On Board Credit - Explained

There’s no such thing as a stupid question. Especially if you’re booking your first cruise.

It’s a phrase I find myself repeating quite often to people nervous about their first booking. A lot of the terms we regular cruisers use, and take for granted, can if you step back and think about it be quite confusing for anyone about to book their first cruise holiday.
Guaranteed cabins;
Formal/informal nights;
Obstructed views;
and onboard credit.
Recently I’ve had several different people ask me what onboard credit is.
Does it come off their deposit?
Is it deducted when the time comes to pay the balance of their cruise?
When will they get it?
What can they spend it on?

Quite simply put, onboard credit is ‘free’ money’ the cruise lines give you to spend onboard as part of your deal. It’s not actually free, I’m sure the cruise lines take it into account when designing their prices but hey that’s the way of the world.
After you’ve checked in and you’re enjoying your cruise you won’t be able to spend any ‘real money’ onboard. Instead every time you make a purchase, whether it be a drink in the bar or a diamond necklace in one of the onboard shops, your room card will be swiped and the amount will be added to your onboard account which will need to be settled on the last day of the cruise. If you have been lucky enough to book a deal with onboard credit, then when you are given your room card you will already be X amount of money in credit. When you make a purchase the amount of onboard credit you have will be reduced down until your balance reaches zero and you have to start spending your own hard saved spending money.
So, as Alexander the Meerkat would say: “Simples”.

Hopefully that’s cleared the matter up for everyone but if anyone still has any questions just let me know here.

Happy Cruising