5 Stars on Back to Back cruises - question on perks

[DaveOKC]

For the first time we are doing back to back cruises (7 days on same ship) and am wondering how the 5* perks work out.

 

For example, will we get 2 free Pinnacle Dinners per cruise (4 total) per person?  Will we be able to use the free thermal spa pass twice (once per cruise)? etc.

Also, can we make reservations for the second week during the first week for the Pinnacle for the free dinners.  

 

Anything else we should be aware of?

 

[regnig]

Do you have two booking numbers one for each leg or you have only one booking number for all 14 days?

[Real NHDOC]

It's by booking number so if you booked 14 days as a single cruise (what they call a "collector's voyage") you will get the free meals and thermal spa once for 14 days.  If, on the other hand you booked it as two back to back cruises with different booking numbers you will get the benefits on each leg. 

 

The free meals are good in every specialty restaurant now (other than Rudi's) so you don't have to eat in Pinnacle each time but be aware that they will give you the free meals FIRST so if you are planning on eating in Pinnacle it is most cost effective to have those reservations before the free allotment runs out.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Real NHDOC

[Florida_gal_50]

I was wondering the same question as the previous poster.  I’ve done 3 b2b since the upstart.  I had 2 booking numbers for each cruise.  I suspect if you have one this won’t apply.  I was able to book 4 free 5 star freebies.  I don’t use the thermal so I can’t comment.  I was able to book my second week dinners about two days before the start of the next one but I had to go to the reservations desk.  I did not do it over the phone nor the app because I find that doesn’t work.

[DeeniEncinitas]

🌺🌺🌺🌺

As noted above! 2 separate bookings you will receive your 5 ⭐️ credits for each cruise! On a collector cruise no.

We will always try to book separate cruises as much as we can for the benefits!

Happy cruising

[DaveOKC]

Should have mentioned - we have two separate booking numbers.

 

[Crazy For Cats]

On our November cruise we booked a 14 day Eastern/Western cruise, one booking number.  Each week we received two free dinners.  We couldn’t book reservations for the second week during the first week.

[REOVA]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

Should have mentioned - we have two separate booking numbers.

 

You should get double  perks since 2 bookings. Reservations can probably be best made via the website as the App may confuse the bookings. If not guest services may be able to help but they also may be locked into the current cruise booking. 

[Real NHDOC]

28 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

On our November cruise we booked a 14 day Eastern/Western cruise, one booking number.  Each week we received two free dinners.  We couldn’t book reservations for the second week during the first week.

Each 5 star guest in a cabin gets TWO free dinners for themselves and the other guest in the cabin during each cruise, so basically if you are sharing a cabin with another 5 star mariner you would get 4 free dinners for two in any of the specialty restaurants other than Rudi's on your 14 day booking.  If it had been booked using separate booking numbers you would have gotten eight free dinners for two over the 14 days.  This was confirmed just this past week with a conversation I had with the Mariner's department on the phone. 

 

But sometimes the Navigator doesn't let you make reservations for both legs during the first leg (sometimes it does, go figure?).

Edited January 29, 2023 by Real NHDOC

[Florida_gal_50]

9 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

Each 5 star guest in a cabin gets TWO free dinners for themselves and the other guest in the cabin during each cruise, so basically if you are sharing a cabin with another 5 star mariner you would get 4 free dinners for two in any of the specialty restaurants other than Rudi's on your 14 day booking.  If it had been booked using separate booking numbers you would have gotten eight free dinners for two over the 14 days.  This was confirmed just this past week with a conversation I had with the Mariner's department on the phone. 

 

But sometimes the Navigator doesn't let you make reservations for both legs during the first leg (sometimes it does, go figure?).

I've had no luck whatsoever booking for the second week on navigator well info the first day of the second week.  I wonder if it matters if you have 2 booking numbers ir one.

[Crazy For Cats]

18 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

Each 5 star guest in a cabin gets TWO free dinners for themselves and the other guest in the cabin during each cruise, so basically if you are sharing a cabin with another 5 star mariner you would get 4 free dinners for two in any of the specialty restaurants other than Rudi's on your 14 day booking.  If it had been booked using separate booking numbers you would have gotten eight free dinners for two over the 14 days.  This was confirmed just this past week with a conversation I had with the Mariner's department on the phone. 

 

But sometimes the Navigator doesn't let you make reservations for both legs during the first leg (sometimes it does, go figure?).

Correct, we had one booking number and we each got four free dinners when we should have received two. 

[Real NHDOC]

3 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I've had no luck whatsoever booking for the second week on navigator well info the first day of the second week.  I wonder if it matters if you have 2 booking numbers ir one.

It's very inconsistent (are you sensing a trend?).  We have had numerous collector's voyages where the navigator has shown the entire voyage (both legs) when we first get on and we're able to make reservations, book excursions, etc. for the whole voyage. Sometimes they don't "turn on" the second leg.  And one time we were staying on for multiple B2B cruises and it showed three legs 😲

[Real NHDOC]

6 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

Correct, we had one booking number and we each got four free dinners when we should have received two. 

Are you both 5 star mariners? 

Edited January 29, 2023 by Real NHDOC

[Crazy For Cats]

3 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

Are you both 5 star mariners?

Yes we are.

[Real NHDOC]

It's confusing to say "we each got 4 free dinners".  If you mean you both ate in specialty restaurants 8 times over the 14 days then that's not consistent with the way they are supposed to apply the benefit.  If, on the other hand you both ate 4 meals in specialty restaurants over the 14 days then you got one benefit, not two.  If you had gotten two benefits you could have both eaten 8 meals in specialty restaurants for free over 14 days.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Real NHDOC

[Crazy For Cats]

1 minute ago, Real NHDOC said:

If you mean you both ate in specialty restaurants 8 times over the 14 days then that's not consistent with the way they are supposed to apply the benefit.  If, on the other hand you both ate 4 meals in specialty restaurants over the 14 days then you got one benefit, not two.  If you had gotten two you could have both eaten 8 meals in specialty restaurants for free over 14 days.

So are you saying that 5* gives one person four free dinners on a two week cruise that is one booking?  
The Mariner rewards page clearly shows two free meals for one booking.

[Real NHDOC]

1 minute ago, Crazy For Cats said:

So are you saying that 5* gives one person four free dinners on a two week cruise that is one booking?  
The Mariner rewards page clearly shows two free meals for one booking.

No, I am saying a 5* mariner gets two free dinners on a cruise that is for them and their cabin mate whether they are 5 star or not.  If you are both 5 star then you both get two for each of you, so you get 4 free diners for two per cruise.

[Florida_gal_50]

12 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

It's very inconsistent (are you sensing a trend?).  We have had numerous collector's voyages where the navigator has shown the entire voyage (both legs) when we first get on and we're able to make reservations, book excursions, etc. for the whole voyage. Sometimes they don't "turn on" the second leg.  And one time we were staying on for multiple B2B cruises and it showed three legs 😲

If I recall correctly I could see the entire itinerary for the 2 weeks.  It just wouldn’t let me book anything.

[Crazy For Cats]

8 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

No, I am saying a 5* mariner gets two free dinners on a cruise that is for them and their cabin mate whether they are 5 star or not.  If you are both 5 star then you both get two for each of you, so you get 4 free diners for two per cruise.

I’m not aware that the free meal would include a guest.  On previous 7 day cruises we have each only received two free meals each.  The additional meals were discounted the 50%. 

[DaveOKC]

11 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

I’m not aware that the free meal would include a guest.  On previous 7 day cruises we have each only received two free meals each.  The additional meals were discounted the 50%. 

Same here - We were charged 50% on the third meal each during the week.  Now I am REALLY confused.  The HAL website says:

Edited January 29, 2023 by DaveOKC

[Real NHDOC]

"All guests sharing a stateroom as part of the same booking will receive the benefits earned by the guest at the highest Star level."

 

From the HAL FAQ. 

 

And that's exactly how they told me it is interpreted over the phone when I asked about it.  I had called because on our first 5* cruise we got four dinners for two free and I thought that was a mistake, but they explained that because we were both 5 star that each of us earned two meals for two.

[Crazy For Cats]

3 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Same here - We were charged 50% on the third meal each during the week.  Now I am REALLY confused.

 

With two booking numbers you should get two free dinners on each leg.  At least that’s my understanding of how that perk works.

[Crazy For Cats]

1 minute ago, Real NHDOC said:

"All guests sharing a stateroom as part of the same booking will receive the benefits earned by the guest at the highest Star level."

 

From the HAL FAQ. 

 

And that's exactly how they told me it is interpreted over the phone when I asked about it.  I had called because on our first 5* cruise we got four dinners for two free and I thought that was a mistake, but they explained that because we were both 5 star that each of us earned two meals for two.

Our experiences since achieving 5* speak differently.
 

[Real NHDOC]

As I have said MANY times HAL is very inconsistent with the way they interpret their policies.  I can only say that this is what happened to us and when I called and asked they said it was correct. 

 

They explained it like this.  If a 5* guest is sailing with a 4* in their cabin they would both get two free meals.  If two 5* guests are sharing a cabin they each get two free meals for themselves and the other guest.  Is it the only way to interpret the policy?  No.  But they told me that's the way they interpret it. 

 

It doesn't mean that's the way they will interpret it tomorrow or on our next cruise or that they won't deny they told it to me but that's what they said and did.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Real NHDOC

[kazu]

4 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

Our experiences since achieving 5* speak differently.
 

ditto