Unused OBC

[Les43]

If you don’t use all of your OBC on your cruise do you lose it? We are mid-cruise with quite a bit left and just trying to decide the best plan! Grateful for any advice. 🙏

[39august]

If your OBC is from Celebrity, then you lose it if you don't use it. Many people use it in the casino, because if you have any winnings, those you can cash out. And anything you lose, well, it was their money anyway! You can use it to buy anything or service on the ship. 

[Piaa]

Yes, as mentioned you use but you can always use a nice pair of sunglasses, jewelry, cover-up etc .. really anything from the ships stores/spa etc.

[39august]

Piaa..You live in Paradise! 

[Provence55always]

Spend, Spend, Spend 🤣. We had 850 OBC on our last cruise. I bought sunglasses, make up and a very nice Coach bag. You can also use it for extra tips (if you wish ) by going to Guest Relations and they will assist you.

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, Les43 said:

If you don’t use all of your OBC on your cruise do you lose it? We are mid-cruise with quite a bit left and just trying to decide the best plan! Grateful for any advice. 🙏

Verify if it's non refundable or refundable OBC. Non refundable OBC, use or lose. Refundable OBC will be credited back to your Credit Card. 

Edited July 21, 2023 by davekathy

[cruisestitch]

If it is refundable onboard credit, they will put it back to your credit card. If it is nonrefundable, here are some ideas

 

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Because this gets asked so often I've compiled a list of things to spend OBC on. The only thing I know of now that you CAN'T buy with OBC is a deposit on a Future Cruise. You need a credit card for that.  Also, there may be some card game in the casino with a cash only buy-in.   And if they do a fundraiser, like selling t-shirts to “save the reefs” and the like, expect to need cash for that.  Otherwise, here you go:

 

 

*Acupuncture

*Airport transfers

*Alcove Rental (some ships)

*Apple products etc. and Ilounge classes

*Art Auction Purchases

*Babysitting

*Barber Shop services 

*Behind the Scenes Tours

*Beverages -- Alcoholic, carbonated soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas, bottled water — if not in your package, also beverages above your package limits

*Bingo and Deal or No Deal

*Bottles of wine

*Casino

*Chef’s Table

*Corkage charged if you bring your own bottles of wine to the MDR

*Duty free liquor and cigarettes

*Extra cost entrees and other items in Main Dining Room and specialty restaurants

*Extend Your Stay program

*Fitness classes

*Flowers

*Gelato

*Gift shop souvenirs, purses, watches, cosmetics, clothing, jewelry, etc.

*Gratuities, and extra gratuities

*Guests dining with you in Luminae (applies to Suite Passengers only)

*Guest entertainers' CD's and DVD's

*Hair and nail salon

*Hollywood hot glass experiences (some ships)

*Internet if not in your package, also Internet upcharges 

*Laundry/pressing/drycleaning

*Liquor Tasting events

*Luggage Valet

*Martini Flights

*Medical Center purchases 

*Mini bar

*Portrait photo sessions

*Pay-per-view movies

*Persian Gardens passes

*Personal Training Sessions

*Photos & cameras

*Room service fees

*Ryde spinning classes

*Shore Excursions

*Shuttle to town (some ports)

*Spa -- massages and treatments

*Specialty restaurants

*Teeth Whitening

*Telephone calls using ship's system

*Transfer to another passenger's account

*Voyage in Review DVD

*Wine and liquor tastings

*Zumba

 

They will always use non-refundable OBC first,  then refundable OBC, And if you run out of that then it goes on your credit card

[wrk2cruise]

You can look at your account to see where the OBC was posted.   It will have something like OBCN or OBCR to indicate refundability.  Generally OBC from a TA is refundable but not always.

[Jim_Iain]

The amount of OBC would be helpful.    If the total amount is at or below $600 you can probably pull off $300 each at the Slots.    Technically they often warn that unless you gamble at least 50% your account (not win but churn through slots)  will be locked from further withdrawals at the slots.    

 

You can either play for awhile or cash in -  even if locked out you can at least reduce the amount.

 

 

[1Virgo]

we used OBC and bought an ipad.   You can use up the credit anywhere. 

[Scottishclover]

The best way to use any leftover OBC is to reward great crew members with extra tips. We are just off the Beyond and did this rather than buying something for the sake of it or gambling it away in the casino. We just went down to Guest Services and filled out a form and the money came out of our account pretty much straight away. 

[Lastdance]

OBC for tips is an excellent way to use OBC, IMHO; however, with all of the great ideas posted above, I am sure that you have more than enough ways to go about this...happy spending😊

[phoenix_dream]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

The amount of OBC would be helpful.    If the total amount is at or below $600 you can probably pull off $300 each at the Slots.    Technically they often warn that unless you gamble at least 50% your account (not win but churn through slots)  will be locked from further withdrawals at the slots.    

 

You can either play for awhile or cash in -  even if locked out you can at least reduce the amount.

 

 

Do you know if this is standard ship to ship(ok, I admit I started laughing at myself as I typed this)?  It seems to vary from what I’ve seen, or maybe I just misunderstood. 

[WestLakeGirl]

It does vary

[Luvcrusn]

If you've already used all you can and fully rewarded deserving crew members and it's OBCR they will refund it back to your credit card as stated above OR hand it back to you in cash the last night of the cruise. If it's not the refundable type and I'm sailing with you I'll be very happy to help you spend it. DH says I'm excellent at spending money!🤣

[mahasamatman]

7 hours ago, Provence55always said:

I bought sunglasses, make up and a very nice Coach bag.

A bit OT, but the last time my wife bought a Coach bag on a ship, the strap broke a week later and Coach refused to accept any responsibility.

 

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Technically they often warn that unless you gamble at least 50% your account (not win but churn through slots) will be locked from further withdrawals at the slots.

I don't know about "often", as I have never seen that. I think it really depends on the ship.

[eric4395]

Buy cigarettes and sell them back to friends &  relations when back home ( if you have no use for them yourself) thus reducing the price of your cruise😊

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We had over $2500 in NR OBC due to a price reduction when they resumed cruises after Covid. We managed to spend all but $400 and gave that to our butler and cabin attendant.

[ChucktownSteve]

I always take my refundable in cash so I don't reduce my credit card cash back amounts when credited back there.  Now my TA's just send me a rebate check instead of OBRC if it's a larger amount.

[emmas gran]

The OP is doing a thread from Reflection and mentions dining in Luminae so could be the suite OBC which I believe is $800.

 

[Les43]

3 hours ago, emmas gran said:

The OP is doing a thread from Reflection and mentions dining in Luminae so could be the suite OBC which I believe is $800.

 

Yes that’s correct. We have $800 and have spent very little of it. I have new sunglasses and am not keen on speciality dining. I wasn’t sure if suite OBC was refundable or not and our invoice and account doesn’t say. 

[brockmom]

22 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

The amount of OBC would be helpful.    If the total amount is at or below $600 you can probably pull off $300 each at the Slots.    Technically they often warn that unless you gamble at least 50% your account (not win but churn through slots)  will be locked from further withdrawals at the slots.    

 

You can either play for awhile or cash in -  even if locked out you can at least reduce the amount.

 

 

Can I please ask for clarification? We are doing a b2b on Reflections in Oct and have a nice sum for both cruises. Are you able to transfer Sbc yourself at the machine or do you have to have the casino cashier move an amount for you ?Several  years ago the cashier had to do it and it could not be moved back. I would hate to have it “ stuck “ for only use in the casino if you know what I mean. It was a long time ago and I know things have changed. Thanks 

Ros 

[billc23]

Try this on the reflection: At the casino tell them you want to play video poker and the vouchers do not work in the machine. They may print out a voucher, go to a slot machine and put it in and then immediately cash out from that machine. Then they will cash out that voucher and give you the cash.

 

Or get a voucher and use it in a slot machine but do not use you sea pass card. Cash out and then go to another slot and repeat the process without putting in your sea pass card. Do a few low cost spins just to end up with a different amount than you took out. Start small to see if this method still works. You can combine multiple vouchers and do one large cash out so you do not need to visit the cashier as a winner multiple times.

 

Reflection vibration issue happened after the 2022 October dry dock and the staff were discussing it on the transatlantic rolling the dry dock . Who are the retreat concierges?

[WestLakeGirl]

2 hours ago, Les43 said:

Yes that’s correct. We have $800 and have spent very little of it. I have new sunglasses and am not keen on speciality dining. I wasn’t sure if suite OBC was refundable or not and our invoice and account doesn’t say. 

If you look at your account on the television it should clearly say that the onboard credit is either R refundable or N nonrefunable.  The retreat concierge or guest services can also answer this question for you

[billc23]

10 minutes ago, brockmom said:

Can I please ask for clarification? We are doing a b2b on Reflections in Oct and have a nice sum for both cruises. Are you able to transfer Sbc yourself at the machine or do you have to have the casino cashier move an amount for you ?Several  years ago the cashier had to do it and it could not be moved back. I would hate to have it “ stuck “ for only use in the casino if you know what I mean. It was a long time ago and I know things have changed. Thanks 

Ros 

Only at the casino cashier in January and February 2023. Do not get a bonus added to your withdrawal and do not use your sea pass card in the machine. Cash out and use another machine with that voucher again without putting in your sea pass card.