have never had it before so we are not sure how it works.

It depends on the type of OBC. Look at the code.

 

OBR - onboard credit refundable

 

OBN - onboard credit non-refundable

 

For example, on a recent cruise we received a $300 OBN credit for booking it onboard a previous cruise, but it was not a problem as we spent it all and more.

 

Is there anything you can't use the OBC for?

 

We could not use it as a deposit on a future cruise but needed to use a credit card for that.

Edited June 11, 2010 by fleckle

[rigldbrg]

Hi Jo and Rob !

 

I wrote about OBC's a couple of days ago. I noticed you are from the UK, and I am not certain if the rules are different for our UK friends. This is the latest for US residents. Here is the link : http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=24727483&postcount=21

 

I hope this helps. Enjoy your Cruise !

 

Great post, thanks for the info, Andy.

[Dale]

I was issued a refund of $ on my credit card.

 

I started with a shareholder benefit + $ from TA. Tips, 1/2 the cost of t-pool charges and a few minor purchases were made on board, the rest refunded. Didn't "lose" one penny.

Talk about not losing a penny.

On one of our cruises with Celebrity we had spent all our OBC except for 1 penny. On our first credit card statement after the cruise there was a credit for 1 penny on that statement from Celebrity.

[dutchess43]

The most OBC we ever had was 600.00 not a penny left by the end of the cruise. Poof it just all went.

[rkr]

Just wondering what happens if you don't spend your OBC? We have never had it before so we are not sure how it works. Is there anything you can't use the OBC for?

 

Just returned from a cruise and we did not use all the OBC. On our next cc statement, the money was credited. It's their policy.

Kathy

[outerspaceguy]

It's their policy.

 

I have had OBC credited back in the past as well. (2 excursions cancelled were the culprits: one on the account of safety, the other on the account of bad weather).

 

It does happen (especially to those of us who, as a policy, don't drink...)

-Doug

[Ricky Chan]

Just returned from a cruise and we did not use all the OBC. On our next cc statement, the money was credited. It's their policy.

Kathy

 

Yes, it will cr. to your credit card. It happened to us before.

 

Ricky

[mobster75]

Just wondering what happens if you don't spend your OBC?

 

It gets tossed overboard along with all the trash and leftover food during the next sailing.

 

(Ok.... I'm kidding.. about all of that...... You get the leftover OBC put back on your credit card)

[outerspaceguy]

It gets tossed overboard along with all the trash and leftover food during the next sailing.

 

I'm pretty sure the trash gets incinerated on-board (only when the ship is far away from land).

 

Am I wrong?