typed in mariner number and price increased

[whogo]

I keep a separate browser free of cookies for cruise and airfare comparison shopping.

[Iwant2BatC]

One time I took my son on a cruise and used my e- mail address in his booking. After that I got e mails addressed to him (a one star mariner) that were very special prices never offered to me ( a five star). I once called Holland America and after 20 minutes on the phone and being transferred all over the place I got some supervisor to give me the price offered in his e- mail. Guess what- they must have deleted him because I have never gotten another email addressed to him! Lol

[ozcruizer]

We've experienced something similar. The pricing for my Mariner number (4*) was higher than that for my neighbor (1*), with whom I was traveling. Our TA had to 'work' with HAL (ok, argue) to get the lower pricing for both of us. I was glad that we use a TA who has clout with HAL (a member of their Centurion Club, top 100 producers) to go to bat for us. Good luck.

 

One factor in your case may be though is that you are after final payment. It isn't unusual for cruise lines to drop prices to fill cabins. Entering your Mariner number identifies that you are already booked, not a new passenger. You 'may' be able to get some OBC or an upgrade. You may not get either. All you can do is ask.

 

This happened to us. We had a guarantee cabin in the lowest Balcony category on the Noordam (steel sheeting balcony) and after final payment (and no word as to the cabin we would finally get) I found that the next up in the category was going for $400 less than we'd paid. I rang the TA (I am in Sydney, Australia) who didn't think we'd be able to do much since the final payment had been made but she said she'd ring HAL. The upshot was that we could have a better cabin two decks higher! I grabbed it. The moral is nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

We leave for Venice on Thursday and board the Noordam on Saturday - so looking forward to it.

 

Ozcruizer

[Spender Nui]

"Special offers on select sailings," is the way the Mariner benefits description reads. Did you take special to mean lower prices?

 

I don't see how HAL can make this claim honestly: "the most generous rewards program at sea." http://www.hollandamerica.com/marinerSociety/Main.action

 

It's spelled CROCK!

[kelleherdl]

One time I took my son on a cruise and used my e- mail address in his booking. After that I got e mails addressed to him (a one star mariner) that were very special prices never offered to me ( a five star). I once called Holland America and after 20 minutes on the phone and being transferred all over the place I got some supervisor to give me the price offered in his e- mail. Guess what- they must have deleted him because I have never gotten another email addressed to him! Lol

 

Had exactly the same thing happen to me. I did a multi-cabin booking for NE/Canada Maasdam several years ago. Had multiple booking names but all under my email. I also called my PCC after final payment, but I was not able to get the cabins adjusted.

 

Dennis

[AV8rix]

Hal is one of the worst lines regarding the supplement. You almost NEVER see a reduced single supplement on HAL.

 

On my next cruise they are offering a summer special of a beverage card and OBC of xx$ per person. The HAL rep only wanted to allow me the "per person" benefit because "I'm only one person". But I'm paying for two (the full supplement)! Anyway, HAL wouldn't budge from that position so I booked this one with a TA, who was able to get me a slight increase on both the beverage card and the OBC.

[mame42]

Hal is one of the worst lines regarding the supplement. You almost NEVER see a reduced single supplement on HAL.

 

On my next cruise they are offering a summer special of a beverage card and OBC of xx$ per person. The HAL rep only wanted to allow me the "per person" benefit because "I'm only one person". But I'm paying for two (the full supplement)! Anyway, HAL wouldn't budge from that position so I booked this one with a TA, who was able to get me a slight increase on both the beverage card and the OBC.

 

And as I have mentioned on another thread, if we solos pay for two persons, we should be allowed to carry on two bottles of wine.

[aerospace]

Hal is one of the worst lines regarding the supplement. You almost NEVER see a reduced single supplement on HAL.

 

A europe cruise I'm following was at 50% supplement and just by accident today I did a mock booking to check flights and found it down to 25%. Unfortunately it's a later date where flights seem high but still it's stupid there is no way to tell prices without faking a booking on each date offered. :mad:

 

Carnival makes it easy to search so it's possible Holland(and most lines) just don't care to do it.

[AV8rix]

A europe cruise I'm following was at 50% supplement and just by accident today I did a mock booking to check flights and found it down to 25%.

 

I follow the cruises on an online TA site where you can specifically check for solo prices. Then I also do mock bookings on the HAL site which, as you say, is tedious and shouldn't be necessary. I don't understand their philosophy about forcing folks to repeatedly go through the mock booking procedure. Hey, if we're on their site at all it means that we're showing interest in DOING BUSINESS with them. They should make it as transparent and easy as possible.

 

Oh wait, I know! They're banking on the fact that the greater percentage of folks won't know about the mock booking procedure and will just accept what's published up front. And also hoping that we'll accept without a fight the rest of the solo penalties regarding beverage carryon (as Mame42 noted), beverage cards, OBC, etc. Whatever. IMHO they're still the best line for my demographic.

 

And I apologize to the whole forum about causing "thread creep". Probably should have gone off on my tangent in the Solos section.

 

I like your cool CC handle :) . I'm a retired aero engineer.

[aerospace]

aerospace engineering major at UM :)

[iancal]

'...most generous rewards program at sea"

 

Yes, that is a CROCK....and sadly it is funnier that the last comedian we saw on HAL.

[mort&fran]

... Oh wait, I know! They're banking on the fact that the greater percentage of folks won't know about the mock booking procedure and will just accept what's published up front.

...

 

Umm-m-m-mm OK; I'm one of those who don't know about the "mock booking procedure". Would appreciate your filling me (us?) in.