Verifying Payment To Hal

[yotefan37]

I'm very curious...

 

I've been following Karen's horrifying TA story on another thread, and many posters suggest contacting HAL after final payment is made to ensure it is received.

 

Well, several weeks ago, when we made a final payment to our TA for our upcoming cruise, I waited 2 days and did just that - called HAL to verify it was received. The rep who answered told me "she couldn't give me any account information", and I had to call my TA to ask if the trip was paid in full. I tried explaining to her that my TA had already told me the trip was paid, and that I was attempting to verify this information. This was to no avail, she refused to give me the information. Well, I followed up by checking my credit card statements and saw the purchase was made with HAL, so I assumed we were in good shape.

 

However, when I see people suggest confirming payments with HAL, I'm confused. How is this done? Won't they just send you back to your TA when you ask account questions?

 

Thanks in advance for satifying my curiousity! :)

[dchip]

Our TA sends us a Guest Confirmation fax from HAL every time there is any change and/or payment in our booking.

 

Cheers, Denise

[yotefan37]

Our TA sends us a Guest Confirmation fax from HAL every time there is any change and/or payment in our booking.

 

This is actually what made me call HAL after our final payment - our TA actually just sent us a statement from her office showing "paid in full".

 

Thanks!

[Sharon in AZ]

My TA, whom we have been using for over 12 yrs and trust completely, always emails me any correspondence/documents from HAL and/or company (insurance, hotel, air, tour, etc) that I may need. Sometimes I get a dup in the mail and sometimes I just get an email which I print out. It amazes me.....so I have dups of every document I ever need. My file is so full for my Eurodam cruise right now! Each payment is posted on my credit card to the actual company, not my TA. So.......this is why I've been loyal to my TA over the years and not been eager to search out an extra bargain, even though we have gotten some good deals.

 

BTW, I've never called HAL myself regarding my booked cruise using my TA. I always see my credit card charged by the correct company.

 

I really do feel sorry for those purchasing through unknown agents and am grateful I have formed a professional relationship with a trustworthy TA.

 

The bottom line is.....don't assume.....you've gotten confirmation from your CC company that the cruise payment was paid through HAL, and I wouldn't question it.

[DutchByAssociation]

I'm very curious...

 

I've been following Karen's horrifying TA story on another thread, and many posters suggest contacting HAL after final payment is made to ensure it is received.

 

Well, several weeks ago, when we made a final payment to our TA for our upcoming cruise, I waited 2 days and did just that - called HAL to verify it was received. The rep who answered told me "she couldn't give me any account information", and I had to call my TA to ask if the trip was paid in full. I tried explaining to her that my TA had already told me the trip was paid, and that I was attempting to verify this information. This was to no avail, she refused to give me the information. Well, I followed up by checking my credit card statements and saw the purchase was made with HAL, so I assumed we were in good shape.

 

However, when I see people suggest confirming payments with HAL, I'm confused. How is this done? Won't they just send you back to your TA when you ask account questions?

 

Thanks in advance for satifying my curiousity! :)

 

I know it can be frustrating, but this is reservations policy. NO information can be given to the guests on a booking that was made by a travel agent. This is because of contractual agreements between HAL and various agencies.

 

There are a couple of things you can do to make sure HAL has received the payment:

- Check your bank statement 48-72 hours after final payment was made as most charges will appear within a couple days.

- Ask your travel agent to send you the GUEST COPY of the HAL confirmation. (Note, some agencies may not be able to do this because of their own business policies and use of their own invoices for their accounting purposes)

 

And that's about it. I know this topic will likely generate a lot of "What if...?" and "Say that..." but really, this is a very black and white issue... The only other option would really be to NOT use a TA, but their services are very beneficial to many travellers and I would never advise on whether or not someone SHOULD (or should not) use one.

 

Please understand though, that reservations is not being difficult with you... It is literally a case where the TA "owns" the booking, and there is a "non owner" wanting information. (You would be upset if your mortgage company told Joe Blow all about your account history, balance, etc, right? :)

[Charliesmom]

It is my understanding that once final payment is made you can print out a boarding pass. If you can do this, you have proof positive that it has been made.

 

Please, if I am wrong, correct me.

 

Roberta

[K&RCurt]

I know it can be frustrating, but this is reservations policy. NO information can be given to the guests on a booking that was made by a travel agent. This is because of contractual agreements between HAL and various agencies.

 

There are a couple of things you can do to make sure HAL has received the payment:

- Check your bank statement 48-72 hours after final payment was made as most charges will appear within a couple days.

- Ask your travel agent to send you the GUEST COPY of the HAL confirmation. (Note, some agencies may not be able to do this because of their own business policies and use of their own invoices for their accounting purposes)

 

And that's about it. I know this topic will likely generate a lot of "What if...?" and "Say that..." but really, this is a very black and white issue... The only other option would really be to NOT use a TA, but their services are very beneficial to many travellers and I would never advise on whether or not someone SHOULD (or should not) use one.

 

Please understand though, that reservations is not being difficult with you... It is literally a case where the TA "owns" the booking, and there is a "non owner" wanting information. (You would be upset if your mortgage company told Joe Blow all about your account history, balance, etc, right? :)

 

Not to contradict your interpretation of HAL policy, but if this is the case why was Karen ever called by HAL regarding her final payment not being made? If the TA "owned" the reservation and the policy was followed Karen should have never heard from HAL.

 

And you analogy doesn't quite work..We are not talking about a 4th party wanting to know (Joe Blow) people want to know if their reservation, with their name on it was paid...just a confirmation that the TA that "owns" the reservation actually forwarded the funds entrusted to them,

 

I think there is a huge difference in people callig HAL to try to make changes etc...i.e. doing what the TA "owns" vs confirming that what the TA said was actually done. No different that looking up your cabin number on line to be sure the right cabin was booked.

[jtl513]

Not to contradict your interpretation of HAL policy, ...

I'd like to point out that DutchByAssociation works at HAL HQ, so when he says something about HAL policy it's much more than an "interpretation"! :D

 

It is my understanding that once final payment is made you can print out a boarding pass. If you can do this, you have proof positive that it has been made.

 

Please, if I am wrong, correct me.

 

Roberta

OK, you're wrong. :D HAL has changed things now such that you can not print the boarding pass until a specific date, which seems to be aproximately 50 days before sailing. (48 in my case) Therefore, you may have a "limbo" period of about 25 days after final payment.

 

(You are told this "print out" date when you complete the OnLine CheckIn.)

[yotefan37]

I know it can be frustrating, but this is reservations policy. NO information can be given to the guests on a booking that was made by a travel agent. This is because of contractual agreements between HAL and various agencies.

 

Thanks for the information - I thought that was the case! Several posters have been suggesting we "contact HAL to confirm", and I just didn't think it was possible...:rolleyes:

[yotefan37]

Not to contradict your interpretation of HAL policy, but if this is the case why was Karen ever called by HAL regarding her final payment not being made? If the TA "owned" the reservation and the policy was followed Karen should have never heard from HAL.

 

From my understanding, HAL was bending the rules on this one. This TA was behind on multiple payments to HAL, and HAL went above and beyond to notify her before her cruise was cancelled. I think, in normal circumstances, HAL was assume no final payment was made, and just cancel the booking (after sending many notices to the TA).

 

They did a wonderful thing by letting her know so she could take her dream cruise :) (and so they could keep those cabins occupied ;)).

[pms4104]

This is actually what made me call HAL after our final payment - our TA actually just sent us a statement from her office showing "paid in full".

 

Thanks!

When you make any HAL payment thru your T/A, be it deposit or interim monies or final payment, ask your T/A to provide you the HAL Guest Confirmation. My experience is that the confirmation paperwork is faxed by HAL nano-seconds after any payment is made to them.

[ekerr19]

I think K&RCurt makes agood point though, and would also like to know why HAL contacted Karen instead of her TA. According to DBA, that scenario should not happen.

 

I'm wondering if HAL became aware of the issues involving Karen's TA because it happened with them before? According to what I've read about her TA, many cruise lines have had issues with them.

[pms4104]

I think K&RCurt makes agood point though, and would also like to know why HAL contacted Karen instead of her TA. According to DBA, that scenario should not happen.

 

I'm wondering if HAL became aware of the issues involving Karen's TA because it happened with them before? According to what I've read about her TA, many cruise lines have had issues with them.

My guesses as to why HAL called Karen:

Final payment date had passed 3 weeks ago

HAL likely attempted to get the $$$ from the T/A

No monies forthcoming

HAL tried and tried again

Still no monies

HAL wants to sail full or nearly so

And, except for a handful of closed categories,

Karen's sailing still wide open and available

Also likely this T/A had more than just Karen's booking on this sailing

And HAL wanted all of their client monies

To, yes, sail as full as possible

In Karen's late posts, she indicated HAL no longer works with this T/A

And I surmise it is because they are scamming passengers

By holdiing onto their monies

So, as part of the terminating the relationship,

HAL involved Karen and any others in the same boat

As part of dumping this agent

And taking over those bookings.

 

With such a long voyage only 2 months out, I'm guessing HAL may not have a waitlist for those cabins ... wanted to fill the ship and get their money.

[yotefan37]

I think K&RCurt makes agood point though, and would also like to know why HAL contacted Karen instead of her TA. According to DBA, that scenario should not happen.

 

I'm wondering if HAL became aware of the issues involving Karen's TA because it happened with them before? According to what I've read about her TA, many cruise lines have had issues with them.

 

 

If you read some of Karen's posts, she said that HAL told her they were having problems collecting payment from her TA on several cruises. In fact, HAL told her they are no longer accepting bookings from the TA in question.

[ekerr19]

I did read it, mostly just Karen's posts and may have missed that.

 

So it was an 'exception' to the rule that DBA mentions above, which I totally understand - just thought it was a good point. :)

 

The TA is a horror. I've read pages and pages of similar complaints and Karen was wise to change her CC numbers...

[yotefan37]

The TA is a horror. I've read pages and pages of similar complaints and Karen was wise to change her CC numbers...

 

She was! Scary, scary company... :eek:

[K&RCurt]

I'd like to point out that DutchByAssociation works at HAL HQ, so when he says something about HAL policy it's much more than an "interpretation"! :D

 

I am well aware that DBA works for HAL. His big red NO I would assume means their policy is that not one bit of information on a booking can be shared with the passenger unless it is through the TA. In Karen's case, information WAS shared therefore, apparently NO, doesn't ALWAYS mean NO. So somehow the policy is interpreted differently by different employees of HAL or no call would have been made to Karen, regardless of what issues HAL was having with her TA.

 

To paraphrase Dickens - If that's the rule, then the rule is an ass - A passenger should be permitted to acertain if HAL recieved the funds entrusted to a TA from HAL, rather than having to "trust" a potentially dishonest TA.

[lvtotrvl1]

I am well aware that DBA works for HAL. His big red NO I would assume means their policy is that not one bit of information on a booking can be shared with the passenger unless it is through the TA. In Karen's case, information WAS shared therefore, apparently NO, doesn't ALWAYS mean NO. So somehow the policy is interpreted differently by different employees of HAL or no call would have been made to Karen, regardless of what issues HAL was having with her TA.

 

To paraphrase Dickens - If that's the rule, then the rule is an ass - A passenger should be permitted to acertain if HAL recieved the funds entrusted to a TA from HAL, rather than having to "trust" a potentially dishonest TA.

 

Not a problem if the TA has the cruiseline charge the card. As a consumer you can ask for a credit card authorization form and note that HAL (or whatever cruiseline) is the only one authorized to charge your card.

[European_CruiseGirl]

Just wanted to add to this thread that our European cruisers wont get upset:

 

In Europe it is customary that the invoice is always on the TA's name. This is because of different laws and contracts that we have here. So if you booked your cruise in UK, Germany, Spain, where ever in Europe you won't see HAL in your CC statement. :)

[MISSYLOU]

Our TA sends us a Guest Confirmation fax from HAL every time there is any change and/or payment in our booking.

 

Cheers, Denise

 

 

Ditto. I have a well established, trusted TA. Once I get the confirmation from her I don't worry. Unless you are using a TA you know nothing about I cannot see why anyone would need to call HAL. Also your credit card charge should post to your account in a few days after payment.

[DutchByAssociation]

I am well aware that DBA works for HAL. His big red NO I would assume means their policy is that not one bit of information on a booking can be shared with the passenger unless it is through the TA. In Karen's case, information WAS shared therefore, apparently NO, doesn't ALWAYS mean NO.

 

I also stated that this is Reservations Policy. It wouldn't be totally out of the question for a reservations agent to be written up if they gave out information they shouldn't. This point is made VERY clear in the training process. SOME things, SOME times can be confirmed by a reservations supervisor as they have a bit more power to make a judgement calls, but even they are very limited.

 

I'm not certain if another department may have been the one that tried to contact her. While I don't immediately know of a (I think the name used was) 'Tracy' in Reservations, it doesn't mean there isn't one, but my guess is that this may have been someone either in the World Cruise dept, reservations accounting or something along those lines.

[LVSue]

It is my understanding that once final payment is made you can print out a boarding pass. If you can do this, you have proof positive that it has been made.

 

Please, if I am wrong, correct me.

 

jtl513 said: OK, you're wrong. :D HAL has changed things now such that you can not print the boarding pass until a specific date, which seems to be aproximately 50 days before sailing. (48 in my case) Therefore, you may have a "limbo" period of about 25 days after final payment.

 

(You are told this "print out" date when you complete the OnLine CheckIn.)

 

It is my understanding that if you can access (not print) the OnLine Check-In, HAL has your final payment. (In other words, you can't access that until you have made final payment.) That is how my SIL discovered that a different, now defunct, agency had not forwarded our final payment.

[Wine Taster]

I just received a quote on Cruise Compete from the TA that gave Karen such a horrible run around so they still have access through Cruise Compete.:eek::eek: