Why does HAL send emails of sales to only certain people, why?

[Australian family]

I posted a question about on the flash sale thread, but thought I would start a seperate thread as it seems that I am not alone.

I have signed up for emails of sales and have never received an email from HAL, also signed up under my DH's mariner number as well, with a different email address and haven't heard anything.

Does HAL only want to send emails to certain past passengers, or do they have a serious problem with their marketing?

Either way I think it is awful that you go to the trouble to sign up for specials etc, and never hear a word.

I thought maybe they didn't want to email as Aussies, as they seem to think that we are prepared to pay more for cruises than Americans.

Obviously HAL think they have enough business that they don't want to email everyone who signs up for deals!

[Juanita462]

I agree - have always signed up for specials and have never had
one single email about flash specials or any other specials from HAL

get tons from other cruise lines though that I never signed up for = now how did they get my email address I wonder. Have only given it to HAL.

Maybe it is because we always have at least one future
cruise already booked that we don't hear from HAL?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Here is a past passenger.

Never get e-mails about flash sales.

But we get a lot of e-mails from Princess, Yachts of Seaborne (have never sailed on them) and Carnival (have never sailed on them).

And I have never signed up to receive anything from Carnival or the Yachts of Seaborne.

Makes no sense.

[Stevesan]

I haven't a clue how HAL marketing constructs its mailing lists, but I do know that several years ago HAL had more than 4 million Mariners! They clearly have to prioritize their lists.

[lady_cruiser]

Has anyone who signed up for E-Mail notifications from HAL checked their SPAM box. Even if you are getting E-Mail from other cruiselines doesn't mean that the HAL is being blocked for one reason or the other.

[kyriecat]

I don't think it's an "Aussie" issue since I'm a Texan and have never received the HAL emails either. I hadn't been receiving the Mariner magazine and called the Mariner Society 4 times. Each time I was told that I was signed up to receive the magazine and it should arrive shortly. It never did. I tried calling again a couple weeks ago when I saw several people posting that the new magazine came out. This time I got the magazine a few days later. Hopefully I'm on "the list" now and will get future magazines without having to call.

Have you tried calling HAL about getting their emails? It might take a few tries but persistance pays off. If you don't want to call them, there is a "contact us" link on the website. You can post your issue there and see if they can resolve it for you.

[kyriecat]

I haven't a clue how HAL marketing constructs its mailing lists, but I do know that several years ago HAL had more than 4 million Mariners! They clearly have to prioritize their lists.Why would they have to prioritize the list? I assume they use a bulk delivery system like all the other companies that send out mass e-mailings. They just have to add a new email address to the list. It's not a difficult task. I sometimes get 3 emails a day from Amazon and I might buy something from them once a year. I'll take a guess and say they have more than 4 million people that have purchased something through them and probably every one of those people gets the junk emails from Amazon.

Has anyone who signed up for E-Mail notifications from HAL checked their SPAM box. Even if you are getting E-Mail from other cruiselines doesn't mean that the HAL is being blocked for one reason or the other.I check my spam box daily and nothing from HAL has ever shown up there either.

[Randyk47]

I get plenty of mailings but very few, if any, emails and HAL has my email address. In my preferences I've checked a number of areas of interest (i.e., Europe, Caribbean) and I do get those mailings. On the other hand I get so much email, partially work related and typical junk, that I don't pay much attention to the stuff that goes into my spam in-box.

[Himself]

I don't know if I signed up or not but I get e-mails announcing upcoming salies on future sailings.

[klr]

Maybe you could just find a good travel agent? 3 years ago on a HAL cruise, our forced dinner companion (who had a balcony cabin across from out inside) said her travel agent called her all the time with last minute deals like a week for $99. She would then just get on a bus from her trailer by herself and come on down. She said that was a good thing because she didn't have no computer.

Since that cruise, I get brochures but no email. I just signed up again yesterday for email as we are looking to book another HAL ... now that they have changed the MDR situation.

[Two@Sea]

We used to get email and snail mail offers from HAL on a regular basis, until we booked with them again. Now, nothing...

I can only presume that when our ship has sailed, and we have nothing else lined up, we will again hit their mailing list. We'll see.

[kyriecat]

I was just reading on another thread that HAL won't send you email offers if you already have a cruise booked with them. That seems really strange to me. I generally book cruises at least a year in advance so it's not unusual for me to have 2, or occasionally 3, booked at one time. I only have one cruise booked right now but I'm starting to look for my 2012 cruise so I can get it planned.

[RuthC]

Has anyone who signed up for E-Mail notifications from HAL checked their SPAM box. Even if you are getting E-Mail from other cruiselines doesn't mean that the HAL is being blocked for one reason or the other.
I check my spam box at least twice a day. There's nothing from HAL in there.

That's because HAL doesn't send me anything. They told me I've been "supressed". :eek:
So that's what that "ouch" was! ;)

I have nothing booked after next June. I expect to be receiving their offers by July.
Anybody want to start a pool on it??? :D

[Gerd]

...

Dear all

it is not new for me its "overwhelming" Holland America Line custom care service.

I work quiet a lot with business relation – but their manner to deal with their client is so much lousy, a not known company will never stay in business.

I like HAL, those vessels and off course their marvelous crew – but in Seattle, there are much too much unprofessional dreamer.


The main question is; why they do not send annithing to the entire of their loyal customer is a mystery.
And Seattle, please do not tell me about postal cost – the Internet just cost nothing…


Everybody would much appreciated if we are informed by E-Mail Attachments about our favored Cruise Line, its business and its brochures.




Happy cruising

G E R D



Our marvelous cruises : :)

MS Ryndam – Wayfarer – March 1997
MS Noordam - Transatlantic Island Hook - April 2001
MS Volendam - Southern Caribbean - April 2002
MS Volendam - Westfarer Caribbean - April 2004
MS Prinsendam - Windmills & Waterford – September 2004
MS Westerdam - Western Caribbean - April 2005
MS Statendam - Hawaii Circle - September 2005
MS Rotterdam - Vikings and Czars – July 2006
MS Veendam - Southern Caribbean – March 2007
MS Volendam – Panama Canal – April 2008
MS Noordam – Mediterranean Enchantment – September 2009
MS Nieuw Amsterdam - Mediterranean Inaugural Cruise - July 2010
MS Nieuw Amsterdam - Mediterranean Empires - July 2010

169 days - 39'247 Nm :

http://www.hollandamerica.com/images/3starMariner.gif


Future Cruise : :p

1 open booking

[Gamelan1971]

I just got one recently, but my mother, who is a 3 star mariner (I am only 2), did not get that email.

Sometimes, I think they plug in different random factors into their computer system when sending out these private sale emails, to see who will bite. No rhyme or reason, and it also may have something to do with feedback one has provided on previous cruises.

[robertmnch]

I posted a question about on the flash sale thread, but thought I would start a seperate thread as it seems that I am not alone.

I have signed up for emails of sales and have never received an email from HAL, also signed up under my DH's mariner number as well, with a different email address and haven't heard anything.

Does HAL only want to send emails to certain past passengers, or do they have a serious problem with their marketing?

Either way I think it is awful that you go to the trouble to sign up for specials etc, and never hear a word.

I thought maybe they didn't want to email as Aussies, as they seem to think that we are prepared to pay more for cruises than Americans.

Obviously HAL think they have enough business that they don't want to email everyone who signs up for deals!

I received an e-mail today (11/1/2010) from HAL Reservations, and he gave me the following information: Marketing decides who gets FLASH SALES, and what geographical areas (IMO/ZIP CODES MAYBE?). Some Flash Sale pricing is attached to Mariner's Numbers. Reservation Agent "Flex", 1-877-724-5425. He suggested calling the HAL # and asking if a specific "ship" & "cruise date" were on the Flash Sale?:o

[BumperII]

I don't know this for a fact, but I suspect that they are targeting market segments. Recently they have been trying to appeal to a younger clientel for obvious reasons. They are probably looking ahead five or ten years and hoping to get that market lined up.

I don't think any other cruise line has customer loyalty like HAL. They probably like the idea of introducing their product to the thirty something crowd, looking to attract them to future cruises.

[sevenseasnomad]

We're early 60s. Used to get tons of offers, daily or 2X per day. Since we booked on this upcoming cruise in August 2009, we've had no offers of any kind from HAL. We booked July 2010, but got bumped from that cruise by a corporation who booked the entire ship. So after December we have nothing booked. Will be interesting to see if we get any offers after this cruise.

[lorekauf]

I have nothing booked after next June. I expect to be receiving their offers by July.
Anybody want to start a pool on it??? :D
I agree 100% with you. They only seem to market to folks without something booked with them. I haven't seen anything for ages. I don't even get a birthday card anymore:D:eek:.

[trophy_23]

I don't know this for a fact, but I suspect that they are targeting market segments. Recently they have been trying to appeal to a younger clientel for obvious reasons. They are probably looking ahead five or ten years and hoping to get that market lined up.

I don't think any other cruise line has customer loyalty like HAL. They probably like the idea of introducing their product to the thirty something crowd, looking to attract them to future cruises.

I like your theory, but I am 25, have sailed with HAL 4x and still dont get any mail.

[klr]

Recently they have been trying to appeal to a younger clientel for obvious reasons. They are probably looking ahead five or ten years and hoping to get that market lined up.


But when you sign up for email they don't ask your age.

[Two@Sea]

I check my spam box at least twice a day. There's nothing from HAL in there.

That's because HAL doesn't send me anything. They told me I've been "supressed". :eek:
So that's what that "ouch" was! ;)

I have nothing booked after next June. I expect to be receiving their offers by July.
Anybody want to start a pool on it??? :D

Supressed, eh? That does sound like a painful condition. ;)

And, put me down for July 9th in the pool...

[Australian family]

I check my junk mail email box daily, nothing, no emails from HAL. Plenty of other junk emails.

We also don't have a future cruise booked with HAL.

Obviously HAL are doing so well with new bookings that they don't need to encourage past passengers to return. Maybe next cruise we will give Royal Carribean a go.

My parents cruised on Sapphire Princess 3 years in Alaska, and they are always receiving mailouts from Princess (not emails as they don't have a computer). Obviously Princess are keen to encourage past passengers to cruise again, and no they don't have another cruise booked.

[Australian family]

I finally received a HAL sale email, 3-Day Sale Underway-Cruise fares from only $399.

And the email didn't come as a Junk email.

The email was sent to a email address that isn't used with our mariner numbers, and one that I had registered to receive notifications of sales. So obviously HAL are more interested in getting new business, rather than trying to get back past cruisers.

And when I went into their website, which has Australian prices, (and our dollar is at parity with the US dollar), nowhere could I find a sale price of $399. Obviously us Aussies are still expected to pay much higher prices for cruises than those in the US.

The good thing is that we are finally receiving emails about sales.

[sapper1]

I agree 100% with you. They only seem to market to folks without something booked with them. I haven't seen anything for ages. I don't even get a birthday card anymore:D:eek:.
Like after the next birthday you'll want to be reminded?:) Tee hee.

[VermeulT]

Does HAL only want to send emails to certain past passengers, or do they have a serious problem with their marketing?

The latter.

...
And Seattle, please do not tell me about postal cost – the Internet just cost nothing…
costs NOTHING!!

Marketing decides who gets FLASH SALES, and what geographical areas (IMO/ZIP CODES MAYBE?).
ok I will give them that - but then I'm NEVER in the right geographical area????


And what's with the I have one cruise booked so I'm not even going to consider another cruise logic??? Tons of people on this board have multiple cruises booked at one time... Bang Head Here.

[VioletHorse]

DD and I took our first non-HAL cruise this past June on Princess. The post cruise survey (they do their surveys on-line, not paper) was in my email inbox the day that we disembarked, so I know that they've got my email address.

Within a week I received a cruise brochure from Princess via snail mail, and after that, nothing. Not 1 email or snail mail. We did purchase FCD's while onboard, so they know we'll be back.

However, my DD has received regular emails and snail mail from them (she lives in a different city). We spent plenty of $$ on board :p, so I'd think they would want both of us back. Well, I know that they want her back!

As for HAL, I do receive regular emails and snail mail from them. We don't have a HAL cruise booked, but we do have FCDs.

And I haven't received an email birthday card from HAL in years either. But last year DH and I had a cruise booked on the Eurodam in October. My DH's birthday is in July, and he got a birthday card (sent to my email address since I'm the cruise booker of the family) last year. My birthday is in August, and no birthday card for me :mad:. It's totally arbitrary.

[iancal]

My mail is set up to send them straight to junk mail. We have never had a 'special cruise fare' price that our TA was not able to beat. The emails seem to come to us in 'waves'

[legalslave]

I always have a future cruise deposit. I continue to get flash sales and other offerings via email and snail mail constantly UNTIL we actually book a cruise and have a booking number. Then it all stops! We get nothing from HAL at all. My theory, which is just my opinion is they don't want you to know if your booked cruise is now being offered at a lower price.

Diane

[knitlady037]

I never received an E-mail from HAL--until I cancelled my next cruise. Now I get 2-3 per week.