Purchasing OBC From the UK

[Project_gal]

First: Can someone let me know the UK number to ring to purchase OBC, please? I seem to have mislaid it.

 

Second: This is a heads-up for any UK cruisers. I have just checked the OBC price and it is a great rate - US$1.6447 = £1 [or US$15.20 for £25].

[sollyman]

Sorry I don't have a telephone number but you can buy on-line from Celebrity Gifts website.

 

I did this last year and got a great rate.

 

Todays market rate is 1.6492 but two weeks ago it was nearly 1.68.

 

The current Celebrity rate is not good enough to tempt me.

 

By the way since last year I have got myself a credit card with zero foreign exchange charges...that makes a big difference.

[happygran]

I've bought OBC via Gifts Celebrity & it worked great............but this year........it hasn't.......they have no record of the purchase & I'm struggling to prove that the payment has actually been processed.

[sollyman]

Surely you have your credit card statement....that should be more than good enough.

[upwarduk]

Celebrity's rate doesn't change daily, so their rate is often better than banks.

We bought OBC last year and had a good deal.

 

The Post Office Credit card doesn't charge for converting Celebrity's ship board account from $ to £, so select for your Credit Card to do the conversion.

[suesie]

How do you find out what the exchange rate is, please?

[Project_gal]

How do you find out what the exchange rate is, please?

 

Go to the Celebrity website and scroll to the bottom. Click on Give a Gift and follow the links for Delivery on Board and On Board Credit. OBC is sold in $25 units [it does not say this anywhere] and you will see the price.

[Project_gal]

In response to the other responses. Yes, Celebrity sets its rate periodically and irregularly and not daily like FX companies and banks. Recently the rate has not been at all good but the UK prices for the 2015/16 cruises just released have been good when there have been complaints about prices from US customers. As the sterling exchange rate has be strong since the beginning of the year, I thought that it was worth checking the rate Celebrity were currently using for OBC. It was good especially as the exchange rate has dipped recently. Nobody knows where it will go. Buying FX is always a gamble.

 

1.6447 is NOT as good a this mornings commercial exchange rate of 1.6489 [as published on the BBC website] or the peak commercial rate this year of 1.6747 [17 February 2014] but you do NOT get this rate if you buy FX [you get the retail rate] or use your credit card [you get something between the tourist rate and the commercial rate depending on your credit card provider] even if you do not pay commision or FX charges.

 

As I said, nobody knows what will happen with the FX rates. Buying OBC at a good rate is ONE way of hedging against exchange rate fluctuations. Buying dollars is another way. When you sail exchange rates are very likely to be different - perhaps higher, perhaps lower. You have to decided what YOU want to do. I am NOT giving advice - just giving a heads-up about Celebrity offering a good rate - better than they were offering in January/February when we bought dollars for our next cruise.

 

Yes, you can purchase OBC via Celebrity's website and this used to work well. I used it for years. However, the last time the rate was good, the system was not working well. The process required human intervention and it could be some time before the transaction actually went through. Some got lost and, in other cases, people resulted to trying again and ended up with double the amount they wanted. It was generally accepted then that it was better to make the purchase by telephone.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Project_gal

[TowandaUK]

I bought obc online from the UK on Feb 23rd. I received a confirmation email straight away, but it did not appear on my credit card. I emailed them and was told that the transaction had been processed. A month later it still has not gone through my credit card. I emailed again at the end of last week but have not had a reply.

 

Think I may get the no fee Halifax credit card recommended by Martin Lewis and use that while away. It's a shame as I had hoped to buy the obc as and when I had spare funds, but X are making it very difficult.

 

The phone number I was given in their email was 1-800-242-6374 - not sure if that is a UK 0800 number? The email address I was given is CelebritySpecialServices@celebrity.com. Incidentally the email I received was actually from Asda!! (Do not reply address)!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[welshfamily]

I ring Celebrity's normal UK number and select Captains club. They always just put me through to the correct department.

I then get an email confirming the purchase, this usually comes through whilst I am on the phone.

I have been buying OBC for years as any money not spent on board comes back as a cash credit on my credit card, always a nice welcome home.

[karpela]

In the past, if it's been a good rate, we have bought more OBC than we need and get the credit back in cash on our last day so we have currency to spend in the US.

[sollyman]

Agree with everything you say Project_gal.

 

I had no problems whatsoever buying on-line last July.

 

https://www.mastercard.com/global/currencyconversion/index.html

 

This gives the daily mastercard exchange rate for any currency you want....yesterdays was 1.65069.

 

If we knew which way rate would move we would all be very rich indeed.