extra Mariner days for onboard spending

[silvercruiser]

Does this mean any and all onboard spending goes toward that $300 for one Mariner day? As in: shore excursions...shop purchases...drinks...etc. etc. What are the exclusions, if any? I remember a few years ago needing 11 more days on Princess to reach Elite status and get free laundry on a long cruise we were planning on a small ship with only one laundry room. Well, the 10-day cruise we really wanted just didn't make the cut, so ended up doing two b2b ones to get enough days. I would have loved to have earned days another way.

[Cruisergal1208]

Does this mean any and all onboard spending goes toward that $300 for one Mariner day? As in: shore excursions...shop purchases...drinks...etc. etc. What are the exclusions, if any? I remember a few years ago needing 11 more days on Princess to reach Elite status and get free laundry on a long cruise we were planning on a small ship with only one laundry room. Well, the 10-day cruise we really wanted just didn't make the cut, so ended up doing two b2b ones to get enough days. I would have loved to have earned days another way.

 

Yes, all purchases on board will help earn one credit per each $300 spent. After our last cruise we needed only 4 credits for the next mariner status so now cruising this month to accomplish that. I also checked about the Medalion levels and only actual days cruised count towards them.

[RuthC]

One exception to the "everything counts" is casino expenses. You do not get credit for the funds taken against your account so that you can give it back in the casino.

The Hotel Service charge of $11.50 per person, per day does count. If you decide to add funds to that amount, the additional will count toward the $300, too.

So, if you are close to a multiple of $300, and want to give additional tips, this is one way that benefits you, too! :)

[iflyrc5]

I don't think purchase of onboard future cruise credits count.

[Cruisergal1208]

One exception to the "everything counts" is casino expenses. You do not get credit for the funds taken against your account so that you can give it back in the casino.

The Hotel Service charge of $11.50 per person, per day does count. If you decide to add funds to that amount, the additional will count toward the $300, too.

So, if you are close to a multiple of $300, and want to give additional tips, this is one way that benefits you, too! :)

 

Thanks for this info Ruth. We have always given cash for extra tips but will consider adding through the pursers office.

[Cruisergal1208]

This link may help explain.

http://www.hollandamerica.com/marinerSociety/Main.action

[Cruisergal1208]

Are any onboard charges excluded from the onboard purchases bonus?

All casino charges, cash advances, Future Cruise deposits, and associated fees are excluded. All other onboard purchases including Hotel Service Charge, Beverage Service Charge, taxes, pre-booked shore excursions and all gift items purchased online or through Ship Services count towards bonus cruise day credits.

[Dietemann]

I am curious as to how this works for 2 people. Do both passengers in a stateroom have to spend $300 each to get an extra day each or does one $300 payment cover both people in a stateroom? I hope this question is clear.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am curious as to how this works for 2 people. Do both passengers in a stateroom have to spend $300 each to get an extra day each or does one $300 payment cover both people in a stateroom? I hope this question is clear.

 

No

You each will get the same number of bonus days for the toal of your spending together.

For example -- if you use the same charge card for both os you, everything you purchase goes on that card. If you have spent $900 together -- then you each get 3 bonus days.

[CruiserBruce]

FCD are not charged to your on board account. You are required to produce your credit card for a separate charge on the credit card.

 

Other than casino charges, all other onboard account charges count, as well as pre-booking purchases like excursions.

[hrhdhd]

I am curious as to how this works for 2 people. Do both passengers in a stateroom have to spend $300 each to get an extra day each or does one $300 payment cover both people in a stateroom? I hope this question is clear.

 

From the website: "This is calculated on the combined folio charges for all guests on the booking, regardless of who signs each charge and who pays the bill. There is a limit of one bonus day for each day sailed, and 3rd and 4th guests on the same booking do not earn the onboard spending bonus."

[Dietemann]

No

 

You each will get the same number of bonus days for the toal of your spending together.

 

For example -- if you use the same charge card for both os you, everything you purchase goes on that card. If you have spent $900 together -- then you each get 3 bonus days.

Great, thank you. That's how I read it in the above posted link, but it's good to have it confirmed.

[hrhdhd]

Great, thank you. That's how I read it in the above posted link, but it's good to have it confirmed.

 

You don't have to use the same credit card. My DH and I use different cards and the credit is still combined.

[vicocala]

I hope the above poster is correct in that on-line purchase of shore excursions, alcohol, photo packages, etc. are included. It didn't make sense to me to exclude them, that would be a poor decision by management.

[PathfinderEss]

I hope the above poster is correct in that on-line purchase of shore excursions, alcohol, photo packages, etc. are included. It didn't make sense to me to exclude them, that would be a poor decision by management.

Yes your online purchases also count towards your bonus day credits. If you purchases your online items many months in advance of your cruise, which many do, those credits will not be counted until you come home from your cruise.

[vicocala]

Yes your online purchases also count towards your bonus day credits. If you purchases your online items many months in advance of your cruise, which many do, those credits will not be counted until you come home from your cruise.

 

Thanks for that confirmation, I wouldn't expect to receive them until after the cruise as some would try to game the system and just cancel once they had the credits. Great news to me!

[GeorgesGal]

Our Pinnacle dinners, purchased pre-cruise, were included in our on-board spending credits, as well as our dinners in Tamarind and Canaletto. Oh, and also the Cabana Club expenditure was included.

[jaguarstyper]

I'm not sure, but I seem to remember that it does not really need to be $300 per day to earn the bonus days. On my last cruise, my dad bought my mom a fairly expensive piece of tanzanite jewelry in the ship's shop. It was maybe $2500. Since the actual cruise and everything we did was my gift to them, they spent very little other money on the cruise and I know they did not come anywhere near the $300 per day, in fact it was less than $300 for the entire cruise. But, they received the full compliment of 7 bonus days. So, I assume HAL takes the entire amount and divides it by 300 and issues that many bonus days. Can anyone confirm this?

[DaveOKC]

One exception to the "everything counts" is casino expenses. You do not get credit for the funds taken against your account so that you can give it back in the casino.

The Hotel Service charge of $11.50 per person, per day does count. If you decide to add funds to that amount, the additional will count toward the $300, too.

So, if you are close to a multiple of $300, and want to give additional tips, this is one way that benefits you, too! :)

 

Thanks for the info on the "extra tips" counting. One question - how do you go about doing this and being sure it gets to the right person(s) - or does it just go to the "pool"?

 

DaveOKC

[Mary Ellen]

I'm not sure, but I seem to remember that it does not really need to be $300 per day to earn the bonus days. On my last cruise, my dad bought my mom a fairly expensive piece of tanzanite jewelry in the ship's shop. It was maybe $2500. Since the actual cruise and everything we did was my gift to them, they spent very little other money on the cruise and I know they did not come anywhere near the $300 per day, in fact it was less than $300 for the entire cruise. But, they received the full compliment of 7 bonus days. So, I assume HAL takes the entire amount and divides it by 300 and issues that many bonus days. Can anyone confirm this?

Have I missed something? I don't believe anyone has said that one must spend $300 per day to get the on board spending bonus. All that has been said is that "all purchases on board will help earn one credit per each $300 spent".

 

There is a cap of number of bonus days that can be earned. One can not earn more spending bonus days than the length of the cruise. If your parents were on a 7-day cruise, they could not earn more than 7 days bonus for spending at least $2100. Any amount over that wouldn't earn a spending bonus on a 7-day cruise. Now, if you had sprung for a suite for them, they could have also earned an additional 7 days with the suite bonus. ;)

[jaguarstyper]

Mary Ellen, thanks for clarifying that. I honestly didn't know if it was $300 per day you needed to spend or the bonus days "cost" $300 per bonus day. I guess its the latter. And, yes they only received 7 bonus days. I was aware you could only get up to the number of days of your cruise.

[jtl513]

Mary Ellen, thanks for clarifying that. I honestly didn't know if it was $300 per day you needed to spend or the bonus days "cost" $300 per bonus day. I guess its the latter. And, yes they only received 7 bonus days. I was aware you could only get up to the number of days of your cruise.

Correct, it does not matter what day the actual spending occurs. Final total divided by 300 = days (but capped at # of days of the cruise)

[RuthC]

Thanks for the info on the "extra tips" counting. One question - how do you go about doing this and being sure it gets to the right person(s) - or does it just go to the "pool"?

Funds added to the Hotel Service charge go into the pool. You cannot specify who you want to have it.

 

On one cruise I changed to open dining, so I added to the service charge so the extra could be shared. Happily, that amount also added to my "bonus" spending, which I had not been aware of until then.