5-star benefits

[taxmantoo]

Just became 5-star Mariners on our last cruise. :D

 

How do people handle the additional benefits? I understand we need to apply at Guest Services as soon as we get onboard for the complimentary cooking class? Does it still work that way with America's Test Kitchen?

 

Do you book your free Pinnacle dinners ahead of time or wait until you get onboard? We had quite a problem on the Koningsdam getting them to credit us the discount for Dre Librije dinner we had pre-booked and pre-paid. Took 3 trips to Guest Services. Our next cruise is a short 7-day so 2 complimentary Pinnacle dinners each will be enough. I don't mind pre-paying but hate begging for a discount that should be automatic.

 

Does each person sign up and use up their free internet time individually and then just get one package to share for the remainder of the cruise when that expires? Can you just sign up once and apply both discounts to the same package?

[SilvertoGold]

Cooking Class: sometimes you get an invitation, sometimes not, so best to sign up on boarding day at the Front Desk. Make sure they know you get a complimentary class or you will be charged.....and then, you know, you would have to go to the Front Desk and explain...........

 

Pinnacle Dinners: pre-book if you like and take your chances on having to argue (beg) to get the credit onboard or wait until boarding day and go to the Pinncle as soon as you get onboard and make your reservations. We've never had problems with waiting.

 

Internet: no sharing, as far as I know. Pax 1 buy one, both use it; pax 2 buy the second one, both use it. The reward now appears to be 30% off any package.

 

Congratulations and don't forget the Spa Day reward, too!

[Vict0riann]

Congratulations! It's fun being 5-star mariners :D. We did crazy things on the Koningsdam - ahead of time we booked a bunch of dinners in the Pinnacle and Tamarind, and paid full price. When we had our first dinner in a specialty restaurant, we were credited with all the half prices - 6 Pinnaces and 12 Tamarinds. So we had to go to the Front Desk and tell them we were 5-star and then they credited us with the other halves for 4 dinners (2 each). Very complicated. Our second package of wine we were billed 1/2 price, but 42 times! When I went to the Front Desk, they credited back 39 of the packages - twice. HAL ended up owing us over $5,000! Eventually it was all straightened out.

 

I received an invitation to a Culinary Arts Centre class - for a particular day when we were in port - and it was a lesson on how to crack eggs, so I didn't bother to go. I was disappointed not to get my apron, though. That has happened twice now, and I do hope that one day "my" class will not be on a port day and it won't be on how to crack eggs, so I can get my apron!

 

The way we did the internet was that, to begin with, as we had two accounts, I bought my half-price package, and logged in with my password. Pat could use it too, logging in as me with my password. When we finished my time, he bought his time, and then we had both accounts joined, and I used his as well, logging in as him. Clear as mud?

 

Have I made things worse?

[taxmantoo]

The way we did the internet was that, to begin with, as we had two accounts, I bought my half-price package, and logged in with my password. Pat could use it too, logging in as me with my password. When we finished my time, he bought his time, and then we had both accounts joined, and I used his as well, logging in as him. Clear as mud?

 

Have I made things worse?

Thanks Ann. Was nice to meet up with you and Pat again on the Koningsdam. That's what I was thinking of doing for the internet.

What a scenario for the dinners :mad: We only had the one issue with our Dre Librije dinner discount which, by the way, turned out to be one of the best dinners we have ever had on a cruise ship :D

 

Thanks Silver for reminding me of the spa day.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Congratulations on becoming a 5 star Mariner.

We do prebook our Pinnacle dinners and there have been times when we had to fight for our discounts.

We rarely use the Internet -- when we do, it is I who uses it and have used my DH's minutes as well as mine.

We are not interested in the cooking classes or the spa.

[OlsSalt]

Ironic, by the time we became five star, the overall Holland America experience was all we needed or wanted. Otherwise we would not have kept sailing them. We peaked at the four star "free laundry" incentive.

 

After that, there was not much more we needed to entice us to stay with HAL Price, value, itineraries, comfort and staff are the HAL perks we appreciate more than anything.

[kazu]

Cooking Class: sometimes you get an invitation, sometimes not, so best to sign up on boarding day at the Front Desk. Make sure they know you get a complimentary class or you will be charged.....and then, you know, you would have to go to the Front Desk and explain...........

 

Pinnacle Dinners: pre-book if you like and take your chances on having to argue (beg) to get the credit onboard or wait until boarding day and go to the Pinncle as soon as you get onboard and make your reservations. We've never had problems with waiting.

 

Internet: no sharing, as far as I know. Pax 1 buy one, both use it; pax 2 buy the second one, both use it. The reward now appears to be 30% off any package.

 

Congratulations and don't forget the Spa Day reward, too!

 

Internet is 30% off now? Any package? If that is the same on our upcoming cruise, that would be wonderful.

 

So far, we have only received the standard 1/2 of the 100 minute internet package.

 

Just became 5-star Mariners on our last cruise. :D

 

How do people handle the additional benefits? I understand we need to apply at Guest Services as soon as we get onboard for the complimentary cooking class? Does it still work that way with America's Test Kitchen?

 

Do you book your free Pinnacle dinners ahead of time or wait until you get onboard? We had quite a problem on the Koningsdam getting them to credit us the discount for Dre Librije dinner we had pre-booked and pre-paid. Took 3 trips to Guest Services. Our next cruise is a short 7-day so 2 complimentary Pinnacle dinners each will be enough. I don't mind pre-paying but hate begging for a discount that should be automatic.

 

Does each person sign up and use up their free internet time individually and then just get one package to share for the remainder of the cruise when that expires? Can you just sign up once and apply both discounts to the same package?

 

Congratuatlons Louis :)

 

For the specialty dining, we book the nights we want in advance on line and get the standard 50% off when we are on board.

 

After the dinner in the PG, I just ask the manager to apply my 5* benefit for the meal. It worked well on both my Westerdam cruise. On my Rotterdam cruise it was a bit of a struggle as they told me they would all be applied on the last night. I was not happy about that and told them clearly, I did not want to wait until the last night to see if it was applied and be in a lineup on disembarkation day. It took a couple of days, but it was all done ;)

[LocoLoco1]

Ironic, by the time we became five star, the overall Holland America experience was all we needed or wanted. Otherwise we would not have kept sailing them. We peaked at the four star "free laundry" incentive.

 

After that, there was not much more we needed to entice us to stay with HAL Price, value, itineraries, comfort and staff are the HAL perks we appreciate more than anything.

I agree. It seems we also peaked at $$Free Laundry$$. My take on it all: We get 'Priority Boarding' and Laundry; the rest??, 'meh....'. We simply don't take them up on certain things. ie we don't NEED a 1/2price bathrobe.

[1ANGELCAT]

Per the latest cruise planner, the 5 star benefit for internet reads

“Up to $30 US credit toward any internet package.”

Congrats on becoming 5 Star.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[sapper1]

Per the latest cruise planner, the 5 star benefit for internet reads

“Up to $30 US credit toward any internet package.”

Congrats on becoming 5 Star.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I just received a cruise planner today and noticed the up to $30 credit on any internet package for five star as well.

 

I have booked and prepaid for a few Pinnacles and expect to receive my 50% refund onboard without any problems. However I will wait until boarding to book our 5 star free Pinnacles. On our last two cruises I had prebooked and I had a devil of a time getting the extra 50% for the free dinners credited back properly. It took many trips to the Pinnacle and the front desk before they got it right.

By booking onboard we may not get choice times but at least we will avoid the hassle.

[sail7seas]

That is so pathetic they should be embarrrassed. I am embarrassed for them. What are they thinking?

Why not put a note in our mailboxes telling us straight out how little we are valued? ;)

[SilvertoGold]

That is so pathetic they should be embarrrassed. I am embarrassed for them. What are they thinking?

Why not put a note in our mailboxes telling us straight out how little we are valued? ;)

 

Sometimes it does seem that bad, Sail. A puzzle why, with the Mariner program in effect since 2009, the staff on the ships and/or their computers still cannot seem to get the discounts figured out.

 

On a cruise in 2011, the HM said that Seattle was working on having the pax paying only for the discounted amount due when pre-booking the Pinnacle, etc. I guess they are still working on it.

 

One win for HAL: the Explorations Cafe works sensationally with the discounts: the cash register there reads your card and automatically (!) and credits the correct (!) discount!

[sail7seas]

Sometimes it does seem that bad, Sail. A puzzle why, with the Mariner program in effect since 2009, the staff on the ships and/or their computers still cannot seem to get the discounts figured out.

 

On a cruise in 2011, the HM said that Seattle was working on having the pax paying only for the discounted amount due when pre-booking the Pinnacle, etc. I guess they are still working on it.

 

One win for HAL: the Explorations Cafe works sensationally with the discounts: the cash register there reads your card and automatically (!) and credits the correct (!) discount!

 

 

 

ALL part of their User unfriendly website. I tried not long ago to find a particular cruise on a specific ship and could not. I quit , gave up and forgot ab out it.

[shrimpboat123]

Per the latest cruise planner, the 5 star benefit for internet reads

“Up to $30 US credit toward any internet package.”

Congrats on becoming 5 Star.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Yes, the cruise planner says "up to $30" off any internet package.

 

If you check on the HAL web site under the Mariner benefits for 5*, it still says 50% discount on a 100 minute package. If the 100 minute package is $55 then the discount would be $27.50. So actually, assuming the revised benefit of up to $30 on any package is correct, it would be slightly better for a higher quantity of minutes (like 500 or 1000).

 

I bet the new benefit will finally say 50% discount or $30, whichever is the lessor amount on an internet package.

 

One of these days maybe HAL will co-ordinate there updates so all media sources say the same thing. :D

[Florida_gal_50]

Yes, the cruise planner says "up to $30" off any internet package.

 

If you check on the HAL web site under the Mariner benefits for 5*, it still says 50% discount on a 100 minute package. If the 100 minute package is $55 then the discount would be $27.50. So actually, assuming the revised benefit of up to $30 on any package is correct, it would be slightly better for a higher quantity of minutes (like 500 or 1000).

 

I bet the new benefit will finally say 50% discount or $30, whichever is the lessor amount on an internet package.

 

One of these days maybe HAL will co-ordinate there updates so all media sources say the same thing. :D

They are probably "working" on it along with the Mariners discount upon booking ;p. I think they should take a look at who has it on their to do list ;).

 

Excellent information on this thread. I'm very close to becoming a 5 star marnier so it's timely for me as well.

[ithaca gal]

That is so pathetic they should be embarrrassed. I am embarrassed for them. What are they thinking?

Why not put a note in our mailboxes telling us straight out how little we are valued? ;)

 

The Mariners program has been in effect since 2009. But the people who deal with this on a daily basis have not worked with it since then.

 

I am happy with what I have earned and when it isn't applied correctly, I can use the exercise to walk down to Guest Services and ask that it be looked into.

 

I guess I tell myself that no one woke up that day and said "Gee, what can I do to tick off this person today", so any mistakes or misinformation or lack of knowledge is accidental. (Yes, they SHOULD know better, but I'm lucky not to be held accountable for all of MY mistakes. LOL) After all, I earned those perks by being on CRUISES and I'm on a CRUISE when dealing with an omission.

 

To get to Four Star, I've spent many, many, many wonderful days on a ship -- it takes a lot to make me unhappy on one!

[Florida_gal_50]

The Mariners program has been in effect since 2009. But the people who deal with this on a daily basis have not worked with it since then.

 

I am happy with what I have earned and when it isn't applied correctly, I can use the exercise to walk down to Guest Services and ask that it be looked into.

 

I guess I tell myself that no one woke up that day and said "Gee, what can I do to tick off this person today", so any mistakes or misinformation or lack of knowledge is accidental. (Yes, they SHOULD know better, but I'm lucky not to be held accountable for all of MY mistakes. LOL) After all, I earned those perks by being on CRUISES and I'm on a CRUISE when dealing with an omission.

 

To get to Four Star, I've spent many, many, many wonderful days on a ship -- it takes a lot to make me unhappy on one!

You may enjoy the exercise going down to the front desk but I get quite a lot already in my day to day life. I do not want to spend my hard earned time off trying to convince someone at the front desk an error has been made. This should be a fairly easy process if they had a decent working system. This is 2018, not 1918 after all.

Edited February 8, 2018 by Florida_gal_50

[ithaca gal]

You may enjoy the exercise going diwn to the front desk but I get quite a lot already in my day to day life. I do not want to spend my hard earned time off trying to convince someone at the front desk an error has been made. This should be a fairly easy process if they had a decent working system. This is 2018, not 1918 after all.

 

I can't argue that but mistakes will be made. They should work at perfecting a decent working system but, as long as they are working with humans, well ......... :)

 

(And I should add that I don't ENJOY the exercise of going down to Guest Services ...... I just said that I can use it! LOL)

Edited February 8, 2018 by ithaca gal
Clarification

[OlsSalt]

You may enjoy the exercise going down to the front desk but I get quite a lot already in my day to day life. I do not want to spend my hard earned time off trying to convince someone at the front desk an error has been made. This should be a fairly easy process if they had a decent working system. This is 2018, not 1918 after all.

 

You can phone them.

[Florida_gal_50]

You can phone them.

Yes, and sit on the phone for an hour waiting for them to answer. I feel you are missing the point. Hal should have proper working systems. It's not my job to make up for their shortfalls.

[OlsSalt]

Yes, and sit on the phone for an hour waiting for them to answer. I feel you are missing the point. Hal should have proper working systems. It's not my job to make up for their shortfalls.

 

I just took care of a Mariner issue using the "chat' feature on the HAL website. They took the input immediately. It is now in their hands and all I have to do is wait for an email response. There was no urgency in this issue. But it was convenient to deal with "chat".

 

I don't recall "waiting for hours on the phone" when I had another Mariner matter. It was a very pleasant and efficient transaction and was resolved in that single phone call. I am not missing the point, and they are offering several ways to contact them. The point is I also had two issues with them but they were quickly resolved without having to "march down the hall" nor "wait for hours on the phone".

 

Just giving this as an example that alternatives exist and it does no good to demand there should not have been problems in the first place. The goal is also to get the quickest solutions when there are problems. Just be open to other means of communication with HAL. That is all.

[SeaBands]

we will become 5* after this month's cruise.Never had a problem getting the 4* discount for dining or wine packages.We have had problems booking Pinnacle when they had the X4 deal last year.

[kazu]

we will become 5* after this month's cruise.Never had a problem getting the 4* discount for dining or wine packages.We have had problems booking Pinnacle when they had the X4 deal last year.

 

there is no problem with the 4* benefits (there were at the beginning). The 5* are not automatic like the 4* and it can be a challenge sometimes to get the benefits. Other times it goes as smooth as silk. ;)

 

Been there, done that ;)

[sail7seas]

Actually, I have thougt h for years Mainers one of the best departments to deal with at HAL. They always took care of whattever I needed. Whomeve r it was that said it is new people in Marfiner is mistaken. , I can t ell you for sure the Director rof MainersSociety has been in that Department going back mmany years to when Margarret 'Binnendyk wa t ghe Director until her retirement. The current Dierctor, Gerald Bernhoft, became Director r at that time.

 

We were already over the number of days for Five Star when HAL inttorduced the program.

Edited February 9, 2018 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

there is no problem with the 4* benefits (there were at the beginning). The 5* are not automatic like the 4* and it can be a challenge sometimes to get the benefits. Other times it goes as smooth as silk. ;)

 

Been there, done that ;)

 

 

 

I have NEver had a problem having my five star benefits applied. Al,,ways, since day one, I never hadd to ask. It get s done au tomaitcally. \My gripe is there are few that I find useful or meaningful. Most mean nothing to me.