Questions Regarding NCL On Board Credit

[momfrommn]

Can someone who really knows what they are talking about please tell me exactly what I can and cannot use my onboard credit for?

I am sailing May 19th and have $725 OBC.

 

I also have these promotions:

1 x Shore Excursion Discount

2 x 3 Meal Speciality Dining Package

2 x Internet Package (300 Minutes)

2 x PREMIUM BEVERAGE PACKAGE

 

Thank you in advance.

[KeithJenner]

Where did the OBC come from? If it is from a travel agent then it depends on whether it is refundable or non refundable. Only the TA will be able to tell you that.

[momfrommn]

15 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

Where did the OBC come from? If it is from a travel agent then it depends on whether it is refundable or non refundable. Only the TA will be able to tell you that.

It is all from the travel agent - so let's assume, until I hear from them, that is all nonrefundable.  What can I use the credits for?  Thanks!

[hallux]

refundable OBC can be used for anything you'd charge to your room.  non-refundable has restrictions - can't be used for tips, DSC or CruiseNext (there may be more but these are the big ones).

[momfrommn]

4 minutes ago, hallux said:

refundable OBC can be used for anything you'd charge to your room.  non-refundable has restrictions - can't be used for tips, DSC or CruiseNext (there may be more but these are the big ones).

What is DSC?  Thank you  

[ColeThornton]

2 minutes ago, momfrommn said:

What is DSC?  Thank you  

 

 

Edited:  Link didn't work.

 

Look at the NCL FAQ's under "money matters".

Edited May 10, 2022 by ColeThornton

[alysonofagun]

8 minutes ago, momfrommn said:

What is DSC?  Thank you  

 

I'd assume 'daily service charge' 

[alysonofagun]

14 minutes ago, momfrommn said:

It is all from the travel agent - so let's assume, until I hear from them, that is all nonrefundable.  What can I use the credits for?  Thanks!

 

Treat yourself to a lavish spa day! 😄

[momfrommn]

11 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

Edited:  Link didn't work.

 

Look at the NCL FAQ's under "money matters".

I read the entire section on money matters and unless I missed something, nothing is mentioned regarding OBC and what it can and cannot be used for.

[hallux]

DSC is 'discretionary service charge', or some call it the 'daily service charge'.  It's the tips for the tipped workers (especially for those 'behind the scenes' folks that you never see), though I often will give additional to my cabin steward if they did a great job (not to turn this into a tipping thread).

 

4 minutes ago, momfrommn said:

I read the entire section on money matters and unless I missed something, nothing is mentioned regarding OBC and what it can and cannot be used for.

The person you quoted was pointing there to explain the DSC - look in the "what is the onboard service charge" section of the Money Matters section of the FAQ...

[brookie848]

We've always used our OBC for Cruise Next. I'm assuming that it is not refundable -- it is from NCL. We've had $600 in OBC for our last five or so bookings. It just magically appears when we book a cruise. That's often what we end up spending at least some of it on -- it depends how much we spend in the spa.

 

To the OP -- spa is a good way to spend a chunk of change. Another spend is a picture package. We did this once and truthfully got some great photos from it. You can also spend little bits of it by purchasing the a la carte food/drinks (Starbucks, ice cream, etc.).

Edited May 10, 2022 by brookie848

[momfrommn]

50 minutes ago, brookie848 said:

We've always used our OBC for Cruise Next. I'm assuming that it is not refundable -- it is from NCL. We've had $600 in OBC for our last five or so bookings. It just magically appears when we book a cruise. That's often what we end up spending at least some of it on -- it depends how much we spend in the spa.

 

To the OP -- spa is a good way to spend a chunk of change. Another spend is a picture package. We did this once and truthfully got some great photos from it. You can also spend little bits of it by purchasing the a la carte food/drinks (Starbucks, ice cream, etc.).

The OBC I have are not from NCL - they are from the travel agency (Crucon Cruise Outlet).

[momfrommn]

Just now, momfrommn said:

The OBC I have are not from NCL - they are from the travel agency (Crucon Cruise Outlet).

I've heard OBC can no longer be used at Starbucks.  Can anyone who's been on a NCL cruise recently verify this?

[Bowmanvilletravel]

I was just on the Epic...you can use OBC at Starbucks. 

 

You can also use it to play bingo, deal or no deal, etc. 

[joyy7403]

Can we use it in the casino, depending if it’s refundable or not? I can’t find the answer to this on their website.

[complawyer]

momfrommn.

 

since you already have the promotions, they are factored into your fare. onboard credit would apply to

photgraphs, gift shop purchases, and anyting you might buy that isnt included inthe promotion packages. sometimes ncl has sales on sweatshirts, watches, jewelry etc.  obc would apply to this.also when  your dinner package runs out, you can still use the obc to pay for extra meals inthe specialty restaurants

[hallux]

8 hours ago, complawyer said:

sometimes ncl has sales on sweatshirts, watches, jewelry etc.

"sometimes"?  lol

[deweytrader]

22 hours ago, brookie848 said:

We've always used our OBC for Cruise Next. I'm assuming that it is not refundable -- it is from NCL. We've had $600 in OBC for our last five or so bookings. It just magically appears when we book a cruise. That's often what we end up spending at least some of it on -- it depends how much we spend in the spa.

 

Just off the Joy last week lost $170 nonrefundable OBC as now nonrefundable cannot be used for cruise next.  Apparently, they changed the policy and did not bother to inform anyone, I learned the hard way...

[KeithJenner]

12 minutes ago, deweytrader said:

Just off the Joy last week lost $170 nonrefundable OBC as now nonrefundable cannot be used for cruise next.  Apparently, they changed the policy and did not bother to inform anyone, I learned the hard way...

Yes, that changed a little while ago, I remember some discussion on here at the time as there was debate as to whether the OBC for the purchase still gets allocated to the payment (it does - for now)

[hallux]

25 minutes ago, deweytrader said:

Apparently, they changed the policy and did not bother to inform anyone

They informed the IT team, who updated the T&C's on the website.  I imagine the documentation on board the ships was also updated, the documents you're given for reading to agree to the terms of the promotion (the ones nobody ever reads).

 

They're not going to put a banner on the website to advertise that it's been changed, or run ads on TV.

[deweytrader]

7 minutes ago, hallux said:

 

They're not going to put a banner on the website to advertise that it's been changed, or run ads on TV.

I am not expecting them to run ads on TV, it would have been nice if the cruise next team explained this change as they would have seen my OBC in my account on the last day of the cruise.  I read all the term on the cruise next paperwork I received on board and there was no mention that nonrefundable obc could not be used...Just posting so others do not make the same mistake I made....

[julig22]

It would help immensely if they would fix their onboard account system so you could at least see where your account stands.  On the Bliss a few months ago my obc status changed daily when viewed on the tv monitor - and didn't match the final invoice.  On the Jewel recently (no tv set up), the app seemed to show that my shareholder obc was used up, either in the casino or for a cruise next purchase. I later made other purchases that would wipe it out anyway, so I can't tell for sure.

[majmaj4]

Can the nonrefundable OBC be used for shore excursions even if you have the Free at See $50 credit for the excursions?

 

 

[ggTexasGal]

30 minutes ago, majmaj4 said:

Can the nonrefundable OBC be used for shore excursions even if you have the Free at See $50 credit for the excursions?

Yes!  However, you can only do that when onboard the ship. (Quite literally, it is On Board Credit)!

Also, the other thing you might not realize, the $50 Shore Excursion Credit is for use by the 1st Passenger(solely) listed on the reservation!  The credit can NOT be split up, nor can it be used by trying to have first person book and second (3rd, 4th, etc. persons) try to use it! 

(NCL has gotten wise to this happening!!!)

[hawkeyetlse]

26 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said:

The credit can NOT be split up, nor can it be used by trying to have first person book and second (3rd, 4th, etc. persons) try to use it!

In my experience, they never look at the name on the excursion ticket, and I have given an excursion ticket to someone else, even in a totally different cabin, with no issues. Are you saying NCL stopped you from doing that? How?