Hello from a "not a 9/4 cruiser"

We tried to go....we really did. We were to fly out on Friday, then Saturday. We went to the airport Saturday but didn't leave. We stayed there in anticipation of a Sunday flight. Then HAL changed to a Monday departure, and surprisingly only offered a $75 shipboard credit for the additional missed day. At that point, we took the refund from both the airline and HAL and purchased tickets and went to Arizona for the week.

While I received the refund for cancelled shore excursions, HAL told me to expect an 8 week wait for the cruise fare refund. That is a bit absurd.....if they gave me a date in September that my money was due to them, I highly doubt they'd accept an explanation that these things take time and wait until November for the money. Seems as though even though I didn't float, my money will.:rolleyes:

Sadly, only once in my contacts with HAL over the several day period was the person friendly. I know they were having bad days, but so were the customers. I was given different information from each person I spoke with. Oddly, they refused to allow us to change weeks and still sail with them. What an odd business decision...to not try to keep people with their line.

So, thanks for all the help over the past few months. I still love cruising, but love the desert as well. The Fairmont in Scottsdale is an exceptional property. We'll cruise again; probably not on HAL though. They were less than impressive during the hurricane. They can't control the weather, but they can control the information from the corporate offices.

I hope everyone has great trips, that coastal residents don't suffer from another hurricane this year, and that this board contines to be a great source of information.:)

Similar experience here. I can't believe it takes 8 weeks to refund the money, ridiculous.

I am already booked on another cruise for first week in December, not with HAL though. :o I was surprised also that when I was getting a refund they offered no help in trying to rebook again with them at another time. I felt like they didn't care either way to keep me as a customer, so I went somewhere else.

That is very odd. It would have been really really easy to turn a bad situation into a positive one IMO. And I am not even talking necessarily about compensation but good customer service "I am so sorry mr/mrs xxxxx. When can we rebook you for? Here is what is available, we really look forward to having you onboard..." Then holding your money for 8 weeks, well I think that is standard. I know at AA we tell people to allow 2 billing cycles for credit to appear on your CC...not saying that I understand it and not trying to defend it but for some reason that is standard I believe. But you are right, had you missed final payment, it would have been a different story. I am sorry you weren't able to go but look at it this way, those who did are on their way home now and it is over, you have something to look forward to!

Not sure where holding money for 2 months is standard. America West gave me my refund as I waited on the phone. Most places I have dealt with refunds usually take 5-7 working days.

Ok, sorry. I was just going by experience and I'll admit that it has been many years since I was on the front lines answering such questions so that may have changed but I have heard many companies say to allow 2 billing cycles, it normally doesn't take that long but that is what they ask that you allow. And I didn't say that I agreed or understood, just stating what I know. Sorry.

Lithium: Same thing with United. The most we hoped for was using the cost toward future tickets. The woman on the phone asked if we'd like a full refund back to the credit card. It appeared online the very next day.

I still have not heard back from Ship's Services regarding a refund for the items I ordered for cabin delivery.

I don't imagine you will actually 'hear back'. I would expect you will simply find the credit on your credit card statement.

S7S: The hotline said they didn't know that the preordered items would be automatically refunded like the cruise fare and the CPP would. I was to contact them. I'm sure it will be taken care of in time.

Stillfranctic and Lithium - From your descriptions I'd have to say less than stellar perforrmance from HAL. And they only had one ship in the Caribbean. I wonder how the other cruise lines with multiple ships handled the situation. Summer Caribbean cruises are often less expensive than many other times of the year. I'm guessing they didn't offer to rebook you because they didn't want to trade an inexpensive summer cruise for a more expensive winter cruise. Just a guess.

We have also been underwhelmed by HAL's handling of our canceled cruise. Our air fare on AirTran appeared on our online credit card statement within hours of canceling and the staff were wonderfully friendly. Hal did give us a credit late last week, but it was for the wrong amount (less than what I had originally been charged). When I called them about it I was told they could not discuss it with me. I had to call my TA (who is wonderful) and she got it straightened out. As for things we ordered from Shipboard Services I have yet to see a credit for those. I too was told it would take several weeks. Funny that when they were charged to my card they appeared within hours online, but credits can't be done like that. We have sailed several times with HAL and have always enjoyed our cruises with them but this experience has not left us with the most positive of feelings about them.

Sunviking:

So you have actually already got your credit for the cruise portion?

I am still waiting for the credit to show up. I was told by my travel agency that it will take 6 weeks.....Should I call them and ask them to check with Holland America?

Thanks

Joyce

Joyce,

My credit popped up on my online statement Thursday. If you can check your credit card charges online see if yours is there. If it isn't, if I were you I would probably call and ask my TA to find out when I could expect to get it since other people have gotten theirs. I talked to Shipboard Services a few minutes ago and was told that my other charges should be credited by next week. We'll see.

I think the "6-8 weeks" for credit on credit card is the standard line given out by most companies. I work in retail and once the credit is issued by the company, it is in the hands of the credit card company to process it. Years ago when technology wasn't as avanced, it did take weeks for credits to show up but now, most major cards/banks are very fast ( a few days). However, some of the smaller card banks can take longer.

When I booked my HAL cruise in July '04, they actually booked the wrong itinerary and price, so they issued me a credit. I also got the "6-8 weeks" for a credit line. However, I actually saw the credit on line after a few days, but the credit was actually dated for the day after the transaction.

I had no trouble with HAL at all changing my 9/4 sailing. They switched me to the Oosterdam for Dec. 12-19th. The supervisor informed me of dates available to the western caribbean and having to much damage to our home we though Oct. was to close so we choose Dec. They even kept my 50.00pp on board credit for me. I am thrilled with HAL. But, I will say when we tried doing a friends (Janice & George) reservation we found out they could not change it like mine. We need to cancel then rebook. They even made Janice give another 187.50 which was the amount due the TA from HAL. Mmmm that made no sense to me but the reservation is on hold for 187.50 plus HAL is giving Janice & George the 50.00pp on board credit.

I checked my account today and I received Ship Services purchases I did for our friends back into my account. All is going well for far and we are looking into the future and I feel like I have a Christmas present.

Stillfrantic we had our brand new 4 ton air cond. installed today. Thank you Charlie for giving me a new air cond.,roof, lania cage, carpeting, new painted house. Sometimes you must go threw the bad to see the good. I am smiling now and thrilled to go home item shopping.

Stillfrantic I really, really do hope I get to meet you someday.......thanks friend for worrying about us here in Port Charlotte when you havent even meet us. Hug those kids for us.

TT