Holland America Line Launches Onboard Credit Offer for AARP Members

[StLouisCruisers]

8 hours ago, zelker said:

Actually you don't.  When you click on the link on HAL's site,  click on Verify Your AARP Membership, then fill out the few things they ask for and click to submit it.  It immediately said it was confirmed and sent us each an email confirming it as well.  The person I talked to at HAL said to give it 4-5 days for it all to migrate into our Mariner accounts and then call back and have them applied to all our existing bookings.  So we'll see.

 

Exclusive AARP Member Offer | Holland America Line

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Tryingtocruise said:

I'm trying not to be an idiot but I cannot find anything on the HAL webpage about this.  I even entered "AARP" in the search box and nothing came up.  I looked at my Mariner profile page and I don't see anything there either.  I also looked at the AARP page and don't see anything there.  Am I blind or stupid?

 

Thanks!

 

No you're not an idiot!  HAL makes it very hard to find things.  @zelker provided the link (see above in her post) or I never would have found it on my own.

[Nickelpenny]

11 minutes ago, Tryingtocruise said:

I'm trying not to be an idiot but I cannot find anything on the HAL webpage about this.  I even entered "AARP" in the search box and nothing came up.  I looked at my Mariner profile page and I don't see anything there either.  I also looked at the AARP page and don't see anything there.  Am I blind or stupid?

 

Thanks!

Log into the HAL website and then go to Cruise Deals.  It is way at the bottom.  Here is a direct link:  https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/deals/aarp-member-benefit-offer.html 

[Mtn2Sea]

I started the signup process this afternoon and was required to show my AARP card.  Very quickly I was told my first name did not match.  Holland America has always required me to use my first name.  However, I go by my middle name, which my AARP card shows.  To correct the “problem”, the website asked me to upload my card showing my first name.  No other options were given.  Of course, I don’t have such a card.  I finally found a link that would let me give an explanation if I was having trouble signing up.  I got an auto response that their reps respond in one to two days.  Fingers crossed.

[DeeniEncinitas]

I just received this from my PCC just

now.

we have an existing cruise coming up for 56 days and wanted to know possibility of adding $200.00 to our account. This was his response.

Hi Denise, the points guy forgot to include one veryHi Denise, the points guy forgot to include one very important detail…this is for new bookings only…not for existing bookings I’m sorry to say. important

I detail…this is for

🌺 wbookings only…

I have not for existing bookings I’m sorry to say.

Best regards,

Hi Denise, the points guy forgot to include one very

Hi Denise, the points guy forgot to include one very important detail…this is for new bookings only…not for existing bookings I’m sorry to say.

Best regards,

important detail…this is for new bookings only…not for existing bookings I’m sorry to say.

Best regards,

[crystalspin]

18 minutes ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Hi Denise, the points guy forgot to include one very important detail…this is for new bookings only…not for existing bookings I’m sorry to say. 

I figured this. After all, it's not out of the goodness of HAL's heart they would be giving away $200 per cabin, but to bring in people on the fence. I checked my three bookings and do have one that I don't stand to lose anything by re-faring Thursday!

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, Mtn2Sea said:

I started the signup process this afternoon and was required to show my AARP card.  Very quickly I was told my first name did not match.  Holland America has always required me to use my first name.  However, I go by my middle name, which my AARP card shows.  To correct the “problem”, the website asked me to upload my card showing my first name.  No other options were given.  Of course, I don’t have such a card.  I finally found a link that would let me give an explanation if I was having trouble signing up.  I got an auto response that their reps respond in one to two days.  Fingers crossed.

My situation as well. I just went to my AARP profile and added my first name so both names show on my card. Then clicked through the verification process and got the confirmation email.

With Real ID, I am finding more that exact name matches are required and I'm having to add my first name. Had to do it for shareholder OBC this year 

[Mary229]

9 hours ago, VermeulT said:

Any guess yet if it will be stackable with shareholder OBC?

Yes it is

[PaperSniper4]

20 hours ago, jbecker6469 said:

Following

 

Ditto. Wife is a member but not me; I booked our upcoming cruise a while ago. Wonder if we could get OBC on this one (Oct 2023) or not until the next is booked.......

[ExArkie]

8 hours ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

I just received this from my PCC just

now.

we have an existing cruise coming up for 56 days and wanted to know possibility of adding $200.00 to our account. This was his response.

Hi Denise, the points guy forgot to include one veryHi Denise, the points guy forgot to include one very important detail…this is for new bookings only…not for existing bookings I’m sorry to say. important

I detail…this is for

🌺 wbookings only…

I have not for existing bookings I’m sorry to say.

Best regards,

Hi Denise, the points guy forgot to include one very

Hi Denise, the points guy forgot to include one very important detail…this is for new bookings only…not for existing bookings I’m sorry to say.

Best regards,

important detail…this is for new bookings only…not for existing bookings I’m sorry to say.

Best regards,

This is what I expected, but blaming TPG for getting it wrong is a deflection. HAL's terms and conditions do not specify that it is for new bookings. The way the deal is presented sort of implies that it might be, but if that is their intent, they should state it as such.

 

 

[KAKcruiser]

Does anyone know if this AARP promo is combinable with the other community promos like teachers and health care providers and military?

[cruisemom42]

20 minutes ago, KAKcruiser said:

Does anyone know if this AARP promo is combinable with the other community promos like teachers and health care providers and military?

 

The article cited in post #5 says it's combinable.

[DaveOKC]

Just talked to my PCC - she checked into it and said that it was for new bookings only.

 

[pmjnh]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

The article cited in post #5 says it's combinable.

My TA was told ny HAL that AARP OBC was not combinable with the Teacher OBC. They applied the AARP because it was greater amount  than the teacher. This was on an existing booking . 

Edited July 25, 2023 by pmjnh

[scooter6139]

Will need to ask my PCC about rebooking my Dec 2024 on Koningsdam then to see about getting this OBC added.  It was done on the $1 deposit, so if it requires a full deposit now then will just wait until the next $1 deposit day.  😏

[spkack]

On 7/24/2023 at 11:13 AM, Mary229 said:

If anyone applies for the OBC please let us know of your success 

I called and asked yesterday to add it to existing bookings.  HAL agent confirmed only for new bookings and also confirmed it can be combined with other offers like shareholder credit.

[spkack]

48 minutes ago, pmjnh said:

My TA was told ny HAL that AARP OBC was not combinable with the Teacher OBC. They applied the AARP because it was greater amount  than the teacher. This was on an existing booking . 

This is interesting.  I may have to call back since my requests to add to existing bookings was denied.  Any further info on this I may be able to leverage to get it added?

[mcrcruiser]

On 7/24/2023 at 8:13 AM, Mary229 said:

If anyone applies for the OBC please let us know of your success 

Mary we have 3 booking booked ,all of them 14 days & over & all in a balcony .If we were booking now we get $200 PBC each booking ;bit because we are already booked they will not give us the $600  in AARP OBCs  .HAL should really understand that this is a negative to those booked people .We san understand why they are promoting AARP  to that demographic . 

[pmjnh]

7 minutes ago, spkack said:

This is interesting.  I may have to call back since my requests to add to existing bookings was denied.  Any further info on this I may be able to leverage to get it added?

 

7 minutes ago, spkack said:

This is interesting.  I may have to call back since my requests to add to existing bookings was denied.  Any further info on this I may be able to leverage to get it added?

well, they would not let my TA add the aarp to my remaining 2023 booking because she had already applied the teacher obc amd you can only apply one of the 2 promotions. They did allow her to apply the aarp to my current 2024 booking, which was booked onboard just a few weeks ago.

also both the Aarp and teacher forms must be renewed each year...the expiration date is the day of original approval for both programs.

[pirate cruiser]

We were just told the OBC is for new bookings-it's pretty lame to penalize people with existing bookings especially since we are past final payment.

[scooter6139]

27 minutes ago, pmjnh said:

 

well, they would not let my TA add the aarp to my remaining 2023 booking because she had already applied the teacher obc amd you can only apply one of the 2 promotions. They did allow her to apply the aarp to my current 2024 booking, which was booked onboard just a few weeks ago.

also both the Aarp and teacher forms must be renewed each year...the expiration date is the day of original approval for both programs.

Wonder how this works out then with teachers and AARP?  The AARP is in my name, teacher is in my wife's name (as she is the teacher).  So far the teacher OBC shows up under her name and account.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I called twice yesterday and once today and was told all three times that it is for new bookings only. Not sure how some are getting it added to existing. I have a cruise in less than 6 weeks and another in December all paid in full. I do have one for 2025 but the price has gone up plus would lose some ship board credit from the promo it is booked under so definitely not worth canceling.

[pmjnh]

4 minutes ago, scooter6139 said:

Wonder how this works out then with teachers and AARP?  The AARP is in my name, teacher is in my wife's name (as she is the teacher).  So far the teacher OBC shows up under her name and account.

Not sure....i have both teacher and aarp in my name. But if they only do one or the other , the perk was larger on the aarp (200 -for balcony..vs 100)

[Destiny0315]

It's interesting how some feel that HAL should be grandfathering them into this new program with AARP for existing bookings and not just new ones. I know I can't be the only one still waiting(nearly 14 years now) for HAL to add the double Mariner Society points for suites booked before the fall of 2009 when that program was introduced.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Destiny0315

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Just now, Destiny0315 said:

It's interesting how some feel that HAL should be grandfathering them into this new program with AARP for existing bookings and not just new ones. I know I can't be the only one waiting(nearly 14 years now) for HAL to add the double mariner points for suites booked before the fall of 2009.

Oh if only they would grandfather in the Double points for suites lol I would have been 5 star shortly after 2009 instead of just now reaching it for my December cruise. 😉

 

It truly would be impossible to add the AARP to every booking already booked, and it is hard to get through to an agent now, can you imagine if they opened it up to every current booking and the very large percentage of people that would be AARP members. The phone lines would be crazy.

HAL partnered with AARP to bring in NEW bookings, while I do believe that to a certain extent giving ship board credit helps to encourage on board spending I do not see HAL giving away that much ship board credit.

 

[Turtles06]

35 minutes ago, pirate cruiser said:

We were just told the OBC is for new bookings-it's pretty lame to penalize people with existing bookings especially since we are past final payment.

I don’t think I’d call it being “penalized.”  HAL has introduced a new marketing tool  to help bring in new bookings.  
 

Are those of us who aren’t teachers being “penalized” because we don’t get whatever benefit HAL has extended to them? 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Turtles06