Purchase of onboard credit - heads up for UK passengers

[excitedofharpenden]

With the recent decline in the value of the pound against the dollar, just thought some may be interested to know that the current price on the Celebrity website for $25 of obc is £15.40 which equates to a rate of over 1.62. Compared with the current rate of under 1.50 it represents a very good deal. I'm not sure how long this price will last so for those from the UK on upcoming cruises you might like to buy some now.

 

Phil

[frogsgirl]

Thanks for the heads up Phil, we'll look into that ASAP.

 

cheers

Andrea

[Lotus Girl]

I just did that at the weekend Phil after checking to see the costs. I now have a sizeable OBC which I am hoping will mean I come out with a zero balance :D

 

Karen

[ladylemondrop]

Does that also mean its a good time to purchase other things, tours, packages etc? I bought a five dinner speciality dining package yesterday, was £90 per person, which i think is pretty good, as they are now charging more for the speciality dinners on board.

 

When you buy OBC for yourself, where does it show in your booking?

[swigso]

Does that also mean its a good time to purchase other things, tours, packages etc? I bought a five dinner speciality dining package yesterday, was £90 per person, which i think is pretty good, as they are now charging more for the speciality dinners on board.

 

When you buy OBC for yourself, where does it show in your booking?

 

Hi

The credit doesn't show up but you

will receive a confirmation e-mail.

Once on board the steward will bring you a

Note showing the amount which you will need

to sign.

The $$$$'s show up on your account usually within 24 hrs.

Be aware that if you take cash from the casino you will be

charged an extra 5%, this works out to roughly 1.53

which at today's rates is still a good deal.

If you can do it now then do it as the rates will not last

forever, they get adjusted about every 4/5 months.

[texmex.ferr]

What's the best way to buy a drinks package? Before we go from Celebrity website or wait until we're onboard and purchase?

 

Thanks for any help in this matter

 

Texmex.ferr

[ladylemondrop]

Thankyou Swigso! I got some.

[cruisinclined]

Thankyou Swigso! I got some.

Hi Louise,

I saw that you had done 3 Celebrity cruises and 2 Olsen. How did the smaller and older ships work out compared to the luxury mammoths (which we love).

[upwarduk]

Many thanks Phil.

For anyone having difficulty finding the OBC option:

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com

 

Scroll down to the already booked section

Select 'Give a gift'

Select OBC

You can buy in $25 units, but only up to a maximum of 9 units.

 

.

 

texmex.ferr

 

Last year there was an online reduction in January, but I haven't seen it this year, perhaps due to the 1-2-3G offer that was run.

As we are not big drinkers ,so we have never taken a drinks package.

As our cruise is so port intensive, I doubt we would do it justice, especially as we are now Elite.

[excitedofharpenden]

Hi

The credit doesn't show up but you

will receive a confirmation e-mail.

Once on board the steward will bring you a

Note showing the amount which you will need

to sign.

The $$$$'s show up on your account usually within 24 hrs.

Be aware that if you take cash from the casino you will be

charged an extra 5%, this works out to roughly 1.53

which at today's rates is still a good deal.

If you can do it now then do it as the rates will not last

forever, they get adjusted about every 4/5 months.

And you were the person who put me onto the obc purchase a while ago so thanks for that too!

 

Phil

[ladylemondrop]

Hi Louise,

I saw that you had done 3 Celebrity cruises and 2 Olsen. How did the smaller and older ships work out compared to the luxury mammoths (which we love).

 

Fred Olsen ships are indeed smaller - and less facilities obviously, (no indoor pool, no speciality restaurants) but, I find the staff are super, mostly fillipino, and very friendly, and attentive, and the food in MDR is simply excellent (better than on Celebrity, where we find MDR food quite average, and tend to choose the speciality restaurants) Its also much cheaper onboard for activities, and drinks.

 

Also being smaller, you can dock right in port, which is nice. I do get sea sick though on the smaller ships which is why although I work for Fred Olsen and can cruise cheaply with them, I tend to pay and go on the bigger ships mostly, as I am not sick!

[Project_gal]

Phil

 

I had not checked recently [since buying all the OBC we needed in January]. I am surprised that it is still at the same rate as before the pound took a nose dive. It must be scheduled to be updated soon so I would advise anyone considering it not take too long.

 

Sue

[nijh]

Good call OP. I know we've discussed this before - but it went straight out of my head :o

 

You can buy in $25 units, but only up to a maximum of 9 units.

 

Presumably you can buy multiple blocks of 9 - is there a daily limit?

 

Any idea what is the last day before sailing that a purchase can be made?

[tartantiara]

Does that also mean its a good time to purchase other things, tours, packages etc? I bought a five dinner speciality dining package yesterday, was £90 per person, which i think is pretty good, as they are now charging more for the speciality dinners on board.

 

When you buy OBC for yourself, where does it show in your booking?

 

I just checked and the price for 5 speciality dinners has gone up to £96.85 and Qisine is now £29.25 which is an exchange rate of 1.53 . Do you think they have been reading the boards ? lol

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Lotus Girl]

Good call OP. I know we've discussed this before - but it went straight out of my head :o

 

 

 

Presumably you can buy multiple blocks of 9 - is there a daily limit?

 

Any idea what is the last day before sailing that a purchase can be made?

 

 

Yes you can buy multiple blocks of 9 and I've bought a few on the same day so don't think there is a limit.

 

I'm sure it is either 3 or 4 days before you sail that you can buy it up until, but I wouldn't quote me on it. I sail on the 15th March and I can buy it today (and I'm just about to buy more)!

[gordylad]

Is the OBC exchange rate still 1.60+ Thanks

[excitedofharpenden]

Here's a direct link to the page with the price.

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/bonvoyage/category/viewCollection.do?cat=ONBDCR&coll=ONBDCR

 

Yes, you can add 9 to your basket and then do more multiples of 9 with no daily limit. You can also send yourself a gift message on each of them not to spend it all at once. LOL

 

Phil

[ladylemondrop]

LOL! I was a bit unsure what message to send myself! :D

[cinnamon]

Thanks very much Phil, I saw your question on the Azamara board originally. We are taking the Eclipse TA in November and have now purchased the 9 units, $225, for that sailing. Should go towards the Grats nicely and a much better deal than paying them to the agent at current rates.

 

Slightly concerned that the email only says a gift has been bought, not what it is, but I may photocopy the credit card statement to have with us to be on the safe side.

 

Hoping not to have much of a bill on the Quest.

 

Corinne

[upwarduk]

LOL! I was a bit unsure what message to send myself! :D

 

Well I bought it for my DH and said 'Have a drink on me.'

There is nothing to say we can't buy it, in fact who would buy it for someone else?

 

Corinne

Thanks very much Phil I saw your question on the Azamara board originally. We are taking the Eclipse TA in November and have now purchased the 9 units, $225, for that sailing. Should cover the Grats nicely and a much better deal than paying them to the agent at current rates.

 

I think I will get one cruise out of the way before I start thinking of my TA!

[windra06]

Thank you for this :)

 

Since we cant upgrade to the premium drinks before we board I just added onboard credit instead as I wanted to pay before we sail.

 

I called the UK helpline and they happily added $350 for me, at a cost of £215.06 with no fee for doing so.

 

I also spoke to someone about the drinks package and they said the upgrade price hadn't changed since they started offering it and would be unlikely to change in the coming months.

 

I had a look on the website too and after you have added 9 lots of credit, if you click continue shopping you can add more.

[rickpo]

Just bought my 9 units of on board credit, but I can't see anywhere that mentions that you get $25 for your £15.40.

I just hope that they don't credit your account in sterling.

 

September before I go so the exchange rate could go either way by then (probably down though).

 

Rick.

[upwarduk]

Just bought my 9 units of on board credit, but I can't see anywhere that mentions that you get $25 for your £15.40.

I just hope that they don't credit your account in sterling.

 

September before I go so the exchange rate could go either way by then (probably down though).

 

Rick.

 

I did the same last year and the account was credited in $.

[roygg]

Just bought my 9 units of on board credit, but I can't see anywhere that mentions that you get $25 for your £15.40.

I just hope that they don't credit your account in sterling.

 

September before I go so the exchange rate could go either way by then (probably down though).

 

Rick.

 

Your onboard account is in $'s, you will be credited in dollars

It is important to buy Shipboard credit ie Product C171

which is a $25 unit. Other Onboard credits have to be spent on that particular feature ie Bar, Spa etc.

We have used pre purchasing of shipboard credit successfully for a few years now. Also, prepurchased bottles of wine for delivery to stateroom/dining room athough it has always turned up in the stateroom !!

[swigso]

Many thanks Phil.

For anyone having difficulty finding the OBC option:

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com

 

Scroll down to the already booked section

Select 'Give a gift'

Select OBC

You can buy in $25 units, but only up to a maximum of 9 units.

.

 

If you need to buy more add the 9 to our basket and continue

shopping, you can purchase up to 4 days before you cruise.