Uncommon Question about OBC

[dvcdisney]

I'm not sure if this is even possible, but if I have only a little OBC left on my account at the end of the cruise, would I be able to go to GS and ask them to just add it to my gratuities and specify to whom it should go to - ie. stateroom host or server?

 

If it makes a difference, I have already prepaid my gratuities. I was wondering if anything left on my OBC can be given to them through GS.

 

If so, would I be able to go earlier on the cruise and let them know what I would like them to do with what's left of my OBC so that I don't have to line up to close my cash account?

 

Thanks!

Edited March 5, 2015 by dvcdisney

[Clarea]

I'm not sure if this is even possible, but if I have only a little OBC left on my account at the end of the cruise, would I be able to go to GS and ask them to just add it to my gratuities and specify to whom it should go to - ie. stateroom host or server?

 

If it makes a difference, I have already prepaid my gratuities. I was wondering if anything left on my OBC can be given to them through GS.

 

If so, would I be able to go earlier on the cruise and let them know what I would like them to do with what's left of my OBC so that I don't have to line up to close my cash account?

 

Thanks!

I believe that Guest Services has a supplemental form you can fill out to give gratuities to various crew.

[papaflamingo]

You can always cash it out at the casino for a small fee (5%) and then give cash tips as you wish.

 

 

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[dvcdisney]

I believe that Guest Services has a supplemental form you can fill out to give gratuities to various crew.

 

Thanks!

 

Would I be able to do this if I don't know the amount?

 

What I want to do is go to GS and ask them to give the balance of my credit to one or two crew members at the end of my cruise. This would save me from having to line up and get a refund for the credit on my account.

 

Is that something I can do or is that not possible?

 

Hope my question makes sense.

[Clarea]

Thanks!

 

Would I be able to do this if I don't know the amount?

 

What I want to do is go to GS and ask them to give the balance of my credit to one or two crew members at the end of my cruise. This would save me from having to line up and get a refund for the credit on my account.

 

Is that something I can do or is that not possible?

 

Hope my question makes sense.

I think you will have to enter specific amounts on the form.

 

If you have excess refundable OBC, they will automatically credit your credit card.

Edited March 5, 2015 by clarea

[uksimonusa]

I think you will have to enter specific amounts on the form.

 

If you have excess refundable OBC, they will automatically credit your credit card.

 

If the OBC is refundable.

[dvcdisney]

You can always cash it out at the casino for a small fee (5%) and then give cash tips as you wish.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

I should be able to get the money back from GS since most of it will be OBC that I put in myself.

 

Do you know if I can get it out from GS in the morning of Day 6 so that I can use it to give to the crew?

[Clarea]

I should be able to get the money back from GS since most of it will be OBC that I put in myself.

 

Do you know if I can get it out from GS in the morning of Day 6 so that I can use it to give to the crew?

I believe you have to wait until the evening on the last night to get OBC back.

Edited March 5, 2015 by clarea

[dvcdisney]

I think you will have to enter specific amounts on the form.

 

If you have excess refundable OBC, they will automatically credit your credit card.

 

I have decided on a Cash account so I was told that I would need to go to GS at the end of the cruise (evening of Day 6) to close the account.

 

I read somewhere that if there is a credit and no credit card on file, they won't close the account and I would need to line up.

 

If I can close the account earlier in the day, I would be fine, but again, I read somewhere on this forum that I cannot close until the last evening.

 

It makes sense that I have to put an exact amount, but I was hoping that perhaps they had something in place for what I wanted to do.

[dvcdisney]

I believe you have to wait until the evening on the last night to get OBC back.

 

What if I go in the morning, allocate the credit to the specific crew members using the form which will put the balance to $0 - will I then be able to close the account? Or at least will the account just close at the end of the cruise and I don't have to go to GS that evening?

 

I like the idea of a Cash account, so I don't really want to put a credit card down. But at the same time, I don't want to have to go to GS at the end of the cruise when the line is very long.

Edited March 5, 2015 by dvcdisney

[papaflamingo]

I should be able to get the money back from GS since most of it will be OBC that I put in myself.

 

 

 

Do you know if I can get it out from GS in the morning of Day 6 so that I can use it to give to the crew?

 

 

If you put the OBC in then it should be refundable. I have never dealt with a cash account. I don't see why they won't let you withdraw your own money. Only caveat is that likely they won't zero it out until the last morning. You can always charge things right up to the final morning so they'll likely keep funds in the account. Surely others know the answer.

 

 

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[cruzsnooze]

You also have an option to cash it out in the casino for a small fee.

[PSU]

If it refundable, why would you pay a 5 percent fee to cash it out when GS would give it to you for free. The casino route should be used for non-refundable OBC. In fact, one time GS gave me the cash instead of refunding it to my credit card.

You also have an option to cash it out in the casino for a small fee.

[waterbugohio]

If it refundable, why would you pay a 5 percent fee to cash it out when GS would give it to you for free. The casino route should be used for non-refundable OBC. In fact, one time GS gave me the cash instead of refunding it to my credit card.

 

I agree, I am not a fan of paying to use my own money. HOWEVER, I think the OP is mainly trying to avoid having to stand in a long line the last night. If we are talking just a minimal amount ($50 or so) then to me, paying the 3% to not have to stand in line would be well worth it. The $1-2 would well be worth the hassle to me.

 

Just my opinion.

[bouhunter]

It would be so much easier to just give them a credit card for the account and cash some money out at the casino. No problem with waiting in line which seems to trouble you. Might pay a few dollars in the 5% and such, but you would be out of there. I really don't understand the need to have a "cash account". That in itself it what's complicating what you are trying to acheive.......

[dvcdisney]

I agree, I am not a fan of paying to use my own money. HOWEVER, I think the OP is mainly trying to avoid having to stand in a long line the last night. If we are talking just a minimal amount ($50 or so) then to me, paying the 3% to not have to stand in line would be well worth it. The $1-2 would well be worth the hassle to me.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Exactly! I want to close my account on the morning of Day 6...we won't be charging after that. But if they won't let me close it, I was wondering if I can give what's left on the account to the crew. This would just be adding to the already prepaid gratuities. Clarea (always very helpful) had mentioned that there is a form. I'll try to distribute the available credit to the crew using the form to zero my account. Then I won't charge anymore.

 

I would assume that if the account is $0, then there's no need to do anything at the end of the cruise...Correct?

Edited March 6, 2015 by dvcdisney

[JasonV1]

Depending on the source of the OBC, guest services may just be able to give you the cash (but not until the day before you disembark).

[Paulette3028]

Exactly! I want to close my account on the morning of Day 6...we won't be charging after that. But if they won't let me close it, I was wondering if I can give what's left on the account to the crew. This would just be adding to the already prepaid gratuities. Clarea (always very helpful) had mentioned that there is a form. I'll try to distribute the available credit to the crew using the form to zero my account. Then I won't charge anymore.

 

I would assume that if the account is $0, then there's no need to do anything at the end of the cruise...Correct?

 

I have used the form that Clarea is referring to, and you MUST put a specific amount on it.....you can't say "All that remains on my OBC" please add to the crew tips.

 

The form asks for the name of staff/crew member and specific amount of additional gratuity that you would like given.

[billsgal]

Most of the RCI ships have an interactive TV that shows the shipboard account, and should show you how much money you have remaining on that account.

You could then decide how much you want to allocate to the staff members and indicate the amount on the form. No need to stand in line.

 

There may be some ships that do not have the shipboard account showing on your TV, but if so, I haven't been on any of them in a long time:D

[CHOPPERTESTER]

Go to the casino.

 

Put you stateroom card in a penny slot machine.

 

Charge the equivalent of your remaining OBC to your casino account, loading the funds on the slot machine. There is no fee to charge to casino account and it will cancel out your OBC on your stateroom final bill.

 

Spin minimum bet once (you have to spin once or they will not let you cash out at the casino cashier).

 

Go to the casino cashier and cash out your casino account.

 

No long line up at GS on last night and no fees.

 

The above will not work for "use it or lose it" OBC that has to be spent on specific items such as photos, excursions, etc.

[bonsai3s]

Go to the casino.

 

Put you stateroom card in a penny slot machine.

 

Charge the equivalent of your remaining OBC to your casino account, loading the funds on the slot machine. There is no fee to charge to casino account and it will cancel out your OBC on your stateroom final bill.

 

Spin minimum bet once (you have to spin once or they will not let you cash out at the casino cashier).

 

Go to the casino cashier and cash out your casino account.

 

No long line up at GS on last night and no fees.

 

The above will not work for "use it or lose it" OBC that has to be spent on specific items such as photos, excursions, etc.

 

Choppertester...thank you. The only time we visit the casino is when we remember to use the free coins. We avoid it because of the smoke...and well, we don't really gamble. Thanks to you, we have a reason to visit the casino instead of the long lines at guest services. :)

[vanceml]

Go to the casino.

 

 

 

Put you stateroom card in a penny slot machine.

 

 

 

Charge the equivalent of your remaining OBC to your casino account, loading the funds on the slot machine. There is no fee to charge to casino account and it will cancel out your OBC on your stateroom final bill.

 

 

 

Spin minimum bet once (you have to spin once or they will not let you cash out at the casino cashier).

 

 

 

Go to the casino cashier and cash out your casino account.

 

 

 

No long line up at GS on last night and no fees.

 

 

 

The above will not work for "use it or lose it" OBC that has to be spent on specific items such as photos, excursions, etc.

 

 

Will this only work on the last night, or can you do it any night? Thanks for the tip!

[CHOPPERTESTER]

You can do it any time during the cruise when the Casino is open. No need to find an ATM or ATM fees.

 

2nd to last night (or day - less smoke in the mornings) to get some extra cash for tips.

 

Anytime during the cruise if you need cash for on-shore.

 

Use a points card to settle your shipboard account and get the points benefit as well.

 

Ditto if you need cash to buy chips at the tables in the Casino otherwise they charge a fee to use your ship card when getting chips.

[ColoradoGurl]

You can do it any time during the cruise when the Casino is open. No need to find an ATM or ATM fees.

 

2nd to last night (or day - less smoke in the mornings) to get some extra cash for tips.

 

Anytime during the cruise if you need cash for on-shore.

 

Use a points card to settle your shipboard account and get the points benefit as well.

 

Ditto if you need cash to buy chips at the tables in the Casino otherwise they charge a fee to use your ship card when getting chips.

 

Questions about doing this:

1) is there still a $200/day limit on charging cash at the casino (or buying chips)?

2) Is the Casino only open when at sea? I have $1700 of obc and would like to use it for shore stuff instead of bringing a bunch more cash with me, but the first 5 days of our trip are port days. Do I have to wait until after dinner each night to get cash?

Edited July 19, 2015 by ColoradoGurl