Lack of Customer Relation support over weekends

[Fig jam]

We sailed on the Eurodam last month (7th Dec departure)and on disembarkation day we mistakenly left our laptop on top of the safe in our suite. We only discovered it was missing from our trolley bag when we reached security at MIA about 5 hours later (the bag had not been out of our sight).

I immediately called HAL only to be told that as it was a Sunday no one could help me & just to send an email!!!! I find it amazing that there is no one at all you can speak to over weekends if you have a problem after disembarkation & I am stunned that there was no way a message to the ship could be sent!

I sent an email then called their UK office once we landed the following morning but sadly the laptop has not turned up. We appreciate that we should not have forgotten it but shocked that it has not been handed in. It was in the tiny gap between the safe and shelf, not exactly a public area!

The total lack of concern and pathetic email reply has not exactly endeared HAL to us and in fact I had a better reply from the stinging comments about it that I put on the survey. It is not so much the value of the laptop HAL just said claim on your insurance) but all the work my husband had been doing on t during the cruise that he had not had time to back up and having to change a huge amount of account information.

We had paid a future cruise deposit for yet another cruise but we have decided not to cruise again with HAL as are severely disappointed in their attitude.

[nana51]

I feel quite badly for you but do wonder why people come, make their first post a complaining one? I do agree it was handled poorly though. I would definitely write a letter to management about the matter. Post again if you receive an answer.

[Fig jam]

Thank you for your comments nana51 but this is not my first post but my 66th and the first one Ive ever written as a complaint and yes I have written too.

[serendipity1499]

So sorry you lost your laptop, but you can't fault HAL because no one was there to answer your call.. In order to keep costs low, most businesses including airlines, cruise lines, have limited staff on weekends..

 

Just because your DH did not have time to backup his work is not HAL's fault! IMO it was NOT handled poorly..

 

We once had an expensive camera stolen from us while we were checking out of a hotel to go on a cruise in MIA.. We had slung it over a suitcase handle & when our backs were turned someone made off with it.. It was not the Hotel's fault, it was our own foolish mistake.. We ended up purchasing a new camera while on the cruise..

 

IMO People should own up & take responsibility for their own mistakes..

Edited January 7, 2015 by serendipity1499

[Lizzie68]

I hear your frustration. You would think there would be some way to be able to contact the ship over the weekend, but I guess not.

[Fig jam]

Serendipity as you say airlines etc have SOME staff to answer over weekends not no one as HAL!!!! And it was not left in a public place where it could be easily stolen like your camera was but in a locked suite so your comparison is extremely poor. I do not hold HAL responsible for the unbacked up work but just pointing out that to say "claim on in your insurance" is missing the point as its the laptop we wanted back not the cash for a new one.

[Mtn2Sea]

So sorry for your troubles. I would have been upset over losing my laptop and the lack of assistance from HAL. I would have hoped that you could call guest services and eventually get someone to promptly contact the ship to get someone to timely look for the computer. Unfortunately, customer service with many companies is not what it used to be due to cutbacks that result from price competitiveness.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry for the lost of your laptop.

I always back up everything on a memory stick. Also I do not take my main laptop on cruises but one that has no information on it.

Even though you probably closed and the door locked behind you, you can be sure that once the crew knew you were gone, they unlocked the door so that people can come and go to change the bed linens, clean the bathroom and the cabin, etc. It is not necessarily your cabin stewards who do all that work. Also wine stewards come and go checking the mini bar and leaving gift bottles, etc.

[serendipity1499]

Serendipity as you say airlines etc have SOME staff to answer over weekends not no one as HAL!!!! And it was not left in a public place where it could be easily stolen like your camera was but in a locked suite so your comparison is extremely poor. I do not hold HAL responsible for the unbacked up work but just pointing out that to say "claim on in your insurance" is missing the point as its the laptop we wanted back not the cash for a new one.

 

You mentioned when you landed in MIA 5 hrs later you phoned HAL in the UK.. Wasn't it night time then in Europe?

 

As I mentioned most travel companies only have limited staff on weekends & most of that staff would not know how to contact the ship directly..

 

However, in the "Know before you go" booklet they list all the ships phone numbers..You could have called the ship directly as HAL also gives the emergency contacts of all ships when your tickets are issued, so you can give it to those who remain at home while you are on the cruise...

 

It would have been expensive, but may have been worth it to you.. I still can't fault HAL for not having staff in "Lost & Found" on a Saturday night or on Sunday.. Those are departments which have minimal staffing in the Travel industry..

 

I'm retired from an International Airline & if you had called our office on Sat. Eve. or a Sunday, our Reservation Staff would not be able to help you either unless it was an emergency.. In an emergency they would call a Supervisor or me at home to get some guidance.. We could not contact our ticket office staff or our planes either..

 

BTW if it's an consolation, the Laptop may have been turned in to "Lost & Found".. I had HAL contact me almost a year later when they found something I had left in our cabin on disembarkation.. Suggest you try calling "Lost & Found" in Seattle..

Edited January 7, 2015 by serendipity1499

[Fig jam]

Mtn2Sea Thank you and you are so right as its lack of customer service with so many companies that drives people away when companies should be working hard to retain the customers they already have.

[Fig jam]

Serendipity. No, we drove to MIA from FLL & it was at security at 3pm Eastern time when we opened the bag to remove it for the scanner that we realised where it still was, so no it wasn't the middle of the night. I stated that I phoned HAL (SEA) then & then called their UK office following day.

As for saying no one in an airline reservations could help either, I am not sure how long ago you retired but most airlines of any worth answer 24/7 & can access a huge amount of information and forward you, email for you or supply you with a number. Maybe HAL should make sure that res have the ships numbers??

I have never seen any ships numbers anywhere and never been supplied with one.

I have just looked over all the emailed information and no...nothing! Only a telephone number for critical emergencies which is a 1-800 number.

Who knows maybe it will turn up in a year but no, lost and found do not have it!

[PathfinderEss]

Really sorry you lost your laptop. I know how I would feel but most companies keep very little staff on the weekends for help or anything else. Not to make you feel worse but bet me that 30 mins after you left your cabin that laptop was gone.

[sail7seas]

I'm sorry to hear you left your laptop behind and I'd be very upset had I done the same. Like KK, I only travel with a netbook that has no personal or important information on it for just the reason...... I could lose or forget it somewhere.

 

I would guess that laptop was removed from your cabin very soon after you vacated the cabin. I'm sympathetic to you but am not sure exactly what you thought someone in Seattle should have done. Or for that matter, someone on the ship? It isn't often they retrieve articles from cabins. Can you just imagine all the things that are left behind at the end of every cruise? :eek: Eurodam is a big ship, lots of guests and likely LOTS of lost articles. They can't chase them all down.

 

 

 

 

 

[serendipity1499]

Serendipity as you say airlines etc have SOME staff to answer over weekends not no one as HAL!!!! And it was not left in a public place where it could be easily stolen like your camera was but in a locked suite so your comparison is extremely poor. I do not hold HAL responsible for the unbacked up work but just pointing out that to say "claim on in your insurance" is missing the point as its the laptop we wanted back not the cash for a new one.

 

My comparison is not poor..We normally are the last to leave the ship, since we drive home when the ship arrives in the U.S.

 

Suites & all cabins are not locked after you disembark.. The doors are re-opened, so all the Service Personnel can service them, for the new arrivals, as another poster mentioned...Not only service Personnel but Psgrs. can access all cabins once someone has check out off the ship..

 

You would be amazed as we've seen many Psgrs. actually walking through suites, when the doors are left open even when occupied..Some Posters have complained about this..

[serendipity1499]

Serendipity. No, we drove to MIA from FLL & it was at security at 3pm Eastern time when we opened the bag to remove it for the scanner that we realised where it still was, so no it wasn't the middle of the night. I stated that I phoned HAL (SEA) then & then called their UK office following day.

As for saying no one in an airline reservations could help either, I am not sure how long ago you retired but most airlines of any worth answer 24/7 & can access a huge amount of information and forward you, email for you or supply you with a number. Maybe HAL should make sure that res have the ships numbers??

I have never seen any ships numbers anywhere and never been supplied with one.

I have just looked over all the emailed information and no...nothing! Only a telephone number for critical emergencies which is a 1-800 number.

Who knows maybe it will turn up in a year but no, lost and found do not have it!

 

This is from the "Know before you go booklet" on the WEB site:

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Shipboard+Life&contentMenu=Money+Matters&contentSubMenu=Shipboard+Account#

 

QUOTE What Are Your Emergency Phone Numbers?

 

At some point in your travels you may experience an emergency. With this in mind, the following emergency phone numbers are available for your use. Representatives are on hand to assist you in any way they can, including assistance with travel delays and contacting loved ones. During our regular business hours, please call: 800-426-0327.

 

Representatives are available from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (Pacific Time). Outside of these hours and during holidays, please call 888-361-8803, or 206-301-5293.*

 

*This number is for emergency use only; please do not call unless you are experiencing an emergency of a critical nature.

 

Additionally, you can call the ship directly from the shore. We recommend that you use this for the most critical emergencies only: Connecting to a Holland America Line vessel at sea is simple by using Ship Dial Service. A credit card is required for all inbound phone calls to a ship. The rate is $USD16.00 per minute and billing begins at the time specified. Please have the ship's name, your party's name and stateroom number before you call. Instructions:

 

1. Dial 1-800-993-5483 (US). From outside the U.S. access 1-321-837-6106.

2. Listen to the announcement.

3. Listen to the menu and select the number that corresponds to the ship you are calling.

4. If you receive a busy signal or message, please hang up quickly and try your call again.

Please print this page and give it to whomever you wish for dialing instructions.

UNQUOTE

Edited January 8, 2015 by serendipity1499

[serendipity1499]

Serendipity. No, we drove to MIA from FLL & it was at security at 3pm Eastern time when we opened the bag to remove it for the scanner that we realised where it still was, so no it wasn't the middle of the night. I stated that I phoned HAL (SEA) then & then called their UK office following day.

As for saying no one in an airline reservations could help either, I am not sure how long ago you retired but most airlines of any worth answer 24/7 & can access a huge amount of information and forward you, email for you or supply you with a number. Maybe HAL should make sure that res have the ships numbers??

 

I have never seen any ships numbers anywhere and never been supplied with one.

I have just looked over all the emailed information and no...nothing! Only a telephone number for critical emergencies which is a 1-800 number.

Who knows maybe it will turn up in a year but no, lost and found do not have it!

 

I bolded your sentence only because you are incorrect.. There are Many International Airlines who do not have staff on 24/7 & they are very large International airlines!

 

As I mentioned, many International & U.S. companies are cutting back staff on weekends & nights..

 

[RuthC]

*This number is for emergency use only; please do not call unless you are experiencing an emergency of a critical nature.

I wouldn't call forgetting belongings in a cabin and walking off without them "an emergency of a critical nature".

 

This should be reported to HAL Seattle Lost & Found. It can take some time for things left behind on the ship to be found, turned in, logged in, and returned to Seattle. I would think there is such a thing as asking about it too soon!

It is unrealistic for companies to have every unit fully staffed 24/7/365.

[Boatdrill]

We had paid a future cruise deposit for yet another cruise but we have decided not to cruise again with HAL as are severely disappointed in their attitude.

 

So you were enjoying your cruise so much that you booked another one while you were still onboard.

 

Then at the end of the cruise you forgot to pack your laptop and it was inadvertently left behind in your room when you disembarked.

 

You notified HAL five hours later, but they weren't as responsive as you would have liked. The cruise was just one month ago and the lap top hasn't turned up, which shocks you.

 

But you admit it's not the value of the laptop that is important, it's the lost information that hadn't been backed up (because your husband didn't have the time).

 

Do I have the story fairly close to what happened ?

 

Now comes the twist: because of HAL's attitude (?) you've decided not to cruise with HAL again, and will cancel the cruise you booked onboard, when life was good, and you were having such a nice time that you wanted to do another one.

 

So....since you booked another cruise onboard when the laptop hadn't been backed up, it doesn't make sense to cancel the same cruise, when the laptop STILL hasn't been backed up.

 

I hope you reconsider, and take another cruise on HAL. Life's too short !

Edited January 8, 2015 by Boatdrill

[nana51]

Thank you for your comments nana51 but this is not my first post but my 66th and the first one Ive ever written as a complaint and yes I have written too.

 

Ooops, :o sorry. Darn I need new glasses!

[take us away]

So sorry about you forgetting your laptop. Another alternative would have been to call the port agent in Port Everglades. Personally I would have called the ship through the published phone number as obviously the laptop was worth more than the pricey phone call. Hopefully you have changed all your passwords, etc.

 

As to the lack of customer service people on week-ends - well what can one say as this is the way it is now for so many industries.

[IRL_Joanie]

So sorry about you forgetting your laptop. Another alternative would have been to call the port agent in Port Everglades. Personally I would have called the ship through the published phone number as obviously the laptop was worth more than the pricey phone call. Hopefully you have changed all your passwords, etc.

 

As to the lack of customer service people on week-ends - well what can one say as this is the way it is now for so many industries.

 

My thoughts also on reading Op's 1st post. EXCEPT that I would have, if time allowed, gone back through security and found myself a HAL Shore Operations Red Jacketed person and asked for their help. They could have contacted the Port Everglades Shore Ops there and maybe, just maybe, have notified the Head of Housekeeping and/or Hotel Manager before the ship had left for its next cruise.

 

Woulda, shoulda, coulda are all fine and dandy, but placing the blame, no matter where it lies is pointless at this point in time.

 

I do hope that the Lap Top turns up, but hope more that time will ease the anger the OP feels right now.

 

Joanie

Edited January 8, 2015 by IRL_Joanie

[summersigh]

Seems to me that since so many/most of HAL's cruises come and go on weekends they should have ample Customer Service at those times!

 

-----------------------------

I don't know how much good this list is but (can't vouch for something I've never used:) ) but jtl513 posted the info on CC in FEB of 2012

 

Callers at home may also contact each ship directly by dialing the International Access Number (011 from the U.S.), Ocean Code (870) and Ship Number.

Ship Numbers:

ms Amsterdam 324-437-011

ms Eurodam 764-857-176

ms Maasdam 764-611-948

ms Noordam 324-602-821

ms Oosterdam 324-541-710

ms Prinsendam 324-412-610

ms Rotterdam 764-663-213

ms Statendam 764-343-692

ms Veendam 764-567-077

ms Volendam 324-596-816

ms Westerdam 324-412-810

ms Zaandam 324-644-212

ms Zuiderdam 324-530-410

ms Nieuw Amsterdam 765-054-280

For example: Someone calling from the U.S. to the ms Amsterdam would dial 011-870-324-437-011.

Please Note: All phone calls, whether inbound or outbound, are charged a satellite tariff.

[cbr663]

Seems to me that since so many/most of HAL's cruises come and go on weekends they should have ample Customer Service at those times!

 

I agree. It is very disappointing to read that a company that operates 24/7 does not provide adequate customer service.

[solocanadian]

Sorry you lost your laptop. Even if you could have got HAL on the phone right away it would have been too late. I have found most businesses in North America don't have customer service over the phone on the weekends - only during normal business days which are Monday to Friday.

[summersigh]

Sorry you lost your laptop. Even if you could have got HAL on the phone right away it would have been too late. I have found most businesses in North America don't have customer service over the phone on the weekends - only during normal business days which are Monday to Friday.

 

IMHO When much of your company's business takes place on weekends - and most disembarkations and embarkations of cruise lines occur on the weekends - those companies should have customer service available during those peak times.... especially in this age of easy digital communication.