Value of OBC to you?

[JLMoran]

I've been meaning to ask this for a while now, finally getting around to it. I'm really curious how many value OBC over getting the cheapest cruise fare possible and having that bit of extra money available for whatever -- excursions, dining when in port, or even stuff on the ship that you didn't pre-purchase.

We've certainly used the bit we've gotten on each of our two cruises, but it wasn't like we wouldn't have bought those things on board (spa service, drink overages on my package, etc.), and it never amounted to so much that it would have made a huge difference; I think each of our cruises it was around $125-$150. We certainly used it (and more; disembarkation charges were about $150-$300 each time), but I feel like I could have maybe saved more on fare than I "gained" in OBC if I pushed for that with my TA.

For me, the lack of a draw for OBC after two sailings is that I'm already buying so much in advance of sailing -- drink packages, specialty dining, excursions, etc. -- that having any OBC at all just seems unnecessary. My transatlantic next year will be the first time I'm worrying about it at all, only because I'm not planning to buy an alcohol package (which would be crazy expensive on a 14-night sailing, and a likely waste when 8 of those days are port days) but I still expect to be buying wine and other things above and beyond what the 4 bottles I can bring on board for two cabins would cover. And even there, I'm working within the "minimum booking price at all costs" goal by leveraging the promo that was offered through the Royal / Celebrity Visa card to cover the OBC, rather than looking for any with the cruise booking.

[Lovetocruise2002]

Done.  I've always been of the mindset that if I have OBC then great, I will use it.  If not, no big deal.  The price is the deciding factor always.

[Susie]

Price is really important to me. 

I bought the deluxe drink package one for my husband for 12 days cruise. I feel that it was so much pressure on him because it cost like $700 plus for the package. He drank more than he should be on that trip. I asked him on my last trip on Anthem " Is it Ok if we don't get deluxe just refresh drink packages for that trip?" Since we made to The Diamond and can get a few drinks every night. He agrees and we still have the great trip without deluxe packages. Also, we took 4 bottles of wine for 2 cabins and we took all back home without drinking them. 

If you can cut the deluxe package out of your trip and just order just 1 or 2 drinks every night that would cost less for you. 

[twangster]

Hmmm.  Need option 4.  Lowest effective final price of cruise regardless how its derived.

To me I don't care if how it's presented, what is the final price?

Fare $3,000, OBC $100 = final cost of $2,900

Fare $2,900, OBC $0 = final cost of $2,900

Fare $3,500, OBC $500 = final cost of $3,000 <- bad deal and this is often what I get at NextCruise (a bad deal with lots of OBC).

[VolFanInGa]

Price is the deciding factor for me as well.  One scenario that would lead me to favor the OBC route is if it is more than a 1 for 1.

ie Cruise fare is $90 more but current promo also includes an incremental $100+ in OBC. 

I actually had the opposite happen to me not long after I booked my upcoming cruise.  Originally booked our fare +$125 OBC.  Less than a month later, a new promo resulted in a fare reduction of over $170.  With that change, the OBC went down to $50. I still netted a $90 savings, so I was happy. 

[BTE]

13 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

Done.  I've always been of the mindset that if I have OBC then great, I will use it.  If not, no big deal.  The price is the deciding factor always.

Agreed. Lowest price always

[rjac]

What the hell is this on  board credit thing? No one ever told me about it. Is the 18% gratuity tacked on???

[twangster]

Just now, rjac said:

What the hell is this on  board credit thing? No one ever told me about it. Is the 18% gratuity tacked on???

Only for you  

[DunkelBierJay]

There always seems to be some on board credit to make it look like Royal is giving you a deal. It tends to lessen the final blow a little, however, I have been more inclined lately to use it towards a dining package or something like that in the cruise planner.

[twangster]

Two OBC pitfall scenarios to watch out for:

• 1. Celebrity promos often include OBC per guest.  I had a situation where my +1 couldn't come at the last minute.  Her OBC was lost.  Had there been no OBC but lower fares, it would have been a better outcome.
• 2. Had to cancel a cruise at the last minute without a covered reason for insurance purposes.  With an OBC component in the effective price, my losses were higher because i still had to pay (and lose) the higher base fare without an opportunity to offset that with OBC.  

You can argue these are remote possibilities yet if you cruise enough it can happen.  Both have to me.   

[Susie]

15 minutes ago, twangster said:

Hmmm.  Need option 4.  Lowest effective final price of cruise regardless how its derived.

To me I don't care if how it's presented, what is the final price?

Fare $3,000, OBC $100 = final cost of $2,900

Fare $2,900, OBC $0 = final cost of $2,900

Fare $3,500, OBC $500 = final cost of $3,000 <- bad deal and this is often what I get at NextCruise (a bad deal with lots of OBC).

That is the way I booked my cruise combine price + OBC = cheapest possible. The $300 OBC was a good amount for 3 people/cabin if it is available. We normally prepaid a lot of things like drink, specialty dining, and excursion. (we also not book a suite). We went on the balcony, it really nice but we still like an interior room because the light coming from the Balcony seems to wake us up early. 

[melski94]

31 minutes ago, twangster said:

Hmmm.  Need option 4.  Lowest effective final price of cruise regardless how its derived.

To me I don't care if how it's presented, what is the final price?

Fare $3,000, OBC $100 = final cost of $2,900

Fare $2,900, OBC $0 = final cost of $2,900

Fare $3,500, OBC $500 = final cost of $3,000 <- bad deal and this is often what I get at NextCruise (a bad deal with lots of OBC).

My TA just asked me this with regards to repricing.  Am I ok to lose OBC if the overall price is cheaper?  Yes, always.

I think the cruise planner "sales" have gotten me to purchase more things prior to the cruise so OBC isn't a big deal to me.  I rarely make purchases on the cruise planner with OBC prior to final payment because if you reprice and lose your OBC then you also lost whatever you purchased with the cruise planner with the OBC.  

[SpeedNoodles]

If I get the OBC from Royal, I use it pre cruise in the cruise planner. I have some coming from a rewards program, and didn't realize it wouldn't come pre cruise, I don't know what I'd buy on board, so I'm kind of bummed that I redeemed it. 

[JLMoran]

59 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

If I get the OBC from Royal, I use it pre cruise in the cruise planner.

I'm always scared to do this, because I don't trust that if I cancel and re-buy to get a better price, the OBC will be properly returned to me instantly for use in the re-purchase. Royal's IT has fouled up enough times that I can totally see it happening at least some of the time.

2 hours ago, twangster said:

To me I don't care if how it's presented, what is the final price?

Fare $3,000, OBC $100 = final cost of $2,900

Fare $2,900, OBC $0 = final cost of $2,900

See, my feeling is that spending that extra $100 up front (or at least 90 days ahead of sailing) for $100 in OBC is just giving Royal a free loan with my money. If I get the case like @VolFanInGa mentioned, where the gap is more than a 1:1 in favor of the OBC, then I don't feel so bad because the "loan" is being repaid with some "interest" (extra OBC). But I'd still rather just have a smaller overall bill at the end.  

[twangster]

Just now, JLMoran said:

See, my feeling is that spending that extra $100 up front (or at least 90 days ahead of sailing) for $100 in OBC is just giving Royal a free loan with my money. If I get the case like @VolFanInGa mentioned, where the gap is more than a 1:1 in favor of the OBC, then I don't feel so bad because the "loan" is being repaid with some "interest" (extra OBC). But I'd still rather just have a smaller overall bill at the end.  

I see.  It's true, I didn't factor in the 0.001% I'd earn in my bank account...   

[Susie]

1 hour ago, SpeedNoodles said:

If I get the OBC from Royal, I use it pre cruise in the cruise planner. I have some coming from a rewards program, and didn't realize it wouldn't come pre cruise, I don't know what I'd buy on board, so I'm kind of bummed that I redeemed it. 

If you mean RCI Visa card you will get 2-4 weeks before your cruise. Don't prepaid Gratuity use OBC for it. I did that and my bill at the end of the cruise is really low.

[Susie]

18 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

I'm always scared to do this, because I don't trust that if I cancel and re-buy to get a better price, the OBC will be properly returned to me instantly for use in the re-purchase. Royal's IT has fouled up enough times that I can totally see it happening at least some of the time.

IMHO the Safest way is to use OBC for Gratuity. I will not prepay my gratuity.

[Matt]

Quote

Lowest possible booking price at all costs, even if it means no OBC

This. Every day.

[jticarruthers]

I'm also in the group that subtracts OBC from cost of cruise and wants whatever option results in the lowest total cost.

So if I get $100 in OBC but have to pay $200 more for the cruise, that's not going to work, if the change in one is equal to the change in the other then I would prefer to pay less up front and have no OBC.

Also in the boat of not seeing the value of OBC now that everything is so heavily discounted if you pay for it up front. Historically we would use up the OBC and still have a reasonable bill, looking ahead to my next couple of cruises I already prepaid the drink packages and also the excursions since they were all heavily discounted. Luckily I have gratuities to use the OBC on because I don't really see what I will be spending money on "on the cruise" at this stage.

 

[Baked Alaska]

Yep. Go for the dead net cost.

[SpeedNoodles]

1 hour ago, Susie said:

If you mean RCI Visa card you will get 2-4 weeks before your cruise. Don't prepaid Gratuity use OBC for it. I did that and my bill at the end of the cruise is really low.

Yeah, I paid those last June. But if it comes 2-4 weeks pre cruise I can use it for a shore excursion.

[Susie]

41 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

Yeah, I paid those last June. But if it comes 2-4 weeks pre cruise I can use it for a shore excursion.

I assume you already redeemed the points.

[SpeedNoodles]

1 hour ago, Susie said:

I assume you already redeemed the points.

No, I redeemed them from the Visa site, but they apparently won't show up until right before the cruise. When I did it I assumed they'd show up in my cruise planner right away.  Who knows, maybe they never will.  

[Susie]

36 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

No, I redeemed them from the Visa site, but they apparently won't show up until right before the cruise. When I did it I assumed they'd show up in my cruise planner right away.  Who knows, maybe they never will.  

Yes from the Visa site. It will definitely show up for the reservation # and ship that you input to the form.