On Board Credit

[Not Mrs C]

As a new cruiser can someone explain on board credit, what is it and how do you get it??????

[LHT28]

It is like free spending money to use on the ship

You usually get it from your TA or the cruise line

Shop around

[Doug R.]

Your onboard purchases are covered up to the amount of the onboard credit including the automatic tip charge and excursions. you get it from the previous cited sources on the Carnival lines you can get it from being a stockholder (100+ shares) and on Princess (not sure about other Carnival owned lines) for being a military vet/

[cb at sea]

Some travel agents will give you OBC...or perhaps a cruise line credit card....and sometimes, a particular itinerary will offer some as a "perk"....

If you pay more than you owe, it will show on your shipboard account as OBC, or "onboard credit".

 

If a TA or credit card give it to you, it's refundable....(if you don't use it all, you will get cash back at the end of the cruise). If the cruise line gives it to you, it's NON-refundable...use it or lose it.

[Flatbush Flyer]

If a TA or credit card give it to you, it's refundable....(if you don't use it all, you will get cash back at the end of the cruise). If the cruise line gives it to you, it's NON-refundable...use it or lose it.

 

 

Not necessarily. Some TA OBC comes from cruise line incentives to that TA. That source is non-refundable while commission-sharing is refundable.

 

 

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[GottaKnowWhen]

As a new cruiser can someone explain on board credit, what is it and how do you get it??????

 

 

It is money in the bank. On your way aboard, you set up an agreement as to how you will pay any charges due at the end of the cruise. E.g., for drinks, photos, souviners or jewelry from onboard shops, etc. Usually a credit card. But sometimes as part of a "deal" when booking, the cruise line and/or your travel agent may deposit $xx into your account onboard. Any expenses you incur first go against any nonrefudable OBC then refundable OBC, and only then to your credit card.

 

 

 

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[SadieN]

booking with a TA

booking onboard

price drop

loyalty

shareholder's

promotional fares

using certain credit cards

military

 

Some is classified refundable, some non-refundable. Non refundable is used first.

[SantaFeFan]

Some travel agents will give you OBC...or perhaps a cruise line credit card....and sometimes, a particular itinerary will offer some as a "perk"....

If you pay more than you owe, it will show on your shipboard account as OBC, or "onboard credit".

 

 

OP, as an example of what cb at sea has said, we are on a Princess cruise to Alaska in June. We booked through a big box travel agency during the time the cruise line had a promotion going on. That resulted in $495 OBC from the travel agency based on the stateroom category we booked, plus an additional $400 from the cruise line as a promotional perk, also based on the stateroom category. That gives us $895 credit to use on board, which we will be able to use for all purchases during the cruise until it is used up. That includes drinks, excursions, spa treatments, specialty restaurant dining, souvenirs, etc. In our case, the cruise line OBC is non refundable, while the travel agency OBC is refundable. Non refundable OBC is always used up first, with refundable OBC next. If any refundable OBC is remaining at the end of the cruise, it will be credited to the credit card used to guarantee the on board expense account.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Some travel agents will give you OBC... If a TA or credit card give it to you, it's refundable....(if you don't use it all, you will get cash back at the end of the cruise). If the cruise line gives it to you, it's NON-refundable...use it or lose it.

 

 

Not necessarily. Some TA OBC may be "pass through" incentive funds from cruise line through TA to customer. That "TA OBC" is non-refundable.

 

 

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[Lunenburg]

I got onboard credit from Celebrity when I booked the cruise and saw it listed at the top of the page when I logged into my account. Now the amount does not show up anywhere and Celebrity hasn't answered my two messages. Is there any way to be sure I will have it once onboard? I find their website rather poor. Keeps locking me out and sending me from the US site to the UK one for no reason.

[shadow8800]

Celebrity website is always troublesome. I have had this happen before but never any trouble once onboard. I did bring my original receipt with me just in case, but all funds were in my account by day 2. This is just my experience

 

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[dreadpirate3]

I got onboard credit from Celebrity when I booked the cruise and saw it listed at the top of the page when I logged into my account. Now the amount does not show up anywhere and Celebrity hasn't answered my two messages. Is there any way to be sure I will have it once onboard? I find their website rather poor. Keeps locking me out and sending me from the US site to the UK one for no reason.

 

My OBC is listed on my guest invoice. I printed out that page to bring with me just in case.

[Keith1010]

In general OBC comes from TA and/or cruise line.

 

What it can be used for varies by Cruise Line.

 

In general it can be used for most items not involving getting it back in cash.

 

Keith

[sloopsailor]

Some cruise lines allow you to purchase OBC prior to the cruise. This in effect will be like a pre-paid debit card. You already paid an amount into your cruise account and this will be used to pay down your on-board expenses during the cruise. In such cases, your purchased OBC will be the last used, after cruise line OBC and TA paid OBC. Any left over amounts will be refunded if you do not use it up.