Purchases made at sea are tax-free, but thats not to say that onboard shopping is any cheaper than it is ashore. Well, I mean, there are several ways to accomplish this. Major categories include shore excursions, drinks and gratuities for the crew. Guests who choose to keep their bookings will receive the money as. "Onboard credit is non-refundable, non-transferable and has no cash value. 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. You can take money off your Sail and Sign account from any slot machine in the casino. Specialty dining, gratuities, alcohol, casino donations, excursions, fun shop purchases, etc. No votes so far! wanman 795 August 14, 2005. You can use the On Board Credit for anything purchased on the ship (Excursions, drinks, tips). But then that's me. On a Carnival cruise, your onboard account is called Sail & Sign. 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. 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. Shop for Cruise Deals That Include Onboard Credit. 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 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 cannot book a Cloud 9 Spa pass before your cruise, only on board the ship. Minors must have an account. My question is do Carnival allow you to pre book (before embarkation) things like the drinks, excursions and speciality dining from the onboard credit balance? 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. This can be set-up during Online Check-in or on board atthe Guest Services Desk. You can use your onboard credit in any of these shops. Use Your Onboard Credit for a Spa Splurge. This will result in multiple amounts being held. But in fact some lines do let you use it for things you will use or consume during the cruise, regardless of when they are booked or arranged,and essentially they seem to define onboard as things to be consumed onboard. Related: Every Question You Have About Drinking On a Cruise Ship -- Answered, Feel Free to Splurge With Something Extra in Your Spending Account. 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. The account owner may choose to authorize additional guests on his or her account. Passengers can use it for shore excursions, gratuities, WiFi packages, specialty restaurants, or duty-free shopping in the onboard stores. Carnival is not able to expedite the release of bank holds. A previous answer for this referred to calling the cruise line and getting the fine print on how you can use the OBC. 1. 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. Booking a voyage: your FCC can be used to book a future voyage (or voyages) with Cunard for you and your guest(s). For any cruise departing March 15, 2022 or later, guests can now book their activities online and pay using their onboard credit. What can it be used for? Then go to check out. However, they now require you pay in advance. Be sure to join my email list for my best cruise tips and handpicked deals each week. And purchases made at sea are tax-free, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be less expensive than what you find ashore. Answer (1 of 5): Congrats! Any amount of OBC that you didn't use to gamble or spin the slots, stays in your account as onboard credit. Carnival Cruise Line has also implemented a youth curfew, posted additional signage onboard its ships, hired narcotics-sniffing dogs for use in homeport terminals, and taken other bold steps to . LauraS You see, if you do your research, you may find that many of the pieces can be purchased for a fraction of the onboard price elsewhere. I never pre-pay my gratuities and that come out of my OBC once I am on the ship. This is because single-day plans are only available to purchase on the ship. Carnival Cruise Line, also known as America's Cruise Line, is a leader in contemporary cruising and operates a fleet of ships designed to provide fun and memorable vacation experiences at a great value. Even if you only have a $25 OBC, that's still two nice martinis on the house! 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. 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). Log in and access Online Check-in, Onboard Expenses: Each onboard expense account must have a designated account owner. :rolleyes: Jump to content 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! So my question is this?? Anyone's experience with onboard credits would be appreciated!! However, since we have rebooked for later this year, we have found Carnival made some changes that go against your ability to spend these. 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. Things like excursions and dining have limited spots, and they can be completely booked weeks before you even step foot on the ship. A guest may only be activated on one account. 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 Book interior cabins on your cruises and you will save thousands of dollars over the course of a year. To claim your onboard credit, call customer service to discuss the price drop and your compensation. Is there a way to cash out your onboard credit? Does Carnival have a future cruise booking onboard opportunity and if so, could I use OBC as my deposit for instance? 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. CC Help Jenn 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. 1. On cruises lasting between 7 to 13 days, you can receive $100 in credit. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'cruisespotlight_com-banner-1','ezslot_6',122,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-cruisespotlight_com-banner-1-0'); Carnival did not have to allow guests this option. I would like to know whether there is set out anywhere how onboard. 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. We have all seen the big glossy advertisements from the cruise lines dangling potentially ridiculous amounts of onboard credit. Is there a way to cash out your onboard credit? 89 photos. The offer that you used to be able to get, is now emailed to you post-cruise. 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. Loyalty is noticed; if you've worked with the same travel agent for every cruise, your OBC amount is likely to build over time. We love to help you research and compare the differences between all the ships and trips. Read on for the info you need to decide. Carnival onboard credit can be used to purchase almost anything onboard the ship. On board cruise credit is a great way to "pay! Additionally, their Welcome Home program allows you to book these same offers within four weeks after you return from your cruise. 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. Then again, I wouldnt expect you to read the terms and conditions of promotions you agree to. Drinks Feeling Generous? 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. Your rating has been submitted, please tell us how we can make this answer more useful. Playing Bingo on a Carnival cruise can be fun, but cruise ship bingo is generally a bit of a rip-off and there are better ways to spend your onboard credit than by buying bingo tickets. Many cruise lines offer referral bonuses for new cruises booked by first-timers. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. 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. On the day thecruise returns, Carnival immediately settles the guest's account with theirbank for the total amount of theironboard expenses. I've had quit a bit of obc but bought watches, a few expensive bottle of good scotch, cigarettes for friends. Note: Gift Cards may also be referred to as 'secured' or 'pre-loaded' credit cards or 'Travel Funds Card'. You can find more info about Carnival gift cards here. If you have $600 OBC to spend, this would leave plenty of credit left to spend on other things. The answer is that no, you cant do this. You can use your Carnival onboard credit to pay for a Cheers drinks package or to pay for individual drinks that you charge to your onboard account. Carnival offers two beverage packages: Bottomless Bubbles, which entitles you to unlimited soda for the duration of your cruise; or the Cheers! 1) On a cruise I would often prebook some things before boarding. Whether you work with an individual travel agent or an online agency, onboard credit is a common booking bonus. However, there is a caveat: you'll only be able to cash out your winnings. You can redeem any FCC by calling us. Enjoy guilt-free indulgences like massages, body wraps, facials, mani/pedis, acupuncture, and medispa procedures. Do you have to tell them when you book the cruise that you have a ship board credit or do tell them when you board?? Carnival often gives members of the US or Canadian armed forces special promotions that may include onboard credit. If anyone knows where Carnival put any official guidance on this it would be especially appreciated. At some lines, future cruise credits can only be used for a single future sailing, with any leftover balance forfeited. Guests may activate their Sail & Sign account on Carnival.com, My Cruise Manager,Online Check-in prior to their cruiseor on the first day of the cruise at embarkation. Actual credit/debit cards must be present at the time of embarkation. Another sure-fire way to earn those precious credits is by investing in the company, a common perk among major cruise lines. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. Account owners must be at least 18 years of age at the time of sailing and will be automatically assigned charging privileges to the account. Onboard Credit is very valuable! It can come from a cruise deal that you've booked or from the cruise ship casino, cruise credit card rewards or other sources. Sail & Sign Account Opened with Cash or Traveler's Checks. Latta. What can you spend on-board credit on? 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. Booking activities using OBS is really easy; no phone calls and no weird codes to know. If you purchase Carnival shore excursions on board your cruise ship, you can use onboard credit to pay for them. Any inquiries regarding your Sail & Sign account after your cruise, please contact Guest Careat. The more days you book spa passes for, the cheaper it will be per day: Prices are based on North America cruises and may change. Scam or Deal: Will That Cruise Sale Really Save You Money? While onboard credit might have worked well in the past, these days, its a bit of an issue. An email confirming the outcome of the request will be sent to you. If you need tochange or confirmyour initial payment option,g. o to Carnival.com and click on Manage My Booking. Onboard credit is non-refundable, non-transferable and has no cash value. A cruise can seem like the perfect place to unwind and splurge in the spa. Sure, that means you'll have to monitor their deals for 48 hours, but it'll be worth it if you strike OBC gold. 2073. 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? Carnival's Future Cruise Credit (FCC) is credit that you can use for your next Carnival cruise. Cruise lines will run different promotions throughout the year, and onboard credits are offered as a booking incentive. It's very important to read the . That means that the package will cost more: typically, Carnival offers a discount if you purchase your beverage package online. To use onboard credit for a drink package, you must wait until youre on the ship to buy the package you cant use onboard credit if you buy the package before your cruise. Hopefully, like some other new policies and features that arose due to COVID, this continues from now on. How I Decided on a 2023 Cruise on the Carnival Celebration. If you book a suite, the cost is higher at $16.50 per person, per day. Carnival only gives shareholder credits if you own a minimum of 100 shares in the Carnival Corporation. Sometimes, however, you can end up with an onboard credit in more indirect ways. The amount of the benefit varies with the length of your cruise and cruise line. If you wait until onboard, chances are pretty slim of getting the day and time you want (or even get a spot at all). Onboard credit can be used to turn the onboard photographer into your own personal paparazzi. 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. The amount will vary depending on the situation. Onboard credit is the currency you can use to make purchases when onboard your cruise. Royal Caribbean regularly offers onboard credit as an incentive to get guests to book a cruise. The maximum number of guests per account is 15. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. How to Build Your Own All-Inclusive Cruise, Celebrity Cruises Captain's Club Cruise Loyalty Program. The amount of onboard credit can vary by cruise line, cabin type and length of cruise. Expert Tips for Choosing the Best Shore Excursions, 9 Mistakes to Avoid When Booking Shore Excursions, 8 Worst Cruise Rip-offs Not Worth Your Money, Viking Explorer Society Cruise Loyalty Program, 7 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your OceanMedallion Experience, The Pros and Cons of a Port-Intensive Cruise, 10 Things You Should Never Do on a Cruise Line Private Island, Spa on Seabourn Quest (Photo: Cruise Critic). Forums. ON BOARDcredit can only be used on board. Carnival Corporation like other companies offers onboard credit ranging from $50 to $250 for investors. Also, you wont actually take home the art you see on the ship youll be shipped an identical copy from a warehouse on land. 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). So, if you love bingo, sure, you can use your Carnival onboard credit to play and youll probably have fun. So, enjoy another cocktail, purchase that additional souvenir, or book one more spa treatment before you disembark. This means that if your cruise costs $1500 for just the cruise fare and taxes, but you get $200 in OBC, the first $200 you spend on the ship will cost you nothing. Prior to your cruise, you have no option but to pay for it with credit card, or gift cards(which is fairly common). # 2 Gratuities Carnival shore excursions range in price from $14.99 per adult for a trip to the Pirates Treasure & Shipwreck Museum in St. Thomas to $799.99 per adult for a helicopter tour in Iceland. In addition, guests can view their statement on Carnival's HUB app,at a Sail & Sign Kiosk or at Guest Services. Opinions are usually divided when it comes to using internet onboard a ship (did you come to disconnect, or will you be glued to the outside world?). And that can be a big onboard credit win. 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. 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. Certain other items like liquor in your cabin cannot be purchased after boarding. When Something Goes Wrong, Ask for Onboard Credit. He founded Cruise Spotlight in 2020 to merge his passions and to help people better understand all aspects of a cruise vacation. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. Using onboard credit for tips is allowed on all lines, but check before the start of your cruise so you can plan accordingly. That's where three simple but almighty letters can go a long way: OBC, or onboard cruise credit. 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. 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. Two buzzwords guaranteed to get anybody's attention would be 'Free Money'. At the end of youse cruise, you can settle your account with cash, a credit card or onboard credit. Any unused portion of the onboard credit will be forfeited." How long is Carnival cruise credit good for? Depending on your cruise itinerary and your vaccination status, you may only be allowed to leave the ship as part of an official Carnival-sponsored bubble tour. Onboard credit can be used to purchase Wi-Fi packages, taking some of the bite out of a costly (but necessary) extra. Every guest must be a member of an account in order to obtain a complete Online Check-in status. Here are some ideas on how you can spend it. 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. That means there's always the chance that your restaurant of choice might fill up by that time, so try to book your reservations as soon as you can. Credit Levels $100 $25 $50 $75 Price If that sounds like an odd question, I ask because in the past on a different cruise line, -prebooked things were deducted from my OBC balance first.