HAL's Mariner Perks and Rewards

[kazu]

Hello fellow cruisers !

 

After seven years of fidelity with Holland America, I've finally received my fourth stars today ! The perks seems to be about the laundry and the wine packages.

I love cruising HA on their blue haul ships ! Truly maritime !

 

Holacanada from Quebec City

 

A little question here : what's means «air deviation fees» ?

 

congrats on the 4* :)

 

Air deviation fees apply when you are booking your air through HAL and want to change the flights (deviate).

 

hope that helps ;)

[notjaded]

My husband and I are 4-star Mariner with over 200+ days at sea with Holland America. We book our cruises directly with Holland rather than using a TA. We also constantly monitor pricing on HAL's website to book the best deal. My 89 year old grandmother is a 1 star Mariner having sailed only one cruise in her lifetime and hasn't sailed with HAL for 3+ years. She receives "Private Sail" mailings from HAL offering the same sailings at $100 or more than my 4-star Mariner price. We have also recently noticed that on the majority of occasions, our 4-star Mariner price is the same as the non-Mariner price.

 

Having worked in Marketing for years at a large US corporation, I suspect that HAL is targeting my grandmother with special pricing in an effort to entice her to cruise more with them, but come on! Perhaps HAL views its loyal Mariners as a captive audience who will continue to sail with them regardless of price? Of course HAL's pricing practice is purely legal. But in my opinion, it is a despicable and a slap in the face to its loyal Mariners.

 

 

Do you or your grandmother search for fares on the internet and book online? If so, travel providers use revenue management tools that track your searches, and increase the fares to those revisiting the sites. This is a frequently mentioned topic in other sites I visit.

[cruz chic]

My husband and I are 4-star Mariner with over 200+ days at sea with Holland America. We book our cruises directly with Holland rather than using a TA. We also constantly monitor pricing on HAL's website to book the best deal. My 89 year old grandmother is a 1 star Mariner having sailed only one cruise in her lifetime and hasn't sailed with HAL for 3+ years. She receives "Private Sail" mailings from HAL offering the same sailings at $100 or more than my 4-star Mariner price. We have also recently noticed that on the majority of occasions, our 4-star Mariner price is the same as the non-Mariner price.

 

Having worked in Marketing for years at a large US corporation, I suspect that HAL is targeting my grandmother with special pricing in an effort to entice her to cruise more with them, but come on! Perhaps HAL views its loyal Mariners as a captive audience who will continue to sail with them regardless of price? Of course HAL's pricing practice is purely legal. But in my opinion, it is a despicable and a slap in the face to its loyal Mariners.

 

This gets discussed quite often on here. I know a friend of mine with one Hal cruise could often get way better prices then I can as a 4 star. Other have found the same.

[Chelly]

This gets discussed quite often on here. I know a friend of mine with one Hal cruise could often get way better prices then I can as a 4 star. Other have found the same.

 

Unfortunately this is true and many former HAL-faithful are now choosing other cruise lines.

[sammiedawg]

So, a post in another thread asserted that most people are loyal to the perks and rewards that come with being a Mariner and not loyal to HAL as a cruise line. Or something along those lines.

 

So, here are my questions... Do you book cruises on the HAL because of the lavish perks and rewards bestowed upon you as a loyal Mariner? Would you continue to cruise on HAL if they did away with the Mariner program entirely? Does being a Mariner on HAL have any influence on what cruise or cruiseline you book?

 

Personally, I think the Mariner program and its lavish perks and rewards is quite laughable. I have 158 days which I would estimate cost me somewhere in the neighborhood of $55,000 to attain. For that, I get a few discounts, some trinkets, a photo of the ship and some additional marketing material. Compare that with lets say Marriott Rewards. The same $55,000 would earn me 550,000 points, which translates to as many as 27 FREE nights at a middle tier Marriot property. And that doesn't include any of the bonus offers they constantly throw at you.

 

I would like to say, perks and rewards are important to me, when they are meaningful. I have saved many thousands of dollars by being loyal to Marriot and certain airlines. That's all good! Not so much with HAL's loyalty program, though. So for me, the lavish perks and rewards of the Mariner Society carry absolutely no weight in my decision to book a cruise on HAL. What about you?

 

My thoughts on loyalty programs have evolved over the years. We are three star Mariners but highly doubt we will ever make the next level. Three star benefits are unimpressive to me and in no way influence my decision to book. HAL is a good value (on all but one ship) and offers a decent product for the money but I get bored with the same old, same old. Saving twenty five per cent on wine purchases and specialty restaurants is not significant, seven dollars or so PP on a dinner.

Princess has great elite Captains club benefits, much easier to reach with far fewer days.

 

We loved the Marriott reward program and tapped big time into their benefits. We were extremely loyal to them. Their program has devalued over time and we are into Starwood's to some extent but their hotels are not as nice.

[kazu]

Do you or your grandmother search for fares on the internet and book online? If so, travel providers use revenue management tools that track your searches, and increase the fares to those revisiting the sites. This is a frequently mentioned topic in other sites I visit.

 

Well, if searching for fares means you don't get offers then I am truly doomed, since I search itineraries on nearly a daily basis for the Bon Voyage threads.;)

 

Oh well, now I know why I don't get any offers:rolleyes::p

 

Oceania doesn't mind sending them though, even after I have booked

[notjaded]

Well, if searching for fares means you don't get offers then I am truly doomed, since I search itineraries on nearly a daily basis for the Bon Voyage threads.;)

 

Just clear your cache before you search, or use incognito mode. Then you can search as you require without the vendor knowing who you are and offering higher fares as a result.

[kazu]

Just clear your cache before you search, or use incognito mode. Then you can search as you require without the vendor knowing who you are and offering higher fares as a result.

 

incognito mode? no worries but thanks :) by the time I do all of this I could have probably done three bon voyage threads :p:D

 

I think I am doomed anyways with the searches I have done to get the itinerary maps ;) but thanks :)

[AncientWanderer]

We sail with HAL because we like it best. But if we are having trouble deciding between cruise lines with similar itineraries or with slightly varying pricing, the Mariner program can be the deciding factor. Really the rewards aren't that great, but they are something, and we all like to feel appreciated, don't we?

[trishbk]

I shop online, but my grandmother doesn't. I have been using incognito mode, but HAL asks you to input your Mariner ID. I am going to call HAL for my next cruise and provide the "promo codes" that my grandmother gets in her mailings. We will see if they will honor those promo codes or simply tell me that they only apply to my grandmother. I also wonder if they are tracking my Mariner ID and know that I regularly book with the future cruise deposits and CCL stock benefit which provides shipboard credits.

[serendipity1499]

I don't think I've ever paid a higher fare due to being a Mariner. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.

 

I've never paid a higher fare as a Mariner either.. We have over 325days on HAL & every one of our fares has been lower than HAL's published fares! There are some who tend to be constant complainers & are not happy unless they can find fault with a product..I find their posts to be entertaining but don't pay much attention to them..

 

When a great number of one's cruises range from 20 to 30 days, then the laundry perk is a good one.

Taken in isolation each of the benefits may not seem like much but when one adds in the OBC for buying a Future Cruise Credit, the OBC for owning Carnival stock, the 50% off wine packages and mini bar, as well as 50% off the specialty restaurants, then it's better than a kick in the teeth.

 

I don't relate it to the cruise price at all. We book at a price we are willing to pay and then forget about it. Our agent checks for a price drop at final payment and sometimes there is one. It doesn't bother me that the person in the next cabin may have paid more or less than I did. The person next to me on the plane may have paid less too. Who cares? I made my arrangements and he made his.

 

We are simply content with Holland America. What's to shake your head about that??? People usually get riled up about chronic complainers, not people who are happy.

 

I agree with you.. We cruise on HAL because we like the product which includes the Crew, the itinerary's, other HAL Psgrs & the ambiance.. We have an excellent TA who gives us a good price..We don't care what the person next to us paid for their cruise..We also consider the 4 star Mariner perks such as free laundry & 50% discounts to be a bonus...

[MaisonRose]

 

The only cruise line where we find that perks attractive enough to alter our booking behavior is with Celebrity. They really go overboard (bad choice of words) to take care of their Elites (which is a lot easier to achieve then 4 Stars on HAL). When Celebrity has a comparable itinerary to HAL's, we will generally choose that line.

 

Hank

 

Hi Hank from New Cumberland, we sailed together on the Silhouette TA in 2014. Our cabin was next to the Internet room and because there were so many Elites on the sailing, the lines to use the Internet were shockingly long. I also heard lots of complaints about the length of time to get laundry and dry cleaning returned. It might have been a fluke but I wondered if Celebrity's Captain's Club might be too easy to join!

I often think that cruise line loyalty has its perks but have decided that it wouldn't be much fun to stick to one brand ( though I do love HAL enough to get "stuck"). Ivars and I are sailing on the Ryndam Farewell cruise: how am I going to replace her (size, crew, traditional promenade deck)?

Cheers!

Susan from HBG.

[sppunk]

Hi Hank from New Cumberland, we sailed together on the Silhouette TA in 2014. Our cabin was next to the Internet room and because there were so many Elites on the sailing, the lines to use the Internet were shockingly long. I also heard lots of complaints about the length of time to get laundry and dry cleaning returned. It might have been a fluke but I wondered if Celebrity's Captain's Club might be too easy to join!

I often think that cruise line loyalty has its perks but have decided that it wouldn't be much fun to stick to one brand ( though I do love HAL enough to get "stuck"). Ivars and I are sailing on the Ryndam Farewell cruise: how am I going to replace her (size, crew, traditional promenade deck)?

Cheers!

Susan from HBG.

Chris from HBG checking in - hope both you and Hank didn't have any lightning damage last night. Our tree took a direct hit. :(

[lcand1923]

My first HAL cruise was in 1999. Soon after it ended, I got a mailing form HAL mentioning Special Mariner Pricing on several cruises. I booked one. It was probably the best cruise I've ever taken because something like 95% of the passengers were Mariners. The cruise director and his team had to work overtime coming up with new activities to keep the Mariners entertained. The conversations with fellow passengers were always interesting. No one complained about anything. The general consensus was "ship happens" when things went wrong. Two cruises with HAL and I was hooked -- on cruising and on the cruise line.

 

Through the years, Special Mariner Pricing has pretty much fallen by the wayside. I'll check pricing on HAL's website being John Doe and then being myself to see if their is any significant discount. There normally isn't.

 

Will I continue to sail with HAL? YES

I've tried other lines, and will continue to do so, but HAL just "fits me".

 

Do the perks make the difference? NO

The crew treats everyone so well and the crew is what makes the cruise.

 

I will say that on one of my more recent cruises I noticed that a certain person was being greeted by everyone who had some stripes on their sleeves. I finally asked who this person was and was told that the person was one of the highest sailing days passengers with HAL. This is the first time I've ever seen anyone being treated as "something special" on HAL.

 

All things considered, do the perks cause me to book HAL? NO

I look at the trip first. That is one of the reasons I will sail other lines.

[SilvertoGold]

My first HAL cruise was in 1999. Soon after it ended, I got a mailing form HAL mentioning Special Mariner Pricing on several cruises. I booked one. It was probably the best cruise I've ever taken because something like 95% of the passengers were Mariners. The cruise director and his team had to work overtime coming up with new activities to keep the Mariners entertained. The conversations with fellow passengers were always interesting. No one complained about anything. The general consensus was "ship happens" when things went wrong. Two cruises with HAL and I was hooked -- on cruising and on the cruise line.

 

Through the years, Special Mariner Pricing has pretty much fallen by the wayside. I'll check pricing on HAL's website being John Doe and then being myself to see if their is any significant discount. There normally isn't.

 

Will I continue to sail with HAL? YES

I've tried other lines, and will continue to do so, but HAL just "fits me".

 

Do the perks make the difference? NO

The crew treats everyone so well and the crew is what makes the cruise.

 

I will say that on one of my more recent cruises I noticed that a certain person was being greeted by everyone who had some stripes on their sleeves. I finally asked who this person was and was told that the person was one of the highest sailing days passengers with HAL. This is the first time I've ever seen anyone being treated as "something special" on HAL.

 

All things considered, do the perks cause me to book HAL? NO

I look at the trip first. That is one of the reasons I will sail other lines.

 

President's Club people are treated extraordinarily well.

 

On our last cruise we had a President's Club couple a few tables over from us in the DR.

I am sure for the first week the DRM, 2 or 3 Assist. DRMs, and the Cellarmaster dropped by that table at least once a night, often twice. The wine steward and waiters were there much more that at other tables.

There was quite a parade and it was fun to watch. We wondered if these pax would have some free time to eat!

 

As the next highest Mariners we were treated well, with once a night visits by 3 or 4 of the ones mentioned and a n invitation to make sure we let them know if there is anything at all we want.

When we know a lot of the crew from past cruises they do make us feel welcome and maybe a bit special. They appreciate our loyalty and we appreciate them.