bcsurvivor2001 Posted October 14, 2019 #1 Share Posted October 14, 2019 First cruise in several years and first with a $100 OBC. What do you use yours for? Spa? What? TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekathy Posted October 14, 2019 #2 Share Posted October 14, 2019 14 minutes ago, bcsurvivor2001 said: First cruise in several years and first with a $100 OBC. What do you use yours for? Spa? What? TIA Only my wife can answer that question. 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenquixote66 Posted October 14, 2019 #3 Share Posted October 14, 2019 I do not make those decisions,lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denmarks Posted October 14, 2019 #4 Share Posted October 14, 2019 It will cost more than that for tips. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h-sar Posted October 14, 2019 #5 Share Posted October 14, 2019 (edited) Possibilities: Put towards gratuities Specialty dining Soda/mocktails package Toward excursion Internet package Salon Photos Onboard shops We’ve done all of the above 👍🏼 Unfortunately, $100 wont go far on-board ☹️ Edited October 14, 2019 by h-sar 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcsurvivor2001 Posted October 14, 2019 Author #6 Share Posted October 14, 2019 5 minutes ago, h-sar said: Possibilities: Put towards gratuities Specialty dining Soda/mocktails package Toward excursion Internet package Salon Photos Onboard shops We’ve done all of the above 👍🏼 Unfortunately, $100 wont go far on-board ☹️ Thanks for all these great options. I already did pre-paid gratuities this time (without thinking) but the rest sound great! I was leaning towards the Salon or Photos right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shipgeeks Posted October 14, 2019 #7 Share Posted October 14, 2019 On a recent RC cruise we discovered unused OBC as we were leaving the ship. Guest Services allowed us to nominate crew members to receive additional tips. On Celebrity, we were able to donate our unused OBC to the Hurricane Dorian relief fund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare c-boy Posted October 14, 2019 #8 Share Posted October 14, 2019 apply it toward the drink package, and then proceed to buy drinks for all my new friends. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XBGuy Posted October 14, 2019 #9 Share Posted October 14, 2019 1 hour ago, shipgeeks said: On Celebrity, we were able to donate our unused OBC to the Hurricane Dorian relief fund. Princess had a similar program. We submitted a form to the Passenger Services Desk; and it was charged to our account. As usual by the end of our cruise there was no unused OBC. I often have wondered how people go on a cruise and have leftover OBC. It's never happened to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted October 14, 2019 #10 Share Posted October 14, 2019 On celebrity they had a deal buy 50 in casino chips get 55 , I used my 300 to get 330 in chips. Agree on other points specialty restaurants, massage etc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaveitallbehind Posted October 14, 2019 #11 Share Posted October 14, 2019 (edited) At least with the two cruise lines cited, RCI and Celebrity, while you can choose how it is spent at your discretion, the amount of OBC is indiscriminately applied towards any and all charges made to your stateroom account while on board. It can be spent by you for anything on board other than for use as a deposit for a future cruise booked on board. But you cannot say to have it applied for one specific charge or another - it is just applied as a blind credit as charges are made on your account. So how you spend it is up to you but how it is applied is based on when a charge is made. Purchases can also be made against your OBC in advance of the cruise for excursions, dining, etc. Also, cruise line provided OBC is non-refundable and not given back in cash if not spent. Interesting - and nice - options given for requested disbursement of remaining OBC. That being said we usually make our first OBC purchases for specialty dining. Edited October 14, 2019 by leaveitallbehind 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldubs Posted October 15, 2019 #12 Share Posted October 15, 2019 43 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said: At least with the two cruise lines cited, RCI and Celebrity, while you can choose how it is spent at your discretion, the amount of OBC is indiscriminately applied towards any and all charges made to your stateroom account while on board. It can be spent by you for anything on board other than for use as a deposit for a future cruise booked on board. But you cannot say to have it applied for one specific charge or another - it is just applied as a blind credit as charges are made on your account. So how you spend it is up to you but how it is applied is based on when a charge is made. Purchases can also be made against your OBC in advance of the cruise for excursions, dining, etc. Also, cruise line provided OBC is non-refundable and not given back in cash if not spent. Interesting - and nice - options given for requested disbursement of remaining OBC. That being said we usually make our first OBC purchases for specialty dining. I was going to ask Mrs Ldubs, but I think this explains it well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcsurvivor2001 Posted October 15, 2019 Author #13 Share Posted October 15, 2019 1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said: At least with the two cruise lines cited, RCI and Celebrity, while you can choose how it is spent at your discretion, the amount of OBC is indiscriminately applied towards any and all charges made to your stateroom account while on board. It can be spent by you for anything on board other than for use as a deposit for a future cruise booked on board. But you cannot say to have it applied for one specific charge or another - it is just applied as a blind credit as charges are made on your account. So how you spend it is up to you but how it is applied is based on when a charge is made. Purchases can also be made against your OBC in advance of the cruise for excursions, dining, etc. Also, cruise line provided OBC is non-refundable and not given back in cash if not spent. Interesting - and nice - options given for requested disbursement of remaining OBC. That being said we usually make our first OBC purchases for specialty dining. THANKS- this is VERY HELPFUL!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underwatr Posted October 15, 2019 #14 Share Posted October 15, 2019 10 hours ago, XBGuy said: I often have wondered how people go on a cruise and have leftover OBC. It's never happened to us. One Christmas we disembarked with something like $1.85 in remaining OBC. I was quite happy with our skill at using it up. Sometimes we've had to visit the onboard shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrenM Posted October 15, 2019 #15 Share Posted October 15, 2019 We used ours to buy photos taken throughout the week. Only one had my ugly mug in it, and that was after we popped off at Monte Carlo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iancal Posted October 15, 2019 #16 Share Posted October 15, 2019 Wine 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bookish Angel Posted October 15, 2019 #17 Share Posted October 15, 2019 If non-refundable, toward gratuities as we buy almost nothing on a ship. If refundable, we take it as cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare geoherb Posted October 15, 2019 #18 Share Posted October 15, 2019 On our recent 16-day cruise, we spent our OBC toward gratuities, internet package, a few drinks and corkage fees, a bottle of liquor to take home, a jacket, and a bracelet. We did not have any left over, but did not have huge bill either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaveitallbehind Posted October 15, 2019 #19 Share Posted October 15, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Bookish Angel said: If refundable, we take it as cash. Which would normally be a third party applied OBC such as that from a travel agent or family member as a gift, etc. Again using RCI and Celebrity as examples, cruise line sponsored non-refundable OBC's are applied against charges made to your stateroom account first, with refundable OBC's applied last. In this manner you would not lose the value of the refundable OBC if not used on board as any remaining balance would be given to you at the end of the cruise with settlement of your stateroom account. Edited October 15, 2019 by leaveitallbehind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcsurvivor2001 Posted October 15, 2019 Author #20 Share Posted October 15, 2019 Thanks everyone for the great, diverse options 😘. This is the first time getting an OBC - was part of my booking “sale”. Just didn’t know how or IF I needed to do something special to take advantage of this “free $$$”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekathy Posted October 15, 2019 #21 Share Posted October 15, 2019 (edited) 11 minutes ago, bcsurvivor2001 said: Thanks everyone for the great, diverse options 😘. This is the first time getting an OBC - was part of my booking “sale”. Just didn’t know how or IF I needed to do something special to take advantage of this “free $$$”. Enjoy and don't spend it all in one place. 😉 Edited October 15, 2019 by davekathy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipmaster Posted October 15, 2019 #22 Share Posted October 15, 2019 20 hours ago, bcsurvivor2001 said: First cruise in several years and first with a $100 OBC. What do you use yours for? Spa? What? TIA If we are doing tours, almost always credit a tours. If we don't plan tours we usually break down and get a drink package but try to avoid that, they are such a ripoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leaveitallbehind Posted October 15, 2019 #23 Share Posted October 15, 2019 1 hour ago, chipmaster said: If we are doing tours, almost always credit a tours. If we don't plan tours we usually break down and get a drink package but try to avoid that, they are such a ripoff True, but if it is ship's money to begin with by way of an OBC, there is no ripoff. The only downside to you would be to not use the OBC - regardless of how it is used. (IMO, tours through the ships are also overcharged as they take their % from the tour operators through whom they book and you pay that premium). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Hlitner Posted October 15, 2019 #24 Share Posted October 15, 2019 19 hours ago, XBGuy said: Princess had a similar program. We submitted a form to the Passenger Services Desk; and it was charged to our account. As usual by the end of our cruise there was no unused OBC. I often have wondered how people go on a cruise and have leftover OBC. It's never happened to us. On Princess it can be pretty easy to have left over OBC. With that cruise line we can often get thousands of OBC since the line allows "stacking" of credits. We are soon off on another Princess cruise where we have about $1800 in OBC plus pre-paid gratuities. Since it is only a 25 day voyage we need to spend about $70 a day which should cover most of our drinks. On Princess we have actually returned from some cruises and received a refund check from the cruise line (many of our OBCs are refundable). On any Princess cruise I start out with $250 Stockholder credit and $250 Veterans Credit (we do not take short cruises). Our various cruises agencies usually kick-in about 10% of the cruise cost plus more and sometimes Princess has a promo where they toss in OBC. We do fine with OBCs on other lines, but Princess is generally the best. Hank 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sverigecruiser Posted October 15, 2019 #25 Share Posted October 15, 2019 21 hours ago, XBGuy said: I often have wondered how people go on a cruise and have leftover OBC. It's never happened to us. I often have wondered how people get the OBC. It's never happened to us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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