Holland America definitely reads the surveys

[Underthemoonlight]

I am on board the Veendam at the moment and we are getting a ‘share your thoughts’ card every three or four days - it is a tri folded card with space for three questions -

- tell us what you like & we won’t change it

-tell us what you didn’t like & we will try to make it better

-tell us about our crew - did someoneone give you legendary service?

I filled one out last week and both the crew members I mentioned thanked me and one apologized for the awful coffee on board (what I didn’t like). They read them for sure.

 

 

 

Lynda hope you are having a great voyage. We were on the Veendam a month ago and had an issue with service and with one staff officer. Used the Navigator app to register a complaint and got automated response that we would be contacted within 24 hours. After 48 hrs of no response and filled out a share your thoughts card mentioning the same problem. When we got our on line survey we mentioned the problem and no response. We heard back with appropriate apologies and surprisingly some OBC for our next cruise.

So definitely fill out the cards and mention good staff members, they do get rewarded. Have fun and check out the omelette guy Salvador on the starboard side of the Lido. Delicious and funny pleasant man.

 

 

 

 

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[sail7seas]

Lynda hope you are having a great voyage. We were on the Veendam a month ago and had an issue with service and with one staff officer. Used the Navigator app to register a complaint and got automated response that we would be contacted within 24 hours. After 48 hrs of no response and filled out a share your thoughts card mentioning the same problem. When we got our on line survey we mentioned the problem and no response. We heard back with appropriate apologies and surprisingly some OBC for our next cruise.

So definitely fill out the cards and mention good staff members, they do get rewarded. Have fun and check out the omelette guy Salvador on the starboard side of the Lido. Delicious and funny pleasant man.

 

 

 

 

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Thanks for this post. :)

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[whogo]

I ILIKED the former paper style surveys we completed on board better than the e-mail survey thy now send us.. Anyone agree?

I don't. I decided against using any of my cruise time to fill out an overly long questionnaire. Five minutes, maybe, fifteen minutes, no. It is the same with HAL's online surveys, they take too much time, I don't do them.

 

 

I remember giving our blank paper questionnaires back to my steward, hope he filled them out and praised himself.

 

 

I do fill out comment cards and have evidence they are acted upon.

[Adoptionmsw]

I am on the Veendam right now. The ship left Boston short of 52 deck chair pads. There a seven sea days on this cruise and who wants to sit on wooden slats on the promenade deck. Complaints to the front desk have been rudely dismissed. We are long time HAL cruisers and we are really disappointed.

 

 

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[daisy-mae]

I am on the Veendam right now. The ship left Boston short of 52 deck chair pads. There a seven sea days on this cruise and who wants to sit on wooden slats on the promenade deck. Complaints to the front desk have been rudely dismissed. We are long time HAL cruisers and we are really disappointed.

 

 

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Have they explained where the chair pads have gone? If they were discarded or left behind in Boston, then there isn't much that can be done about it.

[Adoptionmsw]

No, no explanation was given. The point is they should have been on the ship before it sailed.

 

 

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[Hlitner]

Have they explained where the chair pads have gone? If they were discarded or left behind in Boston, then there isn't much that can be done about it.

 

Last year when we cruised out of Boston on the Voyage of the Vikings, the ship began to run out of many wine products during the first few days. The explanation was that they had not received their shipment at Boston, prior to the voyage. It sounds like HAL has found a general excuse to be used for multiple problems ("it wasn't loaded on the ship in Boston).

 

Hank

[Fouremco]

No, no explanation was given. The point is they should have been on the ship before it sailed.

 

 

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Robert Burns perhaps said it best:

 

 

The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men

Gang aft agley...

We've sat many a time on those lovely teak chairs with nothing but our own natural padding, and they really are quite comfortable. The lack of cushions is hardly something to be "really disappointed" about. Just my opinion.

[ithaca gal]

We prefer the online service just because of the savings on all that paper. Yes, yes, I know all about all the paper that is wasted on the spa specials and they art auctions, etc. but I still don’t like to add to it with the surveys when there is a better alternative.

 

ALSO, several years ago we had set one of the surveys aside after starting it and found that our room steward had helped himself to it and brought up an issue with us. We were very upset that he invaded our privacy.

 

We did not know that he was the person responsible for our issue and he mentioned to us several times that jobs are hard to come by. I expressed our displeasure with him and then tore up the survey. For the first and only time, we did not leave an additional tip for our room steward.

[bluegiraffe]

Robert Burns perhaps said it best:

 

 

The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men

Gang aft agley...

We've sat many a time on those lovely teak chairs with nothing but our own natural padding, and they really are quite comfortable. The lack of cushions is hardly something to be "really disappointed" about. Just my opinion.

 

 

I would be "really disappointed" about it. Also just my opinion. ALL opinions are valid when one is discussing how one feels about something.

[iancal]

Reading them is one thing, sending a standard computer generated response is another feel good response.

 

The bottom line question is.......do they simply collate them or do they take real action to address the comments?

[kazu]

We prefer the online service just because of the savings on all that paper. Yes, yes, I know all about all the paper that is wasted on the spa specials and they art auctions, etc. but I still don’t like to add to it with the surveys when there is a better alternative.

 

ALSO, several years ago we had set one of the surveys aside after starting it and found that our room steward had helped himself to it and brought up an issue with us. We were very upset that he invaded our privacy.

 

We did not know that he was the person responsible for our issue and he mentioned to us several times that jobs are hard to come by. I expressed our displeasure with him and then tore up the survey. For the first and only time, we did not leave an additional tip for our room steward.

 

YIKES!! Not good at all. :(

 

I'd be happy with the on line survey IF they recognized collectors' cruises and let me do the survey when I am done or IF they kept the survey open longer so at least we have a chance to do it when we are on a Collectors or B2B for the 1st segment and have time and free wifi to do it. they tend to close them off in less than a week.

[BJzink]

yeah right....tell us what you like and we won't change it??????

 

what a load of BS

 

Does anyone have knowledge of this actually happening?

[scm200]

So should we bring our own chair pads for the loungers? Just kidding I have a OV cabin and will be happy with a lounger to sit on would love to see more of the Veendam we set sail when this Cuba cruise ends on the 18th

 

 

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[maui traveler]

I bet they washed them all and placed them on the refurbished Amsterdam. On the August 5th Amsterdam Live post there is a picture on a blog that shows every teak chair with one and reserved signs on 2/3 of them

 

 

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[Old As Dirt Mom]

I bet they washed them all and placed them on the refurbished Amsterdam. On the August 5th Amsterdam Live post there is a picture on a blog that shows every teak chair with one and reserved signs on 2/3 of them

 

 

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LOL. Only on Cruise Critic does a thread meander from one topic and back again, starting with surveys and ending with deck chair pads, and who knows what else?:D

 

Maui Traveler is referring to this photo from my sister's current blog on the Amsterdam:

 

https://twocruisingsisters.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/20180806_140704.jpg?w=620

[whogo]

Maui Traveler is referring to this photo from my sister's current blog on the Amsterdam:

https://twocruisingsisters.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/20180806_140704.jpg?w=620

I hadn't seen this blog, thanks for mentioning it.

[bennybear]

Last year on the second cruise after the Zuiderdam’s drydock the cushions weren’t cleaned or replaced. So for the last two sea days were not put out. We too were very unhappy. Part of the joy of cruising is sitting on a deck chair watching the ocean comfortably. We tried it both ways and no comparison, guess not enough natural padding lol.

We did mention it in our survey among other things and got no response. But we followed up and got an appropriate response. At other times we have had appropriate response to our surveys. So it seems a bit hit or miss to me.

[cbr663]

I completed an online survey from HAL just yesterday capturing my thoughts on HAL and why I recently booked an upcoming cruise. It's the first time I have ever received this type of survey.

 

It sought information on my cruise history with other lines, and whether certain specific features of HAL had any impact on my decision to book. It was quick and easy to complete and a welcome change from the after cruise survey.

[MajMom96]

While on the first leg of a b2b a few years ago, when balcony smoking was still permitted, there was a family grouping of three or four cabins next to ours. They had all of their balcony dividers open, and the whole group tended to congregate on the balcony next to ours. All were smokers, and there was a constant cloud of smoke drifting our way. As it was permitted, we didn't complain, but we did note it in a comment card. On the last full day of the first leg, we received a note advising us that we would be moved to another cabin for the second leg. So, yes, comments are read and, when possible, action is taken. Maybe not in every case, but certainly in ours. We landed in a higher category cabin, with a bottle of wine and infrequent smokers as neighbours. We were finally able to enjoy breakfast on our balcony for the first time during the cruise.

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing this story. I have found that HAL usually does their best to resolve issues when you’re on board as they did in your case. And when they do, I reflect it on the survey. I agree that they do use the surveys as a tool to make improvements.

 

 

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[TheEmerson]

I completed an online survey from HAL just yesterday capturing my thoughts on HAL and why I recently booked an upcoming cruise. It's the first time I have ever received this type of survey.

/quote]

 

I got the same survey yesterday for my 2019 cruise.

[musicon]

They, and Carnival, also pay attention to the phone surveys you take after talking to agents live. I can't say how I know, but I can tell you they really do.

 

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[RD64]

After a 2014 cruise I completed the on-line survey. The cruise was great- only a few minor things that I thought needed to be changed. I don’t remember who signed it, but I did receive a personalized letter with some obc, flowers for the cabin, and Pinnacle Grill dinner for my next cruise.

 

Last month on the Veendam I completed the comment cards that were included at night with the turn down service. Everything was beyond my expectations and I said so - I completed three separate ones including the names of all of the exceptional staff. These cards are reviewed diligently - the crew members that I mentioned by name ( cabin and dining room thanked me personally for my comments. I found out from a crew member that the comments made on these cards are shared with everyone else working in the same department - ie Entertainment - so that their colleagues can see what was said as well.

 

Also I did not know - but it makes sense - HAL uses mystery shoppers. I was talking to a passenger about an incident on a Veendam 2017 cruise - and someone who I assumed was a passenger overheard - identified themselves - and asked me for further infomation - I told them exactly what I had written on the survey. The mystery shopper knew exactly who I was talking about, and said that it had been noted.

[RD64]

Also - as an aside - regarding the pads for the chairs on Deck 6.... My cabin was on Deck 6 an interior - so I spent a lot of time sitting outside here. Until I read some of the previous posts, I did not notice the pads were missing - I found the chairs very comfortable even without a pad. Cheers

[OlsSalt]

I ILIKED the former paper style surveys we completed on board better than the e-mail survey thy now send us.. Anyone agree?

 

I like the online surveys because they offer more efficient tabulation that can reveal any emerging common issues. This means they can also provide a quicker response.