OBC and Exchange Rates

[Miaminice]

Is your orignal Cruise booked in Germany and payed in EUR? Like directly through Celebrity Germany or a travel agent in Germany?

 

Or did you book trough US (Celebrity, Travel agent...)?

 

Booked on board and transfered to a German TA. This, however, is not relevant in this matter. Additional "items" such as beverage packages, spa appointments and gifts (OBC) can be purchased directly via Cruise Planner, no matter were the cruise was booked.

 

The OBC in the "Gift & Gear" section can even be purchased for someone else - as long as you provide the reservation no., name, sailing date etc.

[UniPac]

i called on one that did not send me an email & Celebrity checked & said they cannot check by the confirmation # that I received which did not make sense to me & it did not look like it had gone through, so I did it again & much to my surprise I received confirmation that both had gone through that evening around 8pm so now we have another $100. to spend than we thought which is ok. So give it time.

 

Right after the purchase I got the following email:

 

Dear x,

 

Thank you for placing your order with Gifts by Celebrity!

 

We have received your order that was submitted on CelebrityCruises.com for Reservation Number yyyyyy. Please note that your order is confirmed unless otherwise notified. We will contact you via email/phone if further information is necessary.

 

If you would like to make a change or have questions about your order, please call 1-800-242-6374. Gifts by Celebrity's hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 10:00AM to 7:00PM EST. To contact us via email, please send your email to CelebritySpecialServices@celebrity.com.

 

Thanks for choosing Celebrity Cruises.

 

Sincerely,

Gifts By Celebrity

 

So if I don't get any other information by email/phone it should work as they say it is confirmed?

[MicCanberra]

Right after the purchase I got the following email:

 

 

 

So if I don't get any other information by email/phone it should work as they say it is confirmed?

 

I am still waiting for my email.:(

[Pean]

Right after the purchase I got the following email:

 

 

 

So if I don't get any other information by email/phone it should work as they say it is confirmed?

 

Unfortunately not. That is the email I was talking about earlier. You will need to check your CC as that is the only way you know for sure if your purchase has gone through if you book online. Sometimes it takes a while for it to go on your card (someone earlier mentioned they do it in order of your sailing) but I have waited about 6 or 7 weeks and when I rang they had no record of me booking it. So don't just assume it hasn't gone through if it is not on your card and book it again unless you want the extra but ring and check first.

[upwarduk]

Unfortunately not. That is the email I was talking about earlier. You will need to check your CC as that is the only way you know for sure if your purchase has gone through if you book online. Sometimes it takes a while for it to go on your card (someone earlier mentioned they do it in order of your sailing) but I have waited about 6 or 7 weeks and when I rang they had no record of me booking it. So don't just assume it hasn't gone through if it is not on your card and book it again unless you want the extra but ring and check first.

 

I booked mine 21st Jan and was sent the confirmation email, by the evening.

I had an Amenities confirmation from Celebrity on 23rd Jan,but when I checked my C.C online statement 24th Jan, nothing had been debited, but it had on 28th Jan.

 

So in my experience, it takes up to a week to show on your C.C.

[jveevers]

So I decided to buy some OBC, say $1000 worth which would be enough to upgrade Drink Package, buy some Shore Trips, do some speciality Restaurants and a few onboard purchases. If any left I can withdraw it and use after the cruise.

Went through the gift buying process, result "cannot locate cruise reference number".. Well it is right, I got the # from "My Celebrity". Doubled checked number, name, date , ship, all OK.. Same result...So wonder why I cannot do this?

 

 

Ok it went through today. Difference is when I log into "my Celebrity" I get message saying cannot locate the booking number. When I DO NOT log into "My Celebrity" it all went OK.

Buying OBC is really meant as a gift for other people to buy for you. So maybe this is why it cannot be done when logged in , because the system knows it is you who is buying it. When not logged in maybe system thinks it is some other person buying it for you. I know, sounds crazy, but hey, couldn't come up with any other logical reason.

[MicCanberra]

Ok it went through today. Difference is when I log into "my Celebrity" I get message saying cannot locate the booking number. When I DO NOT log into "My Celebrity" it all went OK.

Buying OBC is really meant as a gift for other people to buy for you. So maybe this is why it cannot be done when logged in , because the system knows it is you who is buying it. When not logged in maybe system thinks it is some other person buying it for you. I know, sounds crazy, but hey, couldn't come up with any other logical reason.

 

You may be right, have you received an email as yet?

[lakelivin2]

I didn't get an email for OBC that I purchased online on Jan. 27. Called Celebrity directly and they couldn't find it... Just rebooked it over the telephone.

[Cruise Junky]

I got an e:mail about 1/2 hour after I placed my online order last Saturday but it hasn't hit my card yet. Cruise isn't until 2016 so it may be a while if they are doing it by sailing date.

[Christine Frances]

I have found that you will get the first confirmation quickly and then soon after (next day or so) you get a second email with the actual "Amenity Confirmation" as an attachment. If you didn't receive the 2nd one it probably didn't go through. I called the number on the first email and the Gifts By Celebrity rep processed it quickly over the phone.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[mjbc]

If I purchase OBC in Canadian Dollars now, and if for some reason I have to cancel the cruise, would the OBC be credited back to my chargecard?

Thank you

[airhose]

Here's my tale: from Ontario, Canada, booked through online American TA in USD, for a Feb. cruise. Yesterday, I purchased OBC from the gift website, in CDN dollars, got a receipt in CDN, at the good exchange rate. I checked my credit card this morning and it had been charged at the higher current rate. I called Celebrity gift site, and she said her system could only process my request in USD. I said it was false advertising, she noted it on my file, and I cancelled it all.:(

[stoddaj1]

I just went to purchase OBC online. It shows a cost of $27.20 Canadian per unit, but doesn't actually state what the OBC unit amount for the ship is. Can anyone clarify?

[airhose]

It's for 25 usd. Is your cruise booked in CDN? I hope you get this rate....I didn't!

[Quitwhin'n]

Here's my tale: from Ontario, Canada, booked through online American TA in USD, for a Feb. cruise. Yesterday, I purchased OBC from the gift website, in CDN dollars, got a receipt in CDN, at the good exchange rate. I checked my credit card this morning and it had been charged at the higher current rate. I called Celebrity gift site, and she said her system could only process my request in USD. I said it was false advertising, she noted it on my file, and I cancelled it all.:(

 

Just curious if you checked your credit card since you canceled? I had the same situation happen but was afraid to cancel because I didn't want to be hit with a double exchange fee thus losing $ on the refund.

[Christine Frances]

If your cruise is booked in USD, any on board amenities, ie drink packages, spa, specialty rest and OBC will be billed in USD. If you are booked in Canadian, you will be charged in Canadian for these items.

[If only]

I just went to purchase OBC online. It shows a cost of $27.20 Canadian per unit, but doesn't actually state what the OBC unit amount for the ship is. Can anyone clarify?

 

It does say that the booking is #C171 which is $25.us, I will let you know as we start our cruise on Mon.

[Quitwhin'n]

If your cruise is booked in USD, any on board amenities, ie drink packages, spa, specialty rest and OBC will be billed in USD. If you are booked in Canadian, you will be charged in Canadian for these items.

 

The problem is that this is not explained during the online Gifts by Celebrity buying process plus if you are buying a gift for someone, you may have no idea what currency they booked in. The site recognizes the country you are in, gives you a cost, and then charges you a completely different, much higher rate.

[MicCanberra]

I am beginning to think my order won't go through, no email as yet or action on the credit card either, it has been 3 days.:(

[woodyren]

I know this is a Celebrity thread but I have 39 days coming up soon on Quantum of the Seas and would like to lock in some OBC at these rates. Have had a look on RCCL website and in my booking but can't find anywhere to do so. Customer service closed for weekend in Oz.

 

Any advice appreciated?

[fifa]

I purchased OBC on-line 5 days ago and received the first email but no sign of a second email.

So I phoned Celebrity on the Australian 1800 number (yes, I booked with an Aus travel agent) and finally got through to the Gifts Onboard section which I presume is in the US. They couldn't see my online purchase so I made a transaction over the phone and they confirmed that it would be charged to my credit card in AUD.

 

This morning, three days later, the transaction is finally showing on my credit card so all good.

 

Now we will see how much I receive on board ;).

[MicCanberra]

I know this is a Celebrity thread but I have 39 days coming up soon on Quantum of the Seas and would like to lock in some OBC at these rates. Have had a look on RCCL website and in my booking but can't find anywhere to do so. Customer service closed for weekend in Oz.

 

Any advice appreciated?

 

Yes, you need to ring up as there appears to be no way of getting OBC online,also if you used a TA, you need to go through them.:D

[monicajay]

24 hours after booking on-line and still no confirmation or sign of it on my CC.

 

 

I used the gift section, so what should I do now, call Celebrity? This is crazy, if I booked an airline ticket, I'd have an e-mail within seconds.

 

Celebrity, what's up with your website????

[The_Big_M]

The problem is that this is not explained during the online Gifts by Celebrity buying process plus if you are buying a gift for someone' date=' you may have no idea what currency they booked in. The site recognizes the country you are in, gives you a cost, and then charges you a completely different, much higher rate.[/quote']

 

It does tell you, but only on the final screen.

 

Not ideal, but it's not a common, expected scenario to deal with.

[fifa]

Yes, you need to ring up as there appears to be no way of getting OBC online,also if you used a TA, you need to go through them.:D

 

I beg to differ - I used a travel agent to book our cruise and had no problem paying them direct. (Celebrity also didn't charge a cc fee like many travel related businesses do in Australia these days)