AARP Promotion Problems

[mcrcruiser]

We booked 2 new cruises   one is Nov 2024 & the other is April 2025 . We   recoeved  the AARP on board credit for the Nov 2024 cruise but did not get it  for the April 2025 cruise .We spoke to first a first rep who turned the phone call over to a Seattle rep . He kept directing to the web site except there is no informayion we could read which limits the AATP credits except we need to renew the AAYP each uear . These 2 new cruise vnooked very close to each other .One gets the creidt & one does not get the AARP credit . The cruise line expects us & others to remember that we need to reapply in 2025 but we see nothing in wriying that says what the hogher rep in Seattle just told us . Not a very happy camper about this very loose policy favoring always this cruise line

[Mary229]

Yes, they do expect you to renew every year.  It is in the terms and conditions of the promotion.  Mark your calendar.

Edited September 13, 2023 by Mary229

[tupper10]

@mcrcruiser That happened to me and I spoke with a supervisor.    At first she claimed I couldn't get it,  but like you I had booked two cruises and both were in 2025 - one I had the credit one not- so she couldn't claim that they weren't offering it on 2025 cruises - she had to add it manually and then re sent my confirmation.  

[BermudaBound2014]

20 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

 The cruise line expects us & others to remember that we need to reapply in 2025 but we see nothing in wriying that says what the hogher rep in Seattle just told us . Not a very happy camper about this very loose policy favoring always this cruise line

 

Here is is in writing. I realize that terms and conditions can be tedious to read, but this is the exact same issue you ran into when trying to understand the terms and conditions of the AARP gift cards. Devil is usually in these details.

 

Now, that isn't to say that HAL has applied their own terms and conditions consistently, but you said you see nothing in writing, so here it is: 

 

 

AARP Member Offer | Holland America Line

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by BermudaBound2014

[manteonc]

I was told yesterday that you must request validation for each individual cruise during initial sign up for that cruise, or the credit will not be applied.  When I questioned this based on the small print a supervisor was engaged who confirmed the "must specifically enter AARP information and validate it as part of the booking for each individual cruise."  So that's another answer.

[mcrcruiser]

1 hour ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Here is is in writing. I realize that terms and conditions can be tedious to read, but this is the exact same issue you ran into when trying to understand the terms and conditions of the AARP gift cards. Devil is usually in these details.

 

Now, that isn't to say that HAL has applied their own terms and conditions consistently, but you said you see nothing in writing, so here it is: 

 

 

AARP Member Offer | Holland America Line

 

 

 

This is amazing ,HAL gives us the $200 AARP benefit for Mov 30 ,2024 10 day cruise but will not give us the credit for the April 2 ,2025 cruise just booked . Candidly, their marketing  promos are not worth the aggravation that any cistomer can go through  with them on the phone .Secongly ,their web site is very lacking in any ones ability to find any thing even with them on the phone in this case . 

 

 We hust did much better by trasfering the cruise to a TA  via Faxing the transfer form to HAL . 

 

 From a personal point of view as a customer ,I do not believe  this cruise line wants to be user friendly . so because of hassles ,we now re think of where we want to spend many thousands of dollars for vacations & it does not look good for this cruise line going forward .JMVHO

[mcrcruiser]

PS when any business makes customer jump through so many hoops to get what the buisness promises to bring in more business & does not feliver on those promises ,well  the future can be uncertain for sure 

[Toofarfromthesea]

When does your current AARP membership end?

[Destiny0315]

 

3 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

 From a personal point of view as a customer ,I do not believe  this cruise line wants to be user friendly . so because of hassles ,we now re think of where we want to spend many thousands of dollars for vacations & it does not look good for this cruise line going forward

You just booked the cruise for April of 2025 during the HAL $1 deposit sale for a total of $2! You have 18 months to work this out and I highly suspect that we will hear all about it on here many times between now and then.

[mcrcruiser]

23 minutes ago, Destiny0315 said:

 

You just booked the cruise for April of 2025 during the HAL $1 deposit sale for a total of $2! You have 18 months to work this out and I highly suspect that we will hear all about it on here many times between now and then.

  No you will not ,we will handle it a different way 

[mcrcruiser]

2 hours ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

When does your current AARP membership end?

October 2024

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, mcrcruiser said:

October 2024

Do you see the problem now?  Why would they give you an AARP benefit in 2025 when you have not paid for a 2025 membership.  

[Reagan0712]

25 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Do you see the problem now?  Why would they give you an AARP benefit in 2025 when you have not paid for a 2025 membership.  

I understand and agree with what you are saying. However, (you knew that was coming 😉) the way I am reading the promotion is “Here’s your AARP approval now go book your cruise.” I could be wrong, but I don’t believe it reads “only book a cruise that sails during your validation period”. 

That being the case, if I get validated today for one year and book a cruise for 2025, according to the current promotion rules, they should give me the $100 OBC.

If I’m reading this incorrectly, someone please let me know because on Saturday I did just that and am waiting to see if I get the OBC.

[Mary229]

Just now, Reagan0712 said:

I understand and agree with what you are saying. However, (you knew that was coming 😉) the way I am reading the promotion is “Here’s your AARP approval now go book your cruise.” I could be wrong, but I don’t believe it reads “only book a cruise that sails during your validation period”. 

That being the case, if I get validated today for one year and book a cruise for 2025, according to the current promotion rules, they should give me the $100 OBC.

If I’m reading this incorrectly, someone please let me know because on Saturday I did just that and am waiting to see if I get the OBC.

The rules say the validation must be renewed annually. See @BermudaBound2014 post above. The above remark to the OP was an attempt to keep it simple 

[Reagan0712]

7 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

The rules say the validation must be renewed annually. See @BermudaBound2014 post above. The above remark to the OP was an attempt to keep it simple 

That refers to eligibility not the date of the cruise once a person is determined to be eligible.

The email I received stated I was approved and that I could now book my cruise. It did not say I must book a cruise that sailed before 9 Sep 2024. That is what I am questioning. If they are not going to allow people to book cruises past the year eligibility date then that needs to specifically stated. I guess I’ll find out for sure when they do or don’t approved it for my 2025 cruise.

Edited September 13, 2023 by Reagan0712
Addl

[Mary229]

3 minutes ago, Reagan0712 said:

That refers to eligibility not the date of the cruise once a person is determined to be eligible.

The email I received stated I was approved and that I could now book my cruise. It did not say I must book a cruise that sailed before 9 Sep 2024. That is what I am questioning. If they are not going to allow people to book cruises past the year eligibility date then that needs to specifically stated. I guess I’ll find out for sure when they do or don’t approved it for my 2025 cruise.

No OBC can be issued outside of a validation period.  You can’t book 2nd half 2025 shareholder OBC either.  Some HAL reps occasionally bend the rules and issue the OBC anyway - I don’t trust those to stay in place but they might.  Some people have reported success getting advanced OBC , you will just have to call until you get the right rep. 

[tw67]

I am booked for November of ‘25 and my AARP membership will have to be renewed twice before then.  If I didn’t apply for the room credit when first making the reservation we wouldn’t have been allowed to apply for it later.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I did manage to get the AARP on my March 2025 cruise but my AARP is currently valid till Oct 2025. Not sure why I would need to have it validated again. Because my AARP is also linked with our Auto Insurance when I renew it I do it for 4 or 5 years.

[mcrcruiser]

2 hours ago, tw67 said:

I am booked for November of ‘25 and my AARP membership will have to be renewed twice before then.  If I didn’t apply for the room credit when first making the reservation we wouldn’t have been allowed to apply for it later.

Hi did yiu get the AARP on board credit for your Nob 2025 cruise date ? We booked also a April2  2025 cruise on the $1 sale & HAL would not give the credit  .Well after oersuing the issue wi9th HAL management they applied the AATP OBC to our April 2025 cruise

Edited September 14, 2023 by mcrcruiser

[tw67]

14 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

Hi did yiu get the AARP on board credit for your Nob 2025 cruise date ? We booked also a April2  2025 cruise on the $1 sale & HAL would not give the credit  .Well after oersuing the issue wi9th HAL management they applied the AATP OBC to our April 2025 cruise

Yes.  It is the only HAL cruise I have booked.  I did it before the $1 deposits.  My TA had to actually make a new reservation since they gave us a hard time putting it on the first reservation I had made.  

[kapitch]

For a completely different scenario...we booked 2 cruises during the $1 Deposit promotion.  Received the AARP OBC for the October, 2025 cruise, but not for the June, 2024 cruise.  Go figure!!!

[Toofarfromthesea]

1 hour ago, kapitch said:

For a completely different scenario...we booked 2 cruises during the $1 Deposit promotion.  Received the AARP OBC for the October, 2025 cruise, but not for the June, 2024 cruise.  Go figure!!!

 

It's Schrodinger's OBC.

[valancy1]

I would like to address some of the intricacies of the AARP promotion.  You have to register. That's been discussed.  At this time, they are not retroactively applying it to existing bookings.  Once it says you are verified, it will be applied once the 2 or 3 days' waiting period before booking is fulfilled.  Understand that the response has been overwhelming and there may be a wait because there is a backlog.  If the computer tells you you are verified you are and credit will be issued to new bookings.  Book your cruise and just relax as it will be credited as they get through the stack. You don't need to call. It's just going to take a bit of time to implement and then it will run smoothly.

[valancy1]

On 9/13/2023 at 12:08 PM, manteonc said:

I was told yesterday that you must request validation for each individual cruise during initial sign up for that cruise, or the credit will not be applied.  When I questioned this based on the small print a supervisor was engaged who confirmed the "must specifically enter AARP information and validate it as part of the booking for each individual cruise."  So that's another answer.

You only need to get validated once.  This information is incorrect.  I am not saying it's you so don't take it personally. There are people at the other end of the line that are conveying incorrect information.  Find out who your personal cruise consultant is and work solely with them and then you have a greater chance of getting the straight story.

[Mary229]

8 hours ago, valancy1 said:

You only need to get validated once.  This information is incorrect.  I am not saying it's you so don't take it personally. There are people at the other end of the line that are conveying incorrect information.  Find out who your personal cruise consultant is and work solely with them and then you have a greater chance of getting the straight story.

The problem is worst than that.  I responded on this thread recently and went back to check my answer on the HAL website  and the terms and conditions had changed again!   This is about the 4th revision to the t&c.  How can anyone possibly know the answer