If you’re planning a cruise, you’ve probably seen the term “onboard credit” (or OBC) and wondered what it actually means, how it works, and whether it’s as good as it sounds. We’ve booked enough sailings to know the real answers — and the small details that help you actually use every dollar instead of leaving money on the table.
Here’s the practical guide to onboard credit, including the difference between the types you’ll see and how we handle it on our own trips.
What Is Onboard Credit?
Onboard credit is money added to your cruise account before you sail that you can spend on the ship. Think of it like a prepaid gift card loaded onto your cabin key. It can come from the cruise line, a promotion, a credit-card reward, or from us when you book yourself through our site.
Once it’s on your account, you don’t need to show a code or ask for it at checkout. It simply applies automatically.
What Can You Use Onboard Credit For?
Most extra purchases on the ship can be covered with OBC, including:
- Spa treatments and salon services
- Gratuities
- Drink packages
- WiFi packages
- Specialty dining
- Shore excursions booked through the cruise line
What Can’t You Use Onboard Credit For?
OBC typically cannot cover:
- Taxes and port fees
- Medical services onboard
- Cash withdrawals from the casino or guest services
- Deposits on future cruise bookings
How Is Onboard Credit Charged?
You don’t need to do anything special. OBC is automatically deducted from your onboard account the moment you make a purchase. It keeps covering charges until the balance runs out, then your credit card on file takes over.
Refundable vs. Non-Refundable Onboard Credit
This is the part that confuses most first-time cruisers.
Non-refundable onboard credit usually comes from the cruise line or a limited-time promotion. It’s use-it-or-lose-it. If you don’t spend it by the end of the cruise, it disappears. No refund and no rollover.
Refundable onboard credit is yours either way. If you don’t spend it, it gets credited back to the card on your account after the cruise ends.
If you have both types on the same booking, cruise lines automatically apply the non-refundable credit first. That way the money that would otherwise vanish gets used before the credit you’d get back anyway.
How Do I Check My Onboard Credit Balance?
Your balance shows up in the cruise line’s app or your online cruise account before you even board. Once onboard you can also check it at guest services or on your in-room TV account summary. We usually glance at it a couple of times during the sailing so we know exactly how much “free” spending money is left.
How We Like to Spend Onboard Credit
On our own sailings we keep it simple and practical:
- Gratuities first — they are automatic and easy to cover.
- Shore excursions if we’ve booked any through the cruise line.
- Spa treatments or a bit of onboard shopping with whatever is left.
That order lets us clear the non-refundable portion early and still enjoy the extras without watching every charge.
The Kick Back Travel Difference
Most of the onboard credit you see comes from the cruise line. When you book yourself through our self-service site, we add extra refundable onboard credit as our way of saying thanks.
Because it’s refundable, there’s no risk — spend it on a massage, a specialty dinner, or a shore excursion, or don’t. Anything left comes right back to your card. You also keep every cruise-line loyalty perk. Combined with whatever promotion the cruise line is already running, that extra credit stacks on top of the savings you already have.
Ready to See What’s Available?
Browse the sailings on our site and you’ll see the onboard credit included on every booking.
Book Direct — Dream it. Book it. Kick back and enjoy it.