On Board Credit: Does it matter what you apply it to?

[Missus_Aitch]

Forgive a foolish sounding question, but I’m planning our first Royal Caribbean cruise. I’m used to Disney, where you book your excursions, specialty dining, etc., but you don’t actually pay for anything until the end of the cruise. With Royal, since we pay as we order things, is there any advantage to using on board credit for something in particular?  For example, if it is applied to a port excursion that might be canceled, would that matter? I want to make sure we use it up on this cruise and don’t end up spending more than we had to with on board credit left over.

 

Thanks.

[taglovestocruise]

7 minutes ago, Missus_Aitch said:

Forgive a foolish sounding question, but I’m planning our first Royal Caribbean cruise. I’m used to Disney, where you book your excursions, specialty dining, etc., but you don’t actually pay for anything until the end of the cruise. With Royal, since we pay as we order things, is there any advantage to using on board credit for something in particular?  For example, if it is applied to a port excursion that might be canceled, would that matter? I want to make sure we use it up on this cruise and don’t end up spending more than we had to with on board credit left over.

 

Thanks.

Shows up on your account as a credit. Credit goes down as daily gratuities are added and things you buy onboard.  If you have refundable and non refundable OBC the non refundable is used first, anything left at the end is credited back to the charge card you used to book your cruise.

[twangster]

When using OBC in the cruise planner you do want to be mindful of seeking price adjustments if the cruise fare changes. 

 

Sometimes with a price drop OBC can be lost but if the price difference is large enough it pays to accept the loss of OBC.  If you've paid for items with the OBC and a reprice causes OBC to be lost your cruise planner purchased becomes unfunded and cancelled unless you are careful to pay for the item with a credit card at the same time. 

[xcell]

Can you cash the oBC out at the casino?  Of course with a surcharge.

[Ourusualbeach]

5 hours ago, xcell said:

Can you cash the oBC out at the casino?  Of course with a surcharge.

On a lot of the ships now you don5 pay the surcharge.  You are able to put your seapass card into the slot machine, set up an account and add money to the machine.  You then hit cash out and go to the cashier to get your money.  Did this in December on Oasis, no 5% fee 

[brillohead]

11 hours ago, twangster said:

Sometimes with a price drop OBC can be lost but if the price difference is large enough it pays to accept the loss of OBC.  If you've paid for items with the OBC and a reprice causes OBC to be lost your cruise planner purchased becomes unfunded and cancelled unless you are careful to pay for the item with a credit card at the same time. 

I found a price drop on one of my cruises last year, and it was this situation -- lost my OBC but the price drop was more than that, so I called Jason to have him reprice the cruise.

I got an email from Royal saying I had a balance due on my Cruise Planner purchase that I had applied the OBC to, and it gave me something like 48 hours to pay the new balance.

[spookwife]

It is a blanket credit that gets used up as you buy stuff on board.  Non refundable credit gets used up first.  Then refundable credit.  You will not get any no refundable credit back at all should there be any leftover.

[PhillyFan33579]

5 minutes ago, spookwife said:

It is a blanket credit that gets used up as you buy stuff on board.  Non refundable credit gets used up first.  Then refundable credit.  You will not get any no refundable credit back at all should there be any leftover.

You can also use OBC to purchase things prior to the cruise. I have applied OBC to the drink package on several cruises (purchased prior to the cruise). 

Edited February 16, 2020 by PhillyFan33579

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

14 hours ago, xcell said:

Can you cash the oBC out at the casino?  Of course with a surcharge.

10% charge. Put it in a slot and cash out. No charge.

[Ourusualbeach]

18 minutes ago, twodaywonder said:

10% charge. Put it in a slot and cash out. No charge.

It’s never been 10%.  It was and still is at 5% depending on the ship and whether they have the new system set up in the casino. 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

19 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It’s never been 10%.  It was and still is at 5% depending on the ship and whether they have the new system set up in the casino. 

Last time I was charged 10% learned after that. Old ship old way. Cash.

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, twodaywonder said:

Last time I was charged 10% learned after that. Old ship old way. Cash.

Never heard of 10% or been charged 10% on Royal.

[RocketMan275]

Sometimes it's helpful to think of the onboard account as a checking account.  The account opens with a deposit of the OBC.  Each onboard charge is debited against the account and the balance in the account decreases.  One does not get to choose what the OBC goes for, it goes to pay any charge until it's exhausted.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

2 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Sometimes it's helpful to think of the onboard account as a checking account.  The account opens with a deposit of the OBC.  Each onboard charge is debited against the account and the balance in the account decreases.  One does not get to choose what the OBC goes for, it goes to pay any charge until it's exhausted.

Great simple explanation. Good job!

[xcell]

But then there are refundable and non-refundable OBC - how does that work?

 

I  was given an OBC of $100 for booking onboard -- I would assume that's non-refundable. Can I use that as cash at the casino?  

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

1 minute ago, xcell said:

But then there are refundable and non-refundable OBC - how does that work?

 

I  was given an OBC of $100 for booking onboard -- I would assume that's non-refundable. Can I use that as cash at the casino?  

read post 14

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

1 minute ago, twodaywonder said:

read post 14

Also #7

[xcell]

I think some nonrefundable cannot be used for casino cash outs but that might be cruise line specific.

[molly361]

2 hours ago, twodaywonder said:

Last time I was charged 10% learned after that. Old ship old way. Cash.

Never heard of 10% either  

[legaljen1969]

 

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Sometimes it's helpful to think of the onboard account as a checking account.  The account opens with a deposit of the OBC.  Each onboard charge is debited against the account and the balance in the account decreases.  One does not get to choose what the OBC goes for, it goes to pay any charge until it's exhausted.

The last cruise we took, I did have some OBC toward my account.  I could use it to make pre-cruise purchases of excursions, drink packages, et cetera. I did not "have to" use it for those purchases and could use a credit card to pay for those items if I so chose.  Maybe once actually "onboard" it does work that way. 

[xcell]

OBC -- I know I could use it for alcohol, future cruises, etc... just not sure about casino cash (especially the OBC given by RCCL).

[RocketMan275]

36 minutes ago, legaljen1969 said:

 

The last cruise we took, I did have some OBC toward my account.  I could use it to make pre-cruise purchases of excursions, drink packages, et cetera. I did not "have to" use it for those purchases and could use a credit card to pay for those items if I so chose.  Maybe once actually "onboard" it does work that way. 

Yes, but, in general, you cannot tell the cruise line that you want OBC applied to this and not to that.  Besides, what does it matter? You still have the same bill.

[Missus_Aitch]

Thanks all. What happened for us was, I booked two port excursions, and upon checking out the system asked if I wanted to apply the OBC. I said yes, and it reduced the cost of one excursion accordingly. After I paid the remainder by debit card I wondered what would happen if that particular excursion were canceled (as has happened twice on DCL when it was too windy for parasailing). I know we can use up the money with gratuities and cappucino, etc., but it did make me wonder “what if.” 

 

Thanks to all for chiming in!  Happy cruising!

[PhillyFan33579]

5 hours ago, twodaywonder said:

Last time I was charged 10% learned after that. Old ship old way. Cash.

 
If this happened to you I think someone took advantage of you. 

[LeeW]

20 hours ago, Missus_Aitch said:

Thanks all. What happened for us was, I booked two port excursions, and upon checking out the system asked if I wanted to apply the OBC. I said yes, and it reduced the cost of one excursion accordingly. After I paid the remainder by debit card I wondered what would happen if that particular excursion were canceled (as has happened twice on DCL when it was too windy for parasailing). I know we can use up the money with gratuities and cappucino, etc., but it did make me wonder “what if.” 

 

Thanks to all for chiming in!  Happy cruising!

 

It goes back into your room account as refundable credit.  If you don't use it by end of cruise it gets refunded.  Have had this happen multiple times.