OBC for Shore excursions

[Strinkle]

I planned to use my OBC for shore excursions on the Equinox. I started to book a tour on the website & it asked for credit card info. I stopped & called Celebrity & they said that to use OBC for excursions I must book while on board. I am afraid that the tours may be booked. Do they charge your credit card before the cruise? We do not drink & we get free grats from our TA. What good is the $400 OBC if I am unable to use it for tours. :confused:

Sue

[Guern69]

It seemed to charge my CC straight away when I booked.

[Project_gal]

Sue

 

Yes, if you purchase shore excursions in advance, they will charge your credit card straight away. However, do not despair, they do not sell all excursions in advance. They hold back places for sale on board. Just go to Shore Excursions desk as soon as you board and you should be OK.

[jonsmum]

I asked a similar question a few days ago! And unfortunately they do take the money straight away when you book excursions beforehand. I suppose you could spend some of it at the spa if that's your type of thing. Not sure if you could cancel your booked excursion once on board and then rebook using your OBC? Other than that......Shopping? Speciality restaurants? Casino? We're going to be in a similar position next year. Hope you find something to use it on!

[dwhe]

You can get some good discounts by booking on-board, some do get booked up though so if it's something you don't want to miss pre-book it.

 

I brought myself a watch during one of the sales with our OBC and my Wife got herself a necklace, the rest we spent on gelato :o

Edited August 12, 2014 by dwhe

[ClaudiaB]

OK try this: to make sure you get the tour, pre-book it and pay for it.

Once on board go to the Shore Excursions desk up at Guest Relations. See if you can refund your tour that you already paid for. Then re-book it immediately using your OBC. We've done that with specialty dining to make sure we get the nights (formal nights) and times we like.

 

Even if you have a beverage package and all your excursions are paid for you will still have lots of opportunity to use your OBC. Bottles of wine, meals, special dinners and wine tastings, Zumba and other classes, spa treatments, casino refund, Michael Kors (!) bag, Bingo, a couple of shirts or jewelry, or a very special excursion like a flight plane or helicopter ride. We usually have anywhere from $250 to $500 OBC and spend it $20, $30 and $40 at a time and it just goes fast.

[Xport]

OK try this: to make sure you get the tour, pre-book it and pay for it.

 

Once on board go to the Shore Excursions desk up at Guest Relations. See if you can refund your tour that you already paid for.

 

If one books and pays for excursions online and in advance of sailing date [the corridor for doing so is three or four days], online cancellation of those tours--again, within three or four days prior to sailing--will result in a refund to the credit card used for the purchase of those tours... But excursions that are booked in advance online and cancelled while aboard ship will result in a refund via additional Onboard Credit...

 

There are two types of Onboard Credit; non-refundable and refundable...

 

Non-Refundable Onboard Credit is most commonly associated with that which is granted as a result of a promotion from the cruise line... Onboard charges are applied against the Non-Refundable Onboard Credit first but, if not fully depleted at cruise end, is lost unless one takes a cash withdrawal at the casino cage--subject to a 5% service charge--for the remainder...

 

Refund of cash pre-payments--for things such as online purchase of excursions and/or specialty dining in advance of sailing--is returned to one's onboard account as Refundable Onboard Credit with onboard charges applied to it on a secondary basis if one has both types of Onboard Credit... If all or any of the Refundable Onboard Credit account is unspent at the end of the cruise, that balance will be refunded to the credit card used when establishing one's onboard account at check-in... So the potential downside of your proposal--if it matters to the original poster--is that any refund, if due, will not be processed until after cruise conclusion...

 

Sue [Project Gal] is correct that Celebrity generally holds back about 30% [i've been told] of excursion and specialty dining capacity for sale once aboard ship... If the original poster is intent on using Non-Refundable Onboard Credit for such purchases and is not pleased by the prospect of a delayed refund of pre-payment for online purchases made prior to sailing that are subsequently cancelled while aboard, it is in his/her best interest--as Sue also notes--to handle such purchases quickly after boarding the ship as tours/specialty dining times can and do sell out...

Edited August 12, 2014 by Xport

[cruisestitch]

"What good is the $400 OBC if I am unable to use it for tours."

 

There's the casino, Bingo, Zumba, internet, gift shops, duty free, massages, haircuts, manicures, specialty dining, mini bar, room service beverages, Free Dance and Free Walk t-shirts, shuttles, transfers, photos, souvenir cruise DVD, Apple Store, acupuncture, chiropractor, room service up-charge items (above the free items offered), the list goes on and on…..

[Strinkle]

Thanks for all your suggestions, all of which I am aware of but I was planning on using it for tours. I was disappointed to find out that I am unable to book until I board. I have already booked 3 tours with local tour company's but with cruise tours it just would be less cash to bring on board. I think that what I will do is try & book a few other tours the first day & some specialty dinning & take it from there.

Thanks again for all your help.

Sue

[Mainiac II]

How does one check and find OBC on the Celebrity website?

[cruisestitch]

I don't think you can see it on the website. You need a booking confirmation form, OBC is listed there. If you have a travel agent, have them print one for you. If you book directly with Celebrity, call them.

[Mainiac II]

Thanks you so much!

[Mistymya]

My OBC is listed on my booking. Right underneath the summary of costs on the right in my celebrity