current promotion with shore excursion credit question

[Maksim]

I called HAL and they told me that obc for excursions can only be used if we book it once on board and not in advance. I think we need to check with someone that already sailed to find out if they restrict you to use this anniversary package obc for excursions only.

[Lis2065]

It would be good to hear back from someone who has sailed with this promotion... I am tickled to have gotten it for my cruise to NZ in January.

[RuthC]

I think we need to check with someone that already sailed to find out if they restrict you to use this anniversary package obc for excursions only.

 

It would be good to hear back from someone who has sailed with this promotion...

No one has returned yet from a cruise under this promotion, as it is so new.

That's why all the answers as to how it will operate in practice is merely speculation.

[susiesan]

I called HAL and they told me that obc for excursions can only be used if we book it once on board and not in advance. I think we need to check with someone that already sailed to find out if they restrict you to use this anniversary package obc for excursions only.

 

If this were to end up being true as the only way to use the OBC, by the time you go to book shore excursions onboard they may be filled up and unavailable to use the credit on. If HAL were to hold people to these restrictions on using the OBC and there are none to be booked and you lose the credit there will be massive complaining.

[DaveOKC]

I have also heard that as long as you book at least one excursion, HAL will let you use the rest of your OBC anyway you want. I cannot guarantee this is the case however. It does make some sense though, especially for those who were able to get the maximum $800 OBC from this promotion.

[momatibm]

If this were to end up being true as the only way to use the OBC, by the time you go to book shore excursions onboard they may be filled up and unavailable to use the credit on. If HAL were to hold people to these restrictions on using the OBC and there are none to be booked and you lose the credit there will be massive complaining.

 

While the advertisement for this sale says 'shore excursion OBC', on my copy of the confirmation all of the OBC (sale credit, FCD) is lumped together under On Board Credit (USD). There is no distinction made.

[regnig]

While the advertisement for this sale says 'shore excursion OBC', on my copy of the confirmation all of the OBC (sale credit, FCD) is lumped together under On Board Credit (USD). There is no distinction made.

 

That's the way mine reads too. We finally had our TA re-fare ours today to pick up the Anniversary Sale. Although our stateroom went up just a tad the two dinners in the up-charge restaurants alone are free and if we can use any or all of the OBC all the better. :D

[3rdGenCunarder]

No one has returned yet from a cruise under this promotion, as it is so new.

That's why all the answers as to how it will operate in practice is merely speculation.

 

I may end up being the guinea pig. I'm sailing at the end of August. Is anyone going sooner than that?

[RuthC]

I may end up being the guinea pig. I'm sailing at the end of August. Is anyone going sooner than that?

Not I. :(

 

When you return, I hope you'll let us know how it worked for you. I am thinking that there will be a variety of reports depending on the ship, and how things are being interpreted. It usually takes a while for a shake-down period to settle the terms.

It wouldn't be the first time something like that happened.

[Banditswife]

I also took advantage, thanks to my travel agent, of the Anniversary Sale package to receive another drop of price (my 2nd) with my 2nd increase in on board credit since booking for the final HAL voyage of the Statendam. My travel agent tells me, based upon her conversation with HAL in Seattle, that the on board credit can be used for any onboard expense. I am sure they would like you to use it for shore excursions, but it is my understanding that it does not need to be.

We booked our cruise under this promo & this is how a HAL rep explained it to our TA. We can use it for any ship board spending.

[rkacruiser]

We booked our cruise under this promo & this is how a HAL rep explained it to our TA. We can use it for any ship board spending.

 

Thank you for your verification of this!

[Banditswife]

As for the dining package- Hal said that reservations would be made for us one time at each of the "for a fee" restaurants. If we don't like the time or date of the reservation, we may ask for changes- which may or may not be available.

[oldmanonthesea]

I too was curious why HAL would promote the OBC as "on-board" only. Having never sailed with HAL I decided that I would book the one excursion that I had to have ahead of time, so as not to risk the excursion being sold out by the time I boarded. I was surprised to find out that on HAL you pay for your excursions when you book them. This is contrary to all the other cruise lines that I have sailed on that let you reserve excursions anytime, and then post the charges on your final bill at the end of the cruise. So it makes sense that if they are promoting a Shore Excursion OBC, that you would need to book it on board to get the benefit.