9 Ways to Get Extra Onboard Credit on Holland America (Read before booking!)
These ways to get extra onboard credit on Holland America will help make sure you don’t leave any money on the table and get the most out of your Holland America cruise.
You’re thinking of booking a Holland America cruise. That’s awesome! I’m a huge fan of Holland America having sailed with them to nearly every corner of the world. Before booking though it’s worth making sure you get the best deal and part of that is maximizing your onboard credit.
There are lots of opportunities for additional onboard credit on Holland America that can be used for so many things onboard.
These offers could be worth up to $1,600 in onboard credit. While most people won’t be eligible for every single offer, nearly everyone will be eligible for at least one or maybe even two offers. Take a look and make sure you don’t leave money on the table!
What is onboard credit?
When you sail onboard Holland America you will have a ship card that will act as your room card but also in essence, your onboard credit card. That card will allow you to make purchases in the shops, buy drinks, even for shore excursions.
Onboard credit is money that is added to that onboard account that you can spend on most everything.
What can I use my onboard credit on?
Onboard credit can be spent on most things you would buy while cruising. This includes shore excursions, beverages, things from the shops, the photography studio, and services at the spa.
Additionally most types of onboard credit can be used for crew appreciation (gratuity), service charges and additional tips. However, some promotional onboard credit cannot be used towards gratuities or fees.
There are some types of non-promotional onboard credit that can be used in the casino and some types may even be refunded at the end of your cruise. Most of those types are non-promotional though.
9 Ways to Get Extra Onboard Credit on Holland America
Here it is! 9 ways to get extra onboard credit with Holland America Line. Most of these will require you to fill out a little bit of paperwork and need to be completed before your cruise. Let’s get to it!
1 – AARP
Who is eligible: Members of AARP
Credit amount: $50-$200 per stateroom depending on length of voyage and stateroom category
Why would I have AARP (American Association of Retired People) members as the number one way to get onboard credit? Because literally everyone (at least from the US) 18 or older can join AARP to get these benefits. Yes, they focus on retired persons 50+ but you don’t actually have to be 50+ to get these benefits!
Click Here for Information on Joining AARP
A membership can start for as little as $12 per year (although it’s set to go up in 2025) and can get you discounts through a huge number of businesses around. Considering a membership starts at $12 and you will get at minimum a $50 onboard credit, it makes sense to sign up!
This promotion is eligible to be combined with some other onboard credit offers.
Click here for information on getting your AARP onboard credit
2 – Carnival Shareholder Benefit
Who is eligible: Those who hold 100 shares of Carnival Corporation
Credit amount: $50-$250 per stateroom (depending on length of cruise & cruise line)
This is a tried and true way to get onboard credit – not just with Holland America but with all of the brands owned by Carnival Corporation. That includes Holland America, Princess, Carnival, P&O Cruises, Seabourn, Costa, Cunard, and AIDA.
You’ll need to put the paperwork in for this credit at least 3 weeks before you cruise.
This shareholder benefit is eligible to be combined with some other onboard credit offers.
Click here for more information on how to get your
Carnival Corp Shareholder Credit
3 – Educator and Teacher Onboard Credit Benefit
Who is eligible: Be an active or retired teacher/educator
Credit amount: $100 per stateroom
To get this credit you’ll need to fill out a form online. It’s important to note that this needs to be done before booking as it’s available only on new bookings.
This onboard credit offer is not combinable with Military, Healthcare & First Responder, or University of Washington Athletics promotions (meaning you can’t get $100 for each of those).
Click here for more information on how to get the
Educator and Teacher Onboard Credit
4 – Military Appreciation Offer
Who is eligible: Be active, retired, or veteran military
Credit amount: $100 per stateroom
This is available to active, retired, or veteran military on new bookings.
This onboard credit offer is not combinable with Educator, Healthcare & First Responder, or University of Washington Athletics promotions (meaning you can’t get $100 for each of those).
Click here for more information on how to get the
Military Appreciation Offer
5 – Healthcare and First Responder
Who is eligible: Be able to verify your healthcare or first responder status
Credit amount: $100 per stateroom
This is again only available on new bookings, so make sure you do your verification before you make your booking. First responders include firefighters, police, and EMT’s.
This onboard credit offer is not combinable with Military, Educator, or University of Washington Athletics promotions (meaning you can’t get $100 for each of those).
Click here for more information on how to get the
Healthcare and First Responder Offer
6 – Refer-A-Friend
Who is eligible: If you are new to Holland America and a previous Holland America guest refers you
Credit amount: $50 per stateroom onboard credit for the new guest, and $50 future cruise credit for the referring guest
This one is slightly more complicated but can benefit you and a friend! If a friend has referred you to Holland America Line, they can get $50 future cruise credit (that type of credit is used towards booking the cruise) and then you can get $50 onboard credit (the kind that goes with your onboard account).
This onboard credit is combinable with most other onboard credit promotions.
Click here for more information on Holland America Refer-A-Friend
7 – University of Washington Athletics
Who is eligible: University of Washington Athletics Season Ticket Holders
Credit amount: $100 onboard credit per stateroom
Holland America’s US headquarters is in Seattle, Washington. As such they’re offering $100 onboard credit to those folks that are season ticket holders with the University of Washington Athletics. This is for new bookings only so make sure to verify your eligibility before signing up.
This onboard credit offer is not combinable with Military, Healthcare & First Responder, or Educator promotions (meaning you can’t get $100 for each of those).
Click here for information on how to get your
University of Washington Athletics credit
8 – Holland America Line Visa Credit Card
Who is eligible: Holland America Credit Card Holders
Credit amount: Up to $200 worth of sign-on credit, plus more depending on spending
This credit card will give you 20,000 points after spending $500 in the sign-on period. Those 20,000 points are worth $200 in onboard credit.
This onboard credit is combinable with most other onboard credit promotions.
For more information and how to sign up click here
Holland America Credit Card
9 – Mariner Society Loyalty Benefit
Who is eligible: Past Holland America cruisers booking within 90 days of new cruises being announced
Credit amount: Up to $400 depending on length of cruise
If you like to plan your cruises ahead of time this is a great option for you. If you book your cruise within 90 days of the cruises being announced and published and you’ve sailed with Holland America before, you could be eligible for this onboard credit bonus.
There’s quite a few benefits to being part of Holland America Lines Loyalty Program, this is just an extra bit of icing on the cake.
This onboard credit is combinable with most other onboard credit promotions.
For information on the Mariner Loyalty Bonus click here.
Bonus Ways to Save:
1 – Booking Onboard
If you are already onboard a Holland America cruise it is the best time to book your next one! They have access to exclusive deals and can give you additional onboard credit for making your booking. This can be worth up to $400 in onboard credit depending on the length of voyage and stateroom type.
For more information on the benefits of booking onboard click here.
2 – Gift Certificates through AARP
Need another reason to join AARP? You can buy a $500 Holland America Line gift certificate for $460 or an 8% savings. There is a limit to how many you can buy per month (currently at 5 per month). That could really add up though to hundreds of dollars in savings!
For more information on AARP Gift Cards click here
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use onboard credit to pay for gratuities?
Most of the time, yes! Your onboard credit can be paid towards the crew appreciation or gratuities. There are a few promotions that restrict your onboard credit usage from crew appreciation and service fees.
Can I use my onboard credit for drinks?
Absolutely. The onboard credit can purchase alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. It can also pay for any extra you might have even if you have a beverage package or have a package through the Have It All promotion.
Conclusion: Ways to get extra onboard credit on Holland America
There are so many ways to get additional onboard credit for your upcoming cruise! But, make sure you are checking what you’re eligible for and getting approved for it before booking as some of the promotions are only applicable to new bookings.
