Has HAL started Something New for Mariners on Embarkation Day?

[kazu]

Choices. It's all about choices.

Some of us head to the Lido for lunch after embarking, while others prefer to head to the dining room. Some want to eat right away, while some want to wait until the crowds have thinned. All this has to work around the hours of operation. Some people even prefer to have lunch ashore, then board later!

 

We all have our little routines when we board. It's a lovely gesture if HAL wants to offer us a little way to change our routine, or choose not to.

I don't have to accept the offer, while still appreciating that it is offered.

 

Exactly RuthC. Very well put indeed :)

[3rdGenCunarder]

For whatever reason HAL is trying this, it's a nice gesture. It's possible they chose this time because Mariners are likely to need less time to get themselves oriented. After lunch and unpacking, most first-timers explore the ship to learn their way around.

 

I haven't seen anyone with a drink at an on-deck muster, and I would hope this reception wouldn't lead to that. I'm inclined to think it won't.

 

And to the poster who asked about the Mariner Embarkation Lunch at check-in (sorry, the post was way back and I don't remember who said it), don't ask at check-in. They never know. Nor do the onboard "greeters" who try to funnel everyone to the elevators. We just go to the MDR and see what's happening.

 

On our recent HAL cruises, check-in desk has been 0 for 4 on knowing about the lunch. MDR had the lunch every time.

Edited May 18, 2015 by 3rdGenCunarder

[SilvertoGold]

No, we couldn't possibly carry all our stuff. We use a luggage cart or two just to get from our condo to the cab. We are typically on board early early and are luggage often finds its way to the cabin just a few minutes behind us.

 

We have crazy ninja packing skills. Granted, "packing" isn't a great super power to have, but that's what we got. ;)

 

"Crazy ninja packing skills": you should write a how-to book.

 

Do you keeps your clothes on hangers when you pack your luggage? I find hanging up clothes the time-consuming part of unpacking.

[POA1]

"Crazy ninja packing skills": you should write a how-to book.

 

Do you keeps your clothes on hangers when you pack your luggage? I find hanging up clothes the time-consuming part of unpacking.

 

First, remember that we're less than 3 miles from Port Everglades. We have the advantage of not having to pack with a flight in the middle. That's pretty huge.

 

Second, after 20+ years of wedded bliss, I have mastered the art of staying the heck out of the way. I perform certain helpful tasks without interrupting the flow.

 

Third, and mostly to your point, (sorry for avoiding it until now) we pack most every hanging item on hangars - in dry cleaners' plastic. Most "drawer items" are rolled.

 

We use the fuzzy hangers for our hanging garments. These are known as flocked, velvet, or huggable hangers. We keep them for travel. We use wood (No more wire hangars!) at home. Almost all of our clothes go from suitcase to closet. After a short "hang," we remove the plastic.

 

I'm not sure how it works, but it does.

[SilvertoGold]

First, remember that we're less than 3 miles from Port Everglades. We have the advantage of not having to pack with a flight in the middle. That's pretty huge.

 

Second, after 20+ years of wedded bliss, I have mastered the art of staying the heck out of the way. I perform certain helpful tasks without interrupting the flow.

 

Third, and mostly to your point, (sorry for avoiding it until now) we pack most every hanging item on hangars - in dry cleaners' plastic. Most "drawer items" are rolled.

 

We use the fuzzy hangers for our hanging garments. These are known as flocked, velvet, or huggable hangers. We keep them for travel. We use wood (No more wire hangars!) at home. Almost all of our clothes go from suitcase to closet. After a short "hang," we remove the plastic.

 

I'm not sure how it works, but it does.

 

Thank you very much! I though hangers would be involved! I will be trying this next cruise, home port return, and will raise a glass to your brilliant ideas, excellent writing skills and just all around great postings.

Edited May 18, 2015 by SilvertoGold

[POA1]

Thank you very much! I though hangers would be involved! I will be trying this next cruise, home port return, and will raise a glass to your brilliant ideas, excellent writing skills and just all around great postings.

Unpack first. Raise a glass later. Seriously. I mean it. I speak from the voice of reason. :D

[SilvertoGold]

Unpack first. Raise a glass later. Seriously. I mean it. I speak from the voice of reason. :D

 

Hmm, OK, sure, right, absolutely!!

[POA1]

Hmm, OK, sure, right, absolutely!!

I'm glad that's crystal clear. ;)

[Copper10-8]

First, remember that we're less than 3 miles from Port Everglades. We have the advantage of not having to pack with a flight in the middle. That's pretty huge.

 

..................................................

 

Heck, you can string a line from your balcony to the bow and let those valises slide to their destination ;)

[frankc98376]

I'm glad that's crystal clear. ;)

 

Absolutely 100% Bvlgari clear!

[SilvertoGold]

Heck, you can string a line from your balcony to the bow and let those valises slide to their destination ;)

 

Now, THAT is an idea!

[veryseasonedtraveler]

We were just on the Volendam in the Far East for 31 days. We were still 4 star (now 5) and found out from cruising friends already on board that we would not be invited to the awards ceremony because Seattle was cutting back because there were too many 4 Stars on board. Needless to say, we were all upset because we are devoted Mariners with HAL and enjoy the recognition we have earned at these ceremonies. We think this is a big mistake on the part of HAL. Several 4 Star friends chose not to attend the Mariner's luncheon! Hope this not the new norm.

[SilvertoGold]

We were just on the Volendam in the Far East for 31 days. We were still 4 star (now 5) and found out from cruising friends already on board that we would not be invited to the awards ceremony because Seattle was cutting back because there were too many 4 Stars on board. Needless to say, we were all upset because we are devoted Mariners with HAL and enjoy the recognition we have earned at these ceremonies. We think this is a big mistake on the part of HAL. Several 4 Star friends chose not to attend the Mariner's luncheon! Hope this not the new norm.

 

This happened to us on the Tahiti cruise last year (35 days). No invite to the medallion awards ceremony for anyone except those being given a medallion.

 

We were among the 35 5 stars on that cruise. On our return we were told, in answer to our questions, by the Mariner Society that ALL 4 stars and up get invited to this ceremony, period. Profuse apologies at that time.

 

So I guess HAL was test-driving the plan then and now it is certainly in effect.

 

 

My question now is: what is "too many 4 stars on board" supposed to mean? The awards ceremony was held in the Show Lounge: 35 extras (5 stars) would not have been a problem to seat in that lounge. Too expensive to give a free drink to an extra 35 pax?

 

This is not HAL at its best. A couple of years ago, on the Oosterdam, there were only about 25 total 4 and 5 stars. The Captian noted at the medallion ceremony that he invited the 3 stars, too, since there was lots of room in the Queen's Lounge. How gracious that was!

[sail7seas]

This is very disappointing to read. It feels a bit of a slap in the face. Loyalty has to be in two directions.

[kazu]

Interesting. We were on the Westerdam for 20 days (just got off May 1st) and we were originally invited to the first reception. Note, it was a reception before the Mariner luncheon. We had roll call friends getting their medallions at the second sitting. Several of us asked and we were all able to get our invitations changed to the second sitting to cheer for our friends getting their medallions. no problem at all.

 

Must vary by ship?

[sppunk]

 

Must vary by ship?

 

Like nearly everything on HAL, I'd bet yes. :)

[SilvertoGold]

Interesting. We were on the Westerdam for 20 days (just got off May 1st) and we were originally invited to the first reception. Note, it was a reception before the Mariner luncheon. We had roll call friends getting their medallions at the second sitting. Several of us asked and we were all able to get our invitations changed to the second sitting to cheer for our friends getting their medallions. no problem at all.

 

Must vary by ship?

 

Yep, that's it.

 

I am glad you asked to be changed and were accommodated!

 

I wonder if you hadn't been invited at all to the pre-brunch reception, if you would have got an invitation for the asking?

 

I find it hard to believe the reasoning given to veryseasonedtraveller about this being Seattle's cutback.

[SilvertoGold]

This is very disappointing to read. It feels a bit of a slap in the face. Loyalty has to be in two directions.

 

Very true!

 

Loyalty programs are rampant these days. Do the cruise lines take them seriously? Or are they just one more marketing gimmick, up there with Explore4 and all the interchangeable promos?

Edited June 1, 2015 by SilvertoGold

[cruz chic]

I've heard the same story lately about having too many 4 stars on board. They are pretty good at taking our money but one drink will kill them. I got invited to the vip party on the Veendam and there might have been 25 people there. No invite on the Noordam because there were too many 4 stars. They had the collectors party at 6:30 to 7. I'm assuming to cut down on people going. Before someone tells me I know this isn't really the subject of this thread.

[RuthC]

We were just on the Volendam in the Far East for 31 days. We were still 4 star (now 5) and found out from cruising friends already on board that we would not be invited to the awards ceremony because Seattle was cutting back because there were too many 4 Stars on board. Needless to say, we were all upset because we are devoted Mariners with HAL and enjoy the recognition we have earned at these ceremonies. We think this is a big mistake on the part of HAL. Several 4 Star friends chose not to attend the Mariner's luncheon! Hope this not the new norm.

There were so many 5* and up passengers on that cruise that the Explorers Lounge was jam-packed with just them and the awardees. Even gold medallion holders weren't invited up for a group picture with the Captain and Hotel Manager. There were just too many of them.

Since there were a lot of things going on during the day, it would have been difficult to find another venue for the reception.

 

On the Kobe-Vancouver portion of your cruise there were a lot of sea days, so perhaps there could have been more than one reception, but then how would the presentations be handled?

[SilvertoGold]

I've heard the same story lately about having too many 4 stars on board. They are pretty good at taking our money but one drink will kill them. I got invited to the vip party on the Veendam and there might have been 25 people there. No invite on the Noordam because there were too many 4 stars. They had the collectors party at 6:30 to 7. I'm assuming to cut down on people going. Before someone tells me I know this isn't really the subject of this thread.

 

As someone predicted when the star program started, there would eventually be too many 4 stars. That is now on some cruises.

 

I wonder if, contrary to my own noted experience, HAL sometimes invites 5 stars when there are too many 4 stars?

 

This whole idea makes me feel cynical about HAL and I hate that.

[SilvertoGold]

There were so many 5* and up passengers on that cruise that the Explorers Lounge was jam-packed with just them and the awardees. Even gold medallion holders weren't invited up for a group picture with the Captain and Hotel Manager. There were just too many of them.

Since there were a lot of things going on during the day, it would have been difficult to find another venue for the reception.

 

On the Kobe-Vancouver portion of your cruise there were a lot of sea days, so perhaps there could have been more than one reception, but then how would the presentations be handled?

 

Sorry to hear this.

But glad to hear that 5 Stars were invited! "It varies by ship", she says, over and over again!

 

Generally the ship can arrange events so that things work. An hour in the Show Lounge is a doable event to plan around if the ships actually want to.

Edited June 1, 2015 by SilvertoGold

[cruz chic]

As someone predicted when the star program started, there would eventually be too many 4 stars. That is now on some cruises.

 

I wonder if, contrary to my own noted experience, HAL sometimes invites 5 stars when there are too many 4 stars?

 

This whole idea makes me feel cynical about HAL and I hate that.

 

I sure hope they don't combine the loyalty programs under the carival umbrella. I earned mine on princess and hal the hard way :D. If they don't over time I think the levels will go down. I don't think most younger people are interested in staying with one line. I do understand that there are exceptions to that.

[RuthC]

Generally the ship can arrange events so that things work. An hour in the Show Lounge is a doable event to plan around if the ships actually want to.

The show lounge was fairly busy on that cruise, as there were a couple of lecture series going on during sea days, as well as Shore Excursion and Port Lecturer presentations.

It was a well-used venue.

[kjw869]

Interesting. We were on the Westerdam for 20 days (just got off May 1st) and we were originally invited to the first reception. Note, it was a reception before the Mariner luncheon. We had roll call friends getting their medallions at the second sitting. Several of us asked and we were all able to get our invitations changed to the second sitting to cheer for our friends getting their medallions. no problem at all.

 

Must vary by ship?

 

When we were on the Noordam earlier this month, there was only one person who received the medallion--the nice lady you had lunch with in San Diego. :)

 

She was told she could invite anyone she wanted to attend, and did get a lot of attention from the Captain and Hotel Director!