newbie question

[Dogstar]

Congrats kazu if you got where you wanted to go in 16 steps. I gave up after 25 and still did not even get close ... I actually do know what I am doing, and I still can't do it. This is one freaking crazy awful website.

 

 

^^^ THIS !!!

 

 

And to add to our misery of HAL’s web site design I haven’t figured out, no matter how hard I try to manipulate the site’s Bermuda Triangle layout/behaviour, if it’s even possible to:

 

1. select fare options other the default current promotion? For example, add/remove Explore4, etc.

 

2. identify & select specific room sub-categories (ie. VA, VB, etc.) within a type (Verandah) without referring to a separate Deck Plan page?

 

Just my $0.02 CDN ($0.01 USD) worth of input.

 

Dogstar.

[missdaisy]

I am booked in April of 2019, also to Mexico. I did book through a HAL rep but have tried to follow potential price changes. After much trial and error, I can usually get to where I’m heading on the website, but it takes perseverance. One thing I find easier to do is to search another internet “travel agency” to see what cabins are available at what price point. Then you can call HAL and know what to tell them specifically that you want. It’s a round about approach, but it works for me.

[kazu]

^^^ THIS !!!

 

 

And to add to our misery of HAL’s web site design I haven’t figured out, no matter how hard I try to manipulate the site’s Bermuda Triangle layout/behaviour, if it’s even possible to:

 

1. select fare options other the default current promotion? For example, add/remove Explore4, etc.

 

2. identify & select specific room sub-categories (ie. VA, VB, etc.) within a type (Verandah) without referring to a separate Deck Plan page?

 

Just my $0.02 CDN ($0.01 USD) worth of input.

 

Dogstar.

 

I haven't found a way to do either of the 2 things you are looking for either :(. At least with the old site you could easily identify the category and see the different prices without having to jump through hoops.

[OlsSalt]

I have been copying and pasting my listing of complaints here about the website to the HAL "feedback" sidebar option.

 

I hope others do to because we are collecting very specific concerns which may help them identify what needs to be fixed and .......... (ta da) .....what customers want to know. How novel. :eek:

 

One thing I learned recently is you have to scroll sideways to find other cabin type choices if you want to get out of the default Inside Stateroom purgatory.

 

These other cabin choices (ocean view, verandah etc) will be off the screen and out of side or clue they are there, if you are using a regular laptop. There are tiny little arrows telling you to scroll to the side -- a totally clunky process. Unbelievable.

 

There needs to be a 14 point warning; DO NOT USE A REGULAR LAPTOP IF YOU INTEND TO USE THIS WEBSITE

[COTINGEY]

Thank you - I'm glad to know that I'm no the only one that finds the website hard to use. I had quite a few smiles and a few chuckles with the way seasoned HAL cruisers feel about the website.

 

Long story short - taking recommendations from here - I got a deck plan and used that to narrow down where we wanted our two staterooms to be. Called HAL and bingo - got what we wanted. I'll turf it to my TA in the next month or so for additional discounts. (Control freak here - I want to manage the booking).

 

One more question, about the TA, are their any restrictions about holding onto the booking until just before final payment? I've heard that there are some cruise lines that give a defined period of time before it's unable to be transferred to a TA from the deposit date.

 

As a side note, just like Princess, the first person I called was clueless, ended the call and called back - she was brilliant. Then I had a question about the booking called back, rewind and repeat. Now just 19? days until my first HAL cruise.

 

Thank you again,

Robyn

[COTINGEY]

You picked a great ship.

 

Why do you say that? We picked this cruise based on itinerary and date. I'd love to know what people think about this ship. Is there a thread somewhere dedicated to Nieuw Amsterdam?

 

Happy days ahead!

Robyn

[KroozNut]

One more question, about the TA, are their any restrictions about holding onto the booking until just before final payment?

 

As long as you do it before final payment is due you're good to go.;):)

[KroozNut]

Is there a thread somewhere dedicated to Nieuw Amsterdam

 

If you go the the Holland America Line page, look to the right of that page, and there will be links dedicated to each of their ships. :)

[a.madruga]

Good Morning Holland America fans!

 

My family and I are going to branch out and try Holland America, and we are very excited. We are looking at the Mexico sailing on March 24 - March 31 (2019) on the MS Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

Every category that I pick says "Your stateroom is guaranteed. You will receive your stateroom details prior to departure." Does that mean it's close to being sold out and I can't pick a stateroom or, more likely, I'm unfamiliar with the website and I'm not doing it right?

 

Thank you,

Robyn

By now you have found your answer to this website. Love that NA have a great cruise

[Andi Land]

I find the site very easy to navigate and use, once the initial 'learning curve' of the new UI has been accomplished. ;) My experience with the new booking engine is that it nearly always defaults to 'Guarantee' initially, and if that is not what you want then you have to intervene. Intervention consists of simply selecting 'change stateroom' (top of page), then 'select your stateroom'; at which time options to change deck, select a specific cabin, etc. appear.

 

 

It's all rather intuitive to me, but YMMV..

 

I agree with you. Once the learning curve was over it’s quite easy.