New beverage cards just posted

[serendipity1499]

Laminator

 

i for one think you are our best hope for a credible answer and look forward to your report! thanks for taking this on; I can't wait to hear the answer!!

 

Oh, and by the way, have a great cruise!!

 

ML

 

 

 

CR

 

I agree and am angry enough to spit!! Pisses me off that they can do this but if i want to change anything, I have to "rebook" and pay a penalty!! I expect them to honor the original sale, not do some "bait and switch". i really expected better from HAL.

 

And as far as DBA's answer, well, let's just say he sounds like a good company man (just pass the buck, don't actually do anything to communicate the bad taste this is leaving in our mouths). makes me glad i never wasted time posting to DBAs thread/blog.

 

reminds me of Network (the movie--"I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore"!!

 

ML

 

That is unfair...:mad:

DBA is just an employee & does not know all the answers..He has been very fair to all of us & given us a great deal of info & help when he can..

All he wanted to do was create a blog like John Heald has...A post like yours will only drive him away.. He even said in the very beginning, that he does not

have all the answers, is not in the Reservation Dept & is not our cruise consultant..

And none of us know what position he holds or even if he is in Management! Of course he is a Company Man, wouldn't you be too! He does not make policy..If you are so angry, you should send a letter or e-mail to HAL's Top Management who make policy & not take it out on individual employees! And how do you know that he hasn't communicated our displeasure with the decision to not honor the wine cards?..How do you even know for sure that we won't get our wine cards? One of the posters said they were honoring them on the Oosterdam..

As much as I'm disappointed if this is the final decision, I'm not angry with ships services or with any individual employee & least of all DBA!..I will be annoyed with top Management, if this is the final decision, as it is their ball game..I will know in a month & if we do not get our wine cards I will send a letter of complaint to the proper Department..

Betty

[kazu]

Laminator

 

i for one think you are our best hope for a credible answer and look forward to your report! thanks for taking this on; I can't wait to hear the answer!!

 

Oh, and by the way, have a great cruise!!

 

ML

 

 

 

CR

 

I agree and am angry enough to spit!! Pisses me off that they can do this but if i want to change anything, I have to "rebook" and pay a penalty!! I expect them to honor the original sale, not do some "bait and switch". i really expected better from HAL.

 

And as far as DBA's answer, well, let's just say he sounds like a good company man (just pass the buck, don't actually do anything to communicate the bad taste this is leaving in our mouths). makes me glad i never wasted time posting to DBAs thread/blog.

 

reminds me of Network (the movie--"I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore"!!

 

ML

 

 

Hold on here. I'm not happy about the cards either, but don't lambast DBA. Sure he's an employee, but he's there to help. He doesn't have answers to everything.

 

I for one, have found him very helpful to myself and many other cruisers.

 

He is an asset to the HAL board. he does this on his own time because he cares. Don't blame him if he doesn't have an answer. :eek:

 

Sorry Betty, I didn't see your post. You said it much better than I.

[Silver sailor]

Well I agree it sounds like a solution, however it is not to those of us who have pre- purchased the wine Cards & have paid for them...

 

The 20 pour wine cards cost was $77.63, which means that each glass of wine cost $3.88 per glass including the 15% Service charge..So if HAL now charges us $5.00 instead it now becomes a 30% increase on the house pour...IMO that is a large increase...

 

And if HAL charges us the menu price plus 15%, which is the price that will be charged, when we use the beverage cards, it could even be more of an increase on the house pour depending on what the price is...

 

When one orders Furniture & the price increases before it is delivered, I would not expect to pay any more than what was charged to my credit card...Would you agree to pay an increase in this case?

 

IMO they should not have taken my order for three Wine Cards...Now that they have charged my credit card, HAL should honor what we have purchased...

 

Cheers...:)Betty

 

The price of the drink is immaterial

I'm saying in your case, and mine, we paid $77.63 for 20 DRINKS of house wine

Give us a credit equal to the cost of 20 glasses of the wine if purchased individually

 

Your credit card is charged $77.63 you get a credit for , in my example, 20 glasses at $5 per glass or$ 100

 

Your actual cost per glass is 77.63/20 or $3.88

[serendipity1499]

The price of the drink is immaterial

I'm saying in your case, and mine, we paid $77.63 for 20 DRINKS of house wine

Give us a credit equal to the cost of 20 glasses of the wine if purchased individually

 

Your credit card is charged $77.63 you get a credit for , in my example, 20 glasses at $5 per glass or$ 100

 

Your actual cost per glass is 77.63/20 or $3.88

 

 

OK Sorry did not understand...Yes, that would be fair..Thanks for the clarification...

 

Hold on here. I'm not happy about the cards either, but don't lambast DBA. Sure he's an employee, but he's there to help. He doesn't have answers to everything.

 

I for one, have found him very helpful to myself and many other cruisers.

 

He is an asset to the HAL board. he does this on his own time because he cares. Don't blame him if he doesn't have an answer. :eek:

 

Sorry Betty, I didn't see your post. You said it much better than I.

 

No Problem..I have a tendency to go on & on....Actually, you said it very well & much more succintly...LOL:)

It's actually better if others feel as we do & become annoyed with those who want to rant against individuals..Ranting & Raving against individuals is unproductive & does not get us anywhere..:(

Of course I may be annoyed with the final decision, but I'll still sail HAL & enjoy my cruise..

Cheers....:)Betty

[kazu]

We sail next Monday :) and I am NOT cancelling my cruise. I am hoping by then, reality check will be in place at HAL and some reason will be in place.

 

If not, I personally plan on speaking to the concierge and then to the hotel manager to voice my displeasure. After all, most people don't know it's happening.

 

I'll have a live thread going (NA on October 18th) so, as long as the internet co-operates, I'll share with you all.

 

I really don't mind the new card, what I do mind is paying for something I'm not getting, and unfortunately, being in Canada I can't cancel, I'll be dinged so hard on the 'buy' and 'sell' exchange rate that I will lose too much. So, I'm going to let the cards fall where they may.

 

Looking forward to the update on Thursday. Isn't it funny how little things bother you more than big things? i think it's called the principle:rolleyes:

[Silver sailor]

Isn't it funny how little things bother you more than big things? i think it's called the principle:rolleyes:

 

 

Could not agree more

Should be interesting to see how many guests board and are expecting to received something that they already paid for and are told it's not available

The atmosphere at customer service should resemble a circus

 

Of course unless HAL has the decency to notify passengers of this prior to sailing this will be a common occurence

 

We sail in APRIL should be interesting

 

Good luck and await your report

[Bill B]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did not the old 10 or 20-glass Wine Cards allow a choice from about six different wines?

 

I believe they were good for more than just the 'house wine'!

[NoWhiners]

Hold on here. I'm not happy about the cards either, but don't lambast DBA. Sure he's an employee, but he's there to help. He doesn't have answers to everything.

 

I for one, have found him very helpful to myself and many other cruisers.

 

He is an asset to the HAL board. he does this on his own time because he cares. Don't blame him if he doesn't have an answer. :eek:

 

Sorry Betty, I didn't see your post. You said it much better than I.

 

 

All I said was I didn't think he was much help. If he had voiced any of our thoughts to HAL, he could have indicated that couldn't he? Or, he could have just let it go, since the call ship services answer had already been provided (and acted on with little satisfaction). No, if my company did something this stupid, I wouldn't still support them. The fact that DBA has been and continues to be helpful (and I agree he often is) doesn't lessen my disappointment in him just ducking the issue and saying "call ship services." We already figured that part out. And how do you know that I haven't already written to HAL? As many others have posted, this is a very bad decision on HALs part, with little thought to how a product that was bought and paid for can be unilaterally removed, and little input from customer on how it should be resolved (refund vs OBC). Not good business.

 

 

Could not agree more

Should be interesting to see how many guests board and are expecting to received something that they already paid for and are told it's not available

The atmosphere at customer service should resemble a circus

 

Of course unless HAL has the decency to notify passengers of this prior to sailing this will be a common occurence

 

We sail in APRIL should be interesting

 

Good luck and await your report

 

We will see how much action we get from HAL, between contacting them directly and having people actually on cruises post and compare their experience. Could be a very telling event!

 

ML

[NoWhiners]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but did not the old 10 or 20-glass Wine Cards allow a choice from about six different wines?

 

I believe they were good for more than just the 'house wine'!

 

I don't remember having a choice; I thought they had one house white, rose, and red?

 

ML

[kazu]

I don't remember having a choice; I thought they had one house white, rose, and red?

 

ML

 

having bought the house wines many times, there are pinot griogios, chardonnays, etc., etc., yes there are about 4 choices for the whites and the red and there are rose's/

[kazu]

All I said was I didn't think he was much help. If he had voiced any of our thoughts to HAL, he could have indicated that couldn't he? Or, he could have just let it go, since the call ship services answer had already been provided (and acted on with little satisfaction). No, if my company did something this stupid, I wouldn't still support them. The fact that DBA has been and continues to be helpful (and I agree he often is) doesn't lessen my disappointment in him just ducking the issue and saying "call ship services." We already figured that part out. And how do you know that I haven't already written to HAL? As many others have posted, this is a very bad decision on HALs part, with little thought to how a product that was bought and paid for can be unilaterally removed, and little input from customer on how it should be resolved (refund vs OBC). Not good business.

 

 

Could not agree more

Should be interesting to see how many guests board and are expecting to received something that they already paid for and are told it's not available

The atmosphere at customer service should resemble a circus

 

Of course unless HAL has the decency to notify passengers of this prior to sailing this will be a common occurence

 

We sail in APRIL should be interesting

 

Good luck and await your report

 

We will see how much action we get from HAL, between contacting them directly and having people actually on cruises post and compare their experience. Could be a very telling event!

 

ML

 

ok, I am not going to turn this into something. i never said you didn't write HAL and good for you if you did. I already have too. However, when it comes to DBA I do take exception.

 

I don't want to get flamed, but I do think that he made it clear from day one that there is only so much he can do (read Betty's post).

 

He is here to help, but he is not customer service, reservation specialist or anything else. Frankly, (each to his own) I respect him bowing out.

 

this is a very quick change and probably caught a lot of people off guard.

 

I would far rather some one didn't give me an answer than gives me a false answer.

 

I'll take it up on the ship if I have to . However, I do not DBA is bowing out, I think it is beyond his area of expertise. He can help you with elevators, cabin layout, etc. the problem is he has become so good that we think he has the answers to everything. Not fair

 

Would you email John at Carnival with the same question or give him a hard time if he didn't have the answer? doesn't matter. Let the dust lay flat and let's see how we do on Monday next. :)

[serendipity1499]

ok, I am not going to turn this into something. i never said you didn't write HAL and good for you if you did. I already have too. However, when it comes to DBA I do take exception.

 

I don't want to get flamed, but I do think that he made it clear from day one that there is only so much he can do (read Betty's post).

 

He is here to help, but he is not customer service, reservation specialist or anything else. Frankly, (each to his own) I respect him bowing out.

 

this is a very quick change and probably caught a lot of people off guard.

 

I would far rather some one didn't give me an answer than gives me a false answer.

 

I'll take it up on the ship if I have to . However, I do not DBA is bowing out, I think it is beyond his area of expertise. He can help you with elevators, cabin layout, etc. the problem is he has become so good that we think he has the answers to everything. Not fair

 

Would you email John at Carnival with the same question or give him a hard time if he didn't have the answer? doesn't matter. Let the dust lay flat and let's see how we do on Monday next. :)

 

I couldn't have said it any better Kazu...I too respect DBA when he suggests we contact various other Depts because he either does not know as it's beyond his area of expertise, or he might have been told not to comment on Management decisions... I too would rather be told, I don't know instead of given the half truth..He has often suggested we contact a specific department for our answers..

And for someone to state that they would not support their own company, if they did not agree with a Management decision is considered disloyal... In most company's they would be fired..:rolleyes:

Cheers....:).Betty

[Laminator]

Hi All:

 

As promised I would get back to you today now that I am onboard the Zuiderdam. Muster's pretty soon so I do not have long.

 

The wine cards are NO LONGER AVAILABLE. If you have purchased a wine card you can either get a credit or a beverage card. If you have an old wine card your card will not work anymore.

 

Now here is my recommendation. Since this is a new computer software system and it will not handle the old types of cards I would recommend that everyone who contacts HAL goes about it this way as they are obviously not going to change a software system that costs probably 6 figures to purchase and have installed.

 

Recommend to HAL that they offer wine specials for the next six months to one year to accomodate all the passengers that purchased wine cards. If the price of the wine was comparable with the new beverage card as to what it was with the old wine card it would sove the problem. That is your best avenue as I can assure you they are not going to change their software system. Most of the passengers at the AFT bar like the new single beverage card system was better as they thought it was easier.

 

Once again we need to remember that HAL has approximately 23,400 pax a week onboard. Although all that have purchased wine cards have a right to be disappointed we have to realize that we are in fact a VERY SMALL minority.

 

I am thinking special wine pricing is the best solution to this problem. Most of the time it is better to also offer a viable solution to the problem than to just complain about it.

 

If anyone has any additional questions that they would like me to see if i can get an answer for please let me know and I will do my best to get them answered. The food and beverage manager came from the OOsterdam so I know him. He is a great guy.

[rebeccac]

Laminator, a few questions-

 

Can the new cards be used to buy bottles of wine?

 

Can you use the alcoholic beverage card for non-alcoholic drinks as well?

 

Can the cards be used for happy hour/drinks of the day?

[wildwoods]

Hi All:

 

As promised I would get back to you today now that I am onboard the Zuiderdam. Muster's pretty soon so I do not have long.

 

The wine cards are NO LONGER AVAILABLE. If you have purchased a wine card you can either get a credit or a beverage card. If you have an old wine card your card will not work anymore.

 

Now here is my recommendation. Since this is a new computer software system and it will not handle the old types of cards I would recommend that everyone who contacts HAL goes about it this way as they are obviously not going to change a software system that costs probably 6 figures to purchase and have installed.

 

Recommend to HAL that they offer wine specials for the next six months to

one year to accomodate all the passengers that purchased wine cards. If the price of the wine was comparable with the new beverage card as to what it was with the old wine card it would sove the problem. That is your best avenue as I can assure you they are not going to change their software system. Most of the passengers at the AFT bar like the new single beverage card system was better as they thought it was easier.

 

Once again we need to remember that HAL has approximately 23,400 pax a week onboard. Although all that have purchased wine cards have a right to be disappointed we have to realize that we are in fact a VERY SMALL minority.

 

I am thinking special wine pricing is the best solution to this problem. Most of the time it is better to also offer a viable solution to the problem than to just complain about it.

 

If anyone has any additional questions that they would like me to see if i can get an answer for please let me know and I will do my best to get them answered. The food and beverage manager came from the OOsterdam so I know him. He is a great guy.

 

Hi

Only if you get the opportunity :rolleyes:could you please ask if the cocktail and coffee cards have met with the same demise as we had booked all of these including the wine cards !!

Thank you

[RSVE821]

Laminator, are the various beverage/soda cards available on board at the discounted price they show on-line? Thx

[canadarocks]

Laminator,

 

I also want to know whether you can use the beverage card at Happy Hour &

 

Please find out if you can use the soda card to get UNOPENED cans of tonic water, and if yes: how much does a can cost?

 

Thanks!

[Jade13]

Hi All:

 

 

If anyone has any additional questions that they would like me to see if i can get an answer for please let me know and I will do my best to get them answered. The food and beverage manager came from the OOsterdam so I know him. He is a great guy.

 

What are they charging for a cola? Is it $2.00 for a can and $1.50 for a glass (fountain drink)? We liked the 20 punch cola cards as they came to approx $1.00 per glass with tip. On all but our last cruise they always brought a full can too. Thanks!

[Jade13]

Laminator, a few questions-

 

Can the new cards be used to buy bottles of wine?

 

Can you use the alcoholic beverage card for non-alcoholic drinks as well?

 

Can the cards be used for happy hour/drinks of the day?

 

It sounds like these are just a debit card.

[NoWhiners]

Hi All:

 

Recommend to HAL that they offer wine specials for the next six months to one year to accomodate all the passengers that purchased wine cards. If the price of the wine was comparable with the new beverage card as to what it was with the old wine card it would sove the problem. That is your best avenue as I can assure you they are not going to change their software system. Most of the passengers at the AFT bar like the new single beverage card system was better as they thought it was easier.

 

I am thinking special wine pricing is the best solution to this problem. Most of the time it is better to also offer a viable solution to the problem than to just complain about it.

 

If anyone has any additional questions that they would like me to see if i can get an answer for please let me know and I will do my best to get them answered. The food and beverage manager came from the OOsterdam so I know him. He is a great guy.

 

Laminator

 

Not sure if you are still checking this board but my question doesn't need an immediate answer. Are you suggesting that we a) ask for refund or maybe equal value in new beverage cards and b) call HAL and ask them to consider some kind of special pricing to allow for some goodwill to be brought back by making this up to people who already purchased the old cards? I'm just not clear on whether you are suggesting a one or two-sep process. Separating the issue of what to do to regain the value of our purchase, plus offer HAL the idea of providing wine specials for a period of time? I think that is what you mean, but am not certain. Did the beverage manager give you any sense that this is a viable option?

 

thanks for the update--now go have a glass of wine!!

ML

[serendipity1499]

Hi All:

 

As promised I would get back to you today now that I am onboard the Zuiderdam. Muster's pretty soon so I do not have long.

 

The wine cards are NO LONGER AVAILABLE. If you have purchased a wine card you can either get a credit or a beverage card. If you have an old wine card your card will not work anymore.

 

Now here is my recommendation. Since this is a new computer software system and it will not handle the old types of cards I would recommend that everyone who contacts HAL goes about it this way as they are obviously not going to change a software system that costs probably 6 figures to purchase and have installed.

 

Recommend to HAL that they offer wine specials for the next six months to one year to accomodate all the passengers that purchased wine cards. If the price of the wine was comparable with the new beverage card as to what it was with the old wine card it would sove the problem. That is your best avenue as I can assure you they are not going to change their software system. Most of the passengers at the AFT bar like the new single beverage card system was better as they thought it was easier.

 

Once again we need to remember that HAL has approximately 23,400 pax a week onboard. Although all that have purchased wine cards have a right to be disappointed we have to realize that we are in fact a VERY SMALL minority..

 

Laminator, Agree Cruise Critic Psgrs are a very small minority, but this is NOT about Cruise Critic..Cruise Critic Psgrs are not the only ones who pre-purchased the wine cards..Many Psgrs who purchased the wine cards on line, are not members of cruise critic..At least those of us on Cruise Critic will be prepared, but what about the hundreds of others who purchased the wine cards & will not be told until they join the ship that they will not be honored..:eek:

Don't you think these Psgrs will be just as disappointed as we are?

I am thinking special wine pricing is the best solution to this problem. Most of the time it is better to also offer a viable solution to the problem than to just complain about it.

 

If anyone has any additional questions that they would like me to see if i can get an answer for please let me know and I will do my best to get them answered. The food and beverage manager came from the OOsterdam so I know him. He is a great guy.

 

Laminator, Thanks for your post & it would be great if HAL were to give those of us special pricing, however what happens if only one couple at a table for 8 gets the special pricing & the others don't...:eek: How would HAL handle that? Silver Sailor had a similar proposal, but his still seems a bit complicated to me...

Therefore I have another proposal!

HAL in Seattle, should e-mail all those who have purchased wine cards with another offer, such as this:

"We are very sorry to have accepted your booking for the wine cards, however, due to unforseen circumstances, they will not be available on your cruise on Nov. 13th 2010...Therefore, for those who have pre-purchased the wine card for your cruise, we wish to offer you a small compensation...

In lieu of the wine card, we can offer those who have pre-purchased the wine cards an additional 10% discount on our new Beverage card..Please advise by ________, if you would like to purchase it at an additional 10% off or you want us to refund your credit card.."

PLEASE REMEMBER THE ABOVE PARAGRAPH IS NOT FROM HAL, BUT ONLY AN IDEA OF MINE!

Now they could sell us the $50 card for $40 & the $100 card for $80...To me this seems like a fair trade..We are still paying more than $3.88 per glass but it's only fair that HAL splits the difference with us..

BTW..Did you happen to confirm that we will be pay for both the drink & the 15% service charge on board, when we use the Beverage card ?

Thanks again for getting some answers for us..

Enjoy your cruise....Betty

[canadarocks]

Now THAT sounds like a workable plan! :cool:

[croozer]

A few points I'd like to make, and pardon me if I'm repeating myself:

 

1)In essence, the new cards are, indeed, nothing but a debit card with a 10% discount, so I don't see why they shouldn't be applicable for Happy Hour (or anything else). If you can't apply them to Happy Hour, just use your room card. I still think they should just let you charge up room credit at a discount rate and let you use it for whatever you want--coffee, cans of soda, wine, cocktails, whatever. Why so many different cards, unless they expect you to waste the remaining credit at the end of the cruise, drinking more to just use them up? I find it hard to believe they'd refund the remaining credit to your onboard account...'cuz if they did, I think I'll buy $1000 worth for $900, drink $25 worth of wine and still make $75 on the deal ;)

 

2) If they can offer a soda card for "fountain" or "well" sodas at a decent rate, then they could easily do the same thing for a house-pour wine card. If they don't want to set a rate for 10 pours of the house wine, they could offer $50 worth of house wine for $25, like the soda card (but not like the shabby discount of the beverage card.)

[Laminator]

 

Now they could sell us the $50 card for $40 & the $100 card for $80...To me this seems like a fair trade..We are still paying more than $3.88 per glass but it's only fair that HAL splits the difference with us..

 

BTW..Did you happen to confirm that we will be pay for both the drink & the 15% service charge on board, when we use the Beverage card ?

 

Thanks again for getting some answers for us..

 

Enjoy your cruise....Betty

 

The reason they would not be able to do the idea you propose is because the software will not handle that. However asking for an onboard credit of the additional $10 or $20 may work.

 

I can tell you that now that I have been onboard for a full day I have not heard one person at any bar complain about the new system. Most everyone that I have seen likes the convenience of having one card.

 

The 15% gratuity is not included in the price of your drink on your beverage card.

 

As for seperate cards the drink cards are geared more toward the kids and the coffee cards are geared more toward those who do not drink. They also have the friends of Bill W. get togethers everyday.

 

I am also quite sure that if someone were to read the entire contract we agree to when we make our reservations and purchases they will find that HAL has the right to do what they did.

 

The other alternative is to bring your own wine onboard.

[darienill]

When is happy hour?

Have I been missing something?