Question for a Current or Former HAL Employee

Does Holland America rate cruise passengers, like passengers can rate experiences and employees on cruise ships? For example if a frequent Holland America previous passenger, has a history of being extremely grateful, tips well, spends a lot of money on board, or other good behavior or bad behavior? Can those attributes be posted so employees can see it when booking or dealing with a customer? In other words are customers "rated" too?

I reckon it would be interesting to hear what employees would have to say about passengers

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Does Holland America rate cruise passengers, like passengers can rate experiences and employees on cruise ships? For example if a frequent Holland America previous passenger, has a history of being extremely grateful, tips well, spends a lot of money on board, or other good behavior or bad behavior? Can those attributes be posted so employees can see it when booking or dealing with a customer? In other words are customers "rated" too?

I bet a passenger who complains every trip might get a letter that says, Sorry our business model doesn't fit your travel needs. We hate to lose you as a customer but we honor your decision should you feel the need to sever ties with us.

Ships are turning over thousands of passengers every few weeks - might be pretty hard to pin down faces in the crowd or keep a running list of passenger ratings.

I have no doubt that there's an informal message system among the crew. Even if they don't quietly discuss a passenger, they notice how someone is treated and figure it out quickly enough.

I once had a Lido steward I knew from the previous cruise; he doted on me. Others saw that, and they, too, couldn't do enough for me. All got a nice tip at the end of the cruise.

But I would very much doubt that sort of thing is reduced to writing. Should there be proof of anything negative said, and that were to get out, it would be a PR nightmare.

I know that HAL keeps a file on you, at least to some extent. Once I complained to headquarters about an incident and since then I often (but not always) get a note in my cabin asking that I inform the front desk if I have any issues on this cruise. The note mentions that in the past I had an issue. I do not remember the exact wording, but this is basically what it says.

I know that HAL keeps a file on you, at least to some extent. Once I complained to headquarters about an incident and since then I often (but not always) get a note in my cabin asking that I inform the front desk if I have any issues on this cruise. The note mentions that in the past I had an issue. I do not remember the exact wording, but this is basically what it says.

I had the same Dave. The funny thing is I had sent HAL's Seattle office a VERY complimentary letter on a Prinsendam cruise and the staff. No complaints at all.

I think they note if correspondence was sent and send the same letter no matter what. LOL.

Does Holland America rate cruise passengers, like passengers can rate experiences and employees on cruise ships? For example if a frequent Holland America previous passenger, has a history of being extremely grateful, tips well, spends a lot of money on board, or other good behavior or bad behavior? Can those attributes be posted so employees can see it when booking or dealing with a customer? In other words are customers "rated" too?

:D LOL Do you really expect to get an honest answer to your question? :D

I have no doubt that there's an informal message system among the crew. Even if they don't quietly discuss a passenger, they notice how someone is treated and figure it out quickly enough.

I once had a Lido steward I knew from the previous cruise; he doted on me. Others saw that, and they, too, couldn't do enough for me. All got a nice tip at the end of the cruise.

 

But I would very much doubt that sort of thing is reduced to writing. Should there be proof of anything negative said, and that were to get out, it would be a PR nightmare.

IMO Ruth has it all figured out! ;)

I think a lot of it has to do with the Mariner status, which each crew member knows about his Psgrs, & they do talk among themselves..

If you give an extra tip & a thank-you note, at the end of your cruise, I have no doubt that they all know about it..

Formally, who knows? but informally, I am sure the ships keep track of very frequent Mariners, President's Club members and others who stand out for whatever reason (good, bad!).

I know one couple who cruises on one ship three or four times in a row over a year or so before picking another ship and then doing the same: you keep going back to the same ship and a lot of crew will still be on and they get to know you well.

I would be inclined to think that only very frequent cruisers on the same ship, or extraordinarily generous tippers, or singularly nasty problem cruisers would be flagged. Most HAL ships carry close to 2,000 passengers - assuming a two week average itinerary, that is over 50,000 passengers per ship per year.

Only the real stand-outs would be "flagged" - either formally or informally. The average passenger might encounter a half dozen cabin stewards in a year - making them easier to remember - while the average cabin steward has interacted with tens of thousands of passengers.

Not sure about the permanent record, but if you are on a cruise with a crew member who likes you from a previous sailing, that person will probably tell their coworkers. (Basically, "What Ruth C said.")

Can you become "good people" right away? Yes. Yes, you can. It works the same way on land as it does at sea. It's probably 90%-93% being nice and 7% to 10% tipping. Moral of the story: Be nice.

I would be inclined to think that only very frequent cruisers on the same ship, or extraordinarily generous tippers, or singularly nasty problem cruisers would be flagged. Most HAL ships carry close to 2,000 passengers - assuming a two week average itinerary, that is over 50,000 passengers per ship per year.

 

Only the real stand-outs would be "flagged" - either formally or informally. The average passenger might encounter a half dozen cabin stewards in a year - making them easier to remember - while the average cabin steward has interacted with tens of thousands of passengers.

I was welcomed on board by our previous cabin steward on the Prinsendam. That ship has 840 passengers and the S & R ships have less than 2,000.

When I got on the Westerdam last year, one of the MDR managers called to offer a different table remembering our preference and asked to meet with us.

So,all I know, is if you cruise a lot, or cruise for longer cruises, the crew may well remember you.

The welcomes might be silly to some - but they make me feel good :)

I remember them - it's nice if they remember us (and I know they probably looked at pics). ;)

I am guessing that with the Mariner Program that HAL has some sort of Customer Relationship Manager software, but who has access to that is anyone's guess.

I remember some time ago that a previous HAL employee had called out a poster for not being a great tipper when she frequently stated that she was. I guess HAL is collecting a lot more information that many of us are aware.

Of course, people are memorable for many reasons, some complimentary and some less than complimentary. Most times we just never know why. ;)

I was welcomed on board by our previous cabin steward on the Prinsendam. That ship has 840 passengers and the S & R ships have less than 2,000.

 

When I got on the Westerdam last year, one of the MDR managers called to offer a different table remembering our preference and asked to meet with us.

 

So,all I know, is if you cruise a lot, or cruise for longer cruises, the crew may well remember you.

 

The welcomes might be silly to some - but they make me feel good :)

 

I remember them - it's nice if they remember us (and I know they probably looked at pics). ;)

Oh, I agree - but it is a lot more likely for a passenger to remember a steward than the other way around. Most of us only run into a few stewards in any given year, while a steward will run into hundreds of passengers.

When I think about ratings I think of Uber. Legacy cruise lines don't have anything like that.

We toured with a long time HAL employee turned travel agent and this topic was discussed. Absolutely passengers are categorized and formal communication is sent out prior to boarding on certain passengers. Names and photos are sent to crew. They know which passengers crave recognition and attention . They know which passengers are high maintenance or complain a lot. They know which passengers are big loyalists. They know which passengers have a high cruise critic profile.

When I think about ratings I think of Uber. Legacy cruise lines don't have anything like that.

 

We toured with a long time HAL employee turned travel agent and this topic was discussed. Absolutely passengers are categorized and formal communication is sent out prior to boarding on certain passengers. Names and photos are sent to crew. They know which passengers crave recognition and attention . They know which passengers are high maintenance or complain a lot. They know which passengers are big loyalists. They know which passengers have a high cruise critic profile.

I have only cruised with HAL a few times, however, in two years I managed to accumulate enough cruise days for 4 stars. Upon arriving at the airport for my second cruise, the HAL agent at the airport greeted me by name as I came through the door to luggage pickup with a hundred other pax; he had my picture on a tablet.

As a solo traveler, I am fairly low maintenance (only one person in the cabin to please or clean up after) and tip well. On my last cruise, my cabin stewards somehow ascertained my preferences for service (early on port mornings; midmorning on sea days, first service in the evenings) without asking me. Somehow, they knew...

Good to know [emoji6] thanks for the info

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When I think about ratings I think of Uber. Legacy cruise lines don't have anything like that.

 

We toured with a long time HAL employee turned travel agent and this topic was discussed. Absolutely passengers are categorized and formal communication is sent out prior to boarding on certain passengers. Names and photos are sent to crew. They know which passengers crave recognition and attention . They know which passengers are high maintenance or complain a lot. They know which passengers are big loyalists. They know which passengers have a high cruise critic profile.

Thanks for this. Don't you love it when you meet former and current employees? Just confirms my earlier post that some passengers are "remembered" for less than complimentary reasons.

Oh, I agree - but it is a lot more likely for a passenger to remember a steward than the other way around.

That may or may not be true in the grand scheme of things, but absolutely not in my experience.

Call me oblivious, but I can never remember my cabin stewards by name or face when the cruise ends, and only slightly more remember my table stewards. But if I board a ship with a steward I have had before, I am invariably remembered, by name, and greeted warmly. If it's a lounge steward, they also remember the drink order. This can be (and has been) a couple of years later, and after what had been a relatively short cruise, too.

Wish I knew how they do it.

This begs a question: why would " high complaining" passengers even bother coming back on HAL ships.

Any "lists" of passengers could simply good customer service -striving to do a good job. One more reason to keep bragging about offering additional "tipping" out of the equation - may HAL never succumb to becoming a selective, venal "fee for service" operation. No thank you.

We ourselves honor the daily service change and offering additional tips to cabin and dining stewards or anyone else who offered exemplary personal service, but only at the end of the cruise. I hope we can maintain a level playing field for all passengers to enjoy a high level of standard service and not let it become something only available to the "highest bidders".

I can't speak for shipboard procedures as we had our own in the office, but in Guest Relations we could see if the same guests had sent in prior correspondence. Was it praises, neutral or complaints... what did we compensate if anything based on those issues, what did we say in our letters and we would go from there. If needed we could compare the correspondence received with notes of any/all interactions different departments had with those guests during the cruise...

Of course we could see the financials of the booking that just sailed, your Mariner history, in GR we could see your onboard bill and THAT would tell us simply if you removed the gratuities or not but didn't tell us what you may have done after that removal. They likely track it onboard for distribution but it wasn't info that we received.

Hope that can possibly help and I have no idea if processes have changed in the last 4 years. I assume there have been adjustments but I don't expect anything HUGELY different than what I describe above.

HAL pays very close attention to CC both in Seattle and on board the ships.

I've been thanked or approached for more info on board when I have posted in "Live From" threads. Most of the HD's I've met read the live from threads daily.

As Ruth said the crews never cease to amaze me. We boarded Westerdam in Vancouver last month for our Mexico trip and went up to Seavies for a drink. Bar Server remembered us and our names from a year ago- they are amazing.

That may or may not be true in the grand scheme of things, but absolutely not in my experience.

 

Call me oblivious, but I can never remember my cabin stewards by name or face when the cruise ends, and only slightly more remember my table stewards. But if I board a ship with a steward I have had before, I am invariably remembered, by name, and greeted warmly. If it's a lounge steward, they also remember the drink order. This can be (and has been) a couple of years later, and after what had been a relatively short cruise, too.

 

Wish I knew how they do it.

It's not just you. I sometimes have to read back through my "live from" posts to remember people's names. It's easier when we travel with my DSIL. She remembers everyone. And I do mean everyone.

This begs a question: why would " high complaining" passengers even bother coming back on HAL ships.

Some people are simply inveterate complainers. Even when they enjoy a cruise, they'll find something to complain about. They'll moan and groan about the declining quality of the food, but will still tuck in with a hearty appetite and stop just shy of licking the plates clean!

I suspect that they get more complaints than complements.

We were on another cruise line. DW wrote a note to the front desk about how impressed she was with our steward. We thought that would be the end of it. Later that day a thank you card came to our door from the head housekeeper...along with a bottle of wine. Totally unexpected. More than once we have made a point of speaking to the MD to complement our server.

We find the staff on all of the cruise lines/ships that we have been on have been excellent. When there are challenges, they always seem to be related to cruise line actions rather than staff performance. If the cruise line cheaps out on meat you cannot blame the staff for that very thin, tough piece of steak. Unless of course it is overcooked and cold as ice.