First HAL Cruise Booked! Q's about B2B, OBC, etc.

[Boston proper]

Hi All! 

Thanks to all who post so much great information.  I've stalked the boards for a long time and feel like I know what to expect on my first HAL cruise.  I have several random questions that I'm hoping you can answer.

 

DH and I have booked B2B cruises.  I was unable to get information on both cruises without the website crashing so I utilized a PCC to book the trips.  This was very challenging.  It took six revisions to get the bookings accurate.  Some came through with no OBC, some had us booked under an unknown (to us) group reservation, no HIA perks, and some left off my DH.  It wasn't smooth.  Now that the booking is accurate, will I need a PCC for anything else?  I'm very tech savvy but the website (as you have all pointed out) is not the most user-friendly site.

 

We have OBC for each cruise.  Do the B2B cruises link in any way or will we have to utilize the OBC and shore excursion credits within each cruise?  

 

Will we receive any acknowledgement that we are on B2B's?  Will we receive in-transit cards or do we request them?  Do the room attendants know that we're not leaving at the end of the first cruise?  I'd hate to have them lock us out...

 

Another random question...I know that there is no self-serve laundry (thanks for that answer in a different post!).  I have severe fragrance allergies but will have to utilize the laundry service (which from all accounts is great).  For those who use the service, do your clothes come back with heavy detergent fragrance?  

 

Looking forward to a relaxing two weeks in NE/Canada.  Thank you for reading and any expert advice!

 

[shippmates]

Welcome to Hal.  Here are a few answers to questions.  The OBC and shore excursions are only good to be used on each segment.  You will get information regarding your in transit day in your cabin.  I usually tell my cabin attendant I am staying on for the next sailing.  If you have to change cabins, they will move your hanging clothes but you must pack your other clothes and toiletries.  

[*Miss G*]

Regarding laundry service:  HAL does not use scents in any of its laundry or cleaning products.  Clothes come back unscented.  Sheets, bedding, and towels also unscented.

 

Welcome to Holland America!

[Boston proper]

@shippmates @*Miss G*  Thank you both!   We have the same cabin for both legs which is great.  Looking forward to our first HAL experience!

[richwmn]

2 hours ago, shippmates said:

The OBC and shore excursions are only good to be used on each segment.

I would agree with you on the shore excursion credits, but not the OBC. If your reservations are linked you will not clear your account until you leave the ship and OBC will carry forward. Any OBC will be credited to your account when each segment begins.

 

[Crew News]

It is my experience, that any "refundable" OBC will be returned to your credit card after the first cruise.  Any "non-refundable" OBC remaining at the end of the first segmenton your shipboard account will be rolled over to your next segment. 

 

Last October 21, 2023 there was a $90.51 "non-reundable" OBC credit remaining on the first segment of my B2B cruise.  The same amount was added back to the second segment shipboard account on the second day of the second segment.  My credit card was refunded $341.25 for cancelled first segment shore excursions at the end of the first segment. 

 

In-transit cards will be delivered to your stateroom at least one day before the end of your first segment. 

 

As for laundry, you may continue to submit laundry during the day before and including the transition day.

Edited March 9 by Crew News

[Haljo1935]

My experience aligns with @Crew News on which OBC refunds and which rolls to the next segment. And that shore exc credits do not roll.

You will get an "in transit" card and will not be locked out of your cabin.

Always use the terrific laundry service - I'm "aroma sensitive" and never have an issue.

Other than getting a booking confirmation to confirm OBC and dining preferences (your time or fixed) really is not anything you need a PCC for at this point unless (don't want to jynx it) the cruise gets canceled and you need to rebook.

Welcome to HAL!!

[richwmn]

I don't know why my experience is different than @Crew News and @Haljo1935 but on several B2B cruises, including the one I am currently on, my OBC (both refundable and Non Refundable) has carried from cruise to cruise. I have had nothing refunded until my final exit from the ship. I can currently look at my account on Navigator and see charges and credits back to when I first boarded the ship, and as I mentioned in my previous post, the credits due to the second cruise were added on the first day of that cruise. I do know that my reservations were / are linked, I don't know if theirs were.

 

[Haljo1935]

2 minutes ago, richwmn said:

I don't know why my experience is different than @Crew News and @Haljo1935 but on several B2B cruises, including the one I am currently on, my OBC (both refundable and Non Refundable) has carried from cruise to cruise. I have had nothing refunded until my final exit from the ship. I can currently look at my account on Navigator and see charges and credits back to when I first boarded the ship, and as I mentioned in my previous post, the credits due to the second cruise were added on the first day of that cruise. I do know that my reservations were / are linked, I don't know if theirs were.

 

My B2Bs (have done several) have been 2 booking numbers whether same cabin or different cabin. I was told they were linked and think they were at least sometimes as the end date on my key card would reflect the 2nd week, but not always.

Now I'm curious why we would have different experiences?

[*Miss G*]

3 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Now I'm curious why we would have different experiences?

 

Different ship, maybe?

[Haljo1935]

20 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Different ship, maybe?

Probably, but that's frustrating  - policy should be policy. We all know how HAL is w/consistency. 

Not going to keep me away, but it's annoying. 

[richwmn]

29 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Different ship, maybe?

 

8 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Probably, but that's frustrating  - policy should be policy. We all know how HAL is w/consistency. 

Not going to keep me away, but it's annoying. 

For me, Volendam this year, Zuiderdam last year, and other previously but I don't remember which ones.

 

[OlsSalt]

Check with your PCC to see if there are any "upsell" offers to a better grade of cabin, if you are interested. These start showing up as one gets closer to the sail date. But you would want them for both cruises which makes it difficult, so you don't have to with cabins.

 

We later cobbled together a B2B on one cruise and did have to switch cabins- but as reported it was a very smooth operation. So if they dangle a good priced Neptune upgrade for one of the segments, you might not want to turn your back on it even if it requires changing cabins. 

[kazu]

10 hours ago, richwmn said:

I don't know why my experience is different than @Crew News and @Haljo1935 but on several B2B cruises, including the one I am currently on, my OBC (both refundable and Non Refundable) has carried from cruise to cruise. I have had nothing refunded until my final exit from the ship. I can currently look at my account on Navigator and see charges and credits back to when I first boarded the ship, and as I mentioned in my previous post, the credits due to the second cruise were added on the first day of that cruise. I do know that my reservations were / are linked, I don't know if theirs were.

 

 

That was my experience as well.  I was told I did have to report any discrepancy on my account before the start of the next segment as that part to my account was closed but the account carried on as one statement and I could look all the way back to when I had boarded the ship just as you are reporting.  This was on the Koningsdam and previously the Prinsendam.  

[Boston proper]

Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions.  We'll be on the Zuiderdam which seems to be just right for us - not too big, not too small.  I'm sure we will find ways to use our OBC!

 

Looking forward to lots of PEI mussels, trying poutine, and bucket list visit to Hotel Frontenac.  😀

[Nodakboiler]

We also thought the OBC wouldn't carry over and bought several things in the shops only to find out it would have since we had no bill until the end of the two cruises.

[Boston proper]

Well, on to revision 7 of the booking.  Only one cruise is showing up in DH's account.  I reviewed the confirmation and the PCC booked it to a different Mariner ID #.  Someone's got a deposit on a nice cruise.  I'll have better luck with customer service than a dedicated PCC.  I'm confident the cruise will be great...if we can get past the booking process!

[OlsSalt]

5 hours ago, Boston proper said:

Thanks everyone for the replies and suggestions.  We'll be on the Zuiderdam which seems to be just right for us - not too big, not too small.  I'm sure we will find ways to use our OBC!

 

Looking forward to lots of PEI mussels, trying poutine, and bucket list visit to Hotel Frontenac.  😀

 

When in Quebec, worth seeking out a Chez Ashton location for poutine at its very best - recommend just ordering it plain, since it shines on its own:  https://ashton.order-online.ai/#/    It's the squeaky cheese, that makes them so fresh and good. 

 

Study in dining contrasts for this very lovely city- Hotel Frontenac and Chez Ashton fast food. Do save your appetite for both. And leave some room for french crepes too. Then hit only the fresh veggie salad bar for dinner when you get back to the ship!   Enjoy.

 

 

Edited March 9 by OlsSalt

[Boston proper]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

 

When in Quebec, worth seeking out a Chez Ashton location for poutine at its very best - recommend just ordering it plain, since it shines on its own:  https://ashton.order-online.ai/#/    It's the squeaky cheese, that makes them so fresh and good. 

 

Study in dining contrasts for this very lovely city- Hotel Frontenac and Chez Ashton fast food. Do save your appetite for both. And leave some room for french crepes too. Then hit only the fresh veggie salad bar for dinner when you get back to the ship!   Enjoy.

 

 

 

Merci!  We will definitely check out Chez Ashton.  We'll walk there...that makes the poutine calorie-free!

[seattlecruiser]

To add another data point on rolling over refundable or non refundable OBC…yesterday was turnaround day on the Nieuw Amsterdam in Whittier, Alaska.   We are booked on the back to back cruise with two separate bookings and had both refundable and non refundable OBC at the end of segment one. We tried for a full day to get the OCB rolled to the next cruise working with the Neptune Concierge, and the finance department on board. The answer we got was ‘no, we never do that…it is HAL policy…no one on the ship has authority to make an exception…it would have to be approved by head office in Seattle and that can’t happen until Monday and if they don’t approve the OBC will be gone….’.  
 

We did the exact same cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam two years ago and OBC was rolled automatically to the second segment.  We showed them our statement from that cruise….they said that must have been an exception since we never do that….it wasn’t an exception, we never asked for it to be rolled it just happened.   

 

It is stunning to me that, if true, no one on board has the authority to roll $80 of non refundable OBC from one cruise to the next.  

[richwmn]

I finished four cruises b2b the beginning of this month. All credits were rolled forward cruise to cruise. Possibly the difference was that all cruises were linked, 3 of them prior to starting the cruise and the last one on board when I realized that it wasn't already linked. This has been my experience with several b2b cruises, but all were linked.

 

[Crew News]

My experience on a B2B last year in the same Nieuw Amsterdam stateroom was 'refundable" OBC immediately refunded to my credit card on file at the end of the first segment and the "non-refundable" OBC rolled over to the next leg.

[seattlecruiser]

4 hours ago, richwmn said:

I finished four cruises b2b the beginning of this month. All credits were rolled forward cruise to cruise. Possibly the difference was that all cruises were linked, 3 of them prior to starting the cruise and the last one on board when I realized that it wasn't already linked. This has been my experience with several b2b cruises, but all were linked.

 

Our cruises were linked as confirmed by the Neptune Concierge so it wasn’t that.   It totally baffles me why they would tick off a 4* Mariner in a Neptune Suite for $80 of non-refundable OBC. If I never spent it they would get it back anyway just a week later.  And then to tell us that it is HAL policy and that they never do that, when based on your experience that is a flat out lie, is just unbelievable to me.   I guess they are in the driver’s seat now with full ships and prices, but when the lean days come again and they are relying on their valuable past customers, they may not be there.  

[RRFan]

The cruises are often sold as 7-day segments or a 14-day cruise.  If you have a true B2B, you have two different Booking Numbers, one for each 7-day segment.  OBCs, etc. should be per booking number.  Often OBC amount is dependent upon length of cruise so would be different on a 7-day and a 14-day.  Your cruise confirmation will list your booking number(s) and all details.  If you apply for something (like Military or AARP etc OBC) after your original confirmation, ask your TA for an updated confirmation.    You may or may not be in the same cabin if doing two 7-day B2B's.  You will get a letter the night before the end of the first 7-day telling you what you need to do.  Depending upon the port, ship, captain etc. there are some differences in how this is handled.  Basically, you will have to scan off the first cruise and scan back on for the second 7-day leg.  You may or may not have to actually leave the ship. 

 

Your cabin portfolio might be handled as a rolled forward to the next leg or it might stand alone.  We've had that handled both ways.  Each ship seems to have their own way to handle these things.  If you do have two booking numbers, go ask early in the first week so you'll know whether or not unused obc's can roll forward.  If not, be sure you use it the first week.  Watch your statement daily to be sure everything is being handled correctly.  Sounds like you are staying on top of things instead of "hoping for the best."  Good job.  Hope you love your cruise(s).  

Edited Tuesday at 08:31 PM by RRFan

[Boston proper]

1 hour ago, RRFan said:

The cruises are often sold as 7-day segments or a 14-day cruise.  If you have a true B2B, you have two different Booking Numbers, one for each 7-day segment.  . 

 

Watch your statement daily to be sure everything is being handled correctly.  Sounds like you are staying on top of things instead of "hoping for the best."  Good job.  Hope you love your cruise(s).  

 

Thank you @RRFan  I appreciate all of the helpful information.  Definitely two distinct cruises, but same room.  I'm an accountant by trade so there's nothing more that I like than pouring over daily statements. 🧐  Really looking forward to this trip, the itinerary and discovering HAL.