Can OBC be used for gratuities?

[2ferfun]

We are taking our first HAL cruise in a month and we have been loading our account up with OBC (this is something we have always done on other lines) to pay for gratuities and drinks.  I saw someone say on another thread that OBC can't be used for the daily charge for crew gratuity? Is that correct??

[CruiserBruce]

Been discussed here pretty frequently, but no official resolution. It may depend on the source of the OBC. 

 

Certainly hope it can, as we have about $700 inn OBC on an upcoming 14 day cruise, and grats aren't included in that HIA.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

Absolutely you can use it for gratuities. We do it all the time. The OBC appears as a credit to your account. Anything charged to your account, including daily gratuities, eats that up. If you have both refundable OBC and non refundable OBC, they use use up the non refundable first. Then anything left is refundable OBC and you get anything you don’t spend back at the end of the cruise.

Edited June 1, 2023 by Horizon chaser 1957

[3rdGenCunarder]

@2ferfun, it sounds like you are buying OBC to avoid the shock of the final bill. If so, it's refundable OBC and you should be able to use it for anything on board, except possibly the casino. Sometimes OBC given by HAL has strings attached, but if you bought it, it's yours to spend as you see fit.

[2ferfun]

Great news!  We are buying this OBC ourselves so it sounds like we are in good shape!  Thanks so much!

[kazu]

50 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

@2ferfun, it sounds like you are buying OBC to avoid the shock of the final bill. If so, it's refundable OBC and you should be able to use it for anything on board, except possibly the casino. Sometimes OBC given by HAL has strings attached, but if you bought it, it's yours to spend as you see fit.

 

Refundable OBC can be used in the casino, no problem at all 🙂 

[SFO Peter]

1 hour ago, 2ferfun said:

Great news!  We are buying this OBC ourselves so it sounds like we are in good shape!  Thanks so much!

=====

Just by Casino Chips.  I have done this many times.   They will give you a card to go get the >>money<< from the Casino.   For my recent Japan cruise I bought 3k.   Casino did ask me at what tables I plan to visit and I said here and there.  I did play and lose $20 at the tables.  No problem.

Peter

[BermudaBound2014]

Full disclaimer: I have not sailed HAL recently, so it's possible that HAL has a far more generous policy than any of the other mainstream lines.

 

However; In the absence of such a liberal policy, the answer is that it depends on where the OBC originates.

 

From an accounting standpoint, a $100 OBC used to purchase soda (for example), likely cost the cruise line pennies on the dollar  because things like soda, shore excursions, alcohol, etc.. have an extremely high mark up. The cruise line can give OBC knowing that ultimately their 'out of pocket' is significantly less than the dollar amount of the OBC for goods purchased.

 

However; gratuity is different. If the cruise line offers $100 OBC and you apply it to gratuities, in theory it would cost the cruise line the full $100 (because we all hope they would not give crew pennies on the dollar).

 

It appears from several of the frequent HAL sailors that HAL does indeed have a liberal policy. I have no reason to doubt this, but would pause to acknowledge that there are MANY forms of OBC to account for, so one blanket statement may not hold true for all OBC. There is refundable vs nonrefundable as main categories, but even those break down further. Did the OBC come in the form of loyalty bonus? Referral bonus? Incentive? HAL specials (like 150 years)?? Casino promo? TA kick back?? Each of these could fall into the refundable or non-refundable category, so where the pot of gold originated matters.

 

IMO, it is very likely that if your OBC is refundable it can be used for gratuities. If it is non-refundable the answer is may not be as clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by BermudaBound2014

[Cruise Suzy]

39 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

IMO, it is very likely that if your OBC is refundable it can be used for gratuities. If it is non-refundable the answer is may not be as clear.

My non-refundable OBC has always come from HAL (shareholder, early booking, book onboard). Crew Appreciation (Gratuities) has always been applied to it until there is none left, then CA has been applied to the refundable OBC.

[BermudaBound2014]

4 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

My non-refundable OBC has always come from HAL (shareholder, early booking, book onboard). Crew Appreciation (Gratuities) has always been applied to it until there is none left, then CA has been applied to the refundable OBC.

 

Nice. HAL does appear to have maintained a VERY generous policy regarding OBC, especially considering most of the other main stream lines have changed their policies.

 

 

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by BermudaBound2014

[kazu]

2 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

Full disclaimer: I have not sailed HAL recently, so it's possible that HAL has a far more generous policy than any of the other mainstream lines.

 

However; In the absence of such a liberal policy, the answer is that it depends on where the OBC originates.

 

From an accounting standpoint, a $100 OBC used to purchase soda (for example), likely cost the cruise line pennies on the dollar  because things like soda, shore excursions, alcohol, etc.. have an extremely high mark up. The cruise line can give OBC knowing that ultimately their 'out of pocket' is significantly less than the dollar amount of the OBC for goods purchased.

 

However; gratuity is different. If the cruise line offers $100 OBC and you apply it to gratuities, in theory it would cost the cruise line the full $100 (because we all hope they would not give crew pennies on the dollar).

 

It appears from several of the frequent HAL sailors that HAL does indeed have a liberal policy. I have no reason to doubt this, but would pause to acknowledge that there are MANY forms of OBC to account for, so one blanket statement may not hold true for all OBC. There is refundable vs nonrefundable as main categories, but even those break down further. Did the OBC come in the form of loyalty bonus? Referral bonus? Incentive? HAL specials (like 150 years)?? Casino promo? TA kick back?? Each of these could fall into the refundable or non-refundable category, so where the pot of gold originated matters.

 

IMO, it is very likely that if your OBC is refundable it can be used for gratuities. If it is non-refundable the answer is may not be as clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The OP has REFUNDABLE OBC.  That has already been stated.  It can be used for anything.  

 

There is no very likely about it.  It is what it is.

 

[BermudaBound2014]

27 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

The OP has REFUNDABLE OBC.  That has already been stated.  It can be used for anything.  

 

There is no very likely about it.  It is what it is.

 

 

I try to avoid blanket forward looking policy statements because policies can and do change. It's just the lawyer in me. Forgive 😉 

[cruzn single]

Put in Non-legalese language, if OP is buying OBC it is their money and they can use it for anything they want to!

[BermudaBound2014]

6 minutes ago, cruzn single said:

Put in Non-legalese language, if OP is buying OBC it is their money and they can use it for anything they want to!

I absolutely agree!! Especially given they are buying the OBC :). 
 

I’m not trying to be argumentative. I attempted to provide some background on why where obc originates  often matters. OPs updated info in post #5 makes the point :). 
 

What I should have said was,  “In light of the fact that the OP is purchasing their own OBC, it is my belief that this OBC can be used toward gratuity.” 

Edited June 1, 2023 by BermudaBound2014

[Haljo1935]

@BermudaBound2014 yep, the updated response is better 🙃 given OP stated they were buying it themselves.

And, yes, @2ferfun, the OBC you're purchasing can be used for gratuities. Any amount not used will be refunded to the CC you have on file for the cruise or you can take it in cash. Enjoy your cruise!!

[Iamthesea]

We recently returned from a 2 week cruise where we left the ship with a zero bill.  Both our refundable and non-refundable OBC covered our multiple spa appointments, all crew gratuities for our stay ($17.50pp, per day) and a few other misc. items.  We have already received $125 refundable credit back to our bank card.  We used USD cash to give extra gratuities.  

[Tampa Girl]

On 6/1/2023 at 12:53 PM, Cruise Suzy said:

My non-refundable OBC has always come from HAL (shareholder, early booking, book onboard). Crew Appreciation (Gratuities) has always been applied to it until there is none left, then CA has been applied to the refundable OBC.

That has been my experience, as well.  Usually our OBC's come from HAL, and they have always been used for crew appreciation.  

[SFO Peter]

6 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

We recently returned from a 2 week cruise where we left the ship with a zero bill.  Both our refundable and non-refundable OBC covered our multiple spa appointments, all crew gratuities for our stay ($17.50pp, per day) and a few other misc. items.  We have already received $125 refundable credit back to our bank card.  We used USD cash to give extra gratuities.  

====

I use envelopes marked >> Gifts<< so hopefully they will know they do not have to put the extras in the shared Gratuity pot.

 

Peter

[Florida_gal_50]

3 hours ago, SFO Peter said:

====

I use envelopes marked >> Gifts<< so hopefully they will know they do not have to put the extras in the shared Gratuity pot.

 

Peter

I put their names on the envelopes and a note inside to say this was extra above the crew appreciation. I leave mine in my room on the last night before I leave for dinner.  I hope you hand theirs to them.  I don’t know how they could know it was for them with the word gift.  That could mean anything.

[Iamthesea]

We directly hand the individual crew members their "extra gift".

[3rdGenCunarder]

13 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I put their names on the envelopes and a note inside to say this was extra above the crew appreciation. I leave mine in my room on the last night before I leave for dinner.  I hope you hand theirs to them.  I don’t know how they could know it was for them with the word gift.  That could mean anything.

 

If I tip the MDR waiters, I give them the envelopes directly on the last night. Cabin stewards are so busy on turnover day that if I don't happen to see mine, I leave the envelope on the desk, with the steward's name and "thank you" on it. Last time, I saw my wonderful steward as I was walking toward the elevator. I thanked him for taking good care of me and told him I'd left something for him on the desk. 

 

And in addition to gratuities, remember names and mention them in the post-cruise survey.

[SFO Peter]

15 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I put their names on the envelopes and a note inside to say this was extra above the crew appreciation. I leave mine in my room on the last night before I leave for dinner.  I hope you hand theirs to them.  I don’t know how they could know it was for them with the word gift.  That could mean anything.

=====

yes I give it to them by hand.   The envelope has the recipient first name as well as the giver name on it.  For example I give Main Waiter and his Assistant separate envelopes.   I also give it to them two nights before disembarkation.  Especially the main dining room because sometimes you may decide to eat elsewhere night before disembarkation.

Peter

Edited June 3, 2023 by SFO Peter

[PaperSniper4]

On 6/1/2023 at 8:05 AM, 2ferfun said:

We are taking our first HAL cruise in a month and we have been loading our account up with OBC (this is something we have always done on other lines) to pay for gratuities and drinks.  I saw someone say on another thread that OBC can't be used for the daily charge for crew gratuity? Is that correct??

Norwegian cruise line is like that; your OBC cannot be used for gratuities. Even if it's a refundable OBC such as from your TA. Nuts, I know.

 

But as far as I know, on HAL we can use the OBCs to cover the grats, refundable or nonrefundable makes no difference.

 

Doug

[Florida_gal_50]

27 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Norwegian cruise line is like that; your OBC cannot be used for gratuities. Even if it's a refundable OBC such as from your TA. Nuts, I know.

 

But as far as I know, on HAL we can use the OBCs to cover the grats, refundable or nonrefundable makes no difference.

 

Doug

Yes it is of course possible on hal. Many, many of us have posted the same.  I’m not sure how it continues to be doubted.

[PaperSniper4]

7 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Yes it is of course possible on hal. Many, many of us have posted the same.  I’m not sure how it continues to be doubted.

Probably from remembering from another cruise line's forum here at CC. I have three cruises booked now on three different cruise lines, and I gotta tell ya, I'm nearly always getting them mixed up!😳

 

 Doug