Rare Vict0riann Posted April 17, 2021 #26 Share Posted April 17, 2021 2 hours ago, john2003 said: Unfortunately of limited value to Canadians if we booked in Canadian $$$. Exactly - the terms and conditions say it can only be applied to bookings in US dollars. We tried it last time. We might buy a couple just to cover onboard expenses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Alphen Posted April 17, 2021 #27 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Apparently only applies to customers in North America, cannot find it for Europeans 😒 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted April 17, 2021 #28 Share Posted April 17, 2021 One caution for those of us that use credit card insurance - weigh the savings. The credit card insurance will be null from what I have been told if you buy the cards then apply them. I guess the transaction is too muddled. I bought them last time for shore excursions. Assuming that we will have to use HAL sponsored excursions and I am a big fan of excursions it will be a great savings. I am waiting to see if there is a sale on excursions then doubling my discount by using my cards. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodndonna Posted April 17, 2021 Author #29 Share Posted April 17, 2021 9 hours ago, john2003 said: Unfortunately of limited value to Canadians if we booked in Canadian $$$. we are Canadian as well. I learned about these on our first booking (after booking in Can$) so I called in and had the booking rebooked into US dollars to take advantage of it. We keep a US$ account and a US$ Visa and preferable in US$ anyway, but it had booked us initially in CAD$ as a default. Now know to make my bookings in US$ for HAL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted April 17, 2021 #30 Share Posted April 17, 2021 1 hour ago, Mary229 said: One caution for those of us that use credit card insurance - weigh the savings. The credit card insurance will be null from what I have been told if you buy the cards then apply them. I guess the transaction is too muddled. I bought them last time for shore excursions. Assuming that we will have to use HAL sponsored excursions and I am a big fan of excursions it will be a great savings. I am waiting to see if there is a sale on excursions then doubling my discount by using my cards. Good Point! Also, I wonder how it will be handled if HAL cancels my cruise (AGAIN). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted April 17, 2021 #31 Share Posted April 17, 2021 1 hour ago, DaveOKC said: Good Point! Also, I wonder how it will be handled if HAL cancels my cruise (AGAIN). I used mine on excursions for a now canceled sailing. I got the gift cards returned more quickly than the FCC was issued. The gift card department is more efficient or so was my experience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandma7 Posted April 17, 2021 #32 Share Posted April 17, 2021 So if I want to use it to pay off my cruise already booked for next year, I just give the info to my TA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted April 17, 2021 #33 Share Posted April 17, 2021 8 minutes ago, Grandma7 said: So if I want to use it to pay off my cruise already booked for next year, I just give the info to my TA? Yes, Once you have your gift cards provide her with the info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandma7 Posted April 17, 2021 #34 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Thanks. For someone like me on a limited budget, every little bit helps in reducing the final payment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted April 17, 2021 #35 Share Posted April 17, 2021 16 minutes ago, Grandma7 said: Thanks. For someone like me on a limited budget, every little bit helps in reducing the final payment. I think we all like to save a few dollars. I love shore excursions, private or with the line. If I can save money on everything else I have more for touring. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brentt_M Posted April 17, 2021 #36 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Is this a promotion that HAL runs on a pretty regular basis? Final Payment for my next cruise is 1 year from today. Just trying to decide if I should consider buying cards now or wait and see if this offer comes back around in the next 12 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kangforpres Posted April 17, 2021 #37 Share Posted April 17, 2021 5 minutes ago, Brentt_M said: Is this a promotion that HAL runs on a pretty regular basis? Final Payment for my next cruise is 1 year from today. Just trying to decide if I should consider buying cards now or wait and see if this offer comes back around in the next 12 months. I think they have had twice now during the pandemic, yes if you have the money on hand to buy some gift cards its a good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel A Posted April 17, 2021 #38 Share Posted April 17, 2021 18 minutes ago, Brentt_M said: Is this a promotion that HAL runs on a pretty regular basis? Final Payment for my next cruise is 1 year from today. Just trying to decide if I should consider buying cards now or wait and see if this offer comes back around in the next 12 months. At the risk of possibly repeating what someone else posted, the regular gift cards have no expiration dates. If you buy a $500 regular gift card, you get that card plus a separate bonus card worth $50. It is that $50 bonus card that must be used by December 31, 2022. I called the HAL gift card line and I was told that as long as I applied the bonus gift cards to my 2023 cruise during 2022, it would be applied to the 2023 cruise. My final payment for the 2023 cruise is in October of 2022, so Ill be good using the gift cards and bonus cards for that 2023 cruise. I hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted April 17, 2021 #39 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Can you use the gift cards in the casino? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted April 17, 2021 #40 Share Posted April 17, 2021 5 minutes ago, DaveOKC said: Can you use the gift cards in the casino? Here are the terms: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/legal-privacy/gift-card-terms-and-conditions.html I doubt it but I have bought OBC with gifts to me in the past. Can you draw OBC for use in the casino? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare richwmn Posted April 17, 2021 #41 Share Posted April 17, 2021 16 minutes ago, DaveOKC said: Can you use the gift cards in the casino? 7 minutes ago, Mary229 said: Here are the terms: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/legal-privacy/gift-card-terms-and-conditions.html I doubt it but I have bought OBC with gifts to me in the past. Can you draw OBC for use in the casino? If you have OBC purchased with your funds or gifted to you by someone else you can use it in the casino. The OBC you can't use in the casino is that which is given to you be either HAL or Carnival Corp (stock benefit). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare VMax1700 Posted April 17, 2021 #42 Share Posted April 17, 2021 17 hours ago, john2003 said: Unfortunately of limited value to Canadians if we booked in Canadian $$$. Yes, I was just thinking the same as we book in Euro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrcruiser Posted April 17, 2021 #43 Share Posted April 17, 2021 (edited) A potential solution to the gift card offer by HAL . When cruises start in earnest , buy 100 shares of CCL stock & sell it right away for zero risk .On record you are a share holder .Using that record submitting to HAL your booking number & proof that you owned 100 shares gets you $100 OBC for 7 to 13 day cruises & $250 OBC for 14 or more days of cruising . For those willing to take more stock market risk hold the 100 shares for capital appreciation & in hopes that a dividend would be reinstated in the future The above gets you that extra OBC with out risking a lot of cash .JMHO Edited April 17, 2021 by mcrcruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodndonna Posted April 17, 2021 Author #44 Share Posted April 17, 2021 12 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said: A potential solution to the gift card offer by HAL . When cruises start in earnest , buy 100 shares of CCL stock & sell it right away for zero risk .On record you are a share holder .Using that record submitting to HAL your booking number & proof that you owned 100 shares gets you $100 OBC for 7 to 13 day cruises & $250 OBC for 14 or more days of cruising . For those willing to take more stock market risk hold the 100 shares for capital appreciation & in hopes that a dividend would be reinstated in the future The above gets you that extra OBC with out risking a lot of cash .JMHO I do both (gift cards for discounts and CCL shares for OBC) - except I legitimately own and hold the 100 shares for the OBC. I certainly wouldn't recommend the buying and immediate selling shares - if not fraud I would minimally consider it unethical. To each his own .... 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare VMax1700 Posted April 17, 2021 #45 Share Posted April 17, 2021 20 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said: A potential solution to the gift card offer by HAL . When cruises start in earnest , buy 100 shares of CCL stock & sell it right away for zero risk .On record you are a share holder .Using that record submitting to HAL your booking number & proof that you owned 100 shares gets you $100 OBC for 7 to 13 day cruises & $250 OBC for 14 or more days of cruising . For those willing to take more stock market risk hold the 100 shares for capital appreciation & in hopes that a dividend would be reinstated in the future The above gets you that extra OBC with out risking a lot of cash .JMHO If I was that desperate to have $100 OBC I would think its time to give up cruising. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrcruiser Posted April 17, 2021 #46 Share Posted April 17, 2021 2 minutes ago, rodndonna said: I do both (gift cards for discounts and CCL shares for OBC) - except I legitimately own and hold the 100 shares for the OBC. I certainly wouldn't recommend the buying and immediate selling shares - if not fraud I would minimally consider it unethical. To each his own .... It is not fraud the way the terms read . If a person feels there is upside potential holding those 100 shares,after due diligence that is their choice .Merely pointing to the possibilities of not risking say $1000 to get $100 . There is no guarantees that any cruise line will be successful starting at this point in time The following info was taken from another post " https://cruiseradio.net/royal-caribbeans-fain-says-sailing-from-u-s-could-begin-in-july/ .gives people a more current perspective Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrcruiser Posted April 17, 2021 #47 Share Posted April 17, 2021 Personally we want cruising to restart but safely . We are fans of sailing with HAL , Princess & Carnival from the California ports ,so we can drive to the port . We are hopefully looking to being on Koningsdam for our 18 day Hawaii cruise Feb 2022 .The only caveat to cancel that cruise would be the requiremnt to be able to go ashore via HAL tours . These are All American ports Our definition of safe cruising are 1) all passengers & crew must be vaccinated with proof .2) to be sure quick tests are done pre boarding at the departure port .3) temperature checks as needed during the cruise 4) No masks & no social distancing required 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john2003 Posted April 17, 2021 #48 Share Posted April 17, 2021 I find it frustrating that they can't be bothered to extend the same opportunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapitch Posted April 18, 2021 #49 Share Posted April 18, 2021 I am confused as to why using HAL gift cards to pay for a cruise would void credit card trip cancellation insurance if payments had already been made using the credit card. Where can this be verified? Thanks in advance, Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted April 18, 2021 #50 Share Posted April 18, 2021 Just now, kapitch said: I am confused as to why using HAL gift cards to pay for a cruise would void credit card trip cancellation insurance if payments had already been made using the credit card. Where can this be verified? Thanks in advance, Kathy Hi Kathy, this came up a few months ago during the last promo. At that time someone checked with chase but a phone call to chase would be the best way to verify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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