HAL website question

[BlueLadyBlue]

We can only cruise at certain times of the year so I like to see what cruises are available in our "window". I can't get search on HAL using the month I want unless I put a destination in "any destination" doesn't work. Does anyone know how to get around this? I don't know what destination until I know what is available. I guess I could go destination by destination but I'm hoping for a simpler solution. TIA :confused:

[Randyk47]

You might try one or more of the Internet agencies or the Find a Cruise tab at the top of this Cruise Critic page. I just tried one and was able to get all HAL cruises and destinations during the month of January 2014. Once you have that information you can go back to the HAL web site and do more research.

[RuthC]

You've hit on just one of the reasons why the Cruise Planner or Cruise Atlas is so much better than trying to find a cruise on the HAL website. Sometimes we don't know what we're looking for until we stumble over it.

I was interested in booking a cruise on the Prinsendam, but there is no way to look up the itineraries for that ship without getting specific as to time or place. So, no cruises booked on that ship. :(

[Essiesmom]

Go to http://www.cruisetimetables.com. You can choose a departure port from the first list, and see who is sailing and their full itinerary. You can do the same with ports of call from the second list. Or you can go all the way to the bottom and check out each ship . EM

[jtl513]

Go to www.cruisetimetables.com. You can choose a departure port from the first list, and see who is sailing and their full itinerary. You can do the same with ports of call from the second list. Or you can go all the way to the bottom and check out each ship . EM

That's still a lot of hunting rigamarole to see everything. I agree with the OP that it would be so much nicer on the HAL site if you weren't forced to pick a destination ... just "show me all cruises in Jan 2014".

[sail7seas]

I agree with Ruth.

Just send us a Cruise Atlas.

 

I have found myself literally procrastinating about looking for cruises we might be interested to book.

They make it harder than I wish to bother about.

I yearn for a Cruise Atlas to hold in my hands and read page by page.

 

The harder they make my HAL experience, the more I delay in booking. I have to 'be in the mood' to start researching. It shouldn't have to be work.

[sapper1]

That's still a lot of hunting rigamarole to see everything. I agree with the OP that it would be so much nicer on the HAL site if you weren't forced to pick a destination ... just "show me all cruises in Jan 2014".

 

The new search arrangement on the HAL website is the pits. I liked the old method much better. You pretty much have to know what you are looking for now. Browsing around is not an easy thing now.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL's "new and improved" web site to search for cruises leaves a lot to be desired.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Cruise Planner and Cruise Atlas that I had -- have been thrown out.

They all ended months ago.

[RuthC]

Go to www.cruisetimetables.com. You can choose a departure port from the first list, and see who is sailing and their full itinerary. You can do the same with ports of call from the second list. Or you can go all the way to the bottom and check out each ship . EM

That's only helpful, though, if you have some idea what ports, departure port, or ship, you want to sail.

If you only have an idea of when you want to sail, that doesn't work so well. A complete brochure would.

 

Do you know of any sites where you can just put in a date, or, better yet, only a cruiseline and (maybe) a year, and get usable results?

[sail7seas]

The new search arrangement on the HAL website is the pits. I liked the old method much better. You pretty much have to know what you are looking for now. Browsing around is not an easy thing now.

 

That's only helpful, though, if you have some idea what ports, departure port, or ship, you want to sail.

If you only have an idea of when you want to sail, that doesn't work so well. A complete brochure would.

 

Do you know of any sites where you can just put in a date, or, better yet, only a cruiseline and (maybe) a year, and get usable results?

 

 

Exactly.

We are booked on the Veendam cruise that we never would have known existed but for an accident. We didn't know to look for it as it has not been offered for years and we would not have known to look.

 

Anything that is difficult or cumbersome in my life these days, I avoid. If the seller cannot make it easy for me to buy, I do not put 'effort' into hunting down something to spend our money on.

 

It really is not asking too much for the company to let us know what they are selling. :rolleyes:

 

[jtl513]

The new search arrangement on the HAL website is the pits. I liked the old method much better. You pretty much have to know what you are looking for now. Browsing around is not an easy thing now.

Well, if you use the Advance Search option I think it's pretty much like I remember it was. You can limit your seach by port, date, ship, length, etc. I don't remember if it used to force you pick a destination, though.

[Randyk47]

 

Do you know of any sites where you can just put in a date, or, better yet, only a cruiseline and (maybe) a year, and get usable results?

 

Right on this page of Cruise Critic, on the upper left, is a tab labelled Find a Cruise. I opened that this morning and I'm pretty sure it gives you the flexibility for several different cruise search parameters. The only option are several of the Internet based travel agencies but rules here don't permit saying which ones.

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

I agree with many of you, the Cruise Atlas is the best way to look for a future cruise........plus the deck plans are easier to read/decipher than on the website. Unfortunately, when I called HAL they said they were no longer printing Cruise Atlases and I needed to get all my info online. I find the website cumbersome sometimes and not user friendly depending on what you are looking for/doing. I explained my reasons for wanting an atlas to the HAL person, but they really didn't care........more or less told me that it is just the way it is. Not a great way to treat a future guest, in my book. Many tour and cruise companies are going in the same direction, so I guess HAL is following the crowd and watching the bottom line. Not printing a Cruise Atlas saves money, so I guess that is their primary motivation, not customer satisfaction. I guess if you were an older person who was not computer literate you would be out of luck or shuffling off to the travel agent's office to see if they could help you....:rolleyes: because HAL won't.

[sail7seas]

Well, if you use the Advance Search option I think it's pretty much like I remember it was. You can limit your seach by port, date, ship, length, etc. I don't remember if it used to force you pick a destination, though.

 

 

My issue is not knowing how to search for something I don't know exists. How do you find something you don't know to look for?

 

 

 

[sapper1]

Well, if you use the Advance Search option I think it's pretty much like I remember it was. You can limit your seach by port, date, ship, length, etc. I don't remember if it used to force you pick a destination, though.

 

Yes I did find that but you have to go through the first layer of search first before you can refine your search. It is just so much more cumbersome. It wasn't broken so why did they fix it?

[Rowsby]

Would this help.....it's HAL's Destination Calendar....

http://www.hollandamerica.com/siteMap/Main.action?WT.ac=footer_Sitemap

 

You have to click on "destination calendar"......

[RuthC]

Would this help.....it's HAL's Destination Calendar....

It doesn't help me. That just gives a very general overview of where each ship is, in different months.

Nothing there would make me say "That's a cruise I could get interested in! :D". HAL needs to put something in front of me that draws my attention, and makes my heart skip a beat in anticipation.

The Cruise Atlas/Cruise Planner was such a thing.

As far as I can see, the few brochures that HAL does produce assume you have an idea where you want to go.

Sometimes the best (fill in the blank) are the ones you stumble over by accident. That works for cruises, too.

[sail7seas]

It doesn't help me. That just gives a very general overview of where each ship is, in different months.

 

Nothing there would make me say "That's a cruise I could get interested in! :D". HAL needs to put something in front of me that draws my attention, and makes my heart skip a beat in anticipation.

The Cruise Atlas/Cruise Planner was such a thing.

As far as I can see, the few brochures that HAL does produce assume you have an idea where you want to go.

 

Sometimes the best (fill in the blank) are the ones you stumble over by accident. That works for cruises, too.

 

 

 

^^ That!!!

As usual,

Ruth has hit the nail on the head.

 

[sapper1]

Is there a downloadable cruise atlas?

[Typhoon1]

I agree with Ruth.

 

The harder they make my HAL experience, the more I delay in booking. I have to 'be in the mood' to start researching. It shouldn't have to be work.

 

Just like some of the airlines. The one that makes my shopping experience the easiest usually is rewarded with my business.

[Rowsby]

This isn't a "hardcopy" but it is HAL's Cruise Atlas 2013-2014......I think.....:)

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-destinations/EBrochures.action

 

 

It is 209 pages.......

[sapper1]

This isn't a "hardcopy" but it is HAL's Cruise Atlas 2013-2014......I think.....:)

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-destinations/EBrochures.action

 

 

It is 209 pages.......

 

Thank you. I saved it so I can find it when I want to look at it.

[jtl513]

My issue is not knowing how to search for something I don't know exists. How do you find something you don't know to look for?

Well, for example, a while back you said you were interested in trying the Prinsendam, but all the itineraries were too long for your DH. I went and simply specified "Prinsendam" and "9-16 days" (or some such period) and it came up with about 8 or 10 choices in Europe, Caribbean (Christmas/New Years) and Trans Atlantic. But that doesn't work now that you have to pick a destination.

 

There should be no reason to pick a destination. Every field should be a search key, such that you could say only "1 to 6 days" and find all the Pacific coastal repo segments and fillers like the Eurodam 4 day this December. Or specify just a month, or just a ship. More keys should give better refinement, but any one key should be sufficient.

 

Yes I did find that but you have to go through the first layer of search first before you can refine your search.

Not for me. When I first click Plan&Book I get a pop-up box with Advanced Search below the orange Search button.

It is just so much more cumbersome. It wasn't broken so why did they fix it?

I agree with that 100%! I long ago decided that I generally don't like change unless I initiated it! Why learn something new if you're happy with old and the new is no better, or worse?

[sapper1]

That makes it easier. I had been using the Design Your Vacation box that appears when you first open the website.