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Promotions
Lines frequently attach onboard credit to a booking as a perk, especially during major promotional periods, instead of touching the fare itself.
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GuideOnboard credit, explained
Onboard credit is one of the most common cruise perks, and one of the most misunderstood. It is spending money loaded onto your shipboard account, but where it comes from, whether you get it back if unused, and how to spend it well are the parts that trip people up. Here is the whole picture.
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- Onboard credit (OBC) is a spending balance applied to your shipboard account, used for purchases during the cruise, not cash handed to you.
- It comes from several places: promotions, your past-guest loyalty tier, booking through a travel advisor, a cruise line credit card, or goodwill.
- The single most important thing to know is whether your credit is refundable or non-refundable, because that decides what happens to anything you do not spend.
- You can use it on most onboard charges: drinks, specialty dining, the spa, shore excursions, shops, Wi-Fi and often gratuities.
- Check your balance during the cruise and spend the use-it-or-lose-it portion first, so none of it goes to waste.
What onboard credit actually is
Onboard credit, often shortened to OBC, is a spending balance the cruise line puts on your onboard account. Everything you buy during the cruise is charged to that account, and your onboard credit is applied against those charges. It is not cash in your pocket, and it is not a lower fare. Think of it as a tab the line has pre-loaded in your favour.
Onboard account (folio): the running tab tied to your cabin and keycard. Nearly everything you spend on the ship, from a coffee to an excursion, posts here, and you settle it at the end of the sailing. Onboard credit is applied against this balance.
Because it lives on your account, onboard credit only has value on the ship. You cannot spend it before you sail or take it home as store credit. What you can sometimes do is get unspent credit back as cash, and whether that is allowed is the next thing to understand.
Where onboard credit comes from
Onboard credit arrives through several channels. These are the most common:
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Loyalty tier
Past-guest and loyalty programs often reward repeat cruisers with onboard credit that grows as your status rises.
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Your travel advisor
Booking through a licensed advisor can come with onboard credit the advisor passes on, on top of whatever the line is offering.
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A cruise line credit card
Co-branded cruise cards frequently let you redeem points as onboard credit for a future sailing.
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Shareholder benefit
Some publicly traded cruise companies offer onboard credit to shareholders, subject to their own terms.
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Goodwill
If something goes wrong, a line may add onboard credit as a gesture. It is compensation to use on board, not a refund.
Where your credit came from often decides whether it is refundable, which matters more than the label suggests.
The distinction that matters: refundable vs non-refundable
Refundable onboard credit: credit you can take back as cash at the end of the cruise if you do not spend it. It usually comes from money you effectively paid, such as a shareholder benefit or certain advisor credits.
Non-refundable onboard credit: promotional credit that must be spent on board. Anything left over when you disembark is simply forfeited, not returned.
This one distinction changes how you should treat the credit. Non-refundable credit is use-it-or-lose-it, so it should be the first money you spend. Refundable credit is effectively yours either way, so there is no rush and no loss if you carry some home.
Do not assume all your credit behaves the same way. A single booking can carry both types at once, a promotional (non-refundable) chunk and a refundable chunk. If you are not sure which is which, guest services can tell you. For how this mirrors the way fares themselves work, see refundable versus non-refundable cruise fares.
What you can spend it on, and how
Onboard credit is flexible. On most ships it applies automatically to nearly anything that posts to your account, including:
- Drinks and specialty dining, from a coffee to a full meal at an extra-charge restaurant.
- The spa, shops and photos, and other onboard concessions.
- Shore excursions booked through the line.
- Wi-Fi and, on many lines, your daily gratuities.
You do not usually have to do anything to trigger it. Charges post to your account, and the credit is drawn down against them, typically the non-refundable portion first. You can see where you stand at any point by checking your account on the cabin TV, the line's app, or at guest services.
Planning to use credit on a popular excursion or a specialty restaurant? Those can sell out. Booking early still lets you apply your onboard credit later, so you are not choosing between a good booking and using your perk.
Per cabin, and in the ship's money
Two practical details prevent confusion. First, onboard credit is usually granted per stateroom, not per person, so a couple sharing a cabin shares one pool of credit. Second, it is denominated in the ship's onboard currency, which may differ from your home currency. Neither changes how you use it, but both are worth knowing before you start spending.
Onboard credit also does not usually stack with the fare or reduce what you owe before you sail. It is money for the ship, applied on the ship. To understand what your fare does and does not already include before you start adding extras, read what is included in a cruise fare.
How to make the most of it
- Find out which type you have. Ask before you sail, or check with guest services early, so you know what must be spent and what can come home.
- Spend the non-refundable part first. It is the money you would otherwise lose.
- Put it toward things you already wanted. Credit spent on an excursion or dinner you would have paid for anyway is credit working hardest.
- Check your balance mid-cruise. The last thing you want is to disembark leaving usable credit behind.
- Mind the extras it can cover. Applying credit to gratuities or Wi-Fi frees up your own money for the rest. See hidden cruise costs for what those extras are.
The bottom line
Onboard credit is a genuine perk, but only if you know what you are holding. It is spending money for the ship, it comes from a handful of sources, and its single most important trait is whether it is refundable. Learn that, spend the use-it-or-lose-it portion first, and put the rest toward things you already planned to enjoy.
When you want to know exactly what onboard credit a specific sailing includes, whether it is refundable, and how it stacks with the current promotions, that is precisely the kind of detail a licensed specialist confirms for you in one call, free, with no obligation, and never a payment to us.
Frequently asked questions
What is onboard credit (OBC)?
Onboard credit is a spending balance the cruise line applies to your onboard account. You use it for purchases during the cruise, such as drinks, dining, the spa, excursions and Wi-Fi. It is not cash in hand and it does not lower your fare; it is money that only has value once you are on the ship.
Where does onboard credit come from?
It can come from a booking promotion, your past-guest loyalty tier, a licensed travel advisor, a co-branded cruise credit card, a shareholder benefit, or goodwill from the line if something went wrong. A single booking can combine credit from more than one source.
What is the difference between refundable and non-refundable onboard credit?
Refundable credit can be taken back as cash at the end of the cruise if you do not spend it. Non-refundable credit, usually promotional, must be spent on board or it is forfeited. Because they behave differently, it is worth knowing which type you hold, and spending the non-refundable part first.
What can I spend onboard credit on?
On most ships it applies to nearly anything that posts to your onboard account: drinks, specialty dining, the spa, shops, photos, shore excursions booked through the line, Wi-Fi, and often your daily gratuities. It usually applies automatically as you spend.
Do I lose onboard credit if I do not use it?
It depends on the type. Non-refundable credit that you do not spend is forfeited when you disembark. Refundable credit can be returned to you as cash. Check your balance during the cruise so you do not accidentally leave usable credit behind.
Is onboard credit per person or per cabin?
It is usually granted per stateroom rather than per person, so people sharing a cabin share the same pool of credit. It is also denominated in the ship's onboard currency, which may differ from your home currency.
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