Tender ports??????

[Traveling Dot]

Has anyone else noticed that when you look at the Itinerary for the cruises it no longer tells you which ports are Tender Ports? :confused: I know it use to tell you which where tender ports before they changed the format.

 

Or maybe I'm looking in the wrong place but even when I look at the itineraries for the cruises I have already booked it doesn't say which are tender ports. This could be a problem for those people who need to know how many tender ports are on a cruise before choosing a cruise when they have to use a wheelchair or even just a cane. :(

 

Hopefully it will be on the paperwork after final payment and I print it out.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You are right.

I picked an itinerary that I knew had tender ports and I could not find anywhere on the itinerary where it was indicated that Grand Cayman and HMC were tender ports.

Very poor HAL!!

[Fouremco]

I've looked at a couple of itineraries where I know there are tender ports and haven't been able to find the information anywhere on the HAL website. Some of the websites that provide information on ships in port, such as http://www.whatsinport.com/index.htm, provide information on tendering, and Google maps can give you a good idea as to dock facilities, but I really don't know why HAL has dropped such basic planning information from its website.

[DaveOKC]

I've looked at a couple of itineraries where I know there are tender ports and haven't been able to find the information anywhere on the HAL website. Some of the websites that provide information on ships in port, such as www.whatsinport.com/index.htm, provide information on tendering, and Google maps can give you a good idea as to dock facilities, but I really don't know why HAL has dropped such basic planning information from its website.

 

Likely because the programmers do not understand the product! This happens all to often anymore.

[catl331]

This was discussed a couple of weeks ago ( https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2629316 ) and member Rowsby found a list of HAL tender ports on the new site: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/accessibility/port-tender-list.html However, it seems that it may not be 100% correct in all cases.

 

Likely because the programmers do not understand the product! This happens all to often anymore.

Form over function! :eek:

[Traveling Dot]

This was discussed a couple of weeks ago ( https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2629316 ) and member Rowsby found a list of HAL tender ports on the new site: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/accessibility/port-tender-list.html?legacy=true However, it seems that it may not be 100% correct in all cases.

That is true, especially with the new ships which are too big for some of the ports.

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is ridiculous that we have to hunt for the Port Tender List, then click onto the area we are going to cruise to see the tender ports.

It should be provided right with the itinerary a person is looking at -- like it used to be.

[Fouremco]

This was discussed a couple of weeks ago ( https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2629316 ) and member Rowsby found a list of HAL tender ports on the new site: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/accessibility/port-tender-list.html However, it seems that it may not be 100% correct in all cases.

 

Form over function! :eek:[/font][/color]

As accessibility is only one aspect of tendering, only HAL would remove the information from the itineraries and move it to a page most passengers would never look at. Of course, it's not surprising that the first port I checked isn't even on the list. Charlottetown's cruise port can only provide a berth to one ship, and if there are two or more in port on a given day, the second and any subsequent arrivals have to tender. We experienced that on the Maasdam during a Canada/New England cruise. The website that I cited in post # 3 includes this information for Charlottetown: "On occasion, when more than one ship is in port, tenders to the same terminal will be used."

[OlsSalt]

That is ridiculous that we have to hunt for the Port Tender List, then click onto the area we are going to cruise to see the tender ports.

It should be provided right with the itinerary a person is looking at -- like it used to be.

 

HAL website's new motto: why use one click to find what you want to know, when we can make you click a dozen times to see all our pretty imagery to distract you with what we want you to see.

[mamaofami]

This is really ridiculous. I need to know which ports are tender when deciding on a cruise. Most of the time I stay onboard when it's a tender port.

[mammy123]

That's why they removed it, because it might have a negative effect on people, so let's not show them. WOW, this reminds me of a computer system I had to train other employees on - - with 6 clicks you can get anywhere in the system. It became a joke and so is the new HAL system. Too bad.

[JT1962]

Another factor could be that, depending on the number of ships in port, they might also have to use tenders in a port where they dock most of the time. We saw ships have to tender in Ketchikan last year and we had to tender in Cozumel a few years ago on a day with more ships than docking berths.

 

 

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[RuthC]

Another factor could be that, depending on the number of ships in port, they might also have to use tenders in a port where they dock most of the time.

That would be a terrible decision, if that were the case.

There are ports that are always tender, because there are no docking facilities for large ships. There are also ports where the HAL ships either dock or tender all the time, or just about all the time. These are known factors when an itinerary is determined.

Most of us who have cruised know that things can change; we have learned to roll with it. HAL could always put a disclaimer at the bottom of the itinerary page to alert those who don't know plans can change.

 

Removing the tender information from the itinerary page was a change that was not necessary.

[OlsSalt]

Stockholm has three possible docking options - one dock remote, one dock closer in and tendering from right in the middle of the inner harbor surrounded by all the wonderful sights of the city. This is one time you want to tender. We got switched at the last minute to the inner harbor tender option - what a treat. It was an overnight and they ran the tenders all night long - the later they ran the more they were full of crew who were enjoying a night (and early am) on the town. We got a chance to go to the Swedish Opera that night and joined the very late night (a.m..) tender trips directly from the walkable and the Opera House downtown back to the ship.

[GlennG]

Providing easily accessible information to website visitors is, not only, courteous, it is imperative in today's information environment. My wife's mobility is really challenged by the use of tenders, and we relied on the information that used to be provided by Holland America Line. Needless to say, the "new" Holland America Line website has become of serious source of frustration for us. I can cope with change, providing that change is perceived as being superior to the status quo. That hasn't happened with the so called "new and improved" website.

[Fouremco]

That's why they removed it, because it might have a negative effect on people, so let's not show them. WOW, this reminds me of a computer system I had to train other employees on - - with 6 clicks you can get anywhere in the system. It became a joke and so is the new HAL system. Too bad.

Someone on HAL's IT team heard the term "six degrees of separation" and thought it was a programming imperative.

[thinfool]

If you want to more (a tiny bit more) than beef on CC....go to the HAL site and find the chat feature.

 

The person on the other end professes that he/she will pass whatever your complaint is on to the IT department.

 

It can't hurt.

 

Note: HAL does not offer to save a chat session, so if you want a copy you will need to copy/paste your session into Word, Notepad, etc.

[drowelf]

If you want to more (a tiny bit more) than beef on CC....go to the HAL site and find the chat feature.

 

The person on the other end professes that he/she will pass whatever your complaint is on to the IT department.

 

It can't hurt.

 

Note: HAL does not offer to save a chat session, so if you want a copy you will need to copy/paste your session into Word, Notepad, etc.

 

Bingo! Grousing here is fine, but it does not get the information to where it needs to be heard. Almost all commercial websites have some kind of feedback mechanism (chat, comment, contact us, etc.). It needs to be used. If enough customers voice an opinion, hopefully someone will hear it and cause a change to be made. But shouting in the forest (or forum) only insures that the trees hear it, and they don't care at all.

 

Right after this, I plan on doing just that. Going to go look at an literary and then express my displeasure with the lack of tender port information to HAL.

 

 

And I just did. There is a feedback tab that hovers out on the right hand side of the page. I looked at an itinerary and just provided the following feedback.

 

"Very disappointed in the new layout for the itinerary section. The data used to be much more compact, now I have to scroll to see the entire itinerary and what I consider as critical information is no longer presented. No information as to whether its dock or tender port or if the stop is an overnight. You have to derive overnights from the length of the stay and the arrival departure time.

 

When viewing an itinerary I want to be able to see all the pertinent information on a single page without having to scroll or drill down into other pages.

 

Overall I find the new site harder to use and get useful information out of. I would prefer a more compact layout of the information.

 

The itinerary information is the most critical piece of information that we use to evaluate our choice of cruises. Making it harder to get that information, make your website less useful."

 

Also I gave it double - (--) in all categories.

Edited May 16, 2018 by drowelf
Added comments

[SFO Peter]

Eric,

You said it correctly. Hope it was o.k. for me to copy your "write up" and send it. I just sent it to Guest Relations.

 

Peter

[Walfam]

. . . and member Rowsby found a list of HAL tender ports on the new site: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/accessibility/port-tender-list.html However, it seems that it may not be 100% correct in all cases.

 

You're right, in that it's not always 100% correct. San Juan, Puerto Rico is on that list, but in March we walked right off the NA and into the city. Had no idea it was on the tender list.

[Zeno]

HAL website's new motto: why use one click to find what you want to know, when we can make you click a dozen times to see all our pretty imagery to distract you with what we want you to see.

 

That about sums it up - the new website sucks

[CruiseMob]

Count me also as not a fan of the website. I do have the tender ports on the confirmation they emailed me. But I can't find it on the site. I also can't find bed configuration or dining preference on the site anymore either for my booking. :( Also, I have booked 2 rooms, but only one shows up under my account.

 

 

My emailed confirmation has a legend for the symbols next to the ports.

 

 

Legend

1 Cruising Only

2 Route/Time Subject To Weather/Ice

3 Times Subject To Tidal Conditions

4 Tender Required

5 Wheelchair Access Limited

[lenquixote66]

You are right.

I picked an itinerary that I knew had tender ports and I could not find anywhere on the itinerary where it was indicated that Grand Cayman and HMC were tender ports.

Very poor HAL!!

 

Not just HAL ,other cruise lines too

[Storylady]

When I type in the Holland America website on my iPad, I generally get the mobile site which I do not like. But if I use Google and search for Holland America, I can get the regular website. And it does have the tender ports listed.

[catl331]

When I type in the Holland America website on my iPad, I generally get the mobile site which I do not like. But if I use Google and search for Holland America, I can get the regular website. And it does have the tender ports listed.

Enjoy it while it lasts! :D