On board account

[kura]

We are taking our adult children on a cruise at Christmas. 2 couples. We are planning on having their on board account be covered by our credit card, as we want to pay their Service charge.

 

Can anyone please tell me if we are paying the account, does the on board spending count towards our Mariner points...ie 1 extra day for every $300 spent, or will it go to wards their Mariner points?

[KirkNC]

Interesting question but I think the answer is no. I think it is only you and one other person in your cabin that can count.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Why not call Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576 and ask this question.

[kura]

Why not call Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576 and ask this question.

 

Thanks....however we are in Australia so unable to ring that number....we are not really concerned....just wondering ...

[sue1898]

Try emailing: guestrelations@hollandamerica.com. Please let us know what their answer is.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Try emailing: guestrelations@hollandamerica.com. Please let us know what their answer is.

 

 

Good idea.

I am also curious as to what the answer will be.

[jtl513]

Are you all on one booking and using one credit card? If so this seems to say you, as bill payer, get the bonus points:

 

Onboard Spending Bonus Effective with cruises on or after September 18, 2009, one bonus Cruise Day credit will be granted for each $300 in eligible onboard purchases. This is calculated on the combined folio charges for all guests on the booking, regardless of who signs each charge and who pays the bill. Only the first two guests on the booking receive the limit of one bonus day for each day sailed; 3rd and 4th guests on the same booking do not earn the onboard spending bonus.

Edited July 29, 2014 by jtl513

[david,Mississauga]

Why not call Ship Services at 1-800-541-1576 and ask this question.

 

There are two good reasons for asking a question on this forum as opposed to making a phone call.

 

One is that "head office" for cruise companies - and I'm not criticising HAL because I have not yet had to call them - often give the wrong answers. (Cunard certainly does from time to time in my experience.:() The personal experience of passengers as opposed to the theoretical is often more accurate and more interesting.

 

Secondly, the answers are usually of interest to a large number of passengers, especially those who are new to the cruise line or new to cruising.

 

When I ask a question in a public forum I always make it clear why I'm asking it in that way rather than making a direct enquiry to the cruise line.

[lindaa]

So when pre-booking shore excursions does that go to your onboard folio account and count towards the onboard spending bonus? That would be great :)

Thanks for the info! Just curious.

[boards]

Yes they do.

[jtl513]

So when pre-booking shore excursions does that go to your onboard folio account and count towards the onboard spending bonus?

Yes - and also anything else pre-paid (specialty restaurants, on board cabanas, spa, beverages, etc.) Also if your TA/family/friend gives you a PG dinner or other gift that counts just as if you paid it. Edited July 29, 2014 by jtl513

[andrewhuston]

What means this "credit" for spending money on board?

 

Is it like air miles awards by credit card companies?

[catl331]

What means this "credit" for spending money on board?

Is it like air miles awards by credit card companies?

No - it's "day credits". In the HAL loyal program there are different levels for the number of days you have sailed. You can get "bonus days" by booking a suite or for on-board spending: 1 bonus day for each $300 spent. This just gets you to the next level faster.

 

It's all explained here:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/marinerSociety/Main.action

Edited July 29, 2014 by catl331

[andrewhuston]

Thanks for speedy reply.

 

I went online and looked up my account. There were the days credit for my four cruises through 2009, but no extras for suite or spending. So this must be a recent change. Well, recent since 2009.

 

Looks like I'll be at 75 days before I know it. Grin

[kura]

Are you all on one booking and using one credit card? If so this seems to say you, as bill payer, get the bonus points:

 

We have 3 booking numbers, 3 separate cabins, but the booking is linked as we are paying for it....we can access their bookings through it....when doing check in for our booking, there was a box to click on if you wanted to include any other bookings on the same credit card for on board spending

[kura]

Try emailing: guestrelations@hollandamerica.com. Please let us know what their answer is.

 

A good suggestion...I may do that.....I was however hoping that someone on these boards may have experienced that and have the answer for me.

Edited July 29, 2014 by kura

[catl331]

We have 3 booking numbers,

In that case, the way I read the sentence, the first two on each booking get the points, not the payer:

 

"This is calculated on the combined folio charges for all guests on the booking, regardless of who ... pays the bill."

 

Those charges will appear on their final bills, even though the bills will be paid by your credit card.

 

I know when we paid initially for an excursion and a specialty dinner for a couple on a different booking they got the credit. (Which in our case was the correct thing to do, because they repaid us.)

Edited July 29, 2014 by catl331

[kura]

In that case, the way I read the sentence, the first two on each booking get the points, not the payer:

 

"This is calculated on the combined folio charges for all guests on the booking, regardless of who ... pays the bill."

 

Those charges will appear on their final bills, even though the bills will be paid by your credit card.

 

I know when we paid initially for an excursion and a specialty dinner for a couple on a different booking they got the credit. (Which in our case was the correct thing to do, because they repaid us.)

 

Thank you...I think this answers my question....I have however already emailed guest services, so will see if they confirm this

[thetexasaggiecruiser]

Yes - and also anything else pre-paid (specialty restaurants, on board cabanas, spa, beverages, etc.) Also if your TA/family/friend gives you a PG dinner or other gift that counts just as if you paid it.

 

You know, I didn't know that - I had already told DH we were waiting to purchase our SBP until we were on board so it would count. Cool!

[Typhoon1]

Anything prepaid charged to your booking number is applied to your Mariner account.

[jtl513]

I went online and looked up my account. There were the days credit for my four cruises through 2009, but no extras for suite or spending. So this must be a recent change. Well, recent since 2009.

If your cruise was on or after Sep 19, 2009 you should have gotten bonus days, but none were given retroactively.

[bcd2010]

We are taking our adult children on a cruise at Christmas. 2 couples. We are planning on having their on board account be covered by our credit card, as we want to pay their Service charge.

 

Can anyone please tell me if we are paying the account, does the on board spending count towards our Mariner points...ie 1 extra day for every $300 spent, or will it go to wards their Mariner points?

 

If the 4 of you are sharing a cabin, those listed as passengers 1 & 2 get the bonus days, passengers 3 & 4 do not.

[Davidson Duo]

My parents have taken me, my siblings, and our spouses on 3 cruises with HAL. That makes 16 of us - 8 separate staterooms.

 

They also pay all daily service charges. But we are responsible for any other charges to our accounts.

 

Instead of linking all our cabins to their credit card, they go to the Front Desk during the cruise (usually the day before we disembark to avoid line ups), and they have the amount of all the service charges billed to their credit card. Or one time they bought OBC's in the amount of the service charge as a gift to each cabin before the cruise. This way we are all equally covered by their generosity, but we are responsible for any added costs such as laundry, drinks, internet, specialty restaurants, casino charges, jewellery or t-shirts bought in the onboard shops, etc. If your card is linked to their account, you will be charged for all those incidentals, with no control over what is billed to the accounts. Much easier - and more fair if your kids are responsible for the extras above the service charge.

 

In all cases, my parents did not receive the Mariner's benefit, they were credited to the actual cruisers in the cabin.

 

Cruising as a family is a wonderful way for us all to get together at one time, which is rare these days. I am sure your family will love - and appreciate it, as much as ours does. But unfortunately your generosity will extend to them getting credit for money YOU have paid for their enjoyment.

 

But my parent's attitude is - it's well worth it. Their joy is in having all of their crazy clan together for a wonderful week of fun and giggles.

 

Enjoy your cruise. What a wonderful - and generous, opportunity for you all.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Davidson Duo

[catl331]

If the 4 of you are sharing a cabin, those listed as passengers 1 & 2 get the bonus days, passengers 3 & 4 do not.

 

We have 3 booking numbers, 3 separate cabins, ...

......

[kura]

My parents have taken me, my siblings, and our spouses on 3 cruises with HAL. That makes 16 of us - 8 separate staterooms.

 

They also pay all daily service charges. But we are responsible for any other charges to our accounts.

 

Instead of linking all our cabins to their credit card, they go to the Front Desk during the cruise (usually the day before we disembark to avoid line ups), and they have the amount of all the service charges billed to their credit card. Or one time they bought OBC's in the amount of the service charge as a gift to each cabin before the cruise. This way we are all equally covered by their generosity, but we are responsible for any added costs such as laundry, drinks, internet, specialty restaurants, casino charges, jewellery or t-shirts bought in the onboard shops, etc. If your card is linked to their account, you will be charged for all those incidentals, with no control over what is billed to the accounts. Much easier - and more fair if your kids are responsible for the extras above the service charge.

 

In all cases, my parents did not receive the Mariner's benefit, they were credited to the actual cruisers in the cabin.

 

Cruising as a family is a wonderful way for us all to get together at one time, which is rare these days. I am sure your family will love - and appreciate it, as much as ours does. But unfortunately your generosity will extend to them getting credit for money YOU have paid for their enjoyment.

 

But my parent's attitude is - it's well worth it. Their joy is in having all of their crazy clan together for a wonderful week of fun and giggles.

 

Enjoy your cruise. What a wonderful - and generous, opportunity for you all.

 

This is exactly the way we are doing it....our children are responsible for everything on their bill except for the service charge. They already knew that. We have now decided we will just go to the front office to pay their service charge.

 

I have also had an answer back from Mariner Society and they have confirmed the above statement....

 

We are really looking forward to this trip. We also think it will be well worth it to have us all together for two weeks to New Zealand. We took our two boys on our first HAL cruise to Alaska when they were young teens. Now they are excited to be bringing their wives.

 

Many thanks for everyone's help