how long does HAL usually take to respond to complaints ?

[Cindy]

I think the OP has a legitimate complaint, and I hope HAL responds quickly and takes measures to try to eliminate this type of thing happening again.

 

The contractors may be employed by Fincantieri, not HAL, but by working on a Holland America ship they are viewed as representing the company and a code of conduct must be followed. The idea that the contractors would make disparaging remarks about passengers in any language is terrible and HAL needs to take steps to rectify the situation.

[Cindy]

If HAL has them on the ship then I think they are absolutely responsible for how their contractors interact with guests.

 

I agree! There are many workers on a ship who are contractors, not employees of the cruise line. They still have to meet certain standards of behavior, and if they don't the cruise line is responsible for correcting the situation.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Cindy

[iancal]

Just another reason why we avoid pre and post dry dock cruises as well as any cruise close to the ship's launching. On any cruise line. HAL included.

[lcand1923]

There are several issues here.

 

The first is the inexcusable behavior of the Italian workers.

 

The second is the poor way that the HAL onboard staff handled the matter.

 

The third is the lack of response from HAL.

 

This is just my opinion, but I feel that a wise corporation wants to know what is going on "down in the trenches". When my company hired contractors, the contractors were expected to follow the same behavior guidelines that regular employees followed. This is because they represented the company to the outside world.

 

I find it deplorable that the Onboard Staff of HAL did not treat the OP's complaint as if a HAL employee had done these actions. (Aren't the Casino and Spa Staff contractors? Would they have done what the Italian workers did? If a complaint is voiced about the Casino or Spa employees, how does the Onboard Staff react?)

 

I do not know how the OP contacted HAL. If it was via email, I believe a "your message has been received" email comes automatically. If it was via a "pen and paper" letter, I have waited anywhere from 6 - 8 weeks for a response. My correspondence has always been of the "my cruise would have been better if ..." sort, so I was willing to be patient. The response has always been "your letter has been forwarded to the appropriate department", so it has been for all intents and purposes a form letter.

 

The issues that the OP had should definitely go to HAL Corporate.

 

I do not know who the Captain on the Koningsdam is, but that Captain should have been informed. No Captain would want any guest on his ship treated in this manner.

[PatsyAnne]

This is too late for the OP, but the couple of times I've entered complaints (not of this nature) on the comment card onboard the ship, I have been contacted within a day. YMMV.

[Typhoon1]

I would wait at least one month. HAL will eventually respond, but it usually takes some time.

[SilvertoGold]

I do think HAL dropped the ball, especially Security.

 

I am not sure, however, what HAL could do. Kick these contractors off the ship, when they are desperate to get the dam ship finished?

 

I've seen this type of thing: the contractors would say the OP misunderstood, her Italian wasn't good enough, or they didn't say that at all and would find a co-worker to back them up. Or worse....

 

I remember a post a long time ago about the Lido counter chefs denigrating a pax or two in Tagalog. One overhearing pax, who knew Tagalog, spoke up and the chefs came close to having a group heart attack. Is this the only way to handle this issue?

 

If I felt threatened by these guys, I would be very upset about this.

[sail7seas]

If HAL has them on the ship then I think they are absolutely responsible for how their contractors interact with guests.[/quo]Whzgt would b ed the besway to monigorf ggtheirfth4eitr laqnguge? Maybey HOtel direcgor dshouldfollow them around all day? :a

[sail7seas]

Ahh,Nice to be back onCC. I see nothing has changed. :)

[Fouremco]

If HAL has them on the ship then I think they are absolutely responsible for how their contractors interact with guests.[/quo]Whzgt would b ed the besway to monigorf ggtheirfth4eitr laqnguge? Maybey HOtel direcgor dshouldfollow them around all day? :a

There is no need to monitor the contractors any more than there is a need to monitor guests or crew, but once inappropriate behaviour is reported to the ship's officials, there is most certainly a need for them to respond to the complaint.

[joepeka]

There is no need to monitor the contractors any more than there is a need to monitor guests or crew, but once inappropriate behaviour is reported to the ship's officials, there is most certainly a need for them to respond to the complaint.

 

Agree with Fouremco. I want to believe that Sail7seas is just playing devil's advocate but the terms of the worker's contract most likely specify that their behavior in the presence of HAL paying guests must be to HAL employee standards. Anything less must be acted upon by the ship's staff.

Edited May 2, 2016 by joepeka

[KAE27]

 

Agree. I want to believe that Sail7seas is just playing devil's advocate but the terms of the worker's contract most likely specify that their behavior in the presence of HAL paying guests must be to HAL employee standards. Anything less must be acted upon by the ship's staff.

 

In addition, Carnival is a public company with SEC-registered securities, and as such is required to adopt a Code of Conduct meeting certain standards and post the Code on its website. A quick perusal of its Code indicates that it intends its Code to be followed by its "business partners" as well. There is also a separate Code of Conduct for business partners, available online too.

 

While the type of behavior the OP posted is not addressed specifically in the Code, (1) there's no question that the standards Carnival/HAL set for themselves are expected to be adhered to by third-party contractors, and (2) the Code's references to how it expects customers to be treated would encompass, in a general sense, this type of conduct.

Edited May 3, 2016 by krista4

[kazu]

There is no need to monitor the contractors any more than there is a need to monitor guests or crew, but once inappropriate behaviour is reported to the ship's officials, there is most certainly a need for them to respond to the complaint.

 

+1 :). Exactly!

Edited May 3, 2016 by kazu

[iancal]

I am in the camp that a customer complaint needs to be acknowledged within 12/48 hour turnaround with a expectation set as to when the issue will be addressed and by whom. All it takes is a computer generated acknowledgement letter.

Edited May 3, 2016 by iancal

[PhoenixCruiser]

[How serious an issue is that to HAL staff/crew? That wasz my question notaddressed.

 

Ummm, what? Sail?

Edited May 3, 2016 by PhoenixCruiser

[vivAtornado]

there is no situation in which this behavior is acceptable -in any walk of life, but especially in a service based business. those trying to defend this as anything other than wrong and a serious issue needing to be addressed ..well ill keep those thoughts to myself.

 

regardless, HAL needs to acknowledge the issue and investigate to ensure it is not repeated behavior in the future. there should be no tolerate for that sort of behavior.

 

op i hope you find a resolution with HAL, and i am so sorry to hear your experience.

[Wakepatrol]

First, who is Ashford?

 

 

 

Ashford & Simpson

 

"Solid As A Rock"

[KAE27]

It seems to me the OP has a clear and valid complaint that should have been dealt with IMMEDIATELY by the Hal staff, and should also have been referred to the captain. How on earth can anyone argue that HAL is not responsible?

 

The snippiness in this thread and one or two others is something we haven't seen on here for the last month or so, and it is sad that it has deteriorated in this way. The OP was kind enough to explain to us what happened, and I am happy to see that most have been supportive. Let's keep it that way.

 

Excellent post.

[Copper10-8]

Just a heads up; contractors can be found on all HAL ships, and not just new builds and/or ships coming out of dry-dock. They come in various nationalities and from various shore-side companies, not just Fincantieri.

 

When they come onboard, they are issued a service staff ship I.D. (unlike the aforementioned Spa and Casino staff who get full HAL crew I.D.s) and, even though not HAL employees, they are to abide by HAL's/the ship's rules and regs. Generally, the vast majority (but not all) will work "downstairs" for the chief engineer. In dry-dock they run the gamut in specialties from carpet layers, painters to window/glass installers, propulsion, computers, you name it.

[Carnevale]

I am in the camp that a customer complaint needs to be acknowledged within 12/48 hour turnaround with a expectation set as to when the issue will be addressed and by whom. All it takes is a computer generated acknowledgement letter.

 

Absolutely agreed. There is no reason for a delay in acknowledging a complaint - this is standard practice in reputable service organizations. Investigation and response come later. Any delay reflects badly on HAL.

 

To the OP: I am very sorry to hear your concerns. It is so disappointing to have a bad experience mar a vacation.

[mrs and mrs]

Is that a joke? I hope so. Otherwise, I have to suspect you have no sisters, daughters, female friends, or female partner, or you might be a bit more sensitive to the issue. Whether or not you believe it, this is a real problem that women face regularly. Catcalling, commenting, regardless of the language being spoken. :mad:

 

Unfortunately,bullying is very prevalent in today's society,nobody Male or Female,should stand for it.Anyone witnessed someone come to a bullys aid when they get their just desserts.No didnt think so.Chin up,head held high girly,you are not alone.:):):):):)I love watching bullys get taken down,in what ever form.Just saying.

Edited May 3, 2016 by mrs and mrs

[Toad]

To answer the OP's question: On a recent cruise in April my Dh and I had several issues. While on board we contacted the front desk and the front desk manager. The day we returned, we called our PCC. Three days later we sent out PCC, a letter describing our issues while on board. He forwarded this to appropriate HAL staff and we had a reply from HAL in about two weeks.

 

Also to the OP: It has been my experience on CC, that some of the posters here will tend to minimize any complaints regarding HAL, it's ships and/or it's employees. We3 have cruised HAL many, many times. Most often our experiences have been great, but when one has a valid complaint it needs to be honored and addressed.

[iancal]

When I read the first post it seemed to me that the poster was asking about HAL's process for handling customer complaints.

 

She was not asking for validation of her complaint. She was not asking for the usual cadre of posters who, with startling regularity, seem to defend HAL and discount a poster's comments for everything even though they have zero knowledge of the specific situation.

 

Her question about her customer service issue and what to expect from the process was telling. There appears to be NO process, no reasonable acknowledgement process, and the results of an initial contact with HAL's customer service people seem to be haphazard at best.

 

That is not good enough for a customer service organization IMHO, especially one in the hospitality business.

[Nanobot]

I am disappointed at some of the insensitive comments above; and, no I am not a self-appointed moderated as one person commented. I just believe in good manners.

 

Going to the OP's comments you should expect a response in a reasonable amount of time. You can send a follow-up question to the company about the time taken by them to respond to you if you feel it has taken too long for a response. In my case I allowed two weeks then sent a request on the status, I received a reply that day apologizing for the delay with a promise to deliver a full response in a week (and it came within a week).

 

As for the shipwrights aboard from Fincantieri, it is my opinion they violated the Fincantieri's code of conduct, particularly the sections on customer relations and professional conduct. IMHO, HAL should have revoked their access to the paying customer areas of the ship and restricted their activities to the crew areas of the ship.

 

To the OP, I am sorry ignorant people ruined your vacation.

[kevingastreich]

Agree with Fouremco. I want to believe that Sail7seas is just playing devil's advocate but the terms of the worker's contract most likely specify that their behavior in the presence of HAL paying guests must be to HAL employee standards. Anything less must be acted upon by the ship's staff.

 

Joe, your tag line says it all. One persons slight is another persons compliment. Maybe the contractors were actually admiring the person in their own way.