What improvements would you make to HAL website?

[bkreader]

This conversation was kind of started on the thread about the intro, but I thought it deserved a thread of its own. Are you reading this, HAL?

From pages about the individual ships, why can't they have a link to that ship's itineraries? I realize that itineraries keep changing, but someone at the HAL site ought to be able to handle updates.

Also from the ship's page, I would like to have more detailed information about the cabins. Which categories have refrigerators, coffeemakers, etc.?

What else? - Jane

[Santa Fe Jim]

SEARCH!! That gets around all the arcane, dead-end short menus they've put in the site.

SFJ

[Bookish Angel]

I'd love to see high-res tours of the staterooms, gym, etc.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Yes!!! To both of you. I don't see why we can't click on a particular ship and then see the itineraries for that ship. And absolutely they need a "search".

This is a very good thread. I'm going to take another look at the HAL site in the morning (too tired tonight) because whenever I go there I find 10 things wrong with navigating the site.

Good idea, Jane ... maybe the good people at HAL will take notice if we come up with some good ideas.

[peaches from georgia]

I don't have a problem finding out what ships are going where and when. In that respect HAL is much better navigating to get that information than Celebrity's site
.
BUT I would like to see what cabins are available without having to go to Travelocity to find out. Celebrity has no problem giving you that information. It's all on the HAL computer system that TA's and the online cruise sites are plugged into.

[intandemNV]

I was very disappointed with their information on children's programs. Very little information is offered. Compared to Princess (the only other website and cruise I've done), HAL just doesn't give you much information on anything.:confused:

[bepsf]

I'd like to see:


Deckplans that are more legible and updated (per Ryndam and future SOE renovations)
Up-to-date stateroom availability (similar to Celebrity)
2006 itineraries (Celebrity, Princess and Carnival all have '06 cruises available on Expedia, et al.
Itineraries available from the ship page
Live Webcams (like Princess and Celebrity) - possibly even including a live webcam of the Fincantieri yard where the new ships are built.
A ship-tracker similar to the ones aboard (that shows you where each ship of the line is on the planet)
A Mariner's area that really does something, like give you access to how many days you have w/ HAL, shows the awards, displays current Mariner discounts and gives current 'inside' PR info.
Corporate Contact info for the CEO, etc.
Online purchasing for gifts, wine/liquor packages, mementos and Pinnacle reservations (similar to ShoreEx site) instead of the fumbly FAX form/800-number.
Online purchasing for HAL Logo/Dam-Ship merchandise to be sent home (How many of us have gotten home and wished that we'd bought just one more HAL mug...)
Downloadable Wallpapers and Screensavers of our favorite ships, ports and views from aboard.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I'd like to see:

Deckplans that are more legible and updated (per Ryndam and future SOE renovations)
Up-to-date stateroom availability (similar to Celebrity)
2006 itineraries (Celebrity, Princess and Carnival all have '06 cruises available on Expedia, et al.
Itineraries available from the ship page
Live Webcams (like Princess and Celebrity) - possibly even including a live webcam of the Fincantieri yard where the new ships are built.
A ship-tracker similar to the ones aboard (that shows you where each ship of the line is on the planet)
A Mariner's area that really does something, like give you access to how many days you have w/ HAL, shows the awards, displays current Mariner discounts and gives current 'inside' PR info.
Corporate Contact info for the CEO, etc.
Online purchasing for gifts, wine/liquor packages, mementos and Pinnacle reservations (similar to ShoreEx site) instead of the fumbly FAX form/800-number.
Online purchasing for HAL Logo/Dam-Ship merchandise to be sent home (How many of us have gotten home and wished that we'd bought just one more HAL mug...)
Downloadable Wallpapers and Screensavers of our favorite ships, ports and views from aboard.

Brian, I really like everyone of your ideas they are great. Gee, I really hope HAL is reading this and takes note.:)

[dakrewser]

What Brian said.

Plus -

I want to look/search cruises by something other than itinerary and date - by ship, by price (realistic price, i.e. $/day), by cabin availability (i.e., show me cruises with available VA cabins) and so on....

-dave

[dot73]

Live Web Cams - I love to see where the HAL ships are. Other cruise lines have them.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Yes, what Brian said. Absolutely. You did all the work, Brian! Thanks!:)

In fact only the other day I went there to see if they had a "shopping" area, but no. How silly is that? They would do very well with it! I want more of their nice tall bubbly glasses ... they're great and they don't "sweat":D . And I never did get any "dam" shirts and I'd really like to have a couple.

Get on the ball, HAL!!!:)

[thulewx]

Especially about the cabins - a 360º view thingy would be really nice and a zoom-able pic of the cabin layout.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

And I never did get any "dam" shirts and I'd really like to have a couple.

Get on the ball, HAL!!!:)
Heather, we finally got us each one this past cruise, plus I picked up a thermal "dam"coffee mug:D

[naxos]

Cabin availability with accurate square footage of each cabin. HAL has that info in their computers. If I am choosing a cabin, I should be able to click on an avaiable cabin and get its REAL dimensions- not only the average dimensions since they vary, sometimes significantly!

[elmorejj]

Brian, you really put some thought into this, didn`t you? I love every one of your suggestions, and sincerely hope HAL is taking notes..thanks...jean :cool:

[sail7seas]

Yes, yes, yes Brian.


I want web/bridge cams; I want to be able to shop for HAL logo items from home on their site; I really want cabin availability info; where's the fleet info and everything else you wrote. You really nailed it for most of us.

Your idea about Mariner info is terrific.

HAL.....are you taking notes??? Please??!! Let your webmaster use his skills for a much improved site we would make excellent use of.

[lipoppop]

I'd like to see:


Deckplans that are more legible and updated (per Ryndam and future SOE renovations)
Up-to-date stateroom availability (similar to Celebrity)
2006 itineraries (Celebrity, Princess and Carnival all have '06 cruises available on Expedia, et al.
Itineraries available from the ship page
Live Webcams (like Princess and Celebrity) - possibly even including a live webcam of the Fincantieri yard where the new ships are built.
A ship-tracker similar to the ones aboard (that shows you where each ship of the line is on the planet)
A Mariner's area that really does something, like give you access to how many days you have w/ HAL, shows the awards, displays current Mariner discounts and gives current 'inside' PR info.
Corporate Contact info for the CEO, etc.
Online purchasing for gifts, wine/liquor packages, mementos and Pinnacle reservations (similar to ShoreEx site) instead of the fumbly FAX form/800-number.
Online purchasing for HAL Logo/Dam-Ship merchandise to be sent home (How many of us have gotten home and wished that we'd bought just one more HAL mug...)
Downloadable Wallpapers and Screensavers of our favorite ships, ports and views from aboard.


An excellent list Brian. I would only add or expand on your item about shipboard credit availabilty and promotions in one place. Also a link to a list of important recent news like itinerary changes

[longtimecruiser]

Excellant ideas, Brian. Very well thought out. I would especially like a screensaver of my favorite Hal ship.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Thinking more on Brian's excellent suggestions, I should think they would be able to show us available cabins the same way you see them on some of the agency websites where a little light flashes over all available cabins on a given deck.

When you look at the available cabins on HAL's website now, there's no link to where they are on the deck plan which is very annoying unless you happen to have their brochure in front of you. There's just that silly teeny diagram of a ship with a dot showing if it's in the bow, midships, or stern of the ship ... not very informative.

[RevNeal]

As someone who has, as a hobby, website design and maintenance, everything that has been mentioned would be fairly easy to implement. It would take some time and money to do some of the things thus far suggested (shipcams, for instance), but once they were set up maintaining and updating them would be a simple prospect.

Downloadable Wallpapers and Screensavers of our favorite ships, ports and views from aboard.

I've done this myself. My screen savers are all selected photos from my cruises ... mostly of HAL ships and views from HMC, and from the ship, and of special shore excursions. My desktop (i.e., "wallpapers" on wintelboxes) is on a 5 minute rotation with a different one of the Captain Card paintings of the ships of the HAL fleet (historic and current).

[Orcrone]

Cabin availability with accurate square footage of each cabin. HAL has that info in their computers. If I am choosing a cabin, I should be able to click on an avaiable cabin and get its REAL dimensions- not only the average dimensions since they vary, sometimes significantly!Naxos,

They have this already, if you go to the HAL website and go through the motions of booking a cabin. After you select a cabin, but before payment, there is a link to stateroom details. This will give you the square footage of the actual cabin, not just average room for that category. Not convenient, but you can obtain the info before booking.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Naxos,

They have this already, if you go to the HAL website and go through the motions of booking a cabin. After you select a cabin, but before payment, there is a link to stateroom details. This will give you the square footage of the actual cabin, not just average room for that category. Not convenient, but you can obtain the info before booking.
Marc, not that I'm questionning you, but are you sure it's the dimensions of the actual cabin ... or of that cabin category??? I've never seen this. Unless you're saying you can only do it if you book directly thru HAL.

[Orcrone]

Marc, not that I'm questionning you, but are you sure it's the dimensions of the actual cabin ... or of that cabin category??? I've never seen this. Unless you're saying you can only do it if you book directly thru HAL.Heather, it is something available only on the HAL website (or at least that's the only place I've seen it). It gives the actual size of the room in square feet. I've used it to check cabin sizes for rooms that are a different size than the standard cabin, for instance at the stern of the ship. I also used it to check the size of my brother's handicapped cabin (category VA). Most cabins in this category are 176 square feet (without verandah). His showed up as over 250 square feet. It's a bit tedious, since you have to go through the motions of reserving a room, but it does work.

[lgt]

I would like to be able to book spa appointments online along with wine, soda cards and Pinnacle reservations. I'm glad you can book cabanas online. I would also like to be able to do the Bahamas immigration form online.

[spcl4cs_gal]

I'd like to be able to book shore excursions online with the site working for me just once. :(

[zebra36]

I would just like to be able to conect. For the past few weeks whenever I attempt to get to HAL's web site I get an "illegal operation"(?)message and my internet connection gets cut, period.

Frank

[grannynurse]

a 3-D room tour available online. The last one I remember was of the Amsterdam in 2002 when we were getting ready for our Rotterdam NE/Canada trip. Knowing that they were sister ships, I checked it out.
Come to think of it, I think I saw one of the Ryndam when they offerred the webcast.
I like the video clips of the cabins and public rooms, they're very helpful.
GN