Three Star Mariners Get Higher Prices?!

[Megsie1000]

I hope I'm not violating a rule here by "revealing" this, but I am a bit aghast at seeing what happened tonight re very different pricing offers from HAL.

 

As some of you know, by checking the HAL site, I found a nice little price drop for our upcoming January cruise. I didn't find it until Friday afternoon and we booked through a TA, so we need to wait until tomorrow to try and re-fare our cruise with our TA. The price difference was quite significant. $480 less for our inside cabin and almost $1000 less for my parent's Deluxe Verandah Suite.

 

My parents are 3-star mariners and were having trouble getting the same pricing I was for their cabin. I didn't know their mariner numbers, so I was just putting my own in. I figured maybe my father got the date wrong or was putting something different in. Nope. :( When I put our mariner numbers in, the price for the same exact cabin is about $500 less. I even went over to their house, put my information in, got my price, went back & put their numbers in and a completely different price.

 

DH and I are 1-star mariners. They are 3-star.

 

Is this the way that HAL rewards loyalty? Are they plugged in somehow as being suckers because they have always paid a higher price willingly?

 

I feel a bit disillusioned, to be honest. I printed out OUR offer for a Deluxe Verandah and we're going in to see the TA first thing tomorrow. I hope they will honor the price that I could see on my screen vs. the price he got.

 

Just to clarify, cabin configuration and everything was the same. We have two adults & two children in our cabin and so do they. No differences in adding insurance or anything else. The base fare was different. I think $250 extra for each adult. The kids were the same for both. The price was still less than what he initially paid, but only $500 less vs. $1000 less. That's quite a difference!

[HamburgAvonLady]

Do you live in different states ?? Are you military or in the airline/travel industry ?? Sometimes there are different prices depending on where you live and occupation. Your TA should be able to sort this out. Hope you get to save some $$$.

[LaCat3]

Please let us know what happens!!!

[sail7seas]

Please keep us updated about this.

[cruz chic]

That's just stupid, but nothing seems to suprise me lately. I hope they can get the "good" price and there is some kind of explanation for why loyalty gets punished.

[IRL_Joanie]

I hope I'm not violating a rule here by "revealing" this, but I am a bit aghast at seeing what happened tonight re very different pricing offers from HAL.

 

As some of you know, by checking the HAL site, I found a nice little price drop for our upcoming January cruise. I didn't find it until Friday afternoon and we booked through a TA, so we need to wait until tomorrow to try and re-fare our cruise with our TA. The price difference was quite significant. $480 less for our inside cabin and almost $1000 less for my parent's Deluxe Verandah Suite.

 

My parents are 3-star mariners and were having trouble getting the same pricing I was for their cabin. I didn't know their mariner numbers, so I was just putting my own in. I figured maybe my father got the date wrong or was putting something different in. Nope. :( When I put our mariner numbers in, the price for the same exact cabin is about $500 less. I even went over to their house, put my information in, got my price, went back & put their numbers in and a completely different price.

 

DH and I are 1-star mariners. They are 3-star.

 

Is this the way that HAL rewards loyalty? Are they plugged in somehow as being suckers because they have always paid a higher price willingly?

 

I feel a bit disillusioned, to be honest. I printed out OUR offer for a Deluxe Verandah and we're going in to see the TA first thing tomorrow. I hope they will honor the price that I could see on my screen vs. the price he got.

 

Just to clarify, cabin configuration and everything was the same. We have two adults & two children in our cabin and so do they. No differences in adding insurance or anything else. The base fare was different. I think $250 extra for each adult. The kids were the same for both. The price was still less than what he initially paid, but only $500 less vs. $1000 less. That's quite a difference!

 

It appears that you are in an Inside J cabin right? and your Parents are in a Deluxe Verandah Suite. So their prices might not be affected by any price decrease.

 

Your daughter's fare may have decreased, but not your parents stateroom itself....

 

I could be wrong but....

 

Your post from yesterday states:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1475890

 

QUOTE " Question About Cancelling and Rebooking

 

after a price drop? Just checked the HAL website (thanks for the suggestion!) to see if the price of our January Eurodam cruise had dropped. Sure enough, there is a significant price drop. Our category J inside on the Main Deck has dropped by $480. We are doing a quad with 2 of our children. Our fare has gone down some and the kids' fare has gone from $99 to $49. :eek: CHEER! Final payment not due until the end of October.

 

My other daughter will be in a Deluxe Verandah with my parents and she has gone from $99 to $49, too, so that will save us another $50.

 

It appears that there are plenty of J category cabins still available, so I am not too worried about getting one. But is there a trick to getting back your specific cabin? I know they have to release it first. Should I wait a couple of days after booking to make my cabin selection. I have to remember to mark "no upgrade" again! I like the location of our original J cabin, but I will certainly give it up for another J main deck cabin for $480.

 

I think my parents are going to rebook again, too, since it looks like there is an even larger price difference for them. If I am doing the math right, the savings for them would be over $1000. I wonder if they are really having trouble booking this cruise? Is it unusual for there to be such a significant price drop before final payment is due?

 

Has anybody ever had luck just asking for the price difference in OBC? Or is that only for price drops after the final payment is due? I would certainly go for the OBC to save the hassle of rebooking. Our hotel charge alone for a quad is a little over $300 and I am certain we could find a way to spend the other $180 quite easily. :D

 

One last question. I have booked a lido cabana (sorry for those who hate them :o) and prepaid already. Can I just leave that reservation in place, or do I need to cancel and rebook that, too?" UNQUOTE

 

Joanie

[Megsie1000]

Do you live in different states ?? Are you military or in the airline/travel industry ?? Sometimes there are different prices depending on where you live and occupation. Your TA should be able to sort this out. Hope you get to save some $$$.

 

we live 5 blocks away from one another. No other discount possibility for us that I could see? I am a reformed lawyer (no SAHM for the time being :p) and DH is in security. Nothing to do with travel or airlines.

[jtl513]

This has me baffled too. What prices do you see if you use no Mariner number? Your price, their price, or yet a third price?

 

Tell me again what cruise this is and I've got our own 3* Mariner numbers as well as my DB/DSiL's 1* numbers to try.

[sail7seas]

You certainly have roused our attention, Megsie.

[Megsie1000]

It appears that you are in an Inside J cabin right? and your Parents are in a Deluxe Verandah Suite. So their prices might not be affected by any price decrease.

 

Your daughter's fare may have decreased, but not your parents stateroom itself....

 

 

The kids' fares are all less. They were all $99, now they all show up as $49 (+ tax & port fees) no matter what mariner numbers we plug in. It is the adult fares that show up differently.

 

When I plug our 4 mariner numbers in as if I am doing a new booking, I get a different price than when I plug their numbers in.

 

I'll give you an example with some round numbers. Let's say we paid $2500 for our inside J for the 4 of us 3 months ago. When I plug in our mariner numbers today as if I am doing a new booking, the cabin now costs $2000. When I put in my parents #s with the two children who will be with them (kids are 1-star and 3-star mariners), and pretend like they want to book a J cabin, that same cabin for the same cruise with 2 adults, 2 kids comes up as $2200. $200 more for the same cabin for 3-star mariners? :eek: The kids fares are the same no matter whose mariner numbers we use. So it is the 1st and 2nd passenger rates that are different.

 

My parents booked a deluxe verandah suite (category SA) 3 months ago. Let's say they paid $6000. When I plug in OUR numbers as if we are doing a new booking for the cruise, I can get an SA cabin on the same deck for $5000 for 2 adults, 2 kids. I think "great! That is $1,000 less than what they paid! But when I plug in my parents' mariner numbers with the kids they are traveling with, the price comes up as $5500 for the same cabin category, same deck.

 

Do you see what I mean? Their price has gone down,too, but HAL is giving me better offers both for my cabin category and theirs. It doesn't matter which cabin category, actually, because we looked at all of them.

 

Strange, no?

[Megsie1000]

This has me baffled too. What prices do you see if you use no Mariner number? Your price, their price, or yet a third price?

 

Tell me again what cruise this is and I've got our own 3* Mariner numbers as well as my DB/DSiL's 1* numbers to try.

 

Prices are higher than either with no mariner number. Putting in no mariner number adds another $100-200, it seems, depending on the category. I would have expected that.

[Megsie1000]

January 14 Eurodam

 

I guess the reason this really upsets me is that I am protective of my parents. They love cruising, but they aren't wealthy. They are both retired teachers. They save every penny and sacrifice other things so they can book a Deluxe Verandah and really enjoy themselves. $500 is a LOT of money to them, KWIM?

 

I really hope there is just something I am missing so, but I don't think so. I guess we'll see if they will honor the price I have quoted on my print-out. We'll see.

[sail7seas]

Maybe it is because when you put in your Mariner number for the SA suite, you get a 'new booking rate'. Often price reductions are 'new bookings only'. When you put your parents' Mariners numbers in, they know they are already booked in that category cabin so there is no new discount for them...... they are not making a new booking in the category cabin they already have.

 

YOU, on the other hand, are booked in a different category cabin ("J") so the computer calls you a new booking into the "SA" category???? I can't think of any other explanation.

 

[Megsie1000]

Maybe it is because when you put in your Mariner number for the SA suite, you get a 'new booking rate'. Often price reductions are 'new bookings only'. When you put your parents' Mariners numbers in, they know they are already booked in that category cabin so there is no new discount for them...... they are not making a new booking in the category cabin they already have.

 

YOU, on the other hand, are booked in a different category cabin ("J") so the computer calls you a new booking into the "SA" category???? I can't think of any other explanation.

 

 

I thought about that, too, but all categories are higher, including J. So, even in my own category (remember, they have it in their system that I have already booked a J, too) I am getting better offers than they are. Maybe they wouldn't get as good of a deal going down categories? That doesn't seem right, either.

 

If the price is really that much better for new bookings, they will just cancel and rebook. At least we know that price exists. It is good to know that the "lowest price" won't necessarily show up for you if you have already booked. That doesn't necessarily make me want to book early, though, because I will feel like if I am booked, I will be locked out of finding out the absolute lowest price out there.

[jtl513]

January 14 Eurodam

Okay, for an SA on that ship and date I see the same 2499 for each adult and 49 for each child whether I use our 3* numbers here in FL OR use the 1* numbers of my DB/DSiL in CT. Does that match your numbers or your parents?

 

edit: I just checked, and if I use NO Mariner numbers I see the same 2499 for the adults but 99 for the kids.

[sail7seas]

I thought about that, too, but all categories are higher, including J. So, even in my own category (remember, they have it in their system that I have already booked a J, too) I am getting better offers than they are. Maybe they wouldn't get as good of a deal going down categories? That doesn't seem right, either.

 

If the price is really that much better for new bookings, they will just cancel and rebook. At least we know that price exists. It is good to know that the "lowest price" won't necessarily show up for you if you have already booked. That doesn't necessarily make me want to book early, though, because I will feel like if I am booked, I will be locked out of finding out the absolute lowest price out there.

 

 

My underline.

 

We don't know that,,,,,,, yet, do we?

 

We don't have the explanation but it will be interesting to learn what it is.

[jackjoy1]

Yes, please keep us posted

[Megsie1000]

I am getting 2199 base fare for that cabin on that date. SA, Rotterdam Deck, January 14 2012. Right now. With our mariner numbers. My parents get the same fare you are getting.

 

What do you suppose is accounting for the difference?

 

Weird.

 

I am relieved to know maybe they aren't being punished for their loyalty but for some reason we are getting some preferential rate. At least right now. :)

 

Still hoping HAL will honor the new price because it rocks. LOL I'll keep you updated.

 

ETA: yes, same $49 for both kids. That has been the one thing that has stayed the same.

 

thanks for the input, all. I was wondering if somebody could point out what is going on, but it looks like some sort of glitch.

[Megsie1000]

Okay, for an SA on that ship and date I see the same 2499 for each adult and 49 for each child whether I use our 3* numbers here in FL OR use the 1* numbers of my DB/DSiL in CT. Does that match your numbers or your parents?

 

edit: I just checked, and if I use NO Mariner numbers I see the same 2499 for the adults but 99 for the kids.

 

It is worth noting that even this rate is lower by $200 pp (adults) and $50 pp (kids) than what they already paid. That is the good news. :)

[Megsie1000]

My underline.

 

We don't know that,,,,,,, yet, do we?

 

We don't have the explanation but it will be interesting to learn what it is.

 

This is true. And that theory doesn't really make sense because then I wouldn't be able to see that lower price on MY cabin, theoretically.

[jtl513]

Weird.

Very! :D Also, when I priced it with my usual TA I got 2499 for each adult.

[adrift@sea]

I thought about that, too, but all categories are higher, including J. So, even in my own category (remember, they have it in their system that I have already booked a J, too) I am getting better offers than they are. Maybe they wouldn't get as good of a deal going down categories? That doesn't seem right, either.

 

If the price is really that much better for new bookings, they will just cancel and rebook. At least we know that price exists. It is good to know that the "lowest price" won't necessarily show up for you if you have already booked. That doesn't necessarily make me want to book early, though, because I will feel like if I am booked, I will be locked out of finding out the absolute lowest price out there.

 

We have been experiencing the same thing in recent months. Depending on whose Mariner # is typed in, the price will fluctuate (sometimes minimally and sometimes several hundred dollars). In some instances, the person with the least cruises with HAL will get the better prices. In other instances, the person with the most cruises will get the better prices. Since we do many combined Cruises, I have even found it was almost $800. less to book each back-to-back separately (outside cabin) rather than to book as a Collector's Cruise.

[sail7seas]

I am four star mariner and I just priced your cruise on the HAL site in "SA" and got $2,199.00.

The 'punish the higher level Mariner' theory doesn't hold.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I believe they call it Regional Mariner pricing even though you live in the same state. It could be the promotion they are offering right now is for One Star Mariners. I too have seen this happen. There are numerous pricing combinations out there some are called RH6, RH7. What I would suggest as long as that pricing is still there tomorrow is if both you and your husband are coming up with the rate code under your Mariner numbers then book the cabin with you with your Mom and you husband with your Dad. Then when you get on board go to the front desk and switch out the passengers. I know it is rather a pain in the rear end but if it saves you a considerable amount of money. You have a little less than two months before Final so possible it could change before the final. Are you booked with direct with HAL? Recently some TA's have had even lower pricing than the Mariner Rates under Group Pricing so you all may be able to win if you found an agency that had lower rates.

[pms4104]

Three-star in Illinois ... $2199/adult and $49/child plus taxes/fees, for a grand total of $4831.20 including all taxes/fees.