Holland America Line Launches Onboard Credit Offer for AARP Members

[Mary229]

Here are the exclusions verbatim, which is NOW less restrictive than it was a week or so again.  Maybe try again

 

Onboard Credit expires at the end of the Eligible Cruise and may not be used in the casino or on any other specified fees or items.

Offer is for new bookings only. Offer is available on select voyages. Offer excludes Grand World Voyages. Offer and/or its terms may be modified or withdrawn without prior notice. Other restrictions and exclusions may apply. Ships’ Registry: The Netherlands.

Edited August 13, 2023 by Mary229

[ExArkie]

5 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

Several of my recent bookings were special "group rates" and I got the AARP benefit added to them so this is untrue.  I would say it's a case that your TA just didn't want to go through the hassle of calling them.  If I were you I would call HAL directly and handle it myself.  Even if you book through a TA you can call HAL and get the AARP benefit added - trust me I did it.

I was told by HAL on the phone that our TA had to make the request.

[Real NHDOC]

5 minutes ago, ExArkie said:

I was told by HAL on the phone that our TA had to make the request.

I don't know how many times I have to say it but it's just not correct.  The HAL representatives can and will add the benefit to a booking made through a TA.  If I had not done it myself I wouldn't post it here.  But my (and other posts here) contradict this and so my advice would be to just call back and ask another representative to do it.

 

Sometimes with HAL you just have to be persistent and eventually you will find the right person who knows the rules and can actually do their job.

Edited August 13, 2023 by Real NHDOC

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, Real NHDOC said:

I don't know how many times I have to say it but it's just not correct.  The HAL representatives can and will add the benefit to a booking made through a TA.  If I had not done it myself I wouldn't post it here.  But my (and other posts here) contradict this and so my advice would be to just call back and ask another representative to do it.

 

Sometimes with HAL you just have to be persistent and eventually you will find the right person who knows the rules and can actually do their job.

Plus the rules keep changing.   When I got 2 of my 4, casino discounted sailings were specifically prohibited (not free but the ones that have discount).  Now the verbiage has changed.  So it is worth trying again and I will

[ExArkie]

2 hours ago, Real NHDOC said:

I don't know how many times I have to say it but it's just not correct.  The HAL representatives can and will add the benefit to a booking made through a TA.  If I had not done it myself I wouldn't post it here.  But my (and other posts here) contradict this and so my advice would be to just call back and ask another representative to do it.

 

Sometimes with HAL you just have to be persistent and eventually you will find the right person who knows the rules and can actually do their job.

I was not disputing what you said. However, what I said was correct. I was told (twice) by HAL representatives over the telephone that my TA had to make the call, not me. Obviously, it worked differently for you, but they were consistent with what they told me.

 

How many times would you suggest is necessary to call before finding someone who will add it to an existing booking?

[Mary229]

7 minutes ago, ExArkie said:

I was not disputing what you said. However, what I said was correct. I was told (twice) by HAL representatives over the telephone that my TA had to make the call, not me. Obviously, it worked differently for you, but they were consistent with what they told me.

 

How many times would you suggest is necessary to call before finding someone who will add it to an existing booking?

I think it is all so new unless your cruise is imminent just wait.  The two I was refused on which according to the new rules are now eligible I will call a few weeks before the cruise.  

[Haljo1935]

3 hours ago, ExArkie said:

I was not disputing what you said. However, what I said was correct. I was told (twice) by HAL representatives over the telephone that my TA had to make the call, not me. Obviously, it worked differently for you, but they were consistent with what they told me.

 

How many times would you suggest is necessary to call before finding someone who will add it to an existing booking?

I had the AARP OBC added to both durect bookings and TA bookings. The person who did it said (very nicely) that she would send me updated invoices so I could see the OBC, but that I would need to contact TA for the ones they held. She applied the OBC, but I had to get invoice from TA.

[NCTribeFan]

So, maybe I should call to see if I can get it added to the one that was declined.  Is there a specific number to call to request this?

[Haljo1935]

5 minutes ago, NCTribeFan said:

So, maybe I should call to see if I can get it added to the one that was declined.  Is there a specific number to call to request this?

I called the regular Pax Services number; they transferred me to a Pricing Specialist. IMO I thought bringing in a PS was strange, but maybe that's who was helping process the great number of requests.

[Ready2go11]

On 8/10/2023 at 1:31 PM, wdw1972 said:

On 8/10/2023 at 1:14 PM, BaltimoreCruise said:

I used Reservations_submit@hollandamerica dot com (use the actual .com).  Include your verification email. Good luck!

 

Sue/WDW1972

Thank you Sue/WDW1972 for this information, advice and contact address. I sent an email last Friday with the details for my 3 existing bookings, forwarding my Sheer ID email confirmation of my AARP account. This morning I received an email saying that the offer applied to new bookings only, but as a thank you for my Mariner status they did make an exception and apply the AARP credit to all three bookings!

 

I was very happy to handle this through a quick email rather than a long phone call and appreciate the advice. 

[Haljo1935]

I just did 2 new bookings online. During that process, there was an acknowledgment that AARP credit had been applied to the booking. However, it did not show on the invoice. I'm sure a call or email will fix it, but since they got the system to recognize the AARP membership they need to get it to automatically add the OBC w/o requiring any follow-up. So close...

[ghstudio]

Thank you for your recent correspondence with Holland America Line regarding your upcoming sailings. 

 

The program that started with AARP began on July 24, 2023.    For the program It is for new booking that were booked on or after that date.   Unfortunately, the bookings you have provide for us were made before the time the program started up. Except for XXXXXX it was make a day after you applied for the AARP.  The AARP onboard was added to this one. Future booking, we can apply this to.  

 

Thank you for contacting Holland America Line. Please feel free to contact us if we may be of additional assistance or visit us online. We look forward to welcoming you onboard in the near future!

 

Kind Regards, 

[alwaysfrantic]

I emailed the address listed and got the not applicable line 

Edited August 15, 2023 by alwaysfrantic

[friendswithdave]

On 8/12/2023 at 3:02 PM, friendswithdave said:

Here's a new twist on a topic that theoretically should be resolved.

 

I applied for the credit a day after it came out and booked a cruise two days later. Last week I asked my TA to get the AARP credit added to my booked cruise. She said "it could not be added to my cruise because I got a special rate. I asked - she said because it was a group rate." I think I read this whole thread and didn't see anyone else denied this because of a "group rate" booking.

 

I see a $50 credit in my HAL account under "onboard credits" and assume this is the AARP and not the CCL stock credit I also applied for. 

 

My plan is to call HAL on Monday and ask about getting the credit applied to my booking. I'll try to post results back here.

Update - I called the HAL customer service number and after a bit of a hold for the request, they added the AARP credit to my booking. TA either didn't want to do it or was unsuccessful.

[Haljo1935]

10 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

I just did 2 new bookings online. During that process, there was an acknowledgment that AARP credit had been applied to the booking. However, it did not show on the invoice. I'm sure a call or email will fix it, but since they got the system to recognize the AARP membership they need to get it to automatically add the OBC w/o requiring any follow-up. So close...

Update - spent a while on hold trying to get AARP OBC added to these new bookings. Nope - not combinable w/my rate (just like the blooming HIA I can't seem to get added).

Screenshot I did when booking says AARP OBC was added, but HAL says no it is not & no they won't add it.

And the $200 OBC showing is only $100 since solo.

[CarolRoy]

I called my PCC to get the AARP OBC,  She said it was only for new bookings.  I see others have gotten the OBC for cruises  booked before HAL started the AARP OBC.  I have registered and verified my membership with AARP & HAL.  Who should I call at HAL and what # would be best to call.  Thanks for the help.

[oh2crz]

Hoping Holland America will extend this onboard credit to AMAC members (Association of Mature American Citizens). 

[BaltimoreCruise]

An update:  Thank you to the posters that provided the email address and phone instructions.  On August 11 I emailed my request for three upcoming cruises.  On August 15 I received an email from HAL that indicated that my "...request has been processed and a new booking confirmation has been sent.".  I contacted my big box TA today and confirmed that the additional OBC had been added to each cruise.    Keep trying.  I was on the phone with my big box TA prior to August 11 and tried to have the OBC added to my cruises.  At first HAL refused to add the OBC because the cruises were already booked.  I asked the TA to go back to HAL and request again for the two cruises that are sometime away from final payment.  I was told that a supervisor at HAL was called upon to assist and that each time he tried to apply, nothing happened.  

 

BaltimoreCruise

[CarolRoy]

2 hours ago, BaltimoreCruise said:

An update:  Thank you to the posters that provided the email address and phone instructions. 

Can someone provide me with the above info - email address & phone # of HAL.  Thanks

[Ready2go11]

see below from post 310- this is the email I had success with. I did not call. 
 

 

 

I used Reservations_submit@hollandamerica dot com (use the actual .com).  Include your verification email. Good luck

[mtd716]

Yesterday, I called HAL to make a change to my booking (downgraded my cabin and then added Club Orange). Apparently this modification with price change was enough to automatically trigger the AARP OBC even though they had already told me I wasn't eligible since the original booking was made before I was AARP verified. My updated booking confirmation now shows the OBC.

[rodndonna]

8 hours ago, mtd716 said:

Yesterday, I called HAL to make a change to my booking (downgraded my cabin and then added Club Orange). Apparently this modification with price change was enough to automatically trigger the AARP OBC even though they had already told me I wasn't eligible since the original booking was made before I was AARP verified. My updated booking confirmation now shows the OBC.

 

Does the confirmation indicate that is due to AARP?

 

We called yesterday to upgrade our cabin, and the new confirmation shows an increase of $100 to our original OBC, but does not indicate the source of that OBC.

 

In our case, we applied for and will receive shareholder credit for $100 which was not on the originbal invoice, so not sure if the new invoice we received is just indicating our shareholder OBC or if it is AARP bonus.

[Haljo1935]

10 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

Does the confirmation indicate that is due to AARP?

 

We called yesterday to upgrade our cabin, and the new confirmation shows an increase of $100 to our original OBC, but does not indicate the source of that OBC.

 

In our case, we applied for and will receive shareholder credit for $100 which was not on the originbal invoice, so not sure if the new invoice we received is just indicating our shareholder OBC or if it is AARP bonus.

Unfortunately w/HALs system, you won't see where the OBC came from. You can call and ask - they will tell you.

It's likely shareholder if you got confirmation for that, as an upgrade if done as a true upgrade, would not trigger the AARP OBC as it's not a new booking.

Anything's possible, but I'd bet on shareholder. 

[BaltimoreCruise]

This morning I can't locate the information on the HAL website.  Is this user error or has HAL removed it?

Thank you.

Baltimore Cruise

[Dobby36]

14 minutes ago, BaltimoreCruise said:

This morning I can't locate the information on the HAL website.  Is this user error or has HAL removed it?

Thank you.

Baltimore Cruise

 
i still see the article about it on HAL site: https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/recent-articles/whats-new/onboard-credit-offer-for-aarp-members/

 

to find the page where you verify AARP status, hit “cruise deals” from the top menu bar, then select “community appreciation offers” or click here: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/cruise-deals/community-appreciation-cruise-offers

 

It’s there along with military deal, teacher, etc.