Beverage Card and OBC

[PandasRUs]

We have not purchased a beverage card on the 3 cruises we have taken so far. We do not drink alcohol. If we wanted sodas, we have taken them with us. Neither of us drinks coffee but I drink chai but have skipped it on the cruises.

 

Our next cruise in a couple of weeks was purchased under the anniversary sale so we have 2 $50 beverage cards. I am sure we will use it for some sodas along the way. And now I will probably enjoy my chai this time also.

 

My question is, if one of us does use up our card (that would probably be me with the tea), would we both be able to get drinks with the remaining card?

Is the $50 put on our sail card or do we have an additional card we need to present?

 

We also have prepaid gratuities and $500 OBC total. In the past we have used any OBC for the gratuities. Our excursions are already booked (only one ship excursion). I guess we can use the OBC to purchase a few photos. We haven't used spa services, but maybe this time? Any other suggestions on how to use it? We don't get any unused back at the end.

[Crew News]

 

My question is, if one of us does use up our card (that would probably be me with the tea), would we both be able to get drinks with the remaining card?

Is the $50 put on our sail card or do we have an additional card we need to present?

 

We also have prepaid gratuities and $500 OBC total. In the past we have used any OBC for the gratuities. Our excursions are already booked (only one ship excursion). I guess we can use the OBC to purchase a few photos. We haven't used spa services, but maybe this time? Any other suggestions on how to use it? We don't get any unused back at the end.

 

Beverage Cards are not part of your stateroom card but are additional cards. Bartenders do not care what the name is on the card so you can use them up one at a time if you wish. In our case, HAL combined the cards and gave us a single $100 card which caused some issues when DW and I were separated. I used up the excess on my card by purchasing some LED-lighted bar glasses.

 

You can pick up several sodas at a time to keep your minibar stocked. Love the Perrier water for a refreshing beverage during the day.

 

There have been several threads on ways to recoup excess OBC. One method is to create a Casino Account for the amount of excess OBC that you have, play a few slots, and cash out the remaining at the Casino Cashier. Some say this is not possible but it has worked for us a number of times when we have had quite large excess OBC. If it doesn't work, you will have the cash to pay for the charge to your credit card.

Edited July 6, 2016 by Crew News

[Alberta Quilter]

Other suggestions for OBC usage are: laundry service, playing bingo, shopping. I would normally also suggest wine packages, wine tastings, but since you don't drink alcohol, that wouldn't work for you.

 

With either your beverage cards (at the Explorations Cafe) or using your OBC, you can purchase cookbooks or the towel folding book. You can use these as gifts, if you don't want to keep them yourself. However, they do add a fair amount of weight to your luggage so that's something to consider.

 

If you still have any OBC left, consider topping up your hotel service charge so the staff get the benefit rather than it being lost totally.

[IMNOFUN]

What is the purpose of a beverage card? Can't you just buy drinks with cash?

 

The beverage packages don't seem to be economical for us. I'd be too tempted to hit those 15 drinks max per day. What do you do with a drunken passenger? Cut off their card!

 

If good old US dollars aren't good at the bars or to buy a bottle, I can see buying a beverage card. Or is it just more convenient to have the bartender swipe a card than break a Benjamin?

 

Side Note: Hilarity ensued when I perused the bottle price list. We're regular drinkers of Berringer White Zin (yeah, we're low-brow). We buy a bottle at the store for $4.59. Ship cost: $36! Seems to be a bit of a markup, but we're on vacation and anything we spend, we consider to be Monopoly money.

[Krazy Kruizers]

What is the purpose of a beverage card? Can't you just buy drinks with cash?

 

The beverage packages don't seem to be economical for us. I'd be too tempted to hit those 15 drinks max per day. What do you do with a drunken passenger? Cut off their card!

 

If good old US dollars aren't good at the bars or to buy a bottle, I can see buying a beverage card. Or is it just more convenient to have the bartender swipe a card than break a Benjamin?

 

Side Note: Hilarity ensued when I perused the bottle price list. We're regular drinkers of Berringer White Zin (yeah, we're low-brow). We buy a bottle at the store for $4.59. Ship cost: $36! Seems to be a bit of a markup, but we're on vacation and anything we spend, we consider to be Monopoly money.

 

 

On ALL cruise ships it is cashless society. Everything you purchase at the bars and shops is automatically charged to your ship board account.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Whether or not we have a large amount of shipboard credit, we buy the Beverage Cards once we are on the ship. We usually but the $250 cards.

You can use them to buy specialty coffees, drinks, soda, bottles of water, bottles of wine, etc.

By using the Beverage Cards we do not have to keep all the receipts until the end of the cruise to check our shipboard account.

[Crew News]

What is the purpose of a beverage card? Can't you just buy drinks with cash?

 

The beverage packages don't seem to be economical for us. I'd be too tempted to hit those 15 drinks max per day. What do you do with a drunken passenger? Cut off their card!

 

If good old US dollars aren't good at the bars or to buy a bottle, I can see buying a beverage card. Or is it just more convenient to have the bartender swipe a card than break a Benjamin?

 

Side Note: Hilarity ensued when I perused the bottle price list. We're regular drinkers of Berringer White Zin (yeah, we're low-brow). We buy a bottle at the store for $4.59. Ship cost: $36! Seems to be a bit of a markup, but we're on vacation and anything we spend, we consider to be Monopoly money.

 

The ship is cashless so everything is charged to your stateroom card which you may pay with cash at the end of your cruise.

 

Beverage cards are not connected to any person but act just like a debit card without a PIN. Whatever $$ you don't use on a beverage card is refunded with your final bill.

 

Signature Beverage Package drinks are purchased with your stateroom card.

 

FWIW I know only one person who bragged about having all 15 drinks each day.

[IMNOFUN]

On ALL cruise ships it is cashless society. Everything you purchase at the bars and shops is automatically charged to your ship board account.

 

Thanks. I did read that US dollars were used shipboard, but I guess only to buy a beverage card or package. I just didn't want to get dinged 3% to use a Credit Card.

[RuthC]

Thanks. I did read that US dollars were used shipboard, but I guess only to buy a beverage card or package. I just didn't want to get dinged 3% to use a Credit Card.

You set up a shipboard account at check-in, paying either by giving a credit card number, or depositing cash to the account. While on board, everything is charged to that account, and at the end of the cruise you settle up. You get an invoice of charges and credits, and the balance due is either charged to your credit card, or to the cash you deposited.

 

Should you have financed your account with cash, the Front Desk will let you know to come make further arrangements if your cash balance gets to/near zero.

I don't know where you are getting that 3% idea from, or what you think you mean by it.

[IMNOFUN]

You set up a shipboard account at check-in, paying either by giving a credit card number, or depositing cash to the account. While on board, everything is charged to that account, and at the end of the cruise you settle up. You get an invoice of charges and credits, and the balance due is either charged to your credit card, or to the cash you deposited.

 

Should you have financed your account with cash, the Front Desk will let you know to come make further arrangements if your cash balance gets to/near zero.

I don't know where you are getting that 3% idea from, or what you think you mean by it.

 

Thanks. That's great information. As for the 3%, it has to do with cash advances, which I assumed was when you had to refill a beverage card or get money for the casino. Here's from the HAL What You Need to Know Document:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/assets/cruise-vacation-onboard/KBYG.pdf

 

Cash Advance: Cash advances are available at the Front Office. Allcash advances are subject to restrictions. A 3% service fee will beadded to your onboard account for allcash advances.

 

Also from the same document in regard to the use of US dollars and the need to exchange non-US currency to US dollars.

 

CURRENCY EXCHANGEThe U.S. dollar is the only currency accepted on board HollandAmerica Line ships. We will accept U.S. traveler’s checks. A currencyexchange service will be available for selected itineraries, such as theEuropean and World Cruise programs. In most ports of call you mayeasily exchange U.S. dollars into the local currency.

[kazu]

Thanks. That's great information. As for the 3%, it has to do with cash advances, which I assumed was when you had to refill a beverage card or get money for the casino. Here's from the HAL What You Need to Know Document:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/assets/cruise-vacation-onboard/KBYG.pdf

 

Cash Advance: Cash advances are available at the Front Office. Allcash advances are subject to restrictions. A 3% service fee will beadded to your onboard account for allcash advances.

 

Also from the same document in regard to the use of US dollars and the need to exchange non-US currency to US dollars.

 

CURRENCY EXCHANGEThe U.S. dollar is the only currency accepted on board HollandAmerica Line ships. We will accept U.S. traveler’s checks. A currencyexchange service will be available for selected itineraries, such as theEuropean and World Cruise programs. In most ports of call you mayeasily exchange U.S. dollars into the local currency.

 

You really don't need cash on board other than for tips (if you want to tip extra above the HSC). The beverage cards, drinks, etc. Will be charged to your on board account. In the casino when I play the slots I am able to charge that to my on board account too.

[RuthC]

Thanks. That's great information. As for the 3%, it has to do with cash advances, which I assumed was when you had to refill a beverage card or get money for the casino.

IF you need cash, there are ways to get it out of the Casino without being charged the 3% fee.

[mafig]

Can you purchase the beverage cards on line before your cruise?

If yes, when/where do you receive them?

[RuthC]

Can you purchase the beverage cards on line before your cruise?

 

If yes, when/where do you receive them?

Yes, you can order beverage cards in advance, and they will even have your name on them. This can come in handy as you can check easily to be sure it is your own card being returned to you after a charge has been put through.

The card(s) should be waiting for you in your cabin when you embark.

[IMNOFUN]

You really don't need cash on board other than for tips (if you want to tip extra above the HSC). The beverage cards, drinks, etc. Will be charged to your on board account. In the casino when I play the slots I am able to charge that to my on board account too.

Thanks. Fine print is sometimes difficult to interpret. That's why these boards are so valuable.

[pamrose228]

So how much is a cappuccino, iced coffee, bottle of water? Is it cheaper to get a 12 pack of water?

What about 50% off soda cards? How many sodas would I get from a $50 card.

 

 

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