HAL's website response to Zuiderdam inquiry

[bobalink]

I have been reading reports of the troubles on board Zuiderdam this week.

Toilets that won't flush, problems with air conditioning and broken tenders.

 

Since I am scheduled to board the Zuiderdam in 2 days, I sent an inquiry to the Holland America website, "Click to Chat".

 

I realize that today is Sunday, and the person responding is doing the best he can, but one comment he made was very telling.

 

I do plan to call Ship Services first thing tomorrow to see what is being done to resolve the plumbing problems.

 

Below is the "Click to Chat" conversation I copied from my computer screen.

 

 

George: Hi! My name is George. How may I help you?

 

Bobalink: I have a Pacific Coastal cruise booked for next week, embarking on May 8.

 

Bobalink: Reports from the Zuiderdam are telling of many problems with plumbing. Toilets on entire decks, even public restrooms, are not working. Air Conditioner not working. Problems with the tenders.

 

Bobalink: What is being done to solve these issues? Will these things be fixed in San Diego?

 

George: I have received no memos concerning issues with the Zuiderdam but if there were any it is in our best interest to fix them promptly and efficiently

 

Bobalink: Yes, of course, it is in every passenger's best interest that HAL fix them, too.

 

Bobalink: Is it possible for you to investigate this situation further and get a response from HAL headquarters?

 

George: My Ship Services Department: 1-800-541-1576 would have that information but unfortunately they are not here on the weekends. (7am to 5pm pst Monday through Friday)

 

Bobalink: If the problems on board are as serious as this, is it possible that HAL would cancel the Pacific Coastal cruise?

 

George: The safety and comfort of our passengers and crew are paramount to us so any situation that was demeed untenable might cause the cancelation or delay of a cruise. However most of the time such info is found on critic lines and blown way out of proportion

 

Bobalink: I will be contacting Ship Service Department Monday morning. Thank you.

 

George: Thank you for contacting us. It was my pleasure to assist you today, and I hope that I have been able to answer all of your questions to your satisfaction.If you have anymore questions always feel free to call or chat with us, again my name is George and Have a Wonderful day!

 

George left the chat.

Your chat has ended. Thank you for speaking with us.

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[DutchByAssociation]

Rather interesting as I know the chat agents at HAL and none of them go by the name George as none of them are named that nor authorized to use that alias (for clarification some may go by a middle name, etc)

[MR NW GUY]

Does HAL monitor or watch comments here? I know NCL does and sometimes will reply to postings. HAL, if you are readling this, how about an update?

[lcand1923]

OK, DutchByAssociation, you have me wondering. If you know the Chat Agents and none of them go by George, who was "chatting" with bobalink? Could it be that HAL has an outside vendor to man the Chat Lines on weekends? (I mention the outside vendor since the responses read like something that comes from a script.)

[Tampa Girl]

Isn't it a little late to be worried about possible problems - 2 days before sailing? Just ignore the reports and enjoy yourself. HAL works constantly to correct any problems.

[canadianbear]

I have e-mailed HAL twice in the past week about these issues-the first time I received a standard reply of blah blah blah...and I haven't heard from anyone on my 2nd e-mail asking specific questions I wanted answered.

 

I will also make the phone call to ship services if that is what it takes for them to sit up and take notice of the on going problems on the Zuiderdam. These bandaid fixes are not good enough and I wonder if they will even make it to their re-fit later in the year.

 

I certainly hope the passengers that are on the Zuiderdam now that had on going problems on their cruise through the Panama will also contact ship services or write letters when they are back home again.

[canadianbear]

I was told to contact:

 

Ja'Nette Defrin at the 1-800-541-1576 or e-mail at jdefrin@hollandamerica.com

 

Maybe if we all contact her instead of talking to various people all the time it might help?

[GeriatricNurse]

Does HAL monitor or watch comments here? I know NCL does and sometimes will reply to postings. HAL, if you are readling this, how about an update?

DBA who is an employee of HAL must, in a way monitor/watch comments here as he (sometimes) responds to queries/posts, (as he has done in the post immediately preceeding your post)! ;) By the way DBA can you confirm that there indeed have been 'cutbacks' in staffing onboard HAL ships as seems to be the consensus here on the HAL CCB? :confused:

[RedmondCruiser]

We have been on over 35 HAL cruises and have NEVER had an ongoing problem with airconditioning or plumbing. The fellow who is currently on the Zuiderdam is stating that entire floors are out of useable toilets for extended periods of time. Sorry but I don't buy it. Any problems in these areas have generally been short term or nonexistent. I seriously wonder if some of these people have alternative motives.

[Cindy]

We have been on over 35 HAL cruises and have NEVER had an ongoing problem with airconditioning or plumbing. The fellow who is currently on the Zuiderdam is stating that entire floors are out of useable toilets for extended periods of time. Sorry but I don't buy it. Any problems in these areas have generally been short term or nonexistent. I seriously wonder if some of these people have alternative motives.

 

I shrugged off early reports of problems (back around the holidays), but in my opinion the reports of major system problems have been too persistent and pervasive for it to be people with ulterior motives. When there are one or two reports of problems amidst generally positive reviews those can usually be discounted or explained, but I think there are too many people reporting the same types of problems for the reports to not be true.:(

[cruz chic]

We have been on over 35 HAL cruises and have NEVER had an ongoing problem with airconditioning or plumbing. The fellow who is currently on the Zuiderdam is stating that entire floors are out of useable toilets for extended periods of time. Sorry but I don't buy it. Any problems in these areas have generally been short term or nonexistent. I seriously wonder if some of these people have alternative motives.

I've heard everything now:rolleyes::eek:. Please book your next cruise on the Z and let us know how that works out for you. I sure hope karma doesn't come back to bite you.

[cruisin'girl]

We have been on over 35 HAL cruises and have NEVER had an ongoing problem with airconditioning or plumbing. The fellow who is currently on the Zuiderdam is stating that entire floors are out of useable toilets for extended periods of time. Sorry but I don't buy it. Any problems in these areas have generally been short term or nonexistent. I seriously wonder if some of these people have alternative motives.

I love it when people who are not on a ship refute reports from pax who are on the ship now that toilets are not working. These 2 posters who are on the Zuiderdam now reporting toilets are out on entire decks are longtime HAL cruisers and posters on CC.

 

Does anyone who is familiar with Sapper think she is lying?!? Anyone?

 

RC- don't let your HAL pompom poke you in the eye while you're waving it wildly.

[cruz chic]

I love it when people who are not on a ship refute reports from pax who are on the ship now that toilets are not working. These 2 posters who are on the Zuiderdam now reporting toilets are out on entire decks are longtime HAL cruisers and posters on CC.

 

Does anyone who is familiar with Sapper think she is lying?!? Anyone?

 

RC- don't let your HAL pompom poke you in the eye while you're waving it wildly.

I know Sapper personally and if anything she is always very complimentry about HAL. She is also a very honest person. I found that posters comments to be very offensive.

[Himself]

I love it when people who are not on a ship refute reports from pax who are on the ship now that toilets are not working. These 2 posters who are on the Zuiderdam now reporting toilets are out on entire decks are longtime HAL cruisers and posters on CC.

 

Does anyone who is familiar with Sapper think she is lying?!? Anyone?

 

RC- don't let your HAL pompom poke you in the eye while you're waving it wildly.

 

Your response lacks charity. I think this person has something to say.

[cruisin'girl]

Your response lacks charity. I think this person has something to say.

Saying that startwin and Sapper have "alternative motives" when they say entire decks of toilets are not working is accusing them of lying and I'm sorry is just not credible. It is insulting.

[PathfinderEss]

I don't kown, there were passengers on the previous cruises that said they had no problems on the Zuiderdam. I don't mean to minimze the passengers on the ship now and what has happened to them. I would think if these problems are as sever and presitent as they are saying it will be address in SD. So we may have to be prepared for a late departure.

Say whatever, I will happyly board the Zuiderdam on Tuesday, and judge for myself, what is going on.

[hypercafe]

I really find it hard to believe anybody would lie about the condition of a ship in any line. We might have a different view about food or even service. I might think a chair is shot when you don't however AC and plumbing work or don't. We are talking about large parts of the ship, not one room. Don't kill the mesenger.

[euro cruiser]

It is all too human to think that whatever we personally experience will be what everyone else experiences, or if we didn't experience something to think that it won't happen to anyone else either. It's another thing entirely to imply or outright accuse someone of deliberately misrepresenting their experience.

[canadianbear]

There have been 3 CC posters that are aboard the Zuiderdam now that have informed us all of the on going plumbing issues-all 3 are regular posters who are very fair and honest and would not lie about this.

 

That is just 3 that have taken the time to access internet and let their roll call know (for the ones that will be joining them on the 4 night Pacific Coastal). I wonder how many others have been affected that either do not belong to CC or don't have access to internet.

 

It's pretty hard to judge if you aren't affected by not having your toilet work-how about you count how many times you use it and when you do think to yourself "gosh, if this didn't flush for days would I still be enjoying this cruise?"

 

I am just hoping beyond hope that when we board on Tuesday our cabin toilet will be one of the ones that works-but I still sympathize with anyone that has had plumbing issues.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I certainly will be anxious to read what a couple of people here find out on Monday when they call Ship Services.

I have been following the threads on the Zuiderdam.

[Typhoon1]

Interesting. Be sure to keep us posted.

[itzmered]

The one poster even stated that the captain made an announcement about the plumbing problems. Apparently the captain of the ship has an ulterior motive also and is lying ;)

[canadianbear]

I certainly will be anxious to read what a couple of people here find out on Monday when they call Ship Services.

 

I have been following the threads on the Zuiderdam.

 

I decided to e-mail Ja'Nette Defrin instead of phoning as I'd like my answer in writing if possible. Not sure if I will get an answer back before we have to leave for the cruise or not.

[RedmondCruiser]

I've heard everything now:rolleyes::eek:. Please book your next cruise on the Z and let us know how that works out for you. I sure hope karma doesn't come back to bite you.

 

Was on the Z last April (problem free) but this summer we will most likely be on either the Oosterdam or the Westerdam. There are ligitimate complaints but entire floors of toilets down for days ?? As Philip 217 said "that would be on the news" If you cruise enough you eventionally will have a toilet that does not flush - you call the front desk and inform them and guess what ? It works later. If, as has been reported, the Z really had entire floors without flushing toilets then I'll be the first to appoligize. But thats my opinion, and if the AC and the toilet do not work on the Oosterdam, it will have little to do with karma.

[cruz chic]

Was on the Z last April (problem free) but this summer we will most likely be on either the Oosterdam or the Westerdam. There are ligitimate complaints but entire floors of toilets down for days ?? As Philip 217 said "that would be on the news" If you cruise enough you eventionally will have a toilet that does not flush - you call the front desk and inform them and guess what ? It works later. If, as has been reported, the Z really had entire floors without flushing toilets then I'll be the first to appoligize. But thats my opinion, and if the AC and the toilet do not work on the Oosterdam, it will have little to do with karma.

Yes, and Phillip is the be all and end all? I've poked holes in a few of his stories so please excuse me if I don't believe everything he writes. Just like HAL I'm sure they think if they deny what's going on it will go away. Do you honestly believe that HAL is going to admit that they have a major problem on a ship? They might as well shoot themselves in the head. I have cruised extensively and yes I have had a non functioning toilet most recently on my Veendam cruise on April 22/12. It lasted an hour or two if that. The people that are reporting these problems are respected posters not some fly by night one post wonder. What exactly would you consider as proof positive? If it's from HAL I think both you and I will be dead before that happens.