How to Use OBC for Gratuities with MTD

[SSAA33]

One other way to get the cash from a "refundable" OBC is to simply wait until the night before you get off the ship and get a cash refund from GS. As long as you actually haven't used up your refundable OBC for other things (drinks, shopping, etc....) I have done this before. It doesn't take to long to use up these OBC's if you do specialty dining, excursions or whatever. Just check with you TA, but I believe the OBC they provide is refundable. Some of the OBC straight from RCL is non-refundable and is used first by GS if you have both types on your account.

 

Thanks! Most of the OBC will be from RCI so I guess that portion won't be refundable but I will check with our TA about the OBC they are providing.

[SSAA33]

No limit that I know of, except they will probably test your withdrawals against your credit card limit if the withdrawls exceed the OBC. Just remember that they will charge you 3% to get cash at the casino.

 

Thanks! Don't plan on taking out more than the OBC so we should be good :)

[SSAA33]

Just curious here and wondering regarding the OP how many nights your cruise is and how much onboard credit you got. I don't really understand what the difference is whether you pay before with a credit card or "pay" with your OBC, unless of course you have credit card limits or you don't want to carry gratuity charges on your balance.

For a 7 night Oasis sailing, we're paying $84 a person for MTD gratuities, so that's $168. We also have $400 of onboard credit, and while I like to think that we won't spend anything over the course of the cruise, it's of course an impossibility. We're fully expecting to go through our credit when you think of specialty restaurants, drinks, excursions, etc. So not a problem for us that we'll have leftover OBC, even though we didn't use a big chunk of it with MTD gratuities.

But I realize that some people amazingly do go through a cruise without spending a nickel, so it's possible. If this pertains to the OP, then you simply get all your OBC refunded to you on the day you disembark. Any OBC that we've ever received from a TA is of the refundable variety, so it's just as good as cash. No need to bother with going to the casino to withdraw your cash and paying the 3% fee.

 

13 nights :) So $312 in gratuities and we will have $375 OBC. It's not very port intensive so we're not planning any RCI excursions and don't drink. I'm expecting we'll spend a little bit of it with one of the specialty dining we're interested in and probably a specialty coffee here and there, but we are hoping to use the majority of it to offset the grats.

[SSAA33]

If you want your prepaid gratuities refunded back to you while on board, this is considered "refundable" cash because it was yours to begin with. :) You can withdraw the amount of your prepaid gratuities from GS on the day prior to debarkation. The entire amount should be refunded to you and you won't have a 3% Service Charge applied.

 

 

Thanks!! :) Our OBC is a combo of WOW Sale, from the TA & Visa. Do you know if all of it will be refundable or only the portion from the TA?

[Clarea]

Thanks!! :) Our OBC is a combo of WOW Sale, from the TA & Visa. Do you know if all of it will be refundable or only the portion from the TA?

Wow sale OBC is not refundable. I believe Visa points OBC is refundable.

[SSAA33]

You are correct, it should all work out in the end no matter which way you slice it. Non-refundable OBC is supposed to be used first followed by refundable. However, defining "refundable" OBC on some ships is hit or miss at best. It would be nice to be able to go to GR and ask for what we know is refundable and hope that they agree. :( Otherwise, you will have to pay the 3% service charge in the Casino to take it out.

 

Sounds like the casino (w/ 3% charge) is at least a good backup option. Hopefully there is still time to cash out at the casino if/after GS says No!

[SSAA33]

Wow sale OBC is not refundable. I believe Visa points OBC is refundable.

 

Thanks!!

[molly361]

Wow sale OBC is not refundable. I believe Visa points OBC is refundable.

 

 

Yes VISA OBC is refundable!!

[donstan]

Patti, Iwas very interested in your response of the MTD dilemma. I too like to use my obc towards gratuities. Has any one else been able to get the prepaid gratuities back from customer service? Is it only on the next to last day you can do this? Donna

[SSAA33]

Yes VISA OBC is refundable!!

 

Thanks for confirming!

[cruisenfever]

Patti, Iwas very interested in your response of the MTD dilemma. I too like to use my obc towards gratuities. Has any one else been able to get the prepaid gratuities back from customer service? Is it only on the next to last day you can do this? Donna

Hi Donna, when you sign up for MTD "when booking a cruise" your prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your booking. You can not remove them or get them back from Guest Relations. Once on board, you could see if you could change from MTD to Traditional Seating, but then you will still be automatically chaged $12pp per day for your gratuities.

 

If you can book MTD once on board, then your gratuities are added to your SeaPass account and, of course, any OBC on that account can be used towards those gratuities.

 

Any refundable OBC is distributed on the day prior to debarkation. Some ships will let you take it out at any time of the day while other ships tell you to come back after 4PM.