Have the Mariner Perks Gone Away?

[3rdGenCunarder]

7 hours ago, ScottC4746 said:

We had 1 cruise night when we boarded the Eurodam a few weeks ago and we did get a Welcome Reception invitation (but opted out of going) and did go to the brunch and received our tiles as well as a collectible gift.  It was  logoed reusable shopping bag.

 

I think HAL considers the tiles the Mariner "collectible gift," not the bag.

[0bnxshs]

On 4/27/2019 at 10:01 AM, avian777 said:

 

I don't know what period of time is covered by the experiences you describe above, but an acquaintance of mine who has worked at HAL for several years told me last summer that HAL had stopped automatically giving out Mariner * pins because so few people actually want them.  Now they generally keep a supply on each ship for the Front Desk to hand out on request.

 

Again, to show the inconsistency of information passed to ships and execution of plans, in our experience on Zaandam in November 2018 pins were automatically given to those who earned them via the mail slots at each cabin.  This is how my FIL knew he'd not gotten his.

Edited April 29, 2019 by 0bnxshs

[Despegue]

Is anyone actually wearing these pins?

[0bnxshs]

19 minutes ago, Despegue said:

Is anyone actually wearing these pins?

 

On NS in January we saw several people wearing theirs at the Medallion ceremony.

[Overhead Fred]

2 hours ago, Despegue said:

Is anyone actually wearing these pins?

 

I always wear mine in the lapel of my jacket on Gala Nights.

 

It is the most expensive "jewelry" I own!

[Overhead Fred]

We also got two sets of gold pins on our last cruise. I will need to call to see what benefits you get for being 8-Star 😁!

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, Overhead Fred said:

We also got two sets of gold pins on our last cruise. I will need to call to see what benefits you get for being 8-Star 😁!

 

Good luck with that! 😛

 

We never wore our HAL pins but on Cunard, DH always wore one of our World Club "diamond" pins on the lapel of his tux on formal nights. And I have worn one a few times. (Their current pins look cheap, but the previous ones were really nice. They even have a small diamond on them. It's real, right????)

[taxmantoo]

13 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Good luck with that! 😛

 

 (Their current pins look cheap, but the previous ones were really nice. They even have a small diamond on them. It's real, right????)

Of course 😉 Anything less would be totally unacceptable !!!

[joekerstef]

9 hours ago, Despegue said:

Is anyone actually wearing these pins?

My mother does. Along with a whole bunch of others. 

[Btimmer]

We received our 5* pins at the end of the cruise on which we earned them.  As for wearing them, they look nice pinned inside my backpack. . .

[Terre]

On 4/25/2019 at 2:41 PM, cruisen cracker said:

Just completed a 13 day cruise and now on a separately booked 9 day one.  First cruise, no Mariner Brunch and no "Collectible Gift".  This cruise no Welcome Reception and no Brunch.  We used to get tiles at the end of every cruise, apparently not anymore. Three Star status isn't worth very much.

We just returned from our Koningsdam cruise and are one star.  We had the lunch, but got no tile.  My SIL asked if I got it and I told her no.  I didn't see anyone get one.

[3rdGenCunarder]

21 minutes ago, Terre said:

We just returned from our Koningsdam cruise and are one star.  We had the lunch, but got no tile.  My SIL asked if I got it and I told her no.  I didn't see anyone get one.

 

Sometimes if they're feeling lazy, they don't put the tiles on the table. They just have the tiles available as you walk out.

 

[Terre]

They were I even handing them out.  My SIL said that's what they do, but not for us. Oh well.

 

[sail7seas]

On 4/28/2019 at 7:40 AM, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I think HAL considers the tiles the Mariner "collectible gift," not the bag.

 

Yes, 

I agree  the  collectible gifts are the  tiles.

 

Both of my recent  cruises, the tiles were placed neatly at the top of each place setting at  the brunch  and were there when we were seated at the table.

 

 

 

 

[jhannah]

We had the perks on our cruise in May.

[SilvertoGold]

Westerdam did a good job with the Mariner perks.

For our Collector's cruise:  

 

Embarkation lunch in MDR in both Vancouver and Seward; 

 

Mariner Reception on both embarkation days in Billboard Onboard / Gallery Bar with Officers in attendance (and they talked to the pax!); 

 

Mariner Awards Ceremony on both cruises in the MDR with 4 and 5 stars plus awardees invited: this was done privately before they let in all the other Mariners.  Tiles handed out at dessert time.  I noticed that they asked if we wanted them, instead of just putting them on tables.

[Lovely other]

I didn’t receive an invite to the brunch or a tile on my recent Nieuw Statendam cruise (3*) ... I don’t always attend anyway but it would have been nice to at least been asked 🙄

[HokiePoq]

On 4/26/2019 at 10:32 AM, grsnovi said:

We've had tiles show up in our cabin as well as getting them at the lunch however I've never missed a meal on a cruise and I have to say that the tile is pretty worthless. Once upon a time there were certainly more Mariner benefits (even if they also didn't rise to expensive heights).

You can send your extra tiles to me, lol.  I love them!   I use them as coasters and have a glass of wine sitting on a cracked one right now.  DH has a way of breaking them unfortunately.   

[kazu]

54 minutes ago, Lovely other said:

I didn’t receive an invite to the brunch or a tile on my recent Nieuw Statendam cruise (3*) ... I don’t always attend anyway but it would have been nice to at least been asked 🙄

 

 

It would have been nice to be asked for sure - very strange but...

 

The tile is available to all Mariners whether you go to the luncheon or not.

 

Just go to guest services and say you didn’t go, not growing or didn’t get the invite and they will give you the tile.
 

 

 

 

[leerathje]

On 4/26/2019 at 3:40 AM, terrydtx said:

Interesting that the HAL website still shows this benefit: Mariner Welcome Onboard Lunch.

This was in the past the lunch in the MDR on embarkation day that only Mariner members could attend, but now it is open to all passengers who know about it.

 

We were on the Koningsdam with my brother, SIL & dad in January...first time cruisers.  Brother has Celiacs, so they ate lunch in the MDR the first day...they each got a tile!  Man, I was pissed off I didn't go!

[0bnxshs]

No tiles provided on Noordam cruise ending 7/7 in Vancouver.  Kinda bummed by this.

 

There were pins for Mariners in cabin mailboxes on the day prior to debarking.

 

Also, no refreshments or seating in the pop-up tent next to gangway when docked at any port.  At Ketchikan, not even the tent.  Asked the Entertainment Director, who was filling in as CD since she inexplicably left during the cruise, about why this was but he had no idea why.  Never got a chance to ask HD Mark Pells.

 

Things seem to be slipping down a slope to me.....

[syesmar]

0bnxshs,

Did you attend the Mariner's Lunch/Brunch?

We didn't attend this sailing and called the Front Office and they had them delivered.  I believe you can call the Mariner Society and they will mail them to you.

[0bnxshs]

Yes, we went to both the Medallion ceremony and lunch.  We stayed for the entire lunch.  The Entertainment Director did the toast as neither the HD or Master spoke a word at the lunch although both were present.  There were no tiles at the tables, exit, brought in and left anyplace and by the time we left the MDR was filled with the lunch crowd.  I didn't bother going to or calling the front desk, half thinking they may be in our cabins, but will mention it in the survey and may call the Mariner Society.

 

Overall, this cruise seemed to be a vaguely dysfunctional one.  Room stewards, wait staff and bar service were at their usual high levels but I still feel things are changing even more for the worst.

Edited July 8, 2019 by 0bnxshs

[SilvertoGold]

obnxshs: so sorry you weren't on the Westerdam for the same itinerary.  My post above outlines a totally different approach taken by the Westerdam to the Mariner Reception and Brunch. It is unfortunate that HAL is so inconsistent.

[erewhon]

15 hours ago, 0bnxshs said:

Yes, we went to both the Medallion ceremony and lunch.  We stayed for the entire lunch.  The Entertainment Director did the toast as neither the HD or Master spoke a word at the lunch although both were present.  There were no tiles at the tables, exit, brought in and left anyplace and by the time we left the MDR was filled with the lunch crowd.  I didn't bother going to or calling the front desk, half thinking they may be in our cabins, but will mention it in the survey and may call the Mariner Society.

 

Overall, this cruise seemed to be a vaguely dysfunctional one.  Room stewards, wait staff and bar service were at their usual high levels but I still feel things are changing even more for the worst.

 

Surpring that the senior staff did not speak, who was the Captain?