Tier-Structured Mariner Program

[kryos]

That sounds like a great idea.

Was it advertized in the daily program?

Quite prominently.

 

Originally, it was just the one from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Ocean Bar, and the one from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. in the Crow's Nest ... but then about five days after they started doing this, they added the non-smoking one in the Piano Bar, which I think was from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

 

From what I understand, these happy hours became increasingly popular with the passengers as the cruise wore on. I know for a fact that the one in the Ocean Bar got more crowded each day. This was a 35-day cruise, by the way.

 

Let me note here, too, that with the happy hour deal, you couldn't use your cocktail card. You paid regular price for the first cocktail, and got the second (had to be the same cocktail) for free. Lots of couples attended and even though they had to drink the same thing to take advantage of the deal, often that was fine. They would take turns selecting the cocktail they would both drink that day.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Krazy Kruizers]

Quite prominently.

 

Originally, it was just the one from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Ocean Bar, and the one from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. in the Crow's Nest ... but then about five days after they started doing this, they added the non-smoking one in the Piano Bar, which I think was from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

 

From what I understand, these happy hours became increasingly popular with the passengers as the cruise wore on. I know for a fact that the one in the Ocean Bar got more crowded each day. This was a 35-day cruise, by the way.

 

Let me note here, too, that with the happy hour deal, you couldn't use your cocktail card. You paid regular price for the first cocktail, and got the second (had to be the same cocktail) for free. Lots of couples attended and even though they had to drink the same thing to take advantage of the deal, often that was fine. They would take turns selecting the cocktail they would both drink that day.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

 

I like that idea!!

HAL has been complaining that alcohol sales are down -- this is a great way to get people into the lounges.

We have never bought the cocktail card so that wouldn't be a problem for us.

We do get the wine card but we use that in the Lido for lunch and the dining room at dinner time.

[gizmo]

KK,

 

I have seen a happy hour with the 2 for 1, but not on the Noordam this past Oct./Nov. :( When we did see it we couldn't take advantage of it because we always have late seating and we were getting dressed for dinner during the happy hour times.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks gizmo

I was really hoping that the Noordam would have a happy hour with the 2 for 1 drinks.

[gizmo]

KK,

 

Hope they have it on your next cruise. :)

[RedmondCruiser]

On the Ryndam they had Happy Hour and the Ocean Bar was full. Everyone had two of the same drinks. Not a bad idea for HAL to get more people in the lounges. I wonder if anyone had two glasses of Louis 13th ???? (tounge in cheek)

[sail7seas]

We have a member on this board who would have jumped at the chance to have two for one Louis 13th. ESPECIALLY if it meant he would empty the bottle and be given it. :D

 

No tongue in cheek. He has been known to enjoy it on the ships.

[RedmondCruiser]

We have a member on this board who would have jumped at the chance to have two for one Louis 13th. ESPECIALLY if it meant he would empty the bottle and be given it. :D

 

No tongue in cheek. He has been known to enjoy it on the ships.

 

I also might be tempted. HAL charges $90 for 1 1/2 oz and Princess charged $45 for an ounce. $90 for 3 ounces would be a good deal. ------ The $90 price was from several cruises ago and I really don't know what their current price might be.

[the_dylaness]

See ... now I'm totally different. Yes, it is certainly nice to have repeat passenger benefits, but they in and of themselves don't keep me sailing any one cruise line. I sail the cruise line whose onboard experience (and, of course, itinerary) make me happy. Carnival could give me free internet, free spa treatments, free drinks, free anything ... I probably wouldn't return for another sailing on one of their ships ... not because the ship or the sailing is necessarily a bad one, but because the onboard ambience and in many cases itinerary do not appeal to me. It's all a matter of tastes. I look for one thing in my cruises, a bunch of friends may look for something entirely different. So we all go where we get what we want.

 

I have a friend who sails RCI exclusively for this reason. She generally prefers their ships and the onboard experience they offer to her and her family. She probably wouldn't be caught dead on HAL because HAL would not give them what they want in a cruise. It wouldn't matter to her one iota what sort of past passenger bennies HAL was offering.

 

Yes, passenger loyalty programs are nice, but I tend to think they're generally not a deal breaker for most people.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

Hi Rita!

 

Sorry, I guess I should have explained myself a little better. What I was trying to say was that let's say that once I've had a chance to take cruises on most of the mass market lines, I decided (this is just for the sake of argument) that I like the products offered by HAL, X, and Princess. Now, I might like different aspects of each of those but let's say overall I liked them equally. If one of those lines had a stellar repeat pax program, I'd be silly not to sail more often (if not exclusively) with that line.

 

I didn't mean that a past pax program would improve my opinion of one line over another, but if all other things were roughly equal (including cost) I'd be more likely to choose the good benefits more often.

[kryos]

On the Ryndam they had Happy Hour and the Ocean Bar was full. Everyone had two of the same drinks. Not a bad idea for HAL to get more people in the lounges. I wonder if anyone had two glasses of Louis 13th ???? (tounge in cheek)

Is Louis 13th a "Signature" cocktail? If so, it's possible. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

If one of those lines had a stellar repeat pax program, I'd be silly not to sail more often (if not exclusively) with that line.

Of course, you're right. In the case where you enjoyed all the lines equally, then I would have to say that a better repeat passenger program on one would probably influence my choice as well.

 

But I think in HAL's case, it's rarely gonna come that close. HAL is a unique enough line that I think it draws a certain type of passenger. That type of passenger probably wouldn't be in the situation of liking HAL, RCI and Carnival equally. The HAL experience is just too unique. You either love it or you hate it. You may sail Carnival or RCI on occasion, but usually if you're a true HAL fan, you only sail those other lines for specific reasons ... either you're traveling with a group that is going on one of those lines, or you are traveling with a large family group that has a bunch of kids and you want a more "kid friendly" line, or whatever. There would be no really close comparison. You would definitely prefer the HAL experience over the experience of those other lines.

 

That's why I think HAL doesn't really have that great of a past passenger program. They don't need one. Their passenger tends to be loyal to the line without one because the line offers a unique onboard experience that they can't get on any of those other lines. If the passengers enjoy that experience, then they are gonna come back to HAL time and time again. If they don't, then they would have never returned for the second cruise even if HAL offered an amazing past passenger program. The line would just not be your cup of tea.

 

But when you sail one of those other lines a lot ... Carnival, RCI, etc., I think the experience offered onboard is pretty much the same and thus those lines have to compete to get you back with bennie-packed past passenger programs. Otherwise, they could lose you since another mass market line is offering pretty much the same cruise experience with a better past passenger program.

 

Of course, this is just my take on it, but I think HAL is unique enough that they have their own stable of fans who look specifically for the trademark HAL experience that they can't really get anywhere else. So, they don't have to offer lots of past passenger bennies. Those passengers will gladly keep coming back without them.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[RuthC]

Is Louis 13th a "Signature" cocktail? If so, it's possible.

At 90 bucks a pop? Nooooo, it's not a signature cocktail.

[the_dylaness]

Of course, this is just my take on it, but I think HAL is unique enough that they have their own stable of fans who look specifically for the trademark HAL experience that they can't really get anywhere else. So, they don't have to offer lots of past passenger bennies. Those passengers will gladly keep coming back without them.

 

I'm pretty sure the only way to find the resolution here is going to be to keep cruising... a lot... once I've got a few HAL cruises under my belt I think I'll be able to make a more informed decision... it's really for research, I swear...

[AirGorilla]

Of course, you're right. In the case where you enjoyed all the lines equally, then I would have to say that a better repeat passenger program on one would probably influence my choice as well.

 

But I think in HAL's case, it's rarely gonna come that close. HAL is a unique enough line that I think it draws a certain type of passenger. That type of passenger probably wouldn't be in the situation of liking HAL, RCI and Carnival equally. The HAL experience is just too unique. You either love it or you hate it. You may sail Carnival or RCI on occasion, but usually if you're a true HAL fan, you only sail those other lines for specific reasons ... either you're traveling with a group that is going on one of those lines, or you are traveling with a large family group that has a bunch of kids and you want a more "kid friendly" line, or whatever. There would be no really close comparison. You would definitely prefer the HAL experience over the experience of those other lines.

 

That's why I think HAL doesn't really have that great of a past passenger program. They don't need one. Their passenger tends to be loyal to the line without one because the line offers a unique onboard experience that they can't get on any of those other lines. If the passengers enjoy that experience, then they are gonna come back to HAL time and time again. If they don't, then they would have never returned for the second cruise even if HAL offered an amazing past passenger program. The line would just not be your cup of tea.

 

But when you sail one of those other lines a lot ... Carnival, RCI, etc., I think the experience offered onboard is pretty much the same and thus those lines have to compete to get you back with bennie-packed past passenger programs. Otherwise, they could lose you since another mass market line is offering pretty much the same cruise experience with a better past passenger program.

 

Of course, this is just my take on it, but I think HAL is unique enough that they have their own stable of fans who look specifically for the trademark HAL experience that they can't really get anywhere else. So, they don't have to offer lots of past passenger bennies. Those passengers will gladly keep coming back without them.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

But, a cruiser may well like HAL, Princess and Celebrity equally!!

[Pettifogger]

kyros: Thank you for stating the case so beautifully for me and many others, I believe.

[kryos]

I also might be tempted. HAL charges $90 for 1 1/2 oz and Princess charged $45 for an ounce. $90 for 3 ounces would be a good deal. ------ The $90 price was from several cruises ago and I really don't know what their current price might be.

$90 bucks for three ounces!?!?!?!

 

Holy cannolli!

 

I wouldn't be able to have more than one drink the entire cruise at that price!

 

Nice to know some people can afford it. Sadly I'm not one of them. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

I'm pretty sure the only way to find the resolution here is going to be to keep cruising... a lot... once I've got a few HAL cruises under my belt I think I'll be able to make a more informed decision... it's really for research, I swear...

LOL ... that's the ticket ... cruise and cruise and cruise and get lots of experience with a lot of different cruise lines.

 

Now, if I could only find someone to fund my research. Wonder if I can get a government grant for such a thing? :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

At 90 bucks a pop? Nooooo, it's not a signature cocktail.

LOL ... well, then ... guess it wouldn't qualify for the "twofer" promotion. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[jhannah]

Wonder if I can get a government grant for such a thing?

I'd certainly think so. Just look at some of the stuff they earmark. Stuff like studying the mating habits of the Polish bisexual frog! :eek: Why it hurts when you bang your head with a hammer! :rolleyes:

 

If you frame it within the context of quantifying the corelation between inhaling sea air and endorphin production, you stand a very good chance! Of course, for validity you'll need to document Mediterranean air, Atlantic air, Caribbean air, Pacific air, Black Sea air, etc. It could take you YEARS to assemble your statistics.

[HALFans]

Carnivore owns so MANY cruise lines... Holland America, Princess, Cunard, etc. included. As far as CCL is concerned, if you're on one of their Cruise Lines' ships, you're a repeat passenger. If they don't have to give a lot of perks to keep you on one of their lines, why should they?

 

If for some reason you're upset with HAL and want to do your next cruise on Princess, what does it matter to CCL? Of course, each cruise line would prefer you stay with them, but ultimately the money flows into the CCL coffers, and it's there that many decisions are made.

 

If there was some real competition for a niche traveler, you'd see more significant benefits being offered to ensure 'Brand Loyalty'. As such, there just isn't the need.

[Pettifogger]

I'm surprised to see that Carnival has apparently not interfered with HAL nearly as much as I would have expected. In other industries, when larger companies take over a smaller one which has made a name for quality, more often than not they preserve the valuable name as long as possible, but promptly dilute the quality that made that name. I'm certainly not an expert, but it seems to me that Carnival didn't do that with HAL for which I shall be eternally grateful to them. Even though it may just have been "hardheaded" business decision, I benefitted from it, so I'm grateful.

[sail7seas]

I'm surprised to see that Carnival has apparently not interfered with HAL nearly as much as I would have expected. In other industries, when larger companies take over a smaller one which has made a name for quality, more often than not they preserve the valuable name as long as possible, but promptly dilute the quality that made that name. I'm certainly not an expert, but it seems to me that Carnival didn't do that with HAL for which I shall be eternally grateful to them. Even though it may just have been "hardheaded" business decision, I benefitted from it, so I'm grateful.

 

 

Are you aware Carnival Corporation purchased (saved) HAL something like 20 years ago?

 

It is hardly a 'new purchase'.

 

Carnival bought Princess far, far more recently.

[Pettifogger]

sail7seas: I'm not sure who you're quoting for the words 'new purchase'. I don't remember using them.

[sail7seas]

Forgive me if I am mistaken but I got the sense from your post that you were implying Carnival Corporation's purchase of HAL was recent.