3 Star to 4 Star While Cruising

[Seasick Sailor]

I did not realize that while cruising, when you reach your next star level, that you can go to the Guest Services desk and they can change you over to your next star while on board. You do not automatically change over (while on board) 

 

 

[dchip]

16 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

I did not realize that while cruising, when you reach your next star level, that you can go to the Guest Services desk and they can change you over to your next star while on board. You do not automatically change over (while on board) 

 

 

We did mot move up to 4 star on our 51 day cruise in November, even though we did ask about it. We received our 4 star pin the last day of the cruise. In 2016, we automatically moved from 2 star to 3 star. Both cruises were on the Amsterdam Tales of the South Pacific. 
 

Cheers, Denise 

[kwb101]

We just got off the 41-day portion of the 2020 South America Grand Voyage, and should've made 4-star late in the trip. I talked to a nice lady at the front desk, who told me that only actual cruise days counted during the voyage, not any bonus days for any purchases.

[catl331]

58 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

I did not realize that while cruising, when you reach your next star level, that you can go to the Guest Services desk and they can change you over to your next star while on board.

Unless you are on a long, segmented voyage you normally will not be upgraded until after the voyage is completed.  In that case they will do it at the start of the next segment.  We were 2 days short of the change while on a 7-day Eurodam cruise and they would not do it for us.

Edited February 27, 2020 by catl331

[Seasick Sailor]

15 minutes ago, catl331 said:

Unless you are on a long, segmented voyage you normally will not be upgraded until after the voyage is completed.  In that case they will do it at the start of the next segment.  We were 2 days short of the change while on a 7-day Eurodam cruise and they would not do it for us.

 

Perhaps that is what will happen.

I called HAL due to noticing this morning on all 3 of our B2B2B cruises starting next week, that a special beverage package was available. Since we already paid final, and just recently paid for the SBP for all 6 weeks, we were given a $600 OBC. The HAL rep told me 2 days into our 3rd week we would be 4 star and to go to Guest Services and they would change our status.

[kazu]

4 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

Perhaps that is what will happen.

I called HAL due to noticing this morning on all 3 of our B2B2B cruises starting next week, that a special beverage package was available. Since we already paid final, and just recently paid for the SBP for all 6 weeks, we were given a $600 OBC. The HAL rep told me 2 days into our 3rd week we would be 4 star and to go to Guest Services and they would change our status.

 

I've had a few roll call members be able to do this on B2B cruises.

 

Here's how it worked:

 

1.  You need to only require sea days to achieve the status (ie. only need 10 more days and your cruise portion is that many or more).

 

2.  they contacted the Mariner Society and got an email confirming it to take with them

 

3.  They took a screen shot and printed off their Mariner history so that it could easily be seen that all they needed were x sea days to achieve the status.

 

It's nice HAL does this but it only works if you are on a B2B, otherwise you need to wait until the end of your cruise and the start of you next one.  hope this helps.

[Seasick Sailor]

Thank you Kazu! That is very helpful information. Joy

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Seasick Sailor said:

Thank you Kazu! That is very helpful information. Joy

 

Happy to help.  It worked well for our roll call members and I believe it was the mariner's society that suggested the procedure.

[crystalspin]

I am 16-days short of 4* by actual cruise days on our 28-day So.Pacific (that we share with Joy!). Our spend-days will exceed the threshold but I do not expect to see 4* until our next cruise. I am so sure of it I won't bother to present my case at Guest Services!

 

The only perk I'm hankering for is free laundry, which would be very useful on a full-month's cruise! But I will get by.

[VennDiagram]

4 hours ago, crystalspin said:

The only perk I'm hankering for is free laundry

 

That's the one we were hankering for, also.  It is every bit as nice as we imagined 🙂  (Mind you, the discount on wine packages is also pretty nice 😉 )

[mrmoviezombie]

Yup

[DoggyDaddy]

We are taking the 44 day Voyage of the Americas, going around South America. We are 32 days short of being 4 star. We will be taking the Holland America Excursion to Igauzu falls which is $6000. This should qualify us for the 4 Star Mariner if this $6ooo is included (which Holland America has had for a few months). What chances do you think we have of getting our 4 Stars in Buenos Aires, rather than Lima?  We would really like the laundry benefit, especially after being in Iguazu falls for a few days!

 

DD

[Seasick Sailor]

8 hours ago, crystalspin said:

I am 16-days short of 4* by actual cruise days on our 28-day So.Pacific (that we share with Joy!). Our spend-days will exceed the threshold but I do not expect to see 4* until our next cruise. I am so sure of it I won't bother to present my case at Guest Services!

 

The only perk I'm hankering for is free laundry, which would be very useful on a full-month's cruise! But I will get by.

 

Crystalspin. Did you see the bev pkg offered on our cruise? Call HAL. They should give you OBC..

[catl331]

56 minutes ago, DoggyDaddy said:

What chances do you think we have of getting our 4 Stars in Buenos Aires, rather than Lima?

Zero IMO. Spending doesn't count until the completion of the voyage and your segment from FL to BA only adds 18 credits to the 32 you need.

Edited February 28, 2020 by catl331

[crystalspin]

7 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

Crystalspin. Did you see the bev pkg offered on our cruise? Call HAL. They should give you OBC..

We have pre-purchased the Elite Beverage Package, for a first time. Plus we're locked in to a restricted fare, so I really didn't run the Cruise&Beverage promo as a "dummy booking". Now with our upsell, I couldn't be any happier with our cruise!

[paris r]

a beverage package was mentioned - we are booked on a rotterdam cruise in october - and i can't find anywhere on the site any information on beverage packages.  does anyone know if they are available on all HAL ships?  thanks for any information

[Cruisercl]

Mine was listed inside of the reservation itself in my account on the HAL website.

There was a window and a link to click on.

Hope this helps.

[catl331]

2 hours ago, paris r said:

and i can't find anywhere on the site any information on beverage packages.  does anyone know if they are available on all HAL ships?

Yes, they are available on all ships. We don't have a booking right now so I can't give you specific instructions on where to find it on the HAL site, but IIRC they are listed under Purchases > Packages, not under Beverages.  If you can't find it, call Ship Services at 800-541-1576 or email hal_ship_services@hollandamerica.com

[paris r]

thank you so much - i am very grateful

[crystalspin]

@paris r Both of them (Signature and Elite Beverage Packages) are cheaper if bought Both of them (Signature and Elite Beverage Packages) are cheaper if bought pre-sailing, but they must be paid for with real money not OBC.

 

SBP is $44.95pppd bought pre-sailing, $49.95 on board -- all of these are plus 15% service charge, paid when package bought.

EBP is $49.95pppd bought pre-sailing, $59.95 on board, plus grats.

 

If you have SBP as part of a promotion and upgrade on board, you will pay $15pppd + 15%... and may have trouble finding someone to do it. If that is anyone's situation, I have heard that you must do it before using the SBP at all!  

 

Here is a slightly out-dated photo of the on-board pamphlet. SBP now includes all beverages up to $11, and EBP is now $59.95pppd. Specific brands may have changed, but it does give you an idea of the differences. Also, SBP includes everything in the Quench package and EBP includes everything in the other two packages.

[angela12345]

Oh wow, I didn't realize how differently Holland handles this than Carnival.  On Carnival, if your status (based on days, not spending) is going to change on any day during the cruise, you board at the new status level from the first day of your cruise and get the better status benefits for the whole cruise.  This even includes B2B etc cruises ! 
 
We are 21 days from our next status change.  I told hubby our next cruise needs to be 21 days so we get the next status level up on our next cruise, LOL.  Sounds like a great reason for B2B2B, right ??

[catl331]

13 hours ago, angela12345 said:

you board at the new status level from the first day of your cruise and get the better status benefits for the whole cruise

That's nice. It certainly encourages people to take a longer cruise rather than a short one just to cross the line.