Holland America Line Privileges

[3rdGenCunarder]

I guess HAL endorses if we are lucky enough to sail with them we can at least sit and listen to their crappy sails pitches at every corner.....WOW, I feel priviledged!

It could be.worse....they could come a knockin' at our cabin doors to deliver sales piches.

 

I'd call Security!!! :eek:

Edited August 7, 2016 by 3rdGenCunarder

[wrmiles]

There have been discussions and complaints for many years on this subject (search Carnival Vacation Club on the Carnival Boarf), associated with the sales and business practices of sellers of Vacation Packages, Vacation Clubs, Timeshare Points, etc.

 

Why does not CC do an article on the subject?

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

If it is free, it still is not worth it

[lahlah57]

People must.actually fall.for this kind.of sales.nonsense or they would not continue with it!

I will say it again...." a sucker born..........!

[RocketMan275]

People must.actually fall.for this kind.of sales.nonsense or they would not continue with it!

I will say it again...." a sucker born..........!

 

Yes, people do fall for this. Unfortunately, those who fall are those who really can't afford to pay the costs.

[RocketMan275]

People must.actually fall.for this kind.of sales.nonsense or they would not continue with it!

I will say it again...." a sucker born..........!

 

Yes, people do fall for this. Unfortunately, those who fall are those who really can't afford to pay the costs.

 

They tend to be naive. They tend to not have a lot of money. They fall for the idea that they can get more for less.

 

I actually talked to a person today who has been dealing with these folks for a couple of years. He thinks they're great.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Yes, people do fall for this. Unfortunately, those who fall are those who really can't afford to pay the costs.

 

They tend to be naive. They tend to not have a lot of money. They fall for the idea that they can get more for less....

 

The naive and trusting might think that because something as established as HAL promotes it, that it must be worthwhile. When they buy in, and realize that it is not all that was promised or implied, the HAL brand will be then tarnished in their minds, and everyone's they tell about it.

 

On the other hand, I remember getting the "hard sell" to attend a Hilton-owned timeshare sales pitch years ago while I was paying to stay at one of their resorts in Hawaii, and I don't see that their brand has been harmed. So perhaps HAL knows what it is doing?

[lahlah57]

Regardless.......of how and why HAL or any other cruiselines does these sales pitches that benefits their profit line, it will put me in a contract, money out of my pocket and an impossible situation that would require a lawyer to get out of. NO THANKYOU:cool:

[RocketMan275]

The naive and trusting might think that because something as established as HAL promotes it, that it must be worthwhile. When they buy in, and realize that it is not all that was promised or implied, the HAL brand will be then tarnished in their minds, and everyone's they tell about it.

 

Does Holland stand behind the vendors on their ships? If you have an issue with a camera or some jewelry will Holland help? I know there is an implication that these guys are 'endorsed' by Holland, but is that actually true?

[BobandRuth]

Thanks very much for this exceptionally detailed post. I agree that this program makes HollandAmerica look bad, and we have had almost nothing but positive experiences with HAL. We always enthusiastically recommend HAL to our friends. Really appreciate your research.

[retafcruiser]

Does Holland stand behind the vendors on their ships? If you have an issue with a camera or some jewelry will Holland help? I know there is an implication that these guys are 'endorsed' by Holland, but is that actually true?

From horror stories I have read here on Cruise Critic, the answer is "No". The vendors are independent contractors.

[RMLincoln]

I appreciate the "heads-up" about this new business as preparation for our upcoming cruise next month. It's not for us.... neither are the art auctions, nor the gambling opportunities, nor the chances to shop at Diamond's International, nor the "heath presentations" nor the $1200 year's worth of sea weed that one has a chance to purchase after a massage....

 

BUT, HAL is a money-making operation. If they aren't making their margin from fares they need other revenue sources. I'm not too familiar with the luxury cruise lines but my guess is that they don't need to have these types of revenue streams because they get their margin from their fares.

 

For me, the money HAL makes from the casinos, beverage packages, art auctions and all the other ways they have to separate people from their money helps keep the fares lower for me... and for you.

 

So far I have preferred a "a la carte" cruise line where I get to choose where I spend my money (usually on shore excursions) rather than an all-inclusive cruise line where I'm paying for someone else's bar tab etc. JMHO. m--

Edited August 12, 2016 by RMLincoln

[kira5]

We signed up for this program on a cruise in August. I haven't decided yet if it will be to my benefit but will stick with it long enough to 'break even.' I think HAL has to ensure this program is worthwhile or it won't continue. It sounds like it is still in the 'tweaking' stage.

 

The free resort stays are at time share resorts. Time shares seem to be losing favour (I hear regular radio ads for companies that promise to get you out of your time share for a fee). The reviews for resorts like the Mayan Palace complain of harassment by time share salespeople. The resorts are not all- inclusive; they are usually at inaccessible locations so you will be eating at expensive on-site restaurants. The resorts in Cancun, for example, are part of an enormous 5 resort complex that could be problematic for those with some mobility issues. Because we were among the first to sign up on the cruise, we were given 2 resort stays, plus $500 cruise credit, plus a mini tablet.

 

The Power Point presentation that is given, either individually or to a group, glosses over some matters (such as the type of resort as detailed above). The airport access to premium lounges is for one person only, a maximum of 4 times for one year. If you are not travelling alone you will need to pay to have the rest of your party join you. The percentage given back as cruise credits can be very high - 90% if you choose to purchase a $20,000 diamond engagement ring or 10% for lesser cost items. There are definitely cheaper items available for purchase like a $6 pack of felt pens. The annual renewal fee ($99) is waived if you make a purchase during the year.

 

Many items for sale are for high end shoppers, $400 purses and $200 set of tumblers but there are many lower priced items and you can specify the price range you want in the search parameters as well order your search by price. Many hotels are available to be searched for although not all regions are well covered.

 

For example, looking at London hotels, there are lots of budget hotels (under $100) as well as luxury ones and even hostels.

 

The wine offerings are not available to Canadians (I'm not surprised given the taxes we pay on liquor) but this was not disclosed at the briefing. The spa (You have to call for the prices) and golf vacations are geared towards people who are used to spending a lot of money to treat themselves. When I peruse the website I feel that I am hanging out with the 1% crowd which can be intimidating or uplifting, depending on my mood! I don't feel we are really their target market but I have high hopes of ending up with a free cruise once a year or two.

 

I use Ebates from time to time to get a small rebate (maybe 6%) on purchases from places like LL Bean. I recently started collecting points with Avion (credit card) towards air fares. The trend seems to be not to spend money unless there is a payback so I see the Privileges program as one of those things.

 

The two 7 day resort certificates compensate me for the $1500 buy-in and after that I'm taking a 'wait and see' approach.

[BobandRuth]

Thanks very much for this detailed response!

[Europeantraveler1]

In response to Kira5 and others:

My husband and I also purchased this program. We too received the $500 visa card; a mini tablet and resort stay(s). Actually, there was an onboard drawing for all those that had purchased the program and we won another trip! So all told we have three trips; two of those (the two that offer resort stays in various, luxury beach resorts in eastern and western Mexican Riviera areas) we "gifted" to each of our two daughters and the third one we can choose to visit Hawaii or any number of other resorts in the U.S. There is an expiration date on all three; I believe they expire sometime in 2018.

 

There was NEVER any high-pressure sales pitch from the representative. WE approached THEM. And believe me....we are highly suspicious of anything that 'smells' fishy and are very wary. But,....we LOVE to travel and cruise (especially with HAL) so we felt this was something we would benefit from. We have three upcoming cruises and plan to use this program to our advantage. Everything was explained in a timely fashion by the rep and all questions we had were answered completely.

 

On our return from our cruise we started researching hotels for our next HAL pre- cruise to Italy and Greece. We looked online for a 5-star hotel that had caught my attention at one time and it happened to be included in the hotel choices in the HAL privileges program. I believe it was listed, also, on either Booking.com or something similar. Anyway, the price on that site was a bit lower than the HAL listing price. We had also been told that HAL Privileges would match if there was a lower price so we called and they did!!

 

We returned from our last cruise in late Sept. so haven't had a real chance to use this program but with Christmas approaching we will definitely do that!

 

As "Kira5" said, the two, 7-day resort stays we received plus the third we won at the drawing (in addition to the $500 credit and mini-pad) certainly compensates for the initial outlay. So we will approach this with a 'wait and see' approach, also. But, so far, so good!!

[SeaBands]

and am already stuck with a time share so I'll skip it. I also got an email about a focus group on board Kdam with a $75 obc if I'm selected to participate. Focus groups are one thing. Selling this program is a scam like the art auctions.

[Lynda S]

They offered it to a 'privileged few' on board the Westerdam Hawaii cruise in Oct. I didn't go to the presentation, but curiosity got the better of me on the second last sea day as they had desk set up by the Front Desk that was constantly manned. The Future Cruise Credit desk (which is where I was going) had a line up a mile long, so I stopped by and talked to them for a few minutes but when she got to the prices (the Canadian prices), I said no thanks.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks very much for this exceptionally detailed post. I agree that this program makes HollandAmerica look bad, and we have had almost nothing but positive experiences with HAL. We always enthusiastically recommend HAL to our friends. Really appreciate your research.

I agree

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

[ScottishMaid]

I just received an email from HAL saying my free gift would be waiting for me when I board the Westerdam on Saturday and that I was one of a chosen few. It is "by invitation only". I was glad to find this thread to read about the program while I have fast wifi at home. I googled and found a HAL webpage:

https://www.hollandamericaprivileges.com/en/hal-privileges-preview/

 

Anyone have recent experience with it? Doubt we would use it.

[RocketMan275]

I just received an email from HAL saying my free gift would be waiting for me when I board the Westerdam on Saturday and that I was one of a chosen few. It is "by invitation only". I was glad to find this thread to read about the program while I have fast wifi at home. I googled and found a HAL webpage:

https://www.hollandamericaprivileges.com/en/hal-privileges-preview/

 

Anyone have recent experience with it? Doubt we would use it.

 

 

Read PsyberDave review post #38

 

BTW, it's always a good idea to check with the Better Business Bureau. At the bottom of the page, you'll note this is a part of International Cruise and Excursions.

Edited December 27, 2016 by RocketMan275

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Carnival had this 20 years ago

On Carnival Cruise line. It was called Carnival Vacation Club. It closed after 10 years Closed.

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

[RocketMan275]

Carnival had this 20 years ago

On Carnival Cruise line. It was called Carnival Vacation Club. It closed after 10 years Closed.

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

 

Here's why it closed:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=940799

[tperru]

We just finished a cruise on the Koningsdam and I would like to share my experience with HAL's Privileges program. We received the invitation to learn about the program so we watched the presentation. We were told there that we could earn cash back for certain purchases to put towards a cruise. Theoretically we could earn up to 60% of the purchase price of certain items such as hotels, home goods, and restaurants. It is a fair amount of work to get that cash back. For example, hotels have to be booked through their website. If you find a better price elsewhere you have to contact HAL's concierge for a price match. Want to eat at a restaurant and get cash back? It sounded to me like you have to buy a gift card through them and then use the card at the participating restaurant. My first hint that there was more to this than meets the eye was when they would not address the question of cost at the presentation. You had to sign up to meet with them to get that little detail. So we did. When we arrived at the Priveleges desk, we were led to the Queen's lounge allegedly because it was quieter. That was my second clue that something was amiss. The saleswoman first told us about the basic package for $795. For that price you get the opportunity to purchase items through their website and hopefully earn cash back. She said that $100 of that would be applied towards future cruise credit. However, this is a little misleading. As someone pointed out in another post, you have to maintain $99 in your account at all times to keep the membership active. She then proceeded to tell us about "our most popular package", the one for $1995. According to her, $500 would be applied towards a future cruise and we would also receive a 7-day stay at a resort in some unknown location. She would not tell me where those resorts were when I asked. Also, if we booked within 24 hours, we would get a second complimentary stay, presumably at one of those same mystery resorts. Did I mention that she made notes for us on a piece of paper and did not provide any literature to review so we could make an informed decision? We said no thanks. That was also what I was hearing from other passengers. I hooe this helps to clarify things a bit.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We just finished a cruise on the Koningsdam and I would like to share my experience with HAL's Privileges program. We received the invitation to learn about the program so we watched the presentation. We were told there that we could earn cash back for certain purchases to put towards a cruise. Theoretically we could earn up to 60% of the purchase price of certain items such as hotels, home goods, and restaurants. It is a fair amount of work to get that cash back. For example, hotels have to be booked through their website. If you find a better price elsewhere you have to contact HAL's concierge for a price match. Want to eat at a restaurant and get cash back? It sounded to me like you have to buy a gift card through them and then use the card at the participating restaurant. My first hint that there was more to this than meets the eye was when they would not address the question of cost at the presentation. You had to sign up to meet with them to get that little detail. So we did. When we arrived at the Priveleges desk, we were led to the Queen's lounge allegedly because it was quieter. That was my second clue that something was amiss. The saleswoman first told us about the basic package for $795. For that price you get the opportunity to purchase items through their website and hopefully earn cash back. She said that $100 of that would be applied towards future cruise credit. However, this is a little misleading. As someone pointed out in another post, you have to maintain $99 in your account at all times to keep the membership active. She then proceeded to tell us about "our most popular package", the one for $1995. According to her, $500 would be applied towards a future cruise and we would also receive a 7-day stay at a resort in some unknown location. She would not tell me where those resorts were when I asked. Also, if we booked within 24 hours, we would get a second complimentary stay, presumably at one of those same mystery resorts. Did I mention that she made notes for us on a piece of paper and did not provide any literature to review so we could make an informed decision? We said no thanks. That was also what I was hearing from other passengers. I hooe this helps to clarify things a bit.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic . and your info on the program.

[KirkNC]

Welcome to Cruise Critic . and your info on the program.

 

Yes welcome and thanks for sharing your experience. Sounds like time shares II :rolleyes: