Hi, I'm Jenni. Even better, this cruise equivalent of free money can often be used almost without restrictions. On a seven-day cruise, if two people wish to purchase the Premium wifi package, you can save $46.20 by purchasing the package online ahead of time rather than waiting until you board the ship. Who ever heard ofpaying for a restaurant 5-6 months in advance? I would like to know whether there is set out anywhere how onboard credit can be used. Some people have been told that onboard credit that was earned from rebooking a cancelled cruise cannot be used to buy gift cards, but other types of onboard credit such as from a price reduction or shareholders credit can. In most cases, a Future Cruise Credit is only redeemable for the cruise fare portion of a future booking. Use your onboard credit at the luxurious onboard spa, which is one of the best things to do on a cruise to truly unwind. On Carnival cruises, you can use your onboard credit to buy a day pass to the Cloud 9 Spa for just $22, giving you access to the relaxation room, thermal suite, hydrotherapy pool, hot tubs, experience showers, steam rooms, saunas and hammam. Only in the literal sense, mind you. Cruise lines love enticing you to book by dangling onboard credit in front of you -- often with a booking deadline. Onboard credit may seem like free money, and in a way it is, but it still makes sense to spend it wisely to get the most value from it. 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. The amount of the benefit varies with the length of your cruise and cruise line. At some lines, future cruise credits can only be used for a single future sailing, with any leftover balance forfeited. 6/13/2022. Special timed-deals and sales often include perks like reduced deposits and free room upgrades, but be on the lookout for the ones that include OBC, usually with the message "Up to $XX onboard credit." Carnival allows guests to use their credit for a day pass for the onboard spa. Some itineraries offer free onboard credit as an incentive to book. I cannot answer your last question with certainty. CruiseSpotlightSite. So, if you want to spend your Carnival onboard credit in the art auction you can, but make sure you know what youre letting yourself in for. A-Rosa River Cruises has teamed up with Charitable Travel, a tourism social enterprise, to launch a new running cruise holiday in October 2023. An old Carnival legend who happened to enjoy wearing hats was very fond of this method and posted about it quite frequently. If you must have the comfort of an internet-ready device, Carnival offers several connectivity plans that can be paid with OBC once onboard. So my question is this?? To help you maximize the value of your cruise by racking up as much onboard credit as possible, read our tips below and get planning just how you're going to spend that extra cash. Started June 21, 2021, By While it might blow your onboard credit in one shot, applying it to an excursion offers a free or discounted way to embark on a special shore experience. But as with any cruise line that isn't all-inclusive (and even on those not everything is included), on a Carnival cruise you will still have to pay extra for certain goods and services, including specialty dining venues, drinks, shore excursions, spa visits, retail purchases, and gratuities, to name a few. But, if you dont plan on getting a package and want to just pay for the drinks you have, then using your onboard credit for these would make sense. On cruises lasting between 7 to 13 days, you can receive $100 in credit. ON BOARDcredit can only be used on board. For example, often bowling, go-karting or zip-lining on board comes with an extra charge. Onboard credits are generally non-transferable and non-refundable, so you must use them during your cruise. Balcony staterooms will often cost . I believe that paying gratuities is the best use of your onboard credit, as these tips are something that we all should be paying, and you dont get any benefit from pre-paying or using another payment method aside from onboard credit. Onboard credit can be used to turn the onboard photographer into your own personal paparazzi. On board cruise credit is a great way to "pay! Onboard credit in the spa often applies to anything on their treatment menu, and that list could be a long one. So who does buy art at cruise ship art auctions? . Started August 27, 2021, By Theres no obligation to purchase any photos, but if you wish to, you can use your onboard credit to buy photos. Many items may still cost more because youre essentially a captive audience so the prices of some items are inflated. The maximum number of guests per account is 15. Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards There's no shortage of options when it comes to redeeming your Carnival FunPoints earned with the Carnival Mastercard. Shop for Cruise Deals That Include Onboard Credit. What can it be used for? What can a FCC be used for? Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions, C858B0A9-6769-424D-B129-59363EDAC023.jpeg, B5073042-BF8A-4EEC-BD19-0938D8732763.jpeg. You can find more info about Carnival gift cards here. Specialty dining, gratuities, alcohol, casino donations, excursions, fun shop purchases, etc. If you enjoy courting Lady Luck, you'll be glad to know that OBC can be used in the onboard casino. Book interior cabins on your cruises and you will save thousands of dollars over the course of a year. For example, put your FCC towards upgrading your Britannia Balcony Stateroom to one of our Queens Grill Suites, or change . In the past, OBC was relatively small, $50 $100 here or there, so it wasnt a huge issue. By That credit can put a dent in all those extra charges that eventually end up in onboard cruise accounts, from drinks to manicures and even shore excursions. They gave us $600 OBC for each of our 1-week cruises that were canceled (we had several). drink package is that you can only do so once you've boarded the ship instead of before. Sure, drinks packages shave spending off your drink bill, but if you plan on keeping your beverage consumption light, using OBC is a better way to drink for free. Premium eateries also include some cafes and bars like Coffee Bar, JavaBlue Caf and the RedFrog Pub. Log In to shop food, entertainment and gifts for yourself or a friend! Heres the cost for sailings from 1st April 2023: Suggested read: Can You Opt Out of Gratuities On A Carnival Cruise? The onboard credit is nonrefundable, non-transferable, and has no cash value. The stores and boutiques on board sell a wide range of merchandise ranging from tchotchkes and souvenirs to jewelry and electronics. Some popular souvenirs that you may be interested in include a Carnival themed Monopoly game at $49.95, a Carnival windbreaker jacket at $39.95 or a Carnival mug at $14.95. There is no longer a future cruise booking desk on board. Many cruise lines offer referral bonuses for new cruises booked by first-timers. Does anyone know if the credit can be used for this? Onboard credit, by definition, is supposed to be spent on board the ship. At Carnival, you're entitled to $50 OBC on cruises of 6 days or less, $100 on cruises of 7-13 days and $250 on longer if you own a minimum of 100 shares. So if a guest paid $300 for dining and drinks during their cruise and received an OBC of $100, their final bill would be $200 at the end of the cruise. Photos are pretty reasonably priced on Carnival cruises, with prices starting at $11.99 for a small print up to $299.99 for a package that includes a bundle of prints, a large wall canvas, digital copies and a calendar. What are your thoughts will we enjoy sailing with so much going with new variant. If you need to stay connected, internet at sea is necessary, but tends to be wildly expensive on cruise ships. 802. Check It Out: The Absolute Best Alaska Shore Excursions You Can't Miss, Specialty Restaurants Might Be on the House with Onboard Credit. In some cases, cruise lines will supply free onboard credit while in others, you will need to top up your account. Every time I sail, I make it a point to try the most colorful cocktail I can find just moments after . While cruise spa treatments can be expensive, if you book onboard at the right time, they can actually be very good value for money. And youll want to know what you can spend this money on. You can use your Carnival onboard credit in the casino, but you wont be able to cash it out: you can only cash out your winnings. Check Your Cruise Account Before You Board and Book Deals on Wi-Fi and More. What can you spend on-board credit on? But, if youre allowed to disembark and explore independently, then you might find that youre able to save quite a lot of money by planning your own shore excursions rather the purchasing the official Carnival tours. The credit will also come with an expiration date. For sailings departing before 1st April 2023, gratuities cost $14.50 per person, per day for most rooms on Carnival ships, so paying them with onboard credit is a good way to avoid this bill at the end of your cruise. If you do directly from the cage or table there will be a 3%charge. Lifestyle and marathon coach, Rory Coleman, has the low-down. Spreading the good word about a cruise you loved isn't a thankless endeavor. Is there a way to cash out your onboard credit? If you have onboard credit to spend on your Carnival cruise, then the wisest thing to do is first to put it towards gratuities, provided that you havent already pre-paid those. Not only will this keep you informed of the cruise line's latest deals and promotions, but you also get an instant bonus onboard credit just for signing up. I have used OBC to book excursions before booking in the past. Whether you work with an individual travel agent or an online agency, onboard credit is a common booking bonus. As the OP said he has used his ON BOARD credit to purchase things pre-cruise on other cruise lines, so it's not as clear as one would think. Onboard credit is the currency you can use to make purchases when onboard your cruise. Is there a way to cash out your onboard credit? When you then paid onboard, they came out of your OBC. An ATM/Debit Cashing Card may be used as long as it is a registered MasterCard or Visa Card. On 10/14/2020 at 10:14 PM, xDisconnections said: 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. How does Carnival let you use onboard credit. Visit: www.carnival.com What can I use this credit for? By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics, Onboard Credit: How to Get It, Where to Spend It, individual travel agent or an online agency, Booking a Cruise Onboard: How to Score Extras and Discounts, 10 Hidden Costs of Cruising and How to Save, The Absolute Best Alaska Shore Excursions You Can't Miss, Every Question You Have About Drinking On a Cruise Ship -- Answered. Log in and access Online Check-in, Onboard Expenses: Each onboard expense account must have a designated account owner. You will be asked for a credit or debit card to use for all purchases on board. Carnival Cruises Cancelled Cruises Compensation Options 1 & 2 Option 1 (best overall value) Here are the details. I just made a reservation on Empress for this coming Oct. and was told I can't use the onboard credit towards gratuities. You can use onboard credit to buy wifi on a Carnival cruise, but only if you wait until you board the ship to buy it. For cruises six days and under, you get $50 OBC. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'cruisespotlight_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',120,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-cruisespotlight_com-medrectangle-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'cruisespotlight_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_5',120,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-cruisespotlight_com-medrectangle-4-0_1'); .medrectangle-4-multi-120{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. Carnival often gives members of the US or Canadian armed forces special promotions that may include onboard credit. When you take a Carnival cruise, you may find yourself with some onboard credit to spend. Upgrading an existing booking: if you have a future voyage booked with us already, you can use your FCC to upgrade your booking. Similarly, if Carnival is forced to cancel or modify an itinerary for whatever reason, they will typically offer passengers a few options. When CDC shut the industry down, Carnival offered guests with canceled cruises $600 if they took it as a future cruise credit instead of asking for cashback. Mattsudds, July 7, 2020 in Carnival Cruise Lines, With all the cancellations, the offer for a cancelled cruise include onboard credit to be used on a new or rebooked cruise. I will be more than glad to help you get rid of some of your OBC. Logo Store; Find Your Roll Call; Meet & Mingle Generally speaking, the restrictions include gratuities, casino and gift cards but the restrictions are not currently enforced. I dont think, at least for Carnival, that OBC is limited to just being able to be used on board anymore. However, there is a caveat: you'll only be able to cash out your winnings. I know that some people also prebook things so that they have less of a surprise bill at the end too. 5 Things You Didn't Know About Booking a Costco Cruise, 8 Things to Know About the Cheapest Cruise Ship Cabins, Norwegian Cruise Line Internet Packages and Prices, 8 Worst Cruise Rip-offs Not Worth Your Money, Carnival Sunrise (Photo: Carnival Cruise Line), The Alchemy Bar aboard Carnival Spirit (Photo: Aaron Saunders), Casino on Carnival Radiance ( Photo by K. Alex Beaven). The guest will need to contacttheir bank for assistance. Specialty restaurants offer an alternative to the standard main dining room and buffet options included in cruise fares. It's spending money to use during your cruise. How to Use Your Onboard Credit. For example, you previously made reservations for the Specialty Restaurants. As with most major cruise lines, Carnival offers beverage packages or the option to pay for individual drinks, and you can use your OBC to pay for both choices. A cruise line will often offer some onboard credit (as little as $25, up into the thousands of dollars) to incentivize you to book a certain cruise. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics, Carnival Onboard Credit: How to Get It and Where to Spend It. The Sail & Sign Card must be utilized for all money transactions on board as cash will not be an accepted form of payment. Generally speaking, the restrictions include gratuities, casino and gift cards but the restrictions are not currently enforced. Embrace the darkness. No, you dont have to book anything ahead of time if you dont want to. Some cruise lines, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, offer specific onboard credits, limited to one type of purchase. Booking activities using OBS is really easy; no phone calls and no weird codes to know. In addition, guests can view their statement on Carnival's HUB app,at a Sail & Sign Kiosk or at Guest Services. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On longer cruises, the credit may be $250. The change of policy, and even altering their website to make it seamless, shows how Carnival is striving to improve the guest experience. What happens to unused onboard credit? Read on for the info you need to decide. I do realize that "onboard" is in the name of these credits, but shouldn't I be able to use these for shore excursions and transfers? Could you please tell me how I can improve it? Any restaurant onboard that's not included in your cruise fare is a specialty restaurant that will charge a nominal fee. Cruise Cash | Immediate Onboard Credit | Carnival Cruise Line Select a Cruise Browsing All Cruises Cruise Cash Cruise Cash F A Q s Already booked your cruise? Even if you only have a $25 OBC, that's still two nice martinis on the house! Not absolutely every activity on board your cruise ship will be free of charge. Instead of getting the amount refunded to your credit card, you may be issued a certificate you can use towards your next Carnival sailing. I dont think you read my post correctly. Carnival Cruise Lines; Cruise Critic Community. Minors must have an account. It can be used for ANYTHING on the ship. You need to hold a minimum 100 shares to qualify for all these offers and can redeem your benefit by contacting the line at least two weeks prior to your sail date. Check the fine print to make sure you're eligible (there are usually minimum share requirements) and redeem your benefit by contacting the line at least two weeks prior to your sail date. If a credit balance shows up in your cruise account, either on the website or in your app, that means you are allowed to use it for advance purchases of excursions, or Wi-Fi, drink and specialty dining packages. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. So, if you pay for it with onboard credit, it will cost you more. Princess Cruise Lines Onboard Booking Incentives $200 deposit (vs $500 on land) $50 onboard credit Princess' program is pretty cut and dry and matches what it's sister-line Carnival offer but without the upgrade perk. MSC Cruise Lines Onboard Booking Incentives $100 onboard credit Reduced deposit LauraS Norwegian Cruise Line has a cut-and-dry offer of US$100 in onboard credit per cabin for shareholders cruising seven days or more, and US$50 per cabin for cruises six days or less. Latta. Onboard Credit is very valuable! The consequences of violating Carnival's marijuana policy include a $500 fine per violation. If you are the Panorama's May 8th sailing out of LA, stopon deck 8, wherethe odd numbercabins are located, and yell "hey Andy". Onboard credit is money that is credited to your account for use during your cruise. Because I have way more than I will use. When I was a lowly Platinum I was polite to Diamonds. I have two specific questions. So, if you want to use your onboard credit towards your next cruise, its probably worth a try. This option includes all-you-can-drink soda, sparkling water, and fruit juices. Thanks for letting me know, Kaylee. Two buzzwords guaranteed to get anybody's attention would be 'Free Money'. At the end of your cruise, if you have leftover onboard credit, it will automatically be offset against any gratuities that you owe. Guests who are booked on one of the ships Carnival hopes to restart can also cancel . Are there restrictions?? You can redeem any FCC by calling us. Carnival's Future Cruise Credit (FCC) is credit that you can use for your next Carnival cruise. But, if you need some inspiration, here are some of the most popular goods and services to spend your onboard credits on a Carnival cruise: Perhaps the most common out-of-pocket expense for many cruisers are the shore excursions offered by the cruise line in ports of call. They offer $600 for trips of six days or more that were cancelled. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'cruisespotlight_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_13',132,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-cruisespotlight_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); CruiseSpotlight is an Amazon Associate. Sail & Sign Onboard Account Sail & Sign is Carnival's cashless on board credit program, which allows guests to charge onboard purchases and gratuities directly to a personal account for convenience. Credit Levels $100 $25 $50 $75 Price It can come from a cruise deal that you've booked or from the cruise ship casino, cruise credit card rewards or other sources. However, you must arrange these at the shore excursions desk on the ship, not online before you board. On the day thecruise returns, Carnival immediately settles the guest's account with theirbank for the total amount of theironboard expenses. That's where three simple but almighty letters can go a long way: OBC, or onboard cruise credit.