Hal Gift Card Promotion

[amoba]

28 minutes ago, Nancy&Frank said:

I was able to buy $10,000 (in $500 increments) today and $10,000 (in $500 increments) yesterday through HAL and sent them to my agent to apply to World Cruise with no problem on either end.

I just read SKCruise007's post stating that there is a limit of $10,000 per day so that may be the issue.  Did you wait 24 hours after the batch you bought yesterday before buying more today?  It would be great if this were the solution.  Any reason to buy in increments of $500 rather than $2000?  Could that also be an issue?  Thanks, Vicki

[Nancy&Frank]

31 minutes ago, amoba said:

I just read SKCruise007's post stating that there is a limit of $10,000 per day so that may be the issue.  Did you wait 24 hours after the batch you bought yesterday before buying more today?  It would be great if this were the solution.  Any reason to buy in increments of $500 rather than $2000?  Could that also be an issue?  Thanks, Vicki

My understanding is that 10% bonus is only being given on $250 and $500 denominations.

[Hygge!]

We are doing in $2000 and getting $200 of gift cards (8 X $25).

[Nancy&Frank]

@amoba There was more than a 24 hours gap between purchases.

[Mtn2Sea]

I purchased two $2000 cards yesterday and in just a few minutes I got the emails from HAL that allowed me to print out my cards.  About an hour later I called my online travel agent to pay my balance on an upcoming cruise.  The TA had set the final payment date as this coming Monday (I’m not sure how far in advance this particular agency sets the final date in relation to HAL’s date.). When she didn’t send me an email yesterday confirming my payment, I began wondering what was up.  
 

I checked my Visa credit card account and it showed two charges of $2000 from HAL for the two gift cards.  Today I got a call from the TA advising me there was an issue.  She had a HAL rep on the phone.  I answered a few questions, but the HAL rep, who couldn’t get the cards to work, finally stated the issue would have to be bumped up to the accounting department.  Of course they aren’t open on the weekend.  The TA said she had adjusted my final payment date by a week and would give me an update next week after making contact with the accounting department.  Fingers crossed this glitch gets resolved soon and I don’t have a problem with the 16 $25 bonus cards that I was planning on using on the ship.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

8 hours ago, jl88 said:

Hmmm... I would read the "at par" to mean purchase in Canadian dollars and receive same amount of  US dollars gift card.  So pay 100 Canadian to get 100 US denominated gift card?   

The ‘Canada at par’ was a promotion aimed at select sailings, meaning the base fare on those sailings only. HOWEVER, although the gift card bonus was never mentioned, is available in Canada. I just went online and bought $2000 worth of gift cards. When I went into the cart, there were $200 worth of bonus cards as well!

[mr. godfredo]

I purchased $1000 of cards today. I got my bonus cards through email. I am going to purchase onboard credits from the website to apply to my on board account for use during our upcoming 12 nighter on Rotterdam. I figure that will cover a few excursions and happy hours! Cheers!

[ron57nie]

13 hours ago, silversneakers said:

Yep, when you book through an Agency they have to do the work.  So are all the $25 gift cards bonus cards or did you buy them individually?

They are $25 bonus cards...64 of them so i am not too excited about telling my TA about the work ahead of her.

[ron57nie]

I did buy $2000 gift cards and got 8 $25 cards per $2000 purchase.

[john2003]

3 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

12 hours ago, jl88 said:

 

The ‘Canada at par’ was a promotion aimed at select sailings, meaning the base fare on those sailings only. HOWEVER, although the gift card bonus was never mentioned, is available in Canada. I just went online and bought $2000 worth of gift cards. When I went into the cart, there were $200 worth of bonus cards as well!

The issue, I have is these are only usable for purchases In US $$s. So if one books in Canadian $$s they are of no use for the cruise fare. I find this frustrating although I realise other non- US clients have much more to complain about. We seldom use HAL shore excursions.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

39 minutes ago, john2003 said:

The issue, I have is these are only usable for purchases In US $$s. So if one books in Canadian $$s they are of no use for the cruise fare. I find this frustrating although I realise other non- US clients have much more to complain about. We seldom use HAL shore excursions.

Yes, we discovered this with a previous gift card sale. It is very disappointing not to be able to apply the 10% bonus to the cruise fare. Our TA told us that if we had booked the fare in USD we could use the gift cards even though we were in Canada, but it was too late by then. However, we have a world cruise coming up, and the gift cards apply to wifi, ONC, and wine packages, so it’s still useful!

[rodndonna]

5 hours ago, john2003 said:

The issue, I have is these are only usable for purchases In US $$s. So if one books in Canadian $$s they are of no use for the cruise fare. I find this frustrating although I realise other non- US clients have much more to complain about. We seldom use HAL shore excursions.

 

As a Canadian, you can book your cruise in US $. I do this as a Canadian partlly for just this reason. If your cruise is not at final payment, you can have it re-fared into US$ if it is worth it. 

[rodndonna]

7 hours ago, mr. godfredo said:

I purchased $1000 of cards today. I got my bonus cards through email. I am going to purchase onboard credits from the website to apply to my on board account for use during our upcoming 12 nighter on Rotterdam. I figure that will cover a few excursions and happy hours! Cheers!

 

How do you apply the cards to buy on-board credit? 

 

I was looking to do this rather than remember to use them at the end of a cruise but I can't figure out how. I looked at "overpaying" my cruise but I don't think it allows making a payment if it is paid in full.

[richwmn]

30 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

How do you apply the cards to buy on-board credit? 

 

I was looking to do this rather than remember to use them at the end of a cruise but I can't figure out how. I looked at "overpaying" my cruise but I don't think it allows making a payment if it is paid in full.

If you go to 'manage my cruise', then look under 'gifts and indulgences' you will find 'shipboard credit'. Pressing that link will allow you to purchase $5, $25, $50, or $100 in on board credit or $10 in casino chips. You can use the gift card to pay for the purchase.

[mr. godfredo]

4 hours ago, richwmn said:

If you go to 'manage my cruise', then look under 'gifts and indulgences' you will find 'shipboard credit'. Pressing that link will allow you to purchase $5, $25, $50, or $100 in on board credit or $10 in casino chips. You can use the gift card to pay for the purchase.

what he said!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

7 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

As a Canadian, you can book your cruise in US $. I do this as a Canadian partlly for just this reason. If your cruise is not at final payment, you can have it re-fared into US$ if it is worth it. 

Unfortunately your last sentence is not a likely scenario. First, they will not just convert to US Dollars or vice versa. It would need to be canceled and rebooked at prevailing rates. If you have booked air, excursions or paid any dollar amount already including deposit that is all canceled.

Your first sentence is correct Canadians can book in US dollars but must pay in US dollars. Overall with any hassle factors it also may not be financially beneficial.

[Dismomx5]

On 4/19/2022 at 5:50 PM, Wondermouse said:

I am guessing it is not available in Canada. 

I bought them in 2020 and again this week. I can't use them to pay off my cruise(s), because my cruises are in Canadian money. I can (and have) however, bought OBC, paid for my laundry and excursions, so far for my cruise next month. If I didn't have the gratuity paid, I'd have done that one, too. (I will do that for my future cruises)

[rodndonna]

51 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Unfortunately your last sentence is not a likely scenario. First, they will not just convert to US Dollars or vice versa. It would need to be canceled and rebooked at prevailing rates. If you have booked air, excursions or paid any dollar amount already including deposit that is all canceled.

Your first sentence is correct Canadians can book in US dollars but must pay in US dollars. Overall with any hassle factors it also may not be financially beneficial.

 

As a Canadian I generally book in US$. I've also booked in Canadian and had had it reverted to US$. Indeed it depends on where you are in the booking. If you are just at a deposit stage (non-final payment), tends not to be an issue unless prices have gone up since your booking. I think everything else (flights, excursions etc) is US based anyway althoug I can't confirm as I go US$ for the fare.

[margretha]

If not for Cruise Critic I would have missed this entirely since our trip is months away!

As always, grateful for everything everyone contributes!!!

margretha

[PGCruiser2]

On 4/19/2022 at 2:54 PM, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

I don’t think so. Where our US friends are seeing the gift card promotion, I’m seeing the ‘Canada at par’ promotion.

Canada at par would actually be a greater deal for Canadians. Where do you see this. Do you have a link.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

47 minutes ago, PGCruiser2 said:

Canada at par would actually be a greater deal for Canadians. Where do you see this. Do you have a link.

Canada at Par was the lead display on the HAL website, but it’s over now and the display is gone. In its place is the ‘Canada Super Sale’, with special prices on select Alaska / New England / Mexico cruises leaving from Canadian ports.

[brovol]

I am about to book a cruise for next April, and I am contemplating purchasing some of the gift cards to both pay for the cruise, ultimately, and also use for the deposit.  My TA said she wasn't sure, but thought that if I used gift cards for the deposit and then decided to cancel the cruise, I wouldn't get the deposit back.  Anyone know if this is right?

[Mandalay1903]

Has anyone had the experience of using gift cards and bonus gift cards to pay for cruises or purchase shore excursions in advance, and then the cruise is cancelled by HAL? If HAL cancels the cruise and I take the refund option, does the gift card value return to the gift card or to my original form of payment (my credit card)?

 

What if I cancel the shore excursion before the sailing date?

[FlaMariner]

2 minutes ago, brovol said:

I am about to book a cruise for next April, and I am contemplating purchasing some of the gift cards to both pay for the cruise, ultimately, and also use for the deposit.  My TA said she wasn't sure, but thought that if I used gift cards for the deposit and then decided to cancel the cruise, I wouldn't get the deposit back.  Anyone know if this is right?

 

My experience is that if anything is refunded, it is refunded back to how you purchased it so it would go back to your gift card. To use on another 'dam ship. 

 

During the unpleasantness when we had excursions refunded, they $$$ went back on the gift card and expiration dates were not an issue. 

[Lido - Lanai]

2 minutes ago, brovol said:

I am about to book a cruise for next April, and I am contemplating purchasing some of the gift cards to both pay for the cruise, ultimately, and also use for the deposit.  My TA said she wasn't sure, but thought that if I used gift cards for the deposit and then decided to cancel the cruise, I wouldn't get the deposit back.  Anyone know if this is right?

Assuming you book a refundable deposit fare (as opposed to a non-refundable deposit fare) and you cancel, the funds will go back to your gift card (not a cash refund).