Mariner Society Changes

[Woofbite]

Just returned from the Rotterdam and discovered Rudi's is no longer eligible for a discount for 3 star or above members.

What other negative changes have they made while I was asleep?

 

It is really sad how HAL seems to be downgrading everything about their cruises from entertainment to food quality to

staffing and now their already meager award program.

 

(Has Mariner 4 status always required 200 days?  I seem to remember in ancient times it was less.  For a single, that translates

to about a $100,000 spent and they can't even discount their seafood restaurant 50%?)

 

 

 

[kazu]

To answer your last question first, yes 4* Mariner status has always required 200 days.  Not 200 days of sailing necessarily since on board spending counts as does booking a suite.

 

3* Mariners NEVER got 50% off specialty dining.  It has always been 25%.

https://www.hollandamerica.com/content/dam/hal/marketing-assets/mariner-society/documents/Holland-America-cruises-Mariner-Reward-Chart.pdf

 

4* Mariners and above receive 50% off specialty dining except Sel de Mer which is now 25% off for them.  

 

To the best of my knowledge Sel De Mer is the only negative change.

[kangforpres]

We got 25% off of Rudi's as 4 stars on our K-dam cruise earlier this month.

 

-Paul

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, kangforpres said:

We got 25% off of Rudi's as 4 stars on our K-dam cruise earlier this month.

 

-Paul

Too bad they cut it to 25% - we got it a couple of years ago at 50% and for that price the lobster was quite the deal (and very good of course).

[Florida_gal_50]

52 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Too bad they cut it to 25% - we got it a couple of years ago at 50% and for that price the lobster was quite the deal (and very good of course).

Me too.  I liked it better when it was ala carte.  It was much more reasonable for me.  Someone on this board brought up that it was maybe the complexity of the dish prep.  That sounds reasonable.  For me I typically have the fresh fish so I don’t feel thats the case in my situation.  It puts me off a little because it becomes a very expensive meal once the Canadian conversation comes into it.  I was very good on the k but it’s a fine line for me because it’s harder to justify spending it.  I’m just speaking for myself and not everyone.

[kangforpres]

I ordered the 12 oz. lobster tail, there was no additional charge for it. The Seafood Tower had an  additional charge and maybe the whole Maine Lobster and an additional charge?

 

-Paul

[Florida_gal_50]

5 minutes ago, kangforpres said:

I ordered the 12 oz. lobster tail, there was no additional charge for it. The Seafood Tower had an  additional charge and maybe the whole Maine Lobster and an additional charge?

 

-Paul

I ordered the seafood tower.  There was no extra charge on the menu or on my bill.  Maybe you are thinking of the fruits de mer?

Edited November 27, 2021 by Florida_gal_50

[wdw1972]

3 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Me too.  I liked it better when it was ala carte.  It was much more reasonable for me.  Someone on this board brought up that it was maybe the complexity of the dish prep.  That sounds reasonable.  For me I typically have the fresh fish so I don’t feel thats the case in my situation.  It puts me off a little because it becomes a very expensive meal once the Canadian conversation comes into it.  I was very good on the k but it’s a fine line for me because it’s harder to justify spending it.  I’m just speaking for myself and not everyone.

Me too - and I'm not living in Canada.  I like the service and ambiance, but there's little that appeals to me on the menu since I generally dislike seafood.  I'm also a light eater, and don't need steak since I'll be eating that in Tamarind in Pinnacle.  In the ala carte days I'd get the cheese souffle (very good, and something I don't get in other restaurants) and a dessert - my check would be $11.  I'm doing Sel De Mer this Wednesday for considerably more, and have decided to try the dover sole people rave about - but admit to having concerns i won't like it at all.  But, my 2 dining companions like most of the menu, the ambiance is nice, and it will be a nice way to kick off the cruise.  If I hate the entree, the dessert will be expensive but will certainly fill me up 😉

 

Sue/WDW1972

[rkacruiser]

Sel del Mer is worth whatever it costs.  Discounts, of course, would be nice.  But, this specialty restaurant is the best of those that HAL has ever created.  I am so impressed that the "pop-ups" in the PG are able to match the stand alone restaurants on the Pinnacle Class ships.  Why is this?  My gracious!  There's CONSISTENCY of a cruise experience that has been lost on HAL for years!  

[Florida_gal_50]

17 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

Sel del Mer is worth whatever it costs.  Discounts, of course, would be nice.  But, this specialty restaurant is the best of those that HAL has ever created.  I am so impressed that the "pop-ups" in the PG are able to match the stand alone restaurants on the Pinnacle Class ships.  Why is this?  My gracious!  There's CONSISTENCY of a cruise experience that has been lost on HAL for years!  

The best dessert that I’ve had a sel der mer was at a pop up and it was the apple tart.  I took a while because it was freshly made and delicious.  I’ve had the one in the stand alone restaurants and while very good it’s never been the same as that freshly prepared one.

[rkacruiser]

1 minute ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

The best dessert that I’ve had a sel der mer was at a pop up and it was the apple tart.  I took a while because it was freshly made and delicious.  I’ve had the one in the stand alone restaurants and while very good it’s never been the same as that freshly prepared one.

 

And, why should that be?  

 

I have not ordered that dessert.  I have always ordered Crepes Suzette and have always been pleased.  (But, I do miss the flambe table side preparation that once was possible to have been done.)

[Rcriley34]

Just curious, what is the cost of the specialty restaurants?  I just bought the tamarind for my party of 6 and it cost $200.  I’M 3* and i wonder if I got my discount.  Or do you get a discount if you buy it ahead of time, on the app or through  ship services?   

[Florida_gal_50]

11 minutes ago, Rcriley34 said:

Just curious, what is the cost of the specialty restaurants?  I just bought the tamarind for my party of 6 and it cost $200.  I’M 3* and i wonder if I got my discount.  Or do you get a discount if you buy it ahead of time, on the app or through  ship services?   

No hal systems aren’t intelligent enough to give you the discount.  They’ve said for years they are “working” on giving the discount.  You will see it onboard.

[visagrunt]

The very best meals that I have ever had on any ship, any line, any time have been the Die Librije pop ups which are now, alas, merely a happy memory.

I was not best pleased with the a la carte approach for Sel de Mer when I first cruised on Koningsdam and I am glad to see it as a prix fixe.  I can certainly understand how the reverse would be true for someone who wants a smaller dinner, though.
 

[Florida_gal_50]

10 hours ago, visagrunt said:

The very best meals that I have ever had on any ship, any line, any time have been the Die Librije pop ups which are now, alas, merely a happy memory.

I was not best pleased with the a la carte approach for Sel de Mer when I first cruised on Koningsdam and I am glad to see it as a prix fixe.  I can certainly understand how the reverse would be true for someone who wants a smaller dinner, though.
 

It wasn’t the smaller meal in my case but I just enjoy more simply prepared food.  Sort of off topic but I really don’t love soups being poured from a tea pot that hal loves to do in specialty restaurants.  It’s such a dumb process but I’m sure some people just love it.

[VMax1700]

23 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

soups being poured from a tea pot

I think 'pretentious' is the word.

[Woofbite]

13 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

And, why should that be?  

 

I have not ordered that dessert.  I have always ordered Crepes Suzette and have always been pleased.  (But, I do miss the flambe table side preparation that once was possible to have been done.)

I personally really don't like these modern things.  They seem like nothing but pancakes and marmalade.

[Florida_gal_50]

38 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

I think 'pretentious' is the word.

Yup.  That’s it exactly.

[taxmantoo]

41 minutes ago, Woofbite said:

I personally really don't like these modern things.  They seem like nothing but pancakes and marmalade.

Modern??? Crepes Suzette have been around since the 1800's 😏

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Just off the Eurodam and all soups in the MDR-except the French Onion-were served from pitchers.

[esimon]

some people will never be completely happy - enjoy what they do give us -  I have never found anything to complain about on a cruise.  

[Florida_gal_50]

There are some that think everything is perfect on a cruise but always have something uncomplimentary for everyone that posts on cruise critic.  Hard to believe the staff isn’t treated the same way.

[Storylady]

We remember when the 4 Star pins were first awarded. It has always been 200 days like Kazu mentioned. We have only sailed on the Pinnacle class ship once until our most recent cruise on the Koningsdam. And in 2016: we didn’t eat at the Sel de Mer. We did on our recent cruise. And we enjoyed our experience and the meal so much, we ate there again. It is definitely worth paying the extra price for the meal.

[oakridger]

My take on the soups from pitchers issue is that the pitcher keeps it much warmer than the bowl and is easier to transport from kitchen to table by the waiters......no spillage!  

 

~Nancy

[StLouisCruisers]

2 minutes ago, oakridger said:

My take on the soups from pitchers issue is that the pitcher keeps it much warmer than the bowl and is easier to transport from kitchen to table by the waiters......no spillage!  

 

~Nancy

 

DH likes his soup hot so he's happier with the pitcher method.