Accruing OBC prior to sailing?

[dogcmp6]

We're first timers, and ended up booking a cruise on Reflection in July. We booked directly through Celebrity, so I think we missed out on some OBC... I was curious if Celebrity would be able to check if I missed/didn't add any offers... I was also looking to see if there are ways to easily accure OBC prior to our sailing? 

[RTShaker]

When you book, your fare will include any current offerings. If you did not get any OBC then there was none offered at the time.

[cruisestitch]

If you buy 100 shares of Royal Caribbean stock you can apply for the shareholder OBC.  The amount varies by the length of the cruise

[keesar]

4 hours ago, dogcmp6 said:

We're first timers, and ended up booking a cruise on Reflection in July. We booked directly through Celebrity, so I think we missed out on some OBC... I was curious if Celebrity would be able to check if I missed/didn't add any offers... I was also looking to see if there are ways to easily accure OBC prior to our sailing? 

First review your reservation invoice from Celebrity.  You will see if they gave you any OBC.  That would be the first step.  You could also call Celebrity and ask them to re-price your cruise.  There could be some specials going on which could include some OBC. Or better yet, your price may have gone down.    As mentioned, if you are a shareholder of the parent company, you can apply for some OBC through that program.  

[hcat]

if u use a Celeb linked credit card( or BOA Royal card) you get points for your purchases...double if it's used for cruise related charges like excursions, dining etc. 

 

 These points convert to OBC that you can apply for.  I forget the pt equiv,  but we usually get around $200 OBC or a reduction in final payment.

[jelayne]

Celebrity has cut way back on offering OBC when booking.  

[hcat]

11 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Celebrity has cut way back on offering OBC when booking.  

agree. most we have received recently is abt $200

[ExArkie]

4 hours ago, hcat said:

if u use a Celeb linked credit card( or BOA Royal card) you get points for your purchases...double if it's used for cruise related charges like excursions, dining etc. 

 

 These points convert to OBC that you can apply for.  I forget the pt equiv,  but we usually get around $200 OBC or a reduction in final payment.

The credit card also offers sign-up bonuses which can convert to reasonable OBC. Since the booking we did (Retreat) no longer included OBC or daily service charge, we signed up for the credit card when the bonus - combined with OBC from TA - was enough to cover the daily service charge for the two of us. Probably charge a bit more to the card (sailing is autumn 2025) to build up a bit more OBC before we board, in case the service charge increases (again) in the meantime.

 

One point translates to $0.01 OBC. So the 30,000 point signup bonus gives us $300 OBC. I think this brochure is still valid: https://www.celebritycruises.com/content/dam/celebrity/pdf/2267-Celebrity-Web-Rewards-Chart-and-Rules-FEE-5.18.21-REV.pdf

 

The point accumulation is 2 points per dollar on Celebrity/Royal and one point per dollar for all other spending. (I think...that's what I have in my spreadsheet.)

 

Edited to add: I just looked up the BoA site for the card. Current sign-up bonus appears to be 25,000 points, but I think I saw the 30,000 points still offered when logged into the Celebrity site.

Edited March 6 by ExArkie

[39august]

And there is no annual fee for the card. I use points for OBC or payment on cruises. 

[mac66]

Sometimes it pays to use a TA. We booked an 11 night cruise last summer during a sale for a cruise in late Jan of this year.  Infinite veranda for the price of an inside, basic drink package and wifi with $400 OBC.  The TA threw in prepaid gratuities and additional refundable $400 OBC and another $50 OBC as TA loyalty credit.  With all the OBC refunded the price was less than the cruise in an inside with non of the perks. 

 

I suppose that's because the TA books a block of cabins which the cruise line doesn't then have to sell.

 

We went to the future cruise desk while on that cruise for another cruise but they couldn't beat the sale price we could get from our TA. Doesn't always happen that way but It pays to check all your sources.

[Arizona Wildcat]

12 minutes ago, mac66 said:

Sometimes it pays to use a TA. We booked an 11 night cruise last summer during a sale for a cruise in late Jan of this year.  Infinite veranda for the price of an inside, basic drink package and wifi with $400 OBC.  The TA threw in prepaid gratuities and additional refundable $400 OBC and another $50 OBC as TA loyalty credit.  With all the OBC refunded the price was less than the cruise in an inside with non of the perks. 

 

I suppose that's because the TA books a block of cabins which the cruise line doesn't then have to sell.

 

We went to the future cruise desk while on that cruise for another cruise but they couldn't beat the sale price we could get from our TA. Doesn't always happen that way but It pays to check all your sources.

We usually get from 5-8% of our cruise cost in OBC from our TA.  They do get lower fares as they often have the griup block.  Usually book on board and move to our TA.  That OBC shows on the invoice from our TA and on the ships list after we board.

[mac66]

On 3/6/2024 at 12:29 PM, Arizona Wildcat said:

We usually get from 5-8% of our cruise cost in OBC from our TA.  They do get lower fares as they often have the griup block.  Usually book on board and move to our TA.  That OBC shows on the invoice from our TA and on the ships list after we board.

 

Good point, we did that once.

[WestLakeGirl]

I submitted application for shareholder OBC three days ago and already received a confirming email.  Tgey seem to have greatly improved the process😀

[CruiseCrew123]

I’ve been tracking my cruise for feb 26. Sometimes there is an off of $200 obc and other times not . When obc is offered the overall price increases by at least $300. So sometimes not getting obc is the cheaper option 

[the penguins]

On 3/6/2024 at 8:09 AM, cruisestitch said:

If you buy 100 shares of Royal Caribbean stock you can apply for the shareholder OBC.  The amount varies by the length of the cruise

A bit pricey now at $136 per share - was great when we bought at $22. Hope we live long enough for Royal to restart paying Dividends - wouldn't that be great?

 

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, the penguins said:

A bit pricey now at $136 per share - was great when we bought at $22. Hope we live long enough for Royal to restart paying Dividends - wouldn't that be great?

 

Wasn't that a great time. 

 

I bought mine at 11.50 in 2001.    Their dividend use to really be good.  If I recall it was something like $5 per share and my brokerage firm had a dividend re-investment program.

 

I accidentally bought 200 shares and held on to them.   I recently sold some in order to buy some Carnival for OBC on Cunard and NCL for Oceania.     I have paid for my original shares 10X over with all the OBC's I've received.

[the penguins]

6 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Wasn't that a great time. 

 

I bought mine at 11.50 in 2001.    Their dividend use to really be good.  If I recall it was something like $5 per share and my brokerage firm had a dividend re-investment program.

 

I accidentally bought 200 shares and held on to them.   I recently sold some in order to buy some Carnival for OBC on Cunard and NCL for Oceania.     I have paid for my original shares 10X over with all the OBC's I've received.

Unfortunately we can't hold the shares ourselves and the brokers don't offer the reinvestment option on US shares. We don't cruise as much as you but we have made 25 claims which in total has given  us back more than double our original investment. On our 100 shares the last full year dividend in 2019 was £225 around $270 and the last to date (Jan2020) was £59 approx  $70.

 

[Jim_Iain]

If I recall I only sold off 10 shares to buy the 100 shares of Carnival and NCL.   For the remainder of this year we will be sailing Cunard and Oceania more than Celebrity so still have over 200 shares of Celebrity.   

[Rick&Jeannie]

11 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Wasn't that a great time. 

 

I bought mine at 11.50 in 2001.    Their dividend use to really be good.  If I recall it was something like $5 per share and my brokerage firm had a dividend re-investment program.

 

I accidentally bought 200 shares and held on to them.   I recently sold some in order to buy some Carnival for OBC on Cunard and NCL for Oceania.     I have paid for my original shares 10X over with all the OBC's I've received.

We are primarily Princess cruisers (so far).  We bought Carnival stock and have more than made our money back in the way of OBC.  I don't think we've ever gotten any dividends...or at least any that hit my radar, but I don't care!

[Jim_Iain]

16 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

We are primarily Princess cruisers (so far).  We bought Carnival stock and have more than made our money back in the way of OBC.  I don't think we've ever gotten any dividends...or at least any that hit my radar, but I don't care!

 

After retirement I was a day trader for 3 years and would never have bought any of them for investment.  They do make lots of sense for OBC's if a frequent cruiser.   I was a volatility trader and often didn't own shares for more than 30 seconds to 5 hours.    Loved it but love being fully retired so much more.