Aquaclass passengers who upgrade to Indulge can’t use $300 OBC for excursions

[luv2cruisemore]

We were about to upgrade to the Indulge package for our Sept 16 Solstice cruise so we could use the $300 pp OBC for excursions until I read the VERY SMALL PRINT that says Aquaclass passengers can ONLY use the OBC for the spa. I did faux bookings for Inside through Concierge cabins and they are not restricted. This doesn’t seem fair. 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

OBC can be used for any onboard expense you may incur.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We've never booked this package but have never heard anyone else mention this. When you book the retreat the additional OBC is listed as an excursion credit but it can be used for anything.

[Loracpin2]

14 minutes ago, luv2cruisemore said:

We were about to upgrade to the Indulge package for our Sept 16 Solstice cruise so we could use the $300 pp OBC for excursions until I read the VERY SMALL PRINT that says Aquaclass passengers can ONLY use the OBC for the spa. I did faux bookings for Inside through Concierge cabins and they are not restricted. This doesn’t seem fair. 

While we don't have an Indulge package, we do have a $250 OBC from our TA for our Aquaclass  booking in the January 8 BEYOND sailing. I will also be very upset if we can only use the credit in the Spa! 

[cruisestitch]

I don’t think the system is sophisticated enough to separate out spa-only money.  It lumps The ObC together..

[HskrCrsr]

32 minutes ago, CHEZMARYLOU said:

We've never booked this package but have never heard anyone else mention this. When you book the retreat the additional OBC is listed as an excursion credit but it can be used for anything.

It has come up before, back in March, and my post #2 suggests someone mentioned it before that:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/topic/2837568-elevate-package-obc-for-shore-excursions-only/

 

Granted this was for the Elevate package but that doesn't matter.

 

I do not recall anyone saying that they were ever actually limited to certain uses.

 

[luv2cruisemore]

53 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

OBC can be used for any onboard expense you may incur.

“ONBOARD” might be the operative word. Excursions are not onboard.

[luv2cruisemore]

34 minutes ago, Loracpin2 said:

While we don't have an Indulge package, we do have a $250 OBC from our TA for our Aquaclass  booking in the January 8 BEYOND sailing. I will also be very upset if we can only use the credit in the Spa! 

I believe this restriction is only for using the Indulge upgrade.  Your TA OBC should be able to be used for anything you’d like. There might even be a way to cash it out if you don’t use it.

[jelayne]

2 minutes ago, luv2cruisemore said:

“ONBOARD” might be the operative word. Excursions are not onboard.

No, a while back OBC was only available to use once you were physically on the ship and you could purchase excursions with it.  There was no option or in fact systems to support the purchasing of things pre cruise.

That changed over time and now most things that you can purchase on the ship can now also be booked and paid for with your OBC although you don't use them until on the ship.

[Michidoeme]

We booked excursions online pre cruise and assumed these were going to be taken from our indulge OBC, especially since we were never prompted for credit card payment. However just days prior to boarding our credit card was charged.  
On top of that one of the excursions we had to cancel was credited to our on board account and not to our credit card as it should have been.  Luckily we could use the OBC for other things.

 

That was on Beyond this year May and we were not in Aqua.

Edited July 10, 2022 by Michidoeme

[Mark_T]

16 minutes ago, Michidoeme said:

We booked excursions online pre cruise and assumed these were going to be taken from our indulge OBC, especially since we were never prompted for credit card payment. However just days prior to boarding our credit card was charged.  
On top of that one of the excursions we had to cancel was credited to our on board account and not to our credit card as it should have been.  Luckily we could use the OBC for other things.

When you want something to come from your OBC you do have to select that during the purchase process.

 

If you cancel something after the pre-cruise ordering phase has closed it will go to your onboard account first, and if unused it will get returned to your card at the end of the cruise.

 

Some OBC is 'use it or lose it' refundable credit will get refunded.