New Mariner Perk For All Levels Being Announced Tommorow.

[12cruise2]

2 hours ago, Jolokia said:

I would like faster internet.

I would like internet with sites that come up in English, not Spanish.  Or that aren't blocked because the site thinks we are foreigners from Peru, and they don't want to do business with "internationals."  Even HAL's own web site comes up in Spanish now that they are using the satellite based in Peru--just to give us "faster" internet they say; Peru's satellite must be the cheapest way to give us faster internet at the moment.  Be near a window; use a laptop; depending on a smart phone isn't the answer to successful internet on the ship, IMHO and in my experience 9/4-9/18 on the NA.

Edited September 23, 2021 by 12cruise2

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, 12cruise2 said:

It's my opinion that HAL always wants us to buy something before we get any type of "benefit."  They never give anything away for "free."  It's very frustrating.  Princess isn't like that--but someone at Princess told me that HAL has so many faithful cruisers that HAL doesn't have to really do anything to keep us coming back again and again.  Other cruise lines have to work a little harder to keep folks coming back.  Whatever benefit or enticement they offer, it always benefits HAL first, then maybe the cruiser.

I’m curious, what does Princess give you?  I’m elite with them and I can’t think of anything but it could be just poor memory.

[Vict0riann]

Good to get the advance notice.  Looking forward to hearing more tomorrow.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

As far as I am concerned they are just giving back to us of what they took away when they reduced the amount of ship board credit you received with Future Cruise Deposits and the removal of the Welcome Home Promotion that gave ship board credit.

New Mariner Early Booking Bonus

In appreciation of your loyalty, we’re offering Mariner Society members an exclusive early booking benefit: onboard spending money of up to $200 per person when you book within 90 days of a new season launch* – for 2023 cruises and beyond.

 

BTW the above does not match what it stated here...

file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/HAL-Mariner-Society-Grid-Updates.pdf

Up to $400 per person onboard spending money for cruises booked within 90 days of a new season launch.*

[Florida_gal_50]

Talk about nothing.  Maybe they can tell us there is a new VP of paper clips.  It’s about as interesting.

Edited September 24, 2021 by Florida_gal_50

[kazu]

10 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

As far as I am concerned they are just giving back to us of what they took away when they reduced the amount of ship board credit you received with Future Cruise Deposits and the removal of the Welcome Home Promotion that gave ship board credit.

New Mariner Early Booking Bonus

In appreciation of your loyalty, we’re offering Mariner Society members an exclusive early booking benefit: onboard spending money of up to $200 per person when you book within 90 days of a new season launch* – for 2023 cruises and beyond.

 

BTW the above does not match what it stated here...

file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/HAL-Mariner-Society-Grid-Updates.pdf

Up to $400 per person onboard spending money for cruises booked within 90 days of a new season launch.*

 

Thanks LIsa,   It sure sounds like it 😉 

 

As usual you are on the money 🙂 

I’ll check it tomorrow but I suspect your synopsis has it down 👍 

[zelker]

31 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

BTW the above does not match what it stated here...

file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/HAL-Mariner-Society-Grid-Updates.pdf

Up to $400 per person onboard spending money for cruises booked within 90 days of a new season launch.*

Hi, Lisa - Where did you find this link?  I can't get yours to open.  Thx!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

4 minutes ago, zelker said:

Hi, Lisa - Where did you find this link?  I can't get yours to open.  Thx!

Try it this way

C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/HAL-Mariner-Society-Grid-Updates.pdf

 

 

HAL-Mariner-Society-Grid-Updates.pdf

[zelker]

1 hour ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Try it this way

C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/HAL-Mariner-Society-Grid-Updates.pdf

 

 

HAL-Mariner-Society-Grid-Updates.pdf 497.88 kB · 12 downloads

Thanks.  Suppose that is supposed to say up to $400 per stateroom.  Wonder if this will be allocated based on stateroom, length of cruise, or Mariner level?  

[AncientWanderer]

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

My thinking exactly.  What have these executives been doing other than cashing their paychecks while the worker bees of the Home Office were laid off or fired?  Not much originality or creativity has been seen by me from the "suits" during the pandemic.  

 

 

Now I am confused.  Another name was mentioned as Mariner Society Director; now, Mr. Bernhoft's name appears.  Who is in charge?  Or is this the Abbott and Costello routine of "Who's on First Base"?  

 

You know...I don't at all want to sound argumentative with my comments here, but RKA, you seriously need to get back onboard to see what they have been busy with. 

Take the air quality onboard, for starters.  Pre-pandemic, I was getting a sinus infection after just about every cruise.  Our last Neptune suite in 2019 to Alaska smelled horrible and left me very ill.  I have serious allergy problems and being at sea was always a place of relief, until the ships started to let down their maintenance schedules.  

I'm here to tell you that on our recent run to Alaska on the NA, our suite smelled CLEAN and I haven't breathed better in years.  When they say they've enhanced the air filter system, you better believe it.  Also, every surface I touched on that ship was pristine as well.  That was NOT the case before this pandemic hit.  It has taken WORK and coordination to achieve this order onboard.  

It's the housewife's lament:  People notice when the house is dirty, but not when it is clean.

 

Also the morale of the crew has clearly been a top priority.  Getting people to work with good attitude during a daunting time.  We had a conversation with one lovely young lady who told us how now they cannot leave the ship as before, so that they don't bring covid onboard, but that whereas before she viewed her job as a chance to see the world, she now looks at it as a good job, earning money that is saved, rather than blown wastefully at port stops.  Positive thinking and integrity on display.

 

I could go on and on, but this pandemic has been an incredible challenge in so many ways, and for the cruise lines, particularly crushing.  Clearly there has been strong leadership in play to get these ships in perfect order and back on the sea.  You gotta get out there in order to judge for yourself.

 

 

 

 

[localady]

Glad to hear it, and to see again in print on the website that a 5 Star Mariner is entitled to a Day Pass at the Spa.  I was told on the Nieuw Amsterdam in Sept. that I only had one hour free, not a full day. 

 

We did received drink vouchers, perhaps that is the new perk.

[aliaschief]

5 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

 

 

Now I am confused.  Another name was mentioned as Mariner Society Director; now, Mr. Bernhoft's name appears.  Who is in charge?  Or is this the Abbott and Costello routine of "Who's on First Base"?  

That was moi who had a typo/moment  that I  apologized for and previously recognized and stated on a correction post.

[KirkNC]

4 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

 

You know...I don't at all want to sound argumentative with my comments here, but RKA, you seriously need to get back onboard to see what they have been busy with. 

Take the air quality onboard, for starters.  Pre-pandemic, I was getting a sinus infection after just about every cruise.  Our last Neptune suite in 2019 to Alaska smelled horrible and left me very ill.  I have serious allergy problems and being at sea was always a place of relief, until the ships started to let down their maintenance schedules.  

I'm here to tell you that on our recent run to Alaska on the NA, our suite smelled CLEAN and I haven't breathed better in years.  When they say they've enhanced the air filter system, you better believe it.  Also, every surface I touched on that ship was pristine as well.  That was NOT the case before this pandemic hit.  It has taken WORK and coordination to achieve this order onboard.  

It's the housewife's lament:  People notice when the house is dirty, but not when it is clean.

 

Also the morale of the crew has clearly been a top priority.  Getting people to work with good attitude during a daunting time.  We had a conversation with one lovely young lady who told us how now they cannot leave the ship as before, so that they don't bring covid onboard, but that whereas before she viewed her job as a chance to see the world, she now looks at it as a good job, earning money that is saved, rather than blown wastefully at port stops.  Positive thinking and integrity on display.

 

I could go on and on, but this pandemic has been an incredible challenge in so many ways, and for the cruise lines, particularly crushing.  Clearly there has been strong leadership in play to get these ships in perfect order and back on the sea.  You gotta get out there in order to judge for yourself.

 

 

 

 

One good thing that may come out of this pandemic is improved indoor air quality onboard.  We do long cruises and often one or both of us would come down with upper respiratory infections.  We even carry our own Z pacs.  I am hoping the new filtration onboard will minimize or eliminate this cruise crud.

[Crazy For Cats]

8 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

As far as I am concerned they are just giving back to us of what they took away when they reduced the amount of ship board credit you received with Future Cruise Deposits and the removal of the Welcome Home Promotion that gave ship board credit.

After our Alaska cruise this year we received the welcome home promotion.

[Caribbean Chris]

13 hours ago, Cailey53 said:

It’s already on the Holland website— a Mariner OBC for an early booking bonus for 2023 Alaskan sailings. IMHO no big deal.

Apparently not limited to Alaska only, but other 2023 itineraries as well for booking within 90 days of launch. $200 pp/$400 per couple would be a nice extra benefit for  me.

[Crazy For Cats]

I’m left wondering if HAL will let us know when this benefit becomes available for each new season.  I won’t hold my breath waiting.😂

[LAFFNVEGAS]

5 hours ago, Crazy For Cats said:

After our Alaska cruise this year we received the welcome home promotion.

Good to hear this, , this is the first I heard of this. I did not receive it for either of my two Alaska sailings even check my spm email. I woul always  get them in the past.

[taxmantoo]

5 minutes ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

Good to hear this, , this is the first I heard of this. I did not receive it for either of my two Alaska sailings even check my spm email. I woul always  get them in the past.

We have rarely gotten the "welcome back" email but have have ALWAYS gotten the OBC just by asking for it.

[Taters]

Prices are hyper inflated for 2023 right now.  No way would I book at these prices, $200 OBC per person or not.

[Crazy For Cats]

Watching this right now.

6 to 9 day cruise  $100

10 to 20 days $200

21+ days $400

All Alaska cruise tours $200

Grand Voyages are excluded

Edited September 24, 2021 by Crazy For Cats
More information

[kazu]

20 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

Watching this right now.

6 to 9 day cruise  $100

10 to 20 days $200

21+ days $400

All Alaska cruise tours $200

Grand Voyages are excluded

 

All cruises or just Alaska?  I’ll watch it later but the HAL website only specifies Alaska.  Thanks Jake 🙂 

[Crazy For Cats]

1 minute ago, kazu said:

 

All cruises or just Alaska?  I’ll watch it later but the HAL website only specifies Alaska.  Thanks Jake 🙂 

All cruises.   The program starts with Alaska 2023.  

[kazu]

1 minute ago, Crazy For Cats said:

All cruises.   The program starts with Alaska 2023.  

 

Thanks kindly.  Much appreciated.

[Mandalay1903]

7 hours ago, Crazy For Cats said:

After our Alaska cruise this year we received the welcome home promotion.

As did we after returning from our Greece cruise earlier this month. The terms of that Welcome Home credit offer stated that it was not combineable with other shipboard credit offers, however. The way I read it is that it can't be combined with the Future Cruise Deposit shipboard credit offer, which dilutes its value.  I'd like to see the T&Cs of the Mariners' shipboard credit offer and how they interact.

[Mandalay1903]

13 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

 

I could go on and on, but this pandemic has been an incredible challenge in so many ways, and for the cruise lines, particularly crushing.  Clearly there has been strong leadership in play to get these ships in perfect order and back on the sea.

Not to copy your whole post AW, but I also concur with what you've said and it relates to the Eurodam as well. I was so pleased at the cleanliness, hotel & ship maintenance, cheerfulness, new procedures, and new supplies (i.e. tableware, glassware, etc.) aboard.  Fantastic job by the crew and the leadership, in my opinion. Made me want to go back on a repeat cruise right away.