HAL Past Passenger Rate

[SeattlePaddler]

On some booking sites I am able to get a past passenger rate when booking with my sister's Mariners #, but such rate does not show up when using my Mariner#. I've done different variations to book the past passenger rate but got a cryptic "promo and city not combinable" error message.  We both have the same address, cruising history, and Mariner points. I've call up HAL and they confirm I am listed as a past passenger. Please advise. Thank you. 

[FlaMariner]

I've seen the "special Mariner rate" also on the big internet TA we use.  And it is good.

 

It showed up for anybody who is looking at the specific cruise.  In our case, we would call the TA and ask for a quote and reference the specific Mariner rate and let the TA figure it out.

 

 

[liketraveling]

 

Could your sister’s be a casino rate discount?

 

 

 

[DaveOKC]

Sometimes HAL does this to try to attract certain consumers.  Only that person can get the rate.  No telling why HAL does this, but it does happen.

[SeattlePaddler]

6 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

I've seen the "special Mariner rate" also on the big internet TA we use.  And it is good.

 

It showed up for anybody who is looking at the specific cruise.  In our case, we would call the TA and ask for a quote and reference the specific Mariner rate and let the TA figure it out.

 

 

May I know this company?

[SeattlePaddler]

6 hours ago, liketraveling said:

 

Could your sister’s be a casino rate discount?

 

 

 

Don't think so.

[FlaMariner]

7 minutes ago, SeattlePaddler said:

May I know this company?

 

If I tell you I have to go back to cruise critic jail.  I've been there a few times and if I tell you, since I am on probation, I will be going back there yet again.  It's not pretty.  No internet or wine service in there. 

 

I'm afraid to give you hints either because I've landed in jail when I danced around the name also.

 

 

[AryMay]

Does your sister get HAL emails for their "private sales?" 

 

A friend of ours received a special offer via the private sale email and we were able to book under his offer but it only worked since he was also planning to book the cruise. This was several years ago.

 

Our upcoming Alaska cruise was booked with one of these private sale offers that we received by email. I had to be logged into my HAL account online to see the special pricing.

 

[CruiserBruce]

15 minutes ago, SeattlePaddler said:

May I know this company?

Its against Cruise Critic rules to name or discuss travel agents.

[zgscl]

38 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

If I tell you I have to go back to cruise critic jail.  I've been there a few times and if I tell you, since I am on probation, I will be going back there yet again.  It's not pretty.  No internet or wine service in there. 

Do they show the same nature documentary over and over in there? 

[SeattlePaddler]

2 hours ago, AryMay said:

Does your sister get HAL emails for their "private sales?" 

 

A friend of ours received a special offer via the private sale email and we were able to book under his offer but it only worked since he was also planning to book the cruise. This was several years ago.

 

Our upcoming Alaska cruise was booked with one of these private sale offers that we received by email. I had to be logged into my HAL account online to see the special pricing.

 

No promo email. I just enter the # at some booking website, and the Past Passenger price showed up with her number, but not with mine, even though I've called HAL to verify were are both Past Passengers. 

[SeattlePaddler]

2 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Its against Cruise Critic rules to name or discuss travel agents.

Ah! Sorry, stupid first timer poster here - I better read the rules more clearly. Thanks

[SeattlePaddler]

2 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

 

If I tell you I have to go back to cruise critic jail.  I've been there a few times and if I tell you, since I am on probation, I will be going back there yet again.  It's not pretty.  No internet or wine service in there. 

 

I'm afraid to give you hints either because I've landed in jail when I danced around the name also.

 

 

Sorry. First time posting here. 

[liketraveling]

2 hours ago, SeattlePaddler said:

Don't think so.

One one of the big Internet Travel Sites I get better Mariner Society Rates then my dad who has been cruising allot longer with HAL then I have.  The rates that are quoted are Casino Discount Cruises for me that come back better then my dad’s.  Also my Dad does not spend much money on cruises.

 

 

[AryMay]

15 minutes ago, SeattlePaddler said:

No promo email. I just enter the # at some booking website, and the Past Passenger price showed up with her number, but not with mine, even though I've called HAL to verify were are both Past Passengers. 

I wonder if the private sale rates aren’t linked to the Mariner numbers that are eligible. Not sure why some would be targeted for certain promotions and others not. 

[KAKcruiser]

I know it's hard to believe but it is true that only certain mariner numbers are eligible for the private rates.  I don't know how they decide which ones, though.  And then the next sale might have different numbers.

[Florida_gal_50]

2 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

I know it's hard to believe but it is true that only certain mariner numbers are eligible for the private rates.  I don't know how they decide which ones, though.  And then the next sale might have different numbers.

I agree.  There are also certain promos that seem to be the same.  People have talked about certain promos, even mentioned the particular cruise that I don’t get as a 5 star.

[groundloop]

I've cruised a lot with Carnival and it sounds like HAL plays exactly the same games as Carnival as far as promotions.  There's absolutely no rhyme or reason to who gets a good promotional rate. 

 

For a while my daughter had some great offers but neither myself or my wife had them, we chalked it up to the fact that my daughter hadn't cruised since the restart and we'd cruised a couple of times post-shutdown already.  Then more recently I had a super cheap casino rate (although I've only spent a total of $20 in a casino about 3 years ago) and my wife didn't.  It's just all over the place.

[zgscl]

4 hours ago, AryMay said:

I wonder if the private sale rates aren’t linked to the Mariner numbers that are eligible. Not sure why some would be targeted for certain promotions and others not. 

I have a few theories but no evidence to back it up. 
1 - onboard spending habits

2 - people who have wondered or not cruised in a while and they are trying to lure back 

[AryMay]

4 minutes ago, zgscl said:

I have a few theories but no evidence to back it up. 
1 - onboard spending habits

2 - people who have wondered or not cruised in a while and they are trying to lure back 

 

In my case I think you are correct with #2.

 

Over the winter I spent a lot of time looking at cruises on the HAL website, even getting as far as looking at available cabins, etc. Mostly dreaming, but during that time I was getting a lot of the private sale emails. 

 

A couple of months ago we booked an Alaska cruise using the private sale rate and since the booking, I haven't gotten a single email. 

 

It will be interesting to see if we start getting emails again after our cruise. I do know we aren't being targeted based on our onboard spending habits. I think all of our HAL cruises have been booked during promotions that include gratuities and OBC and we rarely spend anything else.

[liketraveling]

5 minutes ago, AryMay said:

 

In my case I think you are correct with #2.

 

Over the winter I spent a lot of time looking at cruises on the HAL website, even getting as far as looking at available cabins, etc. Mostly dreaming, but during that time I was getting a lot of the private sale emails. 

 

A couple of months ago we booked an Alaska cruise using the private sale rate and since the booking, I haven't gotten a single email. 

 

It will be interesting to see if we start getting emails again after our cruise. I do know we aren't being targeted based on our onboard spending habits. I think all of our HAL cruises have been booked during promotions that include gratuities and OBC and we rarely spend anything else.

I agree on both.  I was getting deals every other day from my new PCC, My original PCC retired during Covid but she had told me she was planning on retiring in 2020. I had a FCD on file that actually expires in May.  I booked a sailing for Nov and the extended the FCD to Nov.  Since booking I have not received any offers.  #1 is probably true too because I am one that spends the money on the ship.  My dad spends on Crew gratuities.  I helped him get to 4 star.

 

[zgscl]

14 hours ago, liketraveling said:

I agree on both.  I was getting deals every other day from my new PCC, My original PCC retired during Covid but she had told me she was planning on retiring in 2020. I had a FCD on file that actually expires in May.  I booked a sailing for Nov and the extended the FCD to Nov.  Since booking I have not received any offers.  #1 is probably true too because I am one that spends the money on the ship.  My dad spends on Crew gratuities.  I helped him get to 4 star.

 

Expiring FCDs or FCCs could be another good thought for targeted promos. 

[albingirl]

I got a private sale for 2 cruises booked this past winter.  But, and this is a big but, when I called to add the Have it All Promotion, paying the rack rate, they sold that to me but since I had a private sale, they wouldn't give me the dining and shore excursions that go with the promo.  In other words, I paid 45 dollars a day for a drink package without the extras that ordinarily go along with the Have It All.  All I ever got from HAL was, sorry, you got a private sale.  Well, when I got onboard and found out all the people who were on a casino deal, practically paying zero dollars, I was livid. Sick of all the benefits going to casino people and putting club orange people above 4 and 5* people.  I wonder who is running the show.

[liketraveling]

2 hours ago, zgscl said:

Expiring FCDs or FCCs could be another good thought for targeted promos. 

I spoke too Soon.  I got another casino offer today that included a cruise over Christmas.  But I also have 2 more FCD where I need to sail before May 2023.

[TiogaCruiser]

23 hours ago, AryMay said:

I wonder if the private sale rates aren’t linked to the Mariner numbers that are eligible. Not sure why some would be targeted for certain promotions and others not. 

 

22 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

I know it's hard to believe but it is true that only certain mariner numbers are eligible for the private rates.  I don't know how they decide which ones, though.  And then the next sale might have different numbers.

It’s pretty common for DH to get private sales when I don’t. Occasionally it’s the other way. I always check the prices for both our mariner numbers.

 

Once I was booked for a solo cruise, in an inside, having paid really BIG bucks under the Single Share program. ( the supplement was 75%) and a month or so out DH got a private sale for the trip. He could have gotten a balcony for 1 for less. (My TA didn’t believe the price would be different). Anyway, I requested an upgrade and room alone, but HAL wouldn’t budge. They DID put me in an OV alone once I boarded.