Buying OBC

[PGHProducer]

I prefer to prepay for things as opposed to experiencing sticker shock at the end. Is there an easy way to buy OBC ahead of time? Is it just buying a gift certificate? Or is there a better way?

[ladysail2]

What I’ve done is put a large sum of money in cash on my account at Guest Services if I know I’ll be spending alot.  You don’t have to rush to do it, I believe the ship allows you to spend something like $500 before ‘asking’ for some payment.  
Years ago I  bought OBC, but can’t remember now how I did that. The cash deposit works just as well.  
I like to avoid sticker shock too!

[PGHProducer]

3 minutes ago, ladysail2 said:

What I’ve done is put a large sum of money in cash on my account at Guest Services if I know I’ll be spending alot.  You don’t have to rush to do it, I believe the ship allows you to spend something like $500 before ‘asking’ for some payment.  
Years ago I  bought OBC, but can’t remember now how I did that. The cash deposit works just as well.  
I like to avoid sticker shock too!

Yeah… but I like getting credit card points too! 😜

[ladysail2]

2 minutes ago, PGHProducer said:

Yeah… but I like getting credit card points too! 😜

Back then, Canada didn’t have many, if any, point-producing credit cards so it wasn’t an incentive. It’s all changed now.  😊

[knuckles]

I do this all the time.  Call Gifts & Gear (1-800-722-5443) group and say you want to purchase onboard credit for your upcoming cruise.

 

Knuckles

[ladysail2]

1 minute ago, knuckles said:

I do this all the time.  Call Gifts & Gear (1-800-722-5443) group and say you want to purchase onboard credit for your upcoming cruise.

 

Knuckles

That sounds familiar….but it raises an interesting question for me. I buy my foreign currency at a currency exchange business in my city. I cannot purchase foreign currency with my credit card because the credit card holder says that it’s a cash advance. I don’t see it that way. To me it’s  a purchase. 
So, I wonder , how is purchasing OBC different than purchasing foreign money….and especially for me..being in Canada?  I wonder if Royal calls the transaction Gift Purchase or something like that.  I’m going to buy $20 OBC and see what happens on my credit card…cause it’s a points card and what the heck. Also, the card doesn’t charge a currency exchange fee.  Will see what happens.

[knuckles]

8 minutes ago, ladysail2 said:

That sounds familiar….but it raises an interesting question for me. I buy my foreign currency at a currency exchange business in my city. I cannot purchase foreign currency with my credit card because the credit card holder says that it’s a cash advance. I don’t see it that way. To me it’s  a purchase. 
So, I wonder , how is purchasing OBC different than purchasing foreign money….and especially for me..being in Canada?  I wonder if Royal calls the transaction Gift Purchase or something like that.  I’m going to buy $20 OBC and see what happens on my credit card…cause it’s a points card and what the heck. Also, the card doesn’t charge a currency exchange fee.  Will see what happens.

I can't speak about the Foreign exchange, but I do know that it is listed as a purchase and not a cash advance.  So I get 5 points per dollar on my travel rewards credit card.  I also am a big gambler and it makes it so much easier than bringing large sums of cash.  This only works if you get waived by Royal for the 5% fee.

 

Knuckles

[ladysail2]

20 minutes ago, knuckles said:

I can't speak about the Foreign exchange, but I do know that it is listed as a purchase and not a cash advance.  So I get 5 points per dollar on my travel rewards credit card.  I also am a big gambler and it makes it so much easier than bringing large sums of cash.  This only works if you get waived by Royal for the 5% fee.

 

Knuckles

That’s why it’s not considered a cash advance..because of the description.  I don’t take my cash out at the Casino, but go to Guest Services to get any unspent cash refunded. I’ve never been changed a fee to do it.  I don’t believe the Casino charges a fee if a person withdraws cash from their account, but will charge if one withdraws off a credit card.  That’s been my experience.

[Ourusualbeach]

48 minutes ago, ladysail2 said:

That sounds familiar….but it raises an interesting question for me. I buy my foreign currency at a currency exchange business in my city. I cannot purchase foreign currency with my credit card because the credit card holder says that it’s a cash advance. I don’t see it that way. To me it’s  a purchase. 
So, I wonder , how is purchasing OBC different than purchasing foreign money….and especially for me..being in Canada?  I wonder if Royal calls the transaction Gift Purchase or something like that.  I’m going to buy $20 OBC and see what happens on my credit card…cause it’s a points card and what the heck. Also, the card doesn’t charge a currency exchange fee.  Will see what happens.

From someone who has purchased large amounts of OBC in the past it is a transaction and not a cash advance

[ladysail2]

1 minute ago, Ourusualbeach said:

From someone who has purchased large amounts of OBC in the past it is a transaction and not a cash advance

That’s what I feel too. But my cc told me that they considered buying foreign currency as a cash advance. That can be alot of instant interest payments. I’m not talking about buying OBC, but purchasing foreign money at a currency exchange business.  I still think it's a ‘purchase’, but not according to my cc. 

[Ourusualbeach]

13 minutes ago, ladysail2 said:

That’s what I feel too. But my cc told me that they considered buying foreign currency as a cash advance. That can be alot of instant interest payments. I’m not talking about buying OBC, but purchasing foreign money at a currency exchange business.  I still think it's a ‘purchase’, but not according to my cc. 

It just shows up as a purchase from Royal.  There is nothing to denote it as a currency purchase and Royal is not a currency exchange.

 

I am also in Canada and purchased at least a $1000 in OBC on every cruise back when exchange rates through Royal  for OBC were favorable.  The good old days when you could buy OBC at 1.10 when the bank was charging 1.35 and up

Edited June 7, 2022 by Ourusualbeach

[Cigar King]

2 hours ago, PGHProducer said:

Yeah… but I like getting credit card points too!

Then just put your money in the bank and pay with your credit card.  You'll get the points and a few Quatloos in interest.  As long as you pay your bill in full many credit cards will not charge interest.

[ladysail2]

30 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It just shows up as a purchase from Royal.  There is nothing to denote it as a currency purchase and Royal is not a currency exchange.

 

I am also in Canada and purchased at least a $1000 in OBC on every cruise back when exchange rates through Royal  for OBC were favorable.  The good old days when you could buy OBC at 1.10 when the bank was charging 1.35 and up

I remember when that happened. I bought some too, but not as much as you. It was all over the boards at the time.  Yes, the good old days indeed!!

[not-enough-cruising]

1 minute ago, Cigar King said:

Then just put your money in the bank and pay with your credit card.  You'll get the points and a few Quatloos in interest.  As long as you pay your bill in full many credit cards will not charge interest.

Thank You 

 

The “shell game” of buying OBC to avoid sticker shock just baffles my mind. You are spending the $$, it’s no surprise. It makes as much sense as people I know setting their clocks 15 minutes forward so they won’t be late. 

[vjmatty]

19 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Thank You 

 

The “shell game” of buying OBC to avoid sticker shock just baffles my mind. You are spending the $$, it’s no surprise. It makes as much sense as people I know setting their clocks 15 minutes forward so they won’t be late. 

Read the whole thread, some people do it for points, others for the exchange rate and others prefer to use cash.

 

I get that it’s not for everyone. 

[ladysail2]

1 hour ago, vjmatty said:

Read the whole thread, some people do it for points, others for the exchange rate and others prefer to use cash.

 

I get that it’s not for everyone. 

You’re right, everyone has their own reasons…and whatever works for that person.  😊

[Mum2Mercury]

OBC makes financial sense IF you're getting it with credit card reward points (assuming, of course, you're paying the credit card in full each month).

[not-enough-cruising]

3 hours ago, vjmatty said:

Read the whole thread, some people do it for points, others for the exchange rate and others prefer to use cash.

 

I get that it’s not for everyone. 

 

28 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

OBC makes financial sense IF you're getting it with credit card reward points (assuming, of course, you're paying the credit card in full each month).

You get the same points just putting your card down at check in (or setting up a cash account and paying it out with a CC)

[not-enough-cruising]

3 hours ago, vjmatty said:

Read the whole thread, some people do it for points, others for the exchange rate and others prefer to use cash.

 

I get that it’s not for everyone. 

The OP implicitly stated they were doing it to avoid "sticker shock"

[Bound4Bermuda]

28 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

OBC makes financial sense IF you're getting it with credit card reward points (assuming, of course, you're paying the credit card in full each month).

But wouldn’t you alternatively get the points once RC charges your card for your actual onboard charges? I can understand waiting to set a budget for yourself, but either way you’re going to keep track to ensure you don’t go overboard, but now you need to take extra care to make sure you spend all your OBC. What if you don’t? Is the OBC refunded to you?

[not-enough-cruising]

3 minutes ago, Bound4Bermuda said:

But wouldn’t you alternatively get the points once RC charges your card for your actual onboard charges? I can understand waiting to set a budget for yourself, but either way you’re going to keep track to ensure you don’t go overboard, but now you need to take extra care to make sure you spend all your OBC. What if you don’t? Is the OBC refunded to you?

You are 100% correct

 

Unused OBC would be refunded to you

[ladysail2]

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

You are 100% correct

 

Unused OBC would be refunded to you

Just to be a little more specific, in case newbies are reading…..refundable OBC is given back to the owner of it….that includes OBC from yourself, from a travel agent or any other non-Royal Caribbean gift giver. OBC given by Royal Caribbean as a gift for booking, or as part of a promotion for whatever reason is forfeited if not used.

I know you mean the self-given OBC, but sometimes these postings take a few twists along the way and the original intent gets lost. It can confuse the newbies.

[zoepipes]

Buy a "little" and see how it shows up on your credit card.

[DCPIV]

21 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The OP implicitly stated they were doing it to avoid "sticker shock"

 

And that makes sense to me. I don't buy OBC, but I'm happy to prepay gratuities in part because it's one less thing on the account at the end.