Gift Card promo is back!!

[Vict0riann]

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.

[Alphen]

Apparently only applies to customers in North America, cannot find it for Europeans 😒

[Mary229]

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.  

[rodndonna]

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.

[DaveOKC]

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).

[Mary229]

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

[Grandma7]

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?

[Mary229]

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

[Grandma7]

Thanks. For someone like me on a limited budget, every little bit helps in reducing the final payment. 

[Mary229]

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.  

[Brentt_M]

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.

[kangforpres]

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.

[Daniel A]

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.

[DaveOKC]

Can you use the gift cards in the casino?

 

[Mary229]

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?

[richwmn]

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).

 

[VMax1700]

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!

[mcrcruiser]

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

[rodndonna]

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 ....

[VMax1700]

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.

[mcrcruiser]

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 

[mcrcruiser]

  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 

 

 

[john2003]

I find it frustrating that they can't be bothered to extend the same opportunity.

[kapitch]

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

[Mary229]

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.