Think HAL Would Take My Booking?

[sail7seas]

Beats me how this happened but I was just looking through a snail mail 'private sale' mailing I received from HAL today.

 

I happened to glance at the name/address on the pamphlet and noticed not only was it not my name or One Star Mariner's ID number but it was addressed to a man we'll call John whose address is Illinois. :eek: :D

 

I'm not a guy and I live in Massachusetts.

How in the world it arrived in my mail box I have no clue but it makes me wonder if I called and asked for the special pricing, would I get it or would I be told it was only for 'selected Mariners'?

 

Edited July 1, 2014 by sail7seas

[TracieABD]

Hi Sail-

Can't hurt to ask!

 

The worst they can say is no.

 

I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

Come back and let us know how you did!

 

Good luck-

TL

[sail7seas]

Hi Sail-

Can't hurt to ask!

 

The worst they can say is no.

 

I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

Come back and let us know how you did!

 

Good luck-

TL

 

:D After reading some of the major slip ups some phone reps have made I'd worry they would book the cruise in the name and Mariner ID of the person to whom the mailing was addressed. :D

 

I wouldn't believe they actually got my correct name and Mariner number until I saw it in writing. :D

 

[sppunk]

My guess: no

 

My advice: call and push

[cruz chic]

That's really crazy. Is the pricing that good? For a very short time I didn't have any cruises booked with Hal and they graced me with special pricing. It only seems to apply to Caribbean and Alaska cruises. The pricing is only about $50 less so I guess I'm not as "special" as some folks.

[kjw869]

Beats me how this happened but I was just looking through a snail mail 'private sale' mailing I received from HAL today.

 

I happened to glance at the name/address on the pamphlet and noticed not only was it not my name or One Star Mariner's ID number but it was addressed to a man we'll call John whose address is Illinois. :eek: :D

 

I'm not a guy and I live in Massachusetts.

How in the world it arrived in my mail box I have no clue but it makes me wonder if I called and asked for the special pricing, would I get it or would I be told it was only for 'selected Mariners'?

 

 

Years ago, I created a fictitious name with one of my email addresses and have received offers for the past 4-5 years. On one occasion two years ago, I put the "last name" and the ID number during a mock booking and the SA cabin was $100 less than the normal web price. I called HAL and asked for that price, and was told that the offer was for the person with that ID, and I could not receive the discount.

 

I then called my online travel agent, the same person I've used for years, and she was able to get the discount as well as a 14% agency "barebones" discount.

 

I would call until I found a HAL agent who may give you this discount after 85 cruises with the line, or if you use a outside TA, see if they can secure the discount.

[dfish]

I've often wondered this. My sister and cruise buddy does not have email, so we used my email address for her when we went on our first cruise. She gets a ton more special offers than I do and I've sometimes wondered if I could book one of those special offers.

 

Debbie

[POA1]

It sounds like a post office slip up if it was addressed to someone in another state. It's too bad that your second home isn't in more of a vacation destination. Nothing against Illinois, but...

[sailandcruise]

Beats me how this happened but I was just looking through a snail mail 'private sale' mailing I received from HAL today.

 

I happened to glance at the name/address on the pamphlet and noticed not only was it not my name or One Star Mariner's ID number but it was addressed to a man we'll call John whose address is Illinois. :eek: :D

 

I'm not a guy and I live in Massachusetts.

How in the world it arrived in my mail box I have no clue but it makes me wonder if I called and asked for the special pricing, would I get it or would I be told it was only for 'selected Mariners'?

 

 

My guess is that HAL did a bulk mailing and "John's" got stuck to yours and then yours got lost somehow. So perhaps there was one for you too and you will qualify for the discounted rate. As many of our mothers have often said, "it can't hurt to ask." ;)

 

I agree with kjw869. Now that you know that HAL is willing to sell the cabin at the discounted rate, you just have to find someone who can figure out how to book you at that rate. Perhaps omit your Mariner number on the initial booking, or take advantage of their clout with HAL, or some other possibility. I got the (lower) non-Mariner's rate once from a TA who just left it off the initial booking and then added it later.

 

Good luck and enjoy the cruise! :D

[HamOp]

Sail, check and see if the ZIP +4 code is the correct one for your location.

 

Could be that if it is, your mail man knows you receive mailings from HAL and figured it should go to you.

 

From the web: "An extended ZIP+4 code, introduced in the 1980s, includes the five digits of the ZIP code, a hyphen, and four more digits that determine a more specific location within a given ZIP code.

[PathfinderEss]

Totally weird.:confused:

[Hflors]

I didn't get an e-mail, but I did get a call from HAL about two weeks ago. I had been messing around with an online booking on HAL's website for a cruise I had been looking at. I got called away and when I went back to the computer there was a message asking if I was still there. I closed the booking and didn't think anymore about it. Then a couple of days later I was doing the same thing and the box popped up again asking me if I needed help with the booking. I closed it and got out of the booking. About a week later I got a call from HAL asking me if I was still interested in the booking and if I needed any help. But I had already booked with another cruiseline. (I don't currently have a booking with HAL maybe that's why they called)

[sail7seas]

Sail, check and see if the ZIP +4 code is the correct one for your location.

 

Could be that if it is, your mail man knows you receive mailings from HAL and figured it should go to you.

 

From the web: "An extended ZIP+4 code, introduced in the 1980s, includes the five digits of the ZIP code, a hyphen, and four more digits that determine a more specific location within a given ZIP code.

 

 

 

That was a really good idea and I checked but No...... the zips are no where near close.

 

You are very right about my mailman knowing my HAL interest/history and often asks about our cruises. :) You COULD have been right he might have delivered seeing what he knows about me.

 

The price is good but not great.

It just interested me what you all thought HAL would do if I attempted a booking.

 

 

[sailandcruise]

Sail, check and see if the ZIP +4 code is the correct one for your location.

 

Could be that if it is, your mail man knows you receive mailings from HAL and figured it should go to you.

 

From the web: "An extended ZIP+4 code, introduced in the 1980s, includes the five digits of the ZIP code, a hyphen, and four more digits that determine a more specific location within a given ZIP code.

 

This is a much better explanation than mine. :D

 

Was the mail sent first class? Non-first class mail could easily have ended up at the wrong post office due to bulk handling, and your carrier could have just assumed it was intended for you. :D

Edited July 2, 2014 by sailandcruise

[cruz chic]

I didn't get an e-mail, but I did get a call from HAL about two weeks ago. I had been messing around with an online booking on HAL's website for a cruise I had been looking at. I got called away and when I went back to the computer there was a message asking if I was still there. I closed the booking and didn't think anymore about it. Then a couple of days later I was doing the same thing and the box popped up again asking me if I needed help with the booking. I closed it and got out of the booking. About a week later I got a call from HAL asking me if I was still interested in the booking and if I needed any help. But I had already booked with another cruiseline. (I don't currently have a booking with HAL maybe that's why they called)

 

It's been asking that question online for quite a while in my experience.

[sail7seas]

My guess is that HAL did a bulk mailing and "John's" got stuck to yours and then yours got lost somehow. So perhaps there was one for you too and you will qualify for the discounted rate. As many of our mothers have often said, "it can't hurt to ask." ;)

 

I agree with kjw869. Now that you know that HAL is willing to sell the cabin at the discounted rate, you just have to find someone who can figure out how to book you at that rate. Perhaps omit your Mariner number on the initial booking, or take advantage of their clout with HAL, or some other possibility. I got the (lower) non-Mariner's rate once from a TA who just left it off the initial booking and then added it later.

 

Good luck and enjoy the cruise! :D

 

This is a much better explanation than mine. :D

 

Was the mail sent first class? Non-first class mail could easily have ended up at the wrong post office due to bulk handling, and your carrier could have just assumed it was intended for you. :D

 

 

 

I think you probably are right the bulk mailing got misdirected and my mailman is so used to HAL and me, it ended up in my mailbox. :D

 

[Boytjie]

Beats me how this happened but I was just looking through a snail mail 'private sale' mailing I received from HAL today.

 

I happened to glance at the name/address on the pamphlet and noticed not only was it not my name or One Star Mariner's ID number but it was addressed to a man we'll call John whose address is Illinois. :eek: :D

 

I'm not a guy and I live in Massachusetts.

How in the world it arrived in my mail box I have no clue but it makes me wonder if I called and asked for the special pricing, would I get it or would I be told it was only for 'selected Mariners'?

 

 

I have had similar things happen to mailings: I get some total stranger's mail from the same company. I suspect they two pieces of mail somehow "stick together" until I get them. No other logical explanation. The last names have been close to mine - maybe a clue.

 

Edit: Oh, I thought you got tow pieces of mail: one for you and one for someone else. Bad reading on my part. :o

Edited July 2, 2014 by Boytjie

[TiogaCruiser]

DH got a really sweet deal of an offer on a cruise I was booked on.

HAL would not honor his price but did upgrade my cabin. This was after final.

[SeagoingMom]

I've often wondered this. My sister and cruise buddy does not have email, so we used my email address for her when we went on our first cruise. She gets a ton more special offers than I do and I've sometimes wondered if I could book one of those special offers.

 

Debbie

So does HAL really offers special prices, not available to the general public, to those who get their emails? I have unsubscribed from all my cruise line emails (HAL, Princess, Carnival, Celebrity -- the four lines I've cruise with) because I get so sick of the number of emails that come in. But if there really are email-only special prices available, perhaps I should get back on the email lists (sigh :()

[Krazy Kruizers]

It sounds like a post office slip up if it was addressed to someone in another state. It's too bad that your second home isn't in more of a vacation destination. Nothing against Illinois, but...

 

 

We have 3 different men delivering mail where we live. And many of us have to take mail that was delivered wrong to the correct house.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We don't get any e-mails or smail mail from HAL -- not even accidently.