Unusual Mariner Points Question

[Sobro]

We are near newbie Mariner members with one 7 night Alaska cruise sailed 6 years ago. We are sailing Zaandam Panama Canal early next year and booked when Zuiderdam was the scheduled ship. We booked a balcony cabin, and of course Zaandam doesn't have those so we were transferred to a Vista Suite.

 

Being an avid RCI cruiser I know they don't confer double points on low cost suite upgrades. Would HAL be doubling our points?

[DaveOKC]

I seriously doubt that you will get double points as the normal rule is that you have to book a suite category in the first place.  Free (or even paid) upgrades do not qualify.

 

Of course, on HAL you never know what they will do for certain.  You just might get lucky, especially given the unusual situation.

[Mary229]

It was years ago, 2016, HAL did give me double points for a free upgrade to Vista and it was on the Zaandam.  I got a bunch of unexpected points on my last cruise that I could never figure out the reason. 

[Sobro]

Thanks for your replies.

[albingirl]

21 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

It was years ago, 2016, HAL did give me double points for a free upgrade to Vista and it was on the Zaandam.  I got a bunch of unexpected points on my last cruise that I could never figure out the reason. 

As long as it's not in the negative, I go with the flow.  Unexpected points?  Thank you very much!

[Mary229]

4 minutes ago, albingirl said:

As long as it's not in the negative, I go with the flow.  Unexpected points?  Thank you very much!

You are right about that.  No complaints here.  

[whee-sailing]

In 2020 I was upgraded from a verandah to a suite and did not get the double points.

 

But it sounds like others have so you never know!

[crystalspin]

We paid for an upsell OV to Vista Suite on the Zaandam, and got only one set of points. In 2014. 

 

Good luck!

[happyglobetrotter]

3 hours ago, albingirl said:

As long as it's not in the negative, I go with the flow.  Unexpected points?  Thank you very much!

You get points for 'spending' even if the expenses are included in the Have it all. Ex. crew incentive included, you still get the $$$ in day credits, same for drink package, complementary meal at specialty restaurants. etc.  These points are referring to prepaid (in a package) expenses. 

 

[Mary229]

15 minutes ago, happyglobetrotter said:

You get points for 'spending' even if the expenses are included in the Have it all. Ex. crew incentive included, you still get the $$$ in day credits, same for drink package, complementary meal at specialty restaurants. etc.  These points are referring to prepaid (in a package) expenses. 

 

Maybe it was the HIA I had not considered.  I included all of the other expenses.   I will have to go back and see what I paid for the HIA and see if that is the difference.  Offhand I don’t recall my accounting but at the time I did account and couldn’t figure it out 

[happyglobetrotter]

Just now, Mary229 said:

Maybe it was the HIA I had not considered.  I included all of the other expenses.   I will have to go back and see what I paid for the HIA and see if that is the difference.  Offhand I don’t recall my accounting but at the time I did account and couldn’t figure it out 

It is not based on what you paid but on what all the 'free' perks amounts to. 

 

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, crystalspin said:

We paid for an upsell OV to Vista Suite on the Zaandam, and got only one set of points. In 2014. 

 

Good luck!

I think my upgrade was some sort of HAL credit my sister, also my TA, received and applied to my sailing. It never showed on my invoice.   I wasn’t informed of the details but when I arrived I had a an upgrade from inside to Vista. 

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, happyglobetrotter said:

It is not based on what you paid but on what all the 'free' perks amounts to. 

 

What I paid for HIA, not what I paid for my cabin.  HIA has a value 

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

What I paid for HIA, not what I paid for my cabin.  HIA has a value 

What @happyglobetrottermeans, is the value OF THE DRINKS is (or has been) applied to your Bonus Days Mariner points. Before HIA, we had the SBP as part of the fare and we ended up with the maximum (cruise days times two) on our Cruise History -- the only way that could have been possible was if the VALUE of the drinks was used in the calculation!

[happyglobetrotter]

9 hours ago, Mary229 said:

What I paid for HIA, not what I paid for my cabin.  HIA has a value 

Crystalspin is correct. Everything you get on a ship which normally has to be paid for is added to your stateroom bill with an immediate minus amount if they are complimentary (as in your case with HIA). Example: you get a $9,95 drink. Free with the HIA but it is still added to your account as a 'purchase' and immediately substracted, There is a different billing system for HAL internal accounting  as compared to the one you see on your statement. Another example, you get the 'free' wi-fi package under HIA or otherwise (because of Mariner status or cabin grade) and the special 'internal' bill includes $269 purchase even if your own bill statement does not show it. So the credit days you get in the end are based on 'revenues' even if you do not have to pay for them because you prepaid them or get them complimentary. Is that clearer for you ?. You can always go to front office and ask to see that 'different' bill. I have seen them before and they include all 'expenses and revenues' even if you do not have to pay for them, and even if they do not show on your own statement. 

 

PS  Sometimes though, your bill may still show laundry $0.00 or  in-room service $0.00. It is very generous of HAL to give you the non-paid expenses to add for your day credits and Mariner's status.  

Edited June 25, 2022 by happyglobetrotter

[happyglobetrotter]

11 hours ago, crystalspin said:

We paid for an upsell OV to Vista Suite on the Zaandam, and got only one set of points. In 2014. 

 

Good luck!

You only get double points for a suite when you pay the posted or advertised price, never for an upgrade or an upsell regardeless of the amount paid. You are correct again.  

[Mary229]

57 minutes ago, happyglobetrotter said:

Crystalspin is correct. Everything you get on a ship which normally has to be paid for is added to your stateroom bill with an immediate minus amount if they are complimentary (as in your case with HIA). Example: you get a $9,95 drink. Free with the HIA but it is still added to your account as a 'purchase' and immediately substracted, There is a different billing system for HAL internal accounting  as compared to the one you see on your statement. Another example, you get the 'free' wi-fi package under HIA or otherwise (because of Mariner status or cabin grade) and the special 'internal' bill includes $269 purchase even if your own bill statement does not show it. So the credit days you get in the end are based on 'revenues' even if you do not have to pay for them because you prepaid them or get them complimentary. Is that clearer for you ?. You can always go to front office and ask to see that 'different' bill. I have seen them before and they include all 'expenses and revenues' even if you do not have to pay for them, and even if they do not show on your own statement. 

 

PS  Sometimes though, your bill may still show laundry $0.00 or  in-room service $0.00. It is very generous of HAL to give you the non-paid expenses to add for your day credits and Mariner's status.  

I know that but it far exceeded my bill and my days.  It was almost double and no, I did not have a suite 

[BobbiSox]

I never look a gift horse in the mouth.

[CruisinNana]

What is the formula for calculating expenses into points?  I am 35 points away from being 4 star.

I am going on an 11 day cruise in a suite so that would be 22 points.

I have paid for an $800 cabana 

I have HIA perk and will be ordering drinks and use wifi, specialty restaurant, and maybe the excursion allowance. 

I will use laundry and dry cleaning most days. 
I will pay daily gratuities.

is there any way to guess if there are enough paid for items to get the other 13 points I need to rise to 4 star?

[richwmn]

points are given for each $300 in spending. HAL is extremely generous in rounding up.

so $800 for cabana, $550 for HIA, wifi about $150, about $160I  for gratuities works out to $1660 in spending already. That will give you about 5, maybe 6 points. You would need to spend another $2100 to make 4 star.

 

I just looked again at your post. You max out at 1 spending day for each day on the cruise, so your max is 33 points for an 11 day cruise. 11 for cruise, 11 for suite, and 11 for spending

Edited June 25, 2022 by richwmn

[Cruise Suzy]

 I am 35 points away from being 4 star.

I am going on an 11 day cruise in a suite so that would be 22 points. ...

is there any way to guess if there are enough paid for items to get the other 13 points I need to rise to 4 star?

 

Sorry to say that there is no way to attain 4-star on this cruise. The most days you can be credited for purchases is the number of days in the cruise. So 11 days fior the cruise, 11 days for the suite, 11 days for purchases.

 

 

[CruisinNana]

1 minute ago, richwmn said:

points are given for each $300 in spending. HAL is extremely generous in rounding up.

so $800 for cabana, $550 for HIA, wifi about $150, about $160 for gratuities works out to $1660 in spending already. That will give you about 5, maybe 6 points. You would need to spend another $2100 to make 4 star.

 

Thank you. Wish my losses in the casino counted!  I would be 4 star for sure!🤣

[Tampa Girl]

20 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

I seriously doubt that you will get double points as the normal rule is that you have to book a suite category in the first place.  Free (or even paid) upgrades do not qualify.

 

Of course, on HAL you never know what they will do for certain.  You just might get lucky, especially given the unusual situation.

 

However, Zaandam's balcony cabins are called Vista Suites, which is what she booked.  I would think that she is entitled to the double points.  

[crystalspin]

8 hours ago, happyglobetrotter said:

...Everything you get on a ship which normally has to be paid for is added to your stateroom bill with an immediate minus amount if they are complimentary (as in your case with HIA). ...Free with the HIA but it is still added to your account as a 'purchase' and immediately subtracted, ...So the credit days you get in the end are based on 'revenues' even if you do not have to pay for them because you prepaid them or get them complimentary.

Aha! Finally a definitive explanation! TYVM

[happyglobetrotter]

1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

However, Zaandam's balcony cabins are called Vista Suites, which is what she booked.  I would think that she is entitled to the double points.  

Even if called vista suites on Zaandam, the regular veranda are not suites per se and do not produce double credits. We have done many world cruises on Amsterdam, same as Zaandam, in a veranda *vista suite* as they call them but this type of cabins on the R series DO NOT double and they are not included in the double points. On Zaandam, double points start with Neptune suites.