Your Opinions please. - as to invitations for travel companions.

[SonnekeH]

as I have mentioned here a few hundred times or so........ Irecently sailed with a girlf riend to Bermuda on Veendam. We each had our own Neptune Suite and that is only pertinent, in that we were not sharing a cabin. We had both of our TA's (Pcc) link our bookings. I am five star and while my g friend has sailed HAL a number off times, she has a diferentf star numberr. I was invited to MAriners Brunch and the Medallion award program prior to brunch. My firiend was not and that not only surprised me but was disappointing. I had hoped we would go together and while I doubt anyone would have turned her away, I would not put us in the position of possible embarrassment. IMO, The ffront office made a bad mistake and I suffered for it. I . would have enjoyed going together but would not show up somewhere that both were not expected. To them, its. a big so what !!! to me it was disappointing, sloppy, careless and unnecesary,. SAMEhholds for a cockgtail party that was held in Crows Nest. Our reservations were linkied, we vvoth were solo in our Neptune Suitews and HAL could spare an exra glass of wine so my f riend and I could go together? Most know here I am not shy, however, I would not say something to them about what I c onsiderered an inappropriate over sight I missesd out on getting the photo at Mariners Award Ceremeony with Captain and HOTel Director. That is always my favorite momento o from all cruises .. I've sailed enough nights, enough ships, enough years on those ships, they could extend a courtesy to me and to my friend who is also a repeater Mariner. If I was invtied to a party, she also should have been. I KNOW what I could have done to correct the mattter but that is humiliating, rude and crass andII should not have had to remedy their sloppiness. IMO They don't give a thought to the acutual persons they dismiss as incidental............ GRM does not seem to pay much attention to social detail. However, though on the ship for a week, I never met, saw, GRM or cruise director. THAT is also a f first for me. nOT impressive

 

Comments?

life is tough...isn't it......

[SonnekeH]

Either of us certainly could have but found it distasteful to 'ask for an invitagttion. Rather than be so tacky, I chose to a not attentd any of the events.

I am sure you were missed.

[cbr663]

car663-

Did you read about my experience and Copper10-8's confirmation of this occurring. If no one asks, how many people are sitting in their cabins and "stewing" unnecessarily & thinking badly of their treatment by HAL (and then advertising it online) when in fact HAL have had nothing to do about the lack of an invitation. They may well have tried - are we all so "entitled" that we expect to have "mind readers" flawlessly organizing social events for us?

 

As I stated earlier, this isn't an entitlement issue - it is a customer relationship building issue.

 

In my experience, these so-called simple mistakes are happening way too frequently and diminish the experience. We recently sailed on the K in Norway. We booked at the Doubletree by Hilton after the cruise. When we arrived at the hotel, we were told that early check in was not possible, even though we enjoy status under Hilton's Customer Reward Program.

 

When we booked the room using Hilton's app, we were offered an upgrade to an Executive Suite. Upon checking in, I asked the lady if we received the upgrade, to which she responded no. When I questioned her, she demanded that we produce the email to confirm the upgrade. We had to search through paper work to find it and when she saw it, she said she could quickly add it to my reservation.

 

Before leaving the desk, I had to ask her whether we could leave our bags at the hotel. She did not offer. Later that evening, we tried to access the Executive Lounge and could not. We were instructed to go to the Front Desk to have our keys updated. Seems while the lady at the front desk charged us for the Executive Lounge access, she did not actually provide us with that access.

 

Simple mistakes? Compare that though with our experience at the Pan Pacific when we sailed to Alaska. There, we were greeted as soon as we arrived at the Hotel. Upon check in, we were welcomed warmly and informed that our room was indeed ready, even though it was early check in. (we don't have any reward program for this hotel). Thirty minutes after settling in we received a call from the front desk asking if everything was to our satisfaction and if there was anything that we needed. The next morning a bellman appeared at our door to take our luggage to the ship. When I tried to tip the bellman, he graciously declined and told me that everything was taken care of and it was a pleasure for him to help us.

 

I could provide many, many more examples. I hope you get the point. One experience was basic and reactive with no personal experience at all and of course, simple mistakes were made. The other was warm and welcoming, anticipating my needs, and following up to ensure that I was satisfied. There was no need for me to inform the staff at Pan Pacific that a mistake was made - as there weren't any.

[SonnekeH]

How would you feel as a five star mariner if someone else had brought a 3 or 4 star mariner who wasn't even in the same cabin to a five star mariner event? Wouldn't that kind of cheapen the experience for all the five star mariners?

OHHHHHH horror of horrors! A 3 or 4 star Mariner showing up at a 5 star Mariners event.....what is this world coming to!

[iancal]

Absolutely shocking!

 

Cheapen the experience? Don't think so. They are already serving the cheapest wine and champagne available/know to mankind. The trinkets are made in China. How much cheaper can it get?

 

This is not about social standing, station in life, etc.. It is ONLY about how much you have happened to spend/how often you have cruised on HAL.

[cbr663]

OHHHHHH horror of horrors! A 3 or 4 star Mariner showing up at a 5 star Mariners event.....what is this world coming to!

 

Passive Aggressive comments such as these simply display hostility that is not necessary and adds nothing to this thread.

[Jade13]

I feel sympathetic toward Sail. There was a time (when ships were smaller and staffs were larger) when there was much more attention to social details. Two solo Suite passengers traveling together, one a 5 star Mariner, would have been noted when invitation lists were organized. Officers and key staff made a point of greeting guests and chatting with them at small gatherings. Cruising was a very gracious experience.

 

 

 

Alas, in this age when the lists are cranked out by a computer, it doesn't seem that there are any staff people on board with any real responsibility for the guest lists or tone and atmosphere of these "special" events. Certainly Mariner brunches sometimes have the most substandard food and rushed dining room service I've ever seen on HAL, so I tend to skip them now.

 

 

 

 

 

Part of the pleasure of a special event should have been both of you receiving an invitation separately. .

 

 

 

Exactly. You get it.

 

 

And those who keep saying the friend was trying to get something they were not entitled to are clearly not reading in detail.

 

The friend, both a mariner and in a NL suite, was not invited to any events including the Suite party.

 

Poor customer service and social grace.

 

 

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[Jade13]

Deleted

[Hlitner]

Exactly. You get it.

 

 

And those who keep saying the friend was trying to get something they were not entitled to are clearly not reading in detail.

 

The friend, both a mariner and in a NL suite, was not invited to any events including the Suite party.

 

Poor customer service and social grace.

 

 

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The more I read your posts....the more confused I get! You tell us your friend was an experienced HAL cruiser. Some things went wrong...when it came to her invitations and status. So all she had to was call or stop at Guest Relations and make a simply inquiry. And since she was in a Neptune suite she also had the option of simply mentioning the issue to the Concierge. Like you, we have been on many cruises...and like for most folks...things are not always perfect. And when something goes wrong you simply deal with it at the time! Waiting until after a cruise to whine about something that could have easily been corrected makes absolutely no sense.

 

Hank

[wander]

Hlitner,

I agree with your statement 100%. You said what I was trying to say but in a much better manner. Thank you

[wander]

cbr663

 

The comment you reference is not an example of a passive aggressive situation. What is? To be (1) upset about a perceived slight that could (probably) be easily rectified but (2) refusing to take any action to try to rectify it at the time (like staying home and feeling mistreated, " having a pity party" etc. and then (3) after the fact complaining about being wronged, complaining about poor service that you elected to not try to rectify, etc. That is passive aggressive behavior example. (Most people occasionally exhibit this type of behavior, some more than others. )

 

In retrospect, I do agree that "entitlement" was not the most appropriate word to use in this situation. Yes the situation was unfortunate be it a mistake by a Hal employee, a computer error (yes, I know humans program them), or the fact that someone "stole" the invitation from outside her cabin, it could have been so easily rectified!!! I respect (but do not understand) the position to not take any action to try to rectify the situation. But then I would just let it go, not use it to demonstrate how things are deteriorating on HAL. In my experience - they definitely happened in the 80s when I started serious cruising and they apparently still happen today. I fortunately have been able to escape this type of personal issue for many cruises.

[RuthC]

And those who keep saying the friend was trying to get something they were not entitled to are clearly not reading in detail.

You are the one not reading in detail; or at least not comprehending what you are reading.

 

There were two events: the medallion ceremony and the Mariners' Luncheon. These two events, although held one right after the other, are not the same and have a different guest list. Everyone invited to the medallion ceremony is invited to the luncheon, but not everyone invited to a luncheon is invited to the medallion ceremony.

If the friend was not invited to the Medallion Ceremony it is because she wasn't entitled, not having sailed a sufficient number of days on HAL.

Whether or not the friend was invited to the Luncheon can't be determined, but no one is saying she wasn't entitled to go to that.

[innlady1]

Thanks for explains this so precisely, Ruth. People often seem to overlook these details.

 

 

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[Jade13]

You are the one not reading in detail; or at least not comprehending what you are reading.

 

 

 

 

There were two events: the medallion ceremony and the Mariners' Luncheon. These two events, although held one right after the other, are not the same and have a different guest list. Everyone invited to the medallion ceremony is invited to the luncheon, but not everyone invited to a luncheon is invited to the medallion ceremony.

 

 

 

If the friend was not invited to the Medallion Ceremony it is because she wasn't entitled, not having sailed a sufficient number of days on HAL.

 

Whether or not the friend was invited to the Luncheon can't be determined, but no one is saying she wasn't entitled to go to that.

 

 

I know Sail personally and I understand exactly.

 

As I already indicated I have experienced a similar situation. And going to the front desk did not remedy the situation. And even if it would in this case on a 7 night cruise there is little opportunity to rectify anything. HAL has gone downhill. They are a mass market cruise line but used to be above the rest in the same category. They have no attention to detail.

 

Others on this board get it.

 

 

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[Jade13]

You are the one not reading in detail; or at least not comprehending what you are reading.

 

 

 

 

There were two events: the medallion ceremony and the Mariners' Luncheon. These two events, although held one right after the other, are not the same and have a different guest list. Everyone invited to the medallion ceremony is invited to the luncheon, but not everyone invited to a luncheon is invited to the medallion ceremony.

 

 

 

If the friend was not invited to the Medallion Ceremony it is because she wasn't entitled, not having sailed a sufficient number of days on HAL.

 

Whether or not the friend was invited to the Luncheon can't be determined, but no one is saying she wasn't entitled to go to that.

 

 

 

I understand perfectly. I get it and so does cbr663, cruise-bunnies, and Caribbean Chris. Try reading their responses if you do not understand mine.

 

HAL has gone down hill. They are a mass market line but used to be above the rest.

 

 

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[serendipity1499]

Has it ever dawned on people that in order for HAL to maintain their once excellent service & not make mistakes they will have to raise their prices?:(

 

We are still paying for cruises what we paid on our first cruise in 1998 which was in an outside cabin on the Ryndam to the Southern Carib... The cost was $267 per night.. In Oct 2016 on the Zuiderdam to the Canal it cost us $270.50 per night in a Balcony (VF) cabin! HAL'S prices have not increased but the cost of living has increased three-fold!

 

Someththing has to change folks.. Mistakes happen & it's a shame, but bringing it to someone's attention on board is the right thing to do, when problems happen & not wait to complain about them on a Public Message board, because you are too proud to do so!!

 

There is no sympathy from me here, as IMO complaining & trashing a cruise line without bringing the problems to the proper people on board is unconscionable!

[Jade13]

The more I read your posts....the more confused I get! You tell us your friend was an experienced HAL cruiser. Some things went wrong...when it came to her invitations and status. So all she had to was call or stop at Guest Relations and make a simply inquiry. And since she was in a Neptune suite she also had the option of simply mentioning the issue to the Concierge. Like you, we have been on many cruises...and like for most folks...things are not always perfect. And when something goes wrong you simply deal with it at the time! Waiting until after a cruise to whine about something that could have easily been corrected makes absolutely no sense.

 

 

 

Hank

 

 

 

The point Hank is that this should not be necessary. HAL should get this right.

 

Now I would and did do as you suggest on my cruise with three trips to the front desk and I still did not get any invite to the mariners brunch even though I kept telling them it was the last week of a 3 week cruise and I had not received anything. They kept telling me the invite would be sent to my cabin. And the third day it was "Madam didn't you get the invite? Your brunch was a couple of hours ago". Oh and then I had to ask for the mariner tiles and again they said they would send them to the cabin. Why should I have to ask three times for an invite to a mariners brunch, be brushed off, and than have to stand in a long line on another day yet again to ask for the gift I didn't receive because it was handed out at the lunch. Why should I be made to feel like a complainer and have to take time from my vacation (at least 4 times in a long line at the front desk)? I can understand why someone else doesn't want to ask even if they have access to the NL concierge.

 

Read the responses by cruise-bunnies, but especially Caribbean Chris, and cbr663 because they express what I am trying to say much better.

 

 

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[work2travel]

Don't sweat the small stuff and most stuff is small. (i.e. missed lunch invite). I would wager that neither of you missed a meal that day. Wonder how many people in this world could not say that?

[sapper1]

Has it ever dawned on people that in order for HAL to maintain their once excellent service & not make mistakes they will have to raise their prices?:(

 

We are still paying for cruises what we paid on our first cruise in 1998 which was in an outside cabin on the Ryndam to the Southern Carib... The cost was $267 per night.. In Oct 2016 on the Zuiderdam to the Canal it cost us $270.50 per night in a Balcony (VF) cabin! HAL'S prices have not increased but the cost of living has increased three-fold!

 

Someththing has to change folks.. Mistakes happen & it's a shame, but bringing it to someone's attention on board is the right thing to do, when problems happen & not wait to complain about them on a Public Message board, because you are too proud to do so!!

 

There is no sympathy from me here, as IMO complaining & trashing a cruise line without bringing the problems to the proper people on board is unconscionable!

Well said.

[kazu]

I know Sail personally and I understand exactly.

 

As I already indicated I have experienced a similar situation. And going to the front desk did not remedy the situation. And even if it would in this case on a 7 night cruise there is little opportunity to rectify anything. HAL has gone downhill. They are a mass market cruise line but used to be above the rest in the same category. They have no attention to detail.

 

Others on this board get it.

 

 

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I think you missed the point that RuthC made which was a very valid one IMO.

 

With both ladies in a Neptune Suite and with the services of the concierge, I think this could have been remedied on board easily assuming the friend should have been invited to the medallion ceremony. Had it not been, then this thread would have been valid but complaining after the fact without addressing it on board is not right IMO.

 

While some may "get" your point of view, most on this thread do not.

 

Has it ever dawned on people that in order for HAL to maintain their once excellent service & not make mistakes they will have to raise their prices?:(

 

We are still paying for cruises what we paid on our first cruise in 1998 which was in an outside cabin on the Ryndam to the Southern Carib... The cost was $267 per night.. In Oct 2016 on the Zuiderdam to the Canal it cost us $270.50 per night in a Balcony (VF) cabin! HAL'S prices have not increased but the cost of living has increased three-fold!

 

Someththing has to change folks.. Mistakes happen & it's a shame, but bringing it to someone's attention on board is the right thing to do, when problems happen & not wait to complain about them on a Public Message board, because you are too proud to do so!!

 

There is no sympathy from me here, as IMO complaining & trashing a cruise line without bringing the problems to the proper people on board is unconscionable!

 

I agree Betty. If the attempt was made on board and it wasn't rectified by all means complain. But, that is not the case. It was the OP's decision and her friend's not to address it on board, so it it was not worthy of addressing then........

[Jade13]

Has it ever dawned on people that in order for HAL to maintain their once excellent service & not make mistakes they will have to raise their prices?:(

 

!

 

 

 

They have but there is a HUGE difference in pricing on various cruises and whether you are booking an Inside, Neptune Suite, and whether the cruise is a 7 night standard Caribbean or VOV as one example.

 

 

The OP (topic of thread) was asking for opinions on bringing a traveling companion (not in the same cabin) to social events and people have given their opinions.

 

It used to be that social events such as weddings came with invitations that said +1, I assume so those not married could bring a companion and not go alone. Most who have spoken do not think this should be allowed.

 

 

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Edited July 30, 2017 by Jade13

[Jade13]

Deleted

[Appalachian Mountain Mama]

Jade13' yes HAL should get this right... but if they don't know they don't have it right and you don't tell them what do you expect to happen? People have posted about watching someone steal an invite right off a cabin door, so what if the friend's invite was stolen? HAL couldn't fix that because nobody told them about it. Not every issue is HAL's fault but they have to know about issues before they can fix them.

 

 

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[cruisemom42]

The point Hank is that this should not be necessary. HAL should get this right.

 

 

I have read every response on this thread carefully. And the point, in my humble opinion, is that things occasionally go wrong even in very well run organizations. In your case you attempted to resolve the problem but were unsuccessful. However, we have no way of knowing the result if Sail7Seas had tried to resolve the problem. Surely HAL does resolve problems much (if not most) of the time when it is drawn to their attention. I have certainly read that often enough in reviews posted on this very board.

 

Which brings me to the second point -- HAL used to provide more individualized service, no doubt about it. All of the cruise lines that have been around long enough have also done the same. But mass market lines (and HAL is a mass market line, whatever some say; albeit on the higher end) have many more passengers now, and fewer staff per passenger. They do the best they can under the circumstances; once in a while they slip up.

 

Finally, you keep insisting that the original post was very clear. Perhaps because you know the poster you have some insight into her meaning, but I found it rather confusing. Her title, "Your Opinions please. - as to invitations for travel companions" seems to suggest she is going to ask whether travel companions are eligible to attend the same events if linked, whether or not they are entitled. Her post clarifies it a bit but not entirely. She does not state explicitly how many stars her friend has ("she has a different number", or how many days traveled.

 

I am not -- and I'm sure others are not -- versed in all the intricacies of who gets what invitation and whether these lunch invitations tend to be grouped by star number. It is reasonable to assume they might be, and that S7S was asking that her friend be accorded the same status that she had due to having linked invitations. (Otherwise, why bring up the whole 'linked invitations' issue....?)

 

Since I found that confusing, I chose not to respond to that portion. But I stand by my response that one should be reasonably proactive and not reactive. Do you go to the doctor's office and let him order the wrong test and not say anything until after? Do you go to a restaurant and not speak up if you are brought the wrong entree? :confused:

 

Those who read and post here frequently know that service levels have declined. But if one does not even try to rectify an oversight or an outright mistake, one has a lot less ground for complaint afterward -- at least, in my book. Your experience = justified complaint at how it was handled. S7S' issue = we will never know how HAL might have resolved it, given the chance.

[innlady1]

 

...SNIP...

It used to be that social events such as weddings came with invitations that said +1, I assume so those not married could bring a companion and not go alone. Most who have spoken do not think this should be allowed.

 

 

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Apples [emoji519] and [emoji521], ma'am.

 

Further, why pay for the services of a Concierge and not take advantage of those very services. I've been reading the OP's posts for more than 10 years and she's never struck me as shy. For whatever reason, this whole scenario blossomed once she got home...when the cruise was over and done with.

 

For what it's worth, we've been to 2 Mariner luncheons on the Veendam Boston/Bermuda cruises. '13 and '15. She dodged a bullet ! 🤣

 

 

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Edited July 30, 2017 by innlady1