Guests may activate their Sail & Sign account on Carnival.com, My Cruise Manager,Online Check-in, or on the first day of the cruise at embarkation. On board cruise credit is a great way to "pay! CC Help Jenn 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). Follow us on Facebook: Onboard credit, by definition, is supposed to be spent on board the ship. In some cases, cruise lines will supply free onboard credit while in others, you will need to top up your account. beverage program, which includes non-alcoholic beverages as well as beer, spirits and wine by the glass. Feeling Generous? Don't let the rest of your OBC sail away without you! Latta. The answer is simply no.you cannot use your On Board Credit prior to actually boarding. 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. Usually, its people who have no idea what theyre doing, who get caught up in the excitement after a few too many glasses of free fizz! They can be used for cruises, on-board purchases, spa credits, gift cards, and even flights. Onboard credit for future cruises booked while already on a cruise can far exceed what youll get from most other sources. MSC Cruise Lines Onboard Booking Incentives $100 onboard credit Reduced deposit What happens to unused onboard credit Carnival? This form of onboard is money back, rather than money gifted, but it still beats paying a higher cruise fare with nothing in return. Gratuities to the shipboard staff are customary on Carnival as well as other cruise lines, and you can cover these using your OBC. 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. Thanks for letting me know, Kaylee. Please note, it doesnt show ALL the onboard credit you have. You can redeem any FCC by calling us. You can also use Cruise Critic's deals page to see just how much onboard credit is being offered. 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. You'll usually find these front-and-center on the homepage of the cruise line's website. CC Help Jenn You will save 15% if you buy the wifi package online before you cruise, so buying internet access isnt the best use of your onboard credit. After all onboard credit - the clue is in the name isnt it? I have two specific questions. It can be used for ANYTHING on the ship. Essentially free money that's deposited directly into your Carnival Sail & Sign account, an onboard credit can enhance your cruise experience by allowing you to splurge a little bit more onboard, without having to watch your wallet. Even the time for my 25th cruise where you get 25% of the cruisefare in obc. On the last screen, when you usually enter your payment information, youll immediately see that you have onboard credit you should apply. If changing from cash to credit card/debit card or vice versa, use DELETE feature and change your payment preference. As far as I have seen, nobody has reported being turned away from the candy shop for attempting to buy gift cards with onboard credit. If it was true that the benefit of additional bookings far outweighed the cost to Carnival for the $100 OBC, Carnival would offer it to everybody, stock owners or not. If you plan to use onboard credit to pay for these gratuities, be sure not to pre-pay them at the time of booking -- your onboard credit could take care of the rest. Generally speaking, the restrictions include gratuities, casino and gift cards but the restrictions are not currently enforced. You can redeem any FCC by calling us. On most mainstream ships, these alternative eateries come with a price tag -- either a flat cover charge or a la carte fees for each item purchased. The OBC will be used to pay your onboard expenses--gratuities, drinks, spa, etc. At some lines, future cruise credits can only be used for a single future sailing, with any leftover balance forfeited. Onboard Credit Can Put Pricey Professional Photos Within Reach. Youre on vacation, remember? You can also search .css-hghiur{transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-fast);transition-timing-function:var(--chakra-transition-easing-ease-out);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;font-weight:var(--chakra-fontWeights-medium);border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;cursor:pointer;color:var(--chakra-colors-blue-base);border-color:var(--chakra-colors-blue-base);}.css-hghiur:focus-visible,.css-hghiur[data-focus-visible]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}.css-hghiur:hover,.css-hghiur[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:solid;}Cruise Critic's Deals page to snag the best offers available. You can also use your onboard credit to book spa treatments like massages, body scrubs, facials, acupuncture, botox, fillers, teeth whitening, hairdressing, waxing, manicures, pedicures and eyelash treatments. What about gratuities?? Onboard credit can be used for anything from drinks to a spa treatment, from duty-free gems to a shore excursion, so you'll want to know our secrets for getting more free money than the next cruiser Let's Start at the Beginning Drinks Theres no obligation to purchase any photos, but if you wish to, you can use your onboard credit to buy photos. A previous answer for this referred to calling the cruise line and getting the fine print on how you can use the OBC. These are typically periodic promotions, where the amount of onboard credit you receive is tied to the stateroom category you . This option includes all-you-can-drink soda, sparkling water, and fruit juices. A cruise can offer great value when you weigh in all that's included in your cruise fare -- particularly on Carnival Cruise Line, which offers some of the lowest pricing in the industry, particularly on short three- to four-night cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean. Cruise service gratuities will be charged to the account unless they are prepaid. Here are some ideas on how you can spend it. Cruises 6 days and more will receive: 100% Future Cruise Credit PLUS $600 US Onboard Credit per cabin Future Carnival Cruises must be booked by December 31, 2020 and sail by December 31, 2022 Cruises 5 days or less will receive: You can use your Carnival onboard credit to book dining in specialty restaurants, but only if you make the reservation once youre on board the ship. Passengers can use it for shore excursions, gratuities, WiFi packages, specialty restaurants, or duty-free shopping in the onboard stores. To process data . Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. You might be allowed to use onboard credit for crew gratuities. Bottomless Bubbles is Carnival's prepaid soda package, available for both children and adults. 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. Onboard credit is non-refundable, non-transferable and has no cash value. The spa facilities will differ depending on the ship, but each Carnival ship has a range of spa facilities for you to enjoy. (Transfer from S&S to Player's Bank, then cash out at the cage.). I have used OBC to book excursions before booking in the past. Many cruise lines offer referral bonuses for new cruises booked by first-timers. The maximum number of guests per account is 15. In addition, guests can view their balance update at a Sail & Sign kioskand Carnival's HUB app. 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. If you cancel your excursion, your onboard credit will also be cancelled. Another sure-fire way to earn those precious credits is by investing in the company, a common perk among major cruise lines. The bank is responsible for releasing any pending holds from the guest's account. When it comes to vacations, every person has their own idea of the perfect way to enjoy their time off. Guests who are booked on one of the ships Carnival hopes to restart can also cancel . . Give a gift to your friend going on one of our cruises! We at Cruise Spotlight love cruises. The following minimum cash deposits are. For example, put your FCC towards upgrading your Britannia Balcony Stateroom to one of our Queens Grill Suites, or change . 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. I guess I love to spend too much. The stores and boutiques on board sell a wide range of merchandise ranging from tchotchkes and souvenirs to jewelry and electronics. Spreading the good word about a cruise you loved isn't a thankless endeavor. Specialty dining on Carnival cruise ships costs from $6 per person for the Dr. Seuss Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast, up to $95 per person for dinner at The Chefs Table. I dont think you read my post correctly. Not absolutely every activity on board your cruise ship will be free of charge. Log In to shop food, entertainment and gifts for yourself or a friend! 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." Guests can use these credits for virtually anything they charge to their onboard account, which Carnival calls "Sail and Sign." In essence, the credit is deducted from the bill of charges on board. Are there restrictions?? if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'cruisespotlight_com-box-4','ezslot_1',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-cruisespotlight_com-box-4-0'); You can use your OBC for anything you can purchase in your cruise planner. Posted June 16, 2014. And you will not be able to exchange any remaining credit for cash, either. And if you received your credit because youre a Carnival shareholder, then you cant use it in the casino at all. Started June 21, 2021, By Started August 27, 2021, By What happens to unused onboard credit? Just keep in mind that you'll need to spend it before you disembark your ship -- onboard credit doesn't carry over to future sailings. Does Carnival have a future cruise booking onboard opportunity and if so, could I use OBC as my deposit for instance? Booking activities using OBS is really easy; no phone calls and no weird codes to know. We have all seen the big glossy advertisements from the cruise lines dangling potentially ridiculous amounts of onboard credit. However, onboard credit that comes from being a Carnival shareholder cant be applied to gratuities. Work out how much you expect to pay in gratuities based on the number of guests in your room, your stateroom type and the duration of your cruise. However, if you want to buy Carnival cruise souvenirs like Carnival-branded beach towels, bathrobes, t-shirts and toys, then onboard your cruise ship is the best place to do it, particularly if you have some onboard credit to spend. Prior to your cruise, you have no option but to pay for it with credit card, or gift cards(which is fairly common). They gave us $600 OBC for each of our 1-week cruises that were canceled (we had several). Powered by Invision Community. 37246. Even if you only have a $25 OBC, that's still two nice martinis on the house! While in theory, you could win up to $5,000, this is very unlikely as it requires not only winning, but winning within a specified number of balls being called. These include: Recently, when cruises were cancelled due to the shutdown, Carnival cruisers were given the option of a refund OR 100% future cruise credit (FCC) plus $600 onboard credit (OBC). If anyone knows where Carnival put any official guidance on this it would be especially appreciated. The price of each piece can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars and its probably not a great investment. Lifestyle and marathon coach, Rory Coleman, has the low-down. It's a great way of spending on board credit because excursions can be one of the biggest costs to your cruise fare, so excursions are a really good idea to allocate onboard credit to! Be the first to rate this post. That said, you could easily double your onboard credit with the help of Lady Luck, or you could lose it all. Carnival will not be held responsible for any bank imposed overage or insufficient funds charges on debit/check cashing cards or credit cards. I would like to know whether there is set out anywhere how onboard credit can be used. Lowering Your Drink Bill is Easy with Cruise Onboard Credit. Sail & Sign Account Opened with Cash or Traveler's Checks. # 2 Gratuities :rolleyes: Jump to content Typically, the amount of onboard credit you'll get is tied to the kind of stateroom you book: inside cabins might get $25 or $50, while balconies or suites can run a decent amount, depending on the promotion. But if you have the OBC to spare, it may be worth considering using it on one of the shore excursions offered by the line. ON BOARDcredit can only be used on board. Carnival onboard credit can be used to purchase almost anything onboard the ship. Started August 27, 2021, By However, there is a caveat: you'll only be able to cash out your winnings. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Royal Caribbean regularly offers onboard credit as an incentive to get guests to book a cruise. If you notice your cruise fare has dropped after you booked it, many times the line will make up the difference through an onboard credit offer. Guests can use these credits for virtually anything they charge to their onboard account, which Carnival calls Sail and Sign. In essence, the credit is deducted from the bill of charges on board. So, enjoy another cocktail, purchase that additional souvenir, or book one more spa treatment before you disembark. What can a FCC be used for? For this reason, its not a good idea to use your onboard credit to buy a drink package. They told us then that we had a $100 ship board credit per person. Instead of getting the amount refunded to your credit card, you may be issued a certificate you can use towards your next Carnival sailing. 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. And youll want to know what you can spend this money on. When Something Goes Wrong, Ask for Onboard Credit. Guests who choose to keep their bookings will receive the money as. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. Hi cruise mummy Onboard credits are generally non-transferable and non-refundable, so you must use them during your cruise. Guests may add additionalcash to their account by visitingthe Guest Services desk on board. The choice is yours when deciding how to spend your OBC, but do keep one thing in mind: It's use it or lose it. It is not required for guests to carry the physical credit card with them on board. A guest may only be activated on one account. Things like excursions and dining have limited spots, and they can be completely booked weeks before you even step foot on the ship. What's Onboard Credit? But for most people, there are better ways to spend your money on the ship. However, you must arrange these at the shore excursions desk on the ship, not online before you board. 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. Booked passengers can upgrade from one plan to another and are also allowed to use multiple devices per plan (including the ship's onboard computers), but only on one device at a time. Book now and get extra onboard credit! deals are worth taking advantage of if the cruise price is right. It used to be the case that you could only spend Royal Caribbean onboard credit once you boarded your ship. 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. Receive free onboard credits from Carnival Cruise Lines if you are a company shareholder that. I would like to know whether there is set out anywhere how onboard. what i do when i have lots of OBC, is the second the line goes down at the desk, go to them and say, please prepay my gratuities. Any unused portion of the onboard credit will be forfeited." How long is Carnival cruise credit good for? In general, however, it is between $50 and $250. There is a 3% fee to withdraw your funds at a table game, but no fee to withdraw at the slot machines. Our 5 night cruise was way cheaper than any stay at a hotel and came with plenty of food and great entertainment! 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. Either way, we've got 8 brilliant ways you can spend your onboard credit - read on for more! Many items may still cost more because youre essentially a captive audience so the prices of some items are inflated. 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. #1 Excursions You can find all sorts of excursions that you can allocate your onboard credit to. You won't have the option to carry over any remaining cruise credit, even if you sail again at a later date on another Carnival Cruise. 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. However, the most common amounts of onboard credits offered are $25-$100 per cabin. You can take money off your Sail and Sign account from any slot machine in the casino. You can only cash out your $10 winnings and the $100 will go back onto your account as onboard credit. On some lines, casinos are off-limits when it comes to onboard credit, so check if your line allows it before you hit the slots. You play and win $10. Iused the OBC aftermy 25th for gratuities, and shore excursions at every port. 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. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Any restaurant onboard that's not included in your cruise fare is a specialty restaurant that will charge a nominal fee. A pricey but significant part of many cruisers' experiences in port is shore excursions. Carnival Corporation like other companies offers onboard credit ranging from $50 to $250 for investors. Weaccept the following forms of payment to open a Sail & Sign account:Credit Cards / Debit Cards-Cash / Traveler's Checks, Sail & Sign Account Opened with a Credit Card or Debit Card. If you're wondering where to spend your onboard credit on a Carnival cruise, the good news is that you can use it on pretty much whatever floats your boat. Started June 21, 2021, By As is the case with shore excursions, if you plan on using your OBC to enjoy specialty restaurants, be aware that you can only make reservations once you're on board the ship. 100% refund of what I paid OR 100% future cruise credit, plus onboard credit for the future cruise Carnival offers $300 in onboard credit for cancelled trips of five days or less. Onboard credit in your account means you can shop or eat whatever strikes your fancy. Carnival Corporation: Cruises of 14 days or longer: $250 onboard credit Each Carnival gift card can be loaded with between $100 and $1000 and you can buy five per transaction. The amount of the benefit varies with the length of your cruise and cruise line. Using onboard credit for tips is allowed on all lines, but check before the start of your cruise so you can plan accordingly. You can use your onboard credit in any of these shops. I leave a week Sunday and am hoping that they have record of it when we check in. 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. 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. There are many ways that you can get Carnival onboard credit. Guest Services can provide guests with a balance update at any time throughout the cruise. Enjoy guilt-free indulgences like massages, body wraps, facials, mani/pedis, acupuncture, and medispa procedures. First time I heard of this. On longer cruises, the credit may be $250. In this guide, Ill tell you everything you need to know about onboard credit (also known as OBC). I feel this is becoming an issue with all the pandemic cancelations, along with some cruise line policy changes. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. Matt, believe it or not, that is a fairly often asked question. All the new Carnival WiFi plans do not include video streaming (Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime) and don't support WiFi Calling (voice calls via the ship's Wi-Fi network) and Facetime (Apple's video telephony) services. Five steps to apply for onboard credit as a Carnival stockholder Applying for Carnival shareholder stock is simple if you follow these steps: Own at least 100 shares of Carnival stock Print, copy or scan your proof of shares Black out your address and account number Send proof to your cruise line before your cruise Personalized Sail & Sign cards areprovided to all guests (including minors) and are valid for use immediately upon boarding the ship. The Sail & Sign Card must be utilized for all money transactions on board as cash will not be an accepted form of payment. You can use the On Board Credit for anything purchased on the ship (Excursions, drinks, tips). This can be set-up during Online Check-in or on board atthe Guest Services Desk. If you do directly from the cage or table there will be a 3%charge. I know it must have seemed like a strange question. Shop for Cruise Deals That Include Onboard Credit. The value of the OBC varies depending on the length of the cruise and the stateroom you book, but can range from $25 to $100 per stateroom. There are numerous reasons that onboard credit can be added to a passenger's cruise account. Shipboard credit on a Holland America cruise can be used for almost everything onboard your ship, including spa treatments, specialty restaurants, shore excursions, specialty coffee and alcoholic beverages, boutique purchases, onboard photos and more. Whether you work with an individual travel agent or an online agency, onboard credit is a common booking bonus. Read on for the info you need to decide. You can find more info about Carnival gift cards here. And the cost to Carnival isn't "nothing". It's $100 (or $50) per cruise. Can you use the points you accumulate on your Carnival Master Card towards on- board- credit? That means guests with onboard credit have a dilemma; they can wait until theyre on board and use their OBC and risk the activities being fully booked, or order them ahead of time online and then pay with a credit card or gift card. Some itineraries offer free onboard credit as an incentive to book. This may mean that you could risk missing out on some of the most popular tours if they're fully booked by the time you embark. 1. In fact, there are some things that it will cost you more to purchase if you do so using onboard credit. Carnival's Future Cruise Credit (FCC) is credit that you can use for your next Carnival cruise. Because I have way more than I will use, and I thought I read on here once that you could do it through the casino? The downside to this is that the Cheers package is cheaper if you buy it before you board the ship. What can onboard credit be used for on Holland America? If you know you have credit coming and dont see it in your account before your cruise, its worth a call to customer service. Check Your Cruise Account Before You Board and Book Deals on Wi-Fi and More. Carnival often refers to it as Cruise Cash. Health Protocols and Requirements for Sailings, Youth Programs (Under 2 & 2-11 years old), Cash Advance on Credit Cards and Debit Cards, Do Not Sell Or Share My Personal Information. I am Carnival elite, so we stay with them exclusively. Has anyone had one? Take a look at my next guide to work out the best amount to bring: How Much Cash To Bring On A Carnival Cruise. Photo Credit: Camera walk / Shutterstock. It can be used towards the payment of alcoholic beverages, boutique purchases (such as watches, jewelry, perfumes and clothing), spa treatments and more! Visit: www.carnival.com Similarly, if Carnival is forced to cancel or modify an itinerary for whatever reason, they will typically offer passengers a few options. Because our cart was only $651, the site shows thats how much onboard credit we have. How . Heres how much Carnival gratuities cost, per day, for each passenger aged two and over on sailings prior to 1st April 2023: So, on a seven-night cruise for two people in a standard stateroom, you would pay $203 in gratuities. Onboard credit is an ideal way to pay the daily tips that are usually added to your stateroom bill. Royal Caribbean onboard credit can be used to purchase most things onboard the ship. 1) On a cruise I would often prebook some things before boarding. But then that's me. If you dont have enough OBC to cover the cost of your cart, you can pay the rest with a credit card or Carnival gift card, just like you would before. The exception to this is if you only want to use wifi for a few days, rather than the whole cruise. If the credit/debit card method of payment is selected, charges incurred by those authorized will be billed to the credit/debit account entered. Then go to check out. Many of us don't have the time or money to indulge in a little bit of me-time on a regular basis. No, you dont have to book anything ahead of time if you dont want to. Also, you wont actually take home the art you see on the ship youll be shipped an identical copy from a warehouse on land. Premium eateries also include some cafes and bars like Coffee Bar, JavaBlue Caf and the RedFrog Pub. The cost for Bottomless Bubbles is $6.95 per day for children under 18, and $9.50 per day for adults age 18 and up. Call me clich, but it's not a cruise vacation until I'm lounging poolside with a tropical drink in hand. 7) On board activities or Wi Fi packages that cost extra. Onboard credit can boost the value (and enhance your experience) on your cruise vacation. Note, however, that in order to use your onboard credits to pay (or partially pay) for a shore excursion, you can only book them once onboard, at the Shore Excursion Desk, and not online before boarding the ship. Sure, that means you'll have to monitor their deals for 48 hours, but it'll be worth it if you strike OBC gold. An email confirming the outcome of the request will be sent to you. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. (But at least you had fun, right?) You can usually use your Carnival onboard credit to pay for gratuities (tips), so long as you havent prepaid them before you board the ship. It's very important to read the . Does anyone know if the credit can be used for this? Many of the prizes at Carnival bingo arent cash, theyre things from the onboard shops like jewellery, spa services, free bingo cards and more onboard credit. Onboard credit in the spa often applies to anything on their treatment menu, and that list could be a long one. 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. The account owner has the option to set spending limits or notallow charging privileges to their account. The amount will vary depending on the situation. Guests just have to log in to their Cruise Manager using the Carnival website. But isn't that what a cruise is for? For example, you previously made reservations for the Specialty Restaurants. The best uses for any leftover onboard credit are speciality dining, access to the spa, shore excursions and photos. Lets say you load $100 of onboard credit onto your casino account. Two buzzwords guaranteed to get anybody's attention would be 'Free Money'. If you wait until onboard, chances are pretty slim of getting the day and time you want (or even get a spot at all).