Can I use OBC in the casino?

[njhorseman]

I do believe you got away with something you weren't supposed to...and now that it's posted here & NCL are aware of it, I don't suspect many people will get away with it in the future.

 

I don't dispute that it happened, but I'm certain it's because somebody forgot to close that loophole.

 

 

 

.

 

We've used nonrefundable OBC for butler and concierge tips many times, so I don't think it's a loophole that someone forgot to close.

 

For that matter, a couple of times we were able to use nonrefundable OBC to get cash in the casino...of course we paid the 3% vig, but it was better than losing the money. However...I recall redaing that this particular loophole may have been closed.

[xcell]

between my two rooms I have $1000 non refundable OBC - dont do many excursions, don't really drink that much (at $1000 worth)

 

any ideas what to buy?

 

i'm planning to buy some alcohol to bring back home (canadian prices are crazy high) but I can only account maybe $200 for this...

 

I already prebooked specialty restaurants so maybe a few more...

Edited November 30, 2014 by xcell

[peg013]

between my two rooms I have $1000 non refundable OBC - dont do many excursions, don't really drink that much (at $1000 worth)

 

any ideas what to buy?

 

i'm planning to buy some alcohol to bring back home (canadian prices are crazy high) but I can only account maybe $200 for this...

 

I already prebooked specialty restaurants so maybe a few more...

 

It's easy to spend extra OBC - buy Freestyle Cruise Rewards. Each one you purchase will use $150 of your OBC. I love letting NCL pay my entire future deposit by using OBC to buy a FCR or two. :) Don't forget you can sell and transfer or gift any you won't be able to use.

Edited November 30, 2014 by peg013

[Valen9]

It's easy to spend extra OBC - buy Freestyle Cruise Rewards. Each one you purchase will use $150 of your OBC. I love letting NCL pay my entire future deposit by using OBC to buy a FCR or two. :) Don't forget you can sell and transfer or gift any you won't be able to use.

 

Assuming you like sailing with NCL, this is the BEST way to burn excess OBC. Each FCR will use up $150 of your OBC. (Cost $250 but they give you $100 more OBC.)

 

I'm not sure if the $100 OBC they give you with the FCR is refundable or not these days. So it might be good to buy one or two, wait until they post, and see what they do to your nonrefundable credit. I hope it turns out to be a good way to convert some of your OBC from nonrefundable to refundable -- or at least into the type of OBC that you can use to pay for the DSC.

Edited November 30, 2014 by Valen9

[SteveH2508]

Assuming you like sailing with NCL, this is the BEST way to burn excess OBC. Each FCR will use up $150 of your OBC. (Cost $250 but they give you $100 more OBC.)

 

I'm not sure if the $100 OBC they give you with the FCR is refundable or not these days. So it might be good to buy one or two, wait until they post, and see what they do to your nonrefundable credit. I hope it turns out to be a good way to convert some of your OBC from nonrefundable to refundable -- or at least into the type of OBC that you can use to pay for the DSC.

 

The $100 'OBC' status is irrelevant - you yourself stated that the FCR uses up $150 (net). What matters is whether they charge the $150 to non-refundable or only to refundable OBC. The general consensus on these boards is that it is charged just like a purchase -so would come off non-refundable OBC (if you have any).

 

Good advice to use it for FCRs though (if you are not drinkers like us!;))

 

Nice problem to have - us Brits get stuff all in OBC - you have to get very lucky to get $150 OBC out of NCL UK.:(

Edited November 30, 2014 by SteveH2508

[Valen9]

The $100 'OBC' status is irrelevant - you yourself stated that the FCR uses up $150 (net). What matters is whether they charge the $150 to non-refundable or only to refundable OBC.

 

It's quite relevant. If your goal is to burn up nonrefundable OBC, then it's burning $250 *nonrefundable* OBC and perhaps leaving you with $100 *refundable* OBC. Refundable OBC turns back into real money at the end of your cruise so it's an even bigger win.

 

But you're right in that the major relevance is to how many of them to buy, not the concept of buying them.

[hawkeyetlse]

If your goal is to burn up nonrefundable OBC, then it's burning $250 *nonrefundable* OBC and perhaps leaving you with $100 *refundable* OBC.

It's an interesting idea but I'm almost positive that the $100 is non-refundable. So it might do the opposite of what you're saying: it might turn $100 of your refundable OBC into non-refundable OBC!

 

Another thing is that the FCR is refundable within 30 days, or at least it used to be. So if you want to go to the trouble you could transform all of your OBC (refundable or not) into cash after the cruise.

[LaCal]

I just got off the epic a week ago. I did get to use the $125 promo credit from buying a future cruise cert. but was told I could not use my onboard credit in which was my own I had put on before the cruise I was pissed!! ( in the casino) they want to charge your credit card only or bring cash

 

Wow your post has me concerned now

I put a additional $2,000 of OBC on my upcoming cruise to specifically use in the casino ......I asked twice before purchasing it AND explained it's for the casino

 

I was told Yes no problem because it's just like cash n I'm purchasing it and it's fully refundable and can be used for ANYTHING ON THE SHIP including in the casino

 

I'm going to call them in the morning to once again to verify this

 

Anyone else ever run inti the problem the this person had?

[ks]

Wow your post has me concerned now

I put a additional $2,000 of OBC on my upcoming cruise to specifically use in the casino ......I asked twice before purchasing it AND explained it's for the casino

 

I was told Yes no problem because it's just like cash n I'm purchasing it and it's fully refundable and can be used for ANYTHING ON THE SHIP including in the casino

 

I'm going to call them in the morning to once again to verify this

 

Anyone else ever run inti the problem the this person had?

 

On the Getaway this past July I used $1700 in OBC for the Casino. $400 was OBC given to me for booking a suite and the rest was pre-purchased OBC bought in $100 increments from the NCL website before boarding. I downloaded money at the slot machine charging it to my onboard account. The money I downloaded was de-ducted from the OBC. I have also purchssed OBC for my up-coming Epic cruise and assume I will be able to use it for the Casino. I am assuming if I get cash advances at the Casino Cage and charge it to my onboard account it will be deducted from the OBC I have pre-purchased.

[aussie cruzer]

I just used non refundable obc in the casino on the Dawn....had over $500 obc to burn.

 

Cashed out $200 x 2.....played the tables for a while and kept the rest.

 

Charged 3% fee.

[cruzsnooze]

I have enough OBC from NCL that I intend to use for daily grats. I'll cash it out at the casino if they won't take it from OBC. Since they gave me a gift it's no longer theirs to dictate what I do with it.

[rvsullivan]

I have enough OBC from NCL that I intend to use for daily grats. I'll cash it out at the casino if they won't take it from OBC. Since they gave me a gift it's no longer theirs to dictate what I do with it.

 

As others have posted, they did not give you anything. What they did was post a credit to your account that they can dictate how it is utilized. If they cash you out at the casino for 3% then you can try your plan. But when you say they gave you a gift and cannot dictate what you do with it, your wrong. The fact that your looking for a way around it indicates you know you can't use it the way you want. The more folks post about the potential work around, the more likely NCL is to close the loophole. Good luck.

We just spend what we want on the cruise, including the casino and then settle up at the end, they always take out the OBC and we pay whatever is left.

[cruzsnooze]

As others have posted, they did not give you anything. What they did was post a credit to your account that they can dictate how it is utilized. If they cash you out at the casino for 3% then you can try your plan. But when you say they gave you a gift and cannot dictate what you do with it, your wrong. The fact that your looking for a way around it indicates you know you can't use it the way you want. The more folks post about the potential work around, the more likely NCL is to close the loophole. Good luck.

We just spend what we want on the cruise, including the casino and then settle up at the end, they always take out the OBC and we pay whatever is left.

They gave it to me for booking a suite. If they wanted to take the cost of the suite down $300 that would suit me but they don't. I see it as an incentive GIFT to book a suite and it's mine and I'll spend it on gratuity then something else. When giving a gift (in this case an incentive) it's becomes the recipients to spend as they wish.

[rvsullivan]

They gave it to me for booking a suite. If they wanted to take the cost of the suite down $300 that would suit me but they don't. I see it as an incentive GIFT to book a suite and it's mine and I'll spend it on gratuity then something else. When giving a gift (in this case an incentive) it's becomes the recipients to spend as they wish.

 

Yeah, good luck with that!! I can't wait to see how much fun your going to have!:D

[jackson bernard]

I have enough OBC from NCL that I intend to use for daily grats. I'll cash it out at the casino if they won't take it from OBC. Since they gave me a gift it's no longer theirs to dictate what I do with it.

 

I agree. Cash it out in the casino and use as you wish.

[NMLady]

Thanks, I wasn't familiar with gift cards. The 3% per month erosion fee after 12 months is daunting.

 

 

On the other hand, I have been told personally, by more than 1 person, that you can only buy 1 of each denomination of OBC.

 

I used to buy 50 x 100 obc certificates in advance, to have casino money ready, but they started disallowing it.

 

Can anybody else confirm if this has changed recently for them, too?

 

 

Thanks,

stephen

 

 

P.S. The gift cards are completely non-refundable, so it makes me wonder if they allow DSC to be deducted from them, or if they are 'good as cash' once applied to the account.

 

 

.

 

You are confusing casino credit which is now no longer sold. That is different from purchasing OBC gift cards.

[Contessa30]

On the Getaway this past July I used $1700 in OBC for the Casino. $400 was OBC given to me for booking a suite and the rest was pre-purchased OBC bought in $100 increments from the NCL website before boarding. I downloaded money at the slot machine charging it to my onboard account. The money I downloaded was de-ducted from the OBC. I have also purchssed OBC for my up-coming Epic cruise and assume I will be able to use it for the Casino. I am assuming if I get cash advances at the Casino Cage and charge it to my onboard account it will be deducted from the OBC I have pre-purchased.

 

Did they charge you 3% on the $1,300 you pre-purchased as OBC for the casino? I have sailed with Princess and Holland - we liked purchasing our casino credits ahead of time. Princess and Holland, never charged a fee to use the casino credits.

[ks]

Did they charge you 3% on the $1,300 you pre-purchased as OBC for the casino? I have sailed with Princess and Holland - we liked purchasing our casino credits ahead of time. Princess and Holland, never charged a fee to use the casino credits.

 

 

The 3% was not charged but it may be because I am VIP with Casino At Seas and they do not charge the VIP Level a convenience fee for getting cash in the casino. It is one of the benefits listed.

Edited December 7, 2014 by ks