Are prepaid shore excursions considered an onboard purchase?

[Vict0riann]

They are very generous about "rounding up". We've been surprised.

[LindaM]

The double days apply to any veranda cabins on R and S class ships and to any PH, S, or S_ cabin on Vista and Signature class ships. It is based on the originally booked cabin, not the upgrade. Precruise purchases for items/activities during the cruise count, but not pre or post cruise hotels, air, or land add ons other than Alaska cruise tours.

 

Question...any veranda cabin? What about standard verandas on Prinsendam?

[sppunk]

Question...any veranda cabin? What about standard verandas on Prinsendam?

 

If it has suite in the name, it counts. On R & S ships, verandas are classified as Veranda Suites. I can't speak specifically to what they are called on the Prinsendam.

[cruz chic]

I asked my PPC about shore excursions booked before the cruise counting towards on board spending Mariner days and she said that they do NOT count. They only count if you purchase them while you are on the ship. This was the relevant part of the email:

 

"Good afternoon!

 

The accrual of Bonus Days are only good for onboard spending. You would have to book the Shore Excursions once you get on the ship for them to count towards the $300."

 

I got this email on October 15 so I'm thinking it reflects the current policy.

 

That must be brand new then. I'm thinking tha person is wrong.

[sail7seas]

I asked my PPC about shore excursions booked before the cruise counting towards on board spending Mariner days and she said that they do NOT count. They only count if you purchase them while you are on the ship. This was the relevant part of the email:

 

"Good afternoon!

 

The accrual of Bonus Days are only good for onboard spending. You would have to book the Shore Excursions once you get on the ship for them to count towards the $300."

 

I got this email on October 15 so I'm thinking it reflects the current policy.

 

 

She is mistaken.

 

She needs to learn the program better if she is going to provide answers to her clients' questions.

 

To the best of my knowledge, HAL has not issued any recent changes in the 'rules'. No one here has mentioned hearing any announcements of changes to the Star Mariner Program.

 

Edited November 8, 2013 by sail7seas

[Browser495]

She is mistaken.

 

She needs to learn the program better if she is going to provide answers to her clients' questions.

 

To the best of my knowledge, HAL has not issued any recent changes in the 'rules'. No one here has mentioned hearing any announcements of changes to the Star Mariner Program.

 

 

We booked excursions on line before our cruise and they counted in the calculations.

[spindrift]

We were like 1 from being a 3 star, and I purchased some land tours for our upcoming Antarctica cruise 1/8/14, and so far our account does not increase us to a 3 star????? any suggestions?

[sppunk]

We were like 1 from being a 3 star, and I purchased some land tours for our upcoming Antarctica cruise 1/8/14, and so far our account does not increase us to a 3 star????? any suggestions?

 

They won't take effect until your next voyage (they don't count toward the current booing and you don't get upgraded benefits for changing levels mid-cruise).

[Jemima]

Again, "It is based on the originally booked cabin" that is not what their web site states. It states "pays a published fare". If you upsell or upgrade and what you paid is equal to or more than a published fare on HALs web site then you should get the double points. Doesn't matter if it is an upsell or upgrade but is based on what you paid versus what HAL tries to sell the suite for on their web site. Keep the screen shot of HAL's published fare and what you paid for your upsell or upgrade.

 

Is this your interpretation or HAL's? I'd take "pays published fare" to mean that it doesn't or might not include special prices such as those available to some people in the travel industry. Don't know if I'm right. Anyway none of the upsell offers we've received would have brought the price up to the currently published price.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Jemima

[Davidson Duo]

On the Prinsendam you would need to be in a Vista Suite, Neptune Suite, or Pinnacle Suite. The standard Verandah Cabins do not qualify.

 

Question...any veranda cabin? What about standard verandas on Prinsendam?

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

You might book a shore excursion in advance and then cancel it so credits for star status are not posted until after you complete the cruise.

[Jemima]

From HAL's FAQs: "Beverage Service Charge, taxes, pre-booked shore excursions and all gift items purchased online or through Ship Services count towards bonus cruise day credits."

 

Jemima who would rather be cruising than posting

[sail7seas]

We booked excursions on line before our cruise and they counted in the calculations.

 

 

Same for us. :)

 

Pinnacle and Tamarind Dinners and excursions pre-booked all counted toward our spending.

 

 

[Linda&Vern]

This is a Mariner's Society program. If I had questions, that's who I would call. I think I would trust their answers. We have always gotten credit for pre-booked excursions, specialty restaurants, drink cards, etc. If there was a change, I think we would have heard about it. I think the HAL PCC was wrong ... unless they changed the program very recently.

[ksqueak]

I asked my PPC about shore excursions booked before the cruise counting towards on board spending Mariner days and she said that they do NOT count. They only count if you purchase them while you are on the ship. This was the relevant part of the email:

 

"Good afternoon!

 

The accrual of Bonus Days are only good for onboard spending. You would have to book the Shore Excursions once you get on the ship for them to count towards the $300."

 

I got this email on October 15 so I'm thinking it reflects the current policy.

 

 

this must be a recent change because my past two cruises I have gotten credit for prebooked excursions. I just got home from my last one in September

[startwin]

I asked my PPC about shore excursions booked before the cruise counting towards on board spending Mariner days and she said that they do NOT count. They only count if you purchase them while you are on the ship. This was the relevant part of the email:

 

"Good afternoon!

 

The accrual of Bonus Days are only good for onboard spending. You would have to book the Shore Excursions once you get on the ship for them to count towards the $300."

 

I got this email on October 15 so I'm thinking it reflects the current policy.

 

 

Sorry but she's wrong. All my excursions are booked and paid for long before we sail, and they count. They simply aren't credited until completion of the cruise, along with your onboard spending.

[Roz]

Thanks for all the responses. I still don't know what a published fare is. My TA quotes me a price, I say yes or no, and we go from there.

 

As far as pre-booked excursions, HAL prefers that people pre-book rather than wait until they're onboard. There would be no incentive to do this (other than missing out on a popular excursion) if it didn't count towards Mariner days.

 

Roz

[retdon]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you're upgraded to a suite, you don't get the bonus points. It has to be that your original booking was a suite and that's what you paid for.

 

Roz

 

 

You are correct. We were upgraded last year from a veranda to suite, SY and did not get double days. I booked an SS this cruise and was verified that we will get double days.

[kiwijohn]

Do you get any Mariner Days Credit for spending on the Explore 4 Signature Beverage Package??

[librarysmile]

From HAL's FAQs: "Beverage Service Charge, taxes, pre-booked shore excursions and all gift items purchased online or through Ship Services count towards bonus cruise day credits."

 

Jemima who would rather be cruising than posting

 

Thank you Jemima! I'm going to send her an email quoting the FAQ and ask again. I normally book my shore excursions way ahead of time but haven't because I wanted the bonus cruise days.

 

Really appreciate the information!

[Vict0riann]

Do you get any Mariner Days Credit for spending on the Explore 4 Signature Beverage Package??

 

If you buy it, I imagine you do, but if it's the "free" promo Explore4, that remains to be seen - I wonder if it works like an OBC.

[kjw869]

I asked my PPC about shore excursions booked before the cruise counting towards on board spending Mariner days and she said that they do NOT count. They only count if you purchase them while you are on the ship. This was the relevant part of the email:

 

"Good afternoon!

 

The accrual of Bonus Days are only good for onboard spending. You would have to book the Shore Excursions once you get on the ship for them to count towards the $300."

 

I got this email on October 15 so I'm thinking it reflects the current policy.

 

She is wrong. We only book HAL shore excursions online before our cruise and have always gotten credit for Cruise Day Credits.

[cruz chic]

I remember a poster on this board that ripped me a new one because I dared to say HAL employees make a lot of mistakes. How dare I :D. This goes to show how uninformed they are about simple questions.

[CHOPPERTESTER]

You are correct. We were upgraded last year from a veranda to suite, SY and did not get double days. I booked an SS this cruise and was verified that we will get double days.

 

You did not get double days because you never paid at least or more than a published fare (HAL web site) for the SY.

 

Start with a verandah at $1200, get upsell (say $199 more) or upgrade to SY so most you paid was $1200 (upgrade) or $1499 (upsell) but the HAL web site lowest price (published fare) for an SY was $1500. So no double points. Upsell for $200 instead of $199 and you paid $1500 which was a published fare for the SY so then you would get the double days.

 

You could get an upgrade to a SY and if the price of the SY dropped on HALs web site to $1200 then you would get double days.

 

Better to deal with HAL directly. You pay a TA `x` dollars and the TA pays HAL`y` dollars and you do not know what the TA pays HAL. That can complicate the whole upsell or upgrade issue.

[LindaM]

You did not get double days because you never paid at least or more than a published fare (HAL web site) for the SY.

 

Start with a verandah at $1200, get upsell (say $199 more) or upgrade to SY so most you paid was $1200 (upgrade) or $1499 (upsell) but the HAL web site lowest price (published fare) for an SY was $1500. So no double points. Upsell for $200 instead of $199 and you paid $1500 which was a published fare for the SY so then you would get the double days.

 

You could get an upgrade to a SY and if the price of the SY dropped on HALs web site to $1200 then you would get double days.

 

Better to deal with HAL directly. You pay a TA `x` dollars and the TA pays HAL`y` dollars and you do not know what the TA pays HAL. That can complicate the whole upsell or upgrade issue.

 

I don't agree with dealing with HAL directly. We got $250 OBC for a 2 week cruise from HAL, and $1000 from our TA. If you are looking for upsells, HAL is probably best, but you are still paying for it by paying more for your cruise initially.