Recent Experiences with E Gift Certificates

[CookieDiva]

Hi! 
We’re 2 weeks from embarkation and our kids got us a $300 Royal Caribbean e Gift Certificate. 
We have everything that we wanted to do for this cruise already paid for - meals, drinks, tips, excursions.

Hate to spend the $ just because we have it. The only thing that isn’t paid for is what we would spend at the casino.
Does anyone who have used these e Gift Certificates recently know if we put these in our on board account could we use them in the casino? 

Edited March 23 by CookieDiva

[Biker19]

40 minutes ago, CookieDiva said:

Does anyone who have used these e Gift Certificates recently know if we put these in our on board account could we use them in the casino? 

Any OBC can be used to offset any charges, including the casino.

[CookieDiva]

Thanks! Just what I wanted to hear. 😁 🎰💸

[bluewater1298]

Any unused OBC will be refunded to the credit card on file. So don't feel like you need to spend it all.

[Sunshine3601]

Just make sure you redeem asap if using for your sailing in 2 weeks.  They are strict about the timeline to process.

I received one for Christmas and forgot about it.  Then I tried to redeem a week or so before my cruise and was told unable to process that quick.

[Poplin]

3 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Just make sure you redeem asap if using for your sailing in 2 weeks.  They are strict about the timeline to process.

I received one for Christmas and forgot about it.  Then I tried to redeem a week or so before my cruise and was told unable to process that quick.

We received a gift certificate also for Christmas.  We also had all excursions/drink packages/OBC paid in full. We are doing a B2B starting March 31st and tried to book the Chef's Table using the gift certificate.  We were told, by a RCCL representative, we could not use it to book the Chef's Table over the phone or online and must wait until we get on board. Good luck to us trying to get a Chef's Table reservation that late. If its meant to be, it will be. 

[CookieDiva]

45 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Just make sure you redeem asap if using for your sailing in 2 weeks.  They are strict about the timeline to process.

I received one for Christmas and forgot about it.  Then I tried to redeem a week or so before my cruise and was told unable to process that quick.

I’m sorry. That’s just ridiculous in my opinion. Seems like it’s just a way for RC to hold onto other people’s money. 

Edited March 23 by CookieDiva

[CookieDiva]

1 hour ago, bluewater1298 said:

Any unused OBC will be refunded to the credit card on file. So don't feel like you need to spend it all.

Even when the OBC is there from a gift certificate? 

[CookieDiva]

39 minutes ago, Poplin said:

We received a gift certificate also for Christmas.  We also had all excursions/drink packages/OBC paid in full. We are doing a B2B starting March 31st and tried to book the Chef's Table using the gift certificate.  We were told, by a RCCL representative, we could not use it to book the Chef's Table over the phone or online and must wait until we get on board. Good luck to us trying to get a Chef's Table reservation that late. If its meant to be, it will be. 

 

[bluewater1298]

I'm sure they will refund it in some way. I have added OBC from my points through my visa rewards card and what I didn't spend they credited it back to the credit card they had on file....which wasn't the rewards card. Unless OBC is listed as nonrefundable then they have to refund what is unused.  If you're the one adding the OBC then it should be refundable.

[Poplin]

17 hours ago, bluewater1298 said:

I'm sure they will refund it in some way. I have added OBC from my points through my visa rewards card and what I didn't spend they credited it back to the credit card they had on file....which wasn't the rewards card. Unless OBC is listed as nonrefundable then they have to refund what is unused.  If you're the one adding the OBC then it should be refundable.

I know they will refund OBC but if it is a RCCL gift card, the unused amount will be credited to the RCCL gift card so you can only use the remaining amount if you go back on another cruise. I hope they will use our gift card amount before they use our, refundable, OBC. I'll request this once I'm on board and hopefully they will comply. 

[Poplin]

If family members want to give you money toward your cruise as OBC, I would advise they call RCCL direct and have them add the amount directly as OBC. Any unused amount can then be credited to your card on file or in cash. Of course, those adding this OBC will need to have your reservation number, I think. If they to a gift card, any unused amount will go back to the gift card and can only be used, onboard,  on a future cruise. 

[not-enough-cruising]

20 hours ago, Poplin said:

We received a gift certificate also for Christmas.  We also had all excursions/drink packages/OBC paid in full. We are doing a B2B starting March 31st and tried to book the Chef's Table using the gift certificate.  We were told, by a RCCL representative, we could not use it to book the Chef's Table over the phone or online and must wait until we get on board. Good luck to us trying to get a Chef's Table reservation that late. If its meant to be, it will be. 

You will have no trouble getting a chef’s table reservation on board; and it will very likely be cheaper than booking pre cruise.
 

Many of my cruises recently they are practically begging people to book it. 

[Poplin]

54 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

You will have no trouble getting a chef’s table reservation on board; and it will very likely be cheaper than booking pre cruise.
 

Many of my cruises recently they are practically begging people to book it. 

Good to know - thanks for the heads-up.  Have been cruising for years with RCCL and finally got my husband to agree to the Chef's Table as a 50th anniversary celebration.  

[not-enough-cruising]

34 minutes ago, Poplin said:

Good to know - thanks for the heads-up.  Have been cruising for years with RCCL and finally got my husband to agree to the Chef's Table as a 50th anniversary celebration.  

Congratulations on your milestone!!