Just Out Of Curiosity, Would You. . .

[ctsally]

If I had and "extra" $200 to spend, I'd use it for a shore excursion. I don't feel the need to be catered to above and beyond the wonderful service of the HAL staff. I'm very happy eating at the Lido and the dining room. The PG is nice, but I would never pay to eat there. We ate in the PG once as guests of the travel agency.

[altosax]

I would be insulted. Let's see, next cruise I should tip the 100 day mark. How about rewarding my time spent and loyalty. 200 is actually a good number. 200 free internet minutes would be nice.

 

The only time anyone is going to see the medal is me after I have it delivered to the cabin. Bronze, indeed. If they want to dangle a carrot, have a graduated list of perks I can actually use and enjoy while I'm putting a low-end deposit on my next cruise.

 

Internet minutes.

Free corkage.

Casino chips.

Onboard credits.

Take a room steward home for a week.

Complimentary manicure/pedicure

Complimentary haircut

Complimentary massage

Shore excursions

Complimntary Cabanas

Free air on next cruise. (50 days = domestic USA? 100days = International air)

Bottle of top-of-the-line vino at dinner. (Use some sort of ratio of days sailed gets you more nights of comp vino)

 

There must be dozens of other perks that could be made available depending upon the number of days on HAL.

 

Kick-it-around

[satchiesmom]

Nope!

[mikefang]

Nope, wouldn't consider the extra. I commanded my own ship and got used to eating with myself (not necessarily good company) and DW is used to eating with the captain-besides, our hundred plus days medallions are heavy and get in the soup!:)

Miike

[PathfinderEss]

Just cracking the 200 day mark with Hal and being suite customers, I don't think paying an extra 200 dollars for...... what did you say, bridge tours (done that), dinner with the Captain (done that, no big deal), private club parties (get that with suite), a dinner in the PG (I can do that for far less),............................. nope, don't think so.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Valerie, I too am chiming in with the majority;)

Nope, would not consider paying anything extra. But if it you throw in Unlimited use of the Thermal Suite for the week plus all of the Above I might consider it:D

[atudorquene]

an award, a gift, a real recognition, not a scam to get more money out of you... now if they included a massage or something worth two centuries, then perhaps it would be worth the money, but even then, it is rather a backhanded kind of insult to my way of thinking.

[pekachryn]

Not interested unless they would consider paying me $200 or more a year.

 

I just want free internet like I get on "another" line. That's worth $100's per cruise to me.

[gizmo]

I have no interest at all.

[doorcountydi]

I'll be 1 puny day away from my 100-day medallion after my trip in December. I'm looking forward to it! A benchmark of sorts, I guess... not for the "ooo, ahhh" from other guests, but just because I LOVE cruising on HAL. Good times.

 

But no, I wouldn't pay $200 for the extras--I LIKE meeting the Captains of the ships, I've seen several a few times now. A bridge tour might be fun, but there's so much else to do. I agree with AltoSax, I'll take some free internet minutes or a manicure... bottle of wine in the cabin, etc. That to me is appreciation for the, uh, probably $25,000 (minimum) for a bronze medallion.

 

Diane

[Juanita462]

Nope.

 

Had dinner with the first officer - most boring meal we have had aboard

ship. His opening statement was "feel free to ask me any questions as

long as they aren't complaints" He was never asked a single question from our group and conversation was almost nil. No interestings stories about his life at sea etc.

 

VIP parties - we don't drink and they are always right after our early dinner so food is not an interest. At any that we have attended we noticed that the officers don't mix.

 

DH would love to tour the bridge but not for 200

 

HAL could do better for their mariners.

[sail7seas]

I think some people are under the impression HAL is doing this but that is not the case. This was a hypothetical question posed by OP as speculation. To my knowledge, none of this has been suggested or planned by HAL.

 

The problem with them offering 'something that is worth it' leads to what I think worth it, you may not and vice versa. I wouldn't want a massage or use of the therapy pool. I wouldn't go near either but I wouldn't say No to some other things that maybe others don't want any part of.

 

[DFD1]

Not a chance. The HAL Mariner program is already one of the slickest marketing gimmicks around. It is, by and large, much ado about nothing, IMO.

 

I haven't been able to find even one real benefit for the members of the Mariners program.

 

I'm a HAL fan and cruise with them more often than with any other cruise line, but the Mariners program has nothing to do with it.

[altosax]

I think some people are under the impression HAL is doing this but that is not the case. This was a hypothetical question posed by OP as speculation. To my knowledge, none of this has been suggested or planned by HAL.

 

The problem with them offering 'something that is worth it' leads to what I think worth it, you may not and vice versa. I wouldn't want a massage or use of the therapy pool. I wouldn't go near either but I wouldn't say No to some other things that maybe others don't want any part of.

 

 

Hypothetical understood. If HAL ever undertook to thank it's past customers with something other than the current rewards, it should not be a "problem" of what you think is valuable vs. what I think is valuable if a significant variety of choices are offered as one's award. AYWA. As You Wish Awards.

 

Like FQTV miles, you could cash in for a small gift with a minimal number of days sailed, or, allow your days to accumulate and aquire a more valuable award option. Maxing out at, say, 350 days gets you a free 7day Carib or Mexico or Canada cruise. AYWC. As You Wish Carrots.

[O2B@C]

Sounds good to me! I doubt they would give away free cruises, but there are plenty of perks they could put on a frequent cruiser rewards "menu" that wouldn't cost them much, but would generate a lot of good will - e.g., internet minutes; bottle of wine or champagne; guaranteed choice of dining arrangement; thermal suite access; coffee or soda card; priority tender boarding; priority disembarkation; lunch or dinner in the PG. Some of these come with suites anyway, true, but many frequent Mariners travel in lower categories at least some of the time, and those who are in a suite could choose another perk, or save their "points" for use on a future cruise.

 

I'd rather have any of those than a medal or a mariners' reception, any day!

[Nonie]

HAL's Mariner recognition program at the present time is just that, "recognition", and not much else, IMO. So, we would not be interested in paying more dollars above and beyond the cost of a cruise for essentially just more proposed recognition (except for the proposed PG dinner). But $200 per year for a "free" meal in the PG would not be worth it to us.

 

Now, if you threw in "guaranteed dining choice (traditional or open) and time", and lowered the fee in half, we might be interested. :rolleyes: HAL should be offering that choice for free anyway to high-day Mariners. It wouldn't cost them a dime to do that, again, IMO.

 

What's "free" when you are paying $200.00 pp a year for the privilage of getting so called free things and worse if you don't take at least one cruise a year. My friends who are Platinum members on Princess tell me that they get FREE internet use now and I think some other things. Now, that is what I call recognition. I like the pins for 25 and 50 days but, what do you with a MEDAL? Why not forget that stuff and give long time past pax a % reduction on the fare? Anyhow, my answer is definitely NO!!! :eek: ;)

[rebeljohn]

Nope.......I'll save the $200 bucks and buy some nice cigars in port......