Buying Shipboard Credits

[Dreamer115]

I have a few questions in reguards to purchasing shipboard credits.  First off I am Canadian and booked through through a Canadian TA.  Everything is payable in Canadian.  However when I purchase shipboard credits they will be in American.  Does anyone know how they do the exchange rate?  Secondly can these credits that I purchase be used in the casino?  I prefer not to use a credit card on my account and have purchsed credit on other cruise lines that has been usable in the casino.  How would I go about getting some of this credit in cash to spend while in port?  Again on other lines I could get it out at the casino.  I am sure I will think of other questions but will start with this.

Thanks in Advance.

Connie

[Dreamer115]

Come on someone chime in here and help me out.

 

[shanni-shanni]

As far as I know, shipboard credits are given to you by either your TA or Holland America ( for being a Carnival shareholder or rewards for purchasing a Future Cruise deposit etc.).

 

I have not heard anyone purchasing the SBC.

 

Tom

[rochelle_s]

I just purchased $1000 OBC for my Nieuw Statendam cruise in July. The purpose for this purchase is predominantly for the casino. I purchased 10 x $100 online and paid with my credit card. My credit card charged approximately 3% more than the exchange rate on that particular day, which is what I usually experience.  As an example the exchange rate is 24 percent, when I purchase $100 it shows at $127 CDN on my credit card- the 24% + 3% fee.

 

I was on the Eurodam in November and I assume other ships will operate the same way…but this is how it worked. In the casino at the slot machine I could load money to the machine from my ship board account. I could play the money in the machine or I could ‘cash out’ at which point the money would be on my casino account. At any time I could cash out my casino account at the cashier. 
 

I only played slots but I imagine there might be another way for tables. Or you could just use a slot machine to act as your bank machine.  
 

it is also very likely that you could just ask for funds at the casino cashier.

 

Not sure this is exactly the info you are looking for but it can be done, If our dollar stays strong I will likely purchase more.

 

Have a great cruise and good luck in the casino!

 

Rochelle

Edited April 24, 2022 by rochelle_s

[shanni-shanni]

8 minutes ago, rochelle_s said:

I just purchased $1000 OBC for my Nieuw Statendam cruise in July. The purpose for this purchase is predominantly for the casino. I purchased 10 x $100 online and paid with my credit card. My credit card charged approximately 3% more than the exchange rate on that particular day, which is what I usually experience.  As an example the exchange rate is 24 percent, when I purchase $100 it shows at $127 CDN on my credit card- the 24% + 3% fee.

 

I was on the Eurodam in November and I assume other ships will operate the same way…but this is how it worked. In the casino at the slot machine I could load money to the machine from my ship board account. I could play the money in the machine or I could ‘cash out’ at which point the money would be on my casino account. At any time I could cash out my casino account at the cashier. 
 

I only played slots but I imagine there might be another way for tables. Or you could just use a slot machine to act as your bank machine.  
 

it is also very likely that you could just ask for funds at the casino cashier.

 

Not sure this is exactly the info you are looking for but it can be done, If our dollar stays strong I will likely purchase more.

 

Have a great cruise and good luck in the casino!

 

Rochelle

I stand corrected.

 

Tom

[kazu]

12 hours ago, shanni-shanni said:

As far as I know, shipboard credits are given to you by either your TA or Holland America ( for being a Carnival shareholder or rewards for purchasing a Future Cruise deposit etc.).

 

I have not heard anyone purchasing the SBC.

 

Tom

 

Incorrect - sorry - yes OBC / SBC may be gifted but you can buy as much as you like pre-cruise.  

 

I often buy OBC for the exact reason the OP is talking about - to use in the casino (and help with my budgeting 😉)

 

OP - any OBC you buy is refundable and therefore can be used in the casino no problem.

 

If you want to play the tables instead of the slots, you can do as posted - or, just go to the slots, sign in a charge a bunch of money from your shipboard account to the slot machine.  Play as much or as little as you want (but do a couple of spins at least) and cash out and voila - you have cash for the tables 😉 

 

The casino cashier can probably tell you the best way to do it though if you want to play the tables.  (I usually play slots)

 

 

 

 

[richwmn]

3 minutes ago, kazu said:

The casino cashier can probably tell you the best way to do it though if you want to play the tables.  (I usually play slots)

you can also just hand your card to the table dealer and give them an amount to be charged to your cabin, no need to go to the slots first.

[Florida_gal_50]

13 hours ago, rochelle_s said:

I just purchased $1000 OBC for my Nieuw Statendam cruise in July. The purpose for this purchase is predominantly for the casino. I purchased 10 x $100 online and paid with my credit card. My credit card charged approximately 3% more than the exchange rate on that particular day, which is what I usually experience.  As an example the exchange rate is 24 percent, when I purchase $100 it shows at $127 CDN on my credit card- the 24% + 3% fee.

 

I was on the Eurodam in November and I assume other ships will operate the same way…but this is how it worked. In the casino at the slot machine I could load money to the machine from my ship board account. I could play the money in the machine or I could ‘cash out’ at which point the money would be on my casino account. At any time I could cash out my casino account at the cashier. 
 

I only played slots but I imagine there might be another way for tables. Or you could just use a slot machine to act as your bank machine.  
 

it is also very likely that you could just ask for funds at the casino cashier.

 

Not sure this is exactly the info you are looking for but it can be done, If our dollar stays strong I will likely purchase more.

 

Have a great cruise and good luck in the casino!

 

Rochelle

Just for information if you get a home trust visa you don't pay that 3 percent. There is no yearly fee either.  I use it for all my usd purchases.

[rsldonk]

If you buy online, it hits your card in USD and then your credit card does the exchange. This is usually pretty close to market price for the exchange 

[Dreamer115]

17 hours ago, shanni-shanni said:

As far as I know, shipboard credits are given to you by either your TA or Holland America ( for being a Carnival shareholder or rewards for purchasing a Future Cruise deposit etc.).

 

I have not heard anyone purchasing the SBC.

 

Tom

No you can buy them, they are listed under gifts and indulgences.

[Dreamer115]

16 hours ago, rochelle_s said:

I just purchased $1000 OBC for my Nieuw Statendam cruise in July. The purpose for this purchase is predominantly for the casino. I purchased 10 x $100 online and paid with my credit card. My credit card charged approximately 3% more than the exchange rate on that particular day, which is what I usually experience.  As an example the exchange rate is 24 percent, when I purchase $100 it shows at $127 CDN on my credit card- the 24% + 3% fee.

 

I was on the Eurodam in November and I assume other ships will operate the same way…but this is how it worked. In the casino at the slot machine I could load money to the machine from my ship board account. I could play the money in the machine or I could ‘cash out’ at which point the money would be on my casino account. At any time I could cash out my casino account at the cashier. 
 

I only played slots but I imagine there might be another way for tables. Or you could just use a slot machine to act as your bank machine.  
 

it is also very likely that you could just ask for funds at the casino cashier.

 

Not sure this is exactly the info you are looking for but it can be done, If our dollar stays strong I will likely purchase more.

 

Have a great cruise and good luck in the casino!

 

Rochelle

Thank you Rochelle,  That is exactly what I was looking for.  I prefer not to take much cash with me but like to have cash available.  Does that make sense.  I will be getting some set up.  As I don't travel until September I can get some each month and it doesn't put a drain on my account to do it all at once.  Thanks again.

[Dreamer115]

4 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Incorrect - sorry - yes OBC / SBC may be gifted but you can buy as much as you like pre-cruise.  

 

I often buy OBC for the exact reason the OP is talking about - to use in the casino (and help with my budgeting 😉)

 

OP - any OBC you buy is refundable and therefore can be used in the casino no problem.

 

If you want to play the tables instead of the slots, you can do as posted - or, just go to the slots, sign in a charge a bunch of money from your shipboard account to the slot machine.  Play as much or as little as you want (but do a couple of spins at least) and cash out and voila - you have cash for the tables 😉 

 

The casino cashier can probably tell you the best way to do it though if you want to play the tables.  (I usually play slots)

 

 

 

 

I am a slot person as well.  Play first day and get some cash for the first port and so on.  Thanks.

[Dreamer115]

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Just for information if you get a home trust visa you don't pay that 3 percent. There is no yearly fee either.  I use it for all my usd purchases.

Never heard of a home trust visa but will check it out.

[Florida_gal_50]

38 minutes ago, Dreamer115 said:

Never heard of a home trust visa but will check it out.

It’s nice to save a bit when you can.  I generally rent  a cabana and those puppies aren’t cheap.  I’ll take any help I can get.

[shanni-shanni]

7 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Incorrect - sorry - yes OBC / SBC may be gifted but you can buy as much as you like pre-cruise.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Dreamer115 said:

No you can buy them, they are listed under gifts and indulgences.

Thought I already posted ' I stand corrected ' on # 5.

 

Tom

 

 

[Dreamer115]

4 hours ago, shanni-shanni said:

 

Thought I already posted ' I stand corrected ' on # 5.

 

Tom

 

 

You did but I answer in order and didn't see your post in #5 until after I answered.

 

[RuthC]

10 hours ago, Dreamer115 said:

You did but I answer in order and didn't see your post in #5 until after I answered.

 

It's better to read through the thread before responding. That way you can see if something has been sufficiently answered, eliminating the need to reply. 
Or, as in this case, to make it look like piling on.