On Board Credit - Wonderful but Beware!

[kdkcruiser]

Just back from the Reflection, wonderful trip. We had a $375 onboard credit. $150 was put on my husbands account, the balance on mine. I spent all of the money (!) shopping (!) Before leaving the ship last Saturday I checked out account to be sure there was no balance. It showed $150 credit for my husband and I owed $178. I quickly called Guest Relations and was told he would have to GO to the desk and transfer his balance to my account. He did and all was well but if we had left without doing this we would have been charged $178 and left $150 onboard. They would not do this on the phone.

Strangely, our friends that we travelled with had the same onboard credit, same travel agent and their accounts were linked together showing $375 each until they spent it. Not sure why this worked this way but just a heads up for anyone travelling with an onboard credit. We were using the same credit card and booked together as we always do.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

The same thing happened to us with $600 obc on my account and charges on my DH's. I caught it before going to breakfast on the morning of disembarkation. Got it fixed, luckily there was no line at guest relations. It only happened that one time after more than 15 cruises with Celebrity. We also had a call from guest relations about thee 2nd day of the cruise saying my DH's credit card had to be swiped, which we never had to do before. I blamed it on the way we were checked in in Miami. The agent had no clue and had to have 2 supervisors come over to try to untangle what she did. Obviously there was still something wrong.:(

[blueboro]

Just curious, do you have the same last name? The reason is that on our recent cruise the credit was split equally as it was for another brother...but the brother who has a different last name than his wife had it split similar to yours.

[GUT2407]

Never had that issue. But then we just have both folios settled from one account, the OBC has always gone on the main account, and is applied against both or either folio as required.

[jelayne]

DH & I have different last names and have never had the OBC or charges split between us. We only provide 1credit card and make sure when completing on-line check-in we list both as authorized to charge against this card.

[sanger727]

This all comes down to how you set your account up. They don't split the account by person unless you ask them to. So usually the cabin will have 1 account with all the OBC in it until it is used up. But you can split the account by person, and then yes, they will often split the OBC between you but will ultimately divide it however you like.

 

This has nothing to do last names. My BF and I travel in the same cabin and don't split the account up.

 

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[snowmc]

ALWAYS check your onboard account SEVERAL TIMES during the cruise. Mistakes happen....we have been charged for other passengers/cabin's purchases and, if we had not checked them, would have been stuck paying it. Front desk was always willing to take off the wrong charges after checking the charge tickets. We check our account when we board to make sure OBC has been applied, and then several times during the cruise. Have also been charged for drinks, even though we have the premium package. Just keep an eye on it.

[mafig]

We check our account when we board to make sure OBC has been applied, and then several times during the cruise. Have

 

 

I thought OBC diidn't show up until the second day or so. Is being there when boarding new?

[villauk]

This happens every so often, possibly a glitch in the system, so it's always best to check ;).

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2417381&highlight=Account

[helen haywood]

I thought OBC diidn't show up until the second day or so. Is being there when boarding new?

 

 

Its my experience as well that OBC doesn't show up until the second or third day.

 

 

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[meatloafsfan]

I thought OBC diidn't show up until the second day or so. Is being there when boarding new?

 

On our recent Celebrity cruise our OBC showed up on day 1. The issue we had is that it was wrong. We had an extra $75 of OBC listed. We inquired 3 times with guest services to try to find out where it came from (they kept saying it was our TA but we already had $150 from them and so I knew it wasn't).

 

By day 7 of 9, it dropped off. Apparently there was a glitch that resulted in about 1000 people getting this "extra" OBC and when the error was discovered, it was removed.

 

Very glad I didn't spend it. A little perturbed that Celebrity didn't say anything. I'm sure there are people who checked their account at the beginning of the week, thought "Yay! Bonus!", spent the money and then complained when they saw at the end of the cruise that it was taken away.

[mafig]

Well, sure they would, especially if X told them it came from their TA.

 

That happened to us once, where our TA found us a group which resulted in an additional $100, but she didn't tell us.

[Orator]

The best advice has been given: Check your account often. I check it every day and after each charge. I've often found problems like being charged for drinks I didn't purchase ( always have a Premium Package) to the problem described by the OP. A call to Guest Relations usually solves the problem. If you are in a Suite call the MC Concierge for quick resolution. Never leave the ship with an unresolved statement issue.

[rieann]

Going on my first ever cruise this May and I am completely lost on this whole on board credit thing. Can someone explain? Am I providing a credit card at the beginning for any purchases that either me or my fiance make during the cruise? I am treating my mom & Aunt who will be staying in a different cabin. Can I use my credit card for them too? I need a crash course :P

[mandream]

Going on my first ever cruise this May and I am completely lost on this whole on board credit thing. Can someone explain? Am I providing a credit card at the beginning for any purchases that either me or my fiance make during the cruise? I am treating my mom & Aunt who will be staying in a different cabin. Can I use my credit card for them too? I need a crash course :P

 

When you check-in for the cruise (preferably on-line before hand) you will set up on-board accounts. You can create one account for the stateroom to cover everyone, or separate accounts for individuals. If I recall correctly, yes, you can also add people from other reservation #s to your account as well. For each account you will provide a credit card, or set it up as a cash account (less common). At online check-in, you only provide the last 4 digits of your CC. They will swipe your card at the pier. For cash accounts, I believe (I have never done this) you need to provide a deposit, and replenish it if it gets used up.

 

OBC, if you have any, will be applied to your account and be used as a credit against any charges. At the end of the cruise - you settle up. If you owe, it is charged to your CC or taken from your deposit. If you have any refundable credit left over it will be refunded to your CC. Not sure what happens with cash accounts when there is money to be returned....

 

Hope this helps,

 

Mike

[Orator]

Going on my first ever cruise this May and I am completely lost on this whole on board credit thing. Can someone explain? Am I providing a credit card at the beginning for any purchases that either me or my fiance make during the cruise? I am treating my mom & Aunt who will be staying in a different cabin. Can I use my credit card for them too? I need a crash course :P

 

Often there is a booking promotion where the cruise line, travel agent, or both will offer onboard credit for booking a cruise. The amount will vary depending on the promotion. This is often called OBC. There are two types: refundable and non refundable. Unused refundable credits will be returned to you, non refundable must be spent or lost. The only time you use a credit card is when you establish your on board account before boarding. You will receive a card (Celebrity calls it a Seapass Card). Depending on line it is your room key, embarkation and disembarkation card and used for all on board purchases. Ships are cashless except for extra tips if you wish to give them. Hope that this is helpful.

[kdkcruiser]

To answer an earlier question on my original post - we have the same last name and use the same cc. Just a fluke I'm sure but it pays to check - and check. I look on the tv monitor every day or so and it was as we were leaving the last morning I checked to make sure we were zeroed out and discovered the issue. This obc was non-refundable so we would have lost the $150 and had to pay the $178 that I was over.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

To answer an earlier question on my original post - we have the same last name and use the same cc. Just a fluke I'm sure but it pays to check - and check. I look on the tv monitor every day or so and it was as we were leaving the last morning I checked to make sure we were zeroed out and discovered the issue. This obc was non-refundable so we would have lost the $150 and had to pay the $178 that I was over.

 

Exactly what we do and did on the cruise in question. Our problem was discovered when we were left a printout of our folios by the butler. We just went to Guest Relations before breakfast rather than Michael's Club concierge since it was the last morning and there was no line.