Mrs Soap Posted June 3, 2022 #1 Share Posted June 3, 2022 Hi all, just wanting to confirm that onboard credit cannot be used for gratuity at the end of the cruise? Also I presume that we need to use it onboard....Ie cant be used if we pre pay for say spa activities? TIA Kylie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted June 3, 2022 #2 Share Posted June 3, 2022 OBC can be used for ANY charge against your shipboard account. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Soap Posted June 3, 2022 Author #3 Share Posted June 3, 2022 thanks CruiserBruce.... I thought that as well but perhaps that may not be the case if its a special booking offer? "Onboard spending money expires at the end of the Eligible Cruise and may not be used in the casino or on gratuities or any other specified fees or items." this is quoted from the HAL website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted June 3, 2022 #4 Share Posted June 3, 2022 1 minute ago, Mrs Soap said: thanks CruiserBruce.... I thought that as well but perhaps that may not be the case if its a special booking offer? "Onboard spending money expires at the end of the Eligible Cruise and may not be used in the casino or on gratuities or any other specified fees or items." this is quoted from the HAL website What is the OBC for? Never had any charge against room accounts not covered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Soap Posted June 3, 2022 Author #5 Share Posted June 3, 2022 We received it as a promo when booking our cruise for next near ( westerdam/alaska) ... I thought great that will almost cover our tipping at the end but when reading the t&cs this is what was said... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAKcruiser Posted June 3, 2022 #6 Share Posted June 3, 2022 They have always taken the gratuities from the nonrefundable shipboard credit. You never know when that could change, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Soap Posted June 3, 2022 Author #7 Share Posted June 3, 2022 Mariner Early Booking Bonus is based on Promo(s) DG* perhaps its only particular to this promo? But as KAK cruiser has said things change...perhaps there are so many people with OBC due to many cancelled cruises they particularly want that money now going to services on board?? just thinking out loud 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare zgscl Posted June 3, 2022 #8 Share Posted June 3, 2022 2 hours ago, Mrs Soap said: Hi all, just wanting to confirm that onboard credit cannot be used for gratuity at the end of the cruise? Also I presume that we need to use it onboard....Ie cant be used if we pre pay for say spa activities? TIA Kylie HAL claims that some promotional OBC and shareholder benefit OBC Cannot be used for gratuity. In practice they treat it like cash and the only thing you can't do is take it out at the casino, or have it refunded at the end. They have always applied it to all of my onboard folio expenses. You are correct you cannot apply it to prepaid services. I have seen some people report buying pre-paid services (dining, spa, shorex, etc) and then having it cancelled and rebilled onboard so that it posts against the non-refundable credits. I have never done this myself because the spa people usually find me and use it all up and then some. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted June 3, 2022 #9 Share Posted June 3, 2022 Perhaps this is a OBC issued by a travel agent with special restrictions. My shareholder OBC has always paid my gratuities 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueexpedition29 Posted June 3, 2022 #10 Share Posted June 3, 2022 I have always had OBC applied towards gratuities. What you CANNOT do is use OBC for "additional" gratuities. For example, if you have any remaining, you CANNOT tell them to apply it for additional gratuities for the crew in general or any specific individual. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizon chaser 1957 Posted June 3, 2022 #11 Share Posted June 3, 2022 59 minutes ago, blueexpedition29 said: I have always had OBC applied towards gratuities. What you CANNOT do is use OBC for "additional" gratuities. For example, if you have any remaining, you CANNOT tell them to apply it for additional gratuities for the crew in general or any specific individual. This. HAL no longer refers to the automatic daily tips as ‘gratuities’. They call it ‘crew appreciation’. In current HAL-ese, the word gratuities applies to something else. On our Alaska cruise in May, promotional OBC covered ALL of our crew appreciation, or whatever they’ve decided to call it today. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueexpedition29 Posted June 3, 2022 #12 Share Posted June 3, 2022 3 hours ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said: This. HAL no longer refers to the automatic daily tips as ‘gratuities’. They call it ‘crew appreciation’. In current HAL-ese, the word gratuities applies to something else. On our Alaska cruise in May, promotional OBC covered ALL of our crew appreciation, or whatever they’ve decided to call it today. good point and i agree 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Soap Posted June 4, 2022 Author #13 Share Posted June 4, 2022 11 hours ago, blueexpedition29 said: good point and i agree Thanks! I think that may clear this up! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debdiva Posted June 4, 2022 #14 Share Posted June 4, 2022 So that's the disadvantage to the Have It All package. Shore excursions were filling up fast, so I booked more before the cruise than I usually do. I was thinking the OBC from my TA could go to Crew Appreciation or whatever it is called this week. Otherwise, WiFi is in package, dining is in package, beverages are in package. Maybe we'll go to Canaletto... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traveling Dot Posted June 5, 2022 #15 Share Posted June 5, 2022 (edited) WiFi is only the basic, so you may want to upgrade to the better one and use the obc for that. Edited June 5, 2022 by Traveling Dot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Soap Posted June 5, 2022 Author #16 Share Posted June 5, 2022 20 hours ago, Traveling Dot said: WiFi is only the basic, so you may want to upgrade to the better one and use the obc for that. thankyou yes I noticed that...think we will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceanmom Posted June 5, 2022 #17 Share Posted June 5, 2022 On 6/3/2022 at 6:37 AM, blueexpedition29 said: I have always had OBC applied towards gratuities. What you CANNOT do is use OBC for "additional" gratuities. For example, if you have any remaining, you CANNOT tell them to apply it for additional gratuities for the crew in general or any specific individual. Pre-Covid, I was always able to use both refundable as well as non-refundable OBC for "additional gratuities for the crew in general". In fact, one time the night accounting office figured out how much of our OBC was non-refundable and put that all into the crew pool of gratuities and refunded the refundable OBC to my credit card. I made that request on the night before the last night of the cruise. I hope that hasn't changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFNavigator Posted June 6, 2022 #18 Share Posted June 6, 2022 23 hours ago, Traveling Dot said: WiFi is only the basic, so you may want to upgrade to the better one and use the obc for that. The Have It All package includes the mid-tier "Surf" internet package. Basic is "Social", mid is "Surf" and top is "Premium". Previously posted (thanks VMax1700): Taken from the HAL website. Ignore the prices, but the descriptors are current (AFAIK). source: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/faq.shipboard-life.can-i-use-the-internet-mobile-phones-or-webcams-on-board.html Available Packages: Social: Per day package, $14.99. (Access the most popular social websites and applications. May not allow for audio/video calling and streaming.) Surf (most popular): $24.99. (Surf your favorite sites including e-mail, news, sports and more. May not allow for audio/video calling and streaming.) Premium: $29.99 (From e-mail to streaming, receive the highest volume of data. Supports audio/video calling and streaming where coverage allows.) By the way, "WiFi" service is available free to anyone on the ship for use of the Navigator App. "Internet" access is the pay service being discussed here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel A Posted June 19, 2022 #19 Share Posted June 19, 2022 I have the HIA package and a ton of OBC. If I upgrade the drinks part of the HIA to the Elite Beverage Package once onboard, will the OBC cover that upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grammi Posted June 19, 2022 #20 Share Posted June 19, 2022 I’m thinking I’ll use mine for daily laundry service. Coming off 7 days land pre cruise it would be a pleasure to not have stinky bags and be able to pack less. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted June 19, 2022 #21 Share Posted June 19, 2022 (edited) 52 minutes ago, grammi said: I’m thinking I’ll use mine for daily laundry service. Coming off 7 days land pre cruise it would be a pleasure to not have stinky bags and be able to pack less. I am doing a similar itinerary to yours but continue on 10 days past HAL. Laundry is on the top of my agenda once I get to the ship. Be sure to check with your steward for the last day you can send out laundry. They have a laundry bag that holds quite a bit for $20 Edited June 19, 2022 by Mary229 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted June 19, 2022 #22 Share Posted June 19, 2022 1 hour ago, Daniel A said: I have the HIA package and a ton of OBC. If I upgrade the drinks part of the HIA to the Elite Beverage Package once onboard, will the OBC cover that upgrade? Yes. Virtually anything charged to your room account will use the OBC. Only casino cash is sometimes an issue. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASB&Cruiseluvr Posted June 20, 2022 #23 Share Posted June 20, 2022 Just confirming - does the stockholder OBC from Carnival apply to all its brands? I normally sail HAL, but we have one shorter Carnival cruise booked as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted June 20, 2022 #24 Share Posted June 20, 2022 15 minutes ago, ASB&Cruiseluvr said: Just confirming - does the stockholder OBC from Carnival apply to all its brands? I normally sail HAL, but we have one shorter Carnival cruise booked as well. Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASB&Cruiseluvr Posted June 20, 2022 #25 Share Posted June 20, 2022 7 minutes ago, crystalspin said: Yes. Thanks for the reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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