HAL new rewards program called "Holland America Line Privileges™ "?

[3Boogity]

Has anyone heard about this new program?

 

*Holland America Line Privileges is not a credit card program — it is an exclusive membership program by invitation only.

[catl331]

Long thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2368116&highlight=privileges

 

See post #15 there

[Hlitner]

In Puerto Vallarta, where we live part of the year, all passengers who fly-in to our airport have to walk through a small room, lined both sides by Time Share and Vacation Club salesfolks, which we "affectionately" call the "Shark Tank." Now, it appears that HAL is trying to rival our Puerto Vallarta "Shark Tank" with the HAL "Shark Tank" which extends to a much larger area.

 

The sad thing about "Shark Tanks" is that there always seems to be plenty of available shark bait! We understand that some folks really like their Time Shares, Fractional Ownership, and so-called Vacation Clubs. But other folks might want to use the internet to learn about the "secondary" market for these things (we will be kind and not call them scams) which can often be purchased at huge discounts (or even for free) from those who have found that they are very bad investments.

 

Hank

[3Boogity]

Thanks for the info. My father-in-law calls them "the body snatchers" on the Florida beaches.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I remember when this was brought up last summer.

[foodsvcmgr]

On koningsdam last week I took the free come on gift of a selfie stick and did not attend the sales pitch.

A fellow cruiser who we became friendly with was told the cost to join was $1895.00 believe it or not!

[cabinluvn]

We attended the talk on our recent Westerdam cruise. The $1995 price was the midrange deal. We didn't even ask was the others were. You are pretty much locked into buying things off their website that attests to being in line price wise with other sites. I think it is mostly for people who wouldn't cruise if they couldn't get a few hundred bucks off the deal they make with a PCC or TA. The only good thing about it was the free flowing wine while you were sitting there. Not sure who would actually sign up for something like this. It was not high pressure. Oh...you got a week vacation at a resort on their roster, but I imagine you have to pay for the airfare to get there

 

 

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[3rdGenCunarder]

We attended the talk on our recent Westerdam cruise. The $1995 price was the midrange deal. We didn't even ask was the others were. You are pretty much locked into buying things off their website that attests to being in line price wise with other sites. I think it is mostly for people who wouldn't cruise if they couldn't get a few hundred bucks off the deal they make with a PCC or TA. The only good thing about it was the free flowing wine while you were sitting there. Not sure who would actually sign up for something like this. It was not high pressure. Oh...you got a week vacation at a resort on their roster, but I imagine you have to pay for the airfare to get there

 

 

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That sounds barely a notch above the phone calls "Hi, I'm Heather, and you have been selected to win a free cruise to the Bahamas..."

[rkacruiser]

My traveling companion attended the "invitation only" meeting about this "privilege" and found it was not much of a "privilege" for her or me.

[sail7seas]

they don't evfen try to hide their greed anymore. It is never enough andit is hard to take any of their 'deals seriously when jjokes llike this pop up. They ccouldn't givve me one o their 'dedals for free. No way. Would be great if they stuck to what they are suposed tobe fierst classat and their reqson for being in businesss. This cheapens their image and makes their cruises sound like notin cdemand, makingg enough mony o supp irt the business on its own. I It puzzles me they not only have set themselv4es up to compete with PRINCES by way of that oint vernture but NOW agaiinstt themselves WITH Land VacaTIONS IN PLACE OF CRUISES. makes no sense, to me.

 

Don't they wantt to sell cruises, first of all?

 

if not, WHY would we cruisers fLOCK to their ships. if sailing is not t heir primary function and holder of their attention.

Edited February 7, 2017 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

That sounds barely a notch above the phone calls "Hi, I'm Heather, and you have been selected to win a free cruise to the Bahamas..."

 

I agreee and have hung up on 'Heather' so many times, it is shocking my number has not been removed from their auto- dial system. :

[3rdGenCunarder]

I agreee and have hung up on 'Heather' so many times, it is shocking my number has not been removed from their auto- dial system. :

 

I yell at her before I hang up, so you'd think they would delete me, but they don't. I'd write what I say to her, but the post would be deleted and I'd be sent to the naughty corner. :eek:

[RocketMan275]

That sounds barely a notch above the phone calls "Hi, I'm Heather, and you have been selected to win a free cruise to the Bahamas..."

 

I got a call from some dude in Jamaica earlier this week. He called, representing PCH, to tell me I'd won $2.5M and a new F150 truck. He needed my credit card number to pay the destination charges on the truck.

 

I saved his number if you want to call and check to see if you won too.

[rkacruiser]

RocketMan275,

 

My inbox contained an e-mail supposedly from PCH saying that I had won $5,000,000. I deleted it when I saw it!

[PatsyAnne]

My favorite is the one that starts out laughing saying she is having trouble with her headset. After the second call, I'd have to be denser than I am to think this is a person. It does sound realistic.

 

 

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[DaveOKC]

My favorite is the one that starts out laughing saying she is having trouble with her headset. After the second call, I'd have to be denser than I am to think this is a person. It does sound realistic.

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I have heard that this scam is intended to get you to say "yes" into the phone so that they can use it to say that you agreed to whatever. Be VERY careful on this.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I have heard that this scam is intended to get you to say "yes" into the phone so that they can use it to say that you agreed to whatever. Be VERY careful on this.

 

"Yes" is NOT what I say. :eek:

 

I don't know why they keep using it. As PatsyAnne says, once you've heard it, you know it's a recording.

[whogo]

There is always a delay on those robocalls. If someone does not respond immediately after I answer, I hang up before I hear a thing.

[sail7seas]

I got a call from some dude in Jamaica earlier this week. He called, representing PCH, to tell me I'd won $2.5M and a new F150 truck. He needed my credit card number to pay the destination charges on the truck.

 

I saved his number if you want to call and check to see if you won too.

 

 

 

UGH, another a bbreviation I cannot even guessat. What is " PCH?"

Thanks.

[RocketMan275]

UGH, another a bbreviation I cannot even guessat. What is " PCH?"

Thanks.

 

My apologies, Publisher's Clearing House.

[sail7seas]

My apologies, Publisher's Clearing House.

Thanks.

 

Ev eryone expects everyone knows each odd rhei abreviations but there are always some off us who don' know t half of them.

[Silverback969]

That's why we have AND USE caller-ID--to help weed out these kinds of calls (You've won $5M and a truck/1 week vacation/whateverelseBS ...) is why we have caller-id. If a PRIVATE NAME/PRIVATE NUMBER displays, or a generic INCOMING CALL, an out-of-state (or any other) phone number that we don't recognize, we just don't answer. If they actually want to talk to US, they'll leave a message. Yeah, we screen our calls, but we do respond if it's actually somebody or some entity that we actually want to talk to. In other words, if we don't recognize the name or number, we look for a blinking RED LIGHT on our phone. If there's no blinking, nobody really wanted to talk to us.

[RocketMan275]

My PCH 'notification' call showed that it was initiated in Jamaica. I just let it ring. I then used the internet to search for comments on the number where I learned that it was a scam.

[3rdGenCunarder]

That's why we have AND USE caller-ID--to help weed out these kinds of calls (You've won $5M and a truck/1 week vacation/whateverelseBS ...) is why we have caller-id. If a PRIVATE NAME/PRIVATE NUMBER displays, or a generic INCOMING CALL, an out-of-state (or any other) phone number that we don't recognize, we just don't answer. If they actually want to talk to US, they'll leave a message. Yeah, we screen our calls, but we do respond if it's actually somebody or some entity that we actually want to talk to. In other words, if we don't recognize the name or number, we look for a blinking RED LIGHT on our phone. If there's no blinking, nobody really wanted to talk to us.

 

Fortunately, our phone has a blocking function. But I do answer all calls in case it is important. My husband has been having a variety of doctor appointments and tests, and the the appointment confirmation phone calls often do not show up on caller id as what they are. Once it was a name I didn't know, once it was a private caller, another time it was an 800 number and in no case was it a number that the provider in question published as their own. So rather than deal with messages and calling back, I do have to answer the phone.

[RuthC]

That's why we have AND USE caller-ID--to help weed out these kinds of calls (You've won $5M and a truck/1 week vacation/whateverelseBS ...) is why we have caller-id. If a PRIVATE NAME/PRIVATE NUMBER displays, or a generic INCOMING CALL, an out-of-state (or any other) phone number that we don't recognize, we just don't answer. If they actually want to talk to US, they'll leave a message. Yeah, we screen our calls, but we do respond if it's actually somebody or some entity that we actually want to talk to. In other words, if we don't recognize the name or number, we look for a blinking RED LIGHT on our phone. If there's no blinking, nobody really wanted to talk to us.

I'm frugal, and refuse to pay for Caller ID.

I am also old-fashioned, and have an answering machine. I can hear the message as it's being left, and can choose to pick up and answer, or not, immediately.

 

Serves the same purpose, and the cost of an extra cocktail every month! :D