HAL- CUSTOMER SERVICE- DISGRACEFUL!

[VMax1700]

50 minutes ago, Rambozo68 said:

PS if anybody's reading this in isolation, no attempt was made to credit either of our credit cards at the end of our sailing. This has been confirmed by 2 separate UK banks.

Although you keep re-stating this message, you do not know for a fact that HAL did not make an attempt to credit your card.  The breakdown may have occured between the U.S. side of the transfer and the UK side of the transfer, after HAL issued the credit.

I don't know either, but it is a possibility that should be considered.  After all I believe that there will be several steps in the payment/repayment process and the breakdown could occur at any stage.  (just saying!)

[Stratheden]

54 minutes ago, Rambozo68 said:

 

 

Hi MSJB, on 16th September I received the correspondence below, from a Special Advisor, Office of the President. I assume the same would probably apply in Europe.

 

Another barrier, prolonging the return of my cash!

 

PS if anybody's reading this in isolation, no attempt was made to credit either of our credit cards at the end of our sailing. This has been confirmed by 2 separate UK banks.

 

Hal seems to be having a lot of problems refunding money into Credit Card accounts.  They are always being declined.   I have never had a refund declined to my Credit Card.  I truly think Hal's Accounting Department are inept.

[Rambozo68]

8 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Although you keep re-stating this message, you do not know for a fact that HAL did not make an attempt to credit your card.  The breakdown may have occured between the U.S. side of the transfer and the UK side of the transfer, after HAL issued the credit.

I don't know either, but it is a possibility that should be considered.  After all I believe that there will be several steps in the payment/repayment process and the breakdown could occur at any stage.  (just saying!)

 

Hi Vmax, I can only go on what my bank told me, and my friends bank. Coincidence? And right now the banks have significantly more credibility than HAL. Here's another thought, and I'm sure you've done it many times. Ooops that didn't go through, let's try again!

Edited October 7 by Rambozo68

[Mary229]

HAL should have been forthcoming about the issue and the options.  

[Wehwalt]

3 hours ago, rotjeknor said:

Interesting.... so people had a choice wether to wait and get the refund on the credit card or choose for speed and get a check. And now they are complaining that they have trouble cashing the check ? And of course the HAL is responsible .....

 

Another thing I have to get off my chest... why did the OP use capitals and a word like disgraceful in the subjectline. Imo , it's hard to have an " objective" discussion on the way HAL's CS works when you start out with capitals ( shouting) and a subjective term like disgraceful . But that’s just me...

On your first point, of course, they always had the option to take a cash refund while aboard ship. The OP is non-American and I gather felt that they would rather have a refund to a card. Still, dollars never go out of fashion.

 

Regarding subjectivity and capitals, I made a very similar point in my post #74 to this thread. 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

9 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Others on our roll call said that their refunds are late because of the same technical issue and they were able to choose check or return to card. The check was the faster option so many opted for that .

 

When a check is faster than a transfer to a credit card, something is seriously wrong with the accounting system!

[dfish]

4 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

When a check is faster than a transfer to a credit card, something is seriously wrong with the accounting system!

Absolutely!   However, if there was a balance due I am guessing that would show up on the credit card before you get home from the cruise.  The problem only exists one way.

[Mary229]

13 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

When a check is faster than a transfer to a credit card, something is seriously wrong with the accounting system!

It was a system hack.  

[BermudaBound2014]

2 hours ago, Wehwalt said:

On your first point, of course, they always had the option to take a cash refund while aboard ship.

 

 

Not necessarily. I was told they didn't have cash to give me and would apply refund to CC.

[msjb22]

3 hours ago, Wehwalt said:

On your first point, of course, they always had the option to take a cash refund while aboard ship. The OP is non-American and I gather felt that they would rather have a refund to a card. Still, dollars never go out of fashion.

 

Regarding subjectivity and capitals, I made a very similar point in my post #74 to this thread. 

 

I for one was not informed that cash was an option, a transer of the refundable OBC to my Visa card simply showed up as the final item on my statement on the last morning or possibly even the last evening. If cash was an option, I definitely was not made aware of this.

[Alberta Quilter]

10 hours ago, Mary229 said:

If you paid by credit card in a specific currency and are unable to accept a check in another currency talk to the credit card company.  If you paid in US dollars they are likely within their rights to send a check denominated in US dollars.  Others on our roll call said that their refunds are late because of the same technical issue and they were able to choose check or return to card. The check was the faster option so many opted for that .  In the end you should not be left with a souvenir and do have recourse. 
 

PS I am not defending HAL, this is a consumer rights issue and there are laws of governance 

@Mary229, are you talking about our Volendam cruise when you refer to "our roll call"?  Because I was not given a choice, nor were others based on the remarks on the roll call thread.  I have not yet received my refund but haven't checked the mail for a few days either.  Being Canadian, I would have preferred the credit card route but I can deposit the cheque into my USD bank account.

Edited October 7 by Alberta Quilter

[Wehwalt]

3 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Not necessarily. I was told they didn't have cash to give me and would apply refund to CC.

So you requested cash and were refused?

[BermudaBound2014]

2 minutes ago, Wehwalt said:

So you requested cash and were refused?

 

Yes

[Wehwalt]

Just now, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Yes

Interesting and unusual. If there was any opportunity to go to the casino before disembarkation, I'd have cashed it in the way we used to get OBC cashed before too many people started doing it and they cracked down. Very surprised though that they'd run low on cash on a sailing where US banking is readily available.

[Mary229]

2 hours ago, Alberta Quilter said:

@Mary229, are you talking about our Volendam cruise when you refer to "our roll call"?  Because I was not given a choice, nor were others based on the remarks on the roll call thread.  I have not yet received my refund but haven't checked the mail for a few days either.  Being Canadian, I would have preferred the credit card route but I can deposit the cheque into my USD bank account.

Some people mentioned they were given a choice hence my comment that they really need to be forthcoming about the exact issue and the options. 

[D Lee]

To top it all, I just received in the mail today, my travel agents commission check from my July Zuiderdam cruise.  I’ve contacted her and asks what she wants me to do with it. I think there is major bookkeeping problem with the company. 

[Rubyfisch]

I was on Zuiderdam, ending August 31. I got my check in the mail today.

[everbeentoseabilly]

I disembarked the Rotterdam on august 17 and after 2 phone calls( 3 hours on hold) and  a couple emails, we got our check today

[Emme1233]

I had a refundable account credit, and went down to check on it, and said I would take the cash. They counted out my big $180 and change…I said $20’s please, and of course was give a $100 bill..gave it back, got my $20’s and left. In this situation cash was the best option. 

[OMYx3]

We received our check yesterday for our cruise that ended August 24.  A little proactive communication from HAL would have made this a totally different experience.  Literally the only communication we received was from our booking agent at HAL, who had no influence over this, but I had copied her on my emails when I receive ZERO response from anyone else.  Hopefully they will revamp their customer service, as they are risking losing a lot of customers based on how this was handled.

[Emme1233]

3 minutes ago, OMYx3 said:

We received our check yesterday for our cruise that ended August 24.  A little proactive communication from HAL would have made this a totally different experience.  Literally the only communication we received was from our booking agent at HAL, who had no influence over this, but I had copied her on my emails when I receive ZERO response from anyone else.  Hopefully they will revamp their customer service, as they are risking losing a lot of customers based on how this was handled.

Agree..however as they and other cruise lines keep piling people on/AKA keeping their ships full..and customers think it was great..nothing will change. 

[Kiwi-gal]

On 10/7/2024 at 7:23 PM, sciencewonk said:

That's actually an Australian thing.  Checks are still standard in the US, although they seem to be becoming less common.  A big problem is when a check for US dollars is drawn on a US bank and issued to someone in Australia.  Most (if not all) Aussie banks will not cash foreign checks.

Also a New Zealand thing. Banks no longer accept them here.

[HappyInVan]

22 hours ago, Emme1233 said:

Agree..however as they and other cruise lines keep piling people on/AKA keeping their ships full..and customers think it was great..nothing will change. 

 

 

Not much point in sailing half full?

 

Ships get bigger because they can cram on more attractions. Pax keep coming because the price is right. There must be logic in there somewhere.

 

Back on topic. 

 

Absolutely agree. Its ridiculous.

 

I don't understand why multiple attempts at CC refund can fail? Are there not enough funds in the company account? Was the company Treasurer not able to juggle accounts??

[Rambozo68]

FINAL UPDATE FROM OP!

 

Day 68!

 

After a few more emails back and forth with "The Office of the President" I received instructions on how to process my OBC refund through their HSBC portal. Fill in your bank details and they advise that the money will be transferred in 1-3 days. And this morning, the full amount, in GBP has been returned to my bank account! 😁

 

Thanks to all for sharing their various experiences on this forum.

 

And to those of you in the Florida area, I dread to think what you're wakening up to this morning, I hope you're all safe and well 🤞🤞🤞

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for the update, glad you finally got your money back.