HAL responds back to evaluation with specificity

Got feedback today from HAL that specifically identified the three areas where I had listed complaints on my post-cruise email evaluation form.

This was a first time we got back such a detailed response. Could be machine read and machine responded but regardless, this opens the option of HAL assessing cumulative complaints if they reach a critical mass of similar complaints.

Such as the other thread going on right now where multiple posters do want the return of the custom sandwich station in the Lido. When they hear this same specific suggestion from enough people, one can assume they will put it up for Seattle consideration.

My own Zuiderdam complaints on an otherwise very satisfactory cruise were : inconsistent quality of MDR food (pretty vague); bizarre high-priced offerings in the ship's general clothing shop ($3000 jackets and stoles, $300 cocktail jacket sets etc); and a wish for more time for the Stavanger, Norway Pulpit Rock hike (6 hours instead of 4 hours). That's it.

Got feedback today from HAL that specifically identified the three areas where I had listed complaints on my post-cruise email evaluation form.

 

This was a first time we got back such a detailed response. Could be machine read and machine responded but regardless, this opens the option of HAL assessing cumulative complaints if they reach a critical mass of similar complaints.

 

Such as the other thread going on right now where multiple posters do want the return of the custom sandwich station in the Lido. When they hear this same specific suggestion from enough people, one can assume they will put it up for Seattle consideration.

 

My own Zuiderdam complaints on an otherwise very satisfactory cruise were : inconsistent quality of MDR food (pretty vague); bizarre high-priced offerings in the ship's general clothing shop ($3000 jackets and stoles, $300 cocktail jacket sets etc); and a wish for more time for the Stavanger, Norway Pulpit Rock hike (6 hours instead of 4 hours). That's it.

And HAL's response to these complaints?

And HAL's response to these complaints?

As I mentioned, they specifically acknowledged the unique concerns I included in my post-cruise evaluation which is a first for me. I just got this response today.

I assume they will put them into a "system" for further evaluation, or not. I was only noting this change to their evaluation feed-back system which was more generic in the past.

To me their best response is not to respond back promising individual changes, since my issues were general. But I would hope they would collect the data if/when they get enough similar issues raised to see if patterns emerge and if they can make responsive changes.

I still believe when one is in the hospitality business like HAL, they are not interested in abusing their customers but rather responding back with changes that are mutually supportive. Silly me?

Oh. I thought from your first post that they had addressed the complaints ("detailed response"), not simply acknowledged them.

Oh. I thought from your first post that they had addressed the complaints "detailed response", not simply acknowledged them.

I probably did not write this very clearly, and even worse in the thread title. Yes, you are right. HAL acknowledged my issues raised with specificity, by listing them in their response. Thanks for asking for the clarification.

No worries. Just the fact that they are acknowledging them in this manner is a step in the right direction.

No worries. Just the fact that they are acknowledging them in this manner is a step in the right direction.

That is what I thought too, and a means of collecting similar feedback data - could be computer scanned and responded for all I know but I think it is a good way to go. So I hope people do not discard their evaluation forms or assume they are meaningless.

But also recognizing for every complaint about a change, there can often be an equal number who welcome the change. Certainly weeding out the issues that don't have this built-in 50:50 balance will be just one outcome of this new system. All is good, at this first stage.

HAL is very good at acknowledging suggestions, complaints, ideas.

They repeat them back at you and leave you with that warm and fuzzy feeling. They do this so much they have become experts at it.

Nevertheless, I'm glad that they did, because it shows they do read these evaluations. Imput is always a good thing. Some of it may attract enough attention to be taken seriously.

OlsSalt - I understood what you were saying in the OP.

Glad to hear that HAL read your survey and responded back.

Ours have never been read. In fact I don't even fill it out mine anymore. DH does his. Now I must admit that when we got home and after a couple of weeks we and much discussion we decided to cancel our 2 future cruises. When our TA called HAL to cancel, then someone actually read his survey. That was about 3 weeks after he had filled it out. Otherwise it had never been read.

Now will HAL change things??

I doubt it.

Glad to hear that HAL read your survey and responded back.

 

Ours have never been read. In fact I don't even fill it out mine anymore. DH does his. Now I must admit that when we got home and after a couple of weeks we and much discussion we decided to cancel our 2 future cruises. When our TA called HAL to cancel, then someone actually read his survey. That was about 3 weeks after he had filled it out. Otherwise it had never been read.

 

Now will HAL change things??

 

I doubt it.

I do not understand why people who are not happy with HAL to various degrees keep sailing on them -

I do not understand why people who are not happy with HAL to various degrees keep sailing on them -

Very few things in life are perfect. It's very easy to understand why someone would be unhappy with some aspects of HAL but still enjoy the overall. I'm unhappy with HAL's balcony smoking policy, but not to the extent that I won't continue sailing. The food isn't as good as it used to be, but not to the extent that I won't continue sailing. The entertainment...

... Now I must admit that when we got home and after a couple of weeks we and much discussion we decided to cancel our 2 future cruises. When our TA called HAL to cancel, then someone actually read his survey ...

... hmmmmmmmmmm ... from some of your earlier posts this year, I thought you were not cruising any more because of health issues ... regardless of your reason(s) for not cruising on HAL, however, does this mean that we will no longer get your expert commentary on all things HAL?

unhappy with and focusing on the problems is different to me -- nothing is perfect but to me - in my opinion - many people sound as if it isn't in the 95% it isn't good enough and - they complain.

... hmmmmmmmmmm ... from some of your earlier posts this year, I thought you were not cruising any more because of health issues ... regardless of your reason(s) for not cruising on HAL, however, does this mean that we will no longer get your expert commentary on all things HAL?

I do have health problems. But we had booked back in 2015 a couple of cruises for 2017 with the hopes that things would improve for me. But our spring cruise was a dud. So when we got home, we sat down and went over health issues and the disappointments in our recent cruise.

I'm not on here much anymore.

I do have health problems. But we had booked back in 2015 a couple of cruises for 2017 with the hopes that things would improve for me. But our spring cruise was a dud. So when we got home, we sat down and went over health issues and the disappointments in our recent cruise.

I'm not on here much anymore.

_

KK: Your signature line is probably confusing people too. 140 cruises- that earns a WOW!

KK:________________

Cruising is a wonderful way to enjoy retirement!

Stopped counting a few years ago -- have done over 140 cruises.

We've cruised only two times on HAL (Maasdam to Rio and Oosterdam to Sydney) and both times diligently filled out our reviews/critiques when asked by HAL. Never an acknowledgement that they read them. I just figure that they "round file" the feedback...

Al Carter

We've cruised only two times on HAL (Maasdam to Rio and Oosterdam to Sydney) and both times diligently filled out our reviews/critiques when asked by HAL. Never an acknowledgement that they read them. I just figure that they "round file" the feedback...

 

Al Carter

One of the reasons I started this thread was to see if this is now the new HAL feedback policy - are others now also getting these more detailed acknowledgements of their post-cruise evaluations.

We never got feed-back either although one time we did get an on-board message delivered to our cabin on our next cruise, indicating they had read some of the suggestions we had made on our prior cruise. More generic at that time, just hoping we would be enjoying our cruise and that they were there to respond to any future concerns.

I believe constructive feed-back going both directions, is part of doing good business. Whether it is the classroom or a cruise ship. I also think it helps when the passenger best understands the overall context, as well as registering personal preferences.

One of the reasons I started this thread was to see if this is now the new HAL feedback policy - are others now also getting these more detailed acknowledgements of their post-cruise evaluations.

 

We never got feed-back either although one time we did get an on-board message delivered to our cabin on our next cruise, indicating they had read some of the suggestions we had made on our prior cruise. More generic at that time, just hoping we would be enjoying our cruise and that they were there to respond to any future concerns.

 

I believe constructive feed-back going both directions, is part of doing good business. Whether it is the classroom or a cruise ship. I also think it helps when the passenger best understands the overall context, as well as registering personal preferences.

I did get a detailed response from my latest evaluation, and maybe the one before that when I did have some real concerns.

In neither case did I feel that HAL was going to do anything about it, just that they were repeating them back to me -- much like SilvertoGold said earlier.

I do not understand why people who are not happy with HAL to various degrees keep sailing on them -

unhappy with and focusing on the problems is different to me -- nothing is perfect but to me - in my opinion - many people sound as if it isn't in the 95% it isn't good enough and - they complain.

"To various degrees" and "95% isn't good enough". Big difference.

"Unhappy with" and "complain". Big difference.

As noted by Fouremco, pax do not have to like 100% to keep sailing. Pluses and minuses tend to even out the expereince.

Personally, some things about HAL drive me crazy, but so much of HAL I love.

One of the reasons I started this thread was to see if this is now the new HAL feedback policy - are others now also getting these more detailed acknowledgements of their post-cruise evaluations.

 

We never got feed-back either although one time we did get an on-board message delivered to our cabin on our next cruise, indicating they had read some of the suggestions we had made on our prior cruise. More generic at that time, just hoping we would be enjoying our cruise and that they were there to respond to any future concerns.

 

I believe constructive feed-back going both directions, is part of doing good business. Whether it is the classroom or a cruise ship. I also think it helps when the passenger best understands the overall context, as well as registering personal preferences.

I got a reply back mentioning the ongoing problem of maintaining a constant temperature in my stateroom on the first voyage after drydock for the Prinsendam. It was my first mention of a particular concern.

Here is what I would expect (hope?) to happen: HAL will especially take notice when they get a critical number of similar issues that establishes a pattern, either fleet wide or individual ship wide.

If the issues raised in the evaluations are more random or there is no consistent pattern to them, then I would not expect to see much change in response to what would appear to be individual or random concerns. Other than the generic replies we have gotten in the past.

Evaluations are also a way to reinforce what we like, as well as the opportunity to express concerns. Those too can reach a critical mass and pattern too that now appears to be monitored with more specificity than in the past with this initial direct feedback that at least acknowledges the direct concerns.

Data- driven decision making, use of communication technology - all a good trend. But that is only the initial data gathering stage. Let's wait to see what evolves out of this when a general passenger pattern of feedback emerges somewhere in the bowels of Seattle.

Acknowledging comments is an encouraging first step. It might be too much to expect every comment/complaint to get a specific answer, but as long as they acknowledge receiving them, it is reasonable to hope that they will pay attention to repeated concerns or themes.

HAL, in particular, has a specific demographic which I cannot help feeling they will want to retain, even as they reach out to an expanded market. So those of us who have a particular affinity for things HAL should make a point of keeping management aware.

I was surprised to get a detailed reply to my online evaluation. I am sure they will be collating the results on way or another. If enough people were complaining about the noise from the bar opposite spoiling the performance of the Lincoln Center artists they may just need to reschedule both places.

I do have health problems. But we had booked back in 2015 a couple of cruises for 2017 with the hopes that things would improve for me. But our spring cruise was a dud. So when we got home, we sat down and went over health issues and the disappointments in our recent cruise.

I'm not on here much anymore.

Your honesty is refreshing and much appreciated. I always read what you post.