Telejoke

It's been mentioned before, but probably worth noting again--keep an eye on fares after you book. I'm departing 1/26/19 on the Oosterdam, and had a VH guarantee booked. Got a price alert in my email this afternoon, and after a call to the travel agent, upgraded to SS guarantee for $50 each.

Do you get an opportunity to choose the upgrade room, or guarantee only?

Yes the dividers can be opened, just ask your cabin steward and he will unlock them for you. We have 11 balcony cabins on the Koningsdam next March and are looking forward to spending time on the balconies all opened up!! Enjoy your cruise!!

Wow! 11 balcony cabins together.... We're on K-Dam in late March; would have been nice to get adjoining large balconies, but the other couple in our party already have a cabin on another floor. Will definitely look into connecting rooms and unlocking balcony dividers in the future. Thanks for the info.

Maybe they mean "drinks included". When you're spending $4 kilodollars on a cruise, nothing is really "free" :-)

My dad is diabetic, his dad was a diabetic, and I am prediabetic.

My dad and I have regular water shoes from Walmart for $5.

Thanks for sharing. I've tried the Walmart water shoes in the past and sand managed to get in, which is very painful because of the neuropathy. We went with the Lands End water shoes recommended uptopic. Hope I didn't spend a ton of money more than I should have :-)

The Navigator deck could be noisy below the pool decks. I would choose one below the Lido Market, 8112/8125 to 8148/8161. We had 8138 and it was not noisy from above, but it had a door adjoining 8140 and the neighbors were a bit noisy at times.

Thanks for this bit of intel. We're booked in 8112 just below Lido dining tables. I was smart enough to avoid pools, but didn't notice it was connected with 8114. Hopefully, that won't be a big deal, but your post gave me pause :-)

We're booked for the March 27th Caribbean sailing of the Koeningsdam. Our cabin (V8112) is an aft-facing hip room under the Lido Market. Has anyone here sailed in a similarly situated room?

Concern is noise from the dining area above. Our last sailing on Noordam was a retro-fit room just off the Crows Nest above the Greenhouse Spa -- and it was wonderfully quiet except for the occasional crew entry through an exitway.

I've read on these boards that the larger angled balcony affords great views even though the room itself may be a little smaller. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

I know this is an old thread, but wanted to add that sand, beach heat, etc. can be torture for a diabetic with peripheral neuropathy.

I’d appreciate any ideas on water shoes that can protect from sand getting inside the shoe.

Going over suggestions in this thread again — some great ideas.

Do I need to print the luggage tags for each of my carry on luggage? Do they provide the luggage tag holders at the port?

 

 

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Yes, print a tag for each piece of luggage. You can get a PDF of your tags on the HAL site where you check in.

Tags are designed so you can staple them around your luggage strap or handle. However, if you have time there are some great tag holders available on Amazon.

You can order holders from the cruise line, but they're pricy.

Thanks for letting me vent.

You're welcome! :-)

I've wondered why it isn't included in the charge as well. My guess is that they COULD include it in the fare and then distribute the gratuity to staff accordingly, BUT since people change cabin classes or even cancel cruises, the math might be too much for their little computers to handle.

I don't have a problem with people from other cultures removing the charges if tipping is not part of their custom. However, they should be advised by their TAs or the cruise lines why the service charges are deducted (i.e. it is a factor in the earnings of the staff).

I wonder how it could be an incentive for good service if staff are getting a gratuity whether they provide good service or treat you like bilge. Perhaps a more experienced cruiser could weigh in on that part.

It sounds as if you would. HAL passengers may tend to be older, but are still very active. Even those of us with mobility problems are still getting out there and seeing the world.

That's encouraging. When I've read that HAL caters to "more mature" cruisers, I took that as a positive -- not as though they're somehow limited. My wife said she didn't want to go on one of those "party ships". RC and HAL were the only lines I considered when searching for an Alaska cruise :-)

I keep running across posts on other threads about the typical passenger on Holland America cruises. This morning I saw one that referred to HAL ships as "floating nursing homes". DH and I are retired and in our early 70's. We'd rather tour and attend lectures than stay up late for the disco. We're too old to burn the candle at both ends, but we're not escapees from a nursing home.:evilsmile: Would we fit in?

Oh my! I've seen posts that were at least an effort at greater subtly, like "targeted to more 'mature' cruisers" :-)

We're in our early 60s, and I'm a disabled veteran. But I've not thought of us as too old to have a good time on a cruise. Probably will skip the disco, though.

We have not been on an HAL cruise, but have heard from others who are younger than us (as in my adult son and his wife, among others) who have nothing but good things to say about the line. I hope you go -- and show your young at heart.

Thanks ALOT for this sticky thread. I'd like to know if the balconies on Noordam deck 10 (VB 10019) are big enough for a couple to enjoy their room service meal. I've heard they're very small.

We're on the Starboard side on a cruise from Seward to Vancouver. Is there a view of anything but ocean on this side of a southbound ship?

We're sailing on Noordam July 23, 2017 and have VB 10019 as well. Pictures look nice.... would enjoy more.

I've had zero problems with HAL's "customer service infrastructure" and their ability to think "outside the box," as you put it, through a different online agency than the one you are using and mentioned by name elsewhere on the forum.

 

 

HAL has been very responsive to changes, additions (including transfers) and complex special needs. I think your problem is actually originating not with HAL at all, but with the sub-par online agency you chose to use, as you've acknowledged. Hope your cruise won't be affected if you stick with that agency.

Thanks for pointing out that HAL is very responsive. When I mentioned "customer service infrastructure", I was talking about the representatives online (and via phone) being unable to make decisions when a customer has a problem beyond ordering or changing a service, or having questions. Most companies have a series of "tiers" a customer can go through from "Tier 1" being the person who answers questions and takes orders to "Tier 2" the technician who can figure out what went wrong and maybe fix it and "Tier 3" the supervisor or specialist who has authority to make corrections to the customer's order or compensation for their inconvenience. (Sorry for the explanation -- I used to work in customer service)....

When I finally got so frustrated I asked, "Who do we contact to lodge a complaint?" The online representative gave me the number to HAL's customer relations department.... THIS WILL BLOW SOME MINDS:

The customer relations representative identified herself as a member of the "President's Office" (I'm sure she didn't mean Trump :-) ) and apologized for her dog barking in the background. She said she had to work from home because it was snowing in Seattle. Later, she said, "to be honest, I work from home full time... my dog usually isn't this much trouble..." and apologized.

Then she said she'd need to put me on hold to do some "research" and see how she could help resolve my situation. When she came back on, she apologized profusely and told me I could only book transfers, etc. through the online TA.

So apparently, not all HAL customer service people are able to help -- especially when contracts with the online TA limits how they can help.

What I found after two weeks of being bounced back and forth between the two companies is that the online company could have done the transfer all along... their CSRs that I talked to didn't know that, and when I asked for a supervisor (to explain what HAL had told me) they would say, I could do that, but my supervisor will tell you the same thing.

Two calls to Cruise Resolutions at the online TA and I got an explanation that it's all my fault because I didn't read the fine print.... but as a "goodwill gesture" they offered on-board credit.

I've posted elsewhere in this thread, if I had followed Cruise Critic for awhile longer before booking, I might have picked up some vibe about the best way to book and the problems one could face.... As one poster said, "Buyer Beware" -- the first and best customer service person a potential cruiser has is himself -- if he does his research and pays attention.

On that note... THANKS TO EVERYONE who commented. I've learned a lot!

We use a personal cruise consultant with HAL and have use the same person for about 6 cruises, when ever there is a question of a significant perk or lower price they have just matched it.

 

We used various TA in the past and HAL seems more convenient and no more expensive. They also call us if a last minute inexpensive upgrade is available. Several times we have upgraded cabin class at the last minute for $100-$200 per person,

I'm all over that upgrade.... I wonder if anyone who's booked through an online TA has had any luck getting an upgrade opportunity.

OP: If there is anything we can help you with from here, we will do our best.

It may be possible to transfer your booking to a HAL PCC or other TA, certainly worth considering. I'd think aobut calling HAL, asking to talk to a PCC and tell them what's going on and see what they can do for you. My guess is that it would be a big improvement, even if not all in cost.

Sorry you are having difficulties, but good for you that you have a cruise booked! Once onboard I hope you have good AHHHH time. m--

What is a PCC? All my contacts with HAL referred me back to the original TA. If I could get it transfered out of the online company's iron grip, that would be great. And the added benefit is I'd only have to deal with the cruise line for cruise related problems.

If you could give more info on how this is done (and things a newbie like me can trip over along the way), I'd appreciate it.

I'm sure we'll have a great cruise. IMHO, this is more about not knowing the ropes on my part than it is about the way the cruise line and TA's contracts limit what each can do for a cruiser.

Our last HAL cruise wasn't much more than $1000 for two! :-)

 

We tend to book very close to the sailing date. In our cases, the PCC has been able to secure great deals and a good cabin location. More importantly, when I had a special request or a problem they were able to help me. Sure, there are good alternatives but the internet is a "buyer beware" situation and the OP drew the short stick this time.

 

It is a fact that if one books through a travel agent and needs help, then cruise lines and airlines will often refuse to help you directly if there is a problem. I have been through this myself even though it was the airline that caused the problem (cancelled pre-cruise flight).

 

igraf

Not sure what PCC means... but the "Buyer Beware" thing definitely applies. I spent quite a bit of time with the online TA company regarding the on-board credit ($300) with fine print that it was only for bookings using a specific credit card. They made a goodwill gesture of giving a $200 credit for the frustration and misunderstanding.

We have a TA in our town that specializes in cruises. We found that out ironically from HAL AFTER we booked :-)

In this case PIF = Paid in Full.

Always wondered what that meant. I could have paid in full at time of booking. Don't know why I didn't, but it sounds like there are benefits to doing it that way.

A few dollars?

 

For us, the OBC's that our on line TA provides (in addition to excellent service) essentially translates into one free cruise for every 12-14 cruises that we buy.

 

We feel that is significant...especially since we are not stuck to going on the same cruise line each time.

That's a great point. The key is you're talking "every 12 - 14 cruises that we buy". I'm just saying those who are new -- or especially first time cruisers -- should spend some time here well before they are ready to book so they know the ins and outs.

Almost every problem I've had with the online TA and HAL could have been prevented if I knew their advertising practices, the restrictions the cruise lines have on helping customers who book with any TA, etc. Someone uptopic kind of made that point that we as consumers have to do our own research... and the more we do, the better the customer service seems to be :-)

While I understand the frustration I agree with the rule. Years ago I frequented another travel board that allowed reference to travel agencies or agents. Frequently it degenerated into "my agent/agency is better than yours" arguments. Then there were postings by fairly obvious shills trolling for customers and it could get pretty unpleasant. Now add that Cruise Critic has paying advertisers like travel agencies which means it's a free forum for us. Why pay to advertise if you can post for free as part of a thread.

Thanks for explaining the reason for leaving out name of TAs. I thought it had more to do with the fact that all of the majors advertise here on Cruise Critic and it is inappropriate, even if it were allowed, to dump on an advertiser. I mistakenly mentioned one by name and the mods were quick to correct the post (rather than delete it as some boards do) and send me a polite reminder about posting rules.

Same. We have our cruise on the Eurodam in 31 days and never using them again. Saved money (cheapest quote I got) but definitely not worth the hassle ever again.

 

You can transfer. Call the World Reservations Department of HAL and they will send the agency a transfer request. If they don't respond in 48 hours, the transfer is automatically done, but beware, the price will go up.

 

1‐800‐522‐3399

Thanks for the tip! I was finally able to get to the right department at the online TA but it was a CSR who could barely speak English. Not sure if she got the transfer right, and do not see anything in my HAL account that shows it was added to my itinerary.

As for getting a discount, the prices I saw online were same (by stateroom category) as what HAL offered. Only enticement was "double rewards points" and "$300 ship board credit". After the fact, when I was asking how to redeem the ship board credit, I was told I "disqualified myself" by using Visa instead of Master Card.

Definitely going through the cruise line next time... and maybe online booking for airfare, though this time, we saved hundreds by booking with airlines directly.

Being local is by no means a guarantee of professionalism or good service.

 

It really comes down to getting the right TA. In our experience where they happen to be located does not come into our selection process.

Excellent points -- and glad to hear folks do get good service from the online booking engines. I'm not thinking a local TA is more or less professional because they're local, so much as you can talk to them, discover their qualifications (and maybe references from other cruisers, etc.) and have an American human being you can talk to end-to-end through the booking process.

I'm certain a lack of experience of booking cruise travel (together with airlines, transfers and hotels, etc.) on my part has a lot to do with it. But when you're inexperienced, confused and frustrated, talking to a call center in Pakistan or India is not as easy as talking to Sally at the TA on main street.

Have you thought about cancelling and re-booking with another agency?

The thought occurred to me because we're well within the cancellation period. However, the category of staterooms we wanted are sold out. I don't want to risk losing the whole cruise because I'm frustrated over customer service. From what I can tell from folks who've been on HAL cruises here, the service on board is way better than what we've experienced talking to phone support folks :-)

So sorry that you are having problems with your online booking agent. I hope everything will work out for you.

Thank you. I've had to go back and forth between them and HAL for a week now. Mistake was not going to a TA I could talk to face to face, and who had access to HAL's booking system. I think more seasoned cruisers could do online booking and not have customer service issues (knowing how the company you're using works, etc. ahead of time makes it easier).

As it is, the $300 ship board credit is no more... according to the CSR from offshore, I "disqualified" myself by using the wrong credit card to book.

We booked through one of those automated online "travel" companies and it's been a nightmare getting help with cruise related supplemental travel, transfers, etc.

Holland America does not have a customer service infrastructure to think outside the box and nobody has the authority to handle complex issues. XXXX says they can't do transfers because those are booked through the cruise line and HAL says they cannot book transfers because that's done by the travel agent.

Unfortunately, we chose to book through the most notoriously customer-hostile of the big online travel sites, so it's our own fault. Just a word of warning to those considering a HAL cruise to only book through the cruise line or through a local travel professional who understands their system (and can use Flight Ease).

I'm praying and hoping they don't refuse basic services on the ship because we chose this "travel agent" to book. So disappointed and we haven't even set sail yet.