Onboard credit & Gratuities

[versuco]

Trying to figure out if I can use my onboard credit to cover gratuities, or if I should prepay them.  Any recent cruisers have experience with this?  We have shore excursion credit and Have It All, so don't know what we will use the onboard credit for if we can't use it for the gratuities.  I have read conflicting accounts about it.  Thanks.

[Cruise Suzy]

Yes, OBC can be used for Crew Appreciation (gratuities) It can also be used to purchase items in the shops or any Specialty Dining reservations you make onboard or any number things.

[versuco]

3 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

Yes, OBC can be used for Crew Appreciation (gratuities) It can also be used to purchase items in the shops or any Specialty Dining reservations you make onboard or any number things.

Thank you.  We already have dining reservations and don't really buy much in the shops (our 54th cruise), so we will be happy to use it for the Crew Appreciation.  I thought we used it once before for gratuities on HAL, but have been getting conflicting reports.

[Coram]

We were advised by guest services that we could not use the OBC we received in our specific HIA package for gratuities.  I would call them and confirm your options.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Coram

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Coram said:

We were advised by guest services that we could not use the OBC we received in our specific HIA package for gratuities.  I would call them and confirm your options.

 

That’s a first.  this is from Seattle, right?  Not on board? (I believe you sail on on May 30th?)

 

You might want to check your on board account when you are on on day 2.  I bet you find the non refundable OBC goes down by the amount of the crew incentive.  I’ve had HIA and OBC and my crew incentive has always been deducted from my OBC.

[richwmn]

1 hour ago, Coram said:

We were advised by guest services that we could not use the OBC we received in our specific HIA package for gratuities.  I would call them and confirm your options.

 

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

That’s a first.  this is from Seattle, right?  Not on board? (I believe you sail on on May 30th?)

 

You might want to check your on board account when you are on on day 2.  I bet you find the non refundable OBC goes down by the amount of the crew incentive.  I’ve had HIA and OBC and my crew incentive has always been deducted from my OBC.

I suspect that the OBC from the HIA package that is being referenced is the Shore Excursion OBC which can't be used for anything else

[kazu]

1 minute ago, richwmn said:

 

I suspect that the OBC from the HIA package that is being referenced is the Shore Excursion OBC which can't be used for anything else

 

Oh I didn’t think of that.  Thanks.  I thought she was referring to extra OBC given with certain bookings which included the HIA.  

[Coram]

1 minute ago, kazu said:

 

Oh I didn’t think of that.  Thanks.  I thought she was referring to extra OBC given with certain bookings which included the HIA.  

Our HIA package was very substantial compared to what I have seen being offered since we booked.  We were told we could use it for everything else except gratuities.

[versuco]

We have shore excursion credit that we have already used and onboard credit.  I guess we will see what happens after we board the ship.  There doesn't seem to be any consistency with their policies.

[kazu]

20 minutes ago, Coram said:

Our HIA package was very substantial compared to what I have seen being offered since we booked.  We were told we could use it for everything else except gratuities.

 

Ok, so I was right on what I assumed.  

 

My statement stands.  I bet when you get on board that OBC which is non refundable will say something to effect “not for use for cash or in the casino” and I bet it doesn’t say crew incentive.

Hope you come back and report and I hope I am right.  People were told that on my roll call (already sailed) and the crew incentive was deducted as per normal.

[Coram]

6 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Ok, so I was right on what I assumed.  

 

My statement stands.  I bet when you get on board that OBC which is non refundable will say something to effect “not for use for cash or in the casino” and I bet it doesn’t say crew incentive.

Hope you come back and report and I hope I am right.  People were told that on my roll call (already sailed) and the crew incentive was deducted as per normal.

We haven't prepaid our gratuities so will definitely let you know.  They did mention that it couldn't be used in the casino either.

[Florida_gal_50]

58 minutes ago, Coram said:

We haven't prepaid our gratuities so will definitely let you know.  They did mention that it couldn't be used in the casino either.

Well at least they got part of it right.  It can't be used in the casino.  I've always used my OBC for gratuities (not the obc ear marrked for shorex).  My last cruise was barely a month ago.

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Well at least they got part of it right.  It can't be used in the casino.  I've always used my OBC for gratuities (not the obc ear marrked for shorex).  My last cruise was barely a month ago.

Same experience as others here and as recently as this month (May 6) on Eurodam  - can be used for daily gratuities. 

Agree w/Kazu to check statement a couple days in and you'll likely see the non refundable amount decreasing by the amount of the gratuities. 

Enjoy your trip!

[aaaaa]

Can OBC be used for WiFi?

[DaveOKC]

15 minutes ago, aaaaa said:

Can OBC be used for WiFi?

yes

 

[singleflyer]

If I pre-purchase shipboard credit, anyone know if it can be used at the casino?  

 

[VMax1700]

On 10/28/2023 at 5:43 AM, singleflyer said:

If I pre-purchase shipboard credit, anyone know if it can be used at the casino?  

 

You can use it everywhere.

[gigianne]

Just off the Rotterdam, we had HIA that did not have gratuities on it, but we had considerable non refundable on board credit.  We used it for gratuities (deducted daily), upgraded internet and on board shopping.  We had refundable credit from our TA that we received in cash before disembarking.  

[Ready2go11]

Extra tips applied by receipt for drinks, coffees and speciality dining were also charged to our non refundable credit helping to use some of it. 

[zgscl]

Many of the non-refundable credits say you cannot use for gratuity or casino (shareholder benefits are a good example). I have always been able to use for the daily service charge on HAL regardless of what the official terms/policy says.

[Mandalay1903]

2 hours ago, zgscl said:

I have always been able to use for the daily service charge on HAL regardless of what the official terms/policy says.

Same here...