Got cash for shipboard credit in the casino.

[Nashna]

I had read in past CC posts that the shipboard credit could be used in the casino and redeemed for cash. This is no longer true. Last week on the Summit we took out $150.00 from our shipboard credit at the Casino in exchange for chips. We received it all in $5.00 chips. We did not wish to gamble, we expected to turn them in for cash. Imagine our surprise when we realized that these chips were highly restrictive. We had to play the entire $5.00 chip at once, the chips were non refundable, and we could not exchange them for cash. We were not happy. Our only choice was to gamble them away. Fortunately, I told my tale of woe to a very sweet roulette dealer. He told me to play even, odd, red and black where I would double my money in two of the four bets. He then gave me my winnings in real chips. I played until I had used up all the $5.00 promo non refundable chips and walked away with $150.00 in cash. I'm not sure how long Celebrity will allow folks to beat the system, but it worked for us.

 

 

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[bEwAbG]

This started happening around the first of this year. There have been many posts about it since then. In February, they had signs up at the cashier spelling out the policy.

[Nashna]

We were told at guest relations that the policy tightened up on the first of August.

 

 

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[ischeer]

On our Constellation Cruise (May 2016) the sign at the cashier's window said that only "promotional chips" (not cash) would be given for OBC. When I asked for some, the cashier told me to get them at the table. I went to the roulette table, presented my card and asked for $100 in chips. The croupier told me there would be a 5% surcharge, the "boss" came over, told me there would be a 5% surcharge, presented me with a charge slip for $105, and the croupier gave me $100 in regular (not promotional) chips, which I quickly turned into $150 and cashed in. Similar thing next night.

[ischeer]

He told me to play even, odd, red and black where I would double my money in two of the four bets. He then gave me my winnings in real chips. I played until I had used up all the $5.00 promo non refundable chips and walked away with $150.00 in cash. I'm not sure how long Celebrity will allow folks to beat the system, but it worked for us.

 

 

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You are lucky that 0 or 00 didn't come up. You would have lost the $20 on that spin.

[cheeseheads4ever]

Question! If you have OBC and dont want chips how do you use OBC in casino to play slots?

[ischeer]

Question! If you have OBC and dont want chips how do you use OBC in casino to play slots?

 

See my post #4. If I recall, the sign said "promotional vouchers" would be issued for slots play

[Nashna]

You could get either the chips or coins for slots. The roulette dealer did advise me that I could get either a 0 or 00 and I would lose everything. He advised me to just play $10.00 on one spin to avoid losing 20. I took a chance and it paid off. Is cheer...your experience maybe what Guest Relations meant by tightening up their rules. They mentioned that a policy change was made 8 months ago, then said it tightened up on August 1st. We didn't see the sign at first, the teller turned it around for us to read it. Celebrity should post the rules in their documents as there is a big difference between the refundable and non refundable shipboard credits. I really wish they would allow the pre cruise booked shore excursions to be applied to the shipboard credit.

 

 

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[thyme2go]

Given how dramatically different this is from other cruise lines we were put off by all the 'rules'. We don't gamble a lot, but it's something we do when cruising.......esp. blackjack tourneys. On Celebrity when we inquired about the tournament the cashier basically said......they usually don't happen because you have to be there at one time and have a full table and you cannot leave as it goes on at that time only. No qualifying rounds, nothing to add to the 'fun' we've had on other lines. Needless to say, another couple was waiting and we chatted.......neither of us were impressed so didn't stick around to see if anyone else showed up. We also didn't hear anything about a blackjack tourney winner........so there ya go. :rolleyes:

[ellasnan]

Question! If you have OBC and dont want chips how do you use OBC in casino to play slots?

 

We were given a ticket to put into the slot machine. Every time we won we could get the winnings out. Eventually we had a ticket for $60. Which was good as we started with $50! You don't have to use it all at once, you can withdraw the ticket for another time.

[cpj]

I don't understand why Celebrity won't let you gamble your onboard credits. The odds are in there favor, plus you might even gamble more. Does not make sense to me. What am I missing.

[Ma Bell]

They do let you gamble your on board credit. Promotional on board credit is non-refundable so if you want to use it in the casino you receive promotional chips or slot credits that must be played. They cannot just be cashed in. If you win with them you will then be able to collect the cash you win, but you must play them first. I'm sure the latest trick to scam the system will be tightened up soon.

 

People were cashing in credit in the casino and then not playing with the money. You can't do that any more. Non-refundable credit is meant to be spent on board, not cashed in and taken home. If you have refundable credit you can get cash at guest relations or it will be applied to your credit card if not used.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Ma Bell

[Peteymil]

I don't understand why Celebrity won't let you gamble your onboard credits. The odds are in there favor, plus you might even gamble more. Does not make sense to me. What am I missing.

 

You can gamble your Onboard credits, you just cannot get cash for your non-refundable onboard credit.

[Nashna]

You can't use the promotional chips for everything in the casino. Raffle tickets are not included and we were told that the credit was "restricted" to table games. I asked to change the chips for slot tokens and was told that once we got the chips we could not exchange chips for slots.

 

 

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[schlimazel_traveler]

We had $80.45 in nonrefundable OBC left on the last day of our recent cruise, and took out $80 in slot credits which we parlayed :rolleyes: into $50 cash, leaving us with 45 cents in non-refundable credit.

 

When our refundable credit was charged back to our credit card a week or so later...it ALSO included those 45 cents.

 

Made me wonder if I could have gotten the whole $80 back if it had been left over at the end!

 

Has anyone just left the non-refundable credit on the account and shrugged? Maybe it's all refundable!

[Cruise Raider]

We had $80.45 in nonrefundable OBC left on the last day of our recent cruise, and took out $80 in slot credits which we parlayed :rolleyes: into $50 cash, leaving us with 45 cents in non-refundable credit.

 

When our refundable credit was charged back to our credit card a week or so later...it ALSO included those 45 cents.

 

Made me wonder if I could have gotten the whole $80 back if it had been left over at the end!

 

Has anyone just left the non-refundable credit on the account and shrugged? Maybe it's all refundable!

 

It isn't all refundable ... that's for sure. OBC given by Celebrity is not refundable and never intended to be turned into cash at the casino. You can in some circumstances purchase it for less than you get ... how does that ever make good business sense?

OBC offered by your travel agent is usually refundable and if not used, you don't have to go through the ruse of playing in the casino if you are not a gambler. If you have any left over OBC that is refundable at the end of the cruise, it will be credited back to your credit card that is on file. Celebrity will deduct your charges from the Non-refundable OBC first.

[thyme2go]

Celebrity doesn't have things up to speed because they treat everyone who wants to use OBC as having nonrefundable credit. We got our's back after returning home..............and to think we would have gambled it away if they'd have let us. tsk, tsk.............

[DrivesLikeMario]

This has been discussed for quite a long time on the boards. It was the same way in May for us too - you can't get cash out for the non-refundable OBC that Celebrity gives you as a perk.

 

It's frustrating. I ended up buying an eyeliner and a hat I didn't really need just to use up the OBC. :cool:

[Ma Bell]

I don't understand why it's frustrating. It's PROMOTIONAL ONBOARD CREDIT to be spent on board. That's why Celebrity gives it to you. It's to help pay for extras on your cruise, not money to take home.

Edited August 17, 2016 by Ma Bell

[NLH Arizona]

I don't understand why Celebrity won't let you gamble your onboard credits. The odds are in there favor, plus you might even gamble more. Does not make sense to me. What am I missing.

They way i understood the change: Celebrity use to allow Canadian cruises to purchase OBC at a lower rate than the exchange rate was. Some would purchase large amounts of OBC and then cash it in at the casino and not gamble, it was a way to pay for items off the ship or to take extra cash home.

[WesternBroncoCruiser]

I guess I've been hiding under a rock some where. I thought you could not use the Go Big OBC in the casino? Am I confusing it with another line?

[AlbertaCruisers]

You can use any obc at the casino, you just get it as promo chips or promo cash on your card to put into the machine and have to actually play that and only can cash in your winnings. They will not give you cash for OBC. When we were on the summit in March we had only refundable OBC and they told us it didn't matter to them, they couldn't tell the difference so any OBC was given as promo chips. For the slots, you put the money in off your card, it keeps track of the promo amount versus winnings. You cash out winnings as a ticket that you can cash in, but any remaining promo goes back on your card. For example, say you have $100 in promo on your card and you put that into a machine, you spin $3 and win $100 on that spin. You will have $197 in the machine. If you cash out you get a $100 ticket and the $97 goes back as promo play on your card. At least that is how it worked for me - except I think my biggest win was $20!

Edited August 17, 2016 by AlbertaCruisers

[Ma Bell]

They way i understood the change: Celebrity use to allow Canadian cruises to purchase OBC at a lower rate than the exchange rate was. Some would purchase large amounts of OBC and then cash it in at the casino and not gamble, it was a way to pay for items off the ship or to take extra cash home.

 

OBC that is purchased is refundable and is still available. The casino does not want to be a bank for everyone now. People who purchase OBC can still get some of their cash at Guest Services. They can also have it refunded to a credit card.

[stoddaj1]

When you win even a small amount on the slots, say $4, do you have to cash out each time when using the promotional obc?

[schlimazel_traveler]

It isn't all refundable ... that's for sure. OBC given by Celebrity is not refundable and never intended to be turned into cash at the casino. You can in some circumstances purchase it for less than you get ... how does that ever make good business sense?

OBC offered by your travel agent is usually refundable and if not used, you don't have to go through the ruse of playing in the casino if you are not a gambler. If you have any left over OBC that is refundable at the end of the cruise, it will be credited back to your credit card that is on file. Celebrity will deduct your charges from the Non-refundable OBC first.

 

I understand all this, but what happened was that ALL our remaining OBC--$215 from our TA and the leftover 45 cents of what had been $450 non-refundable OBC from Celebrity--was credited back to my Visa card. I knew the refundable OBC was coming back and deliberately didn't use it; now I wonder what would have happened if I had just left the non-refundable OBC unspent as well. I know it is theoretically use-it-or-lose-it, but I did get my 45 cents back. Next time I will try leaving more...$20 or so, as a test. I like slot machines so if it's really use-or-lose, I don't mind getting slot credit, but if I can get the amount charged back to my Visa, that would be my first choice.