Question about Mariner Benefits

[san diego spartan]

26 minutes ago, RGEDad said:

For each $300 spent/squandered/donated/drunk you get one credit earned

From the mariner Society FAQs

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html

 

• Suite Bonus Earn double Cruise Day credits when you pay a published fare for a spacious suite or penthouse on your next cruise. For example, a guest who pays published fare for suite accommodations for a 10-day cruise earns 20 Cruise Day credits. Special paid or complimentary upgrades do not qualify.
• Onboard Spending Bonus Effective with cruises on or after September 18, 2009, one bonus Cruise Day credit will be granted for each $300 in eligible onboard purchases. This is calculated on the combined folio charges for all guests on the booking, regardless of who signs each charge and who pays the bill. Only the first two guests on the booking receive the limit of one bonus day for each day sailed; 3rd and 4th guests on the same booking do not earn the onboard spending bonus. 

Great explanation -thanks!  

[zgscl]

I am guessing the answer is no, but does anyone know if pre or post cruise hotels/transfers count towards OBS? 

[kazu]

7 hours ago, zgscl said:

I am guessing the answer is no, but does anyone know if pre or post cruise hotels/transfers count towards OBS? 

 

No, they do not count.  Sorry.

[RuthC]

10 hours ago, zgscl said:

I am guessing the answer is no, but does anyone know if pre or post cruise hotels/transfers count towards OBS? 

Post cruise transfers to the airport do count, IF purchased on the ship, and not as part of your booking. 

[zgscl]

@kazu @RuthC thanks! 

[mark71mark]

On 10/4/2021 at 11:21 AM, farawaygal said:

5* Mariners receive "priority check in". We are boarding in San Diego on Wed. with only 300 other passengers to join the Panama Canal cruise which began in Seattle. We have been assigned boarding group K which boards at 4:20 pm. Everybody in boarding groups A-J must be President Club members!

 

It's probably too late for you to try this, but for our 10/10/2021 Koningsdam sailing, I recently edited our check-in and added fake 10am flight arrival info (we live in SD and will Uber to port).  We were subsequently "upgraded" from boarding group E to boarding group B @1:20.  For reference, we are only 4*.

 

[mark71mark]

Deleted

 

Edited October 6, 2021 by mark71mark

[RGEDad]

3 hours ago, mark71mark said:

for our 10/10/2021 Koningsdam sailing, I recently edited our check-in and added fake 10am flight arrival info (we live in SD and will Uber to port).  We were subsequently "upgraded" from boarding group E to boarding group B @1:20. 

Boy oh Boy...If the boarding scheduling police see this entry you are gonna be moved from Group B all the way down to Group W (With apologies to Arlo Guthrie)...

[zgscl]

17 hours ago, RGEDad said:

Boy oh Boy...If the boarding scheduling police see this entry you are gonna be moved from Group B all the way down to Group W (With apologies to Arlo Guthrie)...

They actually make you fly to the first port of call and board there! 

[Heartgrove]

I've been saving this question but saw this thread so decided to ask. The Fall of 2022 we have two cruises in Europe booked with five days between them. We will be going from 3-Star to 4-Star level after the first cruise. Is five days enough time for HAL to process and change our status?  Hoping to have free laundry on our Transatlantic and the 50% discount for the Specialty restaurants.!

[richwmn]

1 minute ago, Heartgrove said:

I've been saving this question but saw this thread so decided to ask. The Fall of 2022 we have two cruises in Europe booked with five days between them. We will be going from 3-Star to 4-Star level after the first cruise. Is five days enough time for HAL to process and change our status?  Hoping to have free laundry on our Transatlantic and the 50% discount for the Specialty restaurants.!

If the number of days you need is covered by the actual (not spending) days and you let the Mariner Society know in advance you shouldn't have any problems. Five days is a bit short to have the spending days applied, but you may be able to make a case with Guest Relations once you board the second cruise.

[Seasick Sailor]

2 hours ago, Heartgrove said:

I've been saving this question but saw this thread so decided to ask. The Fall of 2022 we have two cruises in Europe booked with five days between them. We will be going from 3-Star to 4-Star level after the first cruise. Is five days enough time for HAL to process and change our status?  Hoping to have free laundry on our Transatlantic and the 50% discount for the Specialty restaurants.!

 

We are in the "same boat". We will turn 4 star during our weeks 1 thru 3 cruise in Dec, then we will be 4 star for weeks 4 and 5 (booked separately).  HAL rep suggested we go to the desk and ask after the 3 weeks,  because you have to complete the cruise before requesting the bump. Does that make sense?

[Heartgrove]

9 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

We are in the "same boat". We will turn 4 star during our weeks 1 thru 3 cruise in Dec, then we will be 4 star for weeks 4 and 5 (booked separately).  HAL rep suggested we go to the desk and ask after the 3 weeks,  because you have to complete the cruise before requesting the bump. Does that make sense?

 

Yes, makes total sense. I was counting on spending days for the difference (easy to do) but now I am trying to see if we can squeeze another cruise in before the first of the two Europe cruises starting on September 28, 2022. That way I can be assured having the 4-star by then. The Pinnacle-class is nice having the Vista Suite for a fraction more than a Verandah but still getting the Suite Bonus. Actually just re-read the Mariner FAQ which states it may take 7-10 days to post.

[zgscl]

35 minutes ago, Heartgrove said:

 

Yes, makes total sense. I was counting on spending days for the difference (easy to do) but now I am trying to see if we can squeeze another cruise in before the first of the two Europe cruises starting on September 28, 2022. That way I can be assured having the 4-star by then. The Pinnacle-class is nice having the Vista Suite for a fraction more than a Verandah but still getting the Suite Bonus. Actually just re-read the Mariner FAQ which states it may take 7-10 days to post.

Another cruise is always a great idea! How many days do you need to cross the threshold? 

[Heartgrove]

1 minute ago, zgscl said:

Another cruise is always a great idea! How many days do you need to cross the threshold? 

 

We would have been 4-star by now without the pandemic. But are currently at 158 with a 7+7 suite bonus cruise in December.  Another 7 day cruise in January. That cruise was supposed to be in February but found yesterday that my dog-sitter is already booked! With that we should be at 179. Our spending normally get at least 3-6 extra days each cruise so still not enough. Our Sept/Oct is a 12-day cruise with tendering so handy to have the priority. It is followed five days later by a 15-day Transatlantic. An additional cruise would be the buffer we need.

[Longstraw]

On 9/24/2021 at 10:18 AM, westcoastsue said:

I have another question. I only need 2 points to go to level 3 and my husband needs 6. In November we will be sailing on the Konigsdam in a Neptune Suite. Will the new levels kick in during the cruise or will we have to wait until the next time we sail?

 

According to the written policy on the website, you have to wait. HOWEVER, while I don't know if they still do this, if you are that close, try calling the Mariner Society to request they upgrade you before the trip. A few years ago, my husband & I had a back to back booked. I was going to hit 4* during the first segment and wanted to request that we receive the additional benefits  during the second one. The woman I talked to said their policy was that if you were within three days of reaching the next level, they would upgrade immediately. We had free laundry throughout the cruise and our discount on wine packages increased. And you will both get the perks of the cabin occupant with the highest level even if only one of you is upgraded.

[westcoastsue]

2 minutes ago, Longstraw said:

According to the written policy on the website, you have to wait. HOWEVER, while I don't know if they still do this, if you are that close, try calling the Mariner Society to request they upgrade you before the trip. A few years ago, my husband & I had a back to back booked. I was going to hit 4* during the first segment and wanted to request that we receive the additional benefits  during the second one. The woman I talked to said their policy was that if you were within three days of reaching the next level, they would upgrade immediately. We had free laundry throughout the cruise and our discount on wine packages increased. And you will both get the perks of the cabin occupant with the highest level even if only one of you is upgraded.

Thanks for this info. We are in a Suite so will get the free laundry, but will check out the other perks to see if any are important to us.

[Sea42]

I'm on a "free" casino cruise in November.

I'm 3* but not anywhere near the 4* mark. But I am curious if you receive credit for days on a free cruise. Maybe for spending onboard?

[syesmar]

14 hours ago, Longstraw said:

The woman I talked to said their policy was that if you were within three days of reaching the next level, they would upgrade immediately….

@Longstraw

Thanks for the info! I hadn’t heard this before and I’m in this situation (3 days to go). Does that mean if someone only has 3 days to reach the next level, they go ahead and upgrade at the start of any cruise? Or was this because you were also on a B-2-B? Thanks!

Edited October 19, 2021 by syesmar

[Lido deck main]

1 hour ago, syesmar said:

@Longstraw

Thanks for the info! I hadn’t heard this before and I’m in this situation (3 days to go). Does that mean if someone only has 3 days to reach the next level, they go ahead and upgrade at the start of any cruise? Or was this because you were also on a B-2-B? Thanks!

I am not Longstraw.  If you are within three days they will not automatically upgrade you, it is possible, but nothing is guaranteed, that if you call the mariner society before your cruise they might upgrade you to the next level before the cruise.  Otherwise the upgrade will be done after the cruise, provided you are not on a B2B, where if you reach your next level on the first segment guest relations on the ship can elevate you to the next level for the following segments,

[kazu]

24 minutes ago, Lido deck main said:

I am not Longstraw.  If you are within three days they will not automatically upgrade you, it is possible, but nothing is guaranteed, that if you call the mariner society before your cruise they might upgrade you to the next level before the cruise.  Otherwise the upgrade will be done after the cruise, provided you are not on a B2B, where if you reach your next level on the first segment guest relations on the ship can elevate you to the next level for the following segments,

 

Bolding is mine - I will just add to Lido deck main’s post about being elevated to say that it’s a good idea to contact the Mariner’s Society and get an email confirming.  With this in hand, it makes it much easier for guest relations to elevate you.  Just the experience of some of our roll call members. 😉 

[NCTribeFan]

Now I'm wondering.  I had hoped to reach 3* after my upcoming Eurodam sailing but since it was cut from 10 to 8 days, I don't think that will happen unless I go crazy with onboard shopping, which I almost never do.

 

But my December NA sailing is 12 nights.  That could have been booked as 7+5 (I have friends on the 5-night portion only).  HAL won't consider that to be 2 cruises, though, will they?  So even if I get really close after my November cruise, I'll just have to wait until I disembark in December to see where I'm at.

 

No big deal, really, since 3* doesn't get you much.  I have Have It All in December, so a discount on specialty dining and wine package will be irrelevant.  The spa discount might be the only thing that 3* would matter on that sailing.

 

Going forward, if I book the Alaska sailing(s) I'm looking at for next year, being 3* would help because I'd be booking on casino fares, so wouldn't have the included packages.

 

As Sea42 asked, will I even earn points for the nights sailed in November since it's a casino fare?  I did earn points on Zuiderdam.  That wasn't "free" but only because I didn't act quickly enough to grab a free cabin.  I paid a very low fare ($299/pp for 11 nights in a large inside J cabin).  So I don't know if the "free" cabin will qualify.  I do hope so.

[kazu]

59 minutes ago, NCTribeFan said:

But my December NA sailing is 12 nights.  That could have been booked as 7+5 (I have friends on the 5-night portion only).  HAL won't consider that to be 2 cruises, though, will they?  So even if I get really close after my November cruise, I'll just have to wait until I disembark in December to see where I'm at.

 

Correct - it’s a single cruise so you will need to wait.

 

59 minutes ago, NCTribeFan said:

As Sea42 asked, will I even earn points for the nights sailed in November since it's a casino fare?  I did earn points on Zuiderdam.  That wasn't "free" but only because I didn't act quickly enough to grab a free cabin.  I paid a very low fare ($299/pp for 11 nights in a large inside J cabin).  So I don't know if the "free" cabin will qualify.  I do hope so.

 

To get a definitive answer, I suggest you and @Sea42contact the Mariner Society and ask.  

 

I have certainly received credit with my cruises that have a casino discount but that is no where near a free or deeply discounted cruise that you get with the casino fare.

[OVgirl]

We were 1 day short for 4*. I contacted Mariner Society and they said to go to the front desk on boarding. They upgraded us to 4* for the whole cruise. And I did bring the print out of the email.

[Longstraw]

I have always received credit for both days and spending on "free" casino cruises but as Kazu suggested, the definitive answer can only come from the Mariner Society. What was pre-Covid policy may not be post-Covid policy any more.