100 day medallion question

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I think the reception and medal presentation varies a lot by ship. On the cruise before my last cruise, I hit 300 days and the silver medallion was placed on my bed one night. I was told by the Front Office that there would be not Mariner's Reception on that 7-day cruise even though three other people had also reached 300 days. I have 29 cruises with HAL and this was the first time there was no Mariner Reception. Initially, I was kind of peeved but in the grand scheme of life, I don't think this matters all that much,

[SilvertoGold]

I think the reception and medal presentation varies a lot by ship. On the cruise before my last cruise, I hit 300 days and the silver medallion was placed on my bed one night. I was told by the Front Office that there would be not Mariner's Reception on that 7-day cruise even though three other people had also reached 300 days. I have 29 cruises with HAL and this was the first time there was no Mariner Reception. Initially, I was kind of peeved but in the grand scheme of life, I don't think this matters all that much,

 

VERY ungracious way for HAL to be handling 3 Silver medallions. HAL ships are acting like independent franchises and are compromising the brand. I am amazed the Mariner Society doesn't have some say in this.

[catl331]

I have not seen medallions presented at any mariner brunch I have attended.

We have, on the Maasdam.

 

We have received invitations to every Mariner Society Awards Reception since receiving our copper medallions.

We have only been invited to one, out of 9 possible. That one was on a Grand Med segment on the Prinsendam where the main showroom was about 2/3 full with medallion holders and new recipients.

[Bookited]

There were only six passengers at the Noordam Awards Reception the first week of June 2017. On our last Caribbean cruise, the Mariner Society Awards Ceremony had more than 100 in attendance.

 

We have received invitations to every Mariner Society Awards Reception since receiving our copper medallions.

 

We received our copper medallions 4 cruises ago and have not yet had an invitation to attend a ceremony since. We are now **** so, hopefully, we might get an invite on our next cruise.

[sail7seas]

We have, on the Maasdam.

 

We have only been invited to one, out of 9 possible. That one was on a Grand Med segment on the Prinsendam where the main showroom was about 2/3 full with medallion holders and new recipients.

:) I have seen it.

[KirkNC]

Friends of ours passed 500 days on the 2017 WC. They came back to the room one night and there were their medallions. No note, nothing. A few days later they did receive a note but by then any thing positive was too late.

[taxmantoo]

Friends of ours passed 500 days on the 2017 WC. They came back to the room one night and there were their medallions. No note, nothing. A few days later they did receive a note but by then any thing positive was too late.

Unbelievably low class. Whoever the Captain, Hotel Director and Cruise Director were on that ship need a remedial lesson in the "Signature of Excellence". :rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Friends of ours passed 500 days on the 2017 WC. They came back to the room one night and there were their medallions. No note, nothing. A few days later they did receive a note but by then any thing positive was too late.

I agree that must have been disappointing. I wonder how many guests reach Gold and PLATINUM Medallion each year on WC. I venture to say a great many. :) Presentation Ceremony could take a very long time.

[taxmantoo]

I agree that must have been disappointing. I wonder how many guests reach Gold and PLATINUM Medallion each year on WC. I venture to say a great many. :) Presentation Ceremony could take a very long time.

On our 35-day cruise to Hawaii and Tahiti on the Westerdam, there were so many that they held THREE separate Mariner receptions and luncheons on three consecutive days as we were heading back to San Diego. The Captain (Rens van Eerten), the Hotel Director (Frank Ulbricht) and Cruise Director (Mario Vines) were present at all three.

[kazu]

On our 35-day cruise to Hawaii and Tahiti on the Westerdam, there were so many that they held THREE separate Mariner receptions and luncheons on three consecutive days as we were heading back to San Diego. The Captain (Rens van Eerten), the Hotel Director (Frank Ulbricht) and Cruise Director (Mario Vines) were present at all three.

 

And they did a fabulous job, too :) :) :)

 

They didn't give us much of a hard time, either when we cheered for our roll call members ;)

 

It can be done if management wants to do it. Our management team on that cruise made sure we were going to have a good time on board :)

[Vict0riann]

We slipped through the cracks, too. We did get our 100-day medallions on the cruise following the one where we reached 100 days, but evidently we got to 300 on our 3-segment, 44-day Prinsendam cruise last year. Then we had 2 segments (for us a Collector's cruise) on Zaandam (36 days) and three Mariners' Receptions. I hadn't been counting but when we got back I counted everything up and realized we should have received our silver medallions on the Zaandam, if not before, so I emailed the Mariner Society and they offered to either send us the medallions, or present them at our next cruise. I know they really don't have that much value (!), but I said we would like to receive them on our next cruise on Rotterdam. Hope it works out!

[SilvertoGold]

All these stories of missing medallions are very disappointing. A lot like the old Captain''s Receptions on the first Formal night: the well done, gracious ones vs. the 5 minute wonders.

[SilvertoGold]

Unbelievably low class. Whoever the Captain, Hotel Director and Cruise Director were on that ship need a remedial lesson in the "Signature of Excellence". :rolleyes:

 

Agree. The Captain is said to have the last word on these things, either he is willing or not.

[SilvertoGold]

I agree that must have been disappointing. I wonder how many guests reach Gold and PLATINUM Medallion each year on WC. I venture to say a great many. :) Presentation Ceremony could take a very long time.

 

 

The World Cruise is a long one. Gold, even on a World Cruise, should be worth a small bit of graciousness.

[rafinmd]

Yes, the world cruise is a strange situation. I looked back at my 2014 blog. I was on the last segment of the World Cruise when I reached 100 days. According to my notes I was invited to the reception but there were over 200 copper medallions. They were not recognized individually; my medallion was left on my bed about the time of the reception. We did have a chance after the the ceremony to go up for a picture with the Captain; it was a bit of a production show. The photo showed up on my bed after dinner probably a week later.

 

I was not invited to the next several medallion presentations. I think I started getting regular invitations when I became a 4-star mariner.

 

Roy

[SilvertoGold]

Yes, the world cruise is a strange situation. I looked back at my 2014 blog. I was on the last segment of the World Cruise when I reached 100 days. According to my notes I was invited to the reception but there were over 200 copper medallions. They were not recognized individually; my medallion was left on my bed about the time of the reception. We did have a chance after the the ceremony to go up for a picture with the Captain; it was a bit of a production show. The photo showed up on my bed after dinner probably a week later.

 

I was not invited to the next several medallion presentations. I think I started getting regular invitations when I became a 4-star mariner.

 

Roy

 

Usually the Reception (I'm thinking the one often in the Explorer's Lounge) if for awardees and 4 stars and up.

[frankc98376]

I will be hitting 100 actual nights on our September 12 night Oosterdam cruise. Do I need to mention to Concierge? Will we both be invited to reception If only one is receiving medallion?

[SilvertoGold]

I will be hitting 100 actual nights on our September 12 night Oosterdam cruise. Do I need to mention to Concierge? Will we both be invited to reception If only one is receiving medallion?

 

Very smart and preemptive idea to ask the Concierge about this. We've seem many occasions where one not receiving a medallion accompanies the awardee.

[kazu]

I will be hitting 100 actual nights on our September 12 night Oosterdam cruise. Do I need to mention to Concierge? Will we both be invited to reception If only one is receiving medallion?

 

You should be both invited, but smart to ask.

 

It was never an issue for us and hopefully, won't be for you.

[erewhon]

I will be hitting 100 actual nights on our September 12 night Oosterdam cruise. Do I need to mention to Concierge? Will we both be invited to reception If only one is receiving medallion?

 

Yes, I would mention to the Concierge.

We now ask the concierge if we can be included to attend the reception.

[RMLincoln]

It's interesting to see that others have been lost in the counting, and that it's not just us, although I can't say I'm "glad" for that either. Poor form for HAL to not be able to count and deliver what they say they will.

 

Another example of this is that I recently noticed that a listed perk of turning 4 star is to receive a subscription to a magazine, either Travel & Leisure or Food and Wine. I guess I need to call HAL and request ours, unless the HAL website list of perks is out of date on that as well as it's current listing of the Mariners Embarkation Lunch, which has been open to all for quite a while now, over a year if I'm not mistaken. m--

[sapper1]

We were due to receive our 300 day medals on our Caribbean Cruise we took this last April. I received a phone call from the front desk informing us that we would be receiving our 500 day medal at the upcoming ceremony. I corrected the person calling and said it should be a 300 day medal.

 

I thought no more of the issue until the presentations where there were numerous 100 day medals handed out and then we we called up to receive our 300 day medal. The only medal left on the table was a 500 day medal. We were quickly posed for a photograph with the captain and hotel director and then we joined the march to the dining room minus our medals.

 

We were later called to the front entrance of the dining room and each handed a box containing our 300 day medals and another picture with the officers was taken. We were very gracious about it but it was disappointing. I know it's not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things but given my husband's age, it is doubtful that we will still be cruising long enough for him to receive the 500 day medal at a proper ceremony. This is it.

[kazu]

It's interesting to see that others have been lost in the counting, and that it's not just us, although I can't say I'm "glad" for that either. Poor form for HAL to not be able to count and deliver what they say they will.

 

Another example of this is that I recently noticed that a listed perk of turning 4 star is to receive a subscription to a magazine, either Travel & Leisure or Food and Wine. I guess I need to call HAL and request ours, unless the HAL website list of perks is out of date on that as well as it's current listing of the Mariners Embarkation Lunch, which has been open to all for quite a while now, over a year if I'm not mistaken. m--

 

It is still a benefit.

 

Sometimes we get a card with our Mariner magazine to mail in. Sometimes not.

 

But, no need to call. Go to the HAL website and..

 

Just log in to your account on the HAL website and on the left hand side (below benefits) click on "magazine subscription". You can then choose.

[Been There, Planning That]

I guess you'd call me cynical.

 

I started reading this thread and then checked our cruise days to discover we should earn a medallion on our next cruise. I place little value in an award earned by spending money.

 

Ruth

[kazu]

I guess you'd call me cynical.

 

I started reading this thread and then checked our cruise days to discover we should earn a medallion on our next cruise. I place little value in an award earned by spending money.

 

Ruth

Many of us get awards or rewards by spending money.

 

Free flights, hotels (flight and hotel rewards) due to spending money on credit cards that give points, flying and spending money or staying in hotels and spending money.

 

Those free flights and hotel stays are valuable to me.

 

Granted the medallion has no monetary value but the recognition and reception is enjoyable to many ;)