Best Way to Use an Onboard Credit

[travelling_txgal]

We are first time cruisers and received a small on board credit ($50) that we will be able to use starting day two of the cruise. If we wanted to apply this to a wifi package or soft drink package or speciality restaurant, would we be able to do so on day two or are there restrictions? Would we have to purchase these options on the first day in order to utilize them, therefore not allowing us to us the credit?

[riffatsea]

Have you already pre paid your gratuities?? Generally speaking on board credit is automatically used first to pay gratuities and then whatever is left over is available for you to use for other things.

[kdawg954]

We are first time cruisers and received a small on board credit ($50) that we will be able to use starting day two of the cruise. If we wanted to apply this to a wifi package or soft drink package or speciality restaurant, would we be able to do so on day two or are there restrictions? Would we have to purchase these options on the first day in order to utilize them, therefore not allowing us to us the credit?

 

Did you prepay your gratuities? If not, Onboard credit can be used for this. Also check if it is refundable or not when you get onboard as I have gotten some returned when I did not use it all.

[teknoge3k]

IMHO I wouldn't use it on a soft drink package. Rather, take your own soda with you and avoid the ridiculous fee Carnival charges for soda. You can get wifi if you want, pictures, a specialty restaurant, whatever you want. It's exactly what it says it is, a credit. Meaning when you start charging stuff to your S&S, the first $50 is covered.

[angela12345]

Yes, you can use your onboard credit towards whatever you want to use it. Your sign & sail card balance isn't actually settled up / cashed out until the last day. So, for example, you could start with a credit card to fund your account and make all of your S&S charges on the very first day and no other charges the rest of the cruise. Then later in the cruise add gift cards or cash to your account. At the end, all of the credits (onboard credit, gift cards, cash, etc) are used up first then the remaining balance applied to your credit card (or none if there is none remaining). They don't do it so that all of your charges from the first day would go on your credit card because that was the only thing in your account the first day and that was the day the charges were made. In the same way, they won't only use your onboard credit for charges that are made starting the 2nd day. Hope this makes sense ?

 

It doesn't sound like this will be the case with you, but for others who may be reading ... Please note though, if you have a credit card/ debit card backing your account, Carnival places a "hold" for funds to that account in anticipation for charges that you may make during the cruise. The hold is released if no charges are made. And, if you make enough charges to use up that initial hold, they will place additional holds in anticipation for additional charges. Some people have run into issues in the past where they didn't have enough funds in their debit account or credit balance on their credit card to cover the hold and have been cut off from onboard spending until they provided another method to fund their account.

 

You can each bring a 12-pack of canned (not bottled) drinks with you onboard, and 1 bottle of wine per person. You may also buy canned sodas in ports and bring on the ship with you.

Edited January 28, 2018 by angela12345

[OctoberSky]

Drinks from the bar!! 😁

[Joebucks]

The best part about a OBC is that you get to use it the way you want!

 

Last time, we used ours for drinks. Between that, the bottles of wine you can bring, and all of the time spent at ports, Cheers made no sense to me.

[cb at sea]

OBC is merely a credit against ANYTHING you buy. You can't specify what to use it on. The 1st $50 you spend is taken care of by the credit to your account.

[lizardhowson]

OBC is merely a credit against ANYTHING you buy. You can't specify what to use it on. The 1st $50 you spend is taken care of by the credit to your account.

 

This

 

Everything you buy goes onto your onboard account, all lumped together.

The credit will simply reduce the total owed by $50

[marshhawk]

I got a 100 OBC (it was my first cruise) they told me the night before we got off, and there was nothing that I wanted to get, so I lost that one. Now I am more aware.

[coevan]

you bought nothing, no casino, bingo, no water, a soda? nothing?

[kdawg954]

I got a 100 OBC (it was my first cruise) they told me the night before we got off, and there was nothing that I wanted to get, so I lost that one. Now I am more aware.

 

How did u pay for gratuities?

[travelling_txgal]

I see. So the on board credit is not a separate gift card. It will be added to my on board account. Got it. Since I prepaid gratuities, it will go to anything else we purchase. Thanks