Onboard coupon book?

[Golfgrl1911]

Does anyone know if HAL offers an onboard coupon book like other cruise lines offer? And if they do how does one obtain one?

Zuiderdam-September 25, 2004

[DFD1]

Have never heard of one on HAL. DFD1

[sail7seas]

What would be offered in a coupon book? I've never heard of anything like that on HAL.

[staufj22]

Why.. coupons, ofcourse..=)

I've actually never seen one.. but on my previous cruise with Princess, when booking through Costco, they said a coupon book is available for Costco Executive Members. All we needed to do was to pick it up from the front desk once we're on the ship.

I think its supposed to have coupons for free drinks, virtual golf, and the restaurant on the ship. Perhaps some souvenior.

We totally forgot about picking that up.. so I've only heard about it..

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Have never heard of a coupon book on HAL.

HAL does have a soda card.

:)

[gizmo]

Hi golfgrl,

I have read about coupon books on another board. To the best of my knowledge Hal does not have them.

For those who don't know what they are, these coupon books have things like 2 for 1 drinks, x% off if you buy a picture or 2, free key chain if you spend x amount in a store etc.

[jhannah]

Hope HAL doesn't go to using coupon books. Rings too much of "Attention K-Mart shoppers..." to me. JMO.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Coupon books really don't sound like they should become part of HAL's "Signature of Excellence" program.

:)

[General Max]

We are happy just to have the shipboard credit.

General Max

[iluvcruzin]

RCCL has coupon books for past passengers. Depending on how many previous cruises one has been on determines the coupon values. Some are very nice - free drinks, free wine tasting, free bingo, free ship photos of your choice etc.. I personally think it's a nice perk for repeat cruisers. I enjoy the benefits plus the discount balcony bookings.

I don't think it's like "attention k-mart shoppers" - However, I do find HAL's method of using coupons for shipboard credits pretty primative. Other lines add it automatically to the account prior to sailing. It all depends on what one's use to.

[sail7seas]

I also hope HAL does not get any "bright ideas" about Coupon Books. I hardly ever remember to use coupons in the grocery store etc so I am very sure I would never deal with coupons while on our cruises.

[Roadwork]

Since we are big coupon users, a coupon book would not bother us, as long as it had real value. Sometimes coupons are more of a marketing ploy to get the consumer to buy something, but other times they are true savings.

[sail7seas]

I don't think cruiselines need any more "gimmicks". Sell us a good product at a price fair to both the cruiseline and to us......and we won't need or want any marketing games.

[Orcrone]

I don't think cruiselines need any more "gimmicks". Sell us a good product at a price fair to both the cruiseline and to us......and we won't need or want any marketing games.SAIL,

If it's gimmicks to sell you more items, I agree. For instance, coupons to reduce the price of items that you may not be likely to purchase anyhow ($3.00 off a t-shirt in the store).

However, if it's freebies like a free 8X10 picture or a free massage then I think it would be a nice way to say thank you to Mariners. And the more cruises one has been on then the greater the value of the book. It would not cost them a lot. The free $20 8X10 they give you probably only costs them a couple of dollars. And I've heard it said on these boards before that they don't really do much for repeat PAX.

[sail7seas]

When you put it that way, yes........that does make it sound good!!! Suddenly I want one of 'dem deer coupon books. :)


Think they'll include a coupon for a free cruise if you've sailed with them say 25 times in the past? Can we get two if we have sailed 50 cruises with them?

They don't specifically do a lot for Mariners in terms of "we promise to give you free internet" etc, but because one gets to know so many crew over the years, over the very many cruises some Mariners have been on.....I guess in more subtle ways, Mariners who have cruised a lot are "recognized" .

[iluvcruzin]

Why do some HAL posters on this board don't realize they come across as such SNOBS on various topics? The original poster asked if there were coupons or not - NOT that you think HAL should/should not change the policy.

I hope when I get OLD over 50 I don't behave like some of you do. I am proud to say I've sailed various lines and have never encounterd such behavior on any cruiseline board such as this. No wonder people post once or twice and leave. A well rounded cruiseline traveller is open to all sorts of experiences. Too bad yours is limited.

(sorry - just have had enough of this after the past few months).

[Orcrone]

Think they'll include a coupon for a free cruise if you've sailed with them say 25 times in the past? Can we get two if we have sailed 50 cruises with them?When I was writing my post I was thinking to myself, "they probably would owe S7S a free cruise."

Great minds think alike.:)

[Tatka]

Why do some HAL posters on this board don't realize they come across as such SNOBS on various topics? The original poster asked if there were coupons or not - NOT that you think HAL should/should not change the policy.

I hope when I get OLD over 50 I don't behave like some of you do. I am proud to say I've sailed various lines and have never encounterd such behavior on any cruiseline board such as this. No wonder people post once or twice and leave. A well rounded cruiseline traveller is open to all sorts of experiences. Too bad yours is limited.

(sorry - just have had enough of this after the past few months).
Check Celebrity board... ;) They have X SNOB society. :D

I think it was a slight misunderstanding and even the biggest HAL snobs would use book like this.

[sail7seas]

I don't think that every response to a question has to be rigidly within strict perameters. I look at threads on the various BB's as conversations. When people talk with each other, the conversation evolves around a central subject but does not remain strictly as a simple yes, no, maybe of the subject.

I have never before heard of coupon books on cruise ships. We have only cruised on Princess, Celebrity, RCI, HAL and Carnival (sort of but that is a long story).......if they had such books, we did not learn of them or they have been added since we were there.

So sorry......I still prefer we be sold our cruises and all things aboard the ship when we are on our cruises for a fair price and don't have to fiddle with gimmicks. That is not to say I do not like to save money and get the best value (as I perceive it) for my dollar.

If someone else likes other methods, that is great, fine, wonderful.....enjoy!

[Esme]

When I was writing my post I was thinking to myself, "they probably would owe S7S a free cruise."

Great minds think alike.:)

There are a few posters on this board who have their Platinum medals (over 700 days cruising with HAL & one I know has over 1000 days). I don't see them expecting a FREE cruise and how about all the World cruisers who go year after year, like the 2 older gentlemen on our last cruise who had taken 90 HAL cruises and are still going strong. HAL would go broke if they gave anyone with 25 cruises a FREE cruise. :rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Esme.....sigh.......


You are absolutely correct there are posters here who have a great many days aboard the wonderful "dam" ships of HAL.

WHERE pray tell did anyone say they EXPECTED anything for free anywhere in this thread?

We were having a little fun, a bit of jest.....a smile. It's fun to play around a bit and does no one any harm. It might bring a smile to a few other faces. Enjoy. Life is too short. A smile almost always begets a smile.


Grass is green; sky is blue.

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

Agree - no one as far as I can tell was actually asking for anything free.

Have noticed lately that there have been a couple of posters who have tried to stir things up a bit.

What did they have for breakfast?

:D

[Roadwork]

:)

Agree - no one as far as I can tell was actually asking for anything free.

Have noticed lately that there have been a couple of posters who have tried to stir things up a bit.

What did they have for breakfast?

:D
:D Anniversary Cake?:D Lighten up folks, smiles do beget smiles:)

[sail7seas]

Touche, Roadwork. :) Good One!!!

[Orcrone]

There are a few posters on this board who have their Platinum medals (over 700 days cruising with HAL & one I know has over 1000 days). I don't see them expecting a FREE cruise and how about all the World cruisers who go year after year, like the 2 older gentlemen on our last cruise who had taken 90 HAL cruises and are still going strong. HAL would go broke if they gave anyone with 25 cruises a FREE cruise. :rolleyes:Esme, sorry I should have put a grin in my response. It was a joke.

[superstein61]

Why do some HAL posters on this board don't realize they come across as such SNOBS on various topics? The original poster asked if there were coupons or not - NOT that you think HAL should/should not change the policy.

I hope when I get OLD over 50 I don't behave like some of you do. I am proud to say I've sailed various lines and have never encounterd such behavior on any cruiseline board such as this. No wonder people post once or twice and leave. A well rounded cruiseline traveller is open to all sorts of experiences. Too bad yours is limited.

(sorry - just have had enough of this after the past few months).
:D :D :D Agreed. Perhaps some of these folks don't realize how they come across - or perhaps they know and just don't care because, well . . .

[dakrewser]

However, I do find HAL's method of using coupons for shipboard credits pretty primative. Other lines add it automatically to the account prior to sailing. It all depends on what one's use to.
:eek: Is this practise new? When we were on the Volendam last fall, credits were automatically added to our account, no paper necessary...

[sail7seas]

I rather like them using the paper coupon which is included in the documents.

On more than one occassion, the front office on the ship had no knowledge of a $300 shipboard credit we were due and said that without evidence from us, we would not get it. Having the paper coupon issued from Seattle was all we needed. BTW.....it is a good idea to make a xerox of that coupon before you turn it over to the office. Sometimes they lose it and they do not credit you. If you have a copy of it, you can "remind" them you already turned in the original to them. They process so many, I imagine it is easy to lose a few here and there. I just don't want to lose out on a $300 credit we are due.

[jhannah]

I thought you were the champion of diverse opinion! What happened to cause you to dis those who felt differently than you and expressed it? No matter what the original question was. As pointed out above, conversation takes many branches from the trunk of the original comment. Some are just expressing a hope that HAL doesn't take the (mainly come-on) coupon book marketing route.

[gizmo]

I think you might have missed superstein's point. I read it different but I will let him explain if he chooses.

[dakrewser]

;) A well rounded cruiseline traveller is open to all sorts of experiences. Too bad yours is limited.
I think we're all open to new experiences, but that doesn't mean we also have to like all of them!

[superstein61]

I thought you were the champion of diverse opinion! What happened to cause you to dis those who felt differently than you and expressed it? No matter what the original question was. As pointed out above, conversation takes many branches from the trunk of the original comment. Some are just expressing a hope that HAL doesn't take the (mainly come-on) coupon book marketing route.
Sorry - but I think you misread or misterpreted my post as Gizmo noted.

I have no problems with people having different opinions, voicing them, etc. But the original question was Does HAL have coupon books onboard - but some of the responses did not address that but rather focused on dissing the idea of coupon books on HAL and coupons in general.

Several comments - as iluvcruzin pointed out come across as snobbish. i started listing them here but decided the better of it because my intent is not to offend or single out anyone. But it seems several folks were making fun of / looking down at the use of coupons - which IMo is as iluvcruzin put it, snobbish

[the2ofus]

I think some of us just have different experiences or ways of describing them than others. Then when someone expresses another opinion we label them "wrong". Sort of like the blind people touching different parts of an elephant and trying to describe the animal. Their descriptions were all partly incorrect, or partly correct depending on where an onlooker might be standing.

The biggest argument my husband and I had when we remodelled our home was over each one describing a type of door we wanted and the other claimed to hate. Finally we got out the magazine illustrations and each chose the door we wanted. The pictures we chose were nearly identical! It was just the vocabulary that had gotten in the way.