screw up after making big announcement

[SeaBands]

Just read on my role call that the Veendam from Tampa was changed to leave from FLL which will cost us a lot to change our flights and pay for a hotel at both ends. No notification from HAL to us or our TA. If it wasn't for CC we would have known about it.

[InTheWASide]

Just read on my role call that the Veendam from Tampa was changed to leave from FLL which will cost us a lot to change our flights and pay for a hotel at both ends. No notification from HAL to us or our TA. If it wasn't for CC we would have known about it.

 

If HAL changed the departure port they are likely providing a shuttle AND/OR would assist with ticket change fees.

 

Call HAL (or your TA if you booked with one) and inquire.

[avian777]

If HAL changed the departure port they are likely providing a shuttle AND/OR would assist with ticket change fees.

 

Call HAL (or your TA if you booked with one) and inquire.

 

Good advice ... like you, my first move would be to contact HAL and/or my TA to get the matter resolved rather than venting on CC which, after all, cannot do anything to solve the problem ...

Edited October 30, 2015 by avian777

[SeaBands]

and the cruise has disappeared from the HAL site although they have given me a new booking number and we still have the same cabin.They won't tell me anything but talk to your TA but my TA can't get any info from them so far today. Adding all those useless features announced yesterday doesn't make up for inconveniencing all of us who had already booked and made our arrangements.

[InTheWASide]

Adding all those useless features announced yesterday doesn't make up for inconveniencing all of us who had already booked and made our arrangements.

 

and eating a donut for breakfast does nothing to remove a nail in your tire...

 

Call HAL, ask to speak with a supervisor, explain that they "are not assisting your TA and you need to know what the GENERAL PLAN is to fix this problem... even if any CHANGES must be ultimately done through your TA" (which per HAL's contract with your TA they must be the party that makes all changes)

[joepeka]

and eating a donut for breakfast does nothing to remove a nail in your tire...

 

Call HAL, ask to speak with a supervisor, explain that they "are not assisting your TA and you need to know what the GENERAL PLAN is to fix this problem... even if any CHANGES must be ultimately done through your TA" (which per HAL's contract with your TA they must be the party that makes all changes)

 

This was kind of my thought as well - not sure what one thing has to do with the other but I also thought maybe I was overlooking something. Regardless, good advice and I hope this works out to the OP's satisfaction.

[InTheWASide]

I hope this works out to the OP's satisfaction.

 

Exactly

[kazu]

and the cruise has disappeared from the HAL site although they have given me a new booking number and we still have the same cabin.They won't tell me anything but talk to your TA but my TA can't get any info from them so far today. Adding all those useless features announced yesterday doesn't make up for inconveniencing all of us who had already booked and made our arrangements.

 

I hope you can get this fixed Seabands and quickly.

 

Thanks to your post, others that might not be on your roll call (not everyone is on roll calls) may be alerted and check things out.

 

I would follow Inthewayside's advice, call and be insistent.

 

Good luck - please let us know how you make out.

[AZNative2000]

SeaBands ... This same kind of thing happened to our Med cruise for June 2016 a couple weeks ago. It was gone from the HAL site and the only way to discuss it (for us) was with our HAL PCC. Others on our cruise had issues with their TAs as well. BUT, they were able, through perseverance with their TA to finally get something done.

 

We had received an email with instructions, I assume the TAs get the email for their clients. (Don't know as we don't use one.:confused:)

 

Eventually, the cruise will re-appear with the correct information (departure port, or in our case, ports changed). You will want to get this taken care of ASAP so as to get your added OBC, fixed transportation, hotel nights, etc added before any deadline HAL might attach, passes.

 

Don't give up!

Edited October 30, 2015 by AZNative2000

[sail7seas]

I can't speak for anyone else but I would not opt to ride a 'shuttle' from Tampa to FLL. That isn't a quick jaunt down the street. If one is flying, one expects to fly to their destination when it is HAL's action that causes the ship to embark in another city.

 

Makes no difference if it is HAL's operational voluntary action or the port's....... it isn't the cruisers' choice.

Maybe instead of money spent on the 'big announcements' it would be better used to train their telephone reps in customer service and ability to assist guests. Without satisfied guests aboard their ships, what they have is a lot of empty ships. ;)

 

The faster you make alternative plans, the better chance of getting different flights arranged.

Edited October 30, 2015 by sail7seas

[llbz327]

op

 

would you tell me the date of the cruise that was changed. we are planning a cruise on mar. 20 2016 out of tampa.

thanks in advance.

[SeaBands]

and she advised that the Veendam is going into drydock in Grand Bahama on Mar. 20 and then they will have a cruise April 12 and then the 24th but she couldn't bring up either cruise on her computer as if the ship just disappeared. Like the Philadelphia experiment that made a ship invisible. She said it was very weird. Maybe it's a Halloween prank, not funny!

[richwmn]

op

 

would you tell me the date of the cruise that was changed. we are planning a cruise on mar. 20 2016 out of tampa.

thanks in advance.

 

I am on the cruise with SeaBands that got changed. Your cruise for the 20th is the last one without a change. Nothing is currently on the HAL website from the time you depart on the 27th until we depart on May 7th.

 

I just saw the answer that SeaBands posted. If your cruise has been changed, you should have received a notice from HAL or your TA. If you haven't I would call and ask. Based on HAL's site I would guess that the dry dock starts on the 27th rather than the 20th

Edited October 30, 2015 by richwmn

[llbz327]

thank you for such a quick reply and good news

[WeLoveCruising]

Looks like the cruise in question is in April. Other people have posted that they were offered the option to cancel or $100 OBC and consideration for reiumbursement of change of airfare (that looked like it has some additional requirements).

 

I think perhaps the people who were contacted booked directly with HAL and there will be separate communication for travel agent clients.

 

I wouldnt be happy if this happened to me, either, but with that much advance notice and accommodation I would expect there would be a solution to make me "whole" on the deal.

 

Dont get the subject line and what this has to do with yesterday's announcements. Changes, charters, things like that can be disappointing and even troublesome, of course, but they are nothing new.

Edited October 30, 2015 by WeLoveCruising

[shrimp56]

The 20th is the last cruise for Veendam on the HAL website atm. I'm wondering what is up with the drydock as she just had one a year or so ago.

[richwmn]

The 20th is the last cruise for Veendam on the HAL website atm. I'm wondering what is up with the drydock as she just had one a year or so ago.

When I first got the email about the change I wondered about drydock as well, but I don't remember any posts recently about problems - but I might have missed them. It just seemed a bit quick.

The change really doesn't make any difference to me - no flights booked yet and FLL is as easy as Tampa for me to fly or drive to. FLL is just a bit longer of a drive.

[3rdGenCunarder]

When I first got the email about the change I wondered about drydock as well, but I don't remember any posts recently about problems - but I might have missed them. It just seemed a bit quick.

The change really doesn't make any difference to me - no flights booked yet and FLL is as easy as Tampa for me to fly or drive to. FLL is just a bit longer of a drive.

 

We were on Veendam in September and didn't have any problems. Nobody we spoke to mentioned any issues. Maybe they're going to repaint the logo on the funnels?

 

BTW (this is not aimed at you Rich), I get where the OP is coming from. HAL could put all this money and energy into a big announcement about technology to give people more information, but they couldn't be bothered to send information about the change in his cruise to his TA. At the very least, I find it ironic.

[WeLoveCruising]

 

I get where the OP is coming from. HAL could put all this money and energy into a big announcement about technology to give people more information, but they couldn't be bothered to send information about the change in his cruise to his TA. At the very least, I find it ironic.

 

After I wrote I didnt see the relationship in the subject line between the announcement and this, I have to say your perspective makes sense. Makes me wonder how many of the staff that should have been coordinating this change were otherwise assgined to working on the event.

[richwmn]

We were on Veendam in September and didn't have any problems. Nobody we spoke to mentioned any issues. Maybe they're going to repaint the logo on the funnels?

 

BTW (this is not aimed at you Rich), I get where the OP is coming from. HAL could put all this money and energy into a big announcement about technology to give people more information, but they couldn't be bothered to send information about the change in his cruise to his TA. At the very least, I find it ironic.

 

After I wrote I didnt see the relationship in the subject line between the announcement and this, I have to say your perspective makes sense. Makes me wonder how many of the staff that should have been coordinating this change were otherwise assgined to working on the event.

 

Although it is easy to place the blame on HAL here, I am not sure that is where the fault lies. Those of use that booked direct with HAL all got notification about the same time. For those that booked thru a TA, the email would have gone to the TA and the TA has the responsibility to notify the client. Understand, I don't have any problems with a TA, but the email most likely went to an agency address, not to the individual agent, and the agency had the responsibility to get the information to the proper agent.

[InTheWASide]

Although it is easy to place the blame on HAL here, I am not sure that is where the fault lies. Those of use that booked direct with HAL all got notification about the same time. For those that booked thru a TA, the email would have gone to the TA and the TA has the responsibility to notify the client. Understand, I don't have any problems with a TA, but the email most likely went to an agency address, not to the individual agent, and the agency had the responsibility to get the information to the proper agent.

 

Correct. If something went out AT ALL (and something did) it goes out to the contact on file. That would be the guest email if you book direct or the TA email or fax (and this is the main defaulted one for the agency as a whole... not necessarily your specific agent) if you booked through a TA. They order it to go out to "the contact" for all impacted bookings simultaneously and then it's the TA's responsibility to get that info to the guest.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Correct. If something went out AT ALL (and something did) it goes out to the contact on file. That would be the guest email if you book direct or the TA email or fax (and this is the main defaulted one for the agency as a whole... not necessarily your specific agent) if you booked through a TA. They order it to go out to "the contact" for all impacted bookings simultaneously and then it's the TA's responsibility to get that info to the guest.

 

OP said his TA couldn't get any info out of HAL.

[Cruising-along]

I'm also on this cruise with Rich and SeaBands. It was quite a surprise to get the email yesterday from HAL. Sadly some people are canceling the cruise.

 

Fortunately for us we don't have our air booked yet and our Tampa hotel was refundable so we aren't out anything. We just have to replan a few things. Hoping things work out for everyone.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I'm also on this cruise with Rich and SeaBands. It was quite a surprise to get the email yesterday from HAL. Sadly some people are canceling the cruise.

 

Fortunately for us we don't have our air booked yet and our Tampa hotel was refundable so we aren't out anything. We just have to replan a few things. Hoping things work out for everyone.

 

Do you know yet if your ports are changing, too?

[Cruising-along]

Do you know yet if your ports are changing, too?

 

 

No word on that. Really wish they would add Charleston. Right now we're showing taking the slow boat to Boston. ;)