5 Stars on Back to Back cruises - question on perks

[OlsSalt]

I believe "collector cruises" are hundred or so dollars cheaper than booking two separate cruises, covering the same time period.  So what you lose in double Mariner perks booking a "collector cruise", is made up somewhat in the cheaper initial collector cruise price.

 

The one good bonus at least is not having to fully check out and then fully  check back in on your transition day between the two separate bookings - you do get  treated as a "transit" passenger.  You will get notice the night before what your mid-cruise process will require.

[Real NHDOC]

The other FAQ may be a clearer explanation:

 

"Do all guests on a booking with a 5 star mariner receive the benefits of the 5 star guest?

 

Each guest on the same booking will receive the benefits of the highest Mariner on the booking"

 

Now, I realize I have opened a can of worms here and others will say they didn't receive what we did...I understand that.  Just understand this was their rationale and explanation of how they interpret this policy (as of this week, anyway).

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

2 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

I believe "collector cruises" are hundred or so dollars cheaper than booking two separate cruises, covering the same time period.  So what you lose in double Mariner perks booking a "collector cruise", is made up somewhat in the cheaper initial collector cruise price.

 

The one good bonus at least is not having to fully check out and then fully  check back in on your transition day between the two separate bookings - you do get  treated as a "transit" passenger.  You will get notice the night before what your mid-cruise process will require.

It's sounds like you've never had 2 booking numbers.  I've been treated as an in transit passenger on all 3 of my cruises.  I'm not sure what checking fully out means but I'm sure I didn't have to do anything of the sort.  On 2 of the three cruises my account and obc carried to the next cruise.  They just needed to be linked.  There wasn't an option to do mine as a collectors cruise.

[Real NHDOC]

7 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

It's sounds like you've never had 2 booking numbers.  I've been treated as an in transit passenger on all 3 of my cruises.  I'm not sure what checking fully out means but I'm sure I didn't have to do anything of the sort.  On 2 of the three cruises my account and obc carried to the next cruise.  They just needed to be linked.  There wasn't an option to do mine as a collectors cruise.

X2

 

whether collector's or two separate bookings we were always treated as in transit.  The HAL system has picked up back to back bookings automatically in the past and treated us as in transit without us having to tell them we were staying aboard.

 

It's not always less expensive to book collector's cruises over B2B and you do sometimes come out ahead by getting more OBC, mariner's benefits, etc. by booking B2B. 

 

The only downside is sometimes you do have to change cabins on the turnaround day if the same cabin wasn't available for both B2B legs.  Not a big deal as the stewards do most of the work but you do have to pack up loose and non-hanging items.  You never had to move on a collector's voyage.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Real NHDOC

[RedneckBob]

4 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

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?

 

We have done this many times, b2b seven day cruises. Most recently on the N. Statendam, Rotterdam and Eurodam, all seven days each cruise, one to Alaska and two to the Caribbean. On every cruise we received two free PG meals per cruise; thus a total of four PG or at any other speciality restaurants. On the first b2b cruises we talked with PG Manager and each time he or she made PG reservations for second cruise; there were no issues.

[idiebabe]

We had two  Booking #'s on our 7 Nite  B2B and received the 5 Star Perks for each Leg.  Also, when I submitted for OBC for Shareholder Credit they gave us $125 per Leg (instead of $100 per Leg) since we'd be Onboard for 14 days.  Thought that was very nice of them!

[OlsSalt]

21 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

It's sounds like you've never had 2 booking numbers.  I've been treated as an in transit passenger on all 3 of my cruises.  I'm not sure what checking fully out means but I'm sure I didn't have to do anything of the sort.  On 2 of the three cruises my account and obc carried to the next cruise.  They just needed to be linked.  There wasn't an option to do mine as a collectors cruise.

 

We just finished a two separate booking number "B2B".  Booked at two separate times.

Was passing on what we did not know about them up front. 

[SilvertoGold]

2 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

Should have mentioned - we have two separate booking numbers.

 

You win! Each cruise gets you full benefits. Enjoy!

[SilvertoGold]

I would note that sometimes it costs more to book 2 separate cruises.  You need to do the math to see whether booking one Collectors cruise two separate cruises works out the best.  

Edited January 29, 2023 by SilvertoGold

[REOVA]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

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

Put a message in Navigator "Let Us Know" (for documentation) and also speak with Guest Services to let them know you are owed 100% dinner as 5 star. You may have to follow up multiple times or hear "we are waiting to hear from that department to put in the credit". Work it before getting off ship is much easier. Unfortunately you may have to do same on next leg of cruise when eating "complimentary" dinner again even if reminding manager of your benefits. 

[WriterOnDeck]

Just now, SilvertoGold said:

You win! Each cruise gets you full benefits. Enjoy!

You win IF you didn't get a nice discount for booking a collectors. Each case is different.

 

The REAL benefit for DaveOKC is that you can apply the CCL shareholder bonus to each booking number.

[DaveOKC]

2 minutes ago, WriterOnDeck said:

You win IF you didn't get a nice discount for booking a collectors. Each case is different.

 

The REAL benefit for DaveOKC is that you can apply the CCL shareholder bonus to each booking number.

True most time, but not on these cruises as they are casino offers - no stockholder credit!  Trust me, I have tried a couple of times!

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

 

We just finished a two separate booking number "B2B".  Booked at two separate times.

Was passing on what we did not know about them up front. 

But you do know about them now, right?  I'm still wondering what fully checking out is.

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, idiebabe said:

We had two  Booking #'s on our 7 Nite  B2B and received the 5 Star Perks for each Leg.  Also, when I submitted for OBC for Shareholder Credit they gave us $125 per Leg (instead of $100 per Leg) since we'd be Onboard for 14 days.  Thought that was very nice of them!

Pouting now. We had a 9-day and a 7-day back-to-back (not available as one cruise) and only got $100 per leg. Of course that is all I was expecting so I didn't try for the extra $50. As it was we had to WORK at spending the OBC, on top of the HIA benefits!

[Florida_gal_50]

7 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Pouting now. We had a 9-day and a 7-day back-to-back (not available as one cruise) and only got $100 per leg. Of course that is all I was expecting so I didn't try for the extra $50. As it was we had to WORK at spending the OBC, on top of the HIA benefits!

While I have been successful in getting $250 for 2 separate 7 day cruises I’ve sometimes had to work for it.  When I send it in I tell them it’s 14 days so please credit me for $250.  It’s been ignored so I have to send it again. Usually it goes through the second time.  Just be very.clear going in and don’t be afraid to ask twice.

[idiebabe]

34 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Pouting now. We had a 9-day and a 7-day back-to-back (not available as one cruise) and only got $100 per leg. Of course that is all I was expecting so I didn't try for the extra $50. As it was we had to WORK at spending the OBC, on top of the HIA benefits!

I didn't try to get it and I never expected it.  I submitted the info as I always do and listed both Bookings in the same email requesting the $100 per Booking be applied.  I was very pleasantly surprised when I received the Confirmation email that they applied $125 for each Leg.  I had the HIA, too, but always seem to find a way to spend money!  😁 

[OlsSalt]

5 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

But you do know about them now, right?  I'm still wondering what fully checking out is.

 

We honestly did not know in the situation of two separate bookings in two separate cabins, in order to retain our 5star perks for each booked cruise plus CCL stock ownership credit.

 

Would we need to pack up and leave the ship as a departing passenger (fully checking out) for booked cruise #1? And  then on the transition day,  would we go back through a full regular embarkation on the same day and get our new cabin number ( fully checking in on the transition day for cruise #1).

 

I assumed that might be the price we would have to pay, to get the full benefits applied to each cruise segment.

 

 Live and learn, we did not.  The transition  and transfer of our cabin items  to the new cabin was as smooth as possible. There was protocol to follow, but overall it was treated as a "collectors B2B, but with the full credits  applied to the second booked cruise.

[Florida_gal_50]

23 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

We honestly did not know in the situation of two separate bookings in two separate cabins, in order to retain our 5star perks for each booked cruise plus CCL stock ownership credit.

 

Would we need to pack up and leave the ship as a departing passenger (fully checking out) for booked cruise #1? And  then on the transition day,  would we go back through a full regular embarkation on the same day and get our new cabin number ( fully checking in on the transition day for cruise #1).

 

I assumed that might be the price we would have to pay, to get the full benefits applied to each cruise segment.

 

 Live and learn, we did not.  The transition  and transfer of our cabin items  to the new cabin was as smooth as possible. There was protocol to follow, but overall it was treated as a "collectors B2B, but with the full credits  applied to the second booked cruise.

I'm sorry but I don't understand why you'd ever think that.  I often get in my head and worry endlessly but that never occurred to me at all.  The only time I've heard of anything remotely like that is when they were covid testing between cruises and you tested positive.

[OlsSalt]

5 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I'm sorry but I don't understand why you'd ever think that.  I often get in my head and worry endlessly but that never occurred to me at all.  The only time I've heard of anything remotely like that is when they were covid testing between cruises and you tested positive.

 

Made sense to me - since booking a Collectors Cruise for the same amount of time - with a single booking number does not give the double benefits. So I assumed we might have to "work a little" to get the benefits for both our booked cruises. 

 

Funny how people can see the same thing but with different eyes. Thanks for offering your perspectives. Fair enough.

[Florida_gal_50]

5 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

Made sense to me - since booking a Collectors Cruise for the same amount of time - with a single booking number does not give the double benefits. So I assumed we might have to "work a little" to get the benefits for both our booked cruises. 

 

Funny how people can see the same thing but with different eyes. Thanks for offering your perspectives. Fair enough.

If they ever made you do that I would never book cruises as separates. I did choose to move rooms once and that was enough.  I moved from a balcony to a Vista on the koningsdam and it was a huge waste of money 

[OlsSalt]

2 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

If they ever made you do that I would never book cruises as separates. I did choose to move rooms once and that was enough.  I moved from a balcony to a Vista on the koningsdam and it was a huge waste of money 

 

We felt lucky to be even able to add the second cruise later after our first segment booking, since both segments were Holiday cruises and were pretty much fully booked, when we first started looking.  We took what was available, as things did keep opening up until the last minute.

 

Glad we did do both, since there were two very different moods onboard between the Christmas -heavily large family groups, and the New Years segment - more older couples.  

 

The actually quieter second segment was more "old Hal" for us, when we thought it might be younger and  part- hearty.  It was a very festive cruise, but still a good HAL traditional cruise. People really put on the glitter for NY Eve.

 

Best part was the second cruise got us to the San Javier Mission outside Loreto which we had always wanted to visit. The slight transition day hassle due to our last minute bookings,  was worth getting on this later added second segment.