beverage card or OBC

[retiredkid]

want to stock up on the cards. I figure that I could buy pretty much anything with an OBC that I have purchased. What would the advantage be of purchasing a beverage card over simply more OBC? I hope I made sense.

Edited July 8, 2015 by retiredkid

[kazu]

want to stock up on the cards. I figure that I could buy pretty much anything with an OBC that I have purchased. What would the advantage be of purchasing a beverage card over simply more OBC? I hope I made sense.

 

The only benefit to buying the beverage cards in advance is that your names are on them (helps if they are lost) and you can avoid all those little receipts.

 

OBC will do everything that the beverage card does - you just will have a longer statement and more slips to check ;)

 

I think I read your inquiry correctly.

[retiredkid]

The only benefit to buying the beverage cards in advance is that your names are on them (helps if they are lost) and you can avoid all those little receipts.

 

OBC will do everything that the beverage card does - you just will have a longer statement and more slips to check ;)

 

I think I read your inquiry correctly.

 

thanks for the quick reply, kazu. Glad I was able to put what my brain was thinking across. We will be on the same Panama cruise that you took this April. For us, it is a really long cruise. We have never used OBC or beverage cards before. I prefer to pay cash, but don't wanna have a lot hanging around, iykwim, so I need to build up our cache/cash. I do want to avoid checking all those bar slips. If I can keep track without them, its good to me. I'm assuming (uh-oh) that I will be told how much is left on the cards whenever I make a purchase. So, I may just get some beverage cards.

[kazu]

thanks for the quick reply, kazu. Glad I was able to put what my brain was thinking across. We will be on the same Panama cruise that you took this April. For us, it is a really long cruise. We have never used OBC or beverage cards before. I prefer to pay cash, but don't wanna have a lot hanging around, iykwim, so I need to build up our cache/cash. I do want to avoid checking all those bar slips. If I can keep track without them, its good to me. I'm assuming (uh-oh) that I will be told how much is left on the cards whenever I make a purchase. So, I may just get some beverage cards.

 

you are welcome and that should be a good cruise.

 

If you buy the beverage cards then each time they are used, they will give you a slip showing the new balance. (very tiny). I just slid my last one (got rid of the rest) in with my beverage card so I always knew where we stood (or you can ask).

 

Like you, I prefer to prepay some things to budget some of the stuff out over time.

 

I like them since we avoid slips and a long on board account to check.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I prefer the Beverage Cards. It certainly does cut down on the number of receipts that I have to check at the end of the cruise.

And each time you use the card, your receipt does show how much you have left to spend. Once I get the new receipt, I just throw away the old receipt.

[momatibm]

Every one has answered with regards to beverage cards...however OBC will cover the daily service charge, excursions booked on board, specialty restraunts, etc. A combination of both might be to your advantage.

[Fouremco]

Another vote for the beverage card and the elimination of multiple slips of paper.

[Lizzie68]

thanks for the quick reply, kazu. Glad I was able to put what my brain was thinking across. We will be on the same Panama cruise that you took this April. For us, it is a really long cruise. We have never used OBC or beverage cards before. I prefer to pay cash, but don't wanna have a lot hanging around, iykwim, so I need to build up our cache/cash. I do want to avoid checking all those bar slips. If I can keep track without them, its good to me. I'm assuming (uh-oh) that I will be told how much is left on the cards whenever I make a purchase. So, I may just get some beverage cards.

 

I did both for the April cruise. I really like having a beverage card, for the reasons already stated. And I bought OBC as I went along, so all my onboard expenses and the HSC were fully covered by the time we sailed. Any unused amounts on the beverage cards and the OBC are credited back to your onboard account and subsequently to your credit card. It's a huge convenience and nice not to have a bill facing you at the end of the cruise. Oh, and your bar slip always has the balance remaining on the beverage card.

Edited July 8, 2015 by Lizzie68