HAL - Seriously, your customer service needs improvement

[Tights]

I was reading another cruise line thread regarding the mini-bar issue. One poster stated that "they removed the mini-fridge contents and put it in the footstool that was in the cabin. Included in the "footstool stash" was an inventory of everything that was in it. When they were getting ready to disembark they put everything back in the fridge".

 

They also stated that they have NEVER been charged for items that were removed from it in the 20 years that they have been cruising.

 

Sounded like a pretty good idea. That way the passenger knew what and where everything is. May give it a try. ;)

 

Okie1946

Not a nice thing to do if the next passenger is a beer drinker, once beer is chilled it should stay that way till drunk,

Just saying

[Fouremco]

Not a nice thing to do if the next passenger is a beer drinker, once beer is chilled it should stay that way till drunk,

Just saying

Large temperature fluctuations might have a negative effect on beer, although there's still some debate on the issue, but the bar fridges on HAL ships barely cool their contents below AC room temperature in the cabins. I doubt the next passenger will suffer. :)

[cruiseJMO]

Not a nice thing to do if the next passenger is a beer drinker, once beer is chilled it should stay that way till drunk,

Just saying

Yeah, which is one reason I wouldn't drink this beer.

Large temperature fluctuations might have a negative effect on beer, although there's still some debate on the issue, but the bar fridges on HAL ships barely cool their contents below AC room temperature in the cabins. I doubt the next passenger will suffer. :)

No debate needed with me on this. I've foolishly done chilled beer, then let it get room, and re-chilled too many times. It's a much flatter taste. I've even opened another that didn't go thru this process to compare.

 

But, I agree and don't think the fridges in their cabins get cool enough to cause much, if any, of this re-chilled alteration in taste or flatness. Not the same as in a very cold fridge or in a cooler with ice. Still, they could have put them in an iced cooler at some point.

[POA1]

The little mini fridges we've had cool down to around 42-48 degrees Fahrenheit. We travel with a thermometer because we usually use fridge to chill our wine. It's not icy cold, but it's a good 25 to 30 degrees cooler than room temperature.

 

Most people keep their home refrigerator set to 35-38, so the mini fridge is certainly warmer than that.

[Fouremco]

While this thread has drifted a bit and is ready for retirement, I thought that a thread from another board was illustrative of how things should be handled.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2233290

[kazu]

While this thread has drifted a bit and is ready for retirement, I thought that a thread from another board was illustrative of how things should be handled.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2233290

 

I am confused by this post.

 

HAL has an email for post cruise issues. That's what I used and had an answer in 2 days. I think you can call too, but I didn't bother I just used the email.

 

If the OP didn't get an answer then it would do no good. Same thing could happen on any cruise line, no? Including the board you referenced.

 

in fact, right now there is an open letter on the Oceania board (which is well reputed to take care of passenger concerns) and his issues have gone unanswered.

 

Anyone can fall through the cracks. We might not like it but it can happen - on any cruise line.

[iancal]

I think that a very large portion of the cruise industry, including HAL, is marred by glaring inconsistencies in food, entertainment, ships, and service, on board and with corporate, within and between brands.

 

I cannot imagine that HAL is any better or any worse than many others. At least not in our experience.

 

Give them a break. No doubt there have been staff cutbacks at corporate. Things can slip or go through the cracks in any organization.

Edited July 12, 2015 by iancal

[Fouremco]

I am confused by this post.

 

HAL has an email for post cruise issues. That's what I used and had an answer in 2 days. I think you can call too, but I didn't bother I just used the email.

 

If the OP didn't get an answer then it would do no good. Same thing could happen on any cruise line, no? Including the board you referenced.

 

in fact, right now there is an open letter on the Oceania board (which is well reputed to take care of passenger concerns) and his issues have gone unanswered.

 

Anyone can fall through the cracks. We might not like it but it can happen - on any cruise line.

Sorry, Kazu, if I wasn't clear. :o

 

Celebrity's related website Q&A, quoted in full in the other thread, included this paragraph:

 

Likewise, if you feel that you have received a charge in error, after verifying with everyone in your party, we ask that you please at 1-844-418-6824 or via email at celebrityonetouch@celebrity.com so that we may assist you further in this matter.

 

I've seen nothing proactive on HAL's website regarding possible errors in charges, and it was this to which I referring when I spoke of how things should be handled. Maybe HAL does have something similar, but as I say, I've not seen it if that's the case.

Edited July 12, 2015 by Fouremco

[kazu]

Sorry, Kazu, if I wasn't clear. :o

 

Celebrity's related website Q&A, quoted in full in the other thread, included this paragraph:

 

 

 

I've seen nothing proactive on HAL's website regarding possible errors in charges, and it was this to which I referring when I spoke of how things should be handled. Maybe HAL does have something similar, but as I say, I've not seen it if that's the case.

 

no worries :) You were clear. I probably wasn't!

 

if you go to HAL's contact us - you have two choices. If you click the email option there is a post cruise spot - that's what I used and had an answer and a copy of the final mini bar bill for the last day within two days of my email with the offer to reverse if it was wrong. It seems that is handled differently than other areas.

 

I suspect if you just use the comment option with HAL that goes to the Office of the President and takes the standard 4 - 6 weeks to get an answer.

 

while HAL does not have a specific number to call (and there you are correct), if you want to phone and state you have an issue you do get transferred to a special department. They did actually give me a direct line in their email reply with an option to call but sadly, I didn't keep it so I can't quote it here.

Edited July 12, 2015 by kazu

[brentp]

I am confused by this post.

 

HAL has an email for post cruise issues. That's what I used and had an answer in 2 days. I think you can call too, but I didn't bother I just used the email.

 

If the OP didn't get an answer then it would do no good. Same thing could happen on any cruise line, no? Including the board you referenced.

 

in fact, right now there is an open letter on the Oceania board (which is well reputed to take care of passenger concerns) and his issues have gone unanswered.

 

Anyone can fall through the cracks. We might not like it but it can happen - on any cruise line.

 

no worries :) You were clear. I probably wasn't!

 

if you go to HAL's contact us - you have two choices. If you click the email option there is a post cruise spot - that's what I used and had an answer and a copy of the final mini bar bill for the last day within two days of my email with the offer to reverse if it was wrong. It seems that is handled differently than other areas.

 

I suspect if you just use the comment option with HAL that goes to the Office of the President and takes the standard 4 - 6 weeks to get an answer.

 

while HAL does not have a specific number to call (and there you are correct), if you want to phone and state you have an issue you do get transferred to a special department. They did actually give me a direct line in their email reply with an option to call but sadly, I didn't keep it so I can't quote it here.

 

As the OP, I too followed the process for past cruisers with issues on HAL's website and submitted the issue via EMAIL. I received a canned EMAIL response they would look into it and respond within 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, additional EMAILs and a voice message (I actually found guest relation's phone number after a detailed search as the phone number in the canned response is for future cruise bookings and not for guest relations) all had no response. Basically, I got no response until I decided to escalate this and disputed the charged through the bank, post here, . . . or possibly as a result of the last voice message I left. Not really sure which resulted in the issue getting addressed, but it took 4 weeks to get the first non-canned response.

 

While you had great success, . . . others have confirmed here they too are having problems and delays in getting their issues resolved using their published process. Hence the title of the thread!

 

Not sure which of our experiences is the rule and which might be the exception, however, hearing others have had delays and issues too, the cracks you refer too with resolving issues, unfortunately, might be fairly wide openings.

Edited July 14, 2015 by brentp

[Fouremco]

no worries :) You were clear. I probably wasn't!

 

if you go to HAL's contact us - you have two choices. If you click the email option there is a post cruise spot - that's what I used and had an answer and a copy of the final mini bar bill for the last day within two days of my email with the offer to reverse if it was wrong. It seems that is handled differently than other areas.

 

I suspect if you just use the comment option with HAL that goes to the Office of the President and takes the standard 4 - 6 weeks to get an answer.

 

while HAL does not have a specific number to call (and there you are correct), if you want to phone and state you have an issue you do get transferred to a special department. They did actually give me a direct line in their email reply with an option to call but sadly, I didn't keep it so I can't quote it here.

Many thanks! :)