OBC/Booking Shore Excursions

[movin12]

I'm trying to book online shore excursions but it requires charging your credit card. I have a large OBC I want to use for excursions. I called Celebrity and they said you have to book once on board to use your credit. I'm concerned some of the excursions I want may be sold out. Is there anyway around this to use your OBC?

[LF2C]

I'm trying to book online shore excursions but it requires charging your credit card. I have a large OBC I want to use for excursions. I called Celebrity and they said you have to book once on board to use your credit. I'm concerned some of the excursions I want may be sold out. Is there anyway around this to use your OBC?

 

No :(

[WestLakeGirl]

OBC means On Board so you can't use it until you are, well, On Board.

[chemmo]

If I was you I would look at your excursions and see if you think any will sell out before sailing. Boat trips, helicopter trips can have quite limited numbers. Others such as coach trips are usually less of a problem.

 

If there is a trip that you would be really upset if you missed book it and then leave the rest until you are onboard but sort them out with your first drink in your hand!

 

You can always find something else to spend some of that lovely on board credit on!

[SNJCruisers]

Unless Celebrity has an exclusivity factor with an excursion that you have to go on, in general you can always find a private tour guide that will be cheaper and have fewer people involved. If the exclusivity comes into play, then you either pay upfront or roll the dice and hope it does not sell out before you board in order to use some of your OBC.

 

Drink packages or drink package upgrades, specialty dining, gratuities, pictures, spa treatments, luggage valet.....all very good options to get rid of your OBC.

[GUT2407]

If some or all of the OBC is refundable, book now and have the refund go to the card you pay with, you may be out a small amount in interest but otherwise all square.

[MicCanberra]

If you really want the Shorex, book it now, chances are it will sell out.:D

[biker1972]

As Gut said, some OBC is refundable depending on the source of the credit. If it is coming from X you will need to spend it or lose it, but most other credits will go back to your credit card. If you don't have prepaid tips, OBC always works well there. If you don't have a drink package and want one, wait until aboard to order it. Specialty dining can eat up OBC quickly. Depending on the length of the cruise, laundry might be in play. (Laundry may be expensive on board, but baggage fees are high as well) Trust me when I say it is easy to go through a large amount of OBC without using it for shorex.

[Grandmaanne7]

I'm trying to book online shore excursions but it requires charging your credit card. I have a large OBC I want to use for excursions. I called Celebrity and they said you have to book once on board to use your credit. I'm concerned some of the excursions I want may be sold out. Is there anyway around this to use your OBC?

As others have said, the quick answer is "NO!" This is one of the very few things I do not like about Celebrity.

[movin12]

Thanks to all of you for responding.

When I was last on Princess, you reserve your excursions, you don't pay upfront and it appears on your statement on board and is charged to your credit card at the end of the cruise. Just thought there might be a way around Celebrity's pay up front.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks to all of you for responding.

When I was last on Princess, you reserve your excursions, you don't pay upfront and it appears on your statement on board and is charged to your credit card at the end of the cruise. Just thought there might be a way around Celebrity's pay up front.

 

There is but it can gets rather convoluted, and I certainly wouldn't want to go through it.:(