OBC refunds

[Wildcatllamas]

Now I know that OBC are "use it or lose it" but my step-daughter called Princess about buying us some OBC for our upcoming cruise. She thought it would be more appreciated than Birthday/Christmas presents. The gentleman she spoke to said that if we didn't use all of those types of OBC there wouldn't be a cash back option to us. Anyone know about ones that are purchased as gifts for you?

[Toto2Kansas]

From what we have seen, if you (or someone else) privately sent OBC to your account, then YES, it is refundable if you don't use it all. It is credit supplied by the cruise line or TA in most forms (noticed the word MOST is bolded for a reason as there are exceptions to this) that is not.

[caribill]

To be 100% sure:

 

a) If you have shipboard expenses (including the daily hotel charges (auto-tip)on both accounts, shore excursions, etc.) that exceed the OBC, then you do not have to worry at all.

 

b) Check with the Purser's desk the last full day and ask for a refund of unused OBC.

 

c) If they will not refund what has not been spent, go to the casino (be sure to do this before it closes permanently on the cruise), insert your cruise card into a slot machine, follow the instructions for downloading funds from your account to the machine and then saving it onto your card, and then go to the casino cashier to get the cash off of your card.

[Treven]

On all of my cruises I've sent myself $ to apply toward my expenses on the ship. My TA will generally send me $ as well. I've always gotten $ (in cash) back at the end of my cruise.

To make sure the $ gets applied to my spending account, I make sure this is done after my TA e-mails me the final invoice showing that the cruise is paid in full.

[Times Prince]

Each OBC is given a code in the accounting system which indicates whether it is refundable or not. The standard answer one might get from the Pursor's desk is "not", until you ask them to check the code.

 

I would be concerned about the Princess person who entered the OBC and the coding into the system. If they coded it wrong it may not match the intent of the gift. That would be worth a call back to Princess if your step-daughter has already paid the money.

 

With one exception (which we knew was refundable) we've been able to use all the OBC we get from various sources without any problem. If not, then we will typically buy something... ;)

[Wildcatllamas]

Thanks everyone. Hadn't thought about the casino. Guess working in one just kind of makes me not even think about them.

 

Toto and Caribill, you two are always life savers with answers. Maybe someday our paths will cross on a cruise. :p

[caribill]

Each OBC is given a code in the accounting system which indicates whether it is refundable or not. The standard answer one might get from the Pursor's desk is "not", until you ask them to check the code.

 

Yes, the OBC might be marked as refundable or non-refundable, but when a charge is made to the stateroom account, there is no seperation of which OBC will be applied to it.

 

For example, if you have $100 refundable and $100 non-refundable OBC and then make $100 of charges to your account, who is to say which OBC was used? You might say the non-refundable has been used. The Purser's desk might say that the refundable amount is all used up.