Unusual Mariner Points Question

[Mary229]

Here is the definitive source from HAL

 

The basic formula is very simple: one Cruise Day credit is given for each actual day sailed (each overnight aboard a Holland America Line vessel is considered an actual day sailed). So, for example, a 7-day cruise results in 7 Cruise Day credits. The maximum bonus days is equal to the length of your cruise. For Holland America Line Alaska Cruisetours, a Cruise Day credit is granted for total tour days, including days touring on land. Pre and Post packages are excluded. Cruise Day credits are non-transferable.

These credits apply to all guests, including 3rd and 4th guests in a stateroom for suite bonus only. In addition, there are two ways to earn bonus days:

• Suite Bonus Earn double Cruise Day credits when you pay a published fare for a spacious suite or penthouse on your next cruise. For example, a guest who pays published fare for suite accommodations for a 10-day cruise earns 20 Cruise Day credits. Special paid or complimentary upgrades do not qualify.
• Onboard Spending Bonus Effective with cruises on or after September 18, 2009, one bonus Cruise Day credit will be granted for each $300 in eligible onboard purchases. This is calculated on the combined folio charges for all guests on the booking, regardless of who signs each charge and who pays the bill. Only the first two guests on the booking receive the limit of one bonus day for each day sailed; 3rd and 4th guests on the same booking do not earn the onboard spending bonus. 

[Sobro]

Resurrecting this thread to report that HAL doubled our points with a suite bonus for our Vista Suite on the Zaandam, 16 nights Panama Canal 1/5 through 1/21. I paid for a balcony cabin on the original Zuiderdam sailing before they changed ships.

 

Somehow they also gave us max spend points. I'm not sure we met the $4800 threshhold for that but I don't have the HIA price I paid broken out of the cruise fare. I know our onboard spend was about $800 (DW loves the spa).

 

Shh, don't tell anyone.

[juban]

On a side question regarding categories, does HA change your star category when you reach the points in the middle of a cruise? We’re only 6 points from 3 star and in a few weeks, going on a long cruise.

[I like vacation]

No, your status changes at the end of the cruise. I believe a B2B is different

[juban]

15 minutes ago, I like vacation said:

No, your status changes at the end of the cruise. I believe a B2B is different

Thanks. I thought so, but was hoping it would be different! Next cruise.

[mwj]

On 6/25/2022 at 1:44 PM, happyglobetrotter said:

Even if called vista suites on Zaandam, the regular veranda are not suites per se and do not produce double credits. We have done many world cruises on Amsterdam, same as Zaandam, in a veranda *vista suite* as they call them but this type of cabins on the R series DO NOT double and they are not included in the double points. On Zaandam, double points start with Neptune suites. 

If we are reading your statement correctly, that Vista Suite does not qualify for double points, our experience on a recent Zaandam cruise is contrary. We definitely received double points for our 16 day Zaandam Vista Suite booking. No, we did not have HIA, as it was a mariner 'private fare' booking. We received 37 points for our 16 day cruise.

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, juban said:

On a side question regarding categories, does HA change your star category when you reach the points in the middle of a cruise? We’re only 6 points from 3 star and in a few weeks, going on a long cruise.

If you are on a grand cruise or grand cruise segment you will be upgraded during the cruise. 

[DaveOKC]

Vista suites normally get the double points, UNLESS you book a lower category and take an upsell offer.  

 

[pirate cruiser]

This is probably not a big deal to the HAL veterans but I knew I would be reaching 2 star status on our cruise last month. I was really hoping to get my pin because 2 stars look a lot better than 1 LOL ! Anyway I called the Mariner society and had to wait until the cruise was completed to update my status plus they don't get pins to mail anymore so have to wait until the next cruise. A little disappointed but at least my account shows 2 stars.

[Sobro]

2 hours ago, mwj said:

If we are reading your statement correctly, that Vista Suite does not qualify for double points, our experience on a recent Zaandam cruise is contrary. We definitely received double points for our 16 day Zaandam Vista Suite booking. No, we did not have HIA, as it was a mariner 'private fare' booking. We received 37 points for our 16 day cruise.

 

No, we booked a balcony on Zuiderdam and they changed ships to Zaandam. Zaandam has no balcony categories,  only Vista Suites. The consensus was that since the original booking and price was for a balcony that we would not receive the Suite Bonus points,  but we did.

[Tampa Girl]

45 minutes ago, Sobro said:

 

No, we booked a balcony on Zuiderdam and they changed ships to Zaandam. Zaandam has no balcony categories,  only Vista Suites. The consensus was that since the original booking and price was for a balcony that we would not receive the Suite Bonus points,  but we did.

 

There is only one balcony category on the Zaandam, and that is Vista Suites.  We have always received double points for a Vista Suite on the R and S class ships.  Unless HAL has recently changed it, their requirement for "double points" refers simply to "suites".  It  does not define that as being NS and above.

[Sobro]

It's all semantics designed to make the cruise line more money. There are no "BALCONY" cabins to be booked on Zaandam, only Vista Suites.

 

To make matters worse, the balcony cabin I purchased on the Zuiderdam was Cabin Category VF and was labeled "Balcony".

 

When the ships were changed my new Cabin Category was B and was labeled "Vista Suite".

 

Because I received a free upgrade from a "Balcony" to a "Vista Suite", and did not pay the then $2500 difference in price, I should not have received the Suite Bonus. But I'm not complaining. We probably had booked the 155 SF cabin on Zuiderdam and all Zaandam Vista Suites are 230 SF.

 

 

[tuolumne couple]

On 6/25/2022 at 6:45 AM, richwmn said:

points are given for each $300 in spending. HAL is extremely generous in rounding up.

so $800 for cabana, $550 for HIA, wifi about $150, about $160I  for gratuities works out to $1660 in spending already. That will give you about 5, maybe 6 points. You would need to spend another $2100 to make 4 star.

 

I just looked again at your post. You max out at 1 spending day for each day on the cruise, so your max is 33 points for an 11 day cruise. 11 for cruise, 11 for suite, and 11 for spending

Points are tallied by cabin and not per-person so you may just make it. 

[happyglobetrotter]

4 hours ago, mwj said:

If we are reading your statement correctly, that Vista Suite does not qualify for double points, our experience on a recent Zaandam cruise is contrary. We definitely received double points for our 16 day Zaandam Vista Suite booking. No, we did not have HIA, as it was a mariner 'private fare' booking. We received 37 points for our 16 day cruise.

 

The extra points you received have to be for spending while on the ship. They are not suite points, look at your Mariners's history in your account and see if they are under suite or  spending credit points. Vista suites on ZAANDAM do not give extra points. I am absolutely sure. You can also verify with your TA, unless it it an error. 

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by happyglobetrotter

[richwmn]

this is what you will see if you look at your cruise history:

 

 

Note that it shows how many days were for actual cruise days, how many were fro spending, and if you received a suite bonus.

Once you look at that, some of this conversation will sort itself out.

 

[Sobro]

For our 16-night cruise we received 48 points. 16 for the cabin, 16 for Suite Bonus, and 16 for the spend.

[Longstraw]

While they do not typically award the higher status early, even if you do not reach the desired point level before the long cruise, it is worth calling the Mariner society if you are just a few days short. I was two days short of 4* several years ago, called and was told their policy was to go ahead and give the higher status for the next cruise if you were within x days...think it was 3...of getting to that next level. 

 

And fwiw, we have gotten the suite bonus after upgrading to a Neptune through a casino offer where we paid far less than the published fare.

[Real NHDOC]

On 1/29/2023 at 2:38 PM, Sobro said:

For our 16-night cruise we received 48 points. 16 for the cabin, 16 for Suite Bonus, and 16 for the spend.

In your case it sounds like they gave you the extra bonus points although technically you probably weren't entitled to them. 

 

As I have said many times about HAL the one thing they do consistently is be inconsistent!

[si4444]

i got upgraded last sept from a V to a SS and got double points. (It was a casino comp booking). 

[3rdGenCunarder]

On 1/29/2023 at 2:22 PM, happyglobetrotter said:

 

The extra points you received have to be for spending while on the ship. They are not suite points, look at your Mariners's history in your account and see if they are under suite or  spending credit points. Vista suites on ZAANDAM do not give extra points. I am absolutely sure. You can also verify with your TA, unless it it an error. 

 

 

I just checked my mariner points. Three cruises in Vista suites (Maasdam, Amsterdam, and Veendam) gave me the suite bonus.

[Sobro]

Funny, my full price Vista Suite on Volendam to Alaska back in 2016 yielded only 7 points.