OBC change on Connie

[Miaminice]

The flaw is that the Casino is giving a special hip that cannot be redemed for cash.

 

OK, again I do not want to cash it! The thought is to return it. It would be credited on my account. The question is how. If it is credited as a regular balance, problem solved... right?

[Orator]

OK, again I do not want to cash it! The thought is to return it. It would be credited on my account. The question is how. If it is credited as a regular balance, problem solved... right?

 

I have been told by three cashiers at the Casino that the chips must've used. No return, no cash. I'm on for the next cruise and will see if they modify the policy, but for today I'll do some spending for things I don't need.

[Miaminice]

I have been told by three cashiers at the Casino that the chips must've used. No return, no cash. I'm on for the next cruise and will see if they modify the policy, but for today I'll do some spending for things I don't need.

 

LOL Ahh, yet another mug...

 

Thanks!

[Dawg74]

The casino was a nice way to cash out OBCN (non refundable). There never was a need to cash out OBCR in the casino; you can do that at Guest Relations any time. Totally understand the change however; it's non refundable for a reason and this was clearly a hole in the system people were exploiting.

 

Well this is good to know, but some people have reported that they could only cash out refundable OBC at guest relations on the last day of the cruise. I know there are a few of us that purchased OBC due to celebrity's favourable exchange rate with the CAN/US dollar with the intention of taking some of that money to spend ashore during the cruise. I will attempt this on our upcoming cruise.

[Miaminice]

Well this is good to know, but some people have reported that they could only cash out refundable OBC at guest relations on the last day of the cruise. I know there are a few of us that purchased OBC due to celebrity's favourable exchange rate with the CAN/US dollar with the intention of taking some of that money to spend ashore during the cruise. I will attempt this on our upcoming cruise.

 

 

That is also what I did... when the OBC could be purchased for a fantastic exchange rate USD/Euro. I wanted to withdraw the money at guest relations and was told that I could only do so on the last evening. The reasoning is the same as with OBN, they want you to spend it onboard.

 

Personally, I had no problem with that, because I did not intend to spend the USD during the cruise but during our next stay in the States.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Miaminice

[20pluscruises]

How does the casino know that you have OBC? For example if I go to the casino and ask for $200 on my account. Will they swipe my card and say oh you have an OBC (assuming they can actually see that information) here's your slot ticket or oh you don't have any OBC, here's your cash?

 

Another question if all they will be giving out is the slot ticket (I don't play tables so don't want chips), can you ask for smaller denominations? For example if I want $200, can I get 10 - $20 tickets?

 

Thanks, wanted to show the sign as the question is being asked.

[20pluscruises]

Here is a picture of the sign on Connie:

 

 

Could one not get a slot machine credit, take one pull and then cash out???

 

Have they reprogrammed the machines to be smart enough to realize if it is OBC and not allow it to be cashed out ??? Seems unlikely:)

 

thanks!

[DaisyFire]

I have been told by three cashiers at the Casino that the chips must've used. No return, no cash. I'm on for the next cruise and will see if they modify the policy, but for today I'll do some spending for things I don't need.

 

So if I take the chips I am given for my OBC, bet them and win - am I not allowed to cash out my winnings? Or only the winnings minus the amount from the OBC that was wagered? At some point, I am not sure how they really could tell the difference.

[kk99]

Hi everyone,

DaisyFire, the way the casino works, that if you want to use your obc in the casino, you will be asked if you want to play tables or slots. If tables, and you have 200 obc, then you will be given promotional chips to bet.

So if you place a 10 dollar promo chip bet and win 10 dollars, you can cash out your 10 dollar promo chip for a regular chip, and take your winnings. If you lose , then of course they keep the promo chip bet. So it is important to take each promo chip win, and get it substituted for a regular chip.

 

On the slots, they will load your card with the obc. You then set up your pin code in the slot machine which is your month and date of birth such as 0129. You enter that, and download how much of the obc you want to play by entering it on the keypad, such as $50 dollars of the 200.

Any wins, hit the cash out sign, and those can be cashed out, or you can play your winnings back into the machine.

 

If you want to download more money into the machine then you key in your pin and download from your banked obc. Or you can play on one machine, and move to another to play.

 

 

The machines at least on the Constellation are set up to not allow you to spin off 10 dollars of the 50 put into the machine, and then be able to have a cashout ticket for the 40. The 40 remains on your card to play.

 

I have been on the Constellation only, for three cruises since the changes were implemented in November 2015. I belong the casino program, blue chip club, and casino management from Miami for Celebrity was on the Thanksgiving sailing, and confirmed it as well.

 

It is supposed to be the same on all Celebrity ships, but they may not have not yet implemented it on all of the ships. Orator and TommyD3 have also reported on it.

 

I know that if I play my nonrefundable obc in the casino, I need to be aware of exchanging the promo chips for the regular chips upon winning, and to to cash out all wins for the slot machine.

[Northern Aurora]

......

 

 

I have been on the Constellation only, for three cruises since the changes were implemented in November 2015. I belong the casino program, blue chip club, and casino management from Miami for Celebrity was on the Thanksgiving sailing, and confirmed it as well.

 

It is supposed to be the same on all Celebrity ships, but they may not have not yet implemented it on all of the ships. Orator and TommyD3 have also reported on it.

 

I know that if I play my nonrefundable obc in the casino, I need to be aware of exchanging the promo chips for the regular chips upon winning, and to to cash out all wins for the slot machine.

 

Interesting information. Any information as to when the changes will be implemented fleet wide?

[Cruise Raider]

Hi everyone,

DaisyFire, the way the casino works, that if you want to use your obc in the casino, you will be asked if you want to play tables or slots. If tables, and you have 200 obc, then you will be given promotional chips to bet.

So if you place a 10 dollar promo chip bet and win 10 dollars, you can cash out your 10 dollar promo chip for a regular chip, and take your winnings. If you lose , then of course they keep the promo chip bet. So it is important to take each promo chip win, and get it substituted for a regular chip.

 

On the slots, they will load your card with the obc. You then set up your pin code in the slot machine which is your month and date of birth such as 0129. You enter that, and download how much of the obc you want to play by entering it on the keypad, such as $50 dollars of the 200.

Any wins, hit the cash out sign, and those can be cashed out, or you can play your winnings back into the machine.

 

If you want to download more money into the machine then you key in your pin and download from your banked obc. Or you can play on one machine, and move to another to play.

 

 

The machines at least on the Constellation are set up to not allow you to spin off 10 dollars of the 50 put into the machine, and then be able to have a cashout ticket for the 40. The 40 remains on your card to play.

 

I have been on the Constellation only, for three cruises since the changes were implemented in November 2015. I belong the casino program, blue chip club, and casino management from Miami for Celebrity was on the Thanksgiving sailing, and confirmed it as well.

 

It is supposed to be the same on all Celebrity ships, but they may not have not yet implemented it on all of the ships. Orator and TommyD3 have also reported on it.

 

I know that if I play my nonrefundable obc in the casino, I need to be aware of exchanging the promo chips for the regular chips upon winning, and to to cash out all wins for the slot machine.

 

/Very clear explanation...thank you so much!

I am not really worried as I never have left over onboard credit. hahaha

[gimletgal]

How does the casino know that you have OBC? For example if I go to the casino and ask for $200 on my account. Will they swipe my card and say oh you have an OBC (assuming they can actually see that information) here's your slot ticket or oh you don't have any OBC, here's your cash?

 

I'd like to know the answer to this as well.

[Cruise Junky]

So, I've pre bought $700 OBC for our upcoming cruise plus I "may" have $300 from X. Upgrading our drink package would take care of X's non refundable but if we don't use all of the $700 I pre bought should I go to guest services for a refund or will it automatically be refunded to my credit card? Or option C just drink expensive champagne to use it up? :p

[kk99]

The way that I saw it implemented on our Constellation sailings was you could get 200 cash for instance and they would code the withdrawal to your room card as a cash advance, they did not ask if you were using obc. I do not know if they have the ability to see that screen, like Guest relations can if you pull your statement.

 

So if you had 200 refundable obc, 200 nonrefundable obc, and you pulled 300 from the cage, and had no other expenses for your trip, at the end, the 200 refundable obc would be returned to your credit card, 300 would show up on your credit card as a cash advance, and the 200 nonrefundable obc would expire.

 

My brother tested this on his last Constellation sailing(he is not a casino blue chip player) and left 5 dollars not used of his nonrefundable credit. It was not deducted as a credit against his statement.

 

The casino was also consistently issuing 1099's for slot wins above 1199 in one spin or bonus round. As far as tables, only saw one person get issued one, and he hit the bonus payout on 3 card poker on a high bet.

 

There is no consistency yet on these changes. All of the Celebrity casinos are supposed to have put up the signs about obc only being available as slot credits or promo chips. I know on Silhouette in mid February , someone from the Miami casino program is scheduled to be on the ship so if this is the permanent direction, likely to be enforced then.

 

For those people who are blue chip players, another change I experienced on the Constellation sailings was about your playback comps. if you have any playback comps, it will be issued as slot credits or promo chips and not as cash.

 

I hope they rethink the approach over onboard credits, as the company was making money off of the cash withdrawals by charging the five percent fee for most of its customers.

 

It would be helpful if Celebrity issued a written statement beyond the sign at the casino cage concerning the changes.

[bob278]

I think I understand the strategy of taking the promotional chips and playing with them. Each time you win a bet using them, they will be exchanged for unlimited chips (cash) until you exchange (or lose) all of them.

 

What I have not seen here is whether or not they still charge a percentage for the promotional chips. That would be a terrible case of double-dipping their clients. They "give" you $100 if you spend it on merchandise or shore excursions, but it's worth only $95 if you want to gamble. The house already has a solid edge in the casino, this would be almost like an admission charge to come spend money. :eek:

 

While I don't like it, I understand the business logic of limiting OBC they "give" us to spending it on board, but I am totally against them charging me a penalty for choosing how to spend it.

 

I put "give" in quotes because other than shareholder OBC (and possibly for any OBC from booking on board), I'm pretty sure we are paying for any perks in any offer.

 

I would love to see them have an additional layer of cruise fare:

 

Basic (no perks)

GoBig (1 perk)

GoBetter (2 perks)

GoBest (3 or 4 perks)

 

That's one way we would all know exactly how much they value the perks (and we could decide which ones, if any, we want to pay for). But I don't expect to see it.

[Payd]

Well this is good to know, but some people have reported that they could only cash out refundable OBC at guest relations on the last day of the cruise. I know there are a few of us that purchased OBC due to celebrity's favourable exchange rate with the CAN/US dollar with the intention of taking some of that money to spend ashore during the cruise. I will attempt this on our upcoming cruise.

 

November 2015 on Constellation. Guest services would only give refundable credit on the last full day. We tried earlier than that and were told no.

[LabGuy64]

Stupid policy and not very effective as a second person could make one of the bets......a bit risky too as you could hit 0 or 00 and lose it all

 

 

If you went to the roulette table and bet half of the promo chips on red and half on black would they allow the bet? Technically it is still a bet as their is a risk of a zero coming up. I know some British Casinos don't allow it as it's an open door to Money Laundering.

[ghstudio]

The way that I saw it implemented on our Constellation sailings was you could get 200 cash for instance and they would code the withdrawal to your room card as a cash advance, they did not ask if you were using obc. I do not know if they have the ability to see that screen, like Guest relations can if you pull your statement.

 

So if you had 200 refundable obc, 200 nonrefundable obc, and you pulled 300 from the cage, and had no other expenses for your trip, at the end, the 200 refundable obc would be returned to your credit card, 300 would show up on your credit card as a cash advance, and the 200 nonrefundable obc would expire.

 

 

You are suggesting that no on board credit (refundable or non-refundable) can be used in the casino....and that any chips or slot machine credits will be issued as a cash advance on your credit card and charged 5% to do so plus credit card interest from the day they process the cash advance.

 

I'll never say never....but I can't imagine a scenario where you can't apply a refundable OBC to a chip/credit advance in the casino...and I can't imagine a scenario where all OBC is non-refundable.

 

For example....I prepay for an excursion on my credit card prior to sailing and then cancel it on-board. That cancellation is credited to my on-board account as OBCR and will come back to me after the cruise....it's not OBCN...it is absolutely refundable.

 

Very Very strange...too strange to believe.....

Edited January 30, 2016 by ghstudio

[kk99]

ghstudio,

I'm sorry if I was not being clear. Of course you can play your obc in the casino, but it will be in the promo chips or slot play, but not cash at the cage with the 5 percent charge for the withdrawal for obc.

 

If you had any leftover promo chips or slot play, it cannot be turned back into cash at the cage at the end of the cruise , only the winnings that have been converted into regular chips or winnings from slot cash out tickets.

 

At Guest relations, I believe you can still write one check per cruise for 200 dollars if the check is on a U.S. Bank acct with no fees.

 

If someone was to get cash charged to their sea pass card, it is being coded as a cash advance on the credit card. The nonrefundable obc was not applied to reduce the balance of the cash advance on the credit card. If you have refundable obc it would credit your bill if not used.

 

On my Main credit card, there are different interest rates charged for purchases as opposed to cash advances. It does not make a difference if I am immediately paying off the bill, but if it carried over one month, it charges more interest on a cash advance than a balance on purchases.

 

 

Again, this was only on Constellation, and I hope they rethink this.