Loyalty programs

Does HAL honor other cruise lines loyalty programs. If so where do you go to get those points honored?

No. I don't think it would make sense for them to honour some other lines loyalty program. Those programs are in place to entice you to return to the line that offers it. Would it make sense for Visa to let you use points you accumulated on your Mastercard?

Does HAL honor other cruise lines loyalty programs. If so where do you go to get those points honored?

No HAL does not, but it would be nice if they at least honored the "level" you have achieved on another sister Carnival Corporation owned line.

Is this your first cruise on HAL?

Have you sailed on any of the other Carnival Corporation cruise lines? If so, you will be given a Mariner and are considered a 1 star Mariner. And you should be invited to the Mariner brunch which is held near the end of the cruise.

You can call the Mariner Society to find out your Mariner number -- 1-800-547-9139.

They don't "honor" Carnival's program, but if you've never cruised with HAL but have with Carnival, you can get HAL to "register" your HAL Mariner account. I don't think that gets you much, but if they are limiting the Mariner's embarkation lunch to Mariner members, then you could get in to the lunch.

If you have cruised another Carnival corp. line, you will already have a Mariner number. Go to the HAL website and start a booking. when it asks for your Mariner number, click where it asks for them to look it up, and it will be there. EM

The basic Mariner level or level 1 and $5 will get you a cup of coffee. The real benefits of the Mariner program don't kick in until level 3.

Is this your first cruise on HAL?

Have you sailed on any of the other Carnival Corporation cruise lines? If so, you will be given a Mariner and are considered a 1 star Mariner. And you should be invited to the Mariner brunch which is held near the end of the cruise.

You can call the Mariner Society to find out your Mariner number -- 1-800-547-9139.

That is what we experienced. We have three Carnival and one princess cruise, got complimentary one star mariner before we sailed on first HAL cruise. No reciprocations with our Royal, Celebrity or NCL status.

Having cruises several times on HAL, Princess, and Carnival I lament the fact that no loyalty credits can be shared among the sister cruiselines.

Royal Caribbean International, the parent company of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara has the best loyalty program. If you reach Diamond on Royal Caribbean ships you are automatically Elite on Celebrity. Having the option to cruise both lines is wonderful! Celebrity is similar to HAL in terms of food,service, demographic but with much better entertainment, activities, and perks while Royal caters to families and younger cruisers. Builing up loyalty on either line allows one to enjoy a mainly adult cruise on Celebrity, as well as enjoy a cruise with young adults and grandchildren on Royal Caribbean, It is no wonder thAt Cruise Critic’s Cruiser’s Choice Awards 10 best overall Ships for 2018 include 5 Celebrity ships, 4 Royal Caribbean, and 1 Disney. I’m a 3 Star Mariner and the perks are almost useless. 87 days on HAl - no meaningful perks- a few discounts, 91 days on Celebrity gives me free laundry, a happy hour every evening, 90 minutes of free internet, discounts on specialty dining and transfers similar benefits to Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Princess also has better perks than HAL- after only 5 cruises of any length you become Platinum which gives you free internet minutes among other things.

Yes, but you don't get medals on those other cruise line loyalty programs!

Nor do you get invited to a free lunch.

yes, but you don't get medals on those other cruise line loyalty programs!

 

Nor do you get invited to a free lunch.

lol :D :')

No. I don't think it would make sense for them to honour some other lines loyalty program. Those programs are in place to entice you to return to the line that offers it. Would it make sense for Visa to let you use points you accumulated on your Mastercard?

Why not? RCI and Celebrity do it, and it seems to work well. It helps keep money in the same parent company, which makes the share holders happy. Furthermore, MSC does status match from any line and hotel program to help entice people to try them.

Yes, but you don't get medals on those other cruise line loyalty programs!

 

Nor do you get invited to a free lunch.

A medal is just a dust collector. I never understood earning a medal because you are privileged to be able to afford umpteen cruise days. Congratulations! You are rich! Is that a true achievement?

Free lunch? All lunches are “included” in the cruise fare.

Usually the menu selection at the Mariner lunch is inferior to the lunch menu on a sea day. Now you do get tiles that you don’t get on other cruise lines. Frankly I’ll take the meaningful perks like loyalty transfers between two distinctly different sibling cruise lines of the parent cruise company, free laundry, Internet, daily happy hour and discounts to a medal for a non achievement and an inferior lunch menu.

Exactly my point. But don't also forget the free glass of paint remover, aka wine, or the ginger ale, aka champagne!

I read a blog by a RCL high days cruiser. He laments on almost every cruise how the complimentary evening lounge for high loyalty members is full to bursting. Too many qualify and most of the ships don't have the room to accommodate so many. These are huge ships with lots of space.

I can't begin to imagine how HAL would be able to include Mariners from other Carnival Corp lines. They have enough trouble just dealing with the rewards for their own HAL Mariners!

I read a blog by a RCL high days cruiser. He laments on almost every cruise how the complimentary evening lounge for high loyalty members is full to bursting. Too many qualify and most of the ships don't have the room to accommodate so many. These are huge ships with lots of space.

 

I can't begin to imagine how HAL would be able to include Mariners from other Carnival Corp lines. They have enough trouble just dealing with the rewards for their own HAL Mariners!

RCI fixed that problem by loading free drinks on to their cruise cards. Diamond and up can now have 3 free drinks (every night) at any bar on the ship. This was done to relieve the evening crowds in the lounges.

RCI fixed that problem by loading free drinks on to their cruise cards. Diamond and up can now have 3 free drinks (every night) at any bar on the ship. This was done to relieve the evening crowds in the lounges.

That is a great, positive move.

I still wonder how HAL would handle especially all those 4 and 5 star priority pax (check-in, tender) all the complimentary laundry, all the free or half priced Pinnacle, etc if they were to give all Carnival Corp loyalty members HAL's rewards.

Right now on some cruises, priority tender is cancelled, the cooking classes can take only a few paying customers because 5 stars get the class complimentary.

That is a great, positive move.

 

I still wonder how HAL would handle especially all those 4 and 5 star priority pax (check-in, tender) all the complimentary laundry, all the free or half priced Pinnacle, etc if they were to give all Carnival Corp loyalty members HAL's rewards.

 

Right now on some cruises, priority tender is cancelled, the cooking classes can take only a few paying customers because 5 stars get the class complimentary.

totally agree. And we have to remember that HAL ships are not the size of RCI ;)

That is a great, positive move.

 

I still wonder how HAL would handle especially all those 4 and 5 star priority pax (check-in, tender) all the complimentary laundry, all the free or half priced Pinnacle, etc if they were to give all Carnival Corp loyalty members HAL's rewards.

 

Right now on some cruises, priority tender is cancelled, the cooking classes can take only a few paying customers because 5 stars get the class complimentary.

totally agree. And we have to remember that HAL ships are not the size of RCI ;)

I see what you mean, but you're not looking at it quite right. If all the lines under Carnival Corp decided to status match, it would entice cruisers from all the lines to try the other lines. For example, theoretically, an equal number of high tier HAL cruisers would try Princess as high tier Princess cruisers would try HAL. It's not like HAL would suddenly get inundated with high tier cruisers from all the other lines.

RCI is larger than Celebrity and MUCH larger than Azamara. Yet, this program has been working great for them. They're a good example of how this could work for Carnival Corp.

Actually, Seabourn & Silversea have the best loyalty programs.

A medal is just a dust collector. I never understood earning a medal because you are privileged to be able to afford umpteen cruise days. Congratulations! You are rich! Is that a true achievement?

Free lunch? All lunches are “included” in the cruise fare.

Usually the menu selection at the Mariner lunch is inferior to the lunch menu on a sea day. Now you do get tiles that you don’t get on other cruise lines. Frankly I’ll take the meaningful perks like loyalty transfers between two distinctly different sibling cruise lines of the parent cruise company, free laundry, Internet, daily happy hour and discounts to a medal for a non achievement and an inferior lunch menu.

Ah, but high Mariners get treated very, very well in addition to the medallions and the rewards.

HAL has two Mariner programs: Medallion program for actual days sailed and the Star program for spending + actual days + suite bonus days. Something for everyone: take your pick. We find the 5 Star rewards suit us well and we use them all.

Not sure why some think high HAL Mariners are "rich". x days on HAL or x days sprinkled among different lines is the same thing. There are lots in both categories out there.

Actually, Seabourn & Silversea have the best loyalty programs.

Being a somewhat HAL loyalist and now a bit of a Silversea convert I’d have to agree. For what matters to us our Silversea benefits are better than our HAL benefits.

Yes, but you don't get medals on those other cruise line loyalty programs!

 

Nor do you get invited to a free lunch.

Medals and free lunch mean nothing to me unless the medal is real 24 k gold. LOL! :)

I don't think that will ever happen.