Free Onboard Credit, Explained
Money on your ship account, with rules attached.
Get Free Cruise QuotesFree onboard credit is the most flexible of the free cruise perks: instead of a fixed extra, you get money on your shipboard account and choose what to spend it on. That flexibility comes with rules about expiry, refunds and what it can buy.
Where Free Onboard Credit Comes From
Line promotions
Added to selected sailings or cabin categories during a sale.
Travel advisor amenities
Some advisors and agencies add credit to bookings as their own perk.
Loyalty and casino programs
Some tiers and casino offers include credit; see Cruise Rewards Program.
Group bookings
Group contracts sometimes include a credit per cabin.
Goodwill
Issued after a missed port or a service problem; rules may differ.
Purchased credit
Bought before you sail; often different refund rules from promotional credit.
What It Can and Cannot Buy
Onboard credit normally works anywhere your cruise card works on board: bars and cafés, specialty restaurants, the spa, the shops, and shore excursions booked through the line. On many lines it can also cover daily gratuities on your account. It usually cannot be used in the casino, for cash advances, or for purchases ashore, and some promotions exclude certain items.
The fine print that matters most is expiry. Royal Caribbean’s purchase terms state that unused promotional onboard credit expires at 10pm on the final night of the sailing, cannot be exchanged for cash and is non-refundable. Most lines handle promotional credit similarly, so plan to spend it.
Getting the Most From Your Credit
- Check the balance on the line’s app or at guest services on day one.
- Pre-book with it where the line allows: some credit can be used for pre-cruise purchases, some only on board.
- Spend the non-refundable credit first, before any refundable purchased credit.
- Aim it at things you would buy anyway: a dinner, an excursion or the spa day you planned.
- Watch the last night: leftover promotional credit usually expires at a set time.
Is onboard credit better than a lower fare? A credit has no value if you would not have spent the money, while a fare reduction lowers every later payment and any insurance based on trip cost. Our sister site Cruise Discounters weighs that choice in detail. For managing spending once you are aboard, see Cruise Saving; for excursions to spend credit on, see Shore Activities.
Free Onboard Credit Questions
What is free onboard credit on a cruise?
Money credited to your shipboard account that you can spend on board, for example on drinks, specialty dining, spa treatments or shore excursions bought through the line. It is usually given as a promotion, a loyalty or advisor amenity, or a goodwill gesture.
Can I get cash back for unused onboard credit?
Promotional onboard credit is normally non-refundable. Royal Caribbean’s purchase terms, for example, say promotional credit cannot be exchanged for cash, is non-refundable and expires at 10pm on the final night.
Can onboard credit pay for gratuities?
On many lines it can be applied to your onboard account, which includes daily gratuities, but rules vary. Ask before you sail.
Is onboard credit per person or per cabin?
Both exist. Read the offer: per-cabin credit is shared, per-guest credit is multiplied by the number of guests.
Find Sailings With Free Onboard Credit
Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will tell you which sailings carry credit, how much applies to your cabin and what the rules are.
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