OBC for gratuity? - and Q. about "GUAR"

[we-love-montana]

Hi,

I'm getting close to booking my first tour - to AK on HAL. I have enough Amex points to cover the cost of the whole trip, but when speaking with the AMex cruise specialist today there were two things that she left me wondering about... so I figured I'd ask "the experts" here on the cruisecritic message boards!

 

1. I get $150 of OBC. I would like to use this for the gratuity. She didn't know if that was possible. Depends on the cruise line, she said. Does anyone know if the OBC can be used toward gratuity on HAL?

 

2. My first preference for the class of cabin (ocean view unobstructed, class FF) only had 2 left, which said "GUAR" instead of a specific room number. She said this means you will be guaranteed this class or higher... but she said this would NOT be a good thing, because they might put me in a higher class that DID have an obstruction. Can anyone clarify this? If I want a view that is unobstructed, must I book a specific room, or could the GUAR end up hurting me in this way?

 

Anybody have help with either of these questions?

Thanks!

[Clarea]

I would ask the question about the gratuity on the dedicated HAL forum here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=171

 

With regard to the guarantee, you can get any stateroom in a category that is at least as good as the guarantee specifies. It could be obstructed.

[CruiserBruce]

I agree with clarea, doing some reading on the HAL board would be a good idea. Yes, you can use your OBC for tips.

 

I doubt an obstructed cabin would be ranked higher than an unobstructed cabin, but I don't have all cabins on all HAL ships and their ranks memorized. I don't think I have heard of such an "upgrade" under the guarantee system.

 

On the HAL board you will many people with all sorts of guarantee booking experience.

[Cuizer2]

I agree with clarea, doing some reading on the HAL board would be a good idea. Yes, you can use your OBC for tips.

 

I doubt an obstructed cabin would be ranked higher than an unobstructed cabin, but I don't have all cabins on all HAL ships and their ranks memorized. I don't think I have heard of such an "upgrade" under the guarantee system.

 

On the HAL board you will many people with all sorts of guarantee booking experience.

 

An obstructed cabin would not be ranked higher than an unobstructed cabin. However, any cabin ranked higher than FF, even if it has an obstructed view, would be considered by the cruise line to be an upgrade.

[CruiserBruce]

An obstructed cabin would not be ranked higher than an unobstructed cabin. However, any cabin ranked higher than FF, even if it has an obstructed view, would be considered by the cruise line to be an upgrade.

 

I agree, and that was pretty much my point. You were much more clear in your statement.

[we-love-montana]

OK! So the agent was correct... the GUAR could end up getting us an 'obstructed' view in a larger cabin as an "upgrade". That seems odd, but you are both saying that this is possible, so I'll take the agent's advice and book a specific room.

Thanks~!

[crystalspin]

@we-love

 

I haven't done this, but you might try calling HAL -- when you're ready to put your money down -- and ask about those specific rooms.

 

You might have to ask to be assigned to a PCC (a personal cruise consultant) and have them look at those rooms and any very near them (have the deck plan open on your computer while you call)... I'm not sure "just" the phone operator can do anything more than you can from the website, but I've read on CC that a PCC can see more cabins available and/or assign specific cabins that might be in the guarantee pool.

 

As a HAL fan-girl, I hate to say this, but many if not most cruise companies are guilty of re-assigning cabin categories so that staterooms they have trouble selling end up ranked HIGHER than more desirable ones, presumably so they can dole them out to GUARANTEE purchasers hoping for the latter.

 

The reps will be glib in explaining it -- "Why yes, the tiny inside with just one chair is ranked higher than the ginormous one with a chair and a sofa, because it's on a higher deck!!!" I will not book with a particular large travel company ever again after they pulled that exact one on me. I choose my cabin or I don't go!

Edited January 3, 2017 by crystalspin

[sanger727]

Hi,

I'm getting close to booking my first tour - to AK on HAL. I have enough Amex points to cover the cost of the whole trip, but when speaking with the AMex cruise specialist today there were two things that she left me wondering about... so I figured I'd ask "the experts" here on the cruisecritic message boards!

 

1. I get $150 of OBC. I would like to use this for the gratuity. She didn't know if that was possible. Depends on the cruise line, she said. Does anyone know if the OBC can be used toward gratuity on HAL?

 

2. My first preference for the class of cabin (ocean view unobstructed, class FF) only had 2 left, which said "GUAR" instead of a specific room number. She said this means you will be guaranteed this class or higher... but she said this would NOT be a good thing, because they might put me in a higher class that DID have an obstruction. Can anyone clarify this? If I want a view that is unobstructed, must I book a specific room, or could the GUAR end up hurting me in this way?

 

Anybody have help with either of these questions?

Thanks!

 

Reference using the OBC for gratuity. Def a question for a HAL cruise. NCL does NOT let you use non-refundable OBC (which is pretty much anything given by TA or cruise line) towards your gratuities. So she made a valid point.

 

Yes, there are no guarantees with a guarantee cabin except they can't give you a lower classed room. They can give you any equal or higher class rooms, including rooms, that seem very undesirable. Unfortunately, in this situation if the obstruction is a non-negotiable for you, you will have to choose a room category where you can pick your own room. Personally, I never book guarantees. I have no interest in being directly above or below the nightclub, theater, piano bar, fitness center, pool deck... etc. anything that could create a lot of noise early in the morning or late at night.

[Aquahound]

OK! So the agent was correct... the GUAR could end up getting us an 'obstructed' view in a larger cabin as an "upgrade". That seems odd, but you are both saying that this is possible, so I'll take the agent's advice and book a specific room.

Thanks~!

 

Talking about HAL specifically, I do recommend booking a specific room. Once your room is assigned, lines, including HAL, do allow you to change to other rooms within the assigned category. However, unlike most lines, HAL waits until 7-10 days before your cruise to assign your room. That means far less inventory.

 

If this was most other lines, I'd say book the guarantee. But not HAL.

 

Ref the OBC, do you plan on spending any money on board? If you're planning to eat in a specialty restaurant or have any cocktails, specialty coffees, buy photos, souvenirs, etc throughout the cruise, that $150 goes quick. Therefore, it doesn't matter if it can be used to pay gratuities. Although, if you're asking if the OBC can be used to pre-pay the gratuities, I'm quite sure the answer is no.

 

Also, good luck calling HAL for advice. If you're booked through AMEX travel, HAL is not likely to answer many questions for you. That's how they operate. When you're booked through a travel agency, they refer you back to that agency for questions.

[CruiserBruce]

Reference using the OBC for gratuity. Def a question for a HAL cruise. NCL does NOT let you use non-refundable OBC (which is pretty much anything given by TA or cruise line) towards your gratuities. So she made a valid point.

 

 

HAL does.

[CruiserBruce]

OK! So the agent was correct... the GUAR could end up getting us an 'obstructed' view in a larger cabin as an "upgrade". That seems odd, but you are both saying that this is possible, so I'll take the agent's advice and book a specific room.

Thanks~!

 

I just did a quick look at one ship in the HAL fleet- something you could do by looking at the HAL website. An "obstructed veranda" can be an upgrade over a unobstructed ocean view. But not an obstructed oceanview.

[Cuizer2]

Reference using the OBC for gratuity. Def a question for a HAL cruise. NCL does NOT let you use non-refundable OBC (which is pretty much anything given by TA or cruise line) towards your gratuities. So she made a valid point.

 

Okay, this needs a little clarification. If the TA is providing you OBC from the TA's own funds, then that can be used for gratuities. However, if the TA is giving you OBC from NCL's funds, then that may not be used for the daily service charge.

[Cuizer2]

OK! So the agent was correct... the GUAR could end up getting us an 'obstructed' view in a larger cabin as an "upgrade". That seems odd, but you are both saying that this is possible, so I'll take the agent's advice and book a specific room.

Thanks~!

 

There is one thing you might want to do. Research all the categories above FF and see if any of them have obstructed views. If not, you might be willing to take a chance. If some of the higher category cabins have obstructed views, then you are better off choosing your own cabin.

 

The problem is, that the higher up you go, and in some cases the closer you are to the middle of the ship, is considered a better cabin by the cruise lines. So, an unobstructed cabin that is one deck higher and/or closer to the middle of the ship, but has an obstructed view, might be a higher category and you could end up in that cabin.

[cb at sea]

And remember, not all "obstructions" actually obstruct your view...some things they consider "obstructions" (like a window washing platform, or beam) will be able to be seen, but you will still have a full view. Now, if it's a lifeboat in front of a window, THAT would be obstructive!!

[sanger727]

Okay, this needs a little clarification. If the TA is providing you OBC from the TA's own funds, then that can be used for gratuities. However, if the TA is giving you OBC from NCL's funds, then that may not be used for the daily service charge.

 

 

Non-refundable OBC, from any fund, cannot be used to pay DSC on NCL. On my next cruise we are getting OBC from our TA (it's from then, not an NCL promotion) and from points I cashed in on the credit card. Both are considered non-refundable.

 

 

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Edited January 3, 2017 by sanger727

[Cuizer2]

Non-refundable OBC, from any fund, cannot be used to pay DSC on NCL. On my next cruise we are getting OBC from our TA (it's from then, not an NCL promotion) and from points I cashed in on the credit card. Both are considered non-refundable.

 

 

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OBC from the TA's fund ARE refundable. Only OBC from the cruise line's funds are non-refundable.

[sanger727]

OBC from the TA's fund ARE refundable. Only OBC from the cruise line's funds are non-refundable.

 

 

Ok. I got OBC from booking with a certain TA, if I had booked directly through NCL I wouldn't have gotten it. It's certainly possible that that agency has some deal w NCL that results in the OBC, but no one else was offering that OBC when I booked so the OBC was from that TA.

 

 

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Edited January 4, 2017 by sanger727

[Cuizer2]

Ok. I got OBC from booking with a certain TA, if I had booked directly through NCL I wouldn't have gotten it. It's certainly possible that that agency has some deal w NCL that results in the OBC, but no one else was offering that OBC when I booked so the OBC was from that TA.

 

 

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Then it is refundable and can be used for the daily service charge.

[sanger727]

Then it is refundable and can be used for the daily service charge.

 

 

The TA was very clear that it was not refundable and says that if not used it will be forfeited. Think different agencies have different offerings. It's entirely possible that either they have a special deal w NCL to be reimbursed or they are able to purchase the Non-refundable stuff at a discount, who knows. I was much more surprised that the credit card OBC is also non-refundable.

 

 

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[Cuizer2]

The TA was very clear that it was not refundable and says that if not used it will be forfeited. Think different agencies have different offerings. It's entirely possible that either they have a special deal w NCL to be reimbursed or they are able to purchase the Non-refundable stuff at a discount, who knows. I was much more surprised that the credit card OBC is also non-refundable.

 

 

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Then the OBC came from the cruise line. If the OBC comes from the agent's funds, it is a gift from the TA and the cruise line cannot deem it non-refundable. It is do different then you putting money into your account, or your friend giving you OBC as a gift. It is not the cruise line's money and any of it not spent must be refunded.