NEW HAL Mariner Program NOW on website

[Jade13]

 

 

I was recently on Princess and appreciated the free internet time reward. At the time, I noticed how Princess made their reward program so visible and wondered when HAL would institute more incentives to Mariners. This is not quite what I expected.

 

 

The internet is a great benefit and I'm surprised HAL is not offering this as well as discounts at lower levels. But what I wanted to know is exactly what else Princess offers and if someone could post it here. I hear from those who travel on multiple lines that Princess has the best program and they are owned by Carnival. However, I heard one perk is a disembark lounge but on HAL you do not need that as everyone can stay in their stateroom until they disembark.

 

HAL had a problem figuring out a new program because their former recognition was by days but they also needed to entice new cruisers. They are pretty smart to offer points for spending.

 

But still, those who do the average 7 night cruise and even one per year (and considered serious cruisers by their friends) may never reach the top tier which on a Celebrity cruise Elite can be reached by everyone after 10 cruises (one point per cruise and 10 = Elite) and Suite passengers on 7 night cruises will reach this level after 5 cruises because they get an extra point for a Suite. They can even take five 4 or 5 night Century cruises in a Suite and be in the top tier. You can easily get to their second highest level after 3 cruises. They only have 3 levels, so HAL's 4 is not that unusual.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I do feel bad reading that so many here were looking forward to getting their medals on their upcoming cruises.

[DFD1]

These changes seem to support the idea that onboard spending is becoming more important as a revenue source for HAL.

 

I think we have seen this coming for a while, but a good deal of this new program is incentives for passengers to spend more while onboard.

 

To me, it seems long on incentives and short on rewards.

 

No surprises here. It doesn't matter to us anyway. We don't pay much attention to this sort of thing. We'll cruise HAL so long as the prices are reasonable, they continue to run the ships well and provide acceptable service.

[Jade13]

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[Randyk47]

I'm neither delighted or disappointed. It is what it is and I really didn't expect a great deal. Kind of realized that it wasn't going to be like a frequent flyer or hotel guest program and even those differ from company to company. Poor wife was a bit disappointed as she was in line for her next award under the old system on our next cruise. :(

[Mariner05]

We are competely being ignored by the line for our faithful dedication to HAL through the years.

I guess Silversea will see us more often then...disappointed in the whole porgram.

[G&G]

Mariner05, I feel your pain. No more awards for those of us at +200 days. I believe I know why HAL has capped their new Mariner Program at 200 days.

 

The majority of passengers who sail on HAL (millions) have not achieved +200 days. I am sure HAL has the statistical breakdown or percent of passengers who have sailed less than 200 days. Based on my 32 cruises on HAL I would estimate only 5%-8% of HAL passengers have +200 days; except for the World Cruises. HAL is targeting passengers with less than 200 days under their revised Mariner Program. HAL does not have to target us. We are already repeat cruisers whether the program was changed or not changed.

 

That's just my opinion.

 

(Princess Program stops at 150 days)

[longtimecruiser]

Leave it to Hal to come up with a Mariner program like this. I cannot understand WHY they have stopped counting at 200 days. On every cruise I'm on, there are lots of 100 day cruisers, so to get to 200 is not that much. This program is fine for the people with 200 days but not for people with a higher number of days. I have 650 days and was only 50 days away from a platinum status. I am the third generation to asail hal in my family. My Mother had achieved platinum status and that was a goal for me, and one she wanted for me too. Now, I will never be able to achieve that goal as Hal has taken that away. I do not care about the medal, as I have my mother's, grandparents, etc, I had wanted to reach that goal as my granparents, mother before me. It is as if Hal cares nothing about the old time cruiser, only drawing new masses. There were also people with 1400 or more days who were in the President's Club". I wonder how they feel, and as Ruth mentioned, will no more people be in that special status??? It is not fair for someone with 1400 days to get the same as a person with 200 days. I feel that Hal has let their passengers with many days down with this new program. There is no incentive to stay after 200 days. I think Hal ids just becoming way too mass market. Time to look at other cruiselines. I have only 6 cruises on Cunard and am gold status. I feel MUCH more welcome on that line than Hal. I know others feel as I do too. Hal WILL lose some passengers with a high number of days. Do they care??? NO

[Jade13]

We are competely being ignored by the line for our faithful dedication to HAL through the years.

I guess Silversea will see us more often then...disappointed in the whole porgram.

 

 

What were you expecting? Just curious. A lot of what's on other lines, HAL already gives to everyone and I'm just glad they aren't taking it away, such as backstage tours and afternoon tea in the dining room.

 

Btw, we were just on SilverSeas (PAII) and didn't find the service, food or staterooms any better than HAL.

[ekerr19]

Well, from what I'm reading, many other lines stop at less than 200 days.

 

Times do change and HAL has been looking to attract a different demographic for quite awhile - it's even been discussed here at length.

 

I feel that no matter what HAL chose to do with their mariner program, some folks are bound to be disappointed.

 

Personally, I like the idea of real perks rather than medallions. I always feel a bit strange wearing mine to the mariner's reception, lunch etc. There is another thread about touting cabins - well to me, wearing the medallion is worse in some ways. I've had people approach me and ask to touch it,ask me how long it took to get it, is it real, etc. and frankly, it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. I usually just smile and say, "It's the most expensive piece of jewelry I own"... I won't really miss it. I'll put them away with my other HAL memorabilia (remember the full sets of menus given out - signed by Captain, HM, etc.) and move on. :)

 

I am a bit worried about the PG now - it was a bit hard to get in before, and as Suite guests we usually had a priority, lol!

[cruz chic]

Personally, I like the idea of real perks rather than medallions. I always feel a bit strange wearing mine to the mariner's reception, lunch etc. There is another thread about touting cabins - well to me, wearing the medallion is worse in some ways. I've had people approach me and ask to touch it,ask me how long it took to get it, is it real, etc. and frankly, it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. I usually just smile and say, "It's the most expensive piece of jewelry I own"... I won't really miss it. I'll put them away with my other HAL memorabilia (remember the full sets of menus given out - signed by Captain, HM, etc.) and move on. :)

 

How strange is that? People touching it...wow....I wouldn't like that. I've never brought my medal with as it means nothing to me. The new "perks" are much more interesting to me then getting more medals and tiles.

[sail7seas]

I agree, Laura, about being worried how to get bookings at Pinnacle under this program. I don't care about the discount..... I just want to be able to dine there.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

I know that we are going to have a harder time getting reservations for the Pinnacle if we wait until we are on the ship to get the discount.

Being in a delux suite never had priority to get reservations there -- a few times we would look at the evening dinner menu and decided that nothing appealed to us. Tried to get a reservation -- no deal.

On our second segment of our Eurodam cruise -- so many people had pre-booked the Pinnacle that we couldn't get any night other than the last night of the cruise!! Ended up eating a lot in the Tamarind.

[AlexandNessa]

So 2 adults on a 14-night cruise will each earn an extra cruise day credit just by leaving the auto-tip in place?

 

14 nights *2 adults * $11per night = $308

[longtimecruiser]

These perks will mean nothing when the lines for everything is so long. Priority boarding and tendering with 200 plus day guests and suites will be a nightmare!!! Trying to get reservations in the PG will be the same nightmare!!! The poor, overworked crew doing all the FREE laundry for 200 day guests and suites. We will be lucky to get our clothes back during the cruise. I wonder if anyone in Seattle thought about the MASS of laundry there will be and all the hours it will take to do it, plus the regular laundry of sheets, towels, etc???????

[ekerr19]

IBeing in a delux suite never had priority to get reservations there -- a few times we would look at the evening dinner menu and decided that nothing appealed to us. Tried to get a reservation -- no deal.

 

We've been fortunate then. :) We've even booked an hour ahead of time... but the time slot available was not our preferred time, and I think it's going to get worse for those wishing to eat around 8:00pm.

[Krazy Kruizers]

These perks will mean nothing when the lines for everything is so long. Priority boarding and tendering with 200 plus day guests and suites will be a nightmare!!! Trying to get reservations in the PG will be the same nightmare!!! The poor, overworked crew doing all the FREE laundry for 200 day guests and suites. We will be lucky to get our clothes back during the cruise. I wonder if anyone in Seattle thought about the MASS of laundry there will be and all the hours it will take to do it, plus the regular laundry of sheets, towels, etc???????

 

 

Here's what I said about the laundry a few posts back:

Quote:

Originally Posted by hammybee

The majority of HAL cruises are 7 day sails from domestic ports. I cannot imagine that 90% of passengers on the the majority of HAL cruises are at the 200 day mark.

 

You do however, raise an interesting point about contention for laundry on longer cruises where it far more likely that the majority could have some serious number of days, sailed with HAL.

 

Maybe (only half joking here) the laundry turnaround will vary by cabin category and number of days sailed.

 

Would a deluxe suite guest's landry trump all others?We stay in an SA -- maybe???

Would a guest paying for laundry trump a reward guest?

Would a 500 day passenger's laundry be given priority over a 250 day passenger? We have way over 500 days -- maybe??

 

Oh the possibilities ! ;)

 

My only concern about the laundry is if they ask for a forwarding address. :D

__________________

[DFD1]

I read the World Adventures blog by Jeff Farschman. He sailed the World Cruise with Hal this year and is leaving on a 200+ day cruise from Seattle in a few days. He has many, many days on HAL.

 

He writes this week on his blog that he is seeing HAL's CEO and having lunch with two HAL staffers while in Seattle prior to his embarkation on his upcoming adventure with HAL.

 

I wonder if there are some perks available which are not published; or, more likely, he is just stopping by the offices to visit with friends.

 

Maybe if everyone with more than 200 days stopped by the HAL headquarters, something might be added to the Mariners Program to keep them all out of the offices.

 

Just a thought...........

[Desdemona01]

These changes seem to support the idea that onboard spending is becoming more important as a revenue source for HAL.

 

Our onboard spending is directly impacted by the quality of entertainment in the piano bar :) If he/she is fun and talented, Jimmy Maddox as an example, our tab in the piano bar is impressive :o On our Noordam cruise this past January we saved a LARGE amount of $$$ because of the doofus attempting to perform in there.... So, HAL, stop being cheap and get some quality performers in there, and watch the drinks flow :D

[CruiserBruce]

We booked a 2010 Med Cruise a couple months ago. With only 49 days on HAL, we were only expecting to be invited to the Mariner's Brunch. As we are in a SB suite, we also expect the free laundry and the other standard suite perks.

 

We booked this cruise on HAL because we enjoy the great service, the beautiful ships, and most importantly, the very interesting itinerary. We work hard for our vacations and enjoy so much of what we can do on a cruise.

 

We never booked this or any other cruise for perks. The perks are great, but that is not why we are on the ship. We, under the plan, are 2 star, and will easily soar to over 3 star (20 day cruise in a Suite, plus purchases onboard, excursions, etc). But again, we are not sailing HAL for a piece of medal to wear around our necks. There is so much else to see and do! Maybe we should just enjoy what is provided.

[Nutrioso]

For us, what keeps us coming back to HAL again and again is the crew and the service. HAL can give more Mariner benefits, or not, and it won't make any difference in our booking habits. We will, on occasion, sail with another cruise line, but the vast majority of our cruises will be with HAL. It's mostly about the crew and itineraries for us. ----Penny

[longtimecruiser]

DFD1, I am leaving for seattle early on Thursday. I had this trip planned to celebrate my birthday with a friend who lives there. I have never been to Seattle and had asked to see the Hal headquarters. I now plan to not only see them but stop in and talk to someone I've been in contact with before there.

[Randyk47]

So 2 adults on a 14-night cruise will each earn an extra cruise day credit just by leaving the auto-tip in place?

 

14 nights *2 adults * $11per night = $308

 

I have a feeling they won't count that as on-board spending as they don't get a corporate cut. :( No telling though, it might help rack up more cruise day credits when added to your other expenditures on the ship. :)

[ekerr19]

I have a feeling they won't count that as on-board spending as they don't get a corporate cut. :( No telling though, it might help rack up more cruise day credits when added to your other expenditures on the ship. :)

 

Randy -

 

I thought I read somewhere that the auto-tip is not counted towards the $300 onboard spending, but I've read so much since yesterday - I'm confused and could be wrong.

 

I keep finding myself getting excited about all the things that will "count" then realize it's moot, lol - we won't go any higher.

 

That's why I wish there was some incentive for us to rack up the dollars onboard (since we do anyway) and it'd be nice to use them for FCC or discounts on select sailings...

[arzz]

On the long cruises most passengers send part or all of their things to the laundry -- when you sail for 60 or 100 days laundry is just a part of cruise life. HAL handles it well -- turn around time for the "all you can stuff in a bag" laundry was usually 48 hours when we cruised Asia/Pacific last year, sometimes it came much sooner (probably a function of how busy the laundry folks are on any given day) -- what this perk will do for us is to save us a few dollars

 

I cannot imagine that it will be a big issue on a 7 day cruise as the length of the cruise is a limiting factor --fewer high level cruisers on board and less laundry due to the short duration of the cruise -- and since the newer ships do not have laundry rooms, as a perk for loyalty this makes sense.

 

IMHO I think that HAL should keep the old mariner/medallion program in addition to the new spending incentive program -- giving out the medallions cost them very little -- so continuing to do so -- to provide a keepsake for many days at sea would cost them very little and keep both camps of folks happy

 

But -- as many folks have guessed I do suspect that HAL has sets of perks for their most frequent cruisers that they will not and do not publish as I even believe that they do now (e.g. the unsolicited invites to VIP parties that come to folks who have not purchased digs in the high rent category but have sailed with HAL for many days -- and finding yourself at a dinner table hosted by an officer on formal night) -- they really need to encourage a new generation of cruisers which the spending incentive program may do but I cannot believe that they wish, at the same time, to alienate their most loyal fans.

 

I have a real wait and see attitude