gddo Posted July 4 #1 Share Posted July 4 I know that if they give you obc, you have to use it or lose it. However, if I charge a lump sum to a credit card or apply a gift card to my account but don't use it, does anyone know what happens? Do we get it refunded back to our card or do they just give us cash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmoo here Posted July 4 #2 Share Posted July 4 8 minutes ago, gddo said: I know that if they give you obc, you have to use it or lose it. However, if I charge a lump sum to a credit card or apply a gift card to my account but don't use it, does anyone know what happens? Do we get it refunded back to our card or do they just give us cash? Typically any refundable monies will go back in the form they were applied. So, a gift card added, but unused, would be refunded to the gift card. Same for credit card. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Haljo1935 Posted July 4 #3 Share Posted July 4 You do have the option of collecting unused refundable OBC in cash if you prefer. Just go to Guest Services and tell them you would like to cash out your account. Original payment type (cc, gc...( is irrelevant - just be certain you're looking at the refundable line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gddo Posted July 4 Author #4 Share Posted July 4 57 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said: You do have the option of collecting unused refundable OBC in cash if you prefer. Just go to Guest Services and tell them you would like to cash out your account. Original payment type (cc, gc...( is irrelevant - just be certain you're looking at the refundable line. Thank you! That was my biggest question. Do you know if there's a limit? I imagine you can't just put thousands of dollars in your account via credit card and just cash out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Haljo1935 Posted July 4 #5 Share Posted July 4 9 minutes ago, gddo said: Thank you! That was my biggest question. Do you know if there's a limit? I imagine you can't just put thousands of dollars in your account via credit card and just cash out... I have gotten back over $1000. I don't think it matters to them if they give it to you or your CC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gddo Posted July 4 Author #6 Share Posted July 4 9 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said: I have gotten back over $1000. I don't think it matters to them if they give it to you or your CC. That is awesome! Thanks so much for your response!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLC1954 Posted July 4 #7 Share Posted July 4 If you have unused non-refundable credit, you can get it moved to the crew tip pool otherwise it goes back to corporate hq. There is a form to fill out at guest services, and they are most grateful when you ask to do this. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted July 4 #8 Share Posted July 4 12 minutes ago, SLC1954 said: If you have unused non-refundable credit, you can get it moved to the crew tip pool otherwise it goes back to corporate hq. There is a form to fill out at guest services, and they are most grateful when you ask to do this. How far ahead of the end of the cruise must you do that? Another thing to do with non-refundable credit is to give it to "on deck for a cause." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Haljo1935 Posted July 4 #9 Share Posted July 4 31 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said: How far ahead of the end of the cruise must you do that? Another thing to do with non-refundable credit is to give it to "on deck for a cause." On HAL, you can do it any time from boarding until very late the night before you leave (I've gone after midnight waiting to be sure I was done charging). Guest Services is open 24×7, so no need to wait in a line, just go whenever you like. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fouremco Posted July 4 #10 Share Posted July 4 3 hours ago, Haljo1935 said: I have gotten back over $1000. I don't think it matters to them if they give it to you or your CC. I don't know if this still hold true, but HAL used to have an advantageous CAD/USD exchange rate when I'd purchase OBC online. I'd purposefully buy more than I could ever use on the cruise, then get my remaining OBC cashed out in USD at the end of the cruise. Then I'd have a nice amount of USD to tuck away until my next visit to the US, at an exchange rate better than I could get here. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted July 4 #11 Share Posted July 4 The past few times I have gotten my refund to the credit card on file NOT to the original form of payment. You can always get cash too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNSJ Posted July 5 #12 Share Posted July 5 3 hours ago, Mary229 said: The past few times I have gotten my refund to the credit card on file NOT to the original form of payment. You can always get cash too. Yes, HAL will use the credit card that you set up your check in. In too many cases the original form of payment (which may or not be a credit card) is no longer a valid account, etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing Shoes Posted July 6 #13 Share Posted July 6 On 7/4/2024 at 7:49 PM, CNSJ said: Yes, HAL will use the credit card that you set up your check in. In too many cases the original form of payment (which may or not be a credit card) is no longer a valid account, etc. I purchase HAL gift cards and buy OBC, and it is not used. Will that unused portion go back to my credit card on file with them? Do I have this right? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted July 6 #14 Share Posted July 6 1 hour ago, Dancing Shoes said: I purchase HAL gift cards and buy OBC, and it is not used. Will that unused portion go back to my credit card on file with them? Do I have this right? That’s what has happened for me the last few times. You can always take it in cash at the desk 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNSJ Posted July 7 #15 Share Posted July 7 Yes, you have it right. I just did this in May 2024 on Rotterdam. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare WriterOnDeck Posted July 7 #16 Share Posted July 7 On 7/4/2024 at 10:01 AM, gddo said: Thank you! That was my biggest question. Do you know if there's a limit? I imagine you can't just put thousands of dollars in your account via credit card and just cash out... I got $2,500 back in cash. It was when the 2020 world cruise ended abruptly in Perth due to covid. I thought it prudent to have some cash given the uncertainty of the time. Who knew how much toilet paper might cost? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeeves299 Posted July 29 #17 Share Posted July 29 We assumed our refundable OBC balance from the July 6, 2024 Eurodam sailing would be refunded to our credit card on file. It was not. A call to Guest Services indicated that HAL is now issuing checks for the balance. As of two weeks after our return still no check has been received. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAVIP Posted July 29 #18 Share Posted July 29 3 hours ago, Jeeves299 said: We assumed our refundable OBC balance from the July 6, 2024 Eurodam sailing would be refunded to our credit card on file. It was not. A call to Guest Services indicated that HAL is now issuing checks for the balance. As of two weeks after our return still no check has been received. Would be funny for us in NL as we cannot cash checks anymore. We will or ask to pay it in the personnel fund or pay us in cash, as we did before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Haljo1935 Posted July 30 #19 Share Posted July 30 9 hours ago, Jeeves299 said: We assumed our refundable OBC balance from the July 6, 2024 Eurodam sailing would be refunded to our credit card on file. It was not. A call to Guest Services indicated that HAL is now issuing checks for the balance. As of two weeks after our return still no check has been received. Egads! Hopefully we can still cash it out in lieu of a mailed refund check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandmaanne7 Posted July 30 #20 Share Posted July 30 12 hours ago, Jeeves299 said: We assumed our refundable OBC balance from the July 6, 2024 Eurodam sailing would be refunded to our credit card on file. It was not. A call to Guest Services indicated that HAL is now issuing checks for the balance. As of two weeks after our return still no check has been received. We have recently returned from our first HAL cruise. Our refundable OBC was credited to our CC within days. No cheque involved. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gddo Posted July 30 Author #21 Share Posted July 30 (edited) We just returned as well on Sunday, and today, I already see my refundable balance credited to my credit card on file. And this refundable balance was all from gift cards. Just FYI, when I was on the ship, they first told me that any gift cards I applied to my account would have to be used up completely or I would lose it. This was supposedly after they checked with the person in charge of finance. I went back the next day and spoke with someone else who seemed very confident that I could either get the unused balance back in either cash or as a refund to my credit so I went ahead and applied over $1000. When I went to ask on the last day, they told me that I could NOT cash it out and that it would be credited to my credit card. So many contradictions... I wish HAL knew what they were doing. Edited July 30 by gddo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeeves299 Posted August 2 #22 Share Posted August 2 On 7/29/2024 at 11:19 AM, Jeeves299 said: We assumed our refundable OBC balance from the July 6, 2024 Eurodam sailing would be refunded to our credit card on file. It was not. A call to Guest Services indicated that HAL is now issuing checks for the balance. As of two weeks after our return still no check has been received. UPDATE August 2, 2024: Check for full refundable OBC received via snail mail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuxtitude Posted August 11 #23 Share Posted August 11 When buying OBC with a gift card, is it generally recommended to add it on at Guest Services when you're on the ship, or is it better to pre-purchase it through Holland's website before the cruise? Either way, this would be considered refundable OBC, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gddo Posted August 11 Author #24 Share Posted August 11 Why would you purchase it through their website? I thought the whole purpose of using the gift cards is because you can buy them at a discount. e.g. AARP has them at 8% off. If you purchase $1000, that's $80 you save. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuxtitude Posted August 11 #25 Share Posted August 11 15 minutes ago, gddo said: Why would you purchase it through their website? I thought the whole purpose of using the gift cards is because you can buy them at a discount. e.g. AARP has them at 8% off. If you purchase $1000, that's $80 you save. Sorry that it wasn't clear, but I have the discounted AARP gift card already. There's an option to pre-purchase OBC on the website before the cruise starts (which you can pay via GC), so I wasn't sure if there were any advantages to pre-purchasing it vs. just adding it on when you're on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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