Best Ways to Cash Out Extra On Board Credit

[lorenzod]

There is a tremendous amount of credit that we will have due to shareholder, FCC and promotional credit.

I don't want to waste it. We are not big on drink, gambling and have done the excursions.

I realize we could go to the spa or upscale restaurants.

 

Just want to get the cash back in my pocket? Are there some good ways to accomplish this goal?

Larry

[Illyria]

Just go to guest services on the last day and ask to cash out.

 

(shareholder OBC has a small print that it's not available to cash out which may or may not be enforced; the rest shouldn't be an issue)

[junglejane]

At any casino slot machine, you can use your card to "borrow" gambling money that is then charged to your cruise account. Since you can decide how much to charge, you can easily zero out your OBC. You then immediately cash out of the slot machine and exchange the voucher for cash at the casino cashier.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

At any casino slot machine, you can use your card to "borrow" gambling money that is then charged to your cruise account. Since you can decide how much to charge, you can easily zero out your OBC. You then immediately cash out of the slot machine and exchange the voucher for cash at the casino cashier.

Sounds like a winner. ;)

[Mingus]

Just go to guest services on the last day and ask to cash out.

 

(shareholder OBC has a small print that it's not available to cash out which may or may not be enforced; the rest shouldn't be an issue)

 

No need to cash out through the casino (you may be required to play "some" money).

Cashing out any remaining obc at the PSD on the last night is easy and painless (don't wait until disembarkation morning).

Shareholder obc is also cashable......there's no distinction between the different obc in your folio.

[lorenzod]

I called Princess and they said OBC could not be used in the casino nor was refunded if unused. They marked some of the credit Goodwill and some of it Shore Ex/Onboard Spending. There is an asterisk next to it saying Enjoy onboard not refundable.

[Mingus]

I called Princess and they said OBC could not be used in the casino nor was refunded if unused. They marked some of the credit Goodwill and some of it Shore Ex/Onboard Spending. There is an asterisk next to it saying Enjoy onboard not refundable.

The Princess reps are probably just quoting "policy", but the on-board experience is very different.

I have personally had shareholder obc cashed out, twice this year.

[lorenzod]

The Princess reps are probably just quoting "policy", but the on-board experience is very different.

I have personally had shareholder obc cashed out, twice this year.

 

What about the other types of OBC that I mentioned (goodwill and Shore Ex/on board spending)?

[Mingus]

What about the other types of OBC that I mentioned (goodwill and Shore Ex/on board spending)?

 

The different OBCs are not itemized on your folio.

They are all totaled and debited against your on-board charges (including the daily service charge).

[blkspy]

Obc is obc......I get mine in the casino. Have been dong so for 24 Princess cruises. It is NOT use It or lose it money. Simply walk up to the cashier and say...' id like to charge, say $100 to my card.' She will give you $100. If you have $100 in obc, it will cancel out the $100 you received from the cashier. SIMPLE AS THAT

Edited September 5, 2014 by blkspy

[SeymourKopath]

Obc is obc......I get mine in the casino. Have been dong so for 24 Princess cruises. It is NOT use It or lose it money. Simply walk up to the cashier and say...' id like to charge, say $100 to my card.' She will give you $100. If you have $100 in obc, it will cancel out the $100 you received from the cashier. SIMPLE AS THAT

Several years ago (the last time I did that), there was a 3% fee added to the amount of cash taken out at the casino cashier. Has Princess has done away with that 3% fee.

[johnmik1]

Several years ago (the last time I did that), there was a 3% fee added to the amount of cash taken out at the casino cashier. Has Princess has done away with that 3% fee.

 

That 3% was removed a few years ago.

[avlski]

princess is very generous with obc . I believe intent is for us/ you to enjoy amenities/spa tx/dining on board. Not to take money/cash out. Other cruise lines that I have been looking at - not so generous. I believe princess execs read cc and if see comments/threads like this, they may reconsider their obc policies. I have stock on both carnival and rci. Ex. Rci had sale ( I saved $100) but because of sale I was not allowed to use my stockholder obc. Future cruise I hav booked on princess - no problem - obc applied along with cruise sale price. Due to princess policy of allowing sales/use of stockholder obc/military obc - all my future cruises will be booked on princess. Above comments are my opinion. But I am hoping the "cash out" mentality does not cause the lenient obc of princess to change. Thank you

[Hlitner]

We were on the Ruby for 25 days in April/May and had several hundred dollars of remaining credit. Stopped by Guest Relations on the last evening and were told that the excess would be refunded to our credit card (they would not refund it in cash). About 5 weeks later we received a check in the mail.

 

Hank

[roysue]

We cruise both Celebrity and Princess. On our last Celebrity cruise we had some promotional OB and we were told we could not "cash" it out. However, I went to the casino and they cashed it out, no questions asked. I agree that on board, they may be more willing than their stated policy. Enjoy!

[Mingus]

Due to princess policy of allowing sales/use of stockholder obc/military obc - all my future cruises will be booked on princess

 

And that's why we sail mainly on Princess.

[gertz]

This is a first for me. Between daily tips, other tips, purchases, and on and on. I have never encountered any one not being able to use up all their credits.

 

If nothing else go buy something in the store. I think I would like to have this problem.:eek:

[Hlitner]

This is a first for me. Between daily tips, other tips, purchases, and on and on. I have never encountered any one not being able to use up all their credits.

 

If nothing else go buy something in the store. I think I would like to have this problem.:eek:

 

LOL. We had nearly $2000 in OBCs, and there is nothing in those onboard shops we want. Besides, on long trips (the most recent was 2 months) we leave home with maximum luggage weight.

 

Hank

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

This is a first for me. Between daily tips, other tips, purchases, and on and on. I have never encountered any one not being able to use up all their credits.

 

If nothing else go buy something in the store. I think I would like to have this problem.:eek:

 

There's nothing in those shops worth buying (says my wife) after I told her to buy something with our extra credit. Anything they sell can be had for less at home. It's just as well as cash is easier to carry anyway. ;)

[geoherb]

I was looking at some short cruises in December that come with $100 per person OBC. With that and our FCC and shareholder credit, we'll have more than we can spend. We broke even on our last cruise, and that was 7 days long, because we got a refund of port fees for missing Princess Cays.

[gertz]

LOL. We had nearly $2000 in OBCs, and there is nothing in those onboard shops we want. Besides, on long trips (the most recent was 2 months) we leave home with maximum luggage weight.

 

Hank

 

Just a second here, & not trying to pick an argument. But 2 months on a cruise using rounded off $ would amount to over $1300.00 in just cabin tips. And in additional dining room tips another 3 to 4 hundred not counting extra room person tip of 1 or 2 hundred. Buy a few sweat shirts and hats and your about out of money.

 

Or go a cheaper way and buy a high price watch or jewelry, and they do have some nice name brand stuff on the ship at not bad prices and your problem is gone.

 

How can having too much money be a problem? Just my opinion.:D

Edited September 5, 2014 by gertz

[helenb]

We have had this issue on both Celebrity and Princess, and the answer was the same.

 

Some types of OBC are 'non-refundable'. Usually these are the FCCs, the Shareholder OBC, and military OBC. In other words, anything that comes from the cruise line directly.

 

However, OBC from your TA, or from the Princess credit card are 'refundable', meaning that 'cash' was put down to buy them, and so cash can be returned.

 

This being said, in our multiple cruises on Celebrity and Princess with more OBC than we could use (but we did use all of the non-refundable OBC, which is applied first) we simply received a refund from the cruise line automatically on our credit card. No fuss, no muss. Not sure why someone would feel it necessary to go to the casino to 'cash out'?

[cocoabeachcruiser]

I called Princess and they said OBC could not be used in the casino nor was refunded if unused. They marked some of the credit Goodwill and some of it Shore Ex/Onboard Spending. There is an asterisk next to it saying Enjoy onboard not refundable.

 

I called Princess today as I have a cruise on hold and asked about OBC as well. I was told not in the casino. How can I be sure I won't get stuck in the end?:eek: Its $400 worth on a 5 day cruise. I have no interest in anything else.

[rkmw]

I called Princess today as I have a cruise on hold and asked about OBC as well. I was told not in the casino. How can I be sure I won't get stuck in the end?:eek: Its $400 worth on a 5 day cruise. I have no interest in anything else.

 

you can register your cruise card at the casino and transfer your obc to the card and stick a couple of dollars in the machine and cash out, we have done it a few times but dont tell the casino staff because they dont like it to be used as an ATM

[billco]

We cruise both Celebrity and Princess. On our last Celebrity cruise we had some promotional OB and we were told we could not "cash" it out. However, I went to the casino and they cashed it out, no questions asked. I agree that on board, they may be more willing than their stated policy. Enjoy!

The stated policy seems to indicate whatever is left on the folio at the end of the cruise is a credit or debit. From the Cruise Personalizer:

 

"Onboard Credits are essentially onboard spending money that is applied to your shipboard folio. At the end of your cruise, these credits are applied to your final balance due."

Edited September 7, 2014 by billco