I will NEVER prebook pop up Sel de Mer again EVER - Heads up to 4 & 5* Mariners.

As some of you know, we did the Sel de Mer on our recent Prinsendam cruise but we didn't get credited with out discount that should have been applied (as I reported in my LIVE thread - https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2628744&page=75)

Several of us went to get this rectified and were told that the discount did not apply to this dinner. Despite having back up info, we go no where.

So, once I got things settled at home I emailed HAL.

So, I guess they can not only manage a decent website, they can't READ either.

We had 6 Sel de Mer dinners prepaid for (actually there were 8 but I cancelled the last 2 when I realized what was happening) with NO discount).

I emailed HAL guest services about this and I got my reply today. They are going to give me a whole $49 total to my credit card.

Excuse me? That's one dinner - not 6.

I'm sorry if I sound peeved, but I am. I told them I will NEVER prebook the pop up Sel de Mer again. I'll wait until I am on board in the future and make sure that the PG manager will give me what I am entitled to.

Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed the Sel de Mer, BUT, I am a principled person and we paid more than we should have :(

Same here!:(:rolleyes:

In fact, we probably will not pre-book any dinners, i.e., Pinnacle, Tamarind, until we board, as they seem to have problems rectifying the pricing after we board.

Sorry about your experience, Kazu. My own theory is that HAL doesn't really value its 4 and 5 star mariners any longer, and would love to get rid of them and the financial obligations involved in offering their "perks".

Sorry that happened! We booked & paid for the pop up Sel de Mer on our last cruise. Our Mariner discount showed on our folio the day after the dinner.

We have 10 pre-booked pinnacle grill meals on our next B2B, Based on your original report of problems with discounts I have tried to be proactive. I had the mariner society send me a formal confirmation on the eligibility of ALL pinnacle grill meals for mariner discounts, be they regular or Pop up. Hope I don't need to wave it under any noses.

kazu,

I appreciate your post and regret what you experienced. I rarely pre-book specialty restaurants. Your experience does not encourage me to do otherwise.

Sorry about your experience, Kazu. My own theory is that HAL doesn't really value its 4 and 5 star mariners any longer, and would love to get rid of them and the financial obligations involved in offering their "perks".

Food for thought indeed. I am starting to wonder if you are right.

Sorry that happened! We booked & paid for the pop up Sel de Mer on our last cruise. Our Mariner discount showed on our folio the day after the dinner.

thanks ;)

We got our PG dinners 50% back right away. NO Sel de Mer. A fellow roll call member had saved their booking on Sel de Mer on the King (after they told me that even the King doesn't give it) and despite showing the proof that they got their discount, we got nowhere.

It was a lost cause and it seems that my email to HAL is one as well. Not impressed.

I'll book my PG's with Explore4 offered on our cruise but Sel de Mer? Not on your life ever again.

We have 10 pre-booked pinnacle grill meals on our next B2B, Based on your original report of problems with discounts I have tried to be proactive. I had the mariner society send me a formal confirmation on the eligibility of ALL pinnacle grill meals for mariner discounts, be they regular or Pop up. Hope I don't need to wave it under any noses.

To be clear, I had NO problem getting my 50% on my PG dinners. They were credited right away. The issue came when I was looking for my 5* benefits. I got them, but it took follow up.

I've never had a problem with PG or Le Cirque but it seems Sel de Mer was a different story even though they admitted Sel de Mer replaced Le Cirque.

The Sel de Mer is what we lost out on. Everything else was taken care of.

Can your TA try to get HAL to straighten this out?

I am sorry you experiened this annoyace. HAL cann ot seem to get their act togehert these days. No they are not proivding the earned discount in some cases and are cancelling priority tendering in some acses. GREA job disappointing your high level Mariners..... Please Don' adavertise benefits you will not deliver. We do NOT like like that and it is acftually a big turn off to some and does not enhance some persons' ' eager ness to make bookings. IMO

kazu,

 

I appreciate your post and regret what you experienced. I rarely pre-book specialty restaurants. Your experience does not encourage me to do otherwise.

My thoughts as well.

Sorry to hear this has happened. Hopefully it will eventually be resolved. I'd escalate your concerns.

My thoughts as well.

 

Sorry to hear this has happened. Hopefully it will eventually be resolved. I'd escalate your concerns.

My initial answer is from Nathan at the Office of the President - so where / how would I escalate it?

I think I am already as high as I can go? I have replied though and I will let you know if I get an answer.

frankly I'd rather have it as OBC than a credit card credit.

But, that's assuming I get it. Which is really foolish.

WOW JACQUI!

We did 2 on our South America cruise this past March and we also got our 50% on our statement .We were on The Maasdam. We were surprised that we received it.

That’s terrible PR service in my opinion to only give you 49.00. Sorry and I hope on The Prinesdam next April for you you’ll get those discounts on the pop up Sel de Mar.

Jacqui does The Prinesdam have one?

Denise 😊

Hi Jacqui

I would call the Mariners office and talk to them. In the past they have sorted issues out for me and I find their customer service is of the highest level. They also appreciate their repeat customers. At least this has been my experience in the past.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

My initial answer is from Nathan at the Office of the President - so where / how would I escalate it?

 

I'd try the Mariner Society, and keep moving up the chain until you get an explanation that makes sense, or $$$ back.

 

I'd escalate your concerns.

My initial answer is from Nathan at the Office of the President - so where / how would I escalate it?

 

I think I am already as high as I can go? I have replied though and I will let you know if I get an answer.

 

Uh-oh... that's not good if the Office of the President hasn't straightened this out for you. :(

I would suggest a call, person to person, to Gerald Bernhoft might be more productive in resolving your concern than a generic phone call to the Mariner Society. Since Mr. Bernhoft is the Director of the Mariner Society (as well as recently being assigned another HAL role which I cannot recall currently), he might be in the best position to resolve this problem since you are a faithful Mariner, kazu.

We have only pre-booked the Pinnacle one time when we were 3-star mariners and did not get the discount after much discussion and a number of e-mails. Have booked it again since. (3 cruises). We have not even booked it while on board either, so don't know if we would of had a problem or not. We are satisfied with the MDR food and the few times we ate in the Lido for dinner.

WOW JACQUI!

We did 2 on our South America cruise this past March and we also got our 50% on our statement .We were on The Maasdam. We were surprised that we received it.

That’s terrible PR service in my opinion to only give you 49.00. Sorry and I hope on The Prinesdam next April for you you’ll get those discounts on the pop up Sel de Mar.

Jacqui does The Prinesdam have one?

Denise 😊

Yes, Denise. As to your question - The Prinsendam does have a Pop Up Sel de mer and it was very good

Hi Jacqui

I would call the Mariners office and talk to them. In the past they have sorted issues out for me and I find their customer service is of the highest level. They also appreciate their repeat customers. At least this has been my experience in the past.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I'd try the Mariner Society, and keep moving up the chain until you get an explanation that makes sense, or $$$ back.

Thanks both. That's a very good idea. Why didn't I think of that?

I would suggest a call, person to person, to Gerald Bernhoft might be more productive in resolving your concern than a generic phone call to the Mariner Society. Since Mr. Bernhoft is the Director of the Mariner Society (as well as recently being assigned another HAL role which I cannot recall currently), he might be in the best position to resolve this problem since you are a faithful Mariner, kazu.

I doubt I will get to talk to him, but I will try. Thanks for the suggestion.

We have only pre-booked the Pinnacle one time when we were 3-star mariners and did not get the discount after much discussion and a number of e-mails. Have booked it again since. (3 cruises). We have not even booked it while on board either, so don't know if we would of had a problem or not. We are satisfied with the MDR food and the few times we ate in the Lido for dinner.

A long time ago, it was tough to get those discounts, but honestly, in the last few cruises going back a few years the loyalty discount for the PG dinners are there right away.

I have not had a problem with the PG dinner in probably a decade (whenever the 4* Mariner thing started - I'm not a historian). Once it was in a place, about a year later it worked beautifully.

Kazu

I am so sorry that HAL won't honor your 5 star loyalty discount.

Like "Old As Dirt Mom" said -- I also think HAL is trying to get rid of the long time Mariners.

Wow. This is not good. I am glad I backed out of the pop-up Sel de Mer on my upcoming sailing. But now I am concerned that I will not receive the credits for my pre-booked Pinnacle Grill dinners for the duration of the sailing. It is not right. :(

Wow. This is not good. I am glad I backed out of the pop-up Sel de Mer on my upcoming sailing. But now I am concerned that I will not receive the credits for my pre-booked Pinnacle Grill dinners for the duration of the sailing. It is not right. :(

I am sure that your PG dinners will be fine, Miss G. Ours has been. It was just the Sel de Mer. It seems to vary from ship to ship I guess. At least, that is my best guess.

To just clear any worries, our PG was fine. It was the Sel de Mer pop up that was the issue.

My initial answer is from Nathan at the Office of the President - so where / how would I escalate it?

 

I think I am already as high as I can go?

It is very disappointing to see how HAL has responded to you in this matter.

There is one higher level you might consider...

Can you file an online complaint with the Better Business Bureau bbb.org even though you're in Canada? There have been two times in my life that situations became so ridiculous that this was my last option. (one was a fraudulent charge to my credit card, the other was a wedding gift never delivered to the registered bride)

Dollar amounts were stated in both complaints, the problems explained thoroughly, and, fortunately, both complaints yielded satisfactory results. It was a shame I had to take things to that level and a greater shame that that was my last resort.

Good luck!