$525 obc!

[akf84]

Due to issues with my daughter's C&A discount & Visa reward points... I have managed to rack up $525.00 in OBC! I may have one or two mudslides a day and I plan to get the soda package for my daughter, but I don't know what else to do! This is my first time on RC, my daughter sailed once when she was 6.

 

What would you do with $525.00? I know it's not much for some of you, but it's much more than I have ever spent on other cruise lines.

[squadron]

I have never had that much but it could go towards your tips, excursions, photos, specialty dining and maybe souvenir watch or ear rings. Watch sale day is something I watch for (not the $10 ones) but Anne Klein etc.

[brklyn78]

What ship? Allure and Oasis have a Coach store on board. Others have lots of jewelry and watches and such. Treat yourselves to some on-board presents.

[Chicky2181]

How exactly did you get that much OBC? I'm a little confused. I'm really just curious, because I'd like to learn how to earn OBC.

 

If I had that much it would be no problem getting it spent.

 

-tips, drinks, spa, specialty dining, excursions, and shopping.

 

 

I'm editing this to say that I just reread your post....you said issues with CA status....and I read it as due to your daughters CA status. I was just wondering how someone with only 1 cruise under their belt could get so much OBC......sorry!

[bouhunter]

Casino and/or shopping:D

[The Sunset Glow]

Specialty restaurants and shore excursions.

[akf84]

I already prepaid tips... regretting that now! Am I able to change that now and just pay them on the ship out of the OBC?

 

To clariry, I used my RC Visa points to get a free companion fare and a bunch of OBC with what was left over (saved points for almost 5 years so I had to start using them before they expired).

 

When I booked the cruise, no one could find any record of my daughter sailing with RC before. Something told me to call back a few days ago and a wonderful rep was able to find her. She should have been given a discount for a savings certificate, but we never got it. Because her fare was free (free companion fare from points)... they could no longer offer the savings certificate. They gave it to me in OBC instead because of the previous misunderstanding. Soooo... that is how we ended up with $525.00 of OBC! LOL! :)

 

We are sailing the Freedom of the Seas.

[Chicky2181]

I think i'm mostly amazed that you had a RC Visa for 5 years and never sailed with her before. That is some extreme self-control. Wish I had that.:p

 

Once my husband and I earned $400 in OBC because there was a very unfortunate accident on our sailing and it caused us to lose a port. The gave everyone on board $200 OBC. I initally thought I would never spend it because we usually don not spend much at all, but by the end of the week it was all gone.

 

It mainly went to drinks, the spa, and 2 excursions. I also got myself a murano glass necklace and a le sport sac carry on bag.

[Clarea]

I already prepaid tips... regretting that now! Am I able to change that now and just pay them on the ship out of the OBC?

 

To clariry, I used my RC Visa points to get a free companion fare and a bunch of OBC with what was left over (saved points for almost 5 years so I had to start using them before they expired).

 

When I booked the cruise, no one could find any record of my daughter sailing with RC before. Something told me to call back a few days ago and a wonderful rep was able to find her. She should have been given a discount for a savings certificate, but we never got it. Because her fare was free (free companion fare from points)... they could no longer offer the savings certificate. They gave it to me in OBC instead because of the previous misunderstanding. Soooo... that is how we ended up with $525.00 of OBC! LOL! :)

 

We are sailing the Freedom of the Seas.

If you want to book My Time Dining before the cruise, then you must prepay tips.

 

If you are not booking My Time Dining before the cruise, then you can remove the prepaid tips and they will automatically be charged to your onboard account which will consume your OBC.

 

If you want My Time Dining and still don't want to prepay, then you would have to choose traditional dining now, remove the prepaid tips, and then try to get back into My Time once you are onboard the ship. There's a risk to this as you might find My Time is full when you get onboard.

[akf84]

If you want to book My Time Dining before the cruise, then you must prepay tips.

 

If you are not booking My Time Dining before the cruise, then you can remove the prepaid tips and they will automatically be charged to your onboard account which will consume your OBC.

 

If you want My Time Dining and still don't want to prepay, then you would have to choose traditional dining now, remove the prepaid tips, and then try to get back into My Time once you are onboard the ship. There's a risk to this as you might find My Time is full when you get onboard.

 

Nice! I have, and would like to keep, traditional early seating. Will have to give them a call! Of course, I will lose double points when the refund comes through... but my OBC will be long gone by the time that catches up with me! :o

[akf84]

Does anyone know if I would get a refund if any OBC is left at the end of the cruise? I know some credit is non-refundable. Most of my OBC is from the RC Visa points...

 

And in regards to my self control... I have none! LOL! I was booked on RC in 2009 but couldn't go because of a new job. That's when I got the card (for the opening bonus points). ;) I have been on many cruises since then, but they were all on Carnival out of Baltimore. We are going on RC Freedom to celebrate my Dad's 50th birthday! Hate having to get to Florida so this is a rare treat for us!

[Clarea]

Nice! I have, and would like to keep, traditional early seating. Will have to give them a call! Of course, I will lose double points when the refund comes through... but my OBC will be long gone by the time that catches up with me! :o

If you have excess refundable OBC, you can get a cash refund on the last night of the cruise by going to Guest Services.

[138east]

It is certainly tempting to try to spend all that OBC, but it sounds like you have both nonrefundable and refundable OBC. You have to spend the nonrefundable OBC and that will be used up first automatically. Any refundable OBC (at least the Visa point OBC you cashed in) will be credited back to the card attached to your sea pass account, so it's not necessary to spend all of it.

 

On my last cruise I had $250 Shareholder OBC (nonrefundable), $175 from a TA, and $300 from Visa. I spent about $425 on board and got about $300 back on my credit card, which went towards paying for off the ship expenses.

 

Just a note on tips that I found out this last cruise. There is a tip adjustment form that you can get from guest services. It's for both adding and removing tips. I was able to add a tip for the Diamond Lounge bar service staff, which was great because there was no way to keep track of all the folks who served drinks over the two weeks and how much they served you. The form can be used to give extra gratuities to any staff members.

[peter1975]

Cupcakes! Lots of cupcakes.

[akf84]

CUPCAKES FOR ALL!!!! :p

[reedl]

I think i'm mostly amazed that you had a RC Visa for 5 years and never sailed with her before. That is some extreme self-control. Wish I had that.:p

 

Once my husband and I earned $400 in OBC because there was a very unfortunate accident on our sailing and it caused us to lose a port. The gave everyone on board $200 OBC. I initally thought I would never spend it because we usually don not spend much at all, but by the end of the week it was all gone.

 

It mainly went to drinks, the spa, and 2 excursions. I also got myself a murano glass necklace and a le sport sac carry on bag.

 

I was in the Liberty of the seas last year when we missed Falmouth Jamaica because they had to airlift a patient off the ship. I actually saw the whole thing from my front facing ocean view cabin and posted it to YouTube. Anyways, I had to send an email about some other issues unrelated to the accident and got much less than that amount of credit. When was this cruise that everyone got such a large credit?

[reedl]

But to the OP with the large credit, why not but a round of drinks for everyone? How about a speciality restaurant? Or buy yourself a nice present like a piece of jewelry or something like that.

[akf84]

Thanks everyone!

 

Think I will have my prepaid tips removed and have them taken out of my OBC. I'm not into the specialty restaurants or jewelry... but I will be partaking in a lot of Johnny Rockets!!! LOL!

 

I was hoping to get the birthday decorations for my Dad's cabin... but it looks as though that must be prepaid. Guess I will see if I can order a cake once onboard!

 

Glad to hear that I will be refunded any remaining credit left over from my Visa points! You are all VERY helpful!

[MS52]

If it looks like you're not going to use it, you can get a cash advance at the casino. It will cost you 5% but it's better than losing it. (not knowing if you have refundable or unrefundable obc)

 

In any case, have a great time!

[gjc1111]

First (and second) round is on akf84!:D

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

[icsys]

Hi,

 

Well done for getting so much credit.

 

We got $1500 OBC ($750 each) on our last 14 night transatlantic.

Should have been free all inclusive but due to an error we got the equivalent value in OBC.

Believe me, it was easy to spend it. It paid the tips, and the bar bill. Plus shopping, duty free. Also we've never taken so many excursions.

 

Enjoy!

[nanwel]

If you say this is dad bday cruise, treat him to a massage.

And get one for yourself too!! Love having a massge on a day at sea.

Last cruise I was away from home for 6 weeks 3 cruises and I had a haircut on formal night!

Or pay for an outtrip for dad one of the port days.

[TrishOB]

I would definitely have some spa treatments, and specialty restaurants. And though I don't drink much as a rule, I might try some new drinks that I otherwise wouldn't, just because it's "free," and if I didn't like it, I wouldn't finish it!

 

Shopping, extra-charge fitness center classes, a couple of meals at Johnny Rockets...you'd be amazed at how it'll add up!

[Sherlock43031]

seems lot a lot of trouble screwing around with the tips since you already have them paid. treat yourself and your daughter to something in the Spa you wouldn't normally do at home. then book yourselves into a restaurant or two.

[hazeleyes35]

We had $690 OBC on our last cruise. We used it for drinks, speciality restaurants, shops on board, room service.