Onboard credit - what's your favorite thing to use it on?

[HandC4Me]

In the past, we've used onboard credit for the usual things like NCL excursions, shopping, "extra" drinks or dining, photos, etc. What are some other options? It's been awhile since our last cruise; I'm trying to think of some fun things to do with our OBC. It can't be used in the casino or for Bingo games, right? Or am I wrong about that? Please weigh in with your favorite OBC purchases. 

[FlGoodShips]

I buy items in the shops. Or, I have bought Starbucks gift cards. Last cruise, I bought $100 Starbucks to use as gifts.

[Coastalbreezes]

I use some of mine to upgrade to unlimited internet.

[ggTexasGal]

7 hours ago, HandC4Me said:

In the past, we've used onboard credit for the usual things like NCL excursions, shopping, "extra" drinks or dining, photos, etc. What are some other options? It's been awhile since our last cruise; I'm trying to think of some fun things to do with our OBC. It can't be used in the casino or for Bingo games, right? Or am I wrong about that? Please weigh in with your favorite OBC purchases. 

We have used OBC to play Bingo.

[dexddd]

Buy things in gift shops we would not normally buy like perfumes.  Pricing not the best though, can get cheaper at home.

[Langham1865]

I would say:  

1) Specialty dining

2)Spa treatments... massages for me

3)Gift shop items (I collect ship fridge magnets)

4) for fee games, mostly bingo and Deal or no Deal

[matterdog919]

We have ~$800 of OBC on our upcoming cruise - and no idea how to spend it all on a 7 day cruise with no sea-days. We have however, pre-booked and paid for some excursions on a CC. Curious if anyone has gone to Guest services and cancelled the excursion while on board - and then immediately had them re-book it using OBC? I assume the pricing is the same? are you allowed to do this?

[TrumpyNor]

1) Upgrade wine by the glass included in my drink package to more exclusive glasses of wine that I would normally not purchase - the OBC then goes to pay the price difference.... 

2) Speciality dining

[TrumpyNor]

13 minutes ago, matterdog919 said:

We have ~$800 of OBC on our upcoming cruise - and no idea how to spend it all on a 7 day cruise with no sea-days. We have however, pre-booked and paid for some excursions on a CC. Curious if anyone has gone to Guest services and cancelled the excursion while on board - and then immediately had them re-book it using OBC? I assume the pricing is the same? are you allowed to do this?

Yes, but after the cruise has started the reimbursement would be added to your OBC, so you would then have even more OBC to spend... Only if you cancel before the cruise starts, will the reimbursement go back to your original form of payment. Depending on what kind of OBC you have (refundable/non-refundable, from the cruise line, from your travel agent, as compensation for something, etc.), it may be possible to call NCL and ask for the shore excursions to be paid with your OBC.

Edited June 23, 2022 by TrumpyNor

[Cruise-mom]

We have some OBC that I just plan on buying some gifts and using it in the casino/bingo etc.

 

If I can ask; the OBC is in my name, can anyone in the room use the credit? Or is it only anything that gets charged to my card?

[ChiefMateJRK]

The daily gratuities charges.  One more reason NOT to prepay them.

[dbrown84]

Cigars and Macallan 

[joelheather]

I always used my OBC for justification for buying a collection of ship models. 

[MNcruisingcouple]

Premium Plus beverage package (champagne and Scotch) and additional specialty dining.

[YVRteacher]

Hot stone massage at the spa and a spa one day pass on a port day.

[spanishguy1970]

We don't take the drinking package so drinks and maybe some excursions, if available The spa pass.

[spanishguy1970]

On 6/23/2022 at 1:05 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

The daily gratuities charges.  One more reason NOT to prepay them.

really? since when? They canceled that a while ago. Last cruise we took we couldn't use our onboard credit to pay for daily gratuity charge, we could use it on anything but that.

[cdnsteelman]

10 minutes ago, spanishguy1970 said:

really? since when? They canceled that a while ago. Last cruise we took we couldn't use our onboard credit to pay for daily gratuity charge, we could use it on anything but that.

Non-refundable OBC cannot cover DSC. Refundable OBC can.

[cdnsteelman]

While I find the app is great for regular tracking of my shipboard account, I'm not always the best at "mathing" - especially when there is both non-refundable OBC and refundable OBC on the account. On my recent Joy sailing, I woke up debark morning realizing I was forfeiting ~$85 in non refundable OBC. There's not much open on the last morning BUT Starbucks was so I bought a latte and gift card for the exact amount and then walked over to the OBC desk before it got lined up to ensure they processed the transaction properly before they closed the system. That's going to be my plan from now on for any residual non-refundable OBC.

[spanishguy1970]

47 minutes ago, cdnsteelman said:

Non-refundable OBC cannot cover DSC. Refundable OBC can.

thank you we didn't know that. Now we know 🙂

[jkrislc]

On 6/23/2022 at 7:07 AM, TrumpyNor said:

Yes, but after the cruise has started the reimbursement would be added to your OBC, so you would then have even more OBC to spend...

This OBC would be refundable, however, whereas the OBC they already have is likely not refundable.

[BirdTravels]

On 6/22/2022 at 10:54 PM, HandC4Me said:

In the past, we've used onboard credit for the usual things like NCL excursions, shopping, "extra" drinks or dining, photos, etc. What are some other options? It's been awhile since our last cruise; I'm trying to think of some fun things to do with our OBC. It can't be used in the casino or for Bingo games, right? Or am I wrong about that? Please weigh in with your favorite OBC purchases. 

Ice Cream sundae at Cocos

Lobster Thermador at Le Bistro

[HandC4Me]

Thanks, all, for the great ideas! My kids really enjoy the Bingo and Deal or No Deal games, so we may put some towards that. Starbucks drinks/cards and gift items also great suggestions. Someone mentioned using OBC in the casino -- so, that is an option? For some reason, I was under the impression you couldn't use your OBC there but I don't know where/when I heard that.

 

[travelingirl70]

We use ours for many things:

 

Gratuities (DSC)

Upgrade Beverage Package

Upgrade Interent Package

Extra Specialty Dining

Bingo

Paint at Sea

 

Don't forget you can get your refundable OBC back in cash when you disembark.  I didn't know this last cruise, but when I scanned by pass to get off the ship, they told me I had to go back and see the cashier.  I had $84 left and they would not let me get off without cashing out first.  Now I know better and will stop by the cashier before getting off the ship.

 

[jamminlion]

My TA gives us about 10% back in OBC. We do some Deal or No Deal and maybe something from one of the onboard shops. The rest we cash out. 

 

Last cruise in 2019, I was getting daily notices in the cabin to come to guest services. I was told "you need to spend more money on board". 

 

Yeah, no. Cash back please.