Booking a dinner from home is a lady of negotiable virtue's nightmare.

[whogo]

What a fiddle! Do not read this unless you in the mood for a rant.

 

I logged into my HAL account. To book Pinnacle Grill dinner for the two of us I chose 2 and date and time. I thought that would be the end of it for a guest who was logged into his account. Wrong!

 

Extra step 1:Warning message: You have to choose "for". Two dinners, two of us, I selected my name and hit Add to cart. All looks good. I click Proceed to checkout.

 

Extra step 2: A popup offers me an opportunity to add a gift message. It's not a gift, but I figure I will mention it is from me to keep it separate from any gift meals I receive.

 

Extra step 3: I select one message and get a popup: "If you compose individual messages for each indulgence and dining item for a guest, one message for all indulgences and dining items if any will be erased. Do you want to continue?" I do.

 

Extra step 4: I document that I purchased the dinners and get the same popup in step 3. Discover that although I selected individual messages, I typed in the only visible area that says, "One message for all gifts" printed in black type on a dark blue background.

 

Extra step 5: Scroll down to find hidden place to enter individual message. I successfully save to my order.

 

Extra step 6: Click Proceed to Checkout. I read and accept the Terms & Conditions which are all about shore excursions and mention nothing about dinners. It says that any discounts will be reflected in the price. Our Mariner discount isn't reflected in the price, but I continue. I expect trouble.

 

Extra step 7: They have all this information, I am logged in, but I enter my required street address.

 

Extra step 8: I enter my city as required.

 

Extra step 9: I select my state as required.

 

Extra step 10: I enter my zip code as required.

 

Extra step 11: I enter my email address to confirm that what is printed above is correct as required.

 

Extra step 12: I decline to "Apply Now for a Holland America Line Visa® Card".

 

Not an extra step: I enter my credit card information.

I won't call this an additional extra step, but plenty of online retailers allow me to check that I want to use a previously entered credit ending in XXXX. I complete the purchase.

 

Apparently Holland America's web designers have never shopped online.

Edited January 11, 2015 by whogo

[SilvertoGold]

What a hassle!

I never book anything HAL online and had NO idea!

 

Thanks for the info. Hope you have calmed down by now!!

[cruz chic]

I wonder if things have changed recently. I purchased tamarind dinners for my November 2014 cruise. No hassle at all.

[IndyDenise]

It must not be just a HAL thing but a Carnival thing . I "had " to go through many of the same hoops to order alcohol for our stateroom on the Carnival Conquest. It was really annoying, I mean come on I'm trying to buy overpriced alcohol. Just take my money already so I can go to the HAL site and buy more stuff. I had limited time to get things for both cruises.

 

Finally I decided to have fun with the gift messages. On the message for the bottle of rum I wrote "get drunk! Bitc$&! And the one for a welcome aboard tote with wine, beach towels, hats, shirts etc I wrote "Hope your cruise sucks big time."I wonder if they will actually do it.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[RuthC]

Finally I decided to have fun with the gift messages. On the message for the bottle of rum I wrote "get drunk! Bitc$&! And the one for a welcome aboard tote with wine, beach towels, hats, shirts etc I wrote "Hope your cruise sucks big time."I wonder if they will actually do it.

If CC had a "Like" button, I would be pressing it three times. :D

[lazey1]

I went through most of these same hoops, no gift cards however. After I thought I had everything correct I purchased but when the print out came there was no 4* discount and the wrong date shows. I can't go in and change the date, will have to call HAL next week.

[Vict0riann]

Ha ha! That's why I make DH do it all!;)

[TracieABD]

And the option is to wait til you board, and risk not getting the day and time that you want... Not fun.:(

[sail7seas]

I went through most of these same hoops, no gift cards however. After I thought I had everything correct I purchased but when the print out came there was no 4* discount and the wrong date shows. I can't go in and change the date, will have to call HAL next week.

 

Mariners discount never shows when you book on line in advance of sailing. You have to give credit card for the full amount and your mariners discount will be put against your shipboard account.

 

[lazey1]

Mariners discount never shows when you book on line in advance of sailing. You have to give credit card for the full amount and your mariners discount will be put against your shipboard account.

 

Good to know, thanks Sail.:) Still have to call to get the date corrected.:eek:

[whogo]

Finally I decided to have fun with the gift messages. On the message for the bottle of rum I wrote "get drunk! Bitc$&! And the one for a welcome aboard tote with wine, beach towels, hats, shirts etc I wrote "Hope your cruise sucks big time."I wonder if they will actually do it.

I am tempted to buy something else just to try this.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just this past Wednesday I purchased some dinners and did not have all those extra hassle steps.

[PathfinderEss]

I've ordered dinners for every cruise we've gone on and never had any issues. Hope they haven't changed their procedures.

[IndyDenise]

Just this past Wednesday I purchased some dinners and did not have all those extra hassle steps.

 

I did mine 1/2/2015.

 

I ordered my Carnival stuff first. When I did HAL I did two separate transactions. I ordered the unlimited drink card for my mom ( we are a party of three with two Explore4 packages, I figured I would play by the rules that everyone in the stateroom has to have one) . There was no extra hoops during that purchase.

 

Then I thought to myself " self, make a reservation for one for the Pinnacle for mom and make it on the night we WANT instead of the HAL EXplore4 assignment. Then just have the Neptune Suite staff move our reservations to my mother's time" . I was feeling quite smug about this until I had to actually book it. I should have had the gift message read " Eat this, Fat AS#.." but truthfully at this point Carnival Corporation wore me down. Smugness to total self loathing in 5 minutes.

 

Now I am 1/2 the person I was since that experience. They stole my mojo.

[IndyDenise]

I am tempted to buy something else just to try this.

 

DO IT!! and report back what you gift messaged. This could be the start of a new thread :D

[Ky Colonel]

... I must be living a very charmed life, as I have never had any of those "extra step" problems that OP experienced ... and I have booked Le Cirque dinners, Pinnacle Grill dinners, and drink cards for us and 2 of our traveling companions on several HAL cruises, with narry a glitch ... thank goodness for good luck ...

 

Rod

[momatibm]

... I must be living a very charmed life, as I have never had any of those "extra step" problems that OP experienced ... and I have booked Le Cirque dinners, Pinnacle Grill dinners, and drink cards for us and 2 of our traveling companions on several HAL cruises, with narry a glitch ... thank goodness for good luck ...

 

Rod

e

 

When I've wanted to send a gift to a passenger, I did get all those questions, but not when I did it for my self. At least that is my experience.

[CowPrincess]

It must not be just a HAL thing but a Carnival thing . I "had " to go through many of the same hoops to order alcohol for our stateroom on the Carnival Conquest. It was really annoying, I mean come on I'm trying to buy overpriced alcohol. Just take my money already so I can go to the HAL site and buy more stuff. I had limited time to get things for both cruises.

 

Finally I decided to have fun with the gift messages. On the message for the bottle of rum I wrote "get drunk! Bitc$&! And the one for a welcome aboard tote with wine, beach towels, hats, shirts etc I wrote "Hope your cruise sucks big time."I wonder if they will actually do it.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

That is hilarious! I want to cruise with you :D

[sammygoose]

It must not be just a HAL thing but a Carnival thing . I "had " to go through many of the same hoops to order alcohol for our stateroom on the Carnival Conquest. It was really annoying, I mean come on I'm trying to buy overpriced alcohol. Just take my money already so I can go to the HAL site and buy more stuff. I had limited time to get things for both cruises.

 

Finally I decided to have fun with the gift messages. On the message for the bottle of rum I wrote "get drunk! Bitc$&! And the one for a welcome aboard tote with wine, beach towels, hats, shirts etc I wrote "Hope your cruise sucks big time."I wonder if they will actually do it.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I did mine 1/2/2015.

 

I ordered my Carnival stuff first. When I did HAL I did two separate transactions. I ordered the unlimited drink card for my mom ( we are a party of three with two Explore4 packages, I figured I would play by the rules that everyone in the stateroom has to have one) . There was no extra hoops during that purchase.

 

Then I thought to myself " self, make a reservation for one for the Pinnacle for mom and make it on the night we WANT instead of the HAL EXplore4 assignment. Then just have the Neptune Suite staff move our reservations to my mother's time" . I was feeling quite smug about this until I had to actually book it. I should have had the gift message read " Eat this, Fat AS#.." but truthfully at this point Carnival Corporation wore me down. Smugness to total self loathing in 5 minutes.

 

Now I am 1/2 the person I was since that experience. They stole my mojo.

 

OMG I am laughing so hard that my stuffed up nose just unblocked. Thank you thank you. ;)

I have seen the comments section before but not every time. I think it was when I was buying an excursion for someone else-the comments did not make it as I recall. Probably my screw up.

[IndyDenise]

That is hilarious! I want to cruise with you :D

 

No, you really don't. In the interest of public safety and welfare I come packaged with a slew of user warnings. Only family members and Australians are brave enough to put their very lives on the line. :D

[CowPrincess]

No, you really don't. In the interest of public safety and welfare I come packaged with a slew of user warnings. Only family members and Australians are brave enough to put their very lives on the line. :D

 

My best friend and bridesmaid married an Aussie. We've spent plenty of time with them. I'm sure you and I would be fine :eek: :D

 

I am so ordering myself some onboard credit tonight, with a creative message :D

[IndyDenise]

My best friend and bridesmaid married an Aussie. We've spent plenty of time with them. I'm sure you and I would be fine :eek: :D

 

Okay, you're in. March 7, 2015 Westerdam. Be there by 1:00pm, I'll have a Wang Wang or two waiting for you.

[SilvertoGold]

Mariners discount never shows when you book on line in advance of sailing. You have to give credit card for the full amount and your mariners discount will be put against your shipboard account.

 

 

And HAL was saying on the ships back in 2010 that they were working on getting the star discounts enabled in the booking system. Another 4 years and who knows? Maybe!

[Tricia724]

whogo.....Sorry you had such a frustrating experience, but I have to say the title of this thread is certainly one of the most interesting I have seen in a long time on Cruise Critic. It probably doesn't make you feel any better, but it made me smile.

[whogo]

Just ordered a shore excursion and I found no gift option, drat, no funny message opportunity. Tricia724, were you the only one paying attention? I stole the description from Terry Pratchett.