Now that we are 5* Mariners - a question please?

[kazu]

In November we will do a 32 day cruise on the Amsterdam. This is a back to back cruise, on one booking number. We will be four star on the first leg and five star on the second leg. My understanding is that we will have five star status on the return leg. What ships have afforded this in the past ?

 

Now, for a change on this thread - I can help ;)

 

Don't assume anything. Email the Mariner's Society to get confirmation.

 

As long as you have sufficient sea days to pull it off (on board spending will not come into play), take a print out of your current mariner status and number of days to take on board.

 

It has been done on a couple of cruises for some CC friends - Prinsendam was the one where it was done.

 

BUT they came fully prepared with their email from the Mariner's society, and their print out of proof of sea days. that's a must.

 

hope this helps a bit.

[Storylady]

If you sail on the Prinsendam, you will get three Pinnacle Grill meals per Five Star Mariner. The Prinsendam doesn't have a spa so they give you an extra Pinnacle Grill Meal.

 

As for the Culinary Class, you will receive an invitation for the class or you can ask about them as too often we get an invitation for a day when we are in port.

 

You will receive aprons and have champagne to drink drink during the class which is hands-on. Since you can't eat the meal due to US restrictions on multi-use rooms, you get a free lunch with wine served immediately after the class in the Pinnacle Grill. We have done this several times and it is lots of fun.

[CaveDiving]

I just went to check and it is two complimentary dinners for two people!

 

I guess that's another $58 OBC :)

 

Yes, but it's a refundable OBC. :)

 

I'm not certain but I don't think it's refundable.

 

Scott & Karen

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

And I think, after you use your two free 5 star PG dinners, you then get the 50% off PG dinners for being 4-star. Anyone else experience that.

[kazu]

And I think, after you use your two free 5 star PG dinners, you then get the 50% off PG dinners for being 4-star. Anyone else experience that.

 

I would expect that ;) no worries :)

[cruz chic]

I'm not certain but I don't think it's refundable.

 

Scott & Karen

 

It should be. You overpaid in essence so they should pay you back if it doesn't get absorbed by other charges.

[sail7seas]

thanks - I went back to re-read and it sounded like 2 PG's but I think they mean for two people?

 

So basically one free PG = my obc just went down to $29 ;)

 

oh well. appreciate you letting us know.

 

thanks but no, DH is not 5* yet (he is doing Marley grrr). He is three days short. I started cruising long before he did.

 

So, in that case, I think we only get one dinner - no biggie - I just like to know what I have.

 

When I was 4* before he was he had my benefits but I guess this is different, I am so glad I asked - many thanks again :)

 

 

 

Each Five Star Mariner gets two Pinnacle Dinners.

Until Kazu's DH catches up and becomes Five Star, they will get one free dinner for two. Any Pinnacle dinners after that as long as DH is Four Star, they will get the 50% discount.

 

I never go to the cooking class and never was interested in asking for something in its place. My choice to not go, same as my choice to not go to the wine tasting so I don't think they should substitute something.

 

If on Prinsendam there is no spa, that is a different circumstance.

 

[SilvertoGold]

And I think, after you use your two free 5 star PG dinners, you then get the 50% off PG dinners for being 4-star. Anyone else experience that.

 

All the time! And remember, lunch in the Pinnacle, too, at 50%!

[sail7seas]

And I think, after you use your two free 5 star PG dinners, you then get the 50% off PG dinners for being 4-star. Anyone else experience that.

 

When we used up our two dinners for two in Pinnacle that were complimentary, we then paid 50% for any subsequent evenings we dined there.

 

[SilvertoGold]

well you are sharper than I. I was looking and kept going around in circles. But yes, in the past DH got what I got, he's always behind me but I helped him catch up ;)

 

good idea on emailing the Mariner Society and I will. I never thought of that. They are always good.

 

I already got 50% off everything before as 4* so no biggie.

 

So many thanks again - you have been so much help and it so appreciated you would take the time to look and help.

 

Many, many thanks :)

 

I'm a researcher and love to try to help out.

You are most welcome and very deserving!

[SilvertoGold]

Each Five Star Mariner gets two Pinnacle Dinners.

Until Kazu's DH catches up and becomes Five Star, they will get one free dinner for two.

 

 

No. You missed reading post #23. You can verify this on the HAL website, as noted.

[POA1]

I'm not certain but I don't think it's refundable.

 

Scott & Karen

The two, three, and four star credit was refundable for us.

[sail7seas]

No. You missed reading post #23. You can verify this on the HAL website, as noted.

 

You're right.

Thank you.

 

[kazu]

The two, three, and four star credit was refundable for us.

 

ha! ha! I expect no refund as I am sure we will use all of our OBC :eek:;) but I think you are correct!

 

I'm a researcher and love to try to help out.

You are most welcome and very deserving!

 

You are very kind. thank you again.

[RedmondCruiser]

Now, for a change on this thread - I can help ;)

 

Don't assume anything. Email the Mariner's Society to get confirmation.

 

As long as you have sufficient sea days to pull it off (on board spending will not come into play), take a print out of your current mariner status and number of days to take on board.

 

It has been done on a couple of cruises for some CC friends - Prinsendam was the one where it was done.

 

BUT they came fully prepared with their email from the Mariner's society, and their print out of proof of sea days. that's a must.

 

hope this helps a bit.

 

Thank you for your suggestion. I emailed the Mariner Society and they said that on segmented cruises the next star level will be applicable on the second leg. Effective December 1, 2015. Since my second leg of the cruise starts on December 2, I should be OK, and enjoy four star on the way down and five star on the way back.

[kazu]

Thank you for your suggestion. I emailed the Mariner Society and they said that on segmented cruises the next star level will be applicable on the second leg. Effective December 1, 2015. Since my second leg of the cruise starts on December 2, I should be OK, and enjoy four star on the way down and five star on the way back.

 

great. take that email and a print out on your Mariner history with you proving you only need the sea days to get there and you should be fine :)

[SilvertoGold]

great. take that email and a print out on your Mariner history with you proving you only need the sea days to get there and you should be fine :)

 

RedmondCruiser

 

This is great!

 

And I fully agree: please take a copy of the email and your Mariner history. It could be needed and you will be glad you have both!!

[FRANKIEDNYC]

:)Two PG dinners per person per cruise. We have used this perk several times. Also, if you wish you can use it at lunch

[POA1]

Congratulations!

[sail7seas]

Thank you for your suggestion. I emailed the Mariner Society and they said that on segmented cruises the next star level will be applicable on the second leg. Effective December 1, 2015. Since my second leg of the cruise starts on December 2, I should be OK, and enjoy four star on the way down and five star on the way back.

 

That's great. Just made it under the wire. :)

 

Congratulations.

 

[Tante Amalie]

I guess we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, but it's a bit strange how they handle the benefits. We are five star and have a 50 day cruise coming up in a couple of weeks. While I appreciate any gift, it seems strange that we receive the same benefits as a 1 week cruise that is much cheaper. This cruise is the equivalent of 7 back-to-back-to-back one week cruises. If you had those consecutive cruises at the five star level, you would receive a non-stop deluge of wine tastings, Pinnacle dinners, thermal suites, cooking classes, etc. When you spread this out over 7 weeks, it doesn't seem nearly as generous.

 

At any rate, I'm glad they created the 5 star level, but I think it could be handled better. I suspect that most 5 star cruisers tend to take longer cruises and have their benefits diluted.

[sail7seas]

If one carries that thought forward, what would you say about the guest who has 800+ days, all of which were in Neptune Suite or Pinnacle Suite? They are the same Platinum Medallion and Five Star as someone in a lower down cabin. To follow your thinking, should they receive more 'benefits'?

 

I'm not saying they should but wonder what others think? ;)

 

As to most Five Star Cruisers taking longer cruises....... maybe most do but certainly not all. My late DH and I never sailed any cruise longer than 14 or 15 days. He was not retired and could not leave his office without him for much longer than that. We accumulated all those days on 7, 10 and 14 day cruises. :)

Edited October 17, 2015 by sail7seas

[CaveDiving]

The two, three, and four star credit was refundable for us.

 

I think you were quite lucky if they were considered as refundable. Are you certain of this?

 

It is my understanding that any OBC given to a cruiser as a gift from HAL is not refundable generally. Any credits from sources other than HAL (cancelled prepaid excursions or activities, travel agent bonuses, etc.,) are refundable. For example I believe that the OBC for ownership of Carnival stock is not refundable.

 

Am I under a misapprehension here?

 

Scott & Karen

[sapper1]

I think you were quite lucky if they were considered as refundable. Are you certain of this?

 

It is my understanding that any OBC given to a cruiser as a gift from HAL is not refundable generally. Any credits from sources other than HAL (cancelled prepaid excursions or activities, travel agent bonuses, etc.,) are refundable. For example I believe that the OBC for ownership of Carnival stock is not refundable.

 

Am I under a misapprehension here?

 

Scott & Karen

 

We have had credits refunded at the end of a cruise several times; most recently after our Bermuda cruise in June. Our credits are always all promotional and stockholder. We don't expect them to be refunded but they are.

[Tante Amalie]

If one carries that thought forward, what would you say about the guest who has 800+ days, all of which were in Neptune Suite or Pinnacle Suite? They are the same Platinum Medallion and Five Star as someone in a lower down cabin. To follow your thinking, should they receive more 'benefits'?

 

I'm not saying they should but wonder what others think? ;)

 

I think you could make a case for receiving greater benefits for having spent more money on HAL over the years. It does complicate things a bit, but I do feel you should be rewarded in accordance with your "investment".

 

Some cruise lines do this already. We sail quite a bit with Crystal and they tie their milestone benefits to the type of cabin you have. Their program is very weak (no free laundry at any level) and mostly takes the form of cabin credit. The more expensive your cabin is, the more OBC you receive. We generally get their cheaper cabins and receive less OBC as a result. But I don't have a problem with the people in the Penthouse getting bigger rewards for their loyalty. They've certainly demonstrated that they are excellent customers.