Mistake in promotional ad... will it be honoured?

[Wanderlust.]

Hello HAL people :)

I just booked my first HAL cruise the other night. I've sailed NCL before, and was torn on choosing them again (they had a great promotion on that would get me a lot more) but so many suggested I try HAL so we went for it. I did a lot of research on here and on other websites and was looking forward to it.

So, as part of my research, I clicked on the "Ready Set Sail" promotion at the bottom of the HAL website. I went through to see what the select sailings were, and my sailing and date were listed. The banner add said "Free upgrade to oceanview."

So we ended up booking an inside, anticipating that. We booked online in the evening after their offices closed, so I called them first thing in the morning to inquire how I would go about getting the upgrade. The girl I spoke to didn't seem to know what was going on (she first told me the promotion only applied to suites, then said it didn't apply to my specific cruise). I told her the exact buttons I pressed and showed her exactly what it said and how it listed my cruise. She ended up getting my manager. They then said, sorry, your cruise has free upgrades to verandah.

Ok.. so then I clicked on every date of that ship's sailing, listed under the banner that said "Free upgrade to oceanview" and every sailing has the same price for oceanview and verandah, but it says nothing about that being the promotion. I looked at some other cruises/destinations, and noticed that the banner either said "Free upgrade to Oceanview" or "free upgrade to verandah" depending on the ship/itinerary.

So clearly someone made a mistake with putting that banner above my itinerary, because apparently they intended for it to say "free upgrade to verandah." I understand it is a mistake- but it very clearly says to oceanview, and I booked thinking I was eligible for that promotion.

Now I haven't experienced these problems with NCL, and I was a little disappointed with the customer service rep arguing with me with incorrect facts. I am so tempted to switch to NCL,. I would be getting an oceanview and unlimited drinks OR $200 onboard credit, but the embarkation port is more conventient with HAL and our family from abroad is all set for this cruise and booked in as well.

IMO, since it was an error in their advertising, it should be honoured (and they should fix the ad so there isn't the same mistake). Any experience with issues like this with HAL? I do not like conflict and hate being "that person" that complains... but I feel like I did my research to ensure that our cruise/date was, in fact, eligible for the upgrade based on the Ready Set Sail page!

[Alberta Quilter]

I'm so sorry that your first experience with HAL is a negative one.

 

What I would do, is go through the screens again, one by one, and take screen shots of each screen. Make sure to include the date and time, from the computer, on each shot. Compile the screen shots into one document. Call HAL again and try again. Ask for a supervisor, if you have to. Email the screen shots to that person. And tell them the truth, that the false advertising is making you rethink your choice of cruise line.

 

Something similar happened to me recently and I was able to get it resolved, to my satisfaction, with the screenshots. I was dealing with a HAL Personal Cruise Consultant at the time. It took a few days for her to escalate the request through the proper channels but it worked. However, it was important to have the date and time from the computer included in the screen shot.

 

Failing that, you could also try booking through a travel agent, and cancel your original reservation.

 

I know you don't want to be THAT person but you booked according to the terms provided and you should not be penalized because of errors on their part.

 

Good luck to you, and please come back and tell us how it turned out.

Edited January 17, 2015 by Alberta Quilter

[USN59-79]

Do you understand that an upgrade from an inside to a verandah is a better deal than an upgrade from an inside to an oceanview (outside)? I fail to see what you are complaining about. It is like you are saying "The ad said they would give me a $50 discount, but now they are saying I am eligible for a $100 discount and I want them to give me the $50 instead!".

[Danni3ll3]

uSN59-79 - The upgrades in that promo are inside to ocean view OR ocean view to verandah, not inside to verandah. I do see how you thought this because that is the way I read it first too but I was aware of the promotion having clicked on it several times while checking out the HAL site.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Shmoo here]

Hello HAL people :)

I just booked my first HAL cruise the other night. I've sailed NCL before, and was torn on choosing them again (they had a great promotion on that would get me a lot more) but so many suggested I try HAL so we went for it. I did a lot of research on here and on other websites and was looking forward to it.

So, as part of my research, I clicked on the "Ready Set Sail" promotion at the bottom of the HAL website. I went through to see what the select sailings were, and my sailing and date were listed. The banner add said "Free upgrade to oceanview."

So we ended up booking an inside, anticipating that. We booked online in the evening after their offices closed, so I called them first thing in the morning to inquire how I would go about getting the upgrade. The girl I spoke to didn't seem to know what was going on (she first told me the promotion only applied to suites, then said it didn't apply to my specific cruise). I told her the exact buttons I pressed and showed her exactly what it said and how it listed my cruise. She ended up getting my manager. They then said, sorry, your cruise has free upgrades to verandah.

Ok.. so then I clicked on every date of that ship's sailing, listed under the banner that said "Free upgrade to oceanview" and every sailing has the same price for oceanview and verandah, but it says nothing about that being the promotion. I looked at some other cruises/destinations, and noticed that the banner either said "Free upgrade to Oceanview" or "free upgrade to verandah" depending on the ship/itinerary.

So clearly someone made a mistake with putting that banner above my itinerary, because apparently they intended for it to say "free upgrade to verandah." I understand it is a mistake- but it very clearly says to oceanview, and I booked thinking I was eligible for that promotion.

Now I haven't experienced these problems with NCL, and I was a little disappointed with the customer service rep arguing with me with incorrect facts. I am so tempted to switch to NCL,. I would be getting an oceanview and unlimited drinks OR $200 onboard credit, but the embarkation port is more conventient with HAL and our family from abroad is all set for this cruise and booked in as well.

IMO, since it was an error in their advertising, it should be honoured (and they should fix the ad so there isn't the same mistake). Any experience with issues like this with HAL? I do not like conflict and hate being "that person" that complains... but I feel like I did my research to ensure that our cruise/date was, in fact, eligible for the upgrade based on the Ready Set Sail page!

 

In my experience, you won't get it.

 

We had booked an oceanview room that had a OBC for "Oceanview and above" bookings. At least according to the promotional ad I saw. I did do a screen capture on it, sent it to HAL, called and talked to a supervisor. And basically they said "Sorry, it's not applicable on Oceanview rooms, only verandahs". No discussion.

[sail7seas]

Often the 'trap' is they list a number of dates for which that ship is doing that itinerary but the promotion is valid for one (or maybe two) of those dates. You have to really read it to see not all dates get the promotion but those are the dates you can book that cruise on that ship.

 

MAYBE this is not the case for your particular cruise but I fell for that confusing offer a few times only to find out it was a date that didn't appeal to us.

[Wanderlust.]

Thanks for the responses- sorry I was not clearer. Yes, the promotional banner above our cruise date says "FREE upgrade to oceanview" and then the booking screen says "free upgrade to verandah from oceanview" but does not mention the Ready Set Sail Promotion.

 

I took a screen shot and wrote a letter, and am going to give it a couple days to get a response. If I don't get a response, I will call again. It is evident that they made the error (if you look at other destinations, the banner will say one or the other of the above, and when you look at the booking screen, the option matches the banner). So someone, somewhere along the way, wrote the wrong thing. I hope they will honour it, since it was their error... but quite honestly, won't be surprised if they don't. If they don't, I will not be very impressed and will likely go back to NCL.

[sail7seas]

If what you have requested be booked for you under that promotion has not been 'granted' after your recent calls, I would not expect you are too likely to have that happen.

 

Even if it is, indeed, an error I am sure there is language somewhere that permits them to call it an advertising error and refuse the offer.

 

Good luck and please let us know.

Edited January 17, 2015 by sail7seas

[Wanderlust.]

Often the 'trap' is they list a number of dates for which that ship is doing that itinerary but the promotion is valid for one (or maybe two) of those dates. You have to really read it to see not all dates get the promotion but those are the dates you can book that cruise on that ship.

 

MAYBE this is not the case for your particular cruise but I fell for that confusing offer a few times only to find out it was a date that didn't appeal to us.

 

I looked at the "select dates" that were available. I actually looked at the wrong ship/itinerary earlier and thought it wasn't applicable to my cruise, but before I booked I double checked, and my exact ship/date/itinerary are listed under the promotions page. Either way, it's frustrating, annoying, and misleading. :(

[Wanderlust.]

Here is a screen shot from the "Ready Set Sail" page after clicking "see select dates" and Aaska cruises (we are booked for the August 8th sailing)

Edited January 17, 2015 by Wanderlust.

[sail7seas]

I looked at the "select dates" that were available. I actually looked at the wrong ship/itinerary earlier and thought it wasn't applicable to my cruise, but before I booked I double checked, and my exact ship/date/itinerary are listed under the promotions page. Either way, it's frustrating, annoying, and misleading. :(

 

I understand your frustration and will be delighted for you if they book as you have requested but it is only my opinion and I doubt they will do that.

 

[Wanderlust.]

If what you have requested be booked for you under that promotion has not been 'granted' after your recent calls, I would not expect you are too likely to have that happen.

 

Even if it is, indeed, an error I am sure there is language somewhere that permits them to call it an advertising error and refuse the offer.

 

Good luck and please let us know.

 

How frustrating. :(

[peaches from georgia]

HAL can't see the forest for the trees. They are willing to lose a new customer, who very well might become a lifelong customer, to save a few pennies on a first time booking where clearly the promo mistake was HAL's fault. Instead of cancelling the booking, the prospective customer could have been given a very good impression of HAL before he ever got on the ship if HAL had honored their promo as written. It's a very shortsighted way to do business. :(

[Homosassa]

I looked at the thumbnail snap shot of the ad in question. The banner for the upgrade has a place to click to learn more.

 

Was that button clicked and the additional information read?

 

If the additional information has the booking restrictions listed, then there was nothing misleading about the ad; just inadequate reading by the customer.

[dee2673]

The banner I saw clearly said free upgrade from oceanview to veranda. I am looking very closely as I am going to try to get my reservation lowered. Perhaps they fixed it but It's that way in the e-mail I got, as well

[Nghthawke]

Here is a screen shot from the "Ready Set Sail" page after clicking "see select dates" and Aaska cruises (we are booked for the August 8th sailing)

 

But if you look at the prices you can see they are for ocean view and verandah: same price = free upgrade to verandah. The wording in the written offer is incorrect but the prices are correct.

[SeaSharp]

Often the 'trap' is they list a number of dates for which that ship is doing that itinerary but the promotion is valid for one (or maybe two) of those dates. You have to really read it to see not all dates get the promotion but those are the dates you can book that cruise on that ship.

 

MAYBE this is not the case for your particular cruise but I fell for that confusing offer a few times only to find out it was a date that didn't appeal to us.

 

Yep, we have, too!!! We've spoken to supervisors, and sent screen shots, but the best we've come out with is a bottle of wine. Thankfully, we're still very happy with HAL!!

[Shmoo here]

I looked at the thumbnail snap shot of the ad in question. The banner for the upgrade has a place to click to learn more.

 

Was that button clicked and the additional information read?

 

If the additional information has the booking restrictions listed, then there was nothing misleading about the ad; just inadequate reading by the customer.

 

I find it deceiving when the first page (that specifically has my cruise, ship, date & length specified on it) says "Receive up to $500 Shipboard credit on Ocean-view staterooms and above". And the when you click on "learn more" it says "Up to $250 Shipboard credit per person (maximum 2 per room) on verandah rooms".

[Wanderlust.]

The "click for more info" doesn't specify anything. Every one of those dates has an upgrade to verandah, but the banner above lists upgrade to oceanview. Of course, I hadn't looked at other cruises. I had booked mine and see that there was an upgade to verandah, but it didn't say anything about that being the Ready Set Sail - I just thought it was the pricing for our cruise. I had just looked at the promotional offer, and saw that my cruise was there with that upgrade.

I mistakenly thought that the promotional page that said I would get an upgade from inside to oceanview was correct, and so I called to see how I went about getting that. Clearly, their error and it should be fixed. Disappointing, as I likely would have just booked through NCL had I know that we didn't get that upgrade (NCL outside cost the same as HAL's inside room with an unlimited alcohol incentive included)

Edited January 17, 2015 by Wanderlust.

[PathfinderEss]

Here is a screen shot from the "Ready Set Sail" page after clicking "see select dates" and Aaska cruises (we are booked for the August 8th sailing)

 

Well your screen shot looks good to me, it will be interesting what Hal does about this.

I'm presuming you booked this direct with Hal, off their web site?

[Lizzie68]

Here is a screen shot from the "Ready Set Sail" page after clicking "see select dates" and Aaska cruises (we are booked for the August 8th sailing)

 

Well that's pretty darned clear. They should certainly honour that, but I am not familiar with fairness in advertising laws in the US.

[sail7seas]

The "click for more info" doesn't specify anything. Every one of those dates has an upgrade to verandah, but the banner above lists upgrade to oceanview. Of course, I hadn't looked at other cruises. I had booked mine and see that there was an upgade to verandah, but it didn't say anything about that being the Ready Set Sail - I just thought it was the pricing for our cruise. I had just looked at the promotional offer, and saw that my cruise was there with that upgrade.

I mistakenly thought that the promotional page that said I would get an upgade from inside to oceanview was correct, and so I called to see how I went about getting that. Clearly, their error and it should be fixed. Disappointing, as I likely would have just booked through NCL had I know that we didn't get that upgrade (NCL outside cost the same as HAL's inside room with an unlimited alcohol incentive included)

 

Rather than get stressed and annoyed, ditch HAL and book the cruise you like on NCL. If you haven't booked through a TA that charges a cancellation fee, you will lose no money.

 

If you are already unhappy with them prior to the cruise than maybe it's best to move along?

 

 

Edited January 18, 2015 by sail7seas

[PathfinderEss]

My DH reminded me of a cruise we did some years back on Princess. There was an ad in a publication that had mixed up the prices on two different cruises. One was for 14 days and the other was for 21 days. When we saw the prices we were astounded and inquired to our TA about it. They in turn went to Princess, long story short we got the 21 day cruise at the 14 day price. So some cruise lines do stand behind their published prices.

[oaktreerb]

For that itinerary the Volendam offers the upgrade from inside to ocean view, the Noordam and Oosterdam offer the upgrade from ov to verandah. They actually post exactly what the fare is. THeir media department made a mistake by using the same text on all three offers. All three offers are not the same.

 

The last battle I had with HAL was over OBC that I was offered for booking after an online chat. I forwarded them my copy of the offer but after talking to several departments I was asked to produce a url. I Gave up.

 

You would think they could honor the offer since you have informed them of a rather costly error. YOu have earned it in my opinion. THey still have not fixed the text on the headers. SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR.

[Wanderlust.]

The reason I gave HAL a chance rather than immediately booking NCL was that HAL cruises roundtrip out of Vancouver (an hour drive for us) and NCL cruises round trip out of Seattle (a two hour drive). I have heard good things about HAL and WANT to try them and give a different type of cruise a chance...

I will wait to hear back from them, and if I don't hear by Monday evening, I will call them. The lady I spoke to prior to booking was so lovely, I was a little shocked by the woman I spoke to on Friday who was argumentative. I'll let them have a chance to rectify the situation in whatever way they deem suitable, and then I will try to go into the cruise and forget about the whole debacle. If they do not even try to rectify the problem, then I will have to seriously consider cancelling.