Unused OBC

[Bruin Steve]

I never had to worry about this in the past...

Whatever OBC I had usually came from my TA...and, correct me if I'm wrong, but if that goes unused, it is refunded to my credit card at the end of the cruise...

Besides, in the past, I generally used my OBC--gratuities, drinks, shore excursions...

 

However, my current understanding is that the Celebrity-provided OBC MUST be spent onboard--it is not refunded if unused. Is that correct?

 

This, of course, in the current environment, presents an interesting problem...

 

Our gratuities are now prepaid--in way or another--either as part of the 123Go promotion...or required since we have My Time Dining...so, our OBC cannot be used for that...

 

Drinks may also be included as part of the 123Go promotion...so no running up bills against the OBC that way...

 

Shore excursions we, generally, book in advance, so they are prepaid in advance...besides, we book most ports on our own rather than through the cruise shorex...

 

As an Elite Plus Captains Club member, I also get 200 minutes of free internet per person, two loads of free laundry per person, etc.

 

There is an overwhelming likelihood that I cannot spend the OBC onboard!

 

I recall, in the past, people having strategies to cash out OBC--something about going to the casino and requesting cash against the onboard account...

 

Say you have $300 of unused OBC to spend, can you just go to the Casino Cashier and ask for $300 cash...then walk away and pocket the cash leaving a $300 charge against your shipboard account--thus eating up your OBC?

Edited February 21, 2015 by Bruin Steve

[phoenix_dream]

I believe you can cash out at the casino, but there is a 5% charge. Last cruise we were in the same situation - did not really want to go to a specialty restaurant as we were in Blu, and had no use for shore excursions. Have cruised so many times we did not want to support the outrageous photography prices by buying those. We ended up buying something in the stores.

 

You can also use the OBC to upgrade your beverage packages if you do it onboard. If you do a shore excursion that is most likely not to be filled up ahead of time (like a city tour or a beach day thing) then booking onboard is best so you can use your OBC.

[Phxazzcruisers]

Yes, do not forget 5% commission to get cash in the casino. I have also heard, unsubstantiated rumors that this ability may be going away. The best idea is to book a few of your excursions on board instead of in advance. Only pay in advance for the ones you definitely do not want to miss out on. If you book on board the first day, the great majority of the tours are still available.

[miched]

I was told on my Nov cruise on the Eclipse that I couldn't cash in at the casino. Didn't attempt or push it as we used it to buy a I Pad and Apple TV.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[OuiOnboard]

......Say you have $300 of unused OBC to spend, can you just go to the Casino Cashier and ask for $300 cash...then walk away and pocket the cash leaving a $300 charge against your shipboard account--thus eating up your OBC?

If all or part of the the OBC is deemed by Celebrity to be an incentive that is non-refundable, then you may walk away and pocket the $300 cash leaving what appears on your shipboard account print out to be a $300 (plus 5%) charge...eating up your OBC. When you check your Credit Card details, do not be surprised to find a charge for any amount of the OBC (plus 5%) you took out that Celeb determines is not refundable.

It is a good idea to check with CS to see which portions of your OBC are refundable or not.

[Negrilgirl]

Does anyone know if refundable OBC can be carried over to a future cruise?

[Wj420]

Last December we cashed our remaining obc of $200 at the blackjack table. We were told they could do it. We didn't mind the small % fee. Better than to leave the money!

[Bruin Steve]

I may be about to change my strategy...

 

Of my four upcoming Celebrity cruises, there is really only one where this comes into play--

On our July 1, 2016 Constellation cruise, with our cabin category, we had the option of picking just two of the 123Go promotion deals...

Since we will be Elite Plus CC members, we get free drinks from 5:00 to 7:00 pm each evening and free specialty coffees...and 200 minutes of internet each...and free laundry...

So, our original booking has us taking the other two options: Free Gratuities and $300 OBC...

The thought was that we'd be off the ship in port most days...and don't really drink that much anyway...So we wouldn't get that much use out of the Free Drinks package...that the pre-dinner drinks were, pretty much, enough for us...and, if we wanted a drink after dinner, we'd just pay for it...

 

BUT, if the only thing, for the most part, we'd use the $300 OBC for would be those few after-dinner drinks...and we'd likely lose what we didn't use...then why not just choose the unlimited drinks over the limited ones?

 

So, I guess my new strategy is to call my TA and, while the 123Go is still going, have her change us from Free Gratuities and $300 OBC to Free Gratuities and the Classic Drink package...

 

It's basically like just paying $150 pp for the drink package now...and hope we get our $ worth...We'll likely drink a little more than usual...

 

If we kept the $300 OBC, we might have just had drinks pre-dinner...and maybe some of the OBC might have gone for souvenir T-shirts or other items we don't need...But, we'd likely have to think about that Casino cash-out...and maybe forget to do it...

[gimletgal]

If all or part of the the OBC is deemed by Celebrity to be an incentive that is non-refundable, then you may walk away and pocket the $300 cash leaving what appears on your shipboard account print out to be a $300 (plus 5%) charge...eating up your OBC. When you check your Credit Card details, do not be surprised to find a charge for any amount of the OBC (plus 5%) you took out that Celeb determines is not refundable.

It is a good idea to check with CS to see which portions of your OBC are refundable or not.

 

It is clearly stated on your account what OBC is refundable (OBCR) and non-refundable (OBCN). Just check your account on the TV or ask for a print out at Guest Services.

 

You are free to take either out in the casino, at any time during your cruise, for the 5% fee, of course.

[Redtravel]

If OBC could carry over or be used toward a future booking, it would be nice. It would be a good incentive to book another cruise while you are on the ship. It could be a good sales pitch to buy more cruises. With all the promos, there are many people who cannot spend all of their OBC. Getting future bookings and using OBC would be a win-win for all involved.

[cle-guy]

If OBC could carry over or be used toward a future booking, it would be nice. It would be a good incentive to book another cruise while you are on the ship. It could be a good sales pitch to buy more cruises. With all the promos, there are many people who cannot spend all of their OBC. Getting future bookings and using OBC would be a win-win for all involved.

 

Booking on Board now gets you an extra perk of more OBC. Currently they apply the amount of the deposit you pay to your current sailing as OBC. You CAN ask that they push it into the booked sailing if you want.

 

If you don't use the OBC on current sailing after they post it, it simply refunds to the method of payment on your SeaPass account

 

 

If you cancel, you don't get a deposit refunded as you've already spent it or got it refunded.

[gimletgal]

I never had to worry about this in the past...

Whatever OBC I had usually came from my TA...and, correct me if I'm wrong, but if that goes unused, it is refunded to my credit card at the end of the cruise...

Besides, in the past, I generally used my OBC--gratuities, drinks, shore excursions...

 

However, my current understanding is that the Celebrity-provided OBC MUST be spent onboard--it is not refunded if unused. Is that correct? Yes. OBCN

 

This, of course, in the current environment, presents an interesting problem...

 

Our gratuities are now prepaid--in way or another--either as part of the 123Go promotion...or required since we have My Time Dining...so, our OBC cannot be used for that...

 

Drinks may also be included as part of the 123Go promotion...so no running up bills against the OBC that way... If you upgrade to Premium, could use OBC for that.

 

Shore excursions we, generally, book in advance, so they are prepaid in advance...besides, we book most ports on our own rather than through the cruise shorex...

 

As an Elite Plus Captains Club member, I also get 200 minutes of free internet per person, two loads of free laundry per person, etc.

 

There is an overwhelming likelihood that I cannot spend the OBC onboard!

 

I recall, in the past, people having strategies to cash out OBC--something about going to the casino and requesting cash against the onboard account...

 

Say you have $300 of unused OBC to spend, can you just go to the Casino Cashier and ask for $300 cash...then walk away and pocket the cash leaving a $300 charge against your shipboard account--thus eating up your OBC? Yes. But you would only walk away with $285 - still better than leaving $300 on the table.

 

Please see above comments.

[kayehall]

That's a great idea to buy yourself something nice....IPAD, camera, special bottle of wine. Assuming you are a guy, are you traveling with a lady? Leave it to her....we know how to handle these situations!!!! :D

[helen haywood]

In the past, the OBC I received from my travel agent was refundable to the credit card I used if it went unused. However, on my last Reflection sailing, upon inquiring at Guest Services, I was told that the OBC from my travel agent that time was not refundable. Has to do with whatever code it was booked under.... So don't assume that all OBC from your travel agent is refundable.

[thebutlerdidit]

In the past, the OBC I received from my travel agent was refundable to the credit card I used if it went unused. However, on my last Reflection sailing, upon inquiring at Guest Services, I was told that the OBC from my travel agent that time was not refundable. Has to do with whatever code it was booked under.... So don't assume that all OBC from your travel agent is refundable.

 

I was following this thread to see if anyone else has had this experience. I was also told that my remaining OBC was nonrefundable. I was under the impression that Celebrity-awarded OBC was used first, followed by TA issued OBC, normally refundable. I was expecting a small credit on my charge card, so when it didn't happen, I called. I was told that the remaining credit was not refundable because it was tied to a group booking through the TA. It was only $12 or so, so I just filed the information for future consideration. It probably doesn't matter, but this was a Reflection cruise, also.

[gdpups]

Same thing happened to me on Summit two weeks ago, I assumed the OBC from my ta would be refundable but it wasn't. Guest Services insisted it was how the ta coded it. Total OBC from ta was $300, with $25 of it listed as refundable and $275 not.....go figure!

[Happy2cruise]

If we have any OBC left, we purchase favorite perfumes, colognes, skin care products, etc. Might as well stock up using OBC;)

[Duanerice1]

On the Equinox in December we had $850 OBC between Celebrity, TA, then new cruise OBC. We cashed almost all of it out in the casino. My wife then used the money to shop in port since the prices are at least 5% cheaper than the ship. No issue at all with the type of OBC.

 

Just to clarify, if you take $300 from the casino then you get charged $315 on your shipboard account.

 

enjoy

[grandgeezer]

I have unused obc, from my travel agent on just about every cruise, and in every circumstance it was credited back to my credit card. Check your account, on the tv and it'll tell you if it's refundable or not. A majority of my cruises are group bookings and it made no difference.

[mskaufman]

Last year we had $50 OBC on the last day of the cruise. We were wondering around and couldn't figure out how to spend it. Just when we were going to buy some photos someone told DW that we would get anything left on our account refunded. I'm sure you can guess the end of the story.

[renaroo]

My last cruise was a last minute, unplanned vacation. We got a great deal, but didn't budget for it, so we decided we would go and not spend any additional money. We had a wonderful time and only ended up with a $4 bill at the end. I think my husband got a specialty coffee. :D

 

However, I can't imagine NOT begin able to spend OBC. I'm pretty sure I could easily spend any amount, no problem. Gift shops: gifts for me, friends, family, perfumes, clothing, make up, spa treatments, specialty dining tours, wine, laundry service ...

 

If you have that much, just have fun and be extravagant!

[OuiOnboard]

It is clearly stated on your account what OBC is refundable (OBCR) and non-refundable (OBCN). Just check your account on the TV or ask for a print out at Guest Services.

To be clear, the only way to know for sure that any remaining amount(s) of OBC on your account is OBCN or OBCR is to check with CS.

[RocketMan275]

I was discussing the options on spending the significant amount of OBC on our upcoming cruise with the wife. She told me not to worry, she would ensure that it was gone by the end of the cruise.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Even with prepaid gratuities and the premium beverage package we'll spend the OBC. Great way to splurge on a very good bottle of wine, spa service or in the shops.

[Bruin Steve]

I have no doubts we COULD spend the OBC...

Lots of us can just spend for the sake of spending...

But that's not really the point...

It's a question of going out of our way to spend...or to use the "perk" for the drink package...as we're in categories where we don't get all three 123Go perks...

It's not like we won't have extra spending money in the form of OBC on board...Aside from the 123Go perk, our Travel Agent ALSO gives us a nice chunk of OBC...but that OBC is the refundable kind, so we don't have to worry whether we use it all up or not...

 

I just don't really want to worry about having a remaining negative balance on my cruise and don't want to spend just to spend it...

If I really want to buy something on the cruise, I can always buy it...I have no problem running up charges IF NECCESSARY...

 

I have decided to opt for the Classic Drink package instead of the OBC even though I already get free drinks, as an Elite Plus CC member, from 5-7 and free specialty coffees throughout...Better to use what otherwise would have been a $300 credit on a 13 night cruise on the drink package, even with far less usefulness than for most...It means spending the equivalent of $11.54 per person per night to "break even"...So, even a glass of wine with dinner and a couple of Diet Cokes during the day puts us ahead...Whereas the alternative is to possibley spend $300 on something we really would not have bought otherwise...If my wife wants to go to the spa, she can use some of the $400 of OBC our TA is giving us on that...

 

Because of other perks we get, we're just not going to spend anything on internet...or laundry...or specialty coffees, etc. We're not really gamblers. We tend to book all of our port tours ahead of time and/or with private providers. So, that pretty much leaves the Spa and the Gift Shops. We're just not going to run up $700 on Spa and Gift shop charges...

Edited February 22, 2015 by Bruin Steve