"SBC Vouchers" ???

[lextrvlr]

With a very recent booking we received “Promotional Amenity SBC Vouchers” with the notation, “ Promotional Amenity SBC Vouchers can be used towards shore excursions and beverage packages.” When I look at MVJ a box pops up saying:

You Have Shipboard Credit

You have a total of $400.00 to use toward shore excursions. Credit will be applied at checkout and must be used for this cruise. Unused credit will be available once you embark the ship.

Right or wrong, I am assuming that the word “Voucher” makes this different from a standard OBC. Evidently this credit will be used for purchases of excursions or beverage packages made on MVJ with any remainders charged to ones credit card. If this is not used, or only partially used, before boarding the ship, I again assume the remainder will be available on board. Will this remainder simply be credited to ones account or will it still be available only for excursions and beverage packages? I would appreciate enlightenment from anyone who has had experience with this.

[just_dont]

Everything you stated was correct. Why do you consider that different than "standard obc"?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[lextrvlr]

48 minutes ago, just_dont said:

Everything you stated was correct. Why do you consider that different than "standard obc"?

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

“standard OBC” as I understand it can only be used on board. What is shown here will evidently be used up for excursions and/or beverages packages ordered through MVJ before boarding. My question is, will any, or all, of this not used before boarding be available for anything or only beverages packages or excursions on board?

[WAVTAM]

13 minutes ago, lextrvlr said:

“standard OBC” as I understand it can only be used on board. What is shown here will evidently be used up for excursions and/or beverages packages ordered through MVJ before boarding. My question is, will any, or all, of this not used before boarding be available for anything or only beverages packages or excursions on board?

Have done 3 Vikings runs and each time I just ask for mailed check of all our OBC mail to house upon return. (Use to book the next deposit)

[zitsky]

12 minutes ago, WAVTAM said:

Have done 3 Vikings runs and each time I just ask for mailed check of all our OBC mail to house upon return. (Use to book the next deposit)

 

I think there is no refund of OBC if you get it from a TA like I did???

[SrCruizer]

Have also done 3 VO cruises & have been told OBC is a “use it or lose it”. But these credits have been given to us by our TA so maybe makes a difference. These credits can also be put towards gratuities, purchases in the shops or spa services.

[Peregrina651]

13 hours ago, lextrvlr said:

With a very recent booking we received “Promotional Amenity SBC Vouchers” with the notation, “ Promotional Amenity SBC Vouchers can be used towards shore excursions and beverage packages.” When I look at MVJ a box pops up saying:

You Have Shipboard Credit

You have a total of $400.00 to use toward shore excursions. Credit will be applied at checkout and must be used for this cruise. Unused credit will be available once you embark the ship.

Right or wrong, I am assuming that the word “Voucher” makes this different from a standard OBC. Evidently this credit will be used for purchases of excursions or beverage packages made on MVJ with any remainders charged to ones credit card. If this is not used, or only partially used, before boarding the ship, I again assume the remainder will be available on board. Will this remainder simply be credited to ones account or will it still be available only for excursions and beverage packages? I would appreciate enlightenment from anyone who has had experience with this.

 

SBC=ShipBoardCredit

 

Viking OBC comes in flavors and it looks like this flavor cannot be used for gratuities, but you should get Viking to clarify that point in writing. They will apply it automatically when you purchase shore excursions; you don't have a choice here. If you don't spend it all on shorex, it will be available to spend on-board. However, if you have any leftover at the end of the cruise, you lose it; it cannot be carried over to your next cruise.

 

We have a similar OBC and we will spend it all on shorex before we even board the ship, but  we will be purchasing something that we would purchase even if we didn't have the OBC, so that is fine with us. I am actually glad that we can use to purchase shorex in advance of boarding, because otherwise between our teeny-weeny bar tab and our bigger laundry bill we would have a lot of unspent OBC -- and I am not one to go into the stores and buy some silly souvenir that I don't want and wouldn't even consider for a gift just because I have unused OBC.

 

13 hours ago, lextrvlr said:

“standard OBC” as I understand it can only be used on board. What is shown here will evidently be used up for excursions and/or beverages packages ordered through MVJ before boarding. My question is, will any, or all, of this not used before boarding be available for anything or only beverages packages or excursions on board?

 

Get Viking to clarify that for you in writing, just so you get the correct information. 

 

It does seem that Viking considers advanced purchase of shorex to be equal to actually purchasing while on board the ship. This is, imho, a very good thing, especially for those whose biggest expenditure is shorex. The way the shorex system works, you don't want to wait until you board to purchase any optional shorex but if you have a big OBC, you want to spend it on the shorex.

 

12 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

I think there is no refund of OBC if you get it from a TA like I did???

 

z, I would check that out just to be absolutely sure. Don't assume.

12 hours ago, WAVTAM said:

Have done 3 Vikings runs and each time I just ask for mailed check of all our OBC mail to house upon return. (Use to book the next deposit)

 

I don't understand? Who is the source of your OBC, Viking or TA? Who is sending the check to you, Viking or your TA?

[lextrvlr]

Thanks Peregrina. I have sent the following to Viking. We'll see what they say.

 

Your help in clarifying the use of “Promotional Amenity SBC Voucher” would be appreciated. If I were to purchase no shorex and no beverage packages prior to boarding, would the “SBC” be credited to my on board account and if so for what could it be used ?

Thank you.

 

[WAVTAM]

10 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

SBC=ShipBoardCredit

 

Viking OBC comes in flavors and it looks like this flavor cannot be used for gratuities, but you should get Viking to clarify that point in writing. They will apply it automatically when you purchase shore excursions; you don't have a choice here. If you don't spend it all on shorex, it will be available to spend on-board. However, if you have any leftover at the end of the cruise, you lose it; it cannot be carried over to your next cruise.

 

We have a similar OBC and we will spend it all on shorex before we even board the ship, but  we will be purchasing something that we would purchase even if we didn't have the OBC, so that is fine with us. I am actually glad that we can use to purchase shorex in advance of boarding, because otherwise between our teeny-weeny bar tab and our bigger laundry bill we would have a lot of unspent OBC -- and I am not one to go into the stores and buy some silly souvenir that I don't want and wouldn't even consider for a gift just because I have unused OBC.

 

 

Get Viking to clarify that for you in writing, just so you get the correct information. 

 

It does seem that Viking considers advanced purchase of shorex to be equal to actually purchasing while on board the ship. This is, imho, a very good thing, especially for those whose biggest expenditure is shorex. The way the shorex system works, you don't want to wait until you board to purchase any optional shorex but if you have a big OBC, you want to spend it on the shorex.

 

 

z, I would check that out just to be absolutely sure. Don't assume.

 

I don't understand? Who is the source of your OBC, Viking or TA? Who is sending the check to you, Viking or your TA?

OBC is thru TA. Have confirmation printed that OBC is a mailed check. Just like last cruise.

[Peregrina651]

2 minutes ago, lextrvlr said:

Thanks Peregrina. I have sent the following to Viking. We'll see what they say.

 

Your help in clarifying the use of “Promotional Amenity SBC Voucher” would be appreciated. If I were to purchase no shorex and no beverage packages prior to boarding, would the “SBC” be credited to my on board account and if so for what could it be used ?

Thank you.

 

 

The info you already supplied has already answered your first question:

You Have Shipboard Credit

You have a total of $400.00 to use toward shore excursions. Credit will be applied at checkout and must be used for this cruise. Unused credit will be available once you embark the ship. 

 

As to what you will be able to use if for, you must ask Viking. There are there are too many different varieties of OBC for me to even venture a guess.

[Peregrina651]

7 minutes ago, WAVTAM said:

OBC is thru TA. Have confirmation printed that OBC is a mailed check. Just like last cruise.

 

Okay. Now I understand. This is a transaction between you and your TA and has nothing to do with Viking directly. It is your TA who issues the check, not Viking. It is your TA's policy and not Viking's.

 

However, the OBC that the OP is talking about is issued by Viking, not a TA, and is "use it or lose"  and cannot be rebated in the manner that your TA is doing with you.

[WAVTAM]

Just now, Peregrina651 said:

 

Okay. Now I understand. This is a transaction between you and your TA and has nothing to do with Viking directly. It is your TA who issues the check, not Viking. It is your TA's policy and not Viking's.

 

However, the OBC that the OP is talking about is issued by Viking, not a TA, and is "use it or lose"  and cannot be rebated in the manner that your TA is doing with you.

Totally agree

[Squawkman]

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

The info you already supplied has already answered your first question:

You Have Shipboard Credit

You have a total of $400.00 to use toward shore excursions. Credit will be applied at checkout and must be used for this cruise. Unused credit will be available once you embark the ship. 

 

As to what you will be able to use if for, you must ask Viking. There are there are too many different varieties of OBC for me to even venture a guess.

We used the balance of our OBC towards tips that were billed ($30/day) last November..

Edited August 7, 2019 by Squawkman
typos

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, Squawkman said:

We used the balance of our OBC towards tips that were billed ($30/day) last November..

 

Viking OBC has flavors and not all flavors seem to permit this. That is why I suggest that you ask Viking exactly what your flavor of OBC can and cannot be used for.

[Squawkman]

12 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Viking OBC has flavors and not all flavors seem to permit this. That is why I suggest that you ask Viking exactly what your flavor of OBC can and cannot be used for.

Totally agree - I only mentioned that as tips was not mentioned earlier as a possibility.

[lextrvlr]

9 hours ago, lextrvlr said:

Your help in clarifying the use of “Promotional Amenity SBC Voucher” would be appreciated. If I were to purchase no shorex and no beverage packages prior to boarding, would the “SBC” be credited to my on board account and if so for what could it be used ?

Thank you.

Here is the answer from Viking:

vikingguestservices <vikingguestservices@vikingcruises.com>

6:12 PM (49 minutes ago)

Yes the credit not used prior to cruise will transfer over to on-board credit. On-board credit can be used for:

Shore-Excursions

Beverage Packages

Onboard services (Spa, Beauty Shop etc. where offered)

Gift shops

Bar items purchased that are not part of “included” complimentary beverages

Onboard Vouchers (if offered on the sailing-not all sailings offer the vouchers for purchase)

Pre-paid gratuities for onboard staff (River & Oceans) Local Guides and drivers would need to be tipped separately in cash. Unused SBC can be applied toward gratuities onboard the ship.

Warm Regards

Easton A.