Attendees at Mariners' Luncheons

[SabreSailor]

We went to our first Mariners' Luncheon recently on the Zuiderdam (all our previous Mariners' events were champagne events in the Lounge) and found it interesting that no one checked when we entered to see if we were Mariners. I know that probably 90% of the passengers are probably repeat customers, but still - isn't this supposed to be something special? I remarked to my wife that anyone could probably come in, and in fact, we were seated with a nice Aussie couple who promptly told us that this was their first cruise - and wasn't it nice that HAL gave each of them the coasters and complimentary wine at lunch!

 

I know it's not a big deal, but other than slightly reduced fares on some voyages and the silly buttons, what else does HAL give Mariners? Shouldn't they at least make it look like it's a privilege to be a Mariner by checking the invitations as you enter the dining room?

[sail7seas]

I understand what you are saying but isn't it nice they treat us as adults and hope most of us know enough to not attend an event to which we are not entitled. Sure there are a few folks with no manners who 'crash'. Isn't it nice HAL doesn't embarrass them and turn them away at the door.

 

Just my view of it.

 

I agree they did not belong there and should not have attended but I would have disliked being behind them entering the dining room and seeing them embarrassed to be turned away. I vote for HAL's good taste vs their bad manners.

 

[fireman845]

Will always take Good Taste over Bad Manners any day!! Now how do I crash into the Neptune Lounge?:p

[sail7seas]

Will always take Good Taste over Bad Manners any day!! Now how do I crash into the Neptune Lounge?:p

 

 

That is NOT easy to pull off. :D

Those excellent concierges know who belongs there just about immediately. ;)

They keep checking their computers to see embarkation photos of suite guests so they know our faces and names the first time we enter the Lounge. We are always greeted with Hello, Mr. and Mrs. ******** as are all other Suite guests, particularly on an "S" Class ship where there aren't that many of us.

[cruz chic]

When I received my 100 day medal there was a cocktail party before the brunch. I was stopped at the door and asked for my invitation. I guess they assumed because I'm in my 40's that I was in the wrong place. They didn't mind embarrassing me:D . I really didn't mind showing my invite. I think they should ask people and maybe these people would be reluctant to do it again.

[Boytjie]

On our last cruise we were with a friend who was on his first cruise; when we got our invitation to the Mariners luncheon he did not even think of crashing the party. When the Eurodam was in New York Labor Day he joined us in his first mariners luncheon.

[ekerr19]

When I received my 100 day medal there was a cocktail party before the brunch. I was stopped at the door and asked for my invitation. I guess they assumed because I'm in my 40's that I was in the wrong place. They didn't mind embarrassing me:D . I really didn't mind showing my invite. I think they should ask people and maybe these people would be reluctant to do it again.

 

We're in our 40's too. Our DD will be getting her 100 day medallion next cruise and she's only 15. :) I'm not sure age would be the reason you were stopped and asked. We've been asked once or twice, but not lately that I recall. Maybe it might have been more about the inexperience of the door greeter...

 

One certain way to prevent it from happening in the future is to wear your medallion - they won't stop you with that thing on!!! :D

[IheartHAL]

Now how do I crash into the Neptune Lounge?:p

 

First, back up down the hall a bit so you can get a running start...;)

[cruz chic]

One certain way to prevent it from happening in the future is to wear your medallion - they won't stop you with that thing on!!! :D

I'm amazed at how young some of the people are that have 100 days under their belt. I didn't have an opportunity to get on a plane until I was 21:) . If you saw how full my luggage is you would know why I don't bring my medal. I can't even get a toothpick in there:D .

[tonyt]

Are all members invited to this luncheon or must you have a minimum no. of days? Is this something recent? The last time I sailed with HA was 3 years ago and we had a get together but is was not a luncheon.

tonyt

[ekerr19]

I'm amazed at how young some of the people are that have 100 days under their belt. I didn't have an opportunity to get on a plane until I was 21:) . If you saw how full my luggage is you would know why I don't bring my medal. I can't even get a toothpick in there:D .

 

I hear you!!! It's getting increasingly harder to pack, the 50lb. weight limit is really tough on me. I've paid overweight bag fees more times than I care to count, but last time I was told it was going to be $200, I said "no way" and pulled some stuff out of one and into another it went - even though I really hate having to do that at the airport.

 

On our way back, we used curbside check-in at Boston's Logan and were told that we would not be charged... It seems to be hit or miss between airports and ours (Denver) seems to be on the strict side - even with their first class pax.

 

Our DD knows she is extraordinarily lucky. DH & I never got to travel until we were older and always wanted to be able to share the thrill and joy of travel with our kids - and have made a point to. :) I hope they look back on these experiences fondly.

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is NOT easy to pull off. :D

 

Those excellent concierges know who belongs there just about immediately. ;)

 

They keep checking their computers to see embarkation photos of suite guests so they know our faces and names the first time we enter the Lounge. We are always greeted with Hello, Mr. and Mrs. ******** as are all other Suite guests, particularly on an "S" Class ship where there aren't that many of us.

 

We were on a cruise on the Maasdam a couple of years ago -- there were people staying in a Verandah suite and told the concierge that they did indeed belong there -- fight went on all week. They wre only in an A category. So every day they had breakfast there -- read books -- snaked all day.

Concierge was not able to convince them that they did not belong there.

This is why I wish that when the R and S class ships went through renovations adding the Explorations Cafe, etc., that they added doors that had to have the ID cards used inorder to enter the Neptune Lounge like the Vista class ships.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sad to say -- but when they started these Mariner lunches a while back, I often wondered if some people would just show up knowing that they didn't belong there.

[jtl513]

Sure there are a few folks with no manners who 'crash'. Isn't it nice HAL doesn't embarrass them and turn them away at the door.

I disagree. It is possible that the Aussies weren't intententional crashers, but simply ignorant of what constituted a Mariner. If they were there innocently, then turning them away wouldn't be much of an embarassment, and if they were intentional crashers they should have been turned away and embarassed, IMO.

 

At our Mariners lunch on the Zuiderdam last Dec I am pretty sure there were a lot of non-Mariners there. The staff was scrambling to set up many more tables than they had planned, and many Mariners, including us, did not get tiles. (We did get them later by asking at the front desk.)

 

Are all members invited to this luncheon or must you have a minimum no. of days? Is this something recent? The last time I sailed with HA was 3 years ago and we had a get together but is was not a luncheon.

You just have to be a Mariner - 2nd cruise or later. IIRC the luncheons started about a year ago.

[Copper10-8]

Before and during the Maasdam's Mariners cocktail party (prior to the lunch) held in the Explorers Lounge in March, one of the senior Front Desk attendants, literally backed up by the GSM, stood at the entrance/corridor to the roped-off area with a big old clipboard in her hands. If your name wasn't on her list, you didn't come in, period, end of story, nice talking to ya!

[Copper10-8]

When the thing is in the show lounge (party as opposed to lunch/brunch in the dining room), pretty sure they put a sign with "Private party"or something similar at each entrance to the show lounge.

[pms4104]

Are all members invited to this luncheon or must you have a minimum no. of days? Is this something recent? The last time I sailed with HA was 3 years ago and we had a get together but is was not a luncheon.

tonyt

I believe all Mariners are invited to the event.

 

Since HAL started hosting the luncheon a year or more ago, seems it's been implemented haphazardly ... we always are invited to the champagne reception, and not yet to a luncheon. Depends, I suppose, on the ship and the onboard management as to whether the event will be a luncheon or a reception.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I disagree. It is possible that the Aussies weren't intententional crashers, but simply ignorant of what constituted a Mariner. If they were there innocently, then turning them away wouldn't be much of an embarassment, and if they were intentional crashers they should have been turned away and embarassed, IMO.

 

At our Mariners lunch on the Zuiderdam last Dec I am pretty sure there were a lot of non-Mariners there. The staff was scrambling to set up many more tables than they had planned, and many Mariners, including us, did not get tiles. (We did get them later by asking at the front desk.)

 

You just have to be a Mariner - 2nd cruise or later. IIRC the luncheons started about a year ago.

 

We were on the Amsterdam for a 15 day Hawaiina cruise in April/May in 2006 when the first Mariner lunch was held.

It was a hit!!

And from there it took off.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Before and during the Maasdam's Mariners cocktail party (prior to the lunch) held in the Explorers Lounge in March, one of the senior Front Desk attendants, literally backed up by the GSM, stood at the entrance/corridor to the roped-off area with a big old clipboard in her hands. If your name wasn't on her list, you didn't come in, period, end of story, nice talking to ya!

 

I remember those days.

Some ships even asked to see our invitations.

[Krazy Kruizers]

When the thing is in the show lounge (party as opposed to lunch/brunch in the dining room), pretty sure they put a sign with "Private party"or something similar at each entrance to the show lounge.

 

You are right -- many times there was a sign posted indicating a "Private Party".

[cruz chic]

We were on a cruise on the Maasdam a couple of years ago -- there were people staying in a Verandah suite and told the concierge that they did indeed belong there -- fight went on all week. They wre only in an A category. So every day they had breakfast there -- read books -- snaked all day.

 

Concierge was not able to convince them that they did not belong there.

 

This is why I wish that when the R and S class ships went through renovations adding the Explorations Cafe, etc., that they added doors that had to have the ID cards used inorder to enter the Neptune Lounge like the Vista class ships.

Wow people are really nervy. I agree, I think they should have card access. You folks pay dearly for that privelege. It's to bad that some folks have no manners.

[c-cruise]

We're in our 40's too. Our DD will be getting her 100 day medallion next cruise and she's only 15. :)

 

LOL! We are hoping to be in this same situation someday! Our daughter will get her 25 day pin in Feb on the Noordam and she won't even be 2 yet. We usually don't bother with the Mariner luncheons, but will be going to this one.

[sail7seas]

Originally Posted by Krazy Kruizers

We were on a cruise on the Maasdam a couple of years ago -- there were people staying in a Verandah suite and told the concierge that they did indeed belong there -- fight went on all week. They wre only in an A category. So every day they had breakfast there -- read books -- snaked all day.

 

Concierge was not able to convince them that they did not belong there.

 

This is why I wish that when the R and S class ships went through renovations adding the Explorations Cafe, etc., that they added doors that had to have the ID cards used inorder to enter the Neptune Lounge like the Vista class ships.

 

Wow people are really nervy. I agree, I think they should have card access. You folks pay dearly for that privelege. It's to bad that some folks have no manners.

 

 

That is such a hugely rare thing we've never seen anything like it. We've been on a great many cruises with Neptune Lounge access and I have never witnessed anyone doing that. It definitely is not a major problem.

[Sprocket]

On our Ryndam cruise DH and I attended the Mariner's luncheon, and we received our 25 day pins during this cruise. Anyway, as we sat down there was an empty chair beside me (9 chairs) so I put my small purse there, as we were one of the last to be seated. A very nice lady leaned over and informed me I would have to move it as the Captain would be sitting there:eek: We were seated with Medallion holders who at the minimum had cruised 100 days with Hal.

Turned out the Hotel Manager sat there, and I had a very interesting and enjoyable conversation with him. Random seating? I don't think so, as it seemed they were waiting for us to appear.

[Barocl]

We think the Mariner's luncheon is a non starter. The Captain and Hotel Manager move from side to side to present the medals to passengers. Depending on where you are seated you can't see who is receiving the medal.

 

We hate menus with very little choice as this menu has. Before someone says don't go, I'll say we'll not attend another. We have told the Captain and Hotel Manager this on our last Mariner's Luncheon this October. If someone wishes to see if we keep our word, just be on the Statendam for the Nov10/08 cruise. Take care.