Should HAL disclose when it is partially chartering a ship

[O2B@C]

Ok here I go making myself the least liked new girl on here. I work for Holland right now. Being truthful I understand everyones desire to be aware of the large groups on board. Although I will mention that the reservations staff in the Seattle corporate office is not always made aware of the groups, we honestly would mention it if we were informed of this. I know that is a bad excuse and I wont make an excuse for not informing people. I love my job and love making people happy which is why I hopped on here to get some real perspective from people who have sailed.

 

Thanks for being brave enough to jump in and give us another perspective. I also appreciate that you honestly want to hear the passengers' perspective.

 

Now, here's a thought. From what you say, you and your colleagues do not always have all the information you need to do your jobs properly. Fixing this problem is, of course, the responsibility of HAL's management, not of the "front line" staff. But you could make a suggestion, and I have an idea about what that could be.

 

I'm sure all your bookings and so on are done on a computer database of some sort. Could you and your colleagues request that HAL create some sort of central record on that database for each specific cruise, into which notes would be entered about: group bookings; reservations of public spaces for private groups; number of children on board; etc., etc.? That way, if you had a question about that sort of thing, the information would be right there, at least as of the time of the call.

 

Giving people accurate and timely information is what computer databases are for - and they do a good job of it, if they are properly designed and correctly maintained. If you're having problems delivering the level of customer service you would like to provide, because you don't have the necessary tools, tell your supervisor!

 

Good luck, and it's good to know there are people in your position who really do care about their jobs and about customer service.

[frost63]

Brian - I assume you are booked, as are we, on the 11/3/07 Volendam cruise that will have the MacMania 7 and Shakespeare @ Sea groups. Do you or others on this thread have a idea of how many people will be in each of the groups?

 

I note that the Shakespeare group advertises three evening performances [between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. according to their brochure], the screening of four films, seven lectures, ten workshops, and exclusive Bon Voyage [5 p.m.] and Farewell parties, and a reserved section of the Rotterdam Dining Room. The Mac group advertises forty hours of classes, 16 hours of access to "The Ingenious Bar", three evenings of Geek Cruises entertainment, and two parties.

 

Actually both groups' programs sound very interesting to us, but we are becoming concerned about the groups' many events taking public space out of the use and enjoyment of us and the rest of the guests.

 

Any information you might have about the groups' numbers will help us make an informed decision about rebooking another date. Thanks, Brian (and others).

 

To get back to the original premise of this thread: if I were to call HAL and ask if any large groups are booked on our cruise would they (should they)tell me "Yes, we have two groups booked," and, if asked, should they (would they) tell me the number of cabins booked by the two groups?

[peaches from georgia]

 

To get back to the original premise of this thread: if I were to call HAL and ask if any large groups are booked on our cruise would they (should they)tell me "Yes, we have two groups booked," and, if asked, should they (would they) tell me the number of cabins booked by the two groups?

 

#1- Would they- no

Should they- yes

 

#2- Should they?- yes

Would they?- no

[cruznon]

If pax call HAL and ask about large groups booked/partial charters and their numbers, I feel HAL should let future pax have this info. These groups can truly affect the cruise experience for others on board.

[seniormiss]

From a suggestion I found on this board, I googled a cruise I am planning to take on April 5, 2008 on the Ryndam, 10 day Mexico...and guess what, a card playing poker group is on that cruise. Now I am a gambler and spend lots of time in the casino but from what I have read (thank everyone for this board) not the best of people to cruise with, appologies to all poker players. Needless to say we are changing our cruise to the following week.

[hammybee]

From a suggestion I found on this board, I googled a cruise I am planning to take on April 5, 2008 on the Ryndam, 10 day Mexico...and guess what, a card playing poker group is on that cruise. Now I am a gambler and spend lots of time in the casino but from what I have read (thank everyone for this board) not the best of people to cruise with, appologies to all poker players. Needless to say we are changing our cruise to the following week.

 

We once sailed the same cruise as a poker group. They played poker morning, noon and night, without compromizing the Crow's Nest or any other sigificant venue. What was perhaps most noticable was their absence pool -side, in the dining room and evening entertainment areas. Sometimes, a group can be "a good thing".

[O2B@C]

We once sailed the same cruise as a poker group. They played poker morning, noon and night, without compromizing the Crow's Nest or any other sigificant venue. What was perhaps most noticable was their absence pool -side, in the dining room and evening entertainment areas. Sometimes, a group can be "a good thing".

 

Oh, TOTALLY - if their group activities take place in a venue that other passengers aren't likely to care about using at that particular time.

 

But unfortunately, I have my doubts that the ballroom dancers on Westerdam 11/25/07 are going to find somewhere "out of the way" to hold their group classes. I am SO afraid that HAL is going to let them take over the Crow's Nest for most of the daylight hours on sea days. Even if they don't block it off completely, who would want to be there when they're practicing - or in the Explorations Cafe, for that matter, now that it's been made basically part of the same space. Grrrrr.:mad:

[WillieF]

For many years I worked in the travel industry and learned that there are 'groups' and there are 'groups'.

 

On todays ships I doubt that a group of less than 200 would have any impact on the enjoyment of other passengers. However 3 or 4 'groups' of 200 - those I WOULD want to know about - and I'd want to know something about them.

 

In my opinion 'Partial charters' also should be disclosed. I don't however expect every seat in the Crows Nest or any other lounge to be available to me 24 hours a day every day.

[MSammy]

I'm fine with HAL booking groups of any size on my cruise. I am NOT fine with HAL closing public areas for the duration of a cruise. In facl, I think closing the Crows Nest or any other public area for the ENTIRE cruise is a violation of my contract with HAL. They (HAL) have advertised these areas as being avialable to me--to close them entirely is false advertising. I don't care what the small print says...

[O2B@C]

Ok here I go making myself the least liked new girl on here. I work for Holland right now. Being truthful I understand everyones desire to be aware of the large groups on board. Although I will mention that the reservations staff in the Seattle corporate office is not always made aware of the groups, we honestly would mention it if we were informed of this. I know that is a bad excuse and I wont make an excuse for not informing people. I love my job and love making people happy which is why I hopped on here to get some real perspective from people who have sailed.

 

Luckiest: I just had my TA call Ship's Services to find out more info about the group that is booked on my upcoming cruise - how big, what venues they would be using, and specifically whether the Crow's Nest would be unavailable. The TA says they were told HAL does not give out this information - period.

 

You say you would mention this info if you were informed of it, and I have no reason not to believe you as an individual. It sounds to me, however, like they don't tell you the info because they don't WANT you to give it out.

 

I must say that the prospect of not knowing whether or not I can use the Crow's Nest until after I've paid my money and gotten on board is making me think seriously about making other plans for how to spend the $$ I was going to pay for my cruise. Perhaps you could convey that information up the corporate ladder.