Demoted Mariner in new program!

[cruzmann]

No, I'm not a zillion star cruiser but my wife and I got our red pins for our last cruise that put us over the initial 25 day hurdle for the second mariner level. Now I get my notice that says that I have two more days to go to get to the new 2 star hurdle of 30 days. I've never heard of a program where you go backwards. Am I the only one who this has happened to? Yes, the airlines raise the number of miles necessary for a free ticket but Northwest never told me that I was no longer a Platinum Elite member because they changed the rules after I had qualified for the year.

[jaspersmycat]

I'm confused. The red pin under the old program was for 50 days and whether it was 25-day or 50-day, the benefits under the old program were only a pin and a luncheon. Now you get more benefits.

[SwissMyst]

Yep, same here. Demoted from our previous 25. But we fixed 'em. Next cruise will put us squarely into Class 2 well over 30 ....unless they pull the rug out again. I'll never get my swimming pool tiled at this rate.

Got jerked around with senior discounts too. Local movies took away the age 60 threshold when I turned 60 and only when I passed their new level of 65 did they put it back to 60 again. Go figure. Notice there are some cruise lines who offer an over 55 discount, but HAL not one of them. They don't have to.

[jtl513]

Originally Posted by cruzmann

... wife and I got our red pins for our last cruise that put us over the initial 25 day hurdle for the second mariner level. Now I get my notice that says that I have two more days to go to get to the new 2 star hurdle of 30 days.

First check that the Mariner Society records are correct for you. Go to the HAL site, log in, go to My Account and My Mariner Status. If the record is correct and you have more than 30 days showing then the letter is wrong. If there are cruise days missing then you have to contact the M.S. to get it corrected.

As jaspersmycat said, the red pins are for 50 days, so if those weren't given to you erroneously, you are already a 2-star Mariner. If you got (or should have gotten) blue pins for 25 days, you may truly have a couple more days to go for the 2-star level.

[cruzmann]

Sorry, I'm still looking for the pin but I know that I got it and am listed at 28 days. As soon as I got the notice I tried to look on the HAL site to see what the benefits of the old program were and they had already been taken down so I could not find them. I just assumed that at some point there must be a preferred boarding line or some such. My wife and I have spread around a dozen cruises on a bunch of lines (including Am Hawaii, Independence) so we don't have any kind of status on others either. We presumed that you must get something like we do on the airlines. Thanks for setting me straight. I still think they could have just communicated this better.

[PatsyAnne]

Originally Posted by SwissMyst

Notice there are some cruise lines who offer an over 55 discount, but HAL not one of them. They don't have to.

Reminds me of the time I was boarding an airplane at an airport that was almost exclusively that airline with a lot of business traffic. They boarded the ONE non-elite frequent flyer first, and we all applauded.

[jtl513]

Originally Posted by cruzmann

Sorry, I'm still looking for the pin but I know that I got it and am listed at 28 days.

Well at least you weren't just over the 50 day level that has also been eliminated, and you have 24 days to go to get to the new second rung!

Originally Posted by cruzmann

I tried to look on the HAL site to see what the benefits of the old program were and they had already been taken down so I could not find them.

There were none for different levels. Whether you had just one prior cruise or beaucoup days you got a tile, a lunch with free champagne, and a $50 discount on some cruises. At the different levels all you got was a different colored pin, and medallions at levels of 100 days or more.

[ekerr19]

Originally Posted by cruzmann

No, I'm not a zillion star cruiser but my wife and I got our red pins for our last cruise that put us over the initial 25 day hurdle for the second mariner level. Now I get my notice that says that I have two more days to go to get to the new 2 star hurdle of 30 days. I've never heard of a program where you go backwards.

Do you have less than 30 days on HAL? I really don't understand your concern... is it just the "levels" that are bothering you?

[cruzmann]

Thanks again to all of you. The confusion on my part really came because I couldn't find the old Mariner level benefits (evidently because there were none) and as a result I didn't know what I wasn't missing...
And, yes, I am an airline snob who likes boarding early.

[ekerr19]

Originally Posted by cruzmann

And, yes, I am an airline snob who likes boarding early.

First Class... the only way to travel.

[English_in_Spain]

Originally Posted by cruzmann

And, yes, I am an airline snob who likes boarding early.

Why would you want to board the aircraft early?

To me (assuming I have a pre-allocated seat) I like to be the last to board and have less time sitting there waiting for everyone else to sort themselves out.

[GeriatricNurse]

Originally Posted by English_in_Spain

Why would you want to board the aircraft early?

To me (assuming I have a pre-allocated seat) I like to be the last to board and have less time sitting there waiting for everyone else to sort themselves out.

Well, one reason for boarding an aircraft early, from my experince, would be to "secure" a space in the overhead seat storage compartment for your carry-on baggage! From flying experience, if one is the last to board, then there will be extremely limited, (if any), overhead storage space left. You will then have it cram it under the seat in front of you and not be able to (minimally), stretch out your legs during the flight!

[jtl513]

Originally Posted by GeriatricNurse

From flying experience, if one is the last to board, then there will be extremely limited, (if any), overhead storage space left.

This is particularly true if your seat is in the back because many selfish, uncaring people stuff their carry-ons in the first space they see as they walk down the aisle, so that they can just grab it on the way out later. That means that later boarders with seats up front (of coach, not first class) have to go past their seats to try to find overhead space, and at the end of the flight have to wait for everyone else to exit the plane to go back and retrieve their things.

[GmaPajama]

Originally Posted by jtl513

This is particularly true if your seat is in the back because many selfish, uncaring people stuff their carry-ons in the first space they see as they walk down the aisle, so that they can just grab it on the way out later. That means that later boarders with seats up front (of coach, not first class) have to go past their seats to try to find overhead space, and at the end of the flight have to wait for everyone else to exit the plane to go back and retrieve their things.

I was on an American flight last year where the flight attendant said "Oh no you don't" and actually made someone remove their item and take it to the rear with them. I was amazed.