Single thread - New website issues and discussions

Lacking other information on the IT problems, I blame the French.

Carnival is eliminating 200 workers from its IT department, according to a reporter by CBS4 News. However, the workers are being offered positions at an outside French firm...

 

The affected Carnival employees work for the Doral-based cruise company’s various cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises.

Holland America is headquartered in Seattle - I guess there aren’t a lot of tech savvy people located in that area.

 

I reckon that’s why HAL has such a problem with their website.

 

I’m sure if HAL was located in a more technologically friendly area, then they would be more successful in their internet endeavors.

 

After all, Holland America is very interested and concerned about the interests and concerns of all the company’s customers. . . right?

 

 

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Drat! Now I have to wipe coffee off my monitor!!!!!!!!! :eek: :D :cool:

I got the email, as did all Mariners. Ooooooh, looks like they're SO PROUD of their wonderful new site! No, you don't do a "phased" release. You go live when the beta (zeta?) version has its bugs all resolved. What a kluge this is....from a major corporation.

I got the email, as did all Mariners. Ooooooh, looks like they're SO PROUD of their wonderful new site! No, you don't do a "phased" release. You go live when the beta (zeta?) version has its bugs all resolved. What a kluge this is....from a major corporation.

There is a school of project management that thinks it's a good idea to skip beta

and do "gamma testing" -- go live and let the customer complaints roll in -- since

it saves all that beta-tester salary money. :rolleyes:

Does wonders for your on-time RTM metrics, too.

Double Check Your Price

Just a word of warning for those accessing the "old" site. I have some cruises in My Favorites and I periodically check the fares. Sometimes I will start a new search from the Home Page to see if anything comes up. While logged in, I noticed that one of the Cruises in My Favorites had a different (higher) price on main page of the initial search, but when I clicked on it, the same lower fare that was showing when I checked it from My Favorites appeared.

Said that to say, apparently on some sailings, the initial summary you see may not be the actual price. (I did cross reference this with the "new" site and everything was in order, no discrepancies on that end. However the Map View had "undefined" for all of the port names:>)

Happy Sailing!

Sorry to start a new thread. I honestly tried and failed to find the threads re the horrible new HAL website. Did CC delete them? or the CC search really is awful. I did see a post about a week ago where someone gave us a link to the old version website that HAL representatives are actually using. This timing is really bad as I have a cruise coming up in 3 weeks or so and am on guarantee. The old site was working for me on Firefox for about a week. As of yesterday I just get the spinning wheel using Firefox. I find it does still work with Chrome. I am quite frustrated with this HAL website situation as I imagine others are as well. Why oh why do they just throw up #$x% that is not ready for prime time. I will post the link that may help some folks.

https://www.hollandamerica.com/?ASCookie=RSOrigin

The moderator had consolidated all discussions about this into one thread.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2619944

Please contribute your comments there.

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

I did see a post about a week ago where someone gave us a link to the old version website that HAL representatives are actually using. This timing is really bad as I have a cruise coming up in 3 weeks or so and am on guarantee. The old site was working for me on Firefox using the link below for about a week. As of yesterday I just get the spinning wheel using Firefox. I find it does still work with Chrome. I am quite frustrated with this HAL website situation as I imagine others are as well. Why oh why do they just throw up #$x% that is not ready for prime time. I will post the link that may help some folks.

https://www.hollandamerica.com/?ASCookie=RSOrigin

The moderator had consolidated all discussions about this into one thread.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2619944

 

Please contribute your comments there.

 

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

Thanks, I added my comment there. I wish the CC search actually yielded something, but it does not. I tried several attempts.

Double Check Your Price

 

Just a word of warning for those accessing the "old" site. I have some cruises in My Favorites and I periodically check the fares. Sometimes I will start a new search from the Home Page to see if anything comes up. While logged in, I noticed that one of the Cruises in My Favorites had a different (higher) price on main page of the initial search, but when I clicked on it, the same lower fare that was showing when I checked it from My Favorites appeared.

 

Said that to say, apparently on some sailings, the initial summary you see may not be the actual price. (I did cross reference this with the "new" site and everything was in order, no discrepancies on that end. However the Map View had "undefined" for all of the port names:>)

 

Happy Sailing!

Sometimes there's a mismatch like you describe when HAL is changing prices. Although these days, anything could be happening.

Since I haven't had an urgent need to log on to the HAL site (our next cruise is in August), I've refrained from doing so, given the problems people are reporting. But I just tried now, on Chrome and Edge. What a disaster still!

On Chrome, the new web site came up, but when I logged on I could not get to my reservation. I kept getting a "could not connect with the server" message. I tried Edge; the new site came up, but when I logged on, the old site appeared. I was able to view the main page for my reservation, but nothing happened when I clicked on the option to see my itinerary/booked excursions, etc. -- just a blank blue ocean page. Same thing happened when I tried the direct link to the old site that people have posted above.

There is just no excuse for this.

Since I haven't had an urgent need to log on to the HAL site (our next cruise is in August), I've refrained from doing so, given the problems people are reporting. But I just tried now, on Chrome and Edge. What a disaster still!

 

On Chrome, the new web site came up, but when I logged on I could not get to my reservation. I kept getting a "could not connect with the server" message. I tried Edge; the new site came up, but when I logged on, the old site appeared. I was able to view the main page for my reservation, but nothing happened when I clicked on the option to see my itinerary/booked excursions, etc. -- just a blank blue ocean page. Same thing happened when I tried the direct link to the old site that people have posted above.

 

There is just no excuse for this.

I just wish the IT folks reported to— Hmmm...

On second thought, I'd not wish that on you. :halo:

My Mariner Status is actually on the new site! It's now listed correctly in a separate column under My Account, in addition to My Details and My Bookings. Better late than never I suppose. :)

Well, I tried to use the new site knowing I would lose the old one soon for my last Bon Voyage thread.

What a PITA. Even if you click to show sold out cruises it doesn't show them all.

The old site is thankfully on my Ipad so, as much as I hate to use it for a BV thread, I had to use my Ipad for the last Bon Voyage.

I sure hope it improves FAST. If you can't even find the cruise, it's kind of hard to post the itinerary :( :confused::mad:

So today I get an email from HAL wishing me a happy birthday. In the email there are a number of links to explore various itineraries for different regions. When I clicked on them, each one takes me into the old HAL website.

Looks like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing!!! :)

I have two bookmarks for HAL - I have them labeled New HAL and Old HAL (duh!). Today they are both showing the same (Old) HAL site, it seems. Anyone else? New HAL seems to have disappeared....

I have two bookmarks for HAL - I have them labeled New HAL and Old HAL (duh!). Today they are both showing the same (Old) HAL site, it seems. Anyone else? New HAL seems to have disappeared....

Just my suspicion but maybe the "new" website was harvesting 100% complaints and zero new reservations. And someone finally noticed.

New website puts form over substance -busy visuals over easy access to factual information necessary to make cruise decisions. HAL now comes across as a hyper-cruise line on steroids that doesn't know who it is, instead of the sedate, low key, non-aggrevating travel choice that so many have preferred.

Just my suspicion but maybe the "new" website was harvesting 100% complaints and zero new reservations. And someone finally noticed.

 

New website puts form over substance -busy visuals over easy access to factual information necessary to make cruise decisions. HAL now comes across as a hyper-cruise line on steroids that doesn't know who it is, instead of the sedate, low key, non-aggrevating travel choice that so many have preferred.

But... But... But the new site feelz so good!

::runs and hides::

I just went to check and I still get the new website automatically when using either my iPad or desktop so .......

That said on the new website (using my iPad) I still get the blue spinning circle of doom rather than search results when trying to look up a cruise. Using chrome from my desktop seems fine.

I never liked the old "new" website much, the new "new" website is even worse.....

These new high graphic, low content "tiled" design, dysfunctional websites designed by people who have obviously never planned a cruise are becoming the norm. Just peek in on the Celebrity, Royal and Carnival sites and CC message boards for those brands to see al the. Website woes.

I have both the old and the new websites bookmarked and they both opened to what they are. I am starting to understand the new one a little, but not enough to do away with old one.

This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

I just went to check and I still get the new website automatically when using either my iPad or desktop so .......

 

That said on the new website (using my iPad) I still get the blue spinning circle of doom rather than search results when trying to look up a cruise. Using chrome from my desktop seems fine.

 

I never liked the old "new" website much, the new "new" website is even worse.....

 

These new high graphic, low content "tiled" design, dysfunctional websites designed by people who have obviously never planned a cruise are becoming the norm. Just peek in on the Celebrity, Royal and Carnival sites and CC message boards for those brands to see al the. Website woes.

(bold is mine) And a CEO who had never been on a cruise before he got the job at HAL. Somebody somewhere in the company should know what the product is about.

I have two bookmarks for HAL - I have them labeled New HAL and Old HAL (duh!). Today they are both showing the same (Old) HAL site, it seems. Anyone else? New HAL seems to have disappeared....

How long can they let this continue until they finally take out the checkbook and hire the most competent able techs they can find? This web site mess has to have already cost them some 'real' money..

(bold is mine) And a CEO who had never been on a cruise before he got the job at HAL. Somebody somewhere in the company should know what the product is about.

And a CEO who apparently never learned anything from the New Coke debacle during his prior employment with Coca Cola.