HAL Mariner Wine Packages Are No More?

[Kynana]

Has anyone heard the news that HAL has abruptly eliminated the 50% discount on wine packages for 4 and 5 Star Mariners, although the perk is still listed on the HAL website in the Mariner section?

[VMax1700]

Bought a wine package on 8th October and received the 50% discount ok!

[Kynana]

Evidently it's just been eliminated according to guest services with no explanation. How they can still offer it online in the Mariner area descriptions is terrible. Very deceiving. 

[POA1]

It's still on their site:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/content/dam/hal/marketing-assets/mariner-society/documents/Holland-America-cruises-Mariner-Reward-Chart_WorldWide.pdf

[RocketMan275]

 

One wonders if this may be related to the new lists under development?

 

As reported elsewhere: "Holland America Line is tapping into the expertise of one of the world’s most acclaimed wine critics, James Suckling, to curate an extensive new wine list that will be featured on all ships in the premium fleet. As Holland America Line’s official wine curator, Suckling will lead the design and development of the premium line’s wine offerings and provide wine selection tips on the menus and wine lists of all shipboard dining venues and bars."

 

One also wonders if Holland will eliminate the ability to take more than two bottles of wine aboard as well.

[kazu]

5 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

 

One wonders if this may be related to the new lists under development?

 

As reported elsewhere: "Holland America Line is tapping into the expertise of one of the world’s most acclaimed wine critics, James Suckling, to curate an extensive new wine list that will be featured on all ships in the premium fleet. As Holland America Line’s official wine curator, Suckling will lead the design and development of the premium line’s wine offerings and provide wine selection tips on the menus and wine lists of all shipboard dining venues and bars."

 

One also wonders if Holland will eliminate the ability to take more than two bottles of wine aboard as well.

 

That's a good guess and it makes sense.  They are most likely in the process of revamping.  I can't see them taking away that benefit without some notice or at least, amending their website?

[RocketMan275]

8 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

That's a good guess and it makes sense.  They are most likely in the process of revamping.  I can't see them taking away that benefit without some notice or at least, amending their website?

It would seem that way but it is all speculation.  

[Kynana]

This is not speculation.

I couldn't see them taking away that benefit without some notice either, but I've talked to a person at the Mariner desk, a reservation agent and my travel agent contacted them. All three answers were the same. No 50% discount on wine packages for 4 and 5 star Mariners. 

I don't see how they can eliminate the benefit if it is still offered on their website, but they say they have. Period. False advertising. This is our first full cruise as a 4 star Mariner. The two benefits we worked to receive were the laundry and the wine package. If the wine package is no more, we're definitely looking into other cruise lines. Our loyalty will be a thing of the past. 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2018 by Kynana

[kazu]

6 minutes ago, Kynana said:

This is not speculation.

I couldn't see them taking away that benefit without some notice either, but I've talked to a person at the Mariner desk, a reservation agent and my travel agent contacted them. All three answers were the same. No 50% discount on wine packages for 4 and 5 star Mariners. 

I don't see how they can eliminate the benefit if it is still offered on their website, but they say they have. Period. False advertising. This is our first full cruise as a 4 star Mariner. The two benefits we worked to receive were the laundry and the wine package. If the wine package is no more, we're definitely looking into other cruise lines. Our loyalty will be a thing of the past. 

 

 

 

Called the Mariner's Society.  Here's the scoop.  They are bringing out the new packages that Rocketman referenced and until they are established, the discount is unknown.

 

Mostl likely it will be the same.  They are working on getting the new wine packages up asap and then the discounts will be established and applied.

 

The benefit is not eliminated but suspended temporarily while they are in the process.  Hope this makes sense?

[Kynana]

My husband bought a couple of the wine packages that they offer online for purchase ahead of time for our Oct. 28th cruise. It will be interesting to see how they handle that. 

[VMax1700]

9 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Called the Mariner's Society.  Here's the scoop.  They are bringing out the new packages that Rocketman referenced and until they are established, the discount is unknown.

 

Mostl likely it will be the same.  They are working on getting the new wine packages up asap and then the discounts will be established and applied.

 

The benefit is not eliminated but suspended temporarily while they are in the process.  Hope this makes sense?

Doesn't make a lot of sense to me!  The new packages will be available in the future, but customers are cruising now and want to purchase wine packages now.  If they have just ended the discount on wine packages without any advance notice I think there will be a lot of unhappy cruisers over the next couple of weeks.

[RocketMan275]

More speculation but I'll give it a try.  I suspect that what Kazu stated will happen.  They're working to get the new packages in place and they won't know the discount until they are.  My speculation is that they will continue the old Mariner discounts on the old packages but these discounts will be replaced by the new discounts on the new packages.   There is always a lot of confusion when things change.  To use an old Southern phrase: "Don't bark until you've been bit."  I predict everyone will get their discounts until the new packages and pricing is in effect.  If you're cruising in 2018, nothing changes.  After the New Year, you'll still get a Mariner discount but the discount may change.  It's still not clear how taking wine on board will change or even if it will.

[taxmantoo]

Could it simply be that the discount is not available for those booking online or directly through HAL before sailing like the specialty restaurants? But the discount is still available if you book onboard and HAL Guest Services in Seattle is not aware of that?

[POA1]

6 minutes ago, taxmantoo said:

Could it simply be that the discount is not available for those booking online or directly through HAL before sailing like the specialty restaurants? But the discount is still available if you book onboard and HAL Guest Services in Seattle is not aware of that?

That makes perfect sense. All of your discount adjustments are made onboard once the charge hots your folio. The only exception I know of is if you have a promo code for excursions.

[Kynana]

I was told point blank by three people that the discounts for the wine packages are no longer available. Period. I hope that's not true, but I can only go by what I was told. It makes no sense to do away with the discounts on the old packages before having the new ones available, but lately with the condition of the website, I can imagine that there is not a lot of organization at HAL these days! 

[Kynana]

I hate to keep saying the sa

2 minutes ago, POA1 said:

That makes perfect sense. All of your discount adjustments are made onboard once the charge hots your folio. The only exception I know of is if you have a promo code for excursions.

I hate to keep repeating myself, but I was told by the three different HAL employees that the discount was not available online or onboard. One even said that the employees were blindsided when the notice came through.

My agent emailed me the following after speaking to his HAL contact. "Unfortunately, the information you received is correct and they do not know why it has not been deleted from the website. The wine package is the only benefit which has been deleted and it's been deleted across the board, even up to their 5 star folks."

We will be sailing this coming Saturday for 21 days, so I can give an update after we're on the ship. I'll leave it at that and hope that I and my travel agent were given incorrect or incomplete information by the HAL people. 

 

[taxmantoo]

29 minutes ago, Kynana said:

 

We will be sailing this coming Saturday for 21 days, so I can give an update after we're on the ship. I'll leave it at that and hope that I and my travel agent were given incorrect or incomplete information by the HAL people. 

 

Wouldn't be the first time   Please come back and let us all know when you have a chance.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It wouldn't surprise me if HAL stopped the discounts. 

 

HAL starts all these new perks and then takes them away.

[oaktreerb]

31 minutes ago, Kynana said:

I hate to keep saying the sa

I hate to keep repeating myself, but I was told by the three different HAL employees that the discount was not available online or onboard. One even said that the employees were blindsided when the notice came through.

My agent emailed me the following after speaking to his HAL contact. "Unfortunately, the information you received is correct and they do not know why it has not been deleted from the website. The wine package is the only benefit which has been deleted and it's been deleted across the board, even up to their 5 star folks."

We will be sailing this coming Saturday for 21 days, so I can give an update after we're on the ship. I'll leave it at that and hope that I and my travel agent were given incorrect or incomplete information by the HAL people. 

 

The wine discount is still shown as a 4 star benefit in the 2019-2020 Cruise Atlas for select wine packages.  We’ll look forward to your report on this issue!  

[OlsSalt]

I suspect the new wine packages will cost considerably more to upgrade the quality of prior offerings, which will probably moot any later 4-5 star discount.  HAL has the nice problem of problem "too many" loyal passengers,  which I suspect now have grown in such numbers that the offered loyalty perks have become counter-productive to their bottom line. 

[Sea Belle]

Changes in policy are inevitable.   I don’t object to the new gratuity structure because the HAL crew is always outstanding.  I do object to a change in Mariner wine benefits.  It took us a while to reach 4* status and after finally reaching the 50% discount on wine packages have enjoyed it on every cruise.  The bottom line always needs protection.  That’s only good business, but customer satisfaction with earned/promised benefits needs to be maintained for the bottom line to be profitable.  Surely HAL will publicly clarify their policy before the rumors and suppositions discourage future booking by new and loyal cruisers.

[Vict0riann]

3 hours ago, POA1 said:

It's still on their site:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/content/dam/hal/marketing-assets/mariner-society/documents/Holland-America-cruises-Mariner-Reward-Chart_WorldWide.pdf

 

I've printed this out, and we'll take it with us in December.  Also Crew News' letter about the 50% off Sel de Mer. Hopefully this is all a bad dream!

[Daisyloo]

Our upcoming cruise in December will be our first as 4 star and we were really looking forward to the discount.  Fingers crossed that it is still available on the wine packages.  If not we are going to be .

OP,  please let us know what you find out about this on your cruise next week.  

[VMax1700]

6 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

 

I've printed this out, and we'll take it with us in December.  Also Crew News' letter about the 50% off Sel de Mer. Hopefully this is all a bad dream!

I was away for a couple of weeks. What is the letter about Sel de Mer about? 50% was available last week on Koningsdam.

[VMax1700]

Here is the note we received in stateroom.