Mariner discount lower for DH

[Iris5383]

When shopping for cruises, the HAL website usually shows a lower fare if you plug in your Mariner number. But not always. And it's not the always the same discount for spouses. My DH and I have cruised the same cruises and always together. But when shopping for fares today, using his mariner number gave a much lower fare than using my mariner number. My discount was a mere $1 per person off the published rate. Sometimes, it's the opposite, and my using my mariner number gives a lower fare. Anyone know why? We're both four-star.

[oakridger]

I have never gotten a discount based on my Mariner Number! There isn't a consistent policy apparently.  I'm a four star.  Go figure?

 

~Nancy

[Iris5383]

They have called it a Casino Credit/Discount. DH used to gamble a lot, but not for a few years. I play the slots more than he does, but it doesn't seem to matter. You are right, it's not consistent. Or there is a secret formula. . . 

[TiogaCruiser]

We have had the same thing happen. The first time we had the same number of sailing days as we sailed together. He got a huge discount on a cruise I was booked solo on, a few days after final payment. For what I paid for a single inside he could have gotten a balcony. Solo.
 

Our mariner Numbers still occasionally give different fares. Sometimes mine gets a better discount, sometimes his. He’s 4 years older and has half the cruise days I have.

[DinkyDee67]

38 minutes ago, oakridger said:

I have never gotten a discount based on my Mariner Number! There isn't a consistent policy apparently.  I'm a four star.  Go figure?

 

~Nancy

We’ve never been offered a discount either. Only 3 stars but we have spent a fair bit in the casino in the past.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

We are both 5 stars -- well over 1000 days each (actual sailing days) -- have always sailed together -- and rarely get any kind of a discount.

[YXU AC*SE]

8 hours ago, Iris5383 said:

 Anyone know why? We're both four-star.

 

Poor database targeting.  Likely your mariner numbers are unlinked.   And if you're like me, you know your number off the top of your head to check for 'insider' prices, which makes me the primary pax  for most of your PNRs.  HAL will often target ppl with 'hey-you-haven't-booked-with-us-in-a-while prices' so it pays to check under both mariner numbers to see if you have been pitched an offer.   Last time for us it was a 200$USD pp reduction off an already aggressive fare.     Scott. 

[SilvertoGold]

Have had the same problem in the past many times.  You just have to watch it, do the extra work to look under both Mariner numbers.   Seems to pop up different like this once in a while, then corrects itself and then months on, it goes weird again.

[DaveOKC]

I always book under my DW's name as she gets the casino discount.  Saves me as much as 20%.

[Sir PMP]

16 hours ago, Iris5383 said:

They have called it a Casino Credit/Discount. DH used to gamble a lot, but not for a few years. I play the slots more than he does, but it doesn't seem to matter. You are right, it's not consistent. Or there is a secret formula. . . 

That's the old club 21 discount, you have to gamble a certain amount everyday...

[kazu]

13 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

That's the old club 21 discount, you have to gamble a certain amount everyday...

 

Actually, as it was explained to me, it’s not the amount as much as the time you spend gambling.  There’s a balance.  It certainly seems to have worked for me 😉 

[Randyk47]

The mystery of Mariner, non-Mariner, and even regional pricing with HAL is ages old.   I would bet if you took the time to go back as far as 10+ years ago or more you’d come across several threads discussing this issue.   I can’t remember exactly when but what seems like eons ago a group of us picked one cruise and one category and tried all sorts of bookings.   Certainly some were the same but others varied widely.   I don’t recall if we were ever able to discern exactly what the pricing process or logic was. 

[Iris5383]

1 hour ago, Randyk47 said:

The mystery of Mariner, non-Mariner, and even regional pricing with HAL is ages old.   I would bet if you took the time to go back as far as 10+ years ago or more you’d come across several threads discussing this issue.   I can’t remember exactly when but what seems like eons ago a group of us picked one cruise and one category and tried all sorts of bookings.   Certainly some were the same but others varied widely.   I don’t recall if we were ever able to discern exactly what the pricing process or logic was. 

You are probably right, and I've probably asked it before, too. It doesn't make any sense how it's figured. And doesn't seem right that some have never received a discount.

For those who don't know how to see discounts, when you look for fares online, sign into your account and start a booking. After you put in# of passengers, click "continue," and you'll see the fare for your Mariner number. (You don't have to complete the booking to see the price.)

[gomama5996]

I'm always the one to book the cruises in our household.  My DH and I, together, decide where we want to go, but I am the one to actually call our PCC and book it.  I am totally aware that the published price on the HAL website is not what we will be charged, but DH is not.  I call our PCC and she then gives me the Mariner#/Casino rate.  We just booked a Panama Canal for April 2022 and we saved $978 total with the discounted rate versus the published rate. Then (my favorite part), I go tell DH what the new rate is and he is thrilled!  He thinks I possess some sort of cruise-fare-booking voodoo.  LOL - then I go buy a new pair of shoes!  (Shhh! Don't tell …)

 

 

[Cruise Suzy]

2 hours ago, Iris5383 said:

For those who don't know how to see discounts, when you look for fares online, sign into your account and start a booking. After you put in# of passengers, click "continue," and you'll see the fare for your Mariner number. (You don't have to complete the booking to see the price.)

 

Thanks so much. I knew to sign in to get the Mariner fare, but didn't know I had to start a booking. No wonder the figures NEVER changed, no matter if I used my # or DH's #.