Horrible customer service with Holland America

[sail7seas]

Agree, but if I ran my business like that, I'd be out of business. Plus, you know Sail, I am simply weary of the smoking policy that is so liberal. My friends are all sailing Celebrity and we are in that demographic.

 

I wouldn't care if this involved a few hundred dollars, but seriously, thousands? And you said that why? This is an expensive cruise, as it is. I consider it a scam when people in business are dishonest with you. Period. Wish I'd known they'd drop the price by thousands after the promo ended. Oh, and to reach customer service? It's like reaching the Presidents office. Not going to happen.....

 

It bothers me a lot you were unable to speak with a Supervisor. If you are not receiving service you expect and wish to work with someone else, they really should honor your request to speak with a higher level rep.

 

I 'get it' about the pleasure of being sure to have a smoke free verandah. When I sailed NCL this summer, I loved I didn't have to worry if I would lose the use of my verandah.

 

If you really love the itinerary/ship and you want that cruise, why not call again and get a different rep. You don't have to use the PCC. Take a screen shot of the price so you can demonstrate what you have been trying to have accommodated with regard to your booking.

 

Let us know what you decide to do. :)

 

[Host Walt]

Please don't discuss HAL's smoking policy in this thread. Instead, your comments should be posted in this thread:

 

This Thread Is To Be Used For All Discussions About HAL's On Board Smoking Policies

 

Thanks

[albingirl]

Thank you Sail. Always a voice of reason, in my opinion. This has been a complete waste of time. Right down to my original PCC deliberately putting me on hold for 5 minutes before she transferred me to the phantom supervisor who never answers the phone. How do I know this? I tried 3 times yesterday and once today. Does not answer the phone. Who do these people work for? Who do they report to? Ugh.

[sail7seas]

How about calling, speak with whichever rep answers the phone (seeing you aren't enthralled with your PCC), have them make a temporary booking at the lowered price and THEN tell the rep your story. Tell them to cancel your other booking and rebook at the new lower price. I cannot see how they can refuse once they have already stated the 'going price' for the category cabin you want. Worth a try and then ..........

 

E-mail to Customer Service @HollandAmerica.com

 

[albingirl]

How about calling, speak with whichever rep answers the phone (seeing you aren't enthralled with your PCC), have them make a temporary booking at the lowered price and THEN tell the rep your story. Tell them to cancel your other booking and rebook at the new lower price. I cannot see how they can refuse once they have already stated the 'going price' for the category cabin you want. Worth a try and then ..........

 

E-mail to Customer Service @HollandAmerica.com

 

 

got it. Thanks.

[skoggs25]

The Explore 4 promotion was nothing more than pre-selling you a drink and dinner package. I booked two cruises without the Explore 4 promotion at much lower rates.

Depending on how long your cruise is the drink package may be worth the $2400.

[POA1]

So, we booked a cruise months ago with Explore 4. Yesterday, I received a Facebook announcement that our cruise had dropped in price by $2,400. Yikes:

 

Perhaps this is a silly question, but why would Facebook know that your cruise dropped in price? Does the whole world know when you're going to be away? What you spent? It's a little creepy, IMO.

[albingirl]

The Explore 4 promotion was nothing more than pre-selling you a drink and dinner package. I booked two cruises without the Explore 4 promotion at much lower rates.

Depending on how long your cruise is the drink package may be worth the $2400.

 

48 days. I agree. Coffee, specialty, and water included. I don't think we drink that much alcohol though, to make it worth it. I may put pen to paper....but when we are in Italy order liters of wine, well, the package isn't worth much to us.:)

[SteelMagnolia9]

The Explore 4 promotion was nothing more than pre-selling you a drink and dinner package. I booked two cruises without the Explore 4 promotion at much lower rates.

Depending on how long your cruise is the drink package may be worth the $2400.

 

Good Point.

 

I always consider any booking 'perks' a cruise line offers as included in my fare vs. free.

[PatsyAnne]

I'm not sure from your posts what you are asking the PCC/supervisor to do. Did you ask them to rebook you at the new rate? It is always frustrating when you can't get through to someone in a timely manner.

 

On our last cruise, the price dropped three times between booking and final payment, and our TA just rebooked us into the same cabin. First the price dropped and also added Explore 4 (we took it), then it dropped but we would have lost the promotion and the difference wasn't enough to rebook, and then it dropped enough that it was well worth losing the Explore 4. We booked the cruise at the original price because we thought it was worth it to us, and in the end we were lucky to have it at a lower price. It's not personal, and it isn't hidden. You can easily see what you're getting for your money.

 

Whatever you decide to do, and whoever you decide to do it with, I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

[albingirl]

Perhaps this is a silly question, but why would Facebook know that your cruise dropped in price? Does the whole world know when you're going to be away? What you spent? It's a little creepy, IMO.

 

No, they don't. But, HAL has an announcement on FB for dropped prices on cruises, and mine was listed. I agreed to "friend" Holland America and they send me these things. When I saw my cruise advertised on FB for far less, I became rather ticked off.

[albingirl]

I'm not sure from your posts what you are asking the PCC/supervisor to do. Did you ask them to rebook you at the new rate? It is always frustrating when you can't get through to someone in a timely manner.

 

On our last cruise, the price dropped three times between booking and final payment, and our TA just rebooked us into the same cabin. First the price dropped and also added Explore 4 (we took it), then it dropped but we would have lost the promotion and the difference wasn't enough to rebook, and then it dropped enough that it was well worth losing the Explore 4. We booked the cruise at the original price because we thought it was worth it to us, and in the end we were lucky to have it at a lower price. It's not personal, and it isn't hidden. You can easily see what you're getting for your money.

 

Whatever you decide to do, and whoever you decide to do it with, I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

 

Thanks for your kind wishes. I simply wanted to talk to someone at HAL about this and everyone was quite unconcerned. No conversation with Supervisors.

[sppunk]

To be fair every line does this. It's not a scam, it's just the cruise pricing game these days. You can book withou E4 and save a ton of money usually.

 

If you booked via PCC and they didn't help you need a better TA.

[RocketMan275]

Makes me want to look closer to Celebrity, where all our friends go anyway.

 

If you research, you'll find posts similar to your own in the Celebrity, the Royal Caribbean, Princess, etc. None of the cruise lines give away things, they are always included in the fare. You'll not find anything different on any other cruise line.

[albingirl]

To be fair every line does this. It's not a scam, it's just the cruise pricing game these days. You can book withou E4 and save a ton of money usually.

 

If you booked via PCC and they didn't help you need a better TA.

 

You are right about the PCC. The cruise pricing has me tearing my hair out of my head. No honesty there, whatsoever. But, yes, we can drop the E4, but why on earth should we have to. Ridiculous.

[albingirl]

If you research, you'll find posts similar to your own in the Celebrity, the Royal Caribbean, Princess, etc. None of the cruise lines give away things, they are always included in the fare. You'll not find anything different on any other cruise line.

 

Ah, but I'm not concerned here with other posts on other cruiselines. Just because I may move to where my friends seem very happy does not make it better that HAL does some pretty sneaky advertising.

[sppunk]

Celebrity's 1-2-3 deals and their drink booking deal packages are identical to E4. You are paying for these upfront.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

48 days. I agree. Coffee, specialty, and water included. I don't think we drink that much alcohol though, to make it worth it. I may put pen to paper....but when we are in Italy order liters of wine, well, the package isn't worth much to us.:)

 

 

48 day cruise!!! You also did not state if the amount was per person or the cabin. The price of $2400 less is most likely the advantage fare that would have been available when you book at most likely the same price it is now. You also did not state if you had a suite and also had the additional ship board credit. For that length of a cruise the $2400 difference if for the cabin is not much.

Celebrity pricing is exactly the same with their Go Big, Go Better, Go Best. The Go Best pricing is Crazy high and you can buy those items on your own for far less.

It sounds like your cruise is not at final so you certainly can lower the price and go without Explore4 and they can do it without rebooking.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sppunk]

48 day cruise!!! You also did not state if the amount was per person or the cabin. The price of $2400 less is most likely the advantage fare that would have been available when you book at most likely the same price it is now. You also did not state if you had a suite and also had the additional ship board credit. For that length of a cruise the $2400 difference if for the cabin is not much.

Celebrity pricing is exactly the same with their Go Big, Go Better, Go Best. The Go Best pricing is Crazy high and you can buy those items on your own for far less.

It sounds like your cruise is not at final so you certainly can lower the price and go without Explore4 and they can do it without rebooking.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lisa knows what she preaches.

 

The issue is your PCC moreso than HAL pricing IMO. I highly recommend transferring your booking to a real TA who can get you the price reduction.

[iancal]

When you are outside the final payment window you are certainly in the drivers seat. You can simply cancel and rebook. On the same ship. Another HAL ship, or on another line.

 

Misleading pricing practices in various cruise lines is just one of the reasons that we typically book inside the final payment window.

[regnig]

You are right about the PCC. The cruise pricing has me tearing my hair out of my head. No honesty there, whatsoever. But, yes, we can drop the E4, but why on earth should we have to. Ridiculous.

 

While I don't condone "horrible" service on the part of HAL customer service reps I am confused as to what you were asking them to do and just what was horrible with what they told you.

 

Your comment from above "But, yes, we can drop the E4, but why on earth should we have to. Ridiculous." seems to imply that you were expecting to get the $2400 price difference while keeping the Explore4. If so I can understand why the CSRs could not satisfy your request. The price you originally booked at included the Explore4 promo and to re-fare at the cheaper fare you would have to give up the E4. Many posters here on CC have stated that when they booked cruises that offered Explore4 they asked to be booked without the promo at a lower price. This is not an example of a scam.... Often when passengers ask to be re-fared they end up loosing OBC or some other promo. Is it possible that the source of your dissatisfaction is that you can not get the current lower fare AND KEEP the Explore4 promo?

[HELENPSL]

Just posted this info another thread the other day. I am constantly going in and checking prices for the cruises I have booked. A couple of days ago, when they dropped the E4, the price of my cruise (in Feb. 2017) dropped by $600 per person. I knew we would lose the drink card (which didn't matter because neither of us drinks), a PG dinner, a Canneletto dinner and $150 per person OBC. So it was losing $189 per person in perks vs. $600 per person credit. I shot my PCC an email at midnight and by 9:15AM she responded saying she would make the change but we would lose the E4. It's just what they always do. For us it was well worth it. Now I'm hoping there's another pricedrop before final payment. We'll see!!

 

Helen

[cruz chic]

Lisa knows what she preaches.

 

The issue is your PCC moreso than HAL pricing IMO. I highly recommend transferring your booking to a real TA who can get you the price reduction.

 

I've had way better service from my PCC then the many, many TAs I've had. Give me a PCC any day over a "real" ta. Just like there are lousy TAs there are lousy PCC's. I'd be anxious to hear about the fabulous ta that is able to get the price reduction and the e4. I'd bet the op would be interested in that info too.

Edited November 4, 2015 by cruz chic

[sppunk]

I've had way better service from my PCC then the many, many TAs I've had. Give me a PCC any day over a "real" ta. Just like there are lousy TAs there are lousy PCC's. I'd be anxious to hear about the fabulous ta that is able to get the price reduction and the e4. I'd bet the op would be interested in that info too.

 

I'm sure there are great PCCs. OP doesn't have one though and has received poor service from other staff in Seattle. Gotta cut bait at some point.

 

And I have never said anything about getting a reduction and keeping a promo. It's the opposite, you drop a promo and save substantially.

 

We cannot recommend TAs here. But hint a great one posts n the HAL board.

[Lis2065]

I have been fortunate with my TA in Australia requesting and gaining reductions for me when the prices have gone down. Only once did we decide not to take the reduced price as we would have lost the perks which were of value to us and balanced out to a very similar amount.

 

Interestingly, in Australia generally if you cancel a booking, no matter how far away from departure, you may very well forfeit your deposit.