4 Star Mariner

[mcrcruiser]

 Hi all you 4 star  &  5  Star Mariners  . We are ;lowly 3 star with 92 days so we need a lot to reach the 200 days   for the  4 star level  . We printed out the benefits from the Mariner section  of HAL . 

We have 12 cays sailing koningsdam  this December  2022 &  then 18 days Jan 30  2024 Hawaii   ,18 day cruise .   That gives us a total 122 days toward the 200 days    & we know spending $300    on any cruise gets another one day credit for each $300 on board spending

 

 Since we no longer want to fly   because we are in our 80s now   & HAL just  does cruises from SD when they are not in  the Alaska market   ,can we still get to the 200 day level .?  or just forget it  . ?

 

 We are high levels of Elite plus with Celebrity & Diamond at Royal Caribbean  .We get great casino deals on those lines . Trying to get them on HAL as well .We .would love to go  on  long sailings like  the Oct 2022 SD to Sydney & the circunmavigate    Australia  .but ,that is quite a pricy itinerary unless we can get a casino deal    .That is a time when we would fly business class on Quantas .We had been to Sydney  in 2015 on Nordam 

 

 So what do you think should we try  to get to the 4 star Mariner level?

 

 PS this is why we would like to see HAL   do more unique itineraries from SD roinf trip  like go further down the Mexican coast to Acapulco  &  round trip Alaska from SD  or even the LA area for  Alaska R/T   . Then no need to fly  is my point 

Edited October 27, 2022 by mcrcruiser

[mcrcruiser]

Seen lots of view cut not one comment about getting to the 4 star level

[crystalspin]

38 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

Seen lots of view cut not one comment about getting to the 4 star level

Patience Grasshopper! Your thread has only been active one hour at this reply!

 

We are 3* with 156 Mariner Points of which exactly 100 are days on board (Bronze Medal which has not been awarded as yet). The rest are spending points and a large segment of those were from having the Signature Beverage Package (the rest from ships' excursions).

 

Assuming the points accrue from SBP as part of HIA, we will be 4* after our quickly approaching B2B on the K'dam from your lovely city. We are spending our 2020 FCC, staying in a Vista Suite bought at rack-rate (double points) and believing that the HIA will make up the balance of the 44 points we need. (16-days on board plus 16-days Suite credit plus 12 x $300 spending credit is what we need.)

 

We hope to have free laundry for our 35-day K'dam Hawaii-Tahiti cruise in 2024!

 

So advice: You can "buy" your way to the 200 days by booking at least a Vista Suite at listing price (NOT an upsell which will not give extra points) and spending lavishly. With you needing 108 Mariner points to make 4*, cruises totally 36 days on board, doubled for Suite stays and tripled for spending, will get you there.

 

ETA: Looked back at your message, Cliff: with your currently booked 30 days of cruising you cannot reach 4* even if in a listing-price (not casino) suite for all. You can NEVER get more that 3x your actual days on board in points. You need a California Coastal or other 6-7 day cruise, in a paid Suite, with $300/day spending. 

 

In the past, the SBP accrued spending as if you had paid full price for every drink or possibly as if you had drunk all 15 drinks/day at maximum price of $11/drink. ($165 per day per person.) I have never had SBP and not made maximum spending sailing with my husband. However I have not cruised since HIA was introduced and I am sore afraid that they have stopped doling out the credits that way!

Edited October 27, 2022 by crystalspin

[Radbooks]

I think that next year there are some longish trips round trips from San Diego that go to Hawaii and the South Pacific, so I think you can make it!

To me, the best thing about having 4 stars is the free laundry and specialty restaurant discount. I'm not sure if that is worth it for you.

[mcrcruiser]

10 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Patience Grasshopper! Your thread has only been active one hour at this reply!

 

We are 3* with 156 Mariner Points of which exactly 100 are days on board (Bronze Medal which has not been awarded as yet). The rest are spending points and a large segment of those were from having the Signature Beverage Package (the rest from ships' excursions).

 

Assuming the points accrue from SBP as part of HIA, we will be 4* after our quickly approaching B2B on the K'dam from your lovely city. We are spending our 2020 FCC, staying in a Vista Suite bought at rack-rate (double points) and believing that the HIA will make up the balance of the 44 points we need. (16-days on board plus 16-days Suite credit plus 12 x $300 spending credit is what we need.)

 

We hope to have free laundry for our 35-day K'dam Hawaii-Tahiti cruise in 2024!

 

So advice: You can "buy" your way to the 200 days by booking at least a Vista Suite at listing price (NOT an upsell which will not give extra points) and spending lavishly. With you needing 108 Mariner points to make 4*, cruises totally 36 days on board, doubled for Suite stays and tripled for spending, will get you there.

Thanks for your explanation crystalspin   . We  use handicap cabins  which do the job for us . Accelerated spending  is not in our cards   . so we settle for the lower perks  . At almost 84 years of age  /when we do Hawaii Han 2024 i will be 85   ,so we  look for casino deals  on HAL or Celebrity   cruises  ,if we live long ebough 

 

 Thanks  again for your explanation  it was very thorough  😀. 

 

 nN need to others to explain 

[Seasick Sailor]

We made 4* on our holiday cruise 2021/2022 (30+ days) on Rotterdam. We are 249 credits away from 5*.

 

We are taking a 45 day cruise on Rotterdam beginning Dec. 11th and a 30+ day cruise on Konigsdam out of San Diego in February.  Hawaii-Tahiti. I haven't counted what our credit balance towards 5* will be after these cruises. I'm just happy to get the 4* perks.

[mcrcruiser]

7 minutes ago, Radbooks said:

I think that next year there are some longish trips round trips from San Diego that go to Hawaii and the South Pacific, so I think you can make it!

To me, the best thing about having 4 stars is the free laundry and specialty restaurant discount. I'm not sure if that is worth it for you.

 We looked at that cruise ,just too many sea days .We like some sea days ;however , to the south Pacific & return are just too many & the cost is rather high because those cruises a very few during a  year .  If they did  a R T Alaska &  or go further down the Mexican coast to Alcapulco with more port stops like Manzillo ,La Pas   ie  ,we would be more interested  in those types of cruises   . of those ports 2 are deep sea ports . Easier on & off the ship  for us in a scooter 

[crystalspin]

3 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

 Thanks  again for your explanation  it was very thorough  😀. 

Ya, that's a trait I have (blessing or a cruise, IDK) -- daughter of a science teacher!

 

Stick to the HAL cruises, as often as you can, and you can still make 4* even with "just" days on board and the off-hand $300 credits! Also, just think, you can buy your own laundry and specialty meals with the money you save sailing casino cabins! 3* is no slouch!

[mcrcruiser]

2 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

We made 4* on our holiday cruise 2021/2022 (30+ days) on Rotterdam. We are 249 credits away from 5*.

 

We are taking a 45 day cruise on Rotterdam beginning Dec. 11th and a 30+ day cruise on Konigsdam out of San Diego in February.  Hawaii-Tahiti. I haven't counted what our credit balance towards 5* will be after these cruises. I'm just happy to get the 4* perks.

  Yes you certainly will pile up the days toward 5 star  level  . What is interesting id with Celebrity from Elite Plis to Zemith level the perks are much more attraxtive like a free cruise is one of them per year   .If Celebrity was sailing more from SD or even San Pedro .LA County ,we would be on them more often   &  ultimately reach Zenith level   .We do like HAL especially the    Pinnacle class vessels  .They imo are comparable to the larger S class of Celebrity  .  Stateroom size a rad smaller on HAL vs Celebrity  S class  

 

 Best of luck on your new longer cruises 

[mcrcruiser]

1 minute ago, crystalspin said:

Ya, that's a trait I have (blessing or a cruise, IDK) -- daughter of a science teacher!

 

Stick to the HAL cruises, as often as you can, and you can still make 4* even with "just" days on board and the off-hand $300 credits! Also, just think, you can buy your own laundry and specialty meals with the money you save sailing casino cabins! 3* is no slouch!

I have dome well in HAL's casinos playing craps   & Texas Holdem  . Now we just need to covert that to  free cruises &  pay the port fees .taxes   .We currently get those deals with Celebrity cruises

[crystalspin]

6 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

If they did  a R T Alaska & ... ,we would be more interested  in those types of cruises.

Sign me up for a HAL Alaska cruise from San Diego or San Pedro. Even Princess is no longer doing the LA R/T 😞 . Only Carnival Miracle doing the R/T that requires no flying and I am honestly not too excited that we are booked with them.

[mcrcruiser]

1 hour ago, crystalspin said:

Sign me up for a HAL Alaska cruise from San Diego or San Pedro. Even Princess is no longer doing the LA R/T 😞 . Only Carnival Miracle doing the R/T that requires no flying and I am honestly not too excited that we are booked with them.

Yes we understand the let down . BTW the Miracle   has no balcony handicap cabins at all  .  Our first cruise to Alaska was on a small carnival ship the Jubilee     in a outside cabin  .We did see Glacier Bay  as part of the inside passage cruise ,at that time   .

 We are not fans of Carnival cruises  in general  . However ,a Alaska cruise from Long Beach ,LA County is not bad  vs their   more typical cruises .Still not near the quality of a HAL cruise

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Since you don't want to fly, have you considered taking the train to other port cities? I've heard several people mention taking the train rather than flying.

[Nang]

We have just achieved 4* and The Boss can't wait to start our next cruise. For me its seeing The Boss  happy and excited (and a saving a few $s on the laundry). However, 4* is just not a big deal. My advice is pick which cruises/lines you want to do and forget about achieving 4* on HAL. If you get there, its a bit of bonus. Not worth the effort to get there if you are compromising on the cruises you choose.

[rafinmd]

Can you do Amtrak to Seattle for a cruise from there or Vancouver?

 

Roy

[Trapper44]

22 hours ago, crystalspin said:

 

In the past, the SBP accrued spending as if you had paid full price for every drink or possibly as if you had drunk all 15 drinks/day at maximum price of $11/drink. ($165 per day per person.) I have never had SBP and not made maximum spending sailing with my husband. However, I have not cruised since HIA was introduced and I am sore afraid that they have stopped doling out the credits that way!

The only cruise that we didn't max out the spending days was the one where we did not have the HIA package with the drink package. However, they total the drink package is very generous. We are same as you. We are sitting at 166 days so taking Granddaughter on a birthday cruise to obtain 4 stars prior to a longer TA. 

[IPB4IGO]

I wouldn't fret too much about reaching 4-star Mariner status. The differences in benefits between 3-star and 4-star are trivial compared to the hundreds of dollars a day you are paying for the cruise. Free laundry at $7/day? Yippee! A 50% discount rather than a 25% discount on specialty meals that you use only a couple times a week? Priority boarding that never seems to materialize? 

 

You are wise to continue looking for cost savings in the fares. Mariner perks pale in comparison.  

[crx]

If you sail on VOLENDAM or ZANDAM in a balcony  cabin you get double mariner points per day.

[Guest ldtr]

You can always do Jan 21 Panama Canal cruise out of SD and then do the Feb 4 Panama Canal cruise back..

 

 

[wandrr]

On 10/27/2022 at 6:40 AM, rafinmd said:

Can you do Amtrak to Seattle for a cruise from there or Vancouver?

 

Roy

Maybe. Play with https://www.amtrak.com/plan-your-trip.html . Besides finding a specific trip, it is fun to play a bit and dream about a cross-continent journey or something.

[oakridger]

3 hours ago, crx said:

If you sail on VOLENDAM or ZANDAM in a balcony  cabin you get double mariner points per day.

But aren’t those actually Vista Suite categories?  Thus more expensive!!               ~Nancy 

[FlaMariner]

1 hour ago, oakridger said:

But aren’t those actually Vista Suite categories?  Thus more expensive!!               ~Nancy 

 

Agree....Very expensive....at least for our travel budget.

 

That's one of the many reasons we love the larger and newer HAL ships....they have balcony cabins for the rest of us.....and they are in a price point that fits our travel budget.

[oaktreerb]

@mcrcruiserWe got to 4* faster by booking Alaska cruisetours.  A 14 day land and sea in a suite will be worth 28 days.  The land days are credited the same as your cruise stateroom category.  

 

I think you should cruise back to back Panama Canal from San Diego in a suite.  Or do the Tahiti, South Pacific out of San Diego in a Suite.  No flying for either itinerary.  You could be 4* by 2024.

 

Much easier than doing a land and sea…….and no flying!

Edited October 28, 2022 by oaktreerb