Holland America - Mariner benefits

There should be a Mariners Lunch
which is very very nicely done w/
a menu choice & liberal wine pouring.
Brief speeches & you receive a tile.

And of course there is the Upgrade Fairy that sometimes appears.
what ship & when & where may I ask?

Hi Rhea58,
thanks for your reply.
We will be going on the Noordam in January for a 10 day Southern Caribbean cruise leaving from Fort Lauderdale. We have booked a verandah cabin on the promenade deck.
The last ship we were on was the Volendam and we went to Alaska.
Thanks
Donna
Australia

Usually the perks aren't much for the first few cruises. You may just have a cocktail party instead of a lunch. It is held in the showroom usually and they pass champagne and wine around with a few canapes. It is always very crowded as there are lots of repeaters. When you have done more cruises with them you do get extra perks but it takes awhile. We are taking our 40th HAL cruise this Septmeber (15 day Med). The past several cruises we have had a lot more "freebies" including dining with the Captain, attending a private cocktail party in his quarters, free photos etc etc. All in all the extras aren't worth that much but it is nice to have your loyalty recognized. We still look at itineraries before we book a cruise so we cruise with other lines as well, HAL just happens to be a favourite.

traveller69; HAL is my favorite too.

You are going to love the Noordam
Lordy...I really liked the layout of the ship; esp that the Library/card room/Explorations cafe/computer stations are all contiguous. I opted for Anytime dining which I prefer as a single &
was always seated w/a large group
as requested & away from families
(some of whom brought very young children into main dining room & they can be noisy if up late).

The entertainment staff is great also. Pinnacle Grill is a must for at least one occasion.

you also might want to sign up (gratis) @ cruisecritic.com &
set if anyone has set up a Meet & Greet which HAL sponsors...usually
coffee & cookies altho they I had
an open bar w/hors d'euvres at both I chaired.

Do report back on your findings.
And Happy sailing.

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. I will follow them up and get back to you.
Donna

To Traveller69: Wow, 40 HAL Cruises! We have been on other lines but will take our first HAL 10/2 on the Prisendam, 14 day Ancient Mysteries. Have you been on that cruise?. If so, would appreciate any tips, info, etc. Like the smaller ship idea.

dotsy - I haven't been on the Prinsendam but I know she is a beautiful ship. We were actually booked on the last Prinsendam in 1981 before its tragic end. I am going to book the Prinsendam Northern Europe in Aug 2009. Enjoy your cruise I know you will love the ship, the itinerary and the fact that she is a smaller ship. Be sure to post a report!!

traveller69: What was the tragic end for the Prinsendam in 81??

Oh dear - maybe I shouldn't have said anything. Our cruise was to be in 1981 but the disaster was in October 1980. Here is a link
http://www.explorenorth.com/library/ships/prinsendam-1980.html That is why HAL is one of the most strict lines when it comes to the safety drill. It obviously didn't put an end to our cruising!

traveller69: Thanks for the acurate info. I did have a bit of a hot flash reading the account but that was a different ship altogether. Find it odd that they would keep the name.

I know - can you imagine if there was another ship called Titanic??? No thanks. But this Prinsendam is just a gorgeous ship you will really enjoy your cruise.

We love HAL but they dont do a lot for past passengers. Princess does a lot more

Hilda I agree with you that Princess does do more. What I really appreciated on my last Princess cruise to SA/Antarctica was the fact that we got free unlimited internet access.(I think that is at the 5 cruise level) I don't really care about the champagne flutes etc but the Internet was a great bonus.

We have over 10 cruises with Celebrity (Elite status) and when we booked with RCL (who own Celebrity) we were given their Diamond status as a courtesy. This provided us with access to the Concierge lounge (a wonderful perk -continental breakfast in peace and quiet, free drinks and h'ors d'oeuvres at night) and Concierge services for booking excursions and specialty dining etc. And we had only booked the least expensive ocean view cabin. Best "extras" we've ever had !!!!

We have taken 10 Carnival cruises. The perks are worth it. Free laundry, upgrades, no waiting in line for a tender, when you are ready to leave for the island they walk you to the from of the line. Priority getting on and off the ship, plus more. We have booked our 11th and planning more.

Here's NCL's Latitudes Benefit Levels:

After each Cruise:
Upgrade certificate - for a cruise booked within 6 months. (upgrade by one category or if unavailable, reduce the price by one category. Applicable for inside-to-inside, oceanview-to-oceanview, balcony-to-balcony staterooms)

1-4 cruises
Access to Latitudes customer service desk
Latitudes pricing on all sailings
Special notification when the latest online Latitudes magazine is available
Special Latitudes check-in
Latitudes ship pin
Latitudes onboard liaison to answer your questions at sea
Members-only cocktail parties hosted by the Captain
Special Latitudes cruise offers and announcements via email

5-8 cruises ALL ABOVE PLUS
Exclusive gathering
Tasty treat delivered to your stateroom two times during your cruise

9-13 cruises ALL ABOVE PLUS
VIP service, which includes:
Welcome basket
Priority restaurant reservations
Priority tender tickets
Priority disembarkation*
Invitation to the Captain's cocktail party

14 + cruises ALL ABOVE PLUS
Comp dinner in Le Bistro (French Specialty)

There was a discussion on cruisecritic about rumored upgrades to HAL Mariner program. suprisingly, some people want no changes made. The people who always book suites are worried others will get something for nothing