HAL - OBC & Have It All

[airboss1998]

Okay, headed out on 21 day cruise.  Part of booking while on the last ship was $400 OBC ($200 each), and free gratuities.  I wouldn't normally but will likely add Have It All - did the math and it's a decent deal...

 

Here's my question - we got $400 OBC for booking, $100 OBC for paying off the cruise a couple of weeks early, and $250 for stock ownership (total of $750).  Since we got free gratuities, and we have no idea what we'll do for excursions, is all that OBC 'non-refundable'.  And/or, can we book Have It All once we get on the ship and charge it against OBC?

 

Thanks.

[KAKcruiser]

You can buy the drink package on the ship but I'm not sure about a HIA package.  I think that has to be purchased in advance.

[CruiserBruce]

I would expect all that OBC to be non- refundable. Haven't heard of anyone adding HIA on board. Beverage Package is the way to go.

[idiebabe]

The HAL Promos are non-refundable.  I was told by my PCC that HIA can be added anytime up to 2 days before Sailing.  

[Florida_gal_50]

I did add the have it all onboard but my story is a bit messy.  I was on a two week cruise, 2 -7 day to be precise.  I didn’t have the hia the first week.  This was in March.  On the Friday morning of the second week I got an email saying I could add it for $50 a day.  The first cruise was to end on Sunday.  I did buy it and it caused a chain reaction of unpleasantness.  I’d purchased internet and was told it was only one week so I purchased it early on the cruise for the second week.  Then got it through hia so purchased it for a third time.  Also had random charges go through my account for hundreds of dollars they couldn’t explain.  I know it would make good sense to purchase it that way but I caution you.  I feel that the obc will be non refundable.  I did not pay the money on board.  My pcc charged it to my credit card.

Edited December 11, 2022 by Florida_gal_50

[yerdua]

All the OBC you get from HAL is definitely nonrefundable. Use it or lose it. DH and I were on Zuiderdam last month with a lot of OBC plus HIA including crew appreciation. 2 days before the end of the cruise we got a call from guest services reminding us to use the remaining OBC on our account and suggested the spa or the shops. We knew it was non refundable and had already had planned for some of it, but the call was a good reminder to go do a little retail therapy!

Edited December 12, 2022 by yerdua

[leafsnation]

Non refundable use at casino

bob

[richwmn]

34 minutes ago, leafsnation said:

Non refundable use at casino

bob

not allowed

[airboss1998]

thanks, sounds like we'll forgo the HIA and just pay for the drinks we want.  We did that on our last cruise, as we needed $1500 in onboard spend to make our next star level.  (we still don't understand that calculation, as we got twice as much on board spend credit as we think we should have....)

[airboss1998]

So now I'm begging to wonder how to spend the $750 in OBC we're gonna end up with?  Gratuities are already included, and I don't really want to wait until we get on board to book excursions (I guess maybe we can get on day 1 and try to cancel and re-book excursions to use the OBC). We can buy a wine package, and specialty dining, plus some drinks.  But I don't see it being $750.  We're not spa people, and I don't need overpriced HAL bling.  Hmmmm.

 

[RuthC]

7 minutes ago, airboss1998 said:

So now I'm begging to wonder how to spend the $750 in OBC we're gonna end up with? ... I don't need overpriced HAL bling.  Hmmmm.

 

If it's OBC you will otherwise lose, then the HAL bling purchased with it isn't exactly 'overpriced'. 

One thing that can be done with extra non-refundable OBC is to add it to the Crew Appreciation. 

[Banditswife]

I had a bit of excess OBC for our last cruise & ended up ordering a floral arrangement for our cabin.  I asked guest services if I could designate a portion to our cabin steward & was told "No, it would automatically go to dining room staff."   Why is that?  We bought a few things I would not have otherwise bought, figured our grandkids would enjoy a bit of bling.

[julia]

We recently had too much OBC (I know, first world problem). Absolutely nothing in the shops of any interest.  Just decided to stock up on a few nice bottles for our liquor cabinet. Enjoying it now...

[Florida_gal_50]

I bought a floral arrangement.  It was gorgeous.

[Sea42]

If you're not in a Neptune suite or higher, unlimited laundry is a good way to use non-refundable OBC.

[DaveOKC]

Another thing we do is purchase transfers from the port to the airport while onboard.  Good way to use OBC.

 

[airboss1998]

7 hours ago, Sea42 said:

If you're not in a Neptune suite or higher, unlimited laundry is a good way to use non-refundable OBC.

 

Thanks, we get that due to star level.  I'm going to ask if we can pre-pay some excursions, then re-book them when onboard.

[Hlitner]

The ole "what to do with non-refundable OBC dilemma!"  :).  I smile because we have been there and it is actually worse when you are luxury lines (i.e. Seabourn, Silverseas, etc) where everything is already included and one has no desire to book a cruise line excursion.  Our fall-back is to buy some excellent bottles of wine for some special dinners.  On one Seabourn cruise we made friends with the Sommelier because of buying multiple bottles of expensive wine (we did use up our OBC).  I do not use the casinos on HAL (we will not go in any casino that allows smoking) but some others can advise you whether you can turn non-refundable OBC into cash via the casino.   On MSC I was able to get over $500 in chips charged to my onboard account, do a little gambling, and cash out for real cash!  (that is not an option on Seabourn).

 

Hank

[*Miss G*]

23 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I do not use the casinos on HAL (we will not go in any casino that allows smoking) 

 

To avoid confusion for those unfamiliar with HAL smoking policies, there is no smoking allowed in casinos on the following ships:

 

Eurodam

Nieuw Amsterdam

Noordam

Oosterdam

Westerdam

Zuiderdam

 

 

19 hours ago, airboss1998 said:

So now I'm begging to wonder how to spend the $750 in OBC we're gonna end up with?  Gratuities are already included, and I don't really want to wait until we get on board to book excursions (I guess maybe we can get on day 1 and try to cancel and re-book excursions to use the OBC). We can buy a wine package, and specialty dining, plus some drinks.  But I don't see it being $750.  We're not spa people, and I don't need overpriced HAL bling.  Hmmmm.

 

 

I use Clinique and L’Occitane and have purchased them onboard.  (There are other products as well.)  They also make nice gifts.

[Mary229]

21 hours ago, airboss1998 said:

So now I'm begging to wonder how to spend the $750 in OBC we're gonna end up with?  Gratuities are already included, and I don't really want to wait until we get on board to book excursions (I guess maybe we can get on day 1 and try to cancel and re-book excursions to use the OBC). We can buy a wine package, and specialty dining, plus some drinks.  But I don't see it being $750.  We're not spa people, and I don't need overpriced HAL bling.  Hmmmm.

 

Last cruise I bought a bunch of stuff in the shops just to make sure it was used up.   As a practicality I buy the airport transfer since I am going to have to pay anyway.  

[craftygrandma]

The stockholders OBC is refundable.

[richwmn]

6 minutes ago, craftygrandma said:

The stockholders OBC is refundable.

actually, it is not.

[lissie]

1 hour ago, craftygrandma said:

The stockholders OBC is refundable.

I don't think so. Its certainly not on Cunard so I'm pretty not on HAL either both being Carnival