What to spend on board credit on?

[celoplyr]

So, due to the black Friday sale, and being within 30 days of sailing date, I ended up with a TON of onboard credit.  I don't know how, I've been monitoring prices, but I got ~$3700 in OBC.  Obviously I rebooked all my drink packages, shore excursions, internet and pulled my gratuities to being on board.  But I still have $2500 left (for 3 people).

 

We are going on the Symphony.  

 

Any good ideas for spending $2500 on board?  Current thoughts are spa treatments, maybe buying a go pro, as much alcohol as we can drink (which isn't much), maybe casino? Can we use it to tip extra? We have about $500 in items that aren't being sold right now (3 night dining package, beach bed rental at Perfect Day) that I don't know if we can move to the OBC as well.

 

Or mom is going to have a LOT of $10 t-shirts. 

[bajathree]

Jewelry 

[ryano]

You could always donate it all to casino one slot machine pull at a time 😂    

 

Buy gold jewelry 

[cruisestitch]

I made this list for Celebrity and it might be valid for Royal Caribbean as well, but it will at least give you some place to start as you think about this.  Some of it is Celebrity specific, such as reference to Luminae.

 

—————-

 

Because this gets asked so often I've compiled a list of things to spend OBC on. The only thing I know of now that you CAN'T buy with OBC is a deposit on a Future Cruise. You need a credit card for that.  Also, there may be some card game in the casino with a cash only buy-in.   If they do a fundraiser, like selling t-shirts to “save the reefs” and the like, expect to need cash for that.  Otherwise, here you go:

 

 

Acupuncture

Airport transfers

Alcove Rental (some ships)

Apple products etc. and Ilounge classes

Art Auctions

Babysitting

Barber Shop services 

Beverages -- Alcoholic, carbonated soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas, bottled water

Bingo

Bottles of wine

Casino

Chef’s Table

Corkage charged if you bring your own wine to the MDR

Duty free liquor and cigarettes

Extra cost entrees and other items in Main Dining Room and specialty restaurants

Extend Your Stay program

Fitness classes

Flowers

Gelato

Gift shop souvenirs, purses, watches, cosmetics, clothing, jewelry, etc.

Gratuities, and extra gratuities

Guests dining with you in Luminae (applies to Suite Passengers only)

Guest entertainers' CD's and DVD's

Hair and nail salon

Hollywood hot glass experiences (some ships)

Internet

Laundry/pressing/drycleaning

Luggage Valet

Martini Flights

Medical Center purchases (but not treatments)

Mini bar

Portrait photo sessions

Pay-per-view movies

Persian Gardens passes

Personal Training Sessions

Photos & cameras

Room service up charge items, and late night delivery fee

Shore Excursions

Shuttle to town (some ports)

Spa -- massages and treatments

Specialty restaurants

Teeth Whitening

Telephone calls using ship's system

Transfer to another passenger's account

Voyage in Review DVD

Wine and liquor tastings

Zumba

[Biker19]

48 minutes ago, celoplyr said:

Any good ideas for spending $2500 on board? 

On cash which you take home from the casino. 

Edited November 29, 2021 by Biker19

[celoplyr]

8 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

On cash which you take home from the casino. 

I've heard of this, but am relatively nervous they'll get mad.  You request an "advance" from your onboard account, right?  And not mention the credit?  Then you walk away with the cash?

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, celoplyr said:

You request an "advance" from your onboard account, right? 

The slot machine at which you do this is unlikely to get mad. 

[Sunshine3601]

Simply go to a slot machine in the casino, set up acct and withdrawal your OBC from there.   

No need to spend or gamble it.   

 

There are some other threads you can look up that tell you exactly how to do it. 

[bonsai3s]

Another vote to use a slot machine to simply cash out your money.

Mactic (on another thread) explained it in detail.

 

For example, we had $100 nrobc...went to casino...picked a slot machine...followed the prompts...make sure to enter the exact amount you want.  We decided to play a few pulls...hit a small jackpot...cashed out at $140...no fees...easy peasy, happy. Gave extra tips to well deserving crew members.

[celoplyr]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

The slot machine at which you do this is unlikely to get mad. 

Ah,  you do it at a slot machine, not the person....

thanks!

[AustinCruise]

We did same in the casino last week. 
 

Note you can get out $500 per 24 hour period.  Each person of legal gambling age attached to the account can do it. 
 

Start early! Don’t wait. 
 

 

[AustinCruise]

14 minutes ago, celoplyr said:

Ah,  you do it at a slot machine, not the person....

thanks!

Well, you take the slip to the cashier. They don’t know or care. 
 

[hancock]

Check to see if it is a refundable OBC.  If it is, they will credit it back to your credit card after the cruise.

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, celoplyr said:

Any good ideas for spending $2500 on board?

Hello friend. 😉

[BillHoo]

Do they no longer give you a cash out of your obc at the service counter toward the end of the cruise?

[AustinCruise]

Just now, BillHoo said:

Do they no longer give you a cash out of your obc at the service counter toward the end of the cruise?

Some obc is refundable, some is not.  For example, obc granted from a cabin price drop is not refundable. 

[zekekelso]

You could always by a round of drinks for fellow passengers at the bar 😋

[soremekun]

I forgot who posted this and I don't take credit but I made sure to download it.  

 

[celoplyr]

9 minutes ago, soremekun said:

I forgot who posted this and I don't take credit but I made sure to download it.  

 

Gracias! I, too, have downloaded it.  I'm thinking spending half as a real pampering of myself (spa, jewelry, alcohol) and cashing out half.  

[molly361]

3 hours ago, celoplyr said:

Ah,  you do it at a slot machine, not the person....

thanks!

There's a max that you can take out at one time.  I think it's $300 but not positive.  

[AustinCruise]

30 minutes ago, molly361 said:

There's a max that you can take out at one time.  I think it's $300 but not positive.  

I took out $100 one day, $500 a few days later, then tried the following day and it wouldn’t let me. I think because it was within 24 hours.  My wife used her sea pass to get out our remaining $400 so I'm not sure if I waited longer it would have worked or not.

 

 

[molly361]

2 minutes ago, AustinCruise said:

I took out $100 one day, $500 a few days later, then tried the following day and it wouldn’t let me. I think because it was within 24 hours.  My wife used her sea pass to get out our remaining $400 so I'm not sure if I waited longer it would have worked or not.

 

 

Yeah I don't know if the limit is per day or what.  Will be taking $400 out next week, probably $200 one day and then $200 the next

[Starry Eyes]

Can gratuities be paid with non-refundable OBC on Royal Caribbean?

[AustinCruise]

1 minute ago, Starry Eyes said:

Can gratuities be paid with non-refundable OBC on Royal Caribbean?

Yes.   Assuming they are not pre-paid, they get charged daily to the room and will come out of OBC if available and charged to your card if not. 

[John&LaLa]

Massage is always fun