OBC - Service Charge?

[woody73]

 

. . . Just want everyone to be aware and choose their cruises and cruise lines with full knowledge.

I like NCL. But if they misapply my OBCs -- especially on the last night -- I'll likely take a closer look at sailing with other cruise lines.

 

Woody

[johnql]

Here's what I posted on the other OBC thread:

 

I'm still confused by this whole discussion, based on my recent Gem cruise. I just got off the Gem last week. I had a total of $375 OBC ($105 refundable and $270 non-refundable). My final invoice definitely indicates that they applied all of my OBC to my charges, including my DSC. They even applied it to my purchase of another Cruise Rewards certificate.

 

When I purchased the Cruise Rewards certificate, the $250 debit showed up, of course, followed by a $100 non-refundable credit (the advertised incentive for buying the Cruise Rewards). This $100 non-refundable credit was definitely used to offset some of my shipboard expenses.

 

Bottom line: I still don't see any difference between the old policy and the supposed new policy. All of my OBC was still used to offset shipboard expenses. That said, I do not know what would have happened if I had not exceeded the total of my OBC ($375). That is, I do not know if I would have been able to receive any sort of refund.

[che5904]

Bottom line: I still don't see any difference between the old policy and the supposed new policy. All of my OBC was still used to offset shipboard expenses. That said, I do not know what would have happened if I had not exceeded the total of my OBC ($375). That is, I do not know if I would have been able to receive any sort of refund.

 

Actually there is no new policy, NCL just now implementing what was already there. The above highlighted line is the only time you would notice the difference in how they did it before and how they did it after apparently.

 

No one has yet produced a couple of on board bills from their trip so I don't really completely know whether I agree or disagree yet. I also think I'm understanding what people are trying to say but I may be a little off.

 

This appears to happen if people have (like you) refundable and non-refundable OBC but should have a credit balance at the end of their stay of at the most their refundable OBC. Now apparently all week long NCL just shows these 2 credits but without a running total. Then the last night they take your expenses and use your refundable OBC for the DSC and other expenses and then take the non-refundable for the rest.

 

I'm hoping someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[agabbymama]

If you only have non-refundable OBC, they will not use it to pay DSC.

 

I had purchased $1100 of OBC myself and that did get used. As a matter of fact, I think they used it first, as the last night of the cruise I was told I would get a check mailed to the house for the $200 remaining OBC that I had purchased, but that I would lose the $100 OBC from my TA. Even though we had gone to Cagney's for dinner and had excursions booked through NCL to use $900 of OBC that I had purchased.

 

I went to the Casino and got my $200 in cash and stopped at the watch shop on my way back to the cabin and used the $100 OBC from my TA, so in the morning, my bill showed a 21 cent credit.

 

I do not care for NCL accounting practices at all.

[sugarking]

What is DSC?

[Demonyte]

What is DSC?

 

Daily Service Charge ($12 per person per day). :)

[mushminna]

If you prepay DSC is there anyone else you need to tip? bartenders? People for exceptional service?

[Pikaia]

If you prepay DSC is there anyone else you need to tip? bartenders? People for exceptional service?

Porters at the pier are likely to expect tips. Most'll be satisfied with $2/bag.

 

If you're in a suite, butler and concierge should be tipped according to service provided.

 

If you have kids in Kid's Crew, the staff there appreciate tips. Like butlers and concierges, the counselors don't see any of the DSC.

 

A 15% gratuity is added to all drinks, so no need to tip additional unless you want to.

 

And you're always welcome to tip for exceptional service.

[mistertoaster]

We sailed on the Breakaway and had $375 in credit. I knew that on board credit could not be used for tips, but I did not know the on screen ITV system and I Concierge System showed the credit being applied to all charges. I reviewed the system every day, and by day five my full credit was shown as applied to my charges. On the morning of the last day of the cruise, my paper statement showed the loss of on board credit that appeared to be applied when reviewing ITV and I-concierge. When I complained to the front desk, they told me I should not rely on the ITV and I-Concierge system to determine my bill. Of course, prior to my cruise I received promotional material praising the ease of I-concierge and ITV in keeping track of charges. Long story short, do not rely on the on-screen accounting system or I-Concierge in determining used and unused on board credit.

[sassyshar]

Does anyone know if comps (credits) earned from the casino, can be used towards the DSC?

[hpecorari]

Does anyone know if comps (credits) earned from the casino, can be used towards the DSC?

 

No, it can not.

 

Harriet

[shadowlover]

Actually there is no new policy, NCL just now implementing what was already there. The above highlighted line is the only time you would notice the difference in how they did it before and how they did it after apparently.

 

No one has yet produced a couple of on board bills from their trip so I don't really completely know whether I agree or disagree yet. I also think I'm understanding what people are trying to say but I may be a little off.

 

This appears to happen if people have (like you) refundable and non-refundable OBC but should have a credit balance at the end of their stay of at the most their refundable OBC. Now apparently all week long NCL just shows these 2 credits but without a running total. Then the last night they take your expenses and use your refundable OBC for the DSC and other expenses and then take the non-refundable for the rest.

 

I'm hoping someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I have read this entire thread with a lot of interest as we just got off the breakaway with a lot of confusion over this issue. NCL tells you to check your tv daily for your account balance. We did this and saw that all of our obc whether it was refundable or nonrefundable was being used towards the daily service charge. This was ok with us as we don't spend much on board and there were three of us (making the daily service fee a substantial amount). On the evening of the last day I decided to go to get a printout of our account balance and guess what?? I still had 80 dollars of obc that I had to use or lose. When I argued with the service desk employee he told me that the tv system is different from theirs....REALLY? Then why ask us to check it? Why use that system at all? Why not be up front about the obc from the beginning? This is a deceptive thing that they have going on and it has been happening since at least 2011 from what I can see on this thread. I made them adjust my service fee at that point because there was apparently no way they could use my nonrefundable credit towards the service fee. I then STILL had the 80 dollars to spend by midnight. Unbelievable. I truly will never sail NCL again.

[jjikids]

NCL posts in all their paperwork that the OBC CANNOT be used for the discretionary charges. All cruise lines have the same rules. There have been many posts that you have to use it for ding, gift shops and excursions.

[crusinfiend]

this is such a agent oriented question, i have had my obc refunded to my card, with no service fees paid, i have had my obc used for usual purposes, truthfully, service fees are in reality a chargeback to cruise lines against wages paid, they are not tips, i feel if you push any agent, for your obc and service fees etc, to move wherever you wish them, as nothing is paid against your card until you agree and sign, norweigian demands and boasts of mandatory service fees, this is example of wages reimbursed to the line, such as pride of america, which is union 85%, and higher wages, dictate this subsidy by cruisers, mandatory to be added, not mandatory to be paid, so just be polite and firm, put the money where you want it,

[Gig103]

NCL posts in all their paperwork that the OBC CANNOT be used for the discretionary charges. All cruise lines have the same rules.

 

That second half is not a true statement. Both Carnival and Celebrity allow you to use OBC for gratuities / DSC.

[hpecorari]

NCL posts in all their paperwork that the OBC CANNOT be used for the discretionary charges.

 

 

Depends what kind of OBC it is. Some CAN be.

 

Harriet

[heakja]

Depends what kind of OBC it is. Some CAN be.

 

Harriet

 

How can you be sure to use that kind of OBC toward service charges? I thought you only got one, round amount visible on the TV?

[Paphillyguy]

On the last night of my cruise, I did the math and when the bill came the next day it matched my amount. They do not make it easy to figure out on base on the TV and Iconceirge. I assume that if you do a $250 deposit any OBC can come off that? It seemed that way. Also the $100 you get from that deposit seemed to be used for anything.

[mizLORInj]

OBC from NCL cannot be used for DSC. This will show as "non-refundable" OBC.

OBC from a TA can be used for DSC. This will show as "refundable" OBC.

This is how it worked for us.

And yes, Carnival, Celebrity and Princess let us use OBC for service charges. Wish NCL would too.

[heakja]

OBC from NCL cannot be used for DSC. This will show as "non-refundable" OBC.

 

OBC from a TA can be used for DSC. This will show as "refundable" OBC.

 

This is how it worked for us.

 

And yes, Carnival, Celebrity and Princess let us use OBC for service charges. Wish NCL would too.

 

Did it show on the TV-account, or did you have to get a print-out of your account?

[mizLORInj]

Did it show on the TV-account, or did you have to get a print-out of your account?

Showed on the tv account. :)