Can Someone Explain to me..OBC?

[NYGirl1002]

I don't seem to understand the OBC thing that NCL does. Can someone explain it to me?

 

I mean there's certain OBC that needs to be used for certain things and you lose if if you don't use it. I have quite a bit of it for my forthcoming cruise but I already paid for my excursions/specialty dining. I also have several bottles of wine coming to me and since my daughter doesn't drink I think I can make it through dinners and I'll buy glasses of wine if need be. We do like to play bingo and I'll have a fru fru drink either by the pool or at bingo.

 

Is NCL the only cruise line that does this? I don't remember this happening on my previous cruises.

 

Thanks in advance

[GORDONCHICK]

The way it was explained to me is that the OBC you get from NCL wasn't supposed to be able to be used for the DSC but their computer program didn't distinguish from their OBC and other OBCs so it happened all the time (definitely did for us). Starting in January of 2012, they now have the capability of doing this. But my understanding is that there are still a few ways around it - like the casino. We usually purchase a photo or 2 and some ship stuff, so that takes care of our small NCL OBC. We've never had a big one before. But you can use it for specialty dining, alcohol, specialty coffees, etc.

[NYGirl1002]

I was planning on buying a FCC which will add $100 to my OBC. I also just got another $100 because of a price drop.

 

Which amounts aren't refundable? I know I can spend the whole thing if I have to. I'm just curious because I have 2 more cruises booked. I'll be careful not to pre-purchase excursions, etc.

[2inTul]

I was planning on buying a FCC which will add $100 to my OBC. I also just got another $100 because of a price drop.

 

Which amounts aren't refundable? I know I can spend the whole thing if I have to. I'm just curious because I have 2 more cruises booked. I'll be careful not to pre-purchase excursions, etc.

 

Buying a FCC will not add to your OBC. Your account will be charged a net of $150.00 which will reduce your existing OBC.

[NYGirl1002]

I understood buying a FCC on the ship will give me $100 to use for that particular sailing. That's not the case?

[rvsullivan]

You will purchase a FCC for $250, they will give you a credit of $100, you total OBC will go down by $150. Pretty much all NCL OBC has to be used on the ship and not for the DSC (daily service charge) some TA OBC are refundable if not used.

[EaglesWin]

I was planning on buying a FCC which will add $100 to my OBC. I also just got another $100 because of a price drop.

 

Which amounts aren't refundable? I know I can spend the whole thing if I have to. I'm just curious because I have 2 more cruises booked. I'll be careful not to pre-purchase excursions, etc.

 

Remember that the FCR (Freestyle Cruise Reward) that you purchase for $250 must be used as the deposit (or part of it) for a new booking, so you won't be able to apply it as payment for the cruises you already have booked (if that's what you were planning). FCC is a Future Cruise Credit which is usually given as courtesy compensation or a prize (e.g. bingo), and can be used toward anything.

[2inTul]

I'm not trying to be snarky but.....Don't they teach MATH anymore?

 

Let's assume you have a $300.00 OBC:

 

($300.00) Starting OBC

+$250.00 FCC

($100.00) OBC

 

Balance = ($150.00)

[EaglesWin]

I'm not trying to be snarky but.....Don't they teach MATH anymore?

 

Let's assume you have a $300.00 OBC:

 

($300.00) Starting OBC

+$250.00 FCC

($100.00) OBC

 

Balance = ($150.00)

 

I think the confusion is that some OBC is non-refundable and can not be used for the DSC. DSC must be paid in addition to your fare or taken from refundable OBC. So I think her question was, Could $250 non-refundable OBC be used for an FCR, while giving you back $100 refundable OBC to go towards DSC?

 

I doubt it works that way. It probably would reduce your non-refundable OBC by $150.

[kylenyc]

No NCL isn't the only one doing this. A travel agent can purchase an amenity (such as wine and refundable OBC) and offer it as an incentive to customers.

 

A "Cruise Reward" certificate is purchased for $250. You get $100 OBC and $250 credit towards a future cruise. I'm not sure whether the $100 OBC can be in turn applied to the original $250 charge or service charge. From what I've read in older posts, NCL's accounting system was updated to differentiate the types of OBC. Non-refundable OBC can't be applied to daily service charges or extra gratuities.

 

The basics are there is refundable OBC and non-refundable OBC. Sometimes you get a mix of both types from the same source such as a travel agent. Once on board, all your on board expenses are first deducted from non-refundable OBC with exceptions. Non-refundable OBC can't be used to pay for your daily service charge and any extra gratuities. Once your non-refundable OBC is used up, then expenses are charged to refundable OBC.

 

Once on board, you'll receive a card in your cabin for each OBC stating whether it's refundable or non-refundable. If not, you can go to the reception desk and request an interim invoice and find out which is which.

 

At the end of your cruise:

• You will get a refund for any remaining refundable OBC.

• You will not get a refund for any non-refundable OBC. Use it or lose it.

[Studebaker59]

kylenyc - What a good explanation!

[2inTul]

kylenyc - What a good explanation!

 

Not at all!

 

An OBC is meant to be spent on-board. The only OBC that could possibly be refunded is one purchased by the cruiser or by someone else as a gift (possibly a portion of one supplied by a TA). Any OBC provided by NCL should be used or it is lost.

[djmess]

I don't seem to understand the OBC thing that NCL does. Can someone explain it to me?

 

I mean there's certain OBC that needs to be used for certain things and you lose if if you don't use it. I have quite a bit of it for my forthcoming cruise but I already paid for my excursions/specialty dining. I also have several bottles of wine coming to me and since my daughter doesn't drink I think I can make it through dinners and I'll buy glasses of wine if need be. We do like to play bingo and I'll have a fru fru drink either by the pool or at bingo.

 

Is NCL the only cruise line that does this? I don't remember this happening on my previous cruises.

 

Thanks in advance

 

I'd like to give you a simple suggestion. You didn't indicate how much OBC you have, that is not really important, but if it is a $100 or $200, you will probably be able to spend it easily on a few drinks, bingo, gift shop or photos. If you have a significantly large amount, which only you can really determine, then you may want to consider calling NCL and cancelling your specialty dining reservations. From your ticker, it looks like you are a few weeks out. It is enough time that they will refund the dining portion you paid to your credit card. You can then book the specialty dining once onboard and use your OBC. The specialty dinings don't tend to sell out each night and if you book them immediately upon boarding, you could probably get very close to the times you want. Just my 2 cents. Good Luck and Happy Cruising!

[Hopes4]

I have not done it myself, but I have read a few different times recently that non refundable on board credit CAN be used for gratuities (not to be confused with your DSC) for a butler, concierge or cabin steward. You go to guest services, tell them the name of the person you want to tip and they give you a voucher to give them. Sounds like a great way to use up any extra credit you have.

[cabincop]

I would also reconsider your excursions cancel them if they are with NCL and book them onboard that way you can pay them with your obc

[NYGirl1002]

Thank you all. Kyle explained it the way I had understood it.

 

Here's what I have in OBC

 

$150 from NCL for booking

$100 from the HSN promo

$100 from NCL for the price going down for my category

 

that's $350. in OBC right now. But if I purchase the cruise reward. (I'm sorry I referred to it as FCC. I read too many boards on here and get mixed up). I understood that I would get $100 OBC for the cruise I am currently on.

 

I also have $100 in cruise rewards from my NCL credit card which I think I'll save for my Breakaway cruise next year.

 

So I guess I need to spend the whole $450 OBC. I guess I can do it. Does any of that OBC go towards the DSC or will I still owe some more money?

[kylenyc]

I wish I had your problem of having more OBC than I knew what to do with :p

 

Hopefully someone can answer definitively but the best answer I can find is that you won't know for sure until you get you a copy of your preliminary invoice on board. All the credits will be clearly labelled refundable or non-refundable.

 

From my own invoice in September, the $100 OBC from the Freestyle Cruise Reward is listed as "Non-Refundable Credit".

 

As for anything coming from NCL, this is typically non-refundable (assuming your $150 is an NCL OBC offer for booking, and the additional $100 OBC is a courtesy NCL OBC due to a price drop after final payment was due).

 

Here is a thread where someone stated the HSN OBC is also non-refundable. This same thread also has a response which I echoed here in that NCL's accounting system no longer allows the non-refundable OBC from being applied to the daily service charge.

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1713141

 

I also read the same thing on another thread as what Hopes4 stated - that you can use non-refundable credit to buy a voucher to give to crew as a "tip". What I was referring to is that you can't use non-refundable OBC for the extra gratuity you add to bar and specialty restaurant receipts. P.S. If anyone is curious, the auto-gratuity on a bar/restaurant receipt goes into a pool. If you add additional gratuity, the additional amount only goes to the server as explained to me by a bartender.

[SteveH2508]

Thank you all. Kyle explained it the way I had understood it.

 

Here's what I have in OBC

 

$150 from NCL for booking

$100 from the HSN promo

$100 from NCL for the price going down for my category

 

that's $350. in OBC right now. But if I purchase the cruise reward. (I'm sorry I referred to it as FCC. I read too many boards on here and get mixed up). I understood that I would get $100 OBC for the cruise I am currently on.

 

I also have $100 in cruise rewards from my NCL credit card which I think I'll save for my Breakaway cruise next year.

 

So I guess I need to spend the whole $450 OBC. I guess I can do it. Does any of that OBC go towards the DSC or will I still owe some more money?

 

When you buy your cruise reward you will reduce your net balance by $150 ($250 - $100) so you will only have to use up $200.

[OhJinkies]

I'm considering purchasing a FCC on an upcoming cruise -- can I use my OBC at the Spa, or is that not allowed since it's a third-party operator?

[Hopes4]

I'm considering purchasing a FCC on an upcoming cruise -- can I use my OBC at the Spa, or is that not allowed since it's a third-party operator?

 

Yes, you can use it at the spa.

[NYGirl1002]

Thanks for the explanations everybody.

 

This probably cannot be a problem as I am sure bingo gets expensive and I will just make sure I shop and drink!! That will be fun

[DMRick]

We went to the casino, asked for cash from our OBC (left enough in there to pay for the $150 reward.

We had:

$100 from HSN,

$150 from our TA (which they got from NCL for booking so many people, so non refundable)

$100 from NCL

$100 from buying the reward

-$250 from again, buying the reward.

 

We took out, at the Casino, $200, and they charged us $6, which we didn't mind, since it was free money, we couldn't use any of it for our service charges. We spent no money on the trip other than the above so we would have lost it. We ended up with a $6 bill at the end of the cruise.