KK - Mariner Society - Us, too

[RevNeal]

The old VIP party had nothing to do with Platinum Amex. It was primarily for Suite guests and is now really always known as "before or after dinner drinks with Captain/Hotel Manager". It has been referred to this for years. The "VIP" designation hasn't been used since about 2005.

 

Surely KK is receiving these invites. We've been getting them for years. I've never met anyone at one of these specific get togethers (lately) that wasn't in a Suite or PS - or at least a 300-day medallion holder. Lisa and Tom have been in Suites many times and I suspect they have received these invites and perhaps when they booked SS or lower they didn't.

 

I've never booked a Deluxe Verandah Suite, and yet have been invited to these parties (i.e. "Before or After Dinner Drinks with Captain/Hotel Manager") for years. The first I attended was on the Zaandam in 2004 when I was still under 100 days. I've not missed being invited to at least one of these parties on each of my 16 cruises since, and the highest I've ever booked was an SS (on two of those 16 cruises). On all the rest I've either been an inside or outside dweller.

 

I'm really curious why you would feel "disrespected" by the cruise line? Because of an Amex Platinum invite that was missing? Seriously, I have used that card in the past (when we booked outside quads) and we didn't get an invite. I don't keep it anymore because I cannot justify the annual fee - though I have a Delta Amex Platinum, which I feel offers better perks... I've held one Amex or another for years and can tell you I've never seen anything about VIP parties being a HAL perk for Platinum holders.

 

If I had 500+ days and, subsequently, was the highest-ranking mariner aboard ship on several cruises, I would feel as though HAL wasn't appreciating my business if I were being repeatedly ignored and passed over for invites to special parties, private dinners, drinks, and such, while other lower-ranking mariners were getting all the special treatment.

[ekerr19]

I've never booked a Deluxe Verandah Suite, and yet have been invited to these parties (i.e. "Before or After Dinner Drinks with Captain/Hotel Manager") for years. The first I attended was on the Zaandam in 2004 when I was still under 100 days. I've not missed being invited to at least one of these parties on each of my 16 cruises since, and the highest I've ever booked was an SS (on two of those 16 cruises). On all the rest I've either been an inside or outside dweller.

 

Well, Greg you are a lucky minority then. :) It usually doesn't happen unless someone knows someone who knows someone... the VIP used to be where the CD, GRM etc., could send invites to whomever they encountered who they found interesting or just wanted to invite - nowadays, it's almost exclusively limited to Suites and PS and high ranking Mariners and guests of invitees and officers. ;)

[Copper10-8]

This is what happened with the Mariners Society brunch last week on Zaandam:

OK, so at 11:00 AM we had the Mariner Society Brunch in the Rotterdam dining room. This would be our first experience under the newly revised Mariners Society Rewards Program where we are classified as “4-star Mariners”. Under the new program rules, you become a Star Mariner on your second HAL cruise, a 2-Star Mariner after 30 cruise day credits with HAL, a 3-Star Mariner after collecting 75 HAL cruise day credits and a 4-Star Mariner after cruising over 200 days with the line. They also (after many complaints) still honor/acknowledge 300 (silver), 500 (gold) and 700-day (platinum) Mariner medals. Gone, apparently, is the little cocktail party before the actual brunch, usually held in the Explorers Lounge hosted by the cruise director where the captain and hotel manager would hand out new medals.

Under the new program you receive the invitation for the brunch in your cabin mailbox two days before the event (at least on this cruise). With the invitation comes a RSVP card (yes, I/we will be there o no, thanks but no thanks) which they would like back at the Front Office before Noon the next day. What we didn’t know after turning in the RSVP is that HAL still assigns seating in the dining room by Mariner status (as they did under the ‘old’ program). Last night we received two table numbers in our cabin for the brunch. As the invitation stated that the dining room doors would open at 10:45 AM, that’s when we showed up at the lower level entrance only to find numerous of our fellow Mariners already there and waiting for the doors to open. That went on for a good fifteen or so minutes with some of the anxious crowd eventually getting backed into the stairwell. That was about the same time as HM Paul Muller arrived and he, upon seeing the waiting crowd, didn’t look too pleased (don’t know the reason for the delay/wait).

Anyhow, shortly after, the doors did open and the crowds streamed in and were welcomed by Captain de Boer and HM Muller. We soon discovered that those of us with room numbers were escorted to the raised portion at the front center of the dining room, in between the two stairwells leading up to the upper portion of the room. We were led to a large rounder with ten chairs upon which were little paper name plates on which everyone’s name was printed. Our table mates – two turned out to be no-shows – were from Arroyo Grande, CA, Santa Barbara, CA. and Detroit, MI. It was once again a “small world” because the wife of the Arroyo Grande couple was born and raised in Holland and had immigrated to the States at a young age. We did some reminiscing of our time in the old country; good stuff! When everyone was seated, CD Michael picked up a mike and introduced Zaandam’s Master. The captain gave a little speech in which he briefly talked about Nieuw Amsterdam IV and the weather. The CD then introduced the “new” Mariner Society program and asked those with Mariner, two, three and four-star status to raise their hand and be acknowledged. Next he did the same for those with 300-day status. There would be one presentation by the captain and Hotel manager for 500-day medals and that was to the couple at our table from Detroit.

HM Paul Muller and CD Michael Headla then joined our table and we enjoyed a nice brunch and good conversation. Learned that there will be many more Indonesian girls joining HAL in the future in such venues as the dining room and Pinnacle Grill. Apparently, the “experiment” with the Indonesian girls on Eurodam’s Tamarind has been successful! Also learned that HAL, unfortunately, will be dropping Kailua-Kona from the itinerary we are currently on because they will be making this a fourteen as opposed to a fifteen-day cruise. (I’d wish they drop Hilo over Kona, personally!). Then learned that the U.S. Government is talking about tightening the screws on foreign-flagged passenger vessels such as HAL, as far as the always popular and ancient Passenger Service Act! Instead of potentially doing away with it, they are now talking about stricter guidelines, i.e. forcing lines to spent a minimum amount of time in their “distant foreign port(s)”.In other words, we are spending four hours at nighttime (8:00 PM to Midnight) in Ensenada, Mexico in order to satisfy the PSA. What it sounds like is that this might be changed to; say a full day in beautiful Ensenada. Only time will tell!

The menu for today’s brunch consisted of a Mariner’s seafood cocktail or Mixed Baby Greens with grilled chicken breast and Italian dressing for appetizer/salad and Seared salmon with mustard sauce, assorted vegetables and fingerling potatoes or Sirloin steak with green peppercorn sauce, mashed potatoes and assorted vegetables or Cheddar quiche with caramelized onions and broccoli served with mixed greens and balsamic dressing for entrees, followed by White mouse topped with strawberries for dessert.

During/after the brunch, I was able to get Capt. de Boer to put his autograph inside Stephen Card’s excellent book “The Spotless Fleet”, making a total of twelve HAL captain signatures plus the author’s in the book. The collection is growing. Speaking of collections, everyone at the Mariners brunch received a HAL Mariner “tegel” or tile at their table. It was one of the 2009 editions, the one of the old triple-stack Statendam’s riding the waves above the description “Real Comfort”.

 

Based on what some posters are writing here, looks like HAL is still "experimenting" with the whole ball game so I wouldn't get too exited yet about not being "recognized":cool:

[ekerr19]

If I had 500+ days and, subsequently, was the highest-ranking mariner aboard ship on several cruises, I would feel as though HAL wasn't appreciating my business if I were being repeatedly ignored and passed over for invites to special parties, private dinners, drinks, and such, while other lower-ranking mariners were getting all the special treatment.

 

KK books Suites all the time. I highly doubt she is being overlooked for any Suite perks. I also doubt lower ranking Mariners are receiving anything she isn't. :)

[jtl513]

Not sure what the point of having the 'extra' days included in the total would be. Aren't your extra's included in your total at the bottom?

We have not yet been on a cruise since the program started. If HAL PR Manager Sarah is correct, there is no point in recording bonus Cruise Credits once you're past 200 ... unless somebody is thinking there will be a 5-star Mariner level someday.

[ekerr19]

We have not yet been on a cruise since the program started. If HAL PR Manager Sarah is correct, there is no point in recording bonus Cruise Credits once you're past 200 ... unless somebody is thinking there will be a 5-star Mariner level someday.

 

Well, they are recording ours and that's all I can go by - plus what I learned on our last cruise... our extra days will count towards medallions, but again it seems to depend on who you talk to. ;)

[Copper10-8]

KK books Suites all the time. I highly doubt she is being overlooked for any Suite perks. I also doubt lower ranking Mariners are receiving anything she isn't. :)

 

 

Gotta be a conspiracy;)

[sail7seas]

We have not yet been on a cruise since the program started. If HAL PR Manager Sarah is correct, there is no point in recording bonus Cruise Credits once you're past 200 ... unless somebody is thinking there will be a 5-star Mariner level someday.

 

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[ekerr19]

Gotta be a conspiracy;)

 

No doubt. Hey, let's call CSI!!! :cool:

 

Glad to hear you had a similar experience on Zaandam as we did on Westerdam. :)

[Copper10-8]

No doubt. Hey, let's call CSI!!! :cool:

 

Glad to hear you had a similar experience on Zaandam as we did on Westerdam. :)

 

It's a brand new program which is already being revised with the whole "medal deal" Still a work in progress! ;)

[RevNeal]

Well, Greg you are a lucky minority then. :) It usually doesn't happen unless someone knows someone who knows someone... the VIP used to be where the CD, GRM etc., could send invites to whomever they encountered who they found interesting or just wanted to invite - nowadays, it's almost exclusively limited to Suites and PS and high ranking Mariners and guests of invitees and officers. ;)

 

Well ... I guess so. In a few cases I can identify precisely why I was invited, but on many cruises I can't really say why. For instance, based upon what you've written I shouldn't have been invited to a party aboard the Rotterdam on this month's crossing ... but I was. I didn't know the Captain or Hotel Manager when I boarded, I wasn't booked in a Suite, and my day-count put me in the lower half of the hardware-ranked mariner census. That didn't seem to matter ... I got an invite and also enjoyed dinner with an officer one evening.

 

In a few cases my day-count made me near the top of the mariner census (3rd on one ship, 5th on the other). That may have done it. In several cases I knew the Hotel Manager and/or the Captain from prior cruises ... including cruises where I had served a chaplain. On a couple of cruises I think my invites were due to what I am here on CC. But, for most of the cruises where i received invites I just can't pin down WHY I got to go. Perhaps I am just charmed?

[RevNeal]

KK books Suites all the time. I highly doubt she is being overlooked for any Suite perks. I also doubt lower ranking Mariners are receiving anything she isn't. :)

 

I know she books suites all the time. All I remarking on is what she has said on this thread.

[ekerr19]

It's a brand new program which is already being revised with the whole "medal deal" Still a work in progress! ;)

 

That's what we heard too. :) Hope you had a good time, we'd love to do that one some day soon - too many days for Sonny to be away right now.

 

How'd you find the crossing? Like coming up the Baja or smoother?

[Copper10-8]

That's what we heard too. :) Hope you had a good time, we'd love to do that one some day soon - too many days for Sonny to be away right now.

 

How'd you find the crossing? Like coming up the Baja or smoother?

 

If you like sea days and pretty much doing absolutely nothing with extreme prejudice;), awesome! First two days out of San Diego had some "movement" due to swell - not easy for the seniors/mobility impaired. Coming back was smoother with some spots of movement. I'd say a bit more movement than N-B alonside the Baja coast. Nine days at sea; can't beat it!:) Hope you guys get to do it some time!

[ekerr19]

If you like sea days and pretty much doing absolutely nothing with extreme prejudice;), awesome! First two days out of San Diego had some "movement" due to swell - not easy for the seniors/mobility impaired. Coming back was smoother with some spots of movement. I'd say a bit more movement than N-B alonside the Baja coast. Nine days at sea; can't beat it!:) Hope you guys get to do it some time!

 

Ah! We'd love it! A piece of cake for Sonny, lol!! And we DO love those sea days. Baja is okay by me - heck, we did an early spring from Norfolk and the NB along Cape Hatteras had the Maasdam bobbing like a cork! :D

[Copper10-8]

Ah! We'd love it! A piece of cake for Sonny, lol!! And we DO love those sea days. Baja is okay by me - heck, we did an early spring from Norfolk and the NB along Cape Hatteras had the Maasdam bobbing like a cork! :D

 

I heard that area around Cape Hatteras can get wild and crazy!;)

[NMLady]

... This system is good for people who can only cruise once or twice a year. but it does nothing for the people who cruise often.

 

It's also good for those who can afford suites and can afford to book ship's excursions and other ship services. If we want to cruise more than once every year or so, we're limited by budget to oceanview cabin and often the cheapest one. I like a system where credit is solely for days cruised, regardless of type of cabin or money spent.