Military OBC Benefit

[Shoequeen]

My husband and I are avid cruises (78 and counting) however, most of our cruises have been on either Royal Caribbean or Princess.  We are booked on HAL for 14 days this coming summer. This cruise was booked onboard in November 2021.  Recently, I submitted our shareholder benefit and applied for my husbands military benefit.  Shareholder was applied to our booking, but I could not find where the military benefit had been applied.  When I called to. Heck on it today, I was informed that the Militzry benefit is only good on ‘new’ bookings and it has to be applied for within 7 days of booking!  Never have I heard this.  None of the other lines are like this.  We could apply for it right before sail date.  Is there a possibility I was given the wrong information?

[oaktreerb]

The process has changed recently.  An outside company is verifying the credit.  You may want to call the Mariner Society to help you on this issue.  Maybe they can tell you who to talk to.  My PCC was able to add it for me on an already booked cruise once we submitted the DD214 and had confirmation of acceptance.  The  next cruise I booked the credit was added automatically to the booking number. 

Edited April 27, 2023 by oaktreerb

[Live4cruises]

We recently (within a week) verified my husband’s service, and the benefit was applied to a booking more than 7 days old. That’s just silly!

[Banditswife]

so once you are approved for the military OBC, do you need to keep submitting it for each cruise?  Does your Travel agent do this or do we?

[Shoequeen]

37 minutes ago, Banditswife said:

so once you are approved for the military OBC, do you need to keep submitting it for each cruise?  Does your Travel agent do this or do we?

Not sure how HAL works, but with the other lines, once it’s in the profile, it gets added automatically.

[Shoequeen]

2 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

The process has changed recently.  An outside company is verifying the credit.  You may want to call the Mariner Society to help you on this issue.  Maybe they can tell you who to talk to.  My PCC was able to add it for me on an already booked cruise once we submitted the DD214 and had confirmation of acceptance.  The  next cruise I booked the credit was added automatically to the booking number. 

Thanks!  I will try calling back to see if I get a different answer.

[Shoequeen]

1 hour ago, Live4cruises said:

We recently (within a week) verified my husband’s service, and the benefit was applied to a booking more than 7 days old. That’s just silly!

Thanks!  Will try calling again.

[beach spring]

We've also been trying to be credited with this and, therefore, filled in the form and sent it in.  Within a few minutes, we received a reply that this had been verified.  However, nothing showed up on our confirmation for the cruise.  This is what my TA was told:  I have been advised that once verified,  it may be a few weeks before the credit is attached to the Mariner number.   I sure hope neither she nor we are not going to have to make numerous followup phone calls.  Stay tuned.  Never had a problem getting this kind of credit approved in the past on other.

 

[oaktreerb]

15 minutes ago, beach spring said:

We've also been trying to be credited with this and, therefore, filled in the form and sent it in.  Within a few minutes, we received a reply that this had been verified.  However, nothing showed up on our confirmation for the cruise.  This is what my TA was told:  I have been advised that once verified,  it may be a few weeks before the credit is attached to the Mariner number.   I sure hope neither she nor we are not going to have to make numerous followup phone calls.  Stay tuned.  Never had a problem getting this kind of credit approved in the past on other.

 

However, once the credit is attached to the Mariner Number it will be noted for future cruises, but you may have to be proactive to see that it is applied to a preexisting booking.

[greensprout]

Is this only for US military members or Canada too?  Haven't heard about it here.

[badtwin]

The community appreciation offers (miltiary, first responder health care etc) all clearly state they apply to new bookings only, which as stated above extends to about seven days post booking.  Why is it that so many decide that this provision set out by HAL in its offer should not apply to them?  I can't believe how many people want to try to browbeat some poor staff person at HAL to grant them the benefit when they don't qualify under its terms.

 

 

[Trapper44]

2 hours ago, Banditswife said:

so once you are approved for the military OBC, do you need to keep submitting it for each cruise?  Does your Travel agent do this or do we?

Once you have applied you can log into your HAL account on the website. Select My Profile, find Future Cruise Credits, and then Onboard Credits. It should show $100 and a Must Sail By Date. Not sure if that means you must reapply before then or what. It has been added automatically to a cruise we took last November, and also shows on the one for this November.

[PaperSniper4]

8 hours ago, Trapper44 said:

Once you have applied you can log into your HAL account on the website. Select My Profile, find Future Cruise Credits, and then Onboard Credits. It should show $100 and a Must Sail By Date. Not sure if that means you must reapply before then or what. It has been added automatically to a cruise we took last November, and also shows on the one for this November.

For our October 2023 cruise, I can see an OBC of $100 but I cannot tell if that is a military OBC or a CCL stockholder OBC. Anyone know what the ID means at the link above?

 

 

[Tampa Girl]

10 hours ago, badtwin said:

The community appreciation offers (miltiary, first responder health care etc) all clearly state they apply to new bookings only, which as stated above extends to about seven days post booking.  Why is it that so many decide that this provision set out by HAL in its offer should not apply to them?  I can't believe how many people want to try to browbeat some poor staff person at HAL to grant them the benefit when they don't qualify under its terms.

 

 

 

Would you please post a copy of  this "community Appreciation Offer?"  Where is this located?

It is a little harsh to accuse people of "browbeating some poor staff person" for a benefit which has been earned by that person and is being questioned by an arbitrary corporate rule.  The only purpose for such a rule appears to be to avoid having to give customers the $100 OBC.  So muh for "community appreciation.  There is no such requirement, for instance, for a Carnival OBC, which, perhaps, isn't classified as a "community Appreciation Offer.  

 

 

[badtwin]

Link to Community Appreciation Offer

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/deals/community-appreciation-cruise-offers.html?ICID=HECIZ0906222163

 

Terms and Conditions on Military Benefit (emphasis added)(others are similar)

Onboard Credit offer is based on Promo(s) ZH*. Limit: One (1) onboard spending money credit (“Offer”) per stateroom. Offer is only applicable for eligible active, retired and veteran military service members. Offer is valued at US$100 per stateroom. Offer is available only for new bookings. Offer is in USD and is non-refundable, non-transferable, and has no cash value. Eligible voyages include select 2023 and 2024 cruises. The offer 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. The Offer and/or its terms may be modified or withdrawn without prior notice. Other restrictions and exclusions may apply. Ships' Registry: The Netherlands

 

My response: The benefit is a gift - a promotional item - that HAL does not have to offer and if it does, it may make the rules regarding the offer to suit its needs.  I suspect the offer is limited to new booking because it is meant to entice cruisers to book.  It is also "arbitrary" to limit it to $100 or to provide the benefit to retired military and retired educators but only active first responders and health care workers.  But HAL is free to make the rules it wants for its gifts.  .

 

So when I first learned about the rule I accepted that my existing booking was too old for the OBC and was happy when it appeared on my next cruise.

 

I didn't think I was entitled to ignore the inconvenient terms of the offer.

 

[Tampa Girl]

27 minutes ago, badtwin said:

Link to Community Appreciation Offer

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/deals/community-appreciation-cruise-offers.html?ICID=HECIZ0906222163

 

Terms and Conditions on Military Benefit (emphasis added)(others are similar)

Onboard Credit offer is based on Promo(s) ZH*. Limit: One (1) onboard spending money credit (“Offer”) per stateroom. Offer is only applicable for eligible active, retired and veteran military service members. Offer is valued at US$100 per stateroom. Offer is available only for new bookings. Offer is in USD and is non-refundable, non-transferable, and has no cash value. Eligible voyages include select 2023 and 2024 cruises. The offer 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. The Offer and/or its terms may be modified or withdrawn without prior notice. Other restrictions and exclusions may apply. Ships' Registry: The Netherlands

 

My response: The benefit is a gift - a promotional item - that HAL does not have to offer and if it does, it may make the rules regarding the offer to suit its needs.  I suspect the offer is limited to new booking because it is meant to entice cruisers to book.  It is also "arbitrary" to limit it to $100 or to provide the benefit to retired military and retired educators but only active first responders and health care workers.  But HAL is free to make the rules it wants for its gifts.  .

 

So when I first learned about the rule I accepted that my existing booking was too old for the OBC and was happy when it appeared on my next cruise.

 

I didn't think I was entitled to ignore the inconvenient terms of the offer.

 

 

 Thank you for posting the rule.  I recognize that it says "new" bookings, but I don't see where it defines that as "within 7 days."  Am I missing that?  If not, and since there is no definition of "new", I would not characterize the people asking to have it applied after 7 days of booking as being "browbeating."

 

[badtwin]

Calling and asking once is not browbeating.  But as the several other threads on this topic have shown, some will not take no for an answer and call repeatedly until they find someone to give them the "right" answer, instead of enforcing "an arbitrary corporate rule."

[electro]

13 hours ago, greensprout said:

Is this only for US military members or Canada too?  Haven't heard about it here.

It is for Canadian military as well.

 

[electro]

16 hours ago, Live4cruises said:

We recently (within a week) verified my husband’s service, and the benefit was applied to a booking more than 7 days old. That’s just silly!

And if it is your first HAL cruise, you may not even know about the offer until after 7 days of booking.

 

[badtwin]

1 hour ago, electro said:

And if it is your first HAL cruise, you may not even know about the offer until after 7 days of booking.

 

 

I don't understand why this means all the terms of the offer shouldn't apply.

 

If you see a great cruise fare offer and don't notice the expiration date, do you get to tell HAL you should get the bargain fare even though you are buying after the offer's expiration date?

[Colorado Klutch]

I didn't know about the veteran OBC until long after I booked my cruise. I completed the online form and, a few weeks later, I had the OBC on my account. Does "New Bookings" mean if you don't request it at the time you book, it doesn't apply?

[Tampa Girl]

7 minutes ago, Colorado Klutch said:

I didn't know about the veteran OBC until long after I booked my cruise. I completed the online form and, a few weeks later, I had the OBC on my account. Does "New Bookings" mean if you don't request it at the time you book, it doesn't apply?

 

If that was what HAL intended, the notice did not specify the length of time after booking that it could be applied.  There is nothing in the notice about a 7-day requirement.  "New booking" is not defined.  Hence, there is no rule, arbitrary or otherwise.

[NavyCruiser]

I emailed HAL last week to double check & here's their reply:

 

From:  World Cruise Res <world_cruise_reservations@hollandamerica.com>

Dear Mr. ____,

The Military Appreciation Benefit of $100 USD onboard credit was added to your booking ____ on November 4, 2022.

Thank you for sailing with Holland America Line.

Best Regards,

Jennifer Hudgins
World Cruise Reservations
Holland America Line
Phone: 800-522-3399
Fax#: 206-270-6080
www.hollandamerica.com

[PaperSniper4]

17 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

I didn't know about the veteran OBC until long after I booked my cruise. I completed the online form and, a few weeks later, I had the OBC on my account. Does "New Bookings" mean if you don't request it at the time you book, it doesn't apply?

Same for me. I retired from the USN in 1994, and applied somehow for one of our first Carnival or Princess cruises around that time. I've never had to update anything to get that OBC, apparently it happens automatically, or perhaps the TA I've been using for the last 20 years notifies the cruise line. More likely it's part of my "permanent record" with Carnival and Princess (ie, CCL I'd think).

 

I was not aware of the HAL military OBC offer when I booked my HAL cruise several months ago. I recently read about it here on CC, so "applied" for it using ID.me and I got an "approval" a week or less later (4/11/2023). I thought it odd that HAL would not "see" my retired military status since they are part of CCL, but what the heck, no big deal to use SheerID.com. Or maybe it was ID.me I also booked an NCL cruise about the same time and also entered my military status with them, so I get the two processes confused maybe?🤔

 

I checked my Profile at HollandAmerica.com and see an OBC under Future cruise credits, but I cannot tell if it's going to be applied to the cruise I booked for October 2023 or can only be used for something I book in the future, but before the date is listed on that page (Dec 2025). I also cannot tell if it's a military OBC or maybe a stockholder OBC. I THINK it's military only because I have not applied for the stockholder OBC. I sure hope that the stockholder OBC at least will apply to my Oct 2023 cruise!

 

We don't cruise on HAL very often, so I don't know if their military appreciation offer is a recent and temporary thing or not.

 

 Doug

Edited April 29, 2023 by PaperSniper4

[PaperSniper4]

18 hours ago, NavyCruiser said:

I emailed HAL last week to double check & here's their reply:

 

From:  World Cruise Res <world_cruise_reservations@hollandamerica.com>

Dear Mr. ____,

The Military Appreciation Benefit of $100 USD onboard credit was added to your booking ____ on November 4, 2022.

Thank you for sailing with Holland America Line.

Best Regards,

Jennifer Hudgins
World Cruise Reservations
Holland America Line
Phone: 800-522-3399
Fax#: 206-270-6080
www.hollandamerica.com

 

What is the chronology for booking your cruise and apply for your military appreciation OBC?

 

I booked in February 2023 for an October 2023 cruise. I read that I needed to re-apply with HAL for my military appreciation credit here on CruiseCritic around the beginning of April. I applied at HAL through SheerID, and received notification by email a week later than I was "approved and eligible".

 

I am trying to determine if I will be able to use that military appreciation OBC on my upcoming cruise. I see a $100 OBC on my profile at hollandamerica.com but I  cannot tell if that is for THIS cruise, or something I might book later.

 

Odd that one has to re-apply for military appreciation OBC with HAL. I retired in 1994. We cruise often on Princess and Carnival and I don't remember when or how I submitted my military status, it was so many years ago. My military appreciation OBCs just showed on my cabin invoice as if by magic. 😉

 

Doug

Retired USN 1994