Website Not Allowing Cabin Selection

[jbpcalifornia]

The HAL website continues to not allow me to select an alternaive vista suite for the 9/4/21 Zaandam cruise, even though it says I can.  When I get to that point in the process (editing the preselected cabin, which is an option offered on the screen), the screen goes totally white.  I've spoken to multiple agents at HAL and they have given me different answers as to why, including they would report it as a malfunction, to the cruise is pending revision, to other reasoning.  Whatever the reason, seems really strange to allow the customer to go all that way and offer that choice, and just leave them hanging with a blank screen.  Revising the screen just returns one to the starting page.  This has been going on for at least 2 months.  

 

Anyone have any ideas or insider knowledge? 

 

Thanks, 

[kazu]

42 minutes ago, jbpcalifornia said:

The HAL website continues to not allow me to select an alternaive vista suite for the 9/4/21 Zaandam cruise, even though it says I can.  When I get to that point in the process (editing the preselected cabin, which is an option offered on the screen), the screen goes totally white.  I've spoken to multiple agents at HAL and they have given me different answers as to why, including they would report it as a malfunction, to the cruise is pending revision, to other reasoning.  Whatever the reason, seems really strange to allow the customer to go all that way and offer that choice, and just leave them hanging with a blank screen.  Revising the screen just returns one to the starting page.  This has been going on for at least 2 months.  

 

Anyone have any ideas or insider knowledge? 

 

Thanks, 

 

No insider knowledge but I had no problem just yesterday when I was checking availability.

I wonder if you typed in the specific cabin numbers if that would work?

 

If not, you might need to change the browser you are using.  Which one are you using now?  I find Chrome works well and other people like Firefox.

 

I use Safari on my IPad and have no problem choosing cabins.

[jbpcalifornia]

Getting availability is no problem.  Its when I get to the part to select a specific cabin by changing the cabin they initially assign to you when booking through their website.  It says I can go ahead and edit it and select my own cabin, but then when I try it goes "white screen".   I've tried multiple web browsers (inc. Chrome) and the same thing happens.  

 

Can you choose a specific vista suite cabin for the 9/4/21 Zaandam?  Thanks!

[Crazy For Cats]

52 minutes ago, jbpcalifornia said:

Getting availability is no problem.  Its when I get to the part to select a specific cabin by changing the cabin they initially assign to you when booking through their website.  It says I can go ahead and edit it and select my own cabin, but then when I try it goes "white screen".   I've tried multiple web browsers (inc. Chrome) and the same thing happens.  

 

Can you choose a specific vista suite cabin for the 9/4/21 Zaandam?  Thanks!

I have had the same issue with Zaandam cruise.  My PCC said it was a known issue.  This was months ago.

[jbpcalifornia]

Interesting.  Glad its not just me.  I doubt its a web site problem, because they surely could have fixed that quickly.  Might have something to do with this cruise being under review for who knows what; and/or the Zaandam being reconsidered as the ship for this itinerary, or something else..... but how that relates to cabin choice is beyond me.  

[kazu]

2 hours ago, jbpcalifornia said:

Getting availability is no problem.  Its when I get to the part to select a specific cabin by changing the cabin they initially assign to you when booking through their website.  It says I can go ahead and edit it and select my own cabin, but then when I try it goes "white screen".   I've tried multiple web browsers (inc. Chrome) and the same thing happens.  

 

Can you choose a specific vista suite cabin for the 9/4/21 Zaandam?  Thanks!

 

I just went in to look. And do a dummy booking.

And it went to white screen. Dead.  Weird.

 

I’d call your PCC or TA and get their help to book a cabin I guess. There’s obviously a glitch.  Weird.

[Radbooks]

I wonder if it's because they're planning on selling the Zaandam? I have zero knowledge of that, but I assume that Z and Volendam are going to be leaving like the 4 that just were sold. Very similar ships so I figure it's a matter of time.

[Crazy For Cats]

I’ve been watching a December Zuiderdam cruise.  The cabin selection always defaults to aft section and the web site will not allow me to change the section.  It also indicates that forward is sold out.  When I go to a big box website both Pinnacle suites are available.  Lots of cabins are available.

[Mandalay1903]

This happens to me from time-to-time, too when I'm working on a dummy booking to check pricing. When it does happen, and when I want to go through with an actual booking, I call my PCC and have her assign the cabin that I want. In the past, she has told me that sometimes HAL Marketing reserves certain cabins for groups being assembled, for Collector Voyages, or for big box sites. This can make a particular cabin or the entire category unavailable for individual booking directly through the HAL site. If I can show that a particular cabin is available on a big box site or for a Collector Voyage and not on the HAL site, my PCC is able to contact HAL Marketing and almost always get the cabin assigned to me.

 

That said, the way the HAL website displays all this is far from graceful--bigger fish to fry maybe.  I'd be slightly curious to see how the Seabourn website handles similar situations, but not curious enough to spend the time trying.

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, Crazy For Cats said:

I’ve been watching a December Zuiderdam cruise.  The cabin selection always defaults to aft section and the web site will not allow me to change the section.  It also indicates that forward is sold out.  When I go to a big box website both Pinnacle suites are available.  Lots of cabins are available.

Have had some of the same issues.  One option that sometimes works is to input a specific cabin number and let the system tell you if it is available (time consuming of course).  Another is to work with some of the on-line agencies to see what they are showing (using dummy bookings).  Final approach is to ask TA or PCC when booking.

[FlorenceItaly]

I had to use live chat yesterday to have a certain sailing/stateroom number held until PCC department is open on Monday.  It would not let me choose a room.  It just spun and spun.  I sent an email to my PCC and received an auto response back that she is off for an extended period of time and to call the PCC general number, M-F.  I am not sure what this means.  

[Mary229]

I tried this morning and could only select a guarantee - no specific room.  I will call them this week.  I did get a pop up to rate the website - Next Time I Am Answering That Survey

[SeeSun&Sea]

I'm having a similar problem. My guess is that HAL is waiting until the CDC determines ship capacity issues. It's better to assign category guarantees than to assign potentially unavailable cabins if the CDC says "every 3rd cabin must be empty but connected cabins count as one-cabin unless the ship sails on a Tuesday or the ship's cook is Irish, in which case every 4th cabin must be empty."

[Oceansaway17]

I have found that several cruise lines will not make it easy to select a room, so get on the phone and call.

For instance, NCL has 2 decks of solo rooms only, but on line only assigning rooms one deck at a time. So I would call to get what I wanted. Defaults are part of the way they do things some time. 

Never accept what you see on line.

[dolsonxl]

On 9/19/2020 at 3:59 PM, jbpcalifornia said:

The HAL website continues to not allow me to select an alternaive vista suite for the 9/4/21 Zaandam cruise, even though it says I can.  When I get to that point in the process (editing the preselected cabin, which is an option offered on the screen), the screen goes totally white.  I've spoken to multiple agents at HAL and they have given me different answers as to why, including they would report it as a malfunction, to the cruise is pending revision, to other reasoning.  Whatever the reason, seems really strange to allow the customer to go all that way and offer that choice, and just leave them hanging with a blank screen.  Revising the screen just returns one to the starting page.  This has been going on for at least 2 months.  

 

Anyone have any ideas or insider knowledge? 

 

Thanks, 

 

[dolsonxl]

4 minutes ago, dolsonxl said:

 

I’ve had that issue several times and found that by reporting it on the comment/feedback section on the website itself, I received a phone call the next day from someone in the HAL tech dept seeking more detailed information.

Edited September 20, 2020 by dolsonxl

[Sea42]

I had the same issue last night selecting a specific cabin for an Oosterdam cruise. I think the problem was that all cabins in a category showed as available but weren't. Once I hit on a number that was available it went through. Lot's of trial and error and frustration but I was able to finally book our Australia/New Zealand cruise for 2022!

[jbpcalifornia]

I can't even get to the screen to look at alternative cabins.  I spoke with HAL and they said there are loads of vista suites available.  I checked the website today and its still doing the same thing.  Very strange.  Can't believe its an IT error at this point.  Must be intentional by HAL, but why?  And why not alert the user that this option to select your own cabin isn't available online, even though it says it is by giving you the option to "edit" the preselected cabin choice.  

[KAKcruiser]

What drives me crazy is that sometimes I can get to cabin selection but it won't let me change from a certain section of the ship, for instance it is set for forward cabins but won't change to middle or cabins in the back.  

[semibeater]

I appears that the website tries to force you to specific cabins in the specified category. My suggestion is to go to another travel site and search for available cabins for same cruise. It works! Try A_A or O-----Z. You will still need to call HAL to book.

[wander]

Just a thought from a past experience.  Perhaps they are waiting to assign specific cabins until more is known about what the "requirements" will be for the sailing.  For example what percent of capacity can sail?

 

We have been "fortunate" to have a cruise planned very time some sort of health issue as in the works - for example Swine Flu, Bird Flu, etc.  While in each case the ship did sail, they were far from full and folks were spread around the ship in a meaningful manner, primarily for staffing purposes.  The extreme example was when a cruise was sailing just over 50% full, rooms already assigned.  When we got to the ship many of us got new assignments.  For example the entire lowest deck was emptied of passengers and those folks moved up a deck.  For others already assigned those cabins they were moved up a deck to make room for the lower deck folks, and so it went.  Other decks were condensed so that occupied cabins were in certain areas and empty cabins in certain areas.  This was to make the assignment of passenger cabins for the cabin attendants into more concentrated areas, making the assignment of cabin attendants more efficient.    Just a thought.

 

We were told that those stewards (cabin and dining) who were excess to need were reassigned to ships sailing with more normal occupancy passenger loads.  (Our cruise was primarily in Asian waters where the disease was concentrated.  Europe, South America, etc cruises were running as usual.

 

Fun thing - it was a fairly long cruise (like 30+ days) and the two Penthouse units were unoccupied. The ship held a series of drawings where the winners could stay in a Penthouse unit for either 2 or 3 nights (forgot which). It was a very well received  "vacation within a vacation" idea and wildly popular.  (I did not get lucky so had to stay in my own cabin.)

Edited October 13, 2020 by wander
reword

[mskitty1]

I've also had the same problem for several weeks!  (Not true with other cruises-just with Zaandam)  We were still able to book on the first Canada/New England cruise in April, 2021.  My TAgent (actually my daughter) was able to see the available cabins when booking us and we selected the 1 we wanted.  NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM!  (Plans to sell Zaandam?, trying to adjust occupancy?,  etc.)  If NO TA, I'm sure you could call HAL and select the cabin you want and book the cruise.  

[Sososailer]

Ah yes I believe the HAL website is having issues in general. I logged on, it knows me but shows no past cruises, nor does it show the one we have booked for next September. Odd. Can someone reboot the internets please. That's gotta fix it! 🙂

[DaveOKC]

I also use other websites to find cabins I might like.  Another point in the past, even when I could find cabins on HAL's website, they often were in the less desirable locations than the cabins (in the same category) that the other websites were showing!

 

 

[Sososailer]

Maybe you have better luck today? I just logged into HAL and it now shows me & our booking correctly. Sure hoping that future cruise actually occurs too, 18 Day Circle Hawaii. We need the respite badly

Edited October 14, 2020 by Sososailer
Add more text