Perks: OBC versus gratuities

[hiccups]

We're past RC cruisers looking at Celebrity. The current promotions offer prepaid gratuities or $300 OBC. Anyone know if the OBC can be used to cover gratuities? It seems like a no-brainer if so!

[barneymag]

We're past RC cruisers looking at Celebrity. The current promotions offer prepaid gratuities or $300 OBC. Anyone know if the OBC can be used to cover gratuities? It seems like a no-brainer if so!

 

Depends on your dining arrangements

 

If you are on traditional dining then you can use OBC to pay on the ship, if you are flexible dining then you must pay for the gratuities with the final cruise fare - therefore can't use OBC for this.

[hiccups]

Depends on your dining arrangements

 

If you are on traditional dining then you can use OBC to pay on the ship, if you are flexible dining then you must pay for the gratuities with the final cruise fare - therefore can't use OBC for this.

 

Thank you! We prefer traditional dining so that would work for us.

[kenevenpar]

We're past RC cruisers looking at Celebrity. The current promotions offer prepaid gratuities or $300 OBC. Anyone know if the OBC can be used to cover gratuities? It seems like a no-brainer if so!

 

Also, you need to look at the length of your cruise to decide which is the better offer.

[dkjretired]

Just to clarify the gratuities means all tips, dining room, stateroom, etc, when you choose Select dining you have to pay all these not just the dining room tips. Don't know whether you considered that when doing the math. Doesn't include drinks.

Edited January 8, 2016 by dkjretired

[hiccups]

Just to clarify the gratuities means all tips, dining room, stateroom, etc, when you choose Select dining you have to pay all these not just the dining room tips. Don't know whether you considered that when doing the math. Doesn't include drinks.

 

Yes, I realize it doesn't include drinks. We are considering a 7-night cruise, and I was basing gratuities on the $12.95/$13.45/$16.45 listed on the website.

 

We generally don't bother with specialty dining because we aren't that particular.

[ORV]

Thank you! We prefer traditional dining so that would work for us.

 

The other part of the equation is can you get traditional? Many people here have reported booking and traditional not being available and they are forced to take Select.

 

The bottom line on the perks is that usually unless you are in a suite the gratuities choice is rarely a good one. Unless you don't drink at all and you take it as the first perk and the cruise is 12 days or more, or 10 days or more in a suite.

 

The only time it's good as a second perk at $15 per person per day is if you are in a suite.

[az_tchr]

Traditional dining showing as full is almost always another of Celebrity's famous website issues. Have never ever found the 2nd seating in traditional dining to be full. I certainly have heard that the early seating was fully booked and expect no change there.

 

What is interesting is would think specialty dining might be down as some went there to avoid formal nights.

[Mr. Click]

We use an online TA who pre-pays out grats for us as part of their promo package so we get to keep the OBC :).

[Algebralovr]

Traditional dining showing as full is almost always another of Celebrity's famous website issues. Have never ever found the 2nd seating in traditional dining to be full. I certainly have heard that the early seating was fully booked and expect no change there.

 

We've actually been on one cruise where the second seating was full. There were a BUNCH of younger people from Brazil, and they all booked second seating. It was on a 7 night cruise even!

 

A cruise in the Med also seemed to have second seating full. You just never know.