Always Provide HAL Feedback

[rbp3072]

Being relatively new to cruising, this may be a given. But even if it is, probably good to remind folks from time to time of the 'usual things'. I'm a firm believer in providing feedback, regardless of what industry it is. Good feedback, bad feedback, neutral - It all helps a business to grow, expand, an let them know how they are doing in the eyes of their customer.

 

I provided feedback from my last cruise a few weeks ago, and got the obligatory, "Thanks for submitting your info, we'll contact you as needed". the majority of my feedback was good, I would even say glowing. A few items were neutral, and there were two 'poor' items. In my 'statement' to HAL, it was quite clear that overall we were thrilled with our experience, and were looking forward to our next cruise. Welp, I got an email back from them. Based on our feedback, they have provided us a hefty OBC for our TA cruise next October, as well as a Dinner for Two in the Pinnacle. This is important though, because of course things stack up. So during our Atlantic Crossing next year, we now have:

 

1> 600 Total OBC, (150pp previously from our FCC for booking on-board, and 150pp from Guest Relations from our feedback).

2> x2 Pinnacle Dinner for Two, (x1 Dinner from our FCC for booking on board, and x1 from Guest Relations from our feedback).

3> Admiral 3-Bottle Wine Package, (from our FCC as a treat for my mom since she knew I was taking her on it for her post-65th/retirement).

4> x1 Assorted Chocolates in suite, (from a previous Guest Relations feeback back in '10 on our Alaskan cruise, was still on the books, didn't even know about it, haha).

 

That, to me, is amazing. To make matters even more surreal, the member-based online/phone TA that I am thinking about transferring my booking over to is currently offering a $615 total OBC for booking with them.

 

Holy tostada!!! That's a lot of OBC!!! :eek:

 

While I know this likely isn't the norm, and HAL may simply be buttering us up since we're just 2* guests, I am still surprised and grateful. We were honest in our feedback, and as I said in my letter to them, we were overall highly impressed with the entire trip. So the fact that they went to such extremes is odd, but still welcome of course.

 

So --- Always leave your feedback, whether it's good, bad, or indifferent. You may get nothing, you may get something, or you may be blown away. The worst case scenario though is that they are kept aware of how they are doing, and can use/pass along that information to better themselves, (should they choose to actually use it). :)

[cruz chic]

To be honest with you, I'm not going to contact them after every cruise. It seems to me some folks do that. Things have to be really really bad for me to contact them. When I do, my hope its that they correct the issue. I'm not looking for any compensation. I feel giving a glowing survey is enough at the end of a cruise. I can only imagine how much paperwork they must have to wade through without adding to the pile.

[rbp3072]

....feel giving a glowing survey is enough at the end of a cruise. I can only imagine how much paperwork they must have to wade through without adding to the pile.

 

I used to feel the same, (whatever the company/product was), but changed my thought process several years back. In my previous work assignment at the time, it was hard for me to try and give kudos to my employees, since the public never bothered to tell our organization about them. Seems lots of folks only speak up when things don't go according to the plan, but don't bother when things go 'normally'. I take it to an extreme at times, (I can nether confirm nor deny that I have tracked down a manager for a gas station, just to be able to email the person and let them know that their night-shift employee was polite and respectable during a visit. Not extraordinary, but gave a 'good vibe' if you will). Depending upon the organization and it's structure, surveys can be well received, or considered a joke. I like the personal touch of a letter or email, a phone call when appropriate.

 

I agree 100% about wanting a company to fix the problem, not provide compensation. A negative on our Alaskan cruise was how security was treating several passengers while trying to get back on the ship at one of the ports. Basically, "rush, rush, faster" type of mentality. While the ship was running behind that port, you can't 'rush' many of the elderly folks that were trying to make their way up the walk and through the metal detector. It wasn't safe, and it was rude. Getting OBC for something like that makes no sense. I want to hear, "We'll look into that, and see if we need to brush up on our IPC skills, or do another crash-course in 'dealing with physical limitations in passengers' type of class. That's how things change.

 

**The true benefit to surveys though is the data flow. There's little that HAL has to do/manpower they need to utilize when reviewing the standard post-cruise survey, (assuming they have their survey dump like many companies). Things are compiled neatly, and most surveys only pull out things with low ratings, or extra-high ratings, to be scrutinized. Unfortunately, that makes the standard, "Great, not bad, but not an 11 either, just great", bubble selection only of mediocre value.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Op

Glad you were treated so very great with just submitting your feed back.

Was this a personal letter you wrote or the usual on-line survey?

[rbp3072]

Op

Glad you were treated so very great with just submitting your feed back.

Was this a personal letter you wrote or the usual on-line survey?

 

It was an email that I sent to the Guest Relations generic email address. I wasn't expecting/looking for anything. As I said, overall everything was wonderful, so was quite surprised that they were even sending any OBC my way. We had previously received a credit while on board during the cruise for some heat/ac issues, (not asked for, the front desk took it upon themselves to do since it was a multi-day ordeal), and we were more than pleased with that. So the fact that Seattle decided to give us future OBC for the T/A trip, plus a dinner, was not expected at all. We were really looking more into ensuring the crew members we highlighted got notations in their files for when it's time to renew contracts. (We did the cards on-board, but I wanted to make sure someone other than just their direct supervisor knew how happy we were with several of them).

[PathfinderEss]

Glad it all worked out for you, but I've normally found that Hal does not give out OBC for compliments, usually it is because of complaints.:eek:

To be honest with you, I'm not going to contact them after every cruise. It seems to me some folks do that. Things have to be really really bad for me to contact them. When I do, my hope its that they correct the issue. I'm not looking for any compensation. I feel giving a glowing survey is enough at the end of a cruise. I can only imagine how much paperwork they must have to wade through without adding to the pile.

I'm in total agreement with Cruz Chic.:)

[Cinder Again]

ve:

 

1> 600 Total OBC, (150pp previously from our FCC for booking on-board, and 150pp from Guest Relations from our feedback).

2> x2 Pinnacle Dinner for Two, (x1 Dinner from our FCC for booking on board, and x1 from Guest Relations from our feedback).

3> Admiral 3-Bottle Wine Package, (from our FCC as a treat for my mom since she knew I was taking her on it for her post-65th/retirement).

4> x1 Assorted Chocolates in suite, (from a previous Guest Relations feeback back in '10 on our Alaskan cruise, was still on the books, didn't even know about it, haha).

 

That, to me, is amazing. To make matters even more surreal, the member-based online/phone TA that I am thinking about transferring my booking over to is currently offering a $615 total OBC for booking with them.

 

Holy tostada!!! That's a lot of OBC!!! :eek:

 

Now if you just buy 100 shares of Carnival stock, you can build an even bigger OBC!

[bra1nchild]

Once you have sent a letter or filled out the end-of-cruise survey, it is too late to resolve a problem [compensation notwithstanding]. The time to do it is when it happens.

 

According to a HAL Hotel Manager, the staff wants to know immediately if there is a problem, so fill out the comment card that is left in your cabin. You will get an immediate, personalized response. That is not to say that you will get everything you want, but the staff will make every effort to resolve your problem.

[iancal]

Absolutely agree. It is a little late to complain after you have left the ship.

 

Give the HAL team a chance to address the issue.

 

We vote with our feet. A bottle of cheap wine or an OBC does not make up for a poor experience if the issue cannot be corrected.

 

We would much rather come home with a great cruise experience instead of coming home from a poor or mediocre cruise experience and a future cruise credit/OBC.

Edited May 31, 2014 by iancal

[cruz chic]

Once you have sent a letter or filled out the end-of-cruise survey, it is too late to resolve a problem [compensation notwithstanding]. The time to do it is when it happens.

 

According to a HAL Hotel Manager, the staff wants to know immediately if there is a problem, so fill out the comment card that is left in your cabin. You will get an immediate, personalized response. That is not to say that you will get everything you want, but the staff will make every effort to resolve your problem.

 

Agree with the comment card. I could not find one on my last cruise. There was one left on my bed every night of my cruise last year. I realize I could ask for one in the Neptune lounge or front desk. To me, it was telling of that cruise that I couldn't find one. That said, I don't like them fawning over me because I've complained about something. I just wish the would fix the problem instead of putting a bandaid on it and pretending it isn't there.