HAL Launches a New Look for Mariner Magazine

[cferro514]

The magazine is very pretty. It looks like a regular mag with print ads.

[suse]

I wonder if I'll ever get one. No big deal. I have enough to read right now. But, I do get all the stuff from Silversea, Regent and Crystal cruises. I wonder about all of it. Must be my more than stellar reputation. I like to think so, anyway.

Toodles. (I get such a kick out of that expression. Can you ever imagine actually using it? Like, hey, Toodles. I think it's so funny!):)

[solocanadian]

Yes, it is gorgeous -- and I can't believe we got one! This is the first we've heard from HAL in a long time. Never did receive that Mariner letter last year. Go figure.

LoyHAL

Living in Canada, I'm not holding my breath but would love to see it. Have lost track when I last received one. Get more mailings from Cunard and Princess which hit the recycling bin as soon as they arrive.

[Cruisin'Lady]

We had picked up a S. American itinerary magazine from our last cruise on the ship and I still look over it while sitting on my porcelain throne. I could use some new reading material.:D

[DFD1]

We've received the Mariner Magazine from time to time. The new one is here and it is a big improvement over the old format, very professonal and slick.

 

I agree that it has lost the personal touch. No passenger articles or photographs. Just professonally written articles and ads. Lots of color photographs. The cruise schedule in the back is extensive and gives a lot of information.

 

Overall, It's a very classy magazine supported by ads. It should last for a while if the ad support continues.

[PaulMCO]

Slick -- almost like Travel and Leisure.

[pms4104]

For those who have not yet received the printed version (I'm one of those) ... you can go to the Mariner section of HAL's website and download the digital version. Overnight, HAL has updated the link to the current issue.

[taxmantoo]

For those who have not yet received the printed version (I'm one of those) ... you can go to the Mariner section of HAL's website and download the digital version. Overnight, HAL has updated the link to the current issue.

 

They may have changed the picture of the magazine's front page to the Winter 2010 issue but they are still linking to the Fall 2009 issue.:mad:

[pms4104]

They may have changed the picture of the magazine's front page to the Winter 2010 issue but they are still linking to the Fall 2009 issue.:mad:

At this very moment, I am downloading the new Winter 2010 version ... actually, I'm on dialup and it's taking forever ... so I'll likely wander up to the library and use the free WI FI there to download the magazine as well as other things that creep along too slowly on dialup.

 

I clicked on the link on the left side of that Mariner page ... perhaps they also have a link there to the previous issue? Or ... maybe the link hasn't been updated for Canadians?

[Storylady]

I still haven't received my Mariner's Magazine. So I called the Mariner's Society today. They checked my address and it was okay. Then I told them that I had not received the Fall issue either until I called. And I mentioned this Cruise Critic thread. I was told that they will check with their vendor.

 

So somehow those of us who haven't received the Mariner's Magazine have probably been dropped off the list by the Vendor. Maybe that is why we receive advertising material and not the Magazine? Different Vendors ?

[NMLady]

I received my copy in the mail this morning. Wow, very professional, ads and all. Sixty-four pages plus cover. Classy!;)

 

Too classy imo. I'd rather see more articles and fewer ads. Too glossy. I want the old Mariner magazine back.

[HamOp]

Received it in todys mail, but I'm not going to look at it until HAL changes their smoking policy:mad:

 

:D:D:D

[Willsot]

We received ours last week. I notice it has $4.95 printed on the front cover, so I assume that they are considering placing them on newsstands.

[RuthC]

Too classy imo. I'd rather see more articles and fewer ads. Too glossy. I want the old Mariner magazine back.

I'd be happy just getting it at all. New style, old style---doesn't much matter to me. It's the no style at all that I don't like. :rolleyes:

[localady]

I'd be happy just getting it at all. New style, old style---doesn't much matter to me. It's the no style at all that I don't like. :rolleyes:

 

I hear ya Ruth!! No glossy wonderment in my mail box either!! :rolleyes:

[English_in_Spain]

If some of you aren't getting it - what chance do we have over here in Europe :confused:

[EbayCruiser]

I received mine on Saturday. I really like it!! :)

[ger_77]

I thought we received ours on Friday. However after closer inspection, it was addressed to our son-in-law. We took him and our daughter on their very first cruise ever in October. They get the Mariner magazine - we get nada. Go figure. Nice looking magazine, but the distribution just doesn't make sense to me.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[YXU AC*SE]

We received ours last week. I notice it has $4.95 printed on the front cover, so I assume that they are considering placing them on newsstands.

 

Nope. Marketing trick.

 

Have you ever wanted to get rid of a 'free to a good home' sofa parked on your boulevard? Put a sign on it that says 'first $50 takes it'. It will be gone overnight.

 

By putting a price tag on a free publication, the advertiser is encouraging the reader to think, "hmmm, this might be of some value, I should really take a look at it", versus tossing it aside with all the other ad mail that you receive.

 

Secondly, if receiving a Mariner periodical is to be truly viewed a benefit of the new and improved Mariner Society programme (which HAL states that it is), it has better have some sort of identified value attached to it, hence the new and improved glossy stock, increased advertorial content and 5$ cover price. As an added bonus, HAL is selling third-party advertisements which likely underwrite a lot of the increased production costs to boot. :-)

 

Those tricky marketers ... we are an evil lot!

 

Scott.

[MightyQuinn]

.... if receiving a Mariner periodical is to be truly viewed a benefit of the new and improved Mariner Society programme (which HAL states that it is), it has better have some sort of identified value attached to it, hence the new and improved glossy stock, increased advertorial content and 5$ cover price. As an added bonus, HAL is selling third-party advertisements which likely underwrite a lot of the increased production costs to boot.

It's clear that HAL has made many enhancements to the Mariner Magazine in order to increase its perceived value. Most people who received it have been very impressed with its new look & feel. Yet the identified value of high gloss images, improved card stock & dazzling advertisements are lost on those Mariners who receive a .pdf version of the new Mariner Magazine. Something gets lost in translation & any enhanced value is simply not there.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If some of you aren't getting it - what chance do we have over here in Europe :confused:

 

Many of we long, old time HAL cruisers here in the US can't even get one.

[YXU AC*SE]

It's clear that HAL has made many enhancements to the Mariner Magazine in order to increase its perceived value. Most people who received it have been very impressed with its new look & feel. Yet the identified value of high gloss images, improved card stock & dazzling advertisements are lost on those Mariners who receive a .pdf version of the new Mariner Magazine. Something gets lost in translation & any enhanced value is simply not there.

 

I won't defend HAL's marketing execution, because honestly, some of it falls a little short to my observation, but I will say, the .pdf version lacks the price tag (it is buried in the micetype on page four beneath the masthead.)

 

I've been trying for two years to get re-added to their 'flash specials' e-mail, with zero success. I expect somewhere within their permission marketing◊ profile of me (and a few others it would seem, right KK?), there is a do not mail / do not email flag that needs to be reset.

 

Scott.

 

[◊Nerdy extra reading bit: Permission marketing is the notion that if I put my hand up as a consumer and say, "Company X, I am interested in receiving marketing messages about A, C and D, but not B or E", and Company X is actually able to track those preferences to their customer, upon receipt of A, C, and D I am more likely to be receptive to those targetted messages sent, versus just blasting your entire base with the same non-targetted and non-customized message. Gross oversimplification, but I hope you get my point.]:D

[lastlook]

Ours was waiting in our held mail when we returned from our Ryndam cruise a couple of weeks ago. Loved it!

[earl_m]

I don`t know about the rest of the people in Canada, But I am still waiting, and I am not holdind my breath, maybe next time!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I won't defend HAL's marketing execution, because honestly, some of it falls a little short to my observation, but I will say, the .pdf version lacks the price tag (it is buried in the micetype on page four beneath the masthead.)

 

I've been trying for two years to get re-added to their 'flash specials' e-mail, with zero success. I expect somewhere within their permission marketing◊ profile of me (and a few others it would seem, right KK?), there is a do not mail / do not email flag that needs to be reset.

 

Scott.

 

[◊Nerdy extra reading bit: Permission marketing is the notion that if I put my hand up as a consumer and say, "Company X, I am interested in receiving marketing messages about A, C and D, but not B or E", and Company X is actually able to track those preferences to their customer, upon receipt of A, C, and D I am more likely to be receptive to those targetted messages sent, versus just blasting your entire base with the same non-targetted and non-customized message. Gross oversimplification, but I hope you get my point.]:D

 

I have refilled out everything on HAL's site several times -- no success.

We even called HAL around the first of Feburary and they would not even put us on a list to have one sent out to us.

She took our Mariner numbers and looked up our records -- but that was it. She could see how many days we have.

On another site I know of people who have sailed maybe once or twice with HAL and have mentioned that they were surprised that they got the magazine even though they will not be sailing on HAL in the future -- they have the cruise lines they like better.