HAL ship services poor

[spendalot]

Well today I called ship services to get a menu list of gifts and liquor packages to purchase. I was ignored, put on hold,had to call back then had to endure a "snippy" "snooty" customer service agent(ha!) Then was transferred to an equally arogant supervisor and ended up deciding to purchase my gift items for our group from an outside vendor. When your in business it is just plain______________ to be rude to someone trying to spend thier money with you.
I'm asking our great CC members to help me locate a good vendor for San Diego

Perhaps HAL should move this department to an area of the country where people value thier jobs and dont need to talk down to the customer.

[ekerr19]

Wow! I must say this surprises me. I have had fantastic experiences with Ship Services, as recently as last week. I was fortunate enough to have Becky take my call - and she remembered me from our Cabana booking last April on the Maasdam!

I ordered a wine package for my parents upcoming circle Hawaii cruise and told her how they had been waitlisted for 1st seating and she looked and was happy to inform me that they had gotten 1st seating. I called my Mom and she was so thrilled.

Maybe you should give them another try - ask for Becky, she is just awesome.

[MaryEllen1952]

I haven't used ship services yet but have called HAL several times about booking a cruise and people were very nice to me.

[cru1s1ng]

I called yesterday to order champagne and flowers for my 3/31/05 maasdam trip. They, like everyone else were nice. They must've been having a bad day.

[spendalot]

I'm glad you hav had ggod luck. Can anyone reccomend an outside vendor?

[DFD1]

Too bad. I believe you must have gotten a rotten apple. I've used them from time to time over several cruises and have always been treated well.....Not always happy with the item I ordered, but treated well.

I'm sorry it happened to you. It's experiences like that that dim the pleasure of your trip.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It has been awhile since we called ship services. But when we did, we never had a problem.

Sorry to hear about your problems.

[KAKcruiser]

I have had contact with HAL ships services many times and they have always been extremely helpful and nice. You must have had a highly unusual experience. Why not try again?

[dakrewser]

I'm glad you hav had ggod luck. Can anyone reccomend an outside vendor?

As you can see, no one here has ever felt the need to use an outside vendor.

"Once bitten, twice shy" is the old saying, but you might just want to try one more time. If that doesn't work, contact your regular florist and have them work with someone in San Diego to design and deliver a bon voyage package.

You could also download (http://www.hollandamerica.com/onboard/gifts.do) the order forms and email your request to ships' services...

[heyabbott]

You can download the menu of gifts and liquor from their website.

[jaguarstyper]

You can call any florist to have arrangements delivered to the ship. I dont think you can have liquor delivered to your stateroom. Wine and Champagne, maybe. I have never had a problem with Ship Services. They have always been extremely helpful and pleasant. I would suggest you give them a second chance.

Tim

[spendalot]

Thank-you everyone. I was able to locate a florist who does ship deliveries. As it turns out I will be saving money too.... Thanks

[doone]

This suprises me as well. I have found ships services to be nothing more than pleasant and helpful. Like we all can have, this agent may have had a bad day. Hope your other dealings with HAL will be nothing less than pleasant.

[ExpCruiser]

Dear spendalot: After the embarkation, most of the HAL services are poor. Sorry to be negative, but this is what it is. The posters on your thread must be shills for HAL. There is just no RESPONSE (I've had from HAL) that meets a business person's level of expectation. Glad you found a local rep (and saved $$$).

[wander]

ExpCruiser,

But spendalot was not talking about Ship's Services after embarkation. The OP was about pre-cruise contacts, as were the responds until yours.

[ekerr19]

Dear spendalot: After the embarkation, most of the HAL services are poor. Sorry to be negative, but this is what it is. The posters on your thread must be shills for HAL. There is just no RESPONSE (I've had from HAL) that meets a business person's level of expectation. Glad you found a local rep (and saved $$$).

Why in the world would you say that? Because many of us did not have poor experiences?

We are also talking about PRIOR to embarkation in this scenario. Many of us read about your poor experience on the Noordam a couple of years ago and then your admittedly "decent" cruise on the Maasdam - sorry it wasn't up to your expectations, but why are still here comdemning every aspect of life onboard a HAL ship?

I am a business person and I find HAL response to my needs to be above normal standards and expectation, so if you are speaking on behalf of all us "business" people, please leave me out. :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

While I certainly have a couple of issues with HAL's service, it certainly doesn't extend to Ship's Services. I called them several times before our last cruise and had nothing but delightful conversations with them. We actually got into friendly conversations and they couldn't have been nicer.

If I had Spendalot's experience, I think I would have just called back another time and started out all over again. Having worked in customer service for many years, I know you can have a bad day:o . I wouldn't take the chance of an outside vendor without a firm recommendation from someone who has used them.

And of course, they do have their gift order form available online so that's always another good option.

[doone]

I agree with Ekerr, we are only putting down our own experiences. I have not had a poor HAL representative, why lie and say I did when we didn't, just to justify yours??? I am not saying that the Op didn't have a bad experience, I just haven't.

[heyabbott]

Dear spendalot: After the embarkation, most of the HAL services are poor. Sorry to be negative, but this is what it is. The posters on your thread must be shills for HAL. There is just no RESPONSE (I've had from HAL) that meets a business person's level of expectation. Glad you found a local rep (and saved $$$).

I wouldn't say the folks here are shills, but they wouldn't be here if they didn't truely like the product. I haven't yet experienced HAL but from many of the posters' comments they seem to have had seconds on the HAL Kool-Aid. There's not alot of criticism or even objectiveness. But that's the nature of message boards. The Choir preaching to the converted. Very helpful comments and advice but also alot of loyalty.

[dakrewser]

Dear spendalot: After the embarkation, most of the HAL services are poor. Sorry to be negative, but this is what it is. The posters on your thread must be shills for HAL.

That is libel. It's actionable. But, as a "business person" you should know that. Must keep your lawyer busy, eh?

-dave
"If I throw a stick, will you leave?"

[spendalot]

Maybe I did not explain that I had called back.( Three times) It was the third time needing to call back that began the unhappiness I felt. I love HAL once I am on the ship and we are mariners and have cruised enough to know who is good and who needs help. , however no matter how well all of you have experienced HAL ship services in the past my experience was plain ol , no excuses poor. Sorry HAL lovers that is the reality. I also thought you may be shills .

My experience was legitimate.......

[ekerr19]

I also thought you may be shills .

My experience was legitimate.......

Oh please, shills? Many folks have been posting on this board for a long time - they can hardly be called "shills".

BTW - MY experience is legitimate too. Sorry you had a bad one, I hope your cruise goes well. :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Do you know I had to look "shills" up? Here's what Google says:

"One who poses as a satisfied customer or an enthusiastic gambler to dupe bystanders into participating in a swindle."

C'mon. So now HAL is a swindler?http://boards2.cruisecritic.com/images/smilies/redface.gif This is all getting beyond ridiculous. I have read the good, the bad and the ugly about HAL on these boards ... and if it leans at all, I think it's a bit more toward the ugly.

Happy cruising, everyone.

[dakrewser]

Maybe I did not explain that I had called back.( Three times) It was the third time needing to call back that began the unhappiness I felt. I love HAL once I am on the ship and we are mariners and have cruised enough to know who is good and who needs help. , however no matter how well all of you have experienced HAL ship services in the past my experience was plain ol , no excuses poor. Sorry HAL lovers that is the reality. I also thought you may be shills .

My experience was legitimate.......

No one else seems to be able to substantiate what you're claiming, still no one has denied that you may have had a bad experience - so why start insulting the people you turned to for help?

Since, in fact, no one else has offered a story of poor service - perhaps it wasn't the customer service rep who was wrong?

[zebra36]

I will admit up front that I am a HAL fan, however, the OP related his experience and was seeking help in finding an outside source. All of the "well that has not been my experience" stuff does not addres the ? and seems to imply that there is something wrong with the OP. Glad to see that the Op has found an alternate source and was able to save a few bucks to boot.

Frank

[KAKcruiser]

My point was that sometimes you can make things harder for yourself by trying to go around the routine way of doing things just because you are annoyed about something. You might think that you are getting even with HAL but many time you cause yourself more aggrevation. I don't know if the outside vendor would work as well as HAL.

[dakrewser]

I will admit up front that I am a HAL fan, however, the OP related his experience and was seeking help in finding an outside source. All of the "well that has not been my experience" stuff does not addres the ? and seems to imply that there is something wrong with the OP. Glad to see that the Op has found an alternate source and was able to save a few bucks to boot.

Frank

And as I said in my initial reply (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=2974029&postcount=9), most of the responses indicated that no one here had ever felt the need to go "around" ships' services for this. No one suggested the OP was lying, but most did feel that a second shot at them would be better handled.

Whether or not the "second source" can delvier on their promises has yet to be seen.

[spendalot]

Thank-you Fnb . I sure was not looking for a poll, but got one. I recieved bad :mad: service period! I learned that some posters needing to chime in on ever post made on this board,( you know who you are and so do we):mad: whether what they are saying matters a whole lot or not feel it necessary to suggest that I somehow was in the wrong. I do not care. I believe in good old fashion customer service and did not get it that day on the numerous calls to HAL. Oh and guess what I was there, my well meaning posters were not!!!!! :D :D :D

[oliviaonthe beach]

My first call ever to Ship's Services may interest you. It was just last week. I had a list of questions. This is our first HAL cruise. The first person I spoke with was rude and extremely unhelpful. She seriously had a "tough luck" attitude toward me and my issues. I asked to speak with her supervisor. Somehow, she transferred me to Reservations. I had no idea of course. The man I spoke with listened to my complaint, found answers to all of my questions, profusely apologized for the other woman, and told me that I could personally e-mail or call him at any time with questions of any kind. He then revealed that he was not even in the ship's services department and promptly transferred me to the original woman's boss so I could speak with her. She was also more than gracious and again insisted that I contact her specifically in the future. I am the first to complain about poor service but I also pride myself in commending people who go the extra mile. Steve at HAL certainly fits the bill for me. You can't judge a company on just one emplyee!

[DFD1]

Hear Hear, Oliviaonthe beach. You are so right.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Oliviaonthebeach, thanks so much for telling us your positive experience. So often we're so quick to complain, but if all goes well we say nothing. It was great for you to post.

[Cathy p]

I have been in customer service over 35 years and never would I call three times. If I did not get the proper respect the first time, I would have asked for a supervisor and gone up from there. If I still did not get the results I was expecting I would have emailed them with my complaint so I would have a record to show them when I got on the ship. Why waste all that energy over flowers. I have a feeling that you were the problem to start with. In order to get respect you need to give it. I am glad you believe that you saved some money, however, with all you went through you probably aged several years. Have a great cruise and remember put a smile in your voice.:)

[Boatdrill]

I wouldn't say the folks here are shills, but they wouldn't be here if they didn't truely like the product. I haven't yet experienced HAL but from many of the posters' comments they seem to have had seconds on the HAL Kool-Aid. There's not alot of criticism or even objectiveness. But that's the nature of message boards. The Choir preaching to the converted. Very helpful comments and advice but also alot of loyalty.


May I recommend the Carnival threads...there's plenty of criticism over there, and lots of talk of angry passengers because of missed ports (due to a crew injury medical emergency), particular football games not being televised, and overheard crew conversations about their fear of being in some public areas ("the Atrium") without security nearby.

I find the HAL threads refreshing and positive, and at the same time, if there's a problem, some weigh in, in an attempt to be helpful.

[DFD1]

Boatdrill, you're right about Carnival. The purser's desk can be a war zone at times. I remember once when it was so bad we avoided the lobby altogether and passed thru on another deck.

[Sunnystone]

I certainly have no love for any Carnival product, including HAL, but good service does deserve mention. My mother in law is currently on the Oosterdam, 2/19 departure. As her birthday was also yesterday, we called ship's services about getting a gift delivered. We did this on Friday, 2/18, as my husband "forgot" to do it earlier in the week. The person was very pleasant and gave us several options to choose from. She also told us what my husband's sister had ordered so we would not duplicate gifts. We really appreciated the help and service. The cost was also very reasonable.
Much to our astonishment, my mother-in-law called us during sail-out to thank us for her gifts and how suprised she was that all the info was in her stateroom upon boarding! I think we, especially me, were more surprised that HAL had done this correctly with only 24 hours notice. Very impressive.
We still don't want to cruise on HAL again, but were appreciative of their service on this issue.

[Dutchman]

I used Ships services to get an email to the CD on the Volendam two weeks ago. As promissed she sent it on and I got a reply from Dottie, the CD, just before she left the Volendam for a vacation. No problems for me with this department. sorry you got a sore head?