Is converting OBC to cash possible anymore?

[bafinegan]

3 hours ago, FiremedicMike151 said:

Whatever is leftover isn’t sent to you at the conclusion of your cruise?

 

Depends on the source of the OBC.  If from an overpayment, then yes, you will get it back.  But if OBC is from a promotion, than no, use it or lose it.

[FiremedicMike151]

2 hours ago, bafinegan said:

 

Depends on the source of the OBC.  If from an overpayment, then yes, you will get it back.  But if OBC is from a promotion, than no, use it or lose it.

Oh, well hmm

 

Thanks!

[asalligo]

I expect as others have said that Carnival will close any avenue for converting OBC to cash. I just read an article on how carnival must increase revenue aboard ship when they return. We may be coming back to a hard sell environment. 

[SRQbeachgirl]

13 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

You really think your cruise for August will actually go?  I'm 50/50 for Halloween on the Mardi Gras.

 

You're a lot more optimistic than I am. I'm giving our Thanksgiving cruise out of Baltimore a 30/70 chance right now.  

[SRQbeachgirl]

Duplicate

Edited April 12, 2021 by SRQbeachgirl
Duplicate

[SNJCruisers]

2 hours ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

 

You're a lot more optimistic than I am. I'm giving our Thanksgiving cruise out of Baltimore a 30/70 chance right now.  

The positivity factor comes in since I think the Mardi Gras might be the first 7 day cruise they start with, after having 4/5 day cruises hopefully starting after Labor Day.  Cruises out of the smaller embarkation ports might not happen till 2022.

[NightOne]

On 4/11/2021 at 3:20 PM, Elaine2007 said:

I am sailing this fall (hopefully) and was enticed to book Carnival due to their generous gift of $500 OBC (plus another $100 for shareholder).  To be honest, I have no clue what to do with it all.  I am saving $200 for gratuities for 2 (7 nt) but I have no interest in anything else.  I don't gamble, I have no interest in excursions because I've done most of them, no interest in more food (specialty dining) because I'm never hungry after the first day, don't drink alcohol, and have no interest in spa treatments.  In the past, which was a long time ago, I would go to the purser's desk and they would give me cash and charge it to my cabin.  I would spend the cash at the ports or take it home.  This time Carnival seems like they've caught on and they are making it harder to get cash.  They told me the casino would allow cash advances against credit/debit cards for 5% charge but that my OBC is non-refundable and must be spent on the ship.  I've read about people converting it to casino chips and then cashing out on the final day.  I could try that but I would risk losing $300 if it converts back to OBC and is lost.  Does anyone know of any loopholes?  Has Carnival closed all options to convert OBC to cash?

 

Why does everyone always have to try and game the system?

 

Just figure out a way to spend some money on the ship. Onboard shops?

 

[ProgRockCruiser]

35 minutes ago, NightOne said:

 

Why does everyone always have to try and game the system?

Well, to be honest, Carnival, like any other mass-market cruise line, tries to "game the system" to extract as many dollars out of their passengers, so a bit of turnabout is fair play, IMHO.

 

You want a couple of photos?  $20 a piece.  How about that special meal at the Steakhouse or Cucina del Capitano?  Oh, yes, there's an extra charge, even though we were going to feed you pretty well in the MDR.  Oh, that lobster roll is an extra charge at Seafood Shack, even though you can get twice the value in bacon from the buffet whenever you like.

 

That OBC is supposed to be a reward for sticking with Carnival, so why shouldn't I try to maximize value to me?

 

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by ProgRockCruiser
re-wording for clarity

[NightOne]

4 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

Well, to be honest, Carnival, like any other mass-market cruise line, tries to "game the system" to extract as many dollars out of their passengers, so a bit of turnabout is fair play, IMHO.

 

You want a couple of photos?  $20 a piece.  How about that special meal at the Steakhouse or Cucina del Capitano?  Oh, yes, there's an extra charge, even though we were going to feed you pretty well in the MDR.  Oh, that lobster roll is an extra charge at Seafood Shack, even though you can get twice the value in bacon from the buffet whenever you like.

 

That OBC is supposed to be a reward for sticking with Carnival, so why shouldn't I try to maximize value to me?

 

 

 

OBC = ON BOARD CREDIT

 

Not cash to take home with you. Credit to spend on the ship.

 

Why do people always have to be people.

 

You give a dog OBC and he would have a closet full of leftover bones from the steakhouse. People? They try to figure out how they can put cash in their pocket.

 

Dogs > People 

 

LOL

[SNJCruisers]

The simple solution would have been for Carnival to give everyone a 125% FCC on a future booking instead of 300 or 600 in OBC.  All of their competitors, including some Carnival Corp lines are doing it that way and thus there is no loophole involved.

[NightOne]

1 minute ago, SNJCruisers said:

The simple solution would have been for Carnival to give everyone a 125% FCC on a future booking instead of 300 or 600 in OBC.  All of their competitors, including some Carnival Corp lines are doing it that way and thus there is no loophole involved.

 

no "solution" is needed

 

Carnival gave everyone ALL their money back as either FCC or refund to payment form AND gave the free OBC

[SNJCruisers]

15 minutes ago, NightOne said:

 

no "solution" is needed

 

Carnival gave everyone ALL their money back as either FCC or refund to payment form AND gave the free OBC

If Carnival gave everybody on a cancelled cruise since the pandemic began a 100% refund and 600 or 300 in OBC to boot, they would be bankrupt.  It was one or the other

[NightOne]

2 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

If Carnival gave everybody on a cancelled cruise since the pandemic began a 100% refund and 600 or 300 in OBC to boot, they would be bankrupt.  It was one or the other

 

Obviously you had to book a cruise to get the OBC part

[SNJCruisers]

1 hour ago, NightOne said:

 

Obviously you had to book a cruise to get the OBC part

Carl.....Carnival gave those people that had a cancelled cruise two options....either get a full refund, or get a FCC and 300 or 600 in OBC for a future cruise booking.  They DID NOT get a full refund and the OBC

[Elaine2007]

19 hours ago, NightOne said:

 

Why does everyone always have to try and game the system?

 

Just figure out a way to spend some money on the ship. Onboard shops?

 

In my case, I'm trying to re-coop some of the costs of the cruise.  Charging $500pp ($800pp for summer months) for riviera deck interior cabins is excessive.  I use to get balconies for $599pp for this same sailing not long ago.  I'm coming in with new money and I know Carnival and the other cruise lines will be doing everything within their power to get people who have FCC and OBC to use it up as quickly as possible so they can start making money again.  I could only justify the booking by taking some of that OBC home with me in either cash form or gift card form.  I don't think Carnival would complain.  They've collected new money (not FCC) for two 7 day cruises, which helps extends their cash reserves.

[NightOne]

19 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Carl.....Carnival gave those people that had a cancelled cruise two options....either get a full refund, or get a FCC and 300 or 600 in OBC for a future cruise booking.  They DID NOT get a full refund and the OBC

 

Well aware of that. I've had 15+ cruises cancelled thus far.

 

Either way you got your money back. If you booked another cruise you got free OBC out of the deal.

[NightOne]

3 hours ago, Elaine2007 said:

In my case, I'm trying to re-coop some of the costs of the cruise.  Charging $500pp ($800pp for summer months) for riviera deck interior cabins is excessive.  I use to get balconies for $599pp for this same sailing not long ago.  I'm coming in with new money and I know Carnival and the other cruise lines will be doing everything within their power to get people who have FCC and OBC to use it up as quickly as possible so they can start making money again.  I could only justify the booking by taking some of that OBC home with me in either cash form or gift card form.  I don't think Carnival would complain.  They've collected new money (not FCC) for two 7 day cruises, which helps extends their cash reserves.

 

Justify it however you want but you are still trying to game the system and look for "loopholes" to turn the OBC into cash.

 

 

[asalligo]

7 minutes ago, bafinegan said:

 

Yea I saw that too.  As usual, someone took a grain of truth and expounded so that it was almost unrecognizable.  They made it sound like you can just go to the cashiers cage and get cash back from OBC.  NOWHERE on this thread was that said.  What was said is one can get money from your sail and sing card ( re OBC) and put on your players club account at a slot machine. Play a few minutes and then go to the cashiers cage to cash out.  Just don't get caught 😉. 

 

Hubbs and I have done that before, but we gamble- a lot.  We have also bought Carnival gift cards at Cherry on Top and used those cards for future cruises.  THAT was conveniently left out of the John Heald FB page. ( dum asses🙄)

If they did not realize they had some loopholes to close though, they certainly do now!

[serene56]

On 4/11/2021 at 4:58 PM, cruisingguy007 said:

The casino is the only way and they frown on you avoiding the 3% fee to get casino chips by loading up at a slot and then going to the cage to cash out. You can do it once but they will lock your card up after that and you'll have to go to the cage for a "naughty talk" lol but they will unlock it after that. 

 I have never had that happen on any cruise we have taken.    IF you use your card and go to the cage to get money-- that person needs to work in order to get your money off your sign and sail card.   IF you go to the slot and cash it out yourself there is no fee     No work for the worker      and no naughty talk from anyone.      WHy would they lock your card?      I cash out at a slot machine each night onboard .   

[SC Beachlover]

If all else fails, and Carnival ends the OBC for Gift Certificates........at least re-distribute any unused amounts to increased tips. After this past year, the staff could use it!

[glrounds]

On 4/13/2021 at 2:03 PM, SNJCruisers said:

Carl.....Carnival gave those people that had a cancelled cruise two options....either get a full refund, or get a FCC and 300 or 600 in OBC for a future cruise booking.  They DID NOT get a full refund and the OBC

 

I think what the poster meant was FULL REFUND on the canceled cruise and a 25% credit on a newly booked cruise. This, of course, defeats Carnival's strategy of using OUR monies on the canceled cruise to carry them through the pandemic.

[SNJCruisers]

On 4/13/2021 at 3:11 PM, NightOne said:

 

no "solution" is needed

 

Carnival gave everyone ALL their money back as either FCC or refund to payment form AND gave the free OBC

 

11 minutes ago, glrounds said:

 

I think what the poster meant was FULL REFUND on the canceled cruise and a 25% credit on a newly booked cruise. This, of course, defeats Carnival's strategy of using OUR monies on the canceled cruise to carry them through the pandemic.

Don't see it that way Gary.  The quotes are above.  Cruisers either got a refund or FCC and the free OBC, which is not true.  If you got the 300 or 600 in OBC, you also got a FCC, but you certainly did not get both a full refund and the OBC on top of it.  If you had a double cancellation, then you still only got one set of OBC @ 600, not stacked @ 1200.

EDIT...there was no 25% credit at any time on Carnival, it was always 300 or 600 in OBC.  The 25% credit on a future cruise was utilized by all of Carnival's competitors.

Edited April 20, 2021 by SNJCruisers

[glrounds]

On 4/13/2021 at 12:08 PM, SNJCruisers said:

The simple solution would have been for Carnival to give everyone a 125% FCC on a future booking instead of 300 or 600 in OBC.  All of their competitors, including some Carnival Corp lines are doing it that way and thus there is no loophole involved.

 

This is what I meant to be quoting. I also liked your solution. The OBC can be switched around in many ways (currently in maybe denying "cashing out" in the casino and forcing spending on high margin items on the ship). Sorry for the confusion.

[NightOne]

9 minutes ago, SNJCruisers said:

 

Don't see it that way Gary.  The quotes are above.  Cruisers either got a refund or FCC and the free OBC, which is not true.  If you got the 300 or 600 in OBC, you also got a FCC, but you certainly did not get both a full refund and the OBC on top of it.  If you had a double cancellation, then you still only got one set of OBC @ 600, not stacked @ 1200.

EDIT...there was no 25% credit at any time on Carnival, it was always 300 or 600 in OBC.  The 25% credit on a future cruise was utilized by all of Carnival's competitors.

 

Since you won't quit beating a dead horse ... and I was the one who posted it originally ... let me clarify what I was trying to say:

 

Cruisers got either:

 

1. Full Refund to their original form of payment for what you paid

 

OR

 

2. A future cruise credit (FCC) in the amount of their cruise fare paid and $600 per cabin (double occupancy) in OBC on a future cruise you book

 

In EITHER case cruisers get ALL of their money back. Those that don't ask for the refund and instead apply it to a future cruise also got OBC.

 

Furthermore, the $600 OBC does not stack. So if you had a January cruise cancel, you book at March cruise with the FCC and apply the $600 OBC, the March ends up cancelling, and you rebook a June cruise you still on get $600 OBC and not $1200. Therefore, if you have multiple rebooks cancel you could have 15 cancelled cruises but only 7 $600 OBCs.

 

Now give it a rest FFS.

 

 

[NightOne]

6 minutes ago, glrounds said:

 

This is what I meant to be quoting. I also liked your solution. The OBC can be switched around in many ways (currently in maybe denying "cashing out" in the casino and forcing spending on high margin items on the ship). Sorry for the confusion.

 

It is FREE money. Money you didn't pay the cruise line. (with some exceptions)

 

So you are complaining about spending free money on high margin items?

Edited April 20, 2021 by NightOne