NEW HAL Mariner Program NOW on website

[LAFFNVEGAS]

This may just be my speculation but Cruise days for the Medallions will remain TRUE Cruise Days. The Star Levels will be points. Starting every one off with points equal to the amount of days they currently have and going forward, the type of cabin you book and money you spend on board will help you to achieve a 4 Star Level.

Karen I believe that all you have spent will get credited to your points since it is for an up coming cruise but probably best to call HAL to comfirm. It is also my understanding that the "points" are then credited AFTER the cruise so that then the next cruise you take you will be at the new level if you reached one.

So another words I am at 161 days if I was to book a 20 day cruise and booked a SA, SB, SC, SS, SY, SZ I would get credit for 40 days/points which would take me to the 200 but it seems that until I finish that cruise during that cruise I am still at a 3 Star level.

[RevNeal]

What do you do with the medallions?

 

Wear them to the Mariner's Reception.

My hundred day Copper Mariner pin is more important in that I wear it on my jackets every night (formal nights and Smart Casual, when I wear a jacket).

[takemewithyou]

We always book a suite, and i am sure HAL can tell that from their records. It would seem to me that would be as easy to reconstruct our points based on suites, as it would be to know the number of days. I can understand how it would be impossible to reconstruct money spent, but suite vs regular cabin should not be hard. Multiply by 2. We are looking at a world cruise on either HAL or Cunard. Since we book a suite, there are really no new benefits for us by being a 2 star on HAL. A three star would save us a lot because we eat at the pinnacle grill at least once a week when we are on board, and we have wine at every dinner. Because we will probably only do one world cruise, and they are very, very expensive in a suite, I am comparing every little detail. I was thrilled yesterday that HAL had finnally put in come incentives like Celbrity just did. That almost tipped me to the HAL world cruise, then when i began investigating, i realized, the new program didn't really benefit us. Oh well, the world cruise will put me over the top if i sail on HAL.

I will not complain, because there are so many, many people that have never even been fortunate to take a cruise, or get three meals a day. The new QE 2 might be fun to sail on for a world cruise, so my options are still open. :-)

 

I agree with you. They have records of what rooms we were booked in and could have given credit to those who booked suites and if they have records on of onboard spending (they must keep those for a certain period of time), why not give credit for those?

 

By the way, I am very happy they are continuing the Medallion program for those high level Mariners who value it for recognition and tradition!

[HAL_PR]

We mean Cruise Day Credits.

 

Sarah_at_HAL

 

All~ I just checked on this and would like to correct my previous response on how the medallions will be awarded. It will NOT be based on Cruise Day Credits, but exlusively on total days cruised. :)

 

Sarah_at_HAL

[Copper10-8]

If you ever managed to get trays back in the Lido, you would be more popular than Vince Lombardi in Green Bay

 

 

 

Trays in the Lido - Almost as popular as Bret Favvvvre in Green Bay;)

[LoveHAL]

It will all work out well once the program gets beyond the "paper" phase and moves into actual implementation.

 

One thing that I believe needs to be addressed is to rethink the "discount" pricing only being available on-board the ship (ie. 25%/50% discount at the Pinnacle Grill, Discounts on pre-purchased wine packages).

 

I usually purchase these things in advance, giving HAL the use of my money for months in advance. It is my understanding that while pre-purchases do qualify for point credit, you can not take advantage of the Star Level Discount when paying in advance. That being the case, there is NO reason to pre-purchase and lose the "discount". Maybe I am reading this all wrong.

 

AND, thank you HAL, and Sarah for making the change on the Medallions. It was truly a heads up move.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Help please.

 

Do I have it straight?

 

We will begin the new program at the number of days we already have accumulated.

From the start date on each ship for our future cruises, we will them add to our current balance according to the published ways of earning points.

 

DH and I board Westerdam in November (after the new Mariners Program will be in effect), and for that cruise we will get points added at the new level. What days we currently have remain the same?

 

Thanks.

 

From what has been explained to me -- once you get to 200 days -- no more bonus days for spending or being in a suite.

You get just the days you sail -- thus for your 7 day Westerdam cruise -- you will only get 7 days.

But you are entitled to all the 4 star perks.

[happyglobetrotter]

From what has been explained to me -- once you get to 200 days -- no more bonus days for spending or being in a suite.

 

You get just the days you sail -- thus for your 7 day Westerdam cruise -- you will only get 7 days.

 

But you are entitled to all the 4 star perks.

 

It is correct.

 

The day credits will give you the perks. The more you spend, the more suites you book, you get to 200 or 4 star level faster. Once there, no more benefits added. It is a point system based on days + spending.

 

For the medallions, it will be (and it remains as before) the number of days you are sailing with HAL in interior, outside, verandah or suite, or penthouse. Regardeless how much you spend, they count the number of nights you sleep aboard the ship ! Same as before.

 

It is points (or day credits) versus effective days.

[sail7seas]

So the Medallion Levels will still be achieved the same way as alway.... One day for every day sailed no matter the category cabin.

 

If we have 500 days, take a 7 day cruise in a Suite, at the end of the cruise we will have 507 days?

 

If someone is already at the 200 day four star level, they no longer count days or bonus days at all for anything? Right? They are 'maxed out'?

 

Why am I finding this confusing? :confused: I'm really not all THAT dumb. :D

[Copper10-8]

So the Medallion Levels will still be achieved the same way as alway.... One day for every day sailed no matter the category cabin.

 

If we have 500 days, take a 7 day cruise in a Suite, at the end of the cruise we will have 507 days?

 

If someone is already at the 200 day four star level, they no longer count days or bonus days at all for anything? Right? They are 'maxed out'?

 

Why am I finding this confusing? :confused: I'm really not all THAT dumb. :D

 

Probably has to do with the type of cabin, eh super suite, you always choose!;) Sorry, couldn't leave it hanging, too easy!:o

[sail7seas]

Thank you, HappyGlobeTrotter.

 

I now get it. :) You explained it clearly and well.

[rkacruiser]

I have been a "member" of Cruise Critic for some time and have never observed on any Message Board of CC that any official from any of the cruise lines made their monitoring or responding to threads on the Message Board known. The fact that you have done so this time is most impressive to me and obviously most appreciated by all of us. Thank you most sincerely.

 

With the continuation of the Medallion program, what is there not to like about the new Mariner Program? I am looking forward to taking advantage of many of the new perks avalable on my forthcoming Noordam and Maasdam cruises.

 

Thank you, Holland America Line! I think this is another example of your "Signature of Excellence" service that your crew and staff try to provide to us guests.

[ANSalberg]

I have been a "member" of Cruise Critic for some time and have never observed on any Message Board of CC that any official from any of the cruise lines made their monitoring or responding to threads on the Message Board known. The fact that you have done so this time is most impressive to me and obviously most appreciated by all of us. Thank you most sincerely.

 

With the continuation of the Medallion program, what is there not to like about the new Mariner Program? I am looking forward to taking advantage of many of the new perks avalable on my forthcoming Noordam and Maasdam cruises.

 

Thank you, Holland America Line! I think this is another example of your "Signature of Excellence" service that your crew and staff try to provide to us guests.

 

Bob, I agree with you TOTALLY!!!! HAL responded to HUMAN needs/wants! "Signature of Excellence" personified! Anne

[senator6]

Thank you Sarah,

We are 10 days shy of our 300 day medallion and were disappointed when we heard we would not receive it on our upcoming cruise. You made our day!

[SilvertoGold]

Thank you, Sarah and HAL!

Thank you for listening, thank you for posting here at Cruise Critic, thank you for counting our future cruise days towards medallions!

 

A premium, 5-star response from a premium 5-star line.

 

SilvertoGold (back on track!)

[pms4104]

I agree with you. They have records of what rooms we were booked in and could have given credit to those who booked suites and if they have records on of onboard spending (they must keep those for a certain period of time), why not give credit for those?

 

By the way, I am very happy they are continuing the Medallion program for those high level Mariners who value it for recognition and tradition!

I was not sailing HAL when the newly-replaced Mariner Society Program replaced the previous one back in 2000 or so ... so I am curious as to whether HAL did a retroactive thingie back in 2000. I think not.

 

The newly announced program is effective this Fall, not 10 years ago, but this current Fall season. Sorry, but I don't see the rationale for HAL to poke thru 9 or 10 years worth of records (imagine the personnel cost!) to update all Mariners based on onboard spending and cabin category. That then would make the effective date something like 9 or 10 years ago. Huh?

[happyglobetrotter]

I was not sailing HAL when the newly-replaced Mariner Society Program replaced the previous one back in 2000 or so ... so I am curious as to whether HAL did a retroactive thingie back in 2000. I think not.

 

The newly announced program is effective this Fall, not 10 years ago, but this current Fall season. Sorry, but I don't see the rationale for HAL to poke thru 9 or 10 years worth of records (imagine the personnel cost!) to update all Mariners based on onboard spending and cabin category. That then would make the effective date something like 9 or 10 years ago. Huh?

 

Amd what about the Mariners who did not get any of the 'new' discounts over the 9 or 10 last years ???? Does not make any sense !

[pms4104]

Amd what about the Mariners who did not get any of the 'new' discounts over the 9 or 10 last years ???? Does not make any sense !

Maybe HAL could (1) go thru a decade of records to assess one's current Mariner days based on actual sailed days plus cabin category plus onboard spending for the past 10 years,:rolleyes: and (2) also calculate how much Mariners now at whatever star level might have saved over the past decade if the discounts in today's new program were applied retroactively,:rolleyes: and (3) issue a refund for those newly-offered discounted items bought in the past.:rolleyes:

 

That truly makes no sense!:)

 

As an aside ... I do not believe HAL should jump thru hoops on some kind of retroactive award program. Hal brought back the medallions starting at the 300-day level ... and the new program is more than we all had in the past. So, there would seem to be no need to look a gift horse in the mouth and be ungracious and ungrateful.:)

[takemewithyou]

"So, there would seem to be no need to look a gift horse in the mouth and be ungracious and ungrateful.:) "

 

Ungratious and ungrateful???????

 

I think that was uncalled for. :):) And that's the last I'll be posting on this thread which should make many happy!

As I said before, I am very happy for those who wanted their Medallions to be able to receive them.

[pms4104]

"So, there would seem to be no need to look a gift horse in the mouth and be ungracious and ungrateful.:) "

 

Ungratious and ungrateful???????

 

I think that was uncalled for. :):) And that's the last I'll be posting on this thread which should make many happy!

As I said before, I am very happy for those who wanted their Medallions to be able to receive them.

If you read up a post or two ... you will note that I did not refer to you as ungrateful and ungracious. If it appeared so, I am sorry you misinterpreted my statement.:)

[Guest Ivenia]

We have always booked our cruises for the itinerary and we look at our three favourite cruise lines when doing so. We were about to get our 100 day medallion in 7 weeks time which would have been fun to receive and I can understand people being upset.

 

The new Mariner programme is quite good but in my opinion it does not come up to Princess's Captain's Club rewards. We will be Elite passengers on our next cruise

and then we will receive free laundry plus other perks as well as the free internet which we are now entitled to as Platinum cruisers. To me, free internet is wonderful, especially as we travel so far from home and usually always take long cruises.

 

I doubt we will get to four star on HAL unless we do a RWC as time is running out for us, and we now only take the unusual itineraries.

 

Jennie

You are so right! It does not begin to compare with Princess. We also do long cruises, and unlimited free laundry and dry cleaning, internet minutes, minibar setups, etc. are very, very much appreciated. On our back-to-back Transatlantic and Baltic this spring, my husband and I had a total of l,000 free internet minutes - which alone was worth more to us than everything in the HAL program.

 

Look forward to using all of the above again on the Dawn world cruise out of Sydney in May.

 

With all of that said, we feel it is neat that HAL is now giving something tangible to their repeat cruisers.

 

Mary

[Aussie Gal]

Mary,

 

I totally agree, it is so much better for HAL to give its repeat cruisers something tangible than just the medals and badges.

 

For us, on Princess, the internet minutes are invaluable and of course soon we will be getting the free laundry and dry cleaning package once we become Elite.

 

Jennie

[STANCPA44]

I wonder if purchases from the art auction will be included in the counting towards extra cruise days. Sometimes I see a print that a I really like, and i will purchase it.

[pms4104]

I wonder if purchases from the art auction will be included in the counting towards extra cruise days. Sometimes I see a print that a I really like, and i will purchase it.

Many months ago there was a thread here that Park West was abandoning HAL:eek::eek::eek: ... not sure of the timeframe and/or whether the auctions currently are past history, as I've not seen any mention at all recently of the art auctions.

[Aussie Gal]

Many months ago there was a thread here that Park West was abandoning HAL:eek::eek::eek: ... not sure of the timeframe and/or whether the auctions currently are past history, as I've not seen any mention at all recently of the art auctions.

 

How wonderful it would be if there were no more Art Auctions not only on HAL but on other cruise lines. ;)

 

Jennie