Elevate pkg.?

[weregoingcruising]

Have you be able to use the obc for other than excursions lately? 

[AbbyCruiser45]

Yes, we used it for speciality dining, an excursion, and the casino slots pre-buy. 

[DCPIV]

If you can buy it on the cruise planner, you can use OBC.

[weregoingcruising]

1 hour ago, AbbyCruiser45 said:

Yes, we used it for speciality dining, an excursion, and the casino slots pre-buy. 

How recently on which ship?

Thank You

[Dar & Bob]

48 minutes ago, weregoingcruising said:

How recently on which ship?

Thank You

I am interested as well.  I know it says specifically for shore excursions only and when I asked when booking our cruise in April I was told by our CVP that it couldn't be used for other things on board.  We ended up going with the Indulge package since we really weren't even getting off the ship.  We were able to use that for dining, Deal or no Deal and in the casino.  If it can be used otherwise I wish they would just label it onboard credit.  

As a cruiser new to Celebrity I find there is so much "research" to be done to make sure you get what you expect.  

[LGW59]

10 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

I am interested as well.  I know it says specifically for shore excursions only and when I asked when booking our cruise in April I was told by our CVP that it couldn't be used for other things on board.  We ended up going with the Indulge package since we really weren't even getting off the ship.  We were able to use that for dining, Deal or no Deal and in the casino.  If it can be used otherwise I wish they would just label it onboard credit.  

As a cruiser new to Celebrity I find there is so much "research" to be done to make sure you get what you expect.  

There are a whole host of things that OBC can be used for other than shore excursions.  Both pre cruise and during, salon, spa, on board shops, extra gratuities, specialty dining, casino and many others.

[DCPIV]

1 hour ago, weregoingcruising said:

How recently on which ship?

Thank You

 

I've done it in for Summit sailings in last August and October, Millennium last November, Reflection last February, and for Equinox later this year.

 

OBC is not restricted to only shore excursions, even if the promotional materials say so. 

[AbbyCruiser45]

1 hour ago, weregoingcruising said:

How recently on which ship?

Thank You

I did it last year on an Edge Caribbean and just in the last few months for a Equinox Caribbean this summer. My parents sail more frequently than I do and they’ve used Elevate OBC for more than excursions on many ships (Millie, Summit, Equinox, Edge, Apex, Beyond, and Reflection) 

[bama4cruisin]

I have used some for specialty dining reservations on our Cruise in October on Beyond.

 

[Michidoeme]

Be careful : We thought we used our OBC several weeks pre cruise when booking ship excursions on the website, as system never asked for confirmation to pay with credit card or which credit card to use as it does when we booked drink packages etc before.  We never got an email confirmation of purchase either as is normally received. The amounts just stayed open and we assumed were going to be offset with OBC.  But when we came on board we still had the full OBC on our account, and found our credit card was charged with the excursions a couple of days earlier.    We then could get most of the OBC back playing in Casino (minus the losses!).

This was on Beyond and they had some - beginners - issues with the system and online app.

Edited June 5, 2022 by Michidoeme

[Purplsmurf]

2 hours ago, weregoingcruising said:

How recently on which ship?

Thank You

We just did on Reflection a few weeks ago. 

[bama4cruisin]

31 minutes ago, Michidoeme said:

Be careful : We thought we used our OBC several weeks pre cruise when booking ship excursions on the website, as system never asked for confirmation to pay with credit card or which credit card to use as it does when we booked drink packages etc before.  We never got an email confirmation of purchase either as is normally received. The amounts just stayed open and we assumed were going to be offset with OBC.  But when we came on board we still had the full OBC on our account, and found our credit card was charged with the excursions a couple of days earlier.    We then could get most of the OBC back playing in Casino (minus the losses!).

This was on Beyond and they had some - beginners - issues with the system and online app.

Thanks for the heads up.  I believe we’re okay as I have the email confirmation for each of the 3 reservations plus our OBC amount has been reduced by the appropriate amount with each.  I did watch for the option for OBC  to be used for each purchase as an earlier poster had mentioned that several months ago..

[DCPIV]

47 minutes ago, bama4cruisin said:

Thanks for the heads up.  I believe we’re okay as I have the email confirmation for each of the 3 reservations plus our OBC amount has been reduced by the appropriate amount with each.  I did watch for the option for OBC  to be used for each purchase as an earlier poster had mentioned that several months ago..

 

You're plenty good. 

 

The new cruise planner is a good deal trickier when it comes to using OBC.

[Dar & Bob]

So everyone here who says they used their OBC - this was from the Elevate package?  Not the Indulge package or from Retreat?  When I asked before our last cruise the CVP told me that it would be only for shore excursions.  However she also told me we couldn't use the Indulge in the casino 😆.  

With the sale going on, I am trying to refare our booking and wanted to get the upgraded drink package.  We will do specialty restaurants and maybe some onboard activities but I don't want to be limited.  I would rather just pay for Elevate and have a lesser OBC. 

[Purplsmurf]

22 minutes ago, Dar & Bob said:

So everyone here who says they used their OBC - this was from the Elevate package?  Not the Indulge package or from Retreat?  When I asked before our last cruise the CVP told me that it would be only for shore excursions.  However she also told me we couldn't use the Indulge in the casino 😆.  

With the sale going on, I am trying to refare our booking and wanted to get the upgraded drink package.  We will do specialty restaurants and maybe some onboard activities but I don't want to be limited.  I would rather just pay for Elevate and have a lesser OBC. 

We just got off of the Reflection a few weeks ago and had the elevate package. We used it for Specialty dining and cashed the balance out in the casino (put it on our card to use on machines and then cashed out)

[Dar & Bob]

Just now, Purplsmurf said:

We just got off of the Reflection a few weeks ago and had the elevate package. We used it for Specialty dining and cashed the balance out in the casino (put it on our card to use on machines and then cashed out)

Thank you so much for your reponse.  We can upgrade to the Elevate for about $25 more than just upgrading the beverage package and since we want that I think it's a no brainer.  Last time we ended up with $1,200 in OBC for a 5 day cruise.  This one is a 9 day and I think $300 will go pretty fast.  

 

[weregoingcruising]

7 minutes ago, Purplsmurf said:

We just got off of the Reflection a few weeks ago and had the elevate package. We used it for Specialty dining and cashed the balance out in the casino (put it on our card to use on machines and then cashed out)

Thank You

[ORV]

Lesson to be learned here, stop listening to CVPs. Or better yet, find a good TA to book with. 

[jelayne]

Celebrity's IT systems isn't sophisticated enough  to  restrict the use of OBCN to excursions only.

Edited June 6, 2022 by jelayne