New amenities for Mariners on HAL

[Seacruise]

I first cruised with HAL in 1983. How things have changed since then (don't get me going on this one) . I have gone through the change from the old Mariner program to the current one. Were there changes, yes but not many.

 

I do understand that HAL does have a very high repeat ratio. Some things suggested would tax many services on board such as free dinner or lunch in the Pinnacle. Free internet is another that causes a already limited service even further problems. Suggesting Free WiFi in the cabins for those that decide to bring their laptops isn't the answer either. There is just so much bandwidth available off those satellites and allowing it to be thinned out to a point where it is unusable.

 

Some things I have liked of "other" programs is discount drinks in one bar aboard ships when you show your membership card. Remember that cruise lines get their liquor at duty free prices so this really isn't a hardship.

Private lounge (think Princess here) to await getting off the ship.

I have enjoyed the free Welcome aboard Champagne in the cabin, mind you I like it but there are many who don't.

 

On board credits are very good because it allows the Customer to use it where they want to use it and how they want to use it. It really doesn't tax the system and more.

 

The ability to book online with HAL and get the lowest possible rate would be nice. Many times I have looked at the online rate and know I can get a far better rate than that they are offering me online. Hotels have the lowest room guarantee why not the cruise line? Isn't a Mariner a Group technically speaking?

 

I do like the tiles they offer and it is always a nice reminder on a given day because I always have my last tile beside my computer for my drink of the day.

 

Guaranteed dinning times would be nice. The current cruise I am booked on had the dinning times closed months ago. In fact a cruise I am looking at for fall of 2009 has the dinning times already closed, yet there appears to be lots of space on this cruise.

For my current cruise my TA called Ship Board services and asked that I be confirmed for my requested dinning time even though it was closed because I was a long time Mariner. I was waitlisted and then confirmed within 1 hour of his request.

 

Just a few of my thoughts on this one.

 

Phil

[jtl513]

Private lounge (think Princess here) to await getting off the ship.

Everyone already has this. It's your cabin. :)

The ability to book online with HAL and get the lowest possible rate would be nice. Many times I have looked at the online rate and know I can get a far better rate than that they are offering me online. Hotels have the lowest room guarantee why not the cruise line?

HAL can't compete with the TA's that they depend on. Most people don't go to TA's for hotel rooms.

Guaranteed dinning times would be nice.

Doesn't interest me.

 

Give me MONEY in the form of OBC's.

[RedmondCruiser]

Would there be enough tables in Pinnacle, enough nights of the week to accomodate all those free diners?

 

 

 

Can we get them retroactively? :D

 

Forget the retro idea they would never do that, but with the limited number of people reaching the 100-300-500 ---- levels on each cruise I don't think it would be any problem to accomodate them in the Pinnacle. The number would fluxuate on each sailing but I doubt it would be a problem.

Then again they can always revert to the complementary shoe shine.

[sail7seas]

Forget the retro idea they would never do that, but with the limited number of people reaching the 100-300-500 ---- levels on each cruise I don't think it would be any problem to accomodate them in the Pinnacle. The number would fluxuate on each sailing but I doubt it would be a problem.

 

.

 

 

:D Kidding about the retroactive!!!! Of course, that would never happen. ;)

[SDHALFAN]

Why not make the 100 - 300 - 500 day crossing special. In addition to the medal they should receive a free Pinnacle Dinner for two, a free bottle of champagne and a cruise credit. It would only be a one time expediture for HAL and right now they provide all the above as incentives to book a cruise.

 

Right now your lucky to get a free complementary shoe shine. They CAN do something.

 

Just a word to the wise: if you attain the 300-day mark while on a World Cruise don't expect to get even a medal ceremony. Those of us (and there were a few) had our "silver" medallion shoved unceremoniously in the mail slots outside our cabin with an invitation to show up for a group photo. I don't know if anyone else showed up but I didn't!

 

Of course we were sailing with many, many people who had well over 1,000 days sailing with HAL.

 

Valerie:D

[sail7seas]

Did they award Platinums at the Mariners Party or were those medals left in mailboxes as well?

 

[pms4104]

Just a word to the wise: if you attain the 300-day mark while on a World Cruise don't expect to get even a medal ceremony. Those of us (and there were a few) had our "silver" medallion shoved unceremoniously in the mail slots outside our cabin with an invitation to show up for a group photo. I don't know if anyone else showed up but I didn't!

 

Of course we were sailing with many, many people who had well over 1,000 days sailing with HAL.

 

Valerie:D

How rude! And I'm not referring to your being AWOL for the photo.

[RedmondCruiser]

Just a word to the wise: if you attain the 300-day mark while on a World Cruise don't expect to get even a medal ceremony. Those of us (and there were a few) had our "silver" medallion shoved unceremoniously in the mail slots outside our cabin with an invitation to show up for a group photo. I don't know if anyone else showed up but I didn't!

 

Of course we were sailing with many, many people who had well over 1,000 days sailing with HAL.

 

Valerie:D

The responsibility is with the Hotel Manager. To shove a silver medal under the door is inconceivable. He should have held multiple award ceremonies until the job was completed --- reguardless of how long it took. Especially on a World Cruise.

[sammiedawg]

We love HAL but often book Princess due to a better repeat passenger program such as priority boarding, free Internet, if you reach the highest level free laundry, etc

The tiles and medals do not mean anything to me.

Competition is fierce and HAL would be wise to upgrade this program

I swear princess past passenger discounts are better as well but have no data to prove it.

[happyglobetrotter]

There is a huge difference in the meaning of Mariners...

 

A person who sails 3 days is a Mariner (on the second cruise). Then a person with a platinum medallion is a Mariner. When people are mentionning perks for Mariners, would they expect HAL to provide the same free stuff to the three day repeater and to the 700 plus days repeater. There are so many persons now with the 100 day medallion that it would be fair to assume that this would not be a millstone. That would involve too many people, however the 300 - 500 and 700 should include some type of rewards, for sure.

 

The eventual cost would depend on the way this is all structured. But it is a fact that lower level of achievements will most likely get very little if any rewards, this would be to costly

 

Louise

[sail7seas]

We love HAL but often book Princess due to a better repeat passenger program such as priority boarding, free Internet, if you reach the highest level free laundry, etc

The tiles and medals do not mean anything to me.

Competition is fierce and HAL would be wise to upgrade this program

I swear princess past passenger discounts are better as well but have no data to prove it.

 

Personnally, I don't think Princess' repeater amenities mean as much as some think to all that many people. If they do, why does HAL have the highest number of repeaters? On so many cruises, a full 80% of the guests are repeaters. Why aren't they on Princess if they want those 'freebies', which, of course, really arent' free at all? :confused: ;) NOTHING is free; it is all built into the cost.

 

Once again, we're at choices. It's fabulous we can choose which cruise line best suits our needs and wants. We can choose Princess or we can choose HAL or any other line. If the 'seemingly free' internet is what matters high on someone's list, Princess is where they should sail. We don't have to try to make all cruise companies into the same line. Homogenized cruise lines would NOT benefit the cruiser IMO

[GeriatricNurse]

Haven't seen the free lemonade on deck for years - but it may be the timing - we are usually at trivia around 11 a.m.

 

On the grand cruises there are many gifts - would rather have OBC or a discount - while the gifts are very nice it takes an extra suitcase to get

them home and with the charges today that is something to think about.

We gave several away as it was - mugs and bowls and tiles are very heavy.

 

 

How about a dedicated FREE lemonade station in the Lido 24/7, such as exists on X?

[topspot]

If they do, why does HAL have the highest number of repeaters? On so many cruises, a full 80% of the guests are repeaters. Why aren't they on Princess

 

Let's not forget that Princess has a larger fleet with larger ships. In fact the capacity of Princess is nearly double that of HAL (approx. 35,000 pax versus 20,000 pax). So even though they may not reach a 80% repeat rate on any given cruise, they may actually more repeaters (50% of a 3000 pax ship would be more pax than the R & S class of HAL ships).

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is true that Princess does have more passengers on their ships and does have more ships.

[asctony]

On our most recent Princess Cruise, it was announced that Princess has over 6 Million Captain Circle members. On that cruise there were over 1,000 repeaters. That seems to be a LOT!

Happy Cruising!

[sail7seas]

I've been told HAL (with smaller ships that carry fewer guests - thankfully!!!!!), now has 6 million living Mariners.

 

When Noordam was Dedicated, HAL had 5 million. The number has grown since that time by 1 million...remarkable!

 

[jtl513]

I've been told HAL (with smaller ships that carry fewer guests - thankfully!!!!!), now has 6 million living Mariners.

 

When Noordam was Dedicated, HAL had 5 million. The number has grown since that time by 1 million...remarkable!

 

Yep ... that number makes sense. Roughly 125 weeks since the Noordam launched would mean HAL had 8,000 new customers per week. Out of a total fleet capacity of roughly 18,500 pax, that would be a "new" rate of 44% and a "repeat" rate of 56%! (Yes, I know that ignores the death rate.)

[Jade13]

The responsibility is with the Hotel Manager. To shove a silver medal under the door is inconceivable. He should have held multiple award ceremonies until the job was completed --- reguardless of how long it took. Especially on a World Cruise.

 

I saw a complaint regarding the World cruise and the hotel directer, although I did not see the details...

[sail7seas]

Considering World Cruise was around 110 days and about 1,350 ( + OR - ) guests, to see only ONE complaint is remarkable IMO

 

That sounds like a huge well done to me! :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Why not make the 100 - 300 - 500 day crossing special. In addition to the medal they should receive a free Pinnacle Dinner for two, a free bottle of champagne and a cruise credit. It would only be a one time expediture for HAL and right now they provide all the above as incentives to book a cruise.

 

Right now your lucky to get a free complementary shoe shine. They CAN do something.

 

I like your idea!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Because anyone who has sailed automaticaly becomes a Mariner, it would not be good business to offer perks lightly. The cost of perks for all would be need to recouped so it more than likely would be added to ticket prices. I agree those who have 300 day sailings and 500 day sailings should receive customers perks; like free PG lunch for 300 days and free dinner for 500 days. Loyalty Upgrades would be a nice benefit and promote sales.

 

Even though we are past 300 days, I don't like the Pinnacle lunch idea. We had lunch once there -- way too much food for us at that time of the day. We can't even finish eating the entire meal at the Mariner's Brunch.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just a word to the wise: if you attain the 300-day mark while on a World Cruise don't expect to get even a medal ceremony. Those of us (and there were a few) had our "silver" medallion shoved unceremoniously in the mail slots outside our cabin with an invitation to show up for a group photo. I don't know if anyone else showed up but I didn't!

 

Of course we were sailing with many, many people who had well over 1,000 days sailing with HAL.

 

Valerie:D

 

That is terrible!!!

[sail7seas]

We'll get our 500 day medal very soon and, now that you mention it, what a nice idea for us to go to lunch at PG and celebrate it! Now that the price has been reduced, it'll be a nice treat. While I agree, it is a very large lunch, for a treat once a cruise, what the 'hey'. We almost never have more than just the entree so it'll be good. Then again, to celebrate our 500 days, I might go hog wild and order dessert. :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

I saw a complaint regarding the World cruise and the hotel directer, although I did not see the details...

 

Wonder if it because of the way the medals were distributed??? Just a thought.

[sail7seas]

If that is the only complaint, WOW.........

 

I agree, it was not a great idea to push Medals under doors and not have them presented at Mariners Party, on the one hand........

 

On the other hand, can you imagine how long that party would have run?? World Cruise is 110 days (approx).....Lots of people would have automatically been getting Copper if they had ever sailed HAL before. And MANY would be silver. Gold would not be scarce either, I wouldn't think.

 

Who wants to sit there that long!??!