VIP Mariner?

[NapTown Jim]

We picked up our cruise docs for our Canada-New England honeymoon cruise coming up from AAA yesterday. (YEA!!!!:) ) I got a little suprise when I opened my packet. I discovered inside a Mariner pin and my luggage tags were also marked 'Mariner'. This made me very confused. I have never cruised on any cruise line before. The wife, however, has cruised before on Carnival and NCL. When I booked the cruise I used her Carnival past passenger number after I learned about their VIP program with their corporate partners to see if I could get a little more of a bargain. I don't remember if that made much of a difference in price, but now I'm wondering if (as far as HAL is concerned) I'm officially classified as a Mariner since I used the wife's Carnival passenger number?

 

This then begs the question if I'm invited to the Mariner's reception will I be permitted to bring a guest? If not, I won't go. Will I also be qualified for a Mariner tile at the end of the cruise?

[doone]

I am sure its because your wife sailed on Carnival in the past, she's the Mariner and your sailing with her, so you get the benefits of the pricing and your tags. You won't get a tile and I don't think you will be invited to the Mariner's reception, but your wife should.

[peaches from georgia]

This then begs the question if I'm invited to the Mariner's reception will I be permitted to bring a guest? If not, I won't go. Will I also be qualified for a Mariner tile at the end of the cruise?

Don't know about the tile, but if you got the luggage tags and pin you may very well find a tile in your cabin, too, at the end of the cruise.

 

As for the Reception- certainly spouse can go. In fact there is no 'taking names' or checking invitations at the door and anyone can just walk in. They would never expect a Mariner to go without spouse anyway and about 80% of the pax are invited as Mariners, so it is not a super-exclusive VIP invitation. Have a great honeymoon cruise. :)

[grannynurse]

I was under the impression that only HAL cruisers were Mariners, People who had sailed on any Carnival Corp. ship got the booking privileges but not Mariner status.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

You will both certainly be Mariners after this cruise

GN

[MikeT718]

I have to agree with grannynurse..To become a HAL Mariner it has to be days at sea with HAL

[jhannah]

Yep, that's the ticket. A Mariner is one who has sailed HAL before. It appears that someone was confused when assembling the document wallet. They are supposed to put the correct tags in. I know, because for our Oosterdam cruise with my MIL my DW and I received the Mariner luggage tags and she did not.

[Sundiego]

We got Mariner pins and luggage tags for our upcoming cruise, and we've never sailed HAL before (but have sailed Carnival). We also booked through AAA if it matters.

 

Here's the funny thing...

 

We're traveling with another couple. Each of them got the pins and the luggage tags. I got the pin and tags. But DH did not! TA thinks it's because DH and I have different last names (I use my maiden name).

[elmorejj]

When you fill out the Immigration forms, either online or at the pier, there is a place to write out how many days you have on HAL. This is what they use for invites to the Mariner reception. It tells them who is ready for a pin, medal etc............jean:cool:

[imacrusing]

(QUOTE) They would never expect a Mariner to go without spouse anyway and about 80% of the pax are invited as Mariners, so it is not a super-exclusive VIP invitation. Have a great honeymoon cruise. :)

 

Trust me..its a MOB..we went once..never have we gone again...its just a mixer..not worth the effort for us

[Alexborngal]

I was under the impression that only HAL cruisers were Mariners, People who had sailed on any Carnival Corp. ship got the booking privileges but not Mariner status.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

You will both certainly be Mariners after this cruise

GN

 

You are totally correct. I sailed on Carnival and Princess but on my first HAL cruise I did not get any privileges. As a matter of fact, it took months and many, many phone calls to even get a Mariner number assigned to us after our first cruise and even then they goofed. They gave two numbers to my husband and none to me - eliciting many more phone calls. We're going on our second cruise, have booked our third cruise and wonder if we'll be treated as Mariners. By the way, the Mariners on our cruise said the party wasn't worth attending. Huge lines to get one glass of champagne and the h'ors d'oeuvres were all gone in a matter of minutes.

[arzz]

As often as not, even though we are mariners, our documents arrive without the mariner tags and pin. Makes no difference. We are still treated well, our luggage still arrives at our cabin in good time, and since we have filled out the immigration forms we still get tiles and invited to the mariners reception.

 

We only sometimes go to the reception. Last time we went there was a charming older gentleman seated across from us. He watched our champaign glasses like a hawk, and everytime one emptied, or even got close to empty, he grabbed the glass, as well as his own, and returned with refills. Part way through the party he complained that we were not drinking enough! He certainly knew how to get more than one glass of champaign for himself!

[cruisequeen10]

Just because Carnival is associated with HAL, it still doesn't warrant you brownie points with HAL. They are 2 separate cruise lines.

[NapTown Jim]

Geez...some of you seem to be offended that we might be granted 'mariner' status for cruising Carnival. You're not that special.

 

Lookit...I'm not going into this with any expectation. I'm just curious what happen when we get there. Thats all. If we're just scum newbies to HAL and don't get any of your special trinkets thats fine by us.

[jhannah]

I don't see where anyone is acting offended. They're just pointing out that travel on one cruise brand does not entitle you to the frequent cruiser bennies offered by another brand within the Carnival Corp. fleet. Each brand maintains its own program. While cruising with one of the brands will get you preferred pricing on another, it won't count toward your pins/medallions for days sailed on HAL.

 

So far as the "trinkets" are concerned, they really don't mean squat, IMO. They don't entitle you to anything. They once did get you perferential handling. But now, there are so many Mariners that this is no longer feasible.

[zaandam_2]

I booked my 1st cruise with HAL directly with HAL. I asked if previous cruises on carnival counted and was told yes. I got the tiles and was invited to the reception. Go and have a good time. Its not that big of a deal anyway.

[missygirl]

What day and where is the reception held, it will be our first time?

 

Missygirl

[zaandam_2]

What day and where is the reception held, it will be our first time?

 

Missygirl

 

It varies. Your room steward will leave an invitation the day before. The two that I have been to have been on sea days before lunch.

[grannynurse]

Most of us on this board have seen people disappointed when they receive information that is incorrect. It can be a downer when you go expecting something and do not receive it.

We take the time to try to give good valid info, and if it sometimes sounds condescending I will appologize for myself.

As an example the threads concerning "suite privileges" when someone has booked a veranda or an SS.

I certainly would want someone to correct my mistaken impresssion before I go. I could easily embarass myself on board bydemanding something I didn't pay for.

 

The only time I got offended was when I asked, about 2 years ago, if the gratuity pp/per day hold had been raised to $70. Someone answered if I had to ask that I couldn't afford to go. We had booked a 35 day transatlantic and I had noticed that several people had quoted a $70 hold instead of the expected $60. I answered saying that i was asking a legitimate question and not inviting a discussion of my economic status.

 

So, if I offended anyone with my comment on Mariner status, I appologize.

GN

[sail7seas]

GN .....You offend someone?? I think not. I don't think you have ever offended anyone in your life!!!

IMO, your response was informative and correct.

 

[SDHALFAN]

Geez...some of you seem to be offended that we might be granted 'mariner' status for cruising Carnival. You're not that special.

 

Lookit...I'm not going into this with any expectation. I'm just curious what happen when we get there. Thats all. If we're just scum newbies to HAL and don't get any of your special trinkets thats fine by us.

 

Gee NapTown Jim: where did that anger come from? I actually went back and re-read all the previous posts and I don't see anywhere that anyone has even come close to hinting that you may be considered " just scum newbies to HAL".

 

Whether or not you may be granted Mariner status is of no consequence to us whatsoever. If you are awarded Mariner status, then fine, and more power to you. We don't consider ourselves "special" - heck have you seen the awards given to Princess Line repeat cruisers?. Now those could be considered "special". Obviously Princess, and several other cruiselines consider repeat passengers as being "special". HAL, on the other hand offers repeat cruisers (Mariners) Mariner luggage tags and a Mariner Pin (not to be confused with the pins given out for 25 - 50 days, and the medallions for 100 - 300 -500 days, etc.), Tiles (after your first cruise) and yes, and the Mariner (cocktail) Party which most of us don't bother to attend anyway.

 

Since this is going to be your Honeymoon cruise, then just chill - go aboard with the attitude that you are going to have a great time and you more than likely will have a wonderful time and wonder why you ever worried about it.

 

My best wishes for a very long and happy married life together. Oh, and have a sensational Honeymoon cruise.

 

Valerie:)

[NapTown Jim]

Gee NapTown Jim: where did that anger come from?

 

Cruisequeen's comment about not warrenting brownie points from HAL is what set me off. Maybe I over reacted. Regardless....we are at this moment reviewing our docs and trying to decide what we want to do for excursions. Bar Harbor is the one place that we're having a tough time deciding. I'm still excited about it and believe it or not...I'm already thinking about my next HAL cruise, most likely to Alaska. I need to hook my friends and family onto that one. Hopefully I can make them feel the expense is worth it.

[grannynurse]

Dear Naptown,

Consider the combined Cadillac Mountain tour and Lobster bake. The morning tour ends with a fantasic lobster lunch (including mussels) and the afternoon tour begins with the lunch. Either way you'll take the tender into town and have time to wander and shop. Bar Harbor is a great walking town with many specialty shops and restaurants. Jack's is an established jewelry shop specializing in tourmaline which is the Maine state gemstone. Clam chowder and lobster abound and blueberry everything is available. There are whale watching private tours, and other wildlife cruises.

GN

[Vic The Parrot]

Hi there, mister Jim

 

 

And if you're stopping in Halifax, take a hike up to the Citadel.

It's a long walk, but the views are worth it!

 

:cool: