How to escalate a repair situation in your cabin?

[wallyboag]

Hello- I am currently on the Eurodam and our balcony door will not latch shut unless you push your feet against the door frame while pulling and simulataneously turn the key in the lock counter clockwise about six rotations. 

 

We called the front desk to get it fixed and they sent our steward who also struggled to get it shut and finally got it and said 'Just dial 92 if you want to go outside and we will shut it for you."

 

I don't think this is acceptable so I called the front desk again and asked to have maintenance come and fix it... And they just sent the steward again who said the same exact thing he said before...

 

I called the front desk AGAIN and she said "Ok I will call your steward..." And I said "He has been here twice! Can we get maintenance?" And she said "Sir, your steward will call maintenance if there is an issue " and I asked to speak to a manager and she said "If the steward doesn't get it closed ask him to send his manager."

 

*****? How do I escalate this to someone that can fix the door???

 

 

 

 

[wallyboag]

Update... The room steward sent the ships locksmith after we called the third time. The locksmith admitted that he had tightened the door jamb because the weather stripping on the door had depleted and there was a lot of wind noise. He loosened it up again and now just as he said there was wind noise...

 

So he said he was going to call his colleague to see if they can replace the weather stripping tomorrow. In the meantime we will deal with the wind noise because we would rather be able to use the balcony than not.

 

Very frustrating when you get on your cruise to Alaska excited to use your balcony and this happens, but we will be patient for the repair. 

 

Also frustrating that it took three calls to get maintenance out to look at it!

[TiogaCruiser]

Is there any chance that you could change cabins?

[ger_77]

I would also have used the Navigator app with a message that said “Help!  We can’t shut our balcony door!!”

[ShipWalker]

Wind noise- one of many reasons we carry gaffer tape rolled on a pencil with us when cruising.

 

Edited May 29, 2022 by ShipWalker

[BigMattT]

35 minutes ago, ShipWalker said:

Wind noise- one of many reasons we carry gaffer tape rolled on a pencil with us when cruising.

 

Curious why you roll it on a pencil?

[wallyboag]

Honestly now that we are used to it the wind noise is very pleasant. We can also hear the waves outside. If they aren't ale to replace the weather stripping I won't be upset at all.

 

I am guessing whoever was in here on the last voyage complained about the noise and decided to lock their balcony rather than enjoy it. I couldn't imagine not having access to the balcony. Different strokes for different folks I guess. 

[ShipWalker]

2 hours ago, BigMattT said:

Curious why you roll it on a pencil?

Easy to carry and unroll for use. Regular size roll of gaffer tape is as big as a roll of duct tape. 

[maryandmarge]

5 hours ago, ShipWalker said:

Easy to carry and unroll for use. Regular size roll of gaffer tape is as big as a roll of duct tape. 

We have always done the same thing with the duct tape and taken it on travels with us.   Never know when a small piece of duct tape will fix a problem.   Plus it takes up very little space in your luggage. 

[Mary229]

If the wind bothers you and you can open and shut the door, put a hand towel between the door and frame, this will act as a weather seal.   I have been able to fix all ship sounds with a hand towel or wash cloth.  

[Turtles06]

3 hours ago, maryandmarge said:

We have always done the same thing with the duct tape and taken it on travels with us.   Never know when a small piece of duct tape will fix a problem.   Plus it takes up very little space in your luggage. 

You can buy travel size rolls of duct tape, no need to wind anything on pencils. 😊

 

I do agree, don’t leave home without duct tape! 

[wallyboag]

Thanks for the recommendation to bring tape, but that is a little late now as I am in the middle of the ocean and wasn't planning on making any repairs of the cruise line's property myself.

 

For those interested in the continuation of this saga, we spent the afternoon wandering the ship and returned to hear howling wind noise coming from our cabin door. Opened the door and sure enough, while we were gone the balcony door became unmatched. Our enuance door was sucked out of my hand and I ran in to pull the balcony door closed.

 

Who know what was sucked out the balcony door into the  kid of the pacific ocean while we were gone... but the quest 5o get it repaired continues...

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, wallyboag said:

I called the front desk AGAIN

 

This poster's issue is one more example that most of the Front Desk staff are very pleasant and can deal with "simple, typical" cruiser questions/issues.  When the issue becomes much more than that level, they lack the knowledge/training to know what to do next.  

 

2 minutes ago, wallyboag said:

but the quest 5o get it repaired continues..

 

Try to contact the Guest Relations Manager and/or a Front Desk Officer.  The Front Desk Officers can, in my experience, seem to be able to  "shake trees" than their staff are unable to do.  Contacting (or trying to do so) the Hotel Director may also help.   

[Xianmercado]

7 minutes ago, wallyboag said:

Thanks for the recommendation to bring tape, but that is a little late now as I am in the middle of the ocean and wasn't planning on making any repairs of the cruise line's property myself.

 

For those interested in the continuation of this saga, we spent the afternoon wandering the ship and returned to hear howling wind noise coming from our cabin door. Opened the door and sure enough, while we were gone the balcony door became unmatched. Our enuance door was sucked out of my hand and I ran in to pull the balcony door closed.

 

Who know what was sucked out the balcony door into the  kid of the pacific ocean while we were gone... but the quest 5o get it repaired continues...

 

its not the Verandah deck is it? cuz I'm on the same ship next week.. lol

[ShipWalker]

17 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

This poster's issue is one more example that most of the Front Desk staff are very pleasant and can deal with "simple, typical" cruiser questions/issues.  When the issue becomes much more than that level, they lack the knowledge/training to know what to do next....

 

When we boarded the Noordam last month it was its first trip since the pandemic started.

 

Still available on our TV's were the HAL team member training videos. (They were removed after about 2 1/2 weeks into the cruise) They were actually quite interesting to watch.

 

When something/anything is reported to any HAL person they are required to pass the information to the proper person. We had several lights burned out in our cabin and reported it to the steward. It took three days before they were replaced by the electricians. No big deal as I am sure there were other work orders to be completed before us.

[rkacruiser]

6 minutes ago, ShipWalker said:

Still available on our TV's were the HAL team member training videos. (They were removed after about 2 1/2 weeks into the cruise) They were actually quite interesting to watch.

 

When something/anything is reported to any HAL person they are required to pass the information to the proper person

 

I bet that those videos would have been interesting to watch for those of us who are interested in such things.  

 

Regarding the "standard" of reporting to the "proper person":  in my experience, and I think others, some of the Front Desk staff failed that part of their lesson.  If it is an account concern, it seems to be frequently the fault of the infamous "Night Auditor".  

 

9 minutes ago, ShipWalker said:

No big deal as I am sure there were other work orders to be completed before us.

 

As an officer of my Homeowners Association, I have learned that too many of our homeowners that have maintenance concerns do not understand that.  

[zgscl]

On 5/28/2022 at 6:06 PM, wallyboag said:

Hello- I am currently on the Eurodam and our balcony door will not latch shut unless you push your feet against the door frame while pulling and simulataneously turn the key in the lock counter clockwise about six rotations. 

 

We called the front desk to get it fixed and they sent our steward who also struggled to get it shut and finally got it and said 'Just dial 92 if you want to go outside and we will shut it for you."

 

I don't think this is acceptable so I called the front desk again and asked to have maintenance come and fix it... And they just sent the steward again who said the same exact thing he said before...

 

I called the front desk AGAIN and she said "Ok I will call your steward..." And I said "He has been here twice! Can we get maintenance?" And she said "Sir, your steward will call maintenance if there is an issue " and I asked to speak to a manager and she said "If the steward doesn't get it closed ask him to send his manager."

 

*****? How do I escalate this to someone that can fix the door???

 

 

 

 

Can you advise what cabin this is? Seems like one to avoid! 

 

[zgscl]

On 5/29/2022 at 4:46 PM, ShipWalker said:

Still available on our TV's were the HAL team member training videos. (They were removed after about 2 1/2 weeks into the cruise) They were actually quite interesting to watch.

 

I am so jealous! Would be very interested in any and all tidbits you may have picked up! 

 

On 5/28/2022 at 6:06 PM, wallyboag said:

*****? How do I escalate this to someone that can fix the door???

 

The navigator app feedback section is the fastest way to get the attention of someone who can do something. Both positive and negative I have almost always gotten a very fast response and usually a personal call from a department manager. Crew members have told me that submitting positive comments here is more helpful to them than the survey even as it goes directly to the onboard managers. 

 

On 5/29/2022 at 4:59 PM, rkacruiser said:

Regarding the "standard" of reporting to the "proper person":  in my experience, and I think others, some of the Front Desk staff failed that part of their lesson.  If it is an account concern, it seems to be frequently the fault of the infamous "Night Auditor".  

 

I have found the front desk on basically every HAL cruise the front desk to be less than useless unless it is anything beyond printing a folio, or getting a key card. On my most recent cruise they could not even figure out paying with a gift card. Thankfully the Neptune concierge is generally wonderful and takes care of just about everything, but I have never understood how a company that has universally wonderful and friendly crew in basically every department can fail so miserably and consistently in front desk. It is like they outsourced the front desk training to a cable company or something. 

[SargassoPirate]

On 5/29/2022 at 10:31 AM, maryandmarge said:

We have always done the same thing with the duct tape and taken it on travels with us.   Never know when a small piece of duct tape will fix a problem.   Plus it takes up very little space in your luggage. 

If it moves and shouldn't - duct tape.  If it doesn't move and it should - WD40.

 

I carry both in my travel tool kit along with a small Leatherman tool and some other items.

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, zgscl said:

the front desk to be less than useless unless it is anything beyond printing a folio, or getting a key card. On my most recent cruise they could not even figure out paying with a gift card. Thankfully the Neptune concierge is generally wonderful and takes care of just about everything,

 

This does not make any sense to me in my experience.  Who were the Concierges during my cruise on the Westerdam?  Their "other job" during the day was at the Front Office.  A Neptune Suite guest:  whomever the Concierge is can usually get the job done.  A non-Neptune Suite guest?  "We have not been told.  I don't know.  I will report your concern.  It is difficult to contact the Night Auditor.  Etc."  

[zgscl]

On 6/3/2022 at 4:46 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

This does not make any sense to me in my experience.  Who were the Concierges during my cruise on the Westerdam?  Their "other job" during the day was at the Front Office.  A Neptune Suite guest:  whomever the Concierge is can usually get the job done.  A non-Neptune Suite guest?  "We have not been told.  I don't know.  I will report your concern.  It is difficult to contact the Night Auditor.  Etc."  

Exactly my experience as well. Post restart the concierge is actually a dedicated position for their full contract. But historically it was always a few month rotation, and the assistant concierge still splits between the front desk and the lounge. If I see either of them I get great service always. If I ask someone at the desk it is just confusion or helplessness. I just don’t understand why it  is like that, I don’t think I’ve ever had a request that was particularly complicated (and I spent much of my career in hotel front desks so I have at least some insight though I’m sure there are variances on cruise ships vs land based). 

[Copper10-8]

Yes, it is SOP that the room steward (not his asst.) is to inspect whatever issue is taking place with/in your cabin and, if unable to take care of business, he is to then request resources up the ladder. For door/lock issues, that individual is the locksmith. There are two of them; a senior locksmith and a locksmith.

 

Now, at this time, you're dealing with two separate ship departments; your room steward and his asst. belong to the Housekeeping Dept. and the two locksmiths belong to the Deck/Nautical Dept. Regardless, if the locksmith can't take care of a specific door issue, up the ladder you go by requesting to have either a HK supervisor/cabin inspector/asst. housekeeper and/or the executive housekeeper/asst. hotel general manager and finally the hotel general manager (the old hotel director position) visit your cabin. For the "deckies," there are not that many upwardly mobile individuals; we're talking 1st officer and up to staff captain as far as the chain above the senior locksmith.

 

For the door issue, you are describing, it should not have to take going all the way to the top to get it fixed to your satisfaction. By the sounds of it, replacing the weather stripping in the door jamb should make everyone, especially you, a semi-happy or happy camper

 

Next time, forget the 3rd phone call and get yourself to the Front Office in person, especially after the 2nd visit by your room steward. Request to speak to a guest relations supervisor and/or asst. guest relations manager, and advise her/him that your steward has been out to your cabin 2-3 times and your door issue is still not taken care of. You can go as high as the guest relations manager while at the front office. You should get "something" for your troubles! Enjoy the rest of your voyage on Eurodam!     

[Wakepatrol]

How’s the cruise, food,shows etc?

[rkacruiser]

18 hours ago, zgscl said:

Post restart the concierge is actually a dedicated position for their full contract. But historically it was always a few month rotation, and the assistant concierge still splits between the front desk and the lounge.

 

Thank you for this information since the restart of cruising.  I was unaware of this change in their contracts.  

[TiogaCruiser]

22 hours ago, zgscl said:

Exactly my experience as well. Post restart the concierge is actually a dedicated position for their full contract. But historically it was always a few month rotation, and the assistant concierge still splits between the front desk and the lounge. If I see either of them I get great service always. If I ask someone at the desk it is just confusion or helplessness. I just don’t understand why it  is like that, I don’t think I’ve ever had a request that was particularly complicated (and I spent much of my career in hotel front desks so I have at least some insight though I’m sure there are variances on cruise ships vs land based). 

https://hollandamericagroup.pinpointhq.com/en/jobs/46829