cashing obc at casino?

[Jetswdo]

I know this was explained before, but search function not working, yada yada!

 

We will be taking a 7 day Bermuda cruise on the Summit (not booked yet)-

 

If we book when 123 offer is in effect: We will probobly use the $200 OBC.

 

Here is my thinking: Gratuities: $175- We will be in Aqua. OBC is $200. That would give us an extra $25.00. Now I prebook everything and on Celebrity that has to be paid up front. So if we go two times to Bistro for lunch- that would be $20.00, assuming that there is a $5.00 surcharge pp--then $5.00 left. Or just go to casino before end of cruise. I read some place a while back, that you can cash out obc at casino? I just want to make sure this is still true, from someone who actually did this. We would prefer to cash out the $25.00 at the beginning of the cruise if possibe.

 

We would have preferred two premium non alcoholic packages as that will come to $322.00, but not offered in promotion. If we were to upgrade the classic package from 123 offer

we would be paying the same $322.00 for premium non alcoholic package any way! So for us, the $200 OBC would work the best, providing we can cash out the remaining $25.00 at casino.

[Project_gal]

Quite honestly, I cannot imagine not making much more than $25 unplanned spending on board [we spent more than that on Gelato and hot chocolate last cruise] but, if you do have OBC left, you can withdraw cash at the casino but you will pay a surcharge [of, I think, 3%]. If you are in a PH [and, perhaps, other top suites] you MAY be offered free withdrawal from the casino [there will be a letter in your suite if they are offering this] BUT our experience is that you have to fight for this. They conveniently seem to forget to tell the casino staff. I doubt it would be worth the effort for 3% of $25.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Project_gal

[kands6191]

I need this answer too. Our TA is paying our gratuities. I asked if we could be booked in to Select dining. They had done that for us on our recent cruise. TA said that isn't possible with some promotions. She said we would have to prepay the gratuities and then the TA would give us OBC for an equivalent amount. We would end up with quite a bit of OBC since we booked onboard and have $250 from Celebrity.

I thought I read that you can get a refund of one type of OBC but not the other. Would I be able to get the full amount or would I have to go through the casino and pay a 5% surcharge?

Thanks for clarification.

 

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[kevinyork]

I need this answer too. Our TA is paying our gratuities. I asked if we could be booked in to Select dining. They had done that for us on our recent cruise. TA said that isn't possible with some promotions. She said we would have to prepay the gratuities and then the TA would give us OBC for an equivalent amount. We would end up with quite a bit of OBC since we booked onboard and have $250 from Celebrity.

I thought I read that you can get a refund of one type of OBC but not the other. Would I be able to get the full amount or would I have to go through the casino and pay a 5% surcharge?

Thanks for clarification.

 

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The TA we booked with told us the same. However I questioned it. The deal was to get two choices out of the 123 Promo, Free Tips or $200 OBC from X. Plus the T/A was offering $300 OBC or free tips. When I asked for select she said we couldnt as that required prepayment of tips and for them to be able to pay our tips, the value of the tips would show as OBC to effectively pay off the tips that would be added to our onboard account. I pointed out that we would be choosing Xs free tips offer and not the agents so that didnt apply. She checked and agreed so we got select dining, free tips and the 123 from X and $300 OBC from the agent.

 

 

 

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[late2cruisin]

I have had leftover OBC that I cashed out at the Casino on several recent cruises (on several different ships). They charge a 5% fee. (This was Celebrity OBC, therefore non-refundable. If it's from your TA, it should just go back to your credit card on file.)

[Jetswdo]

I just got an email that we can get complimentary gelato as Captain Club member- so no spending obc there.

 

So as I figured- if I cash in $25 obc at casino, I lose $1.25. If I use $20 for two trips to Bistro on 5 (which I would do anyway) that just leaves $5.00. So if I just cash in $5.00 at casino, then I just lose 25 cents. Well, maybe then I will just do that (hey, I'll keep the $1.00 difference anytime!)

Thanks for the information. Anita

[demodawn]

We have on just about all cruises got obc out of casino. I would rather have the money in my pocket than wait on refund on cc. A thought though if you got the drink package you can use for all the non-alcohol beverages you want. We got the alcohol package under 123 and I am not a big drinker but all my diet cokes, waters and fruit drinks made it very nice. Just because you have the full package doesn't mean you have to get alcohol. DH also loved the specialty coffees

[Algebralovr]

I just got an email that we can get complimentary gelato as Captain Club member- so no spending obc there.

 

So as I figured- if I cash in $25 obc at casino, I lose $1.25. If I use $20 for two trips to Bistro on 5 (which I would do anyway) that just leaves $5.00. So if I just cash in $5.00 at casino, then I just lose 25 cents. Well, maybe then I will just do that (hey, I'll keep the $1.00 difference anytime!)

Thanks for the information. Anita

 

As a Captain's Club member, you get ONE free gelato via a coupon for the entire cruise. We decided that just be scoop each for the entire cruise wasn't enough. I look at that free gelato as the 'free sample' some drug dealers reportedly offer potential clients. Sigh...

[kevinyork]

(This was Celebrity OBC, therefore non-refundable. If it's from your TA, it should just go back to your credit card on file.)

 

 

We have OBC from out TA on our two cruises this year. As we have the classic package and tips included we thought we might struggle to spend it. Is this definate that leftover agents OBC goes back to your credit card then?

 

 

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[Jetswdo]

Ok, the letter that I received was misleading. It said free gelato. It didn't say just one scoop! But I would rather have the cash in hand anyway.

 

Does the coffee included with the classic package cover basic lattes and smoothies? I didn't think so-- we hardly drink alcohol--- that's why I think we are better off just paying for premium non alcoholic package, paying the gratuities, and just getting the $200 cash. If we have to prepay the gratuities up front, due to eating in Blu, then if we cash out at $190 (paying the 5% fee)

we would at least be paying ourselves back for the gratuities ($166.00) that would give us back $24.00 in cash.

 

I am going to crunch the numbers again....

[Jetswdo]

tips are $175.00-- so after cashing out $200, tht would leave us with $15.00 extra, due to 5% service fee.

 

If lattes ARE included with classic plan, and the non premium water is still basic Arrowhead and of the like, then we would save $24.20. Now we usually get around 4 smoothies during the week. Don't know how much those cost out of pocket. So need to check that.

 

If lattes are not included, we together have maybe 4 a day, then this plan wouldn't work out for us. So need to check that.

 

Hmm.

[late2cruisin]

tips are $175.00-- so after cashing out $200, tht would leave us with $15.00 extra, due to 5% service fee.

 

If lattes ARE included with classic plan, and the non premium water is still basic Arrowhead and of the like, then we would save $24.20. Now we usually get around 4 smoothies during the week. Don't know how much those cost out of pocket. So need to check that.

 

If lattes are not included, we together have maybe 4 a day, then this plan wouldn't work out for us. So need to check that.

 

Hmm.

 

Lattes (and other expresso-based coffee drinks) ARE included in the classic package. I believe smoothies are also now included (at least they were on my last two cruises...)

[dlcruising]

I just used the casino to get an obc refund without a problem. They charged 5%, I asked for $150 and my account was charged $157.50. I did check with Guest Services first to see if my obc was refundable. In Jan I had obc from a TA that was refundable. Rather than wait for them to post the refund on my credit card, Guest Services refunded it in cash.

[goodycruising]

Is there a minimum that you can take out at the casino? I thought on a Royal Caribbean trip I heard the person at the table being told a minimum withdrawal? Haven't done it myself, we usually take a set amount of cash.