How does OBC change when changing reservation?

[Citymom92]

I booked onboard our cruise in July for my husband and I for the same itinerary for early July 2023. I splurged and reserved a suite and put down the deposit. We got a good bit of OBC for this booking due to several deals at the time, over $1000. When we got home we started thinking that since it will be my husband's 60th birthday and our youngest daughter's 21st at the end of July we'd like for all five of us to go next year.

 

My questions:

1.Does the OBC change any time you change the original reservation? If we change the reservation to a different sailing a few weeks later (still Equinox, same itinerary) and go for two veranda cabins instead of one suite, do we forfeit all the OBC from the prior reservation and just get the current OBC offer? We're still paying well over what we would have paid for the original suite, not downgrading in price if that matters. 

 

2. If I would lose the OBC by changing the suite, could I keep the OBC if we keep the suite and date early July but add a cabin for our three kids (which is before our youngest turns 21). Then I guess my question would be how strict are they about her not being 21 yet for the drinks package? I'd buy the drink package for my youngest, if the system will let me even do this. My two older kids are over 21. 

 

Thanks for any guidance! I'd love to know how best to proceed and if there's a way to keep the OBC! 

[LGW59]

24 minutes ago, Citymom92 said:

I booked onboard our cruise in July for my husband and I for the same itinerary for early July 2023. I splurged and reserved a suite and put down the deposit. We got a good bit of OBC for this booking due to several deals at the time, over $1000. When we got home we started thinking that since it will be my husband's 60th birthday and our youngest daughter's 21st at the end of July we'd like for all five of us to go next year.

 

My questions:

1.Does the OBC change any time you change the original reservation? If we change the reservation to a different sailing a few weeks later (still Equinox, same itinerary) and go for two veranda cabins instead of one suite, do we forfeit all the OBC from the prior reservation and just get the current OBC offer? We're still paying well over what we would have paid for the original suite, not downgrading in price if that matters. 

 

2. If I would lose the OBC by changing the suite, could I keep the OBC if we keep the suite and date early July but add a cabin for our three kids (which is before our youngest turns 21). Then I guess my question would be how strict are they about her not being 21 yet for the drinks package? I'd buy the drink package for my youngest, if the system will let me even do this. My two older kids are over 21. 

 

Thanks for any guidance! I'd love to know how best to proceed and if there's a way to keep the OBC! 

My experience is they will give you the OBC being offered at the time of the "new" booking, this recently happened to me.  There is a thread going here from several who said they called and got Celebrity to increase the OBC, they would not do it for me though.  It is worth asking while you are on the phone possibly changing your cruise.  Good luck.

[markeb]

It all depends. If the OBC is from booking onboard, it may be moveable. But if it’s tied to the suite, it wouldn’t move to a veranda. And it may really be $X/day, and changing the length of the cruise could change the amount. 
 

I don’t think there’s one right answer, unfortunately.  

[cruisestitch]

49 minutes ago, Citymom92 said:

I booked onboard our cruise in July for my husband and I for the same itinerary for early July 2023. I splurged and reserved a suite and put down the deposit. We got a good bit of OBC for this booking due to several deals at the time, over $1000. When we got home we started thinking that since it will be my husband's 60th birthday and our youngest daughter's 21st at the end of July we'd like for all five of us to go next year.

 

My questions:

1.Does the OBC change any time you change the original reservation? If we change the reservation to a different sailing a few weeks later (still Equinox, same itinerary) and go for two veranda cabins instead of one suite, do we forfeit all the OBC from the prior reservation and just get the current OBC offer? We're still paying well over what we would have paid for the original suite, not downgrading in price if that matters. 

 

2. If I would lose the OBC by changing the suite, could I keep the OBC if we keep the suite and date early July but add a cabin for our three kids (which is before our youngest turns 21). Then I guess my question would be how strict are they about her not being 21 yet for the drinks package? I'd buy the drink package for my youngest, if the system will let me even do this. My two older kids are over 21. 

 

Thanks for any guidance! I'd love to know how best to proceed and if there's a way to keep the OBC! 

Where is the cruise? The drinking age is different in different locations. If sailing out of the US, they are very strict about being 21 in order to get an alcoholic beverageWhere is the cruise? The drinking age is different in different locations. If sailing out of the US, they are very strict about being 21 in order to get an alcoholic beverage

[Citymom92]

Just now, cruisestitch said:

Where is the cruise? The drinking age is different in different locations. If sailing out of the US, they are very strict about being 21 in order to get an alcoholic beverageWhere is the cruise? The drinking age is different in different locations. If sailing out of the US, they are very strict about being 21 in order to get an alcoholic beverage

Aha I had not thought about that-the cruise is out of the US, Fort Lauderdale to BVI and USVI mostly, so it sounds like they would follow the US laws regardless of ports. Makes sense! 

[CHEZMARYLOU]

They will follow US laws regarding drinking age.

 

Your current booking probably has 2 components to the OBC amount.  One is the OBC that was the promotion $ at the time you booked. If you change the sailing date you will pay the current rate for the cabin you choose and will get the current OBC promotion amount.

 

The 2nd is the OBC for booking on board. This is dependent on cabin category and length of cruise.  The higher the cabin category and longer the cruise, the more OBC you will get. So if you move from one 10 day cruise in a suite to another 10 day cruise in a balcony you will lose some OBC.

 

The other thing to consider is did you book with a refundable or nonrefundable deposit.  If NR there will be a $100 pp change fee to move the sailing.

 

If you do decide to switch sailings make sure you move the current booking so that you retain some of the OBC from booking on board.