Booking Mariner Society discount rate for someone else?

[pennyroyal00]

I've sailed with HAL before and occasionally get their offers that seem to only be available if I log in.  There's a really great one on right now for January that I think my family from across the country would enjoy to go on with us.  We've been dreaming of a family reunion since all this covid mess began and we have not been able to see each other.  

 

When I select a particular booking, it auto-populates my name as one of the passengers.  Is there any way to make a booking using these great rates under someone else's name?  The minute I add two cabins, the special rate disappears from the second cabin.  My spouse has Mariner Society account as well, since we've sailed before together.  Is our only option to make two separate bookings where I am the primary on one room and part of my family is booked into that room, and another under my spouse's account where she is the primary and the rest of the family is booked into that room?  Then swap spaces so that her and I are in one room together and the family is in the other?  Seems like a lot of hassle and I don't want to run into any problems. 

 

Has anyone been able to apply a special rate that you get by logging in to anyone other than yourself?  Any other recommendations?  I'd love to go cruising with my family but don't want to break the bank doing it if not necessary (I'd rather spend the extra money voluntarily on board and in the ports).  Thanks in advance!!

[taxmantoo]

8 hours ago, pennyroyal00 said:

 Seems like a lot of hassle and I don't want to run into any problems. 

Then play by the rules and let everyone make their own reservations !

[DaveOKC]

Keep in mind that your husband might not get the lower rate, so do a test run to be certain.  I have found that sometimes my DW gets a lower rate than I do, so I log in under her account and check before I book.

 

Also, if you are a CCL stockholder, you may be able to get onboard credit for the second cabin in your husband's name - could be $100 or more.  I always keep 100 shares of CCL in our joint account for this exact purpose - that way either or both of us can use it.  Only one PER CABIN though.

 

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by DaveOKC

[Djptcp]

I just went to the Holland website, logged in, and did a booking with the Have it All Sale and my name came up as the primary person. I tried to change the name to a friend who has never cruised with HAL and it would not let me change it. If you did as you suggested and booked two cabins with one in your name and the other in your spouse's name, what about onboard accounts? I agree with Taxmantoo and just play by the rules and have your relatives make their own reservations.

[Hlitner]

I realize that many folks book directly with HAL or only deal with a single cruise/travel agent.  But in our experience with HAL we have never found the discount offers from HAL (we are 5 Star) to be as good as we can find by simply shopping around among several of our favored discount agencies.  So perhaps it really is not necessary to cheat HAL's discount program.  I should add that we have a friend from Australia who has, for many years, booked all of his HAL cruises (sometimes over 200 days in a year) through a Canadian address that belongs to one of his friends.  HAL consistently offers much better prices to North America residents then to those from down under.   So I guess there are times when cheating the system can pay big dividends.

 

Hank

[KAKcruiser]

I think you have to call the cruise line directly.  I have been successful in booking additional rooms when I have been eligible for the mariner's discount rate.

[Essiesmom]

Have these family members cruised before?  If so, have they cruised on a line within the Carnival family?  If so, they might already have a Mariner number...  EM

[cruisingrob21]

Most offers are tied to a specific mariner account number - trying to use a promo you received for someone else may work, but it really depends on the promo.  For instance, if you've gambled a lot, you will receive special casino offers, they are targeted to just certain mariners.  Conversely, the current Have It All promo is available to everyone.  If you call a TA with access to the POLAR booking system they can tell you what personalized offers are available to you.  Most of the time you will get an email or mail advertisement promo of any promos you are eligible for, so don't expect to have some incredible deal that is hidden away.

[pennyroyal00]

9 hours ago, taxmantoo said:

Then play by the rules and let everyone make their own reservations !

I should have made it clear in my post that I wasn't sure if what I want to do is not possible because it is against the rules or if it is just a limitation of HAL's online booking system. 

 

Can you share a link to these rules that you mention please?  I tried looking before I posted, but couldn't find anything specific.

[pennyroyal00]

1 hour ago, cruisingrob21 said:

Most offers are tied to a specific mariner account number - trying to use a promo you received for someone else may work, but it really depends on the promo.  For instance, if you've gambled a lot, you will receive special casino offers, they are targeted to just certain mariners.  Conversely, the current Have It All promo is available to everyone.  If you call a TA with access to the POLAR booking system they can tell you what personalized offers are available to you.  Most of the time you will get an email or mail advertisement promo of any promos you are eligible for, so don't expect to have some incredible deal that is hidden away.

Thank you!  That's helpful to know.   Sounds like my best bet is to call a TA and figure out whether this offer is targeted to me specifically or if it's something my family can also take advantage of as well.

[pennyroyal00]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

Have these family members cruised before?  If so, have they cruised on a line within the Carnival family?  If so, they might already have a Mariner number...  EM

Good point - I know that my sister has not cruised before but her husband mentioned that he had at some point.  I'll find out who he cruised with and that might help 

[pennyroyal00]

7 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

I think you have to call the cruise line directly.  I have been successful in booking additional rooms when I have been eligible for the mariner's discount rate.

Thanks!  I'll try giving them a call this weekend (and also maybe a third party TA as someone else recommended) and figure it out.  Just haven't had a moment this week to do so.

[pennyroyal00]

8 hours ago, Djptcp said:

I just went to the Holland website, logged in, and did a booking with the Have it All Sale and my name came up as the primary person. I tried to change the name to a friend who has never cruised with HAL and it would not let me change it. If you did as you suggested and booked two cabins with one in your name and the other in your spouse's name, what about onboard accounts? I agree with Taxmantoo and just play by the rules and have your relatives make their own reservations.

Yeah, the onboard accounts would get complicated too - I didn't even thing of that!  I am going to make time and give HAL a call to see what the options are that get us the best deal without inadvertently breaking any rules 🙂

[TiogaCruiser]

Your other family members might want to sign up for email deals, too, and they just might get the same or similar offer directly.

[cruisingrob21]

I'll add, if they have cruise on another carnival line brand, they can be made as "loyalty members" which are "0 star mariners"...meaning should get mariner pricing if it's offered.  Call HAL to get that created.

[taxmantoo]

15 hours ago, pennyroyal00 said:

I should have made it clear in my post that I wasn't sure if what I want to do is not possible because it is against the rules or if it is just a limitation of HAL's online booking system. 

 

Can you share a link to these rules that you mention please?  I tried looking before I posted, but couldn't find anything specific.

I think it is called the "common sense" rule.  I don't recall ever seeing a cruise line rule that states that you cannot book one room but stay in another  🤔  Can you just imagine being quarantined in one room while your spouse was quarantined in another because that is the way you registered to save a few dollars?  Can you imagine being in different lifeboats because that is the way you registered to save a few dollars?  Just saying ... common sense!

Edited May 15, 2021 by taxmantoo

[pennyroyal00]

On 5/15/2021 at 6:07 AM, taxmantoo said:

I think it is called the "common sense" rule.  I don't recall ever seeing a cruise line rule that states that you cannot book one room but stay in another  🤔  Can you just imagine being quarantined in one room while your spouse was quarantined in another because that is the way you registered to save a few dollars?  Can you imagine being in different lifeboats because that is the way you registered to save a few dollars?  Just saying ... common sense!

It sounds like you have a lot of great perspective to share.  "Common sense" is in many ways built on experiences personal to each individual and having the benefit of hearing about other people's perspectives expands our own knowledge and, thus, common sense.  Thank you for flagging these important considerations.

Edited May 17, 2021 by pennyroyal00

[MisterBill99]

On 5/15/2021 at 9:07 AM, taxmantoo said:

I think it is called the "common sense" rule.  I don't recall ever seeing a cruise line rule that states that you cannot book one room but stay in another  🤔  Can you just imagine being quarantined in one room while your spouse was quarantined in another because that is the way you registered to save a few dollars?  Can you imagine being in different lifeboats because that is the way you registered to save a few dollars?  Just saying ... common sense!

 

I''m sure that guest services can move people between cabins once you're on board, and probably does it all the time. Although it was on another line, we've done it when we had to book our kids in cabins with us, or when we wanted to get friends our Royal Caribbean balcony discount.

 

Rereading your post, I think we are in agreement.