Onboard credit in the Casino

[Juhlin]

Hello everybody

 

We have received an onboard credit from Celebrity and one from our travel agent for our cruise with Celebrity Silhouette. We have booked and paid the speciality restaurants and the beverage package in advance. Can we also use the onboard credit to play in the casino and then pay out the money? Can I use my cruise card in the Celebrity casino to play on the slot machines, use my onboard credit to play and then make the payment out with a voucher?

 

Thank you for your answers.

[ghstudio]

you can get money from your onboard account in the casino...there is a 5% charge to do so....but it's better than leaving a non refundable OBC behind.

[sandyss]

You can also use your non-refundable OBC from Celebrity (OBCN) for the tips that are charged to your account daily (unless you prepaid the tips). Also, the OBC from your travel agent (OBCR) should be refundable. If OBCR remains on your account, the balance will be credited to your credit card.

[symphony]

I called Captain's Club about this. The rep said that rules differ depending upon the type of promotion. She said that for the recent 123 promotion for OBC, you cannot withdraw money from the casino to use OBC, nor can you use your Seapass card to play. If you do either of these things, money will be charged to your account, but will not be deducted from OBC. As for OBC from the travel agent, if it was a gift, you can can use it in the casino. But if the agent gave you the money as part of a group promotion, then you cannot use it in the casino. Maybe someone will call another person at Celebrity and get a different answer. Who knows.

[MisterBill99]

Sorry to restart an old thread.. but I'm also curious about this

 

It sounds like if you have non-refundable OBC, then you CANNOT use it in the casino. Does anyone who actually tried this know for a fact (I know what the Captains Club person said, I want to know about real life experience)? I got $300 OBC from an agent on my upcoming cruise. I've got $200 in non-refundable (presumably from a group, although I did not book as part of it) and was planning to use it at the casino since I'm in Select Dining and have to pre-pay my tips. I won't be happy if I can't use it in the casino and actually have to spend it!

 

In the case of the OP, I would not have prepaid for the beverage package unless there was some sort of a deal. You lost the opportunity to use OBC on it, and I seem to recall that beverage packages which you purchase before the cruise are taxable.

Edited July 1, 2013 by MisterBill99

[charliem]

I called Captain's Club about this. The rep said that rules differ depending upon the type of promotion. She said that for the recent 123 promotion for OBC, you cannot withdraw money from the casino to use OBC, nor can you use your Seapass card to play. If you do either of these things, money will be charged to your account, but will not be deducted from OBC. As for OBC from the travel agent, if it was a gift, you can can use it in the casino. But if the agent gave you the money as part of a group promotion, then you cannot use it in the casino. Maybe someone will call another person at Celebrity and get a different answer. Who knows.

 

What will we be able to use the 123 promo OBC for? We are Select Dining so gratuities are pre-paid.

 

Thanks!

 

Linda

[neverbeenhere]

tours, spa, shopping.... So called profit centers

[MisterBill99]

tours, spa, shopping.... So called profit centers

And drinks and specialty dining.

[cruisestitch]

"It sounds like if you have non-refundable OBC, then you CANNOT use it in the casino. Does anyone who actually tried this know for a fact (I know what the Captains Club person said, I want to know about real life experience)? "

 

Had no problem taking it out on the casino in May 2013, Eclipse.

[neverbeenhere]

We have "withdrawn" all type of credits from the casino. We've never had a problem.

[MisterBill99]

Thanks to both of the previous posters for confirming what I always believed to be true (until reading this dormant thread). So you can just get the cash, so long as you pay the 5% surcharge.

 

I can certainly see where Celebrity would want customers to believe that it cannot be done, but it's important to have accurate information here.

Edited July 1, 2013 by MisterBill99

[charliem]

Thanks for all the responses!

 

Linda

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I had absolutely no problem getting cash at the casino. I did it several times on my B2B2B since I had a lot of nonrefundable OBC from Celebrity I didn't want to leave on the table. Simply go to the cage and ask for $100 for example. Your seapass will be charged $105. Any charges on your seapass are balanced against the OBC on there. Nobody cares where the OBC came from. It's just a credit and your withdrawal is a charge.

 

I believe the daily limit for cash from the casino is $250.

 

So, clearly all these folks stating in CAPS that this is not allowed are in error. Perhaps they've never done it and just believed what they've been told by Celebrity reps (NEVER a good idea). Real on the ground experience is the only thing to believe in.

[MisterBill99]

So, clearly all these folks stating in CAPS that this is not allowed are in error. Perhaps they've never done it and just believed what they've been told by Celebrity reps (NEVER a good idea). Real on the ground experience is the only thing to believe in.

Thanks for the first-hand report, although I didn't see anyone writing in caps. Good to know that I'll be able to use my non-refundable OBC to get cash. And I'll check to make sure that the $100 I've been told is refundable actually is before leaving it in the account. Edited July 2, 2013 by MisterBill99

[2morecruises]

I can back up Happy Cruisers' statements since I'm a degenerate gambler and X Blue Chip member. :p

 

One correction though, Linda - the daily limit of cash you can withdraw or using markers is $2000 per day. :eek::(

[Leesie6351]

just returned from the 5/24 Millenium Alaska cruise and had a letter in my stateroom authorizing free transfers of OBC to cash during the cruise. Not sure why?? Perhaps it was a gesture because of issues we had on a pre-tour. Anyway, took the letter to the casino where a rude staff person in the cage refused to take it saying she had never seen this before. She implied we had created it ourselves!!! We demanded to speak to the Manager who took about an hour to appear and then looked at the letter, took it, left to make a phone call, and returned with a smile and apology and told the staff person in the cage to give us as much as we wanted.

 

Again, I have no idea why but it did come in handy.

 

As others have said, though, any leftover refundable OBC will be refunded to your credit card--- we got $500 back on our AMEX within 2 days of the end of the cruise

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Thanks for the first-hand report, although I didn't see anyone writing in caps.

 

Sample from previous posts: then you CANNOT use it in the casino

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I can back up Happy Cruisers' statements since I'm a degenerate gambler and X Blue Chip member. :p

 

One correction though, Linda - the daily limit of cash you can withdraw or using markers is $2000 per day. :eek::(

 

Wow! Maybe because you're a Blue Chip member. I'm pretty sure I saw a sign in the casino stating that the daily limit for cash was $250. Maybe that's for us ordinary mortals. :D

[cruisestitch]

I have gotten more than $250 at one time and I'm not a Blue Chip member. Not saying that you didn't see the sign on your cruise, but it isn't a general policy.

[infoprof56]

Wow! Maybe because you're a Blue Chip member. I'm pretty sure I saw a sign in the casino stating that the daily limit for cash was $250. Maybe that's for us ordinary mortals. :D

 

As per the Celebrity policy it is $2000 a day for all:

 

Player Credit

SeaPass®

 

 

All guests using the SeaPass® card, backed by a credit card, are able to obtain chips and tokens for casino entertainment up to $2,000 USD per day. A transaction fee will apply. ATM and cash advance on credit cards also available, and a transaction fee will apply.

[MisterBill99]

Sample from previous posts: then you CANNOT use it in the casino

Ironically, that was from my post, and you quoted it out of context as I was just saying that based on what others had previously posted, it appeared that you cannot use it in the casino, and followed it up with a request to confirm this, since no one had refuted it when this was originally posted.

[cruiserchuck]

I called Captain's Club about this. The rep said that rules differ depending upon the type of promotion. She said that for the recent 123 promotion for OBC, you cannot withdraw money from the casino to use OBC, nor can you use your Seapass card to play. If you do either of these things, money will be charged to your account, but will not be deducted from OBC. As for OBC from the travel agent, if it was a gift, you can can use it in the casino. But if the agent gave you the money as part of a group promotion, then you cannot use it in the casino. Maybe someone will call another person at Celebrity and get a different answer. Who knows.

 

I was able to use non-refundable OBC in the casino during a cruise in October 2013. However, it was not OBC from the 123 promo. I wonder if the OBC from the 123 promo is being treated differently than other non-refundable OBC. I am about to book a cruise with 123 promo OBC, so I am interested in finding out if I can withdraw it from the casino. Otherwise, I may need to eat more meals in the speciality restaurants. Life can be tough.

[MisterBill99]

I was able to use non-refundable OBC in the casino during a cruise in October 2013. However, it was not OBC from the 123 promo. I wonder if the OBC from the 123 promo is being treated differently than other non-refundable OBC. I am about to book a cruise with 123 promo OBC, so I am interested in finding out if I can withdraw it from the casino. Otherwise, I may need to eat more meals in the speciality restaurants. Life can be tough.

Since the time that I posted in this thread, I went on my cruise. It turned out that all of my OBC was of the refundable variety, so I ended up getting a couple of hundred dollars refunded to my credit card at the end of the cruise! This was amusing since my TA had told me it would not all be refundable. Furthermore, people I spoke to on the cruise who had 123 OBC reported that it was of the refundable variety as well (which surprised everyone). What I would suggest is check your account either on the TV in your cabin or at guest services. If it shows up as OBR, it's refundable. OBN is non-refundable. And I don't see there being a problem getting it from the casino, since the computer should just apply the credit to your on-board charges.

Edited January 3, 2014 by MisterBill99

[tunaman2011]

Greetings

 

While the anecdotal evidence indicated that you could withdraw OBC in the casino I was wary to try too big a withdrawal just in case something had changed. I initially withdrew $100 (yes, it cost $105 on my account) and waited until that withdrawal was posted. I then verified that the withdrawal was debited from my OBC-N. This way I was certain I was indeed retrieving my OBC-N.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[MisterBill99]

Greetings

 

While the anecdotal evidence indicated that you could withdraw OBC in the casino I was wary to try too big a withdrawal just in case something had changed. I initially withdrew $100 (yes, it cost $105 on my account) and waited until that withdrawal was posted. I then verified that the withdrawal was debited from my OBC-N. This way I was certain I was indeed retrieving my OBC-N.

I think we all tend to overthink this issue. In the end, they take the amount you spent on board, and first apply the OBC-N, then the OBC-R. If there is money left and it's OBC-R, they put it back on your credit card. If it[s OBC-N, they don't.

 

On my cruise, when I realized that I was going to be getting a refund, I changed my "payment" method to a debit card so I would not lose my 2% credit card rebate on the refund.