OBC Tricks

[RUM-N-SAND]

I see there are often sales offered that have an OBC bonus. I also see that by bieng a Stock Holder for Carnival can earn you an OBC.

 

Does anyone have any other tricks or secrets to getting or aquiring (earning/bribing/stealing) On Board Credits in any other manner?

[ScriptOhio]

Booking a future cruise while on-board a current one works too.

[sail7seas]

Using a TA who offers OBC as booking incentive.

[DaveOKC]

Purchase a "future cruise deposit" while onboard. This will earn you an OBC (amount varies depending on the number of days in your next cruise).

 

Do not book your next cruise while onboard, but rather wait until you get home. Within 3-4 weeks you likely will get a "welcome home" email from HAL offering you additional OBC if you book with about 60 days. Promotion code is ZPM or ZPN from this email.

 

DaveOKC

[VermeulT]

You can also get OBC for having a platinum AmEx.

 

 

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[magandab]

Purchase a "future cruise deposit" while onboard. This will earn you an OBC (amount varies depending on the number of days in your next cruise).

 

Do not book your next cruise while onboard, but rather wait until you get home. Within 3-4 weeks you likely will get a "welcome home" email from HAL offering you additional OBC if you book with about 60 days. Promotion code is ZPM or ZPN from this email.

 

DaveOKC

 

And even if you don't get the email or letter, use the code when you book that next cruise within 60 days and they'll give you the OBC anyway.

[prescottbob]

I see there are often sales offered that have an OBC bonus. I also see that by bieng a Stock Holder for Carnival can earn you an OBC.

 

Does anyone have any other tricks or secrets to getting or aquiring (earning/bribing/stealing) On Board Credits in any other manner?

 

I'm not covinced there's any "bribing/stealing" involved actually.

 

OBC's are just marketing /reward tools (e.g. using a particular credit card, reserving a cruise on-board, owning some CCL stock, incentive for filling a cruise with a low passenger count, TA / online agency incentive or thank you, etc.)

 

Have youself a wonderful cruise!

 

Be well!

Bob

[pcur]

Ask for obc as a gift. Our sons gave us $400 obc for Christmas last year for this year's cruises. Got a birthday coming up?

[Thebes]

I see there are often sales offered that have an OBC bonus. I also see that by bieng a Stock Holder for Carnival can earn you an OBC.

 

Does anyone have any other tricks or secrets to getting or aquiring (earning/bribing/stealing) On Board Credits in any other manner?

 

 

By negotiating when price gets lowered after final payment.

 

 

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[julia]

My (major) online TA regularly offers nice OBCs.

However, they will also e-mail you a private quote with a nicely discounted cruise fare. The discounted cruise fare negates the OBC, and is always better. :p

[Hlitner]

Many reputable online cruise agencies offer nice OBCs with bookings. These can very from less then $100 to thousands of dollars...and these OBCs are not available if you book directly with HAL. On one longer Prinsendam cruise we booked a few years ago we received more then $3000 in OBCs from the TA. We preach one basic rule which is to simply take a little time and shop around for the best deal.

 

Hank

[Krazy Kruizers]

Purchase a "future cruise deposit" while onboard. This will earn you an OBC (amount varies depending on the number of days in your next cruise).

 

Do not book your next cruise while onboard, but rather wait until you get home. Within 3-4 weeks you likely will get a "welcome home" email from HAL offering you additional OBC if you book with about 60 days. Promotion code is ZPM or ZPN from this email.

 

DaveOKC

 

 

Haven't gotten one of those "Welcome Home" e-mails in years.

[DaveOKC]

Haven't gotten one of those "Welcome Home" e-mails in years.

 

Funny as I get them every time - last Fall we did two cruises basically back to back and got two welcome home emails.

 

DaveOKC

[RuthC]

Haven't gotten one of those "Welcome Home" e-mails in years.

 

You can use the promo code even if you don't get the letter, though, so it's still something to keep in mind when considering future cruises and on-board credits.

[RetesGirl3]

You can also get OBC for having a platinum AmEx.

 

 

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How do I get onboard credit from platinum American Express? Can you give me more information? We are leaving in a few weeks and are using our platinum American Express. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Jane

[SeaBands]

$300 offered by HAL

$150 for zpm/n

$250 for stock

$150 for future cruise

Edited March 1, 2014 by SeaBands
miss typed

[Cruising-along]

$300 offered by HAL

$150 for zpm/n

$250 for stock

$150 for future cruise

 

Very nice! I think the most we have gotten was $750.

[bzv143]

How do I get onboard credit from platinum American Express? Can you give me more information? We are leaving in a few weeks and are using our platinum American Express. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Jane

You have to have booked and paid for the cruise with the Platinum card to get $300 OBC from AmEx Platinum. Your TA calls AmEx and arranges it all.

[SeaBands]

and the credit is $950. We booked our tours in advance so there will be a loy of OBCs to use. I read here that we can get some back by putting it in casino account and then withdrawing it from cashier. Any experience?

[FoxyTerrier]

You can also get OBC for having a platinum AmEx.

 

 

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Does anyone know if this works for other cruise lines?

 

Thanks!

[bzv143]

The AmEx Platinum $300 OBC works for the more upscale cruise lines. It does not work on, say, Carnival. We have seen it on Seabourn, Windstar, HAL, Oceania...there are more. I do not think it works on RCI or Princess, but have not tried them, so do not know for sure.

 

 

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[HALrunner]

I just received my "Welcome Back" email today. We sailed Feb 7-17, so about two weeks ago.

 

"Here are the details:ENJOY YOUR MARINER SOCIETY® SHIPBOARD CREDIT BONUS!*

 

Book by April 29, 2014, and receive Shipboard Credit (U.S. dollars) according to the table below:

 

LENGTH OF ITINERARY INTERIOR

STATEROOM OCEAN-VIEW

STATEROOM VERANDAH

STATEROOM SUITE

3 – 10 days $25 $25 $50 $50

11 – 21 days $50 $50 $75 $100

22 – 50 days $100 $100 $150 $150

51+ days $150 $150 $200 $200

To take advantage of this Mariner benefit, call your Travel Professional or Holland America Line at 1-866-920-2332 (mention Promo code ZPM & ZPN)."

Edited March 3, 2014 by HALrunner
oops

[mtnmusic]

I see there are often sales offered that have an OBC bonus. I also see that by bieng a Stock Holder for Carnival can earn you an OBC.

 

Does anyone have any other tricks or secrets to getting or aquiring (earning/bribing/stealing) On Board Credits in any other manner?

 

We use our Holland America Barclaycard to pay our initial cruise deposit and make monthly installment payments until the cruise is paid in full and we cover those expenditures each month using our personal checking account to keep the credit card balance to zero and avoid interest charges. The advantage is that we get double points for all HAL purchases which we then convert into OBC.

[StartrainDD]

and the credit is $950. We booked our tours in advance so there will be a loy of OBCs to use. I read here that we can get some back by putting it in casino account and then withdrawing it from cashier. Any experience?

 

This works like a gem. On our recent Prinsendam cruise we had $1,275 in OBC. This came from:

• $600 Booking incentive from HAL (cruise was not selling well)
  
• $250 shareholder credit
  
• $100 future cruise cert
  
• $300 from TA
  
• $25 Loyalty bonus from TA
  

Since we prefer private excursions, we knew we would not consume all this credit. Following a suggestion found somewhere on these boards, we:

 

"Went to the casino, put your key-card in a slot machine, and charge money against your on-board account. Cash-out of the machine, then take your card to the cage and cash out. I think the limit is $300 per day; we did $300 one day and $200 another day. No fee is charged."

Arie

[sail7seas]

 

 

<snip>

 

"Went to the casino, put your key-card in a slot machine, and charge money against your on-board account. Cash-out of the machine, then take your card to the cage and cash out. I think the limit is $300 per day; we did $300 one day and $200 another day. No fee is charged."

Arie

 

 

I know this has been explained in the past but I still don't understand. :o

 

I get it to put the card in a slot machine but what do you mean by 'charge money against your on-board account'?

 

How?

 

Thanks.