Agency credit offers can often top the cruise line's own onboard credit offers for the same stateroom on the same cruise. The cost of gratuities does vary by cruise line but as an example, $15 per person per night would be a reasonable charge to expect. So read, on to find out how. Spreading the good word about a cruise you loved isn't a thankless endeavor. If you just want to have fun, though, you can do almost anything you like with it. Most cruise lines place no restrictions on the use of onboard credit; if you can bill it to your account, you can cover the cost with your cruise onboard credit. Hand it over to the bartender or salesperson to bill a purchase to your onboard account. Think about how it will benefit you before spending it. So, heres a list of everything you can spend your Royal Caribbean onboard credit on, in order from the best to the worst. Its a financial credit to your shipboard account; the amount of your onboard credit will be deducted from your final bill of purchases made on board during your cruise. You can do this via the cruise lines app if there is one, at the restaurants of your choice or at stations set up on embarkation day specifically so you can make dining reservations throughout the ship. Many cruise lines offer referral bonuses for new cruises booked by first-timers. When you receive onboard credit, this is credited to your SeaPass account. Smooth move. This trick wont work on Royal Caribbean because, unlike Carnival gift cards, Royal Caribbean gift cards can only be used towards cruise fare, not onboard purchases and shipboard charges. For any cruise departing March 15, 2022 or later, guests can now book their activities online and pay using their onboard credit. Any winnings are yours to keep. Treating yourself to a special meal in one of Royal Caribbeans upscale restaurants could be a great way to spend any onboard credit youve accumulated. CRUISE HIVE LTD 2008-2023. A previous answer for this referred to calling the cruise line and getting the fine print on how you can use the OBC. Carnival allows guests to use their credit for a day pass for the onboard spa. If you need to stay connected at sea, Royal Caribbean offers several wifi packages, starting from $9.99 per device, per day. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or just want to switch up your routine, onboard credit is a great way to cover or offset the cost. Carnival onboard credits can be used to purchase a CHEERS! On each cruise ship, there are places selling souvenirs, watches, jewelry, clothes, liquor, and accessories. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Wi-Fi is expensive onboard a cruise compared to your home internet plan. Have you found yourself with some Royal Caribbean onboard credit and want to know how you can spend it? Cruise ship art auctions can be fun to watch and youll usually get a free glass of fizz. Carnival realized the problem this was creating and changed their policy so guests could now use the credit when purchasing things ahead of time. Serious art investors would never buy art on a cruise ship as the paintings are known to be ridiculously overpriced. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Credits can be used toward onboard charges such as gift shop purchases, a la carte bottle charges, laundry, spa services and shore excursions. The first is for any on board credits purchased for or by you and are fully refundable. package is cheaper if bought before boarding. Specialty restaurants offer an alternative to the standard main dining room and buffet options included in cruise fares. When the cruise is over, you can settle your account by making the final payment using onboard credit, credit cards, or cash. NCL OBC is shown on your shipboard statement as nonrefundable OBC, so needs to be . Related: 7 extra-charge items on cruise ships that are worth the cost (and 7 that arent). Lowering Your Drink Bill is Easy with Cruise Onboard Credit. There are numerous reasons that onboard credit can be added to a passenger's cruise account. When you reserve individual restaurants on board, your onboard account is usually not charged at the time you make the reservation. This isn't quite the same as free spending money since you already spent it on your cruise. We'll send you a weekly newsletter to your inbox. Childcare in Royal Caribbeans Adventure Ocean kid clubs is generally free of charge. If you need to stay connected, internet at sea is necessary, but tends to be wildly expensive on cruise ships. At the end of your cruise, any leftover onboard credit will be automatically offset against any gratuities owed on your final bill. (For full disclosure, I am a stockholder of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.). These include: If your Royal Caribbean cruise is cancelled, you may receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) that you can use to pay for another cruise ticket. While you may be able to get wifi for free on a Royal Caribbean cruise, this isnt always reliable. Non-Suite. This table shows the charges for childcare on Royal Caribbean cruises: You might think that the souvenirs on Royal Caribbeans cruise ships would be ridiculously expensive. On a cruise, youll also have to pay for specialty coffees, sodas, smoothies, nonalcoholic cocktails and bottled water. If you know youll want to order drinks each day, whether thats a frozen margarita while lounging poolside, a late afternoon specialty coffee drink, or uncorking a special cabernet with your steak entree, one of our beverage packages is the way to go, as it gives you unlimited drinks throughout your cruise. Instead, the cruise line opens a charge account for every passenger on embarkation day. Paying gratuities using onboard credits provides a wonderful way to avoid the bill when the cruise ends. They may be items from the onboard shops like spa services, jewelry, additional onboard credit, and free bingo cards. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. These art auctions use all kinds of tricks to get you to buy. We pride ourselves on excellent guest satisfaction and our onboard team is available to immediately address any concerns you may have about your cruise. You can also use Cruise Critic's deals page to see just how much onboard credit is being offered. It's the easiest way to get your favorite Apple services at one incredible price and get even more enjoyment out of your Apple devices. The picture was only $60 and I really liked it. Even better, no deposits are required. However, you can use credits to buy a picture if you want to capture a specific moment. There is also a 3% fee for withdrawing funds at a table game, but there isn't a . 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. The amount will vary depending on the situation. Notably, NCL raised their gratuity fees effective January 2023. But honestly, youd do better to enjoy the free drinks, take note of the prices and buy elsewhere (unless its a painting that you really do love). Note that these may vary by sailing and are subject to change. Some things you can buy on Royal Caribbean cruise ships are almost always a waste of money, even if you consider that money to be free! Relaxing treatments at a cruise ship spa are tops on many cruisers splurge lists, which makes them worthy of onboard credit use. However, Royal Caribbean now lets you apply onboard credit to purchases made before your cruise via the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner website or via the telephone. So if the value of your FCC is higher than the cost of your next cruise, a new voucher will be issued for the remaining FCC. 2022 Roblox VR Guide: Help, Tips + Setup. Purchases at sea in international waters are tax-exempt. If the credit is there and you really want a new scarf, or one of the formal night photos turned out better than any photo you've had taken of you and your partner in years, use that OBC to treat yourself. Unless you pay tips in advance, most cruise lines add a daily gratuity amount to your stateroom account during the cruise. One of which is putting very small paintings inside huge frames, you can see! Once you've paid for your cruise in full, some lines will offer you a refund in the form of onboard credit if you notify them that the price of your cabin category dropped. Cruise lines love enticing you to book by dangling onboard credit in front of you -- often with a booking deadline. These will usually be posted in each days ship highlights or you can always call the spa to ask for specials. This form of onboard is money back, rather than money gifted, but it still beats paying a higher cruise fare with nothing in return. Check the daily newsletter or even shop signage for special offers to reduce your costs a tiny bit. Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) OBC cannot be used until you are onboard. Here's what I did recently with $50 in onboard credit that did not involve risking any of my own money. When it comes to deciding what to spend your Royal Caribbean onboard credit on, some purchases are much smarter than others. Royal Caribbean regularly offers onboard credit as an incentive to get guests to book a cruise. Lastly, you can also use onboard credit for restaurants within . Otherwise, book your specialty meals as soon as possible after boarding. Royal Caribbean bingo tickets start from $49 for 24 chances to win, although if you spend $69 you get 48 chances, so it doesnt make much sense to go for the cheaper ticket packages. About Onboard Credit You can use Onboard Credit to purchase products or services once you're on the ship. You probably wont want to do all of these extra activities as there are so many things that you can do on board for free, but if there are any that you definitely want to tick off, then these would be a great way to spend any onboard credit that you have left over after paying for gratuities. I was comfortable playing $1.25 at a time, which meant I had 40 plays before my original $50 was used up. Looking forward to my new experience. Your credit can go towards tips if you havent prepaid them before boarding. You'll get Wi-Fi for only $7.80 of your own money. Again, using onboard credit for tips isn't allowed on all lines; check before the start of your cruise so you can plan accordingly. You can use onboard credit at the casino; however, you can only cash out your winnings. Updated . $16.00. If your favorite cruise line has a co-branded credit card, check to see if it offers onboard credit either as a sign-up bonus or as one of the points redemption options. You can think of it as a license to do something you wouldnt do if you were paying or a way to reduce your anticipated vacation bill by using it to cover costs you already planned to incur. Use these tips and tricks to make your cozy home feel spacious and comf. Thanks! Buy a stunning new outfit to wear to dinner that very evening or find a destination-focused souvenir that will always remind you of your cruise vacation. Use Your Onboard Credit for a Spa Splurge. As this is something that we all need to pay anyway, it makes sense to spend your onboard credit on gratuities first, then see how much you have left for the fun stuff. I'm so sorry that this post wasn't useful for you! Using onboard credit for tips is allowed on all lines, but check before the start of your cruise so you can plan accordingly. The cost for The Key varies depending on your cruise, but it will be somewhere between $20 and $34 per person, per day. Onboard Credit Can Put Pricey Professional Photos Within Reach. Casino. At the end of youse cruise, you can settle your account with cash, by credit or debit card or with onboard credit. You can book with complete confidence and peace of mind, knowing that . So don't just book that amazing cruise deal yourself; get your friends to do the same and use their bookings to your onboard credit advantage. Cruise travelers have several ways to acquire onboard credit, some easier than others. If you really enjoy speciality dining you can buy dining packages that let you eat in a certain number of restaurants, or upgrade to enjoy unlimited speciality dining throughout your cruise. On board credits can be used towards most items related to your cruise vacation, just like cash. It used to be the case that you could only spend Royal Caribbean onboard credit once you boarded your ship. In most cases, these onboard credits can typically be used towards . Also, your onboard credit must be used before midnight on the last night of your cruise. The downside is that the CHEERS! . Gratuities. OBC from HAL generally cannot be used in the casino, while OBC that you (or your TA or someone else) provided can be used. Purchasing a photo is not obligatory. Plus Ups are excluded. You may also note special offers for discounted treatments. When you have finished playing, your winnings will be paid out as a credit slip which you take either to a machine or the cashier for actual money. That fact alone makes it a great use for onboard credit. The cruise lines or travel agencies often give onboard credits as a promotion or an incentive to book. Pay later if: You need extra time to gather the funds Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. A few dont allow OBC use in the casino or to pay for crew gratuities. Heres a list of the best and worst ways to do it. It can come from a cruise deal that you've booked or from the cruise ship casino, cruise credit card rewards or other sources. As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in non-suites staterooms, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Suites, will be applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. Free expert cruise tips and news from Cruise Hive! If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. Carnival changes their onboard credit policies. From souvenirs to cupcakes, theres a long list of temptations enticing you to spend a few extra dollars while you cruise. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Now, you will receive even more value when you apply your Future Cruise Credit Certificate to one of our reduced fare voyages. Getting the most out of your onboard credit when it comes to drinks depends on what kind of drinker you are. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. Or, if youre short on time, you can use my Royal Caribbean drink package calculator that will work it out for you based on what you usually drink. You can use onboard credit at the casino; however, you can only cash out your winnings. But there are some great deals to be had, particularly if youre shopping with your free onboard credit! Using onboard credit for tips is allowed on all lines, but check before the start of your cruise . Onboard credit cannot be applied to medical costs for any treatments you might need while on the ship. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. Be enthralled as food is prepared tableside, an exciting feature at some of our specialty restaurants, and enjoy discussing wine pairings for each course with the restaurants sommelier. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. On some ships, the paid specialty restaurants are what add the wow factor to the overall food experience on board. It's not the best way to earn credit, but if something goes wrong on your cruise -- like the ship is stranded, misses port calls or experiences a significant malfunction -- you may be compensated with a future onboard credit offer. Since the start, it's been our aim to provide the latest cruise news covering all the major cruise lines. It happens more often than you might think. But for most people, youll do better in the casino. I'm not much of a drinker though. If you've never played the slots before, complimentary lessons are available and are listed in each day's Celebrity Today newsletter. That said, you could easily double your onboard credit with the help of Lady Luck, or you could lose it all. Not absolutely every activity on board your cruise ship will be free of charge. At the end of the cruise you'll receive a copy of everything you've spent, and on the morning you disembark this money will automatically be taken from . I booked an Alaska cruise recently through United Cruises and got $50 OBC; the cruise line was offering $25 for the same stateroom. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. Royal Caribbean cruises do include some free drinks like water, tea, coffee, flavoured water and milk. Whether you're buying onboard credit as a gift or for personal use, it's available for purchase before your cruise or once onboard. Cruise Line Branded Credit Cards Can Help You Score Onboard Credit, Some cruise line credit cards allow you to turn your accrued points into onboard credit. You can even use your onboard credit for some of those deliciously healthy smoothies in our spa caf. I did turn down the offer of a $450 frame though and opted to get my print framed in a local shop for 49. Some cruise lines put restrictions on using OBC in the casino (Holland America bans it outright) or charge a convenience fee for using your onboard account for funds at the gaming tables. Every time I sail, I make it a point to try the most colorful cocktail I can find just moments after . So if you love bingo, this might be for you. The best way to spend any onboard credit that you have is on gratuities. Onboard credit can be used to turn the onboard photographer into your own personal paparazzi. Home Depot Sundance TR-1600 2-Story Farmhouse - The New Classic Manor New Day . How . $17.50. While there are lots of things to do on CocoCay for free, activities like the Thrill Waterpark and the Up, Up & Away balloon ride are chargeable. If you have done your research and decided to purchase cruise line stock, know that some lines offer onboard credit to shareholders each time they cruise, with certain restrictions. Enrollment required. Her first cruise was on Carnivals second ship, Carnivale. That is why it is called 'on board' credit. This includes shore excursions, private vans or cars during the cruise, La Reserve, Beverage Packages and Prive. You dont use credit cards either. Sail on the cruise line, and you'll now pay $20.00 per person, per day if you are sailing in an interior, oceanview, balcony cabin or Club Balcony Suite. Most investors and art enthusiasts tend not to buy art while on cruise ships. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage packages are available and differ depending on if you prefer premium liquor, higher end wines, or craft beer (Classic vs.