Cash for onboard account.

[Bases5]

What's the least amount of cash you have used to open your onboard account.

 

I have pre paid my Tips or whatever NCL calls them

I have UBP

I have UDP

And $100 OBC.

We have cruised a lot and know our spending.

 

Can I just use our OBC for my account and not put any additional money down.

 

PS

For the person that's says just put a CC down,

I don't have one.

[NMLady]

What's the least amount of cash you have used to open your onboard account.

 

I have pre paid my Tips or whatever NCL calls them

I have UBP

I have UDP

And $100 OBC.

We have cruised a lot and know our spending.

 

Can I just use our OBC for my account and not put any additional money down.

 

PS

For the person that's says just put a CC down,

I don't have one.

 

You'll probably still be expected to put $300 per person down. You might know your spending habits, but NCL does not know if you'll be purchasing excursions after you board, buying photos, playing Bingo, making purchases in onboard shops.

[Demonyte]

The OBC won't show on the account immediately so that doesn't help originally.

 

The amounts listed on NCL's website are merely suggestion, one can put as little as they like (especially since the service charges are prepaid, that is what the company is really concerned about), for example $100 will do just fine for the entire account.

Edited March 28, 2015 by Demonyte

[Cattie]

I had around $500 OBC for our last cruise. DSC was prepaid, I didn't put any cash down until around day 4 or 5, didn't have any problems.

[MeHeartCruising]

I had around $500 OBC for our last cruise. DSC was prepaid, I didn't put any cash down until around day 4 or 5, didn't have any problems.

 

I think this is a good point. In this day of pre-paid "everything", I'm not sure you'd even need to put anything down if you had enough OBC to cover your spending. When you tell them at check-in that you want to use cash to set up your account, they just tell you to go to Guest Services after you board to do that. If you never go, who is to know? As long as your account never goes negative, I don't think they will contact you and I think your purchases will be approved. Check on your spending thru the week and go add money if needed.

Edited March 28, 2015 by MeHeartCruising

[maywell]

Put down like $20 - $50 dollars just in case, NCL doesn't credited properly since you don't have a credit card. You need cash, credit card or debit to activate the spending on the Sail Card sometime during the trip (I don't recommend the debit because they or the bank holds double the amount of the cash deposit). NCL pre-charges / authorizes whatever is the cash deposit on the FAQ on the credit card (Didn't know I actually had $600, instead of just $300 OBC til I check my credit card company the next day - Oh well, my biggest costs was Christmas shopping for 10 family members; not really much of spender / drinker / eater). Whatever refundable OBC or cash is left, they will mailed home to you in 6-8 weeks. Just check your onboard account with Guest Services or on the TV to keep track that nothing extra you know you didn't have or do is on there. And have fun trip!!!

[cb at sea]

They generally give you a bit of time (and spending) until they request some cash....

[garycarla]

...For the person that's says just put a CC down,

I don't have one.

 

I share this for other folks, not the OP.

 

A credit card is the easiest, quickest way to deal with this.

 

For those that do not have a CC due to financial history, sorry.

 

For those that have some philosophical reason not to have one, please share with the rest of us.

[Bases5]

Thanks for the reply's.

I have cruised on many line's with a little OBC and never put any additional cash down (unless needed) to start my cruise.

It's our first NCL cruise and was I hoping we could do the same thing, It sounds like we can.