Shame on Holland!!!! Never again!

[IRL_Joanie]

[quote name='jhcrossfield']To be clear:

This was NOT optional. If we want to go on the cruise we must acept their offer share the cabin. My agent verified this twice at my request. She even presented alternatives such as booking another date, etc. Those were expressly refused. So, we either take the cruisefare portion of what was paid as a refund and consolidate to one cabin or we don't go.

One pays cruise fare, port charges and taxes in total---the two of us combined paid what it would cost 4 people to have 2 cabins since the single supplement was 100%. The cruise fare portion of the total was so low that it counted for a little over half of what was charged. The rest was port charges and taxes. The port charges amounted to what they charge 4 people even though only 2 were going and since the taxes were based on the total cruise fare portion of what was paid there is nothing "wrong" with what they charged there.

Anyway, buyer beware.........it's not the way to start a vacation and I do not plan on speding my week fighting it onboard.[/quote]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=Blue][B]
I think Lisa or Candy here to help try and figure out what the OP is saying and to help him/her out.

I, like many others, think the TA is at fault in, at the very least, explaining what is happening to the OP and possibly to us.

Can someone do the math for me here please?? (I'm lousy at math:o)

In Sept 2011 we paid per person in our stateroom for our cruise to Alaska:

Cruise Fare: $2199.00
Taxes: $110.40
Port Fees: $235.00

What is the percentage of Taxes and Port Fess (Which HAL has no control of, btw) that we paid per person?

Joanie[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[iancal]

Good luck to you.

Put their feet to fire and don't just 'settle', settle for something in your favor-not theirs. They created the problem.

[innlady1]

[quote name='sail7seas'][B] They made the choice to book two cabins. It is the way they want it. I feel bad they are not getting what they want but still think there's a TA story here that has not been fully disclosed.[/B]

[B]JMO.....[/B]

[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]I've never heard of HAL doing this to anyone else. Never. I agree...I think the travel agent goofed somehow.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[mamaofami]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Something is very wrong here. They booked two cabins because they wanted two cabins. I can not see or believe that HAL would put them together in one cabin, take it or leave it.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]I agree that somewhere there was either a misunderstanding between the TA and OP or the TA and Hal.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]The bottom line is they are sailing tomorrow and I don't see how this can be rectified now.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[lcand1923]

I cannot understand how 2 cabins (each paid for and assigned) can become 1 cabin -- take it or leave it. Personally, I'd have to leave it. I'd be disappointed at not taking a cruise, but I wouldn't share a cabin if I hadn't planned on doing it from the beginning. (Don't know the cost of the airfare and possible pre & post hotel stays, but I'd probably eat them rather than share a cabin.)

[Typhoon1]

When someone sorts this all out, be sure to let the rest of us know.

[styles27]

This thread has me so paranoid that I've already gone to the Holland America site twice to be sure my stateroom number is still there for this weekend's cruise.:eek:

I know our cruise is oversold and they were making offers yesterday...I really hope enough people take them up on those offers.

[mamaofami]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]If you want to be sure you get what you paid for, book with a reputable TA to begin with. I can't imagine my TA agreeing to such a thing if she knew we wanted two cabins. Do your homework before you book.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[innlady1]

[quote name='mamaofami'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]If you want to be sure you get what you paid for, book with a reputable TA to begin with. I can't imagine my TA agreeing to such a thing if she knew we wanted two cabins. Do your homework before you book.[/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Exactly. I honestly feel we have no worries...ever...because of that. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[peaches from georgia]

As someone mentioned in another post, it is worth taking a quick look at OP's previous posts over the years. Most posts are grievances against all the cruiselines he has sailed and gotten "ripped off"- Seabourn, Celebrity and Azamara for starters. Complaints about all of them.

I apologize if I am wrong, but I'm beginning to wonder if we are getting the complete and true story. It's unusual that any one pax would be ripped off by every cruiseline he sails. :confused:

[innlady1]

[quote name='styles27']This thread has me so paranoid that I've already gone to the Holland America site twice to be sure my stateroom number is still there for this weekend's cruise.:eek:

I know our cruise is oversold and they were making offers yesterday...I really hope enough people take them up on those offers.[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]If they don't, I suspect soon they'll "sweeten the pot" enough so that people will jump ship. From what I understand, this happens often.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]I'm pretty sure that the Travel Agent is responsible for this mess...we've cruised on HAL since '07 and I've never heard of anything like this on CC with HAL.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[innlady1]

[quote name='IRL_Joanie']
[SIZE=4][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]I think Lisa or Candy here to help try and figure out what the OP is saying and to help him/her out. [/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=4][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]I, like many others, think the TA is at fault in, at the very least, explaining what is happening to the OP and possibly to us.[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=4][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]Can someone do the math for me here please?? (I'm lousy at math:o)[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=4][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]In Sept 2011 we paid per person in our stateroom for our cruise to Alaska:[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=4][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]Cruise Fare: $2199.00[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]Taxes: $110.40[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=4][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]Port Fees: $235.00[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=4][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]What is the percentage of Taxes and Port Fess (Which HAL has no control of, btw) that we paid per person?[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=4][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]Joanie[/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE][/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]Joanie,[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]I don't think it's appropriate to expect that Lisa can or will get involved in this...given the Cruise Critic rules. It's a lot to expect of either of them. The OP needs to sort this out with his travel agent.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]

[solocanadian]

[quote name='3rdGenCunarder']You've thrown around a lot of numbers and percents and I'm confused.

If I get this right, you booked two cabins, with each of you traveling as a single. So you paid the "single supplement" which I gather was 100%, meaning you paid for two passengers per cabin even though there was just one per cabin. Some sort of single supplement is an industry standard, as you probably know. (I didn't know HAL was charging 100%.)

I get confused on the port taxes/fees. Are you saying that you were charged for TWO sets of fees for your cabin and TWO sets of fees for your mother's cabin? These fees should not have been folded into your cruise fare. My TA always lists them per person on a separate line from the cruise fare. As far as I know, a cruise line can't charge taxes and fees for more than the number of actual passengers in a cabin. And yes, they're high for Alaska. I doubt HAL makes a profit on port taxes.

Aside from the port tax issue, you started out paying for two cabins, and now you've got one cabin. The refund was the price you paid for one of the original cabins that you booked. Is that correct?[/quote]
[B][SIZE=3][COLOR=purple]The single suppliment is 200%, not 100%. Also my TA who does large volume with Hal does not show taxes & port charges as a separate item - just a total. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]

[LAFFNVEGAS]

[SIZE=3]I have briefly read thru this, a few things stick out as major errors made between the TA and the OP. But I would say one of two things happened. Either one the TA who was most likely offered a bonus from HAL to do this agreed to move them and she may have first thought they were being moved to a S Suite then realizied it was just a Verandah Suite not deluxe. Or the most likely explanation is when she explained to the OP the offer the TA may have been thinking it was for a S Suite and client said yes, she calls HAL to change, then calls client back and says they are changed but re-explains what they have and it is not what he thought or the TA thought and now too late.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Trust me in the begining it was just an [B]OFFER[/B]. There would not have been any demand or Take it or Leave it. There are numerous offers going on right now for move overs but HAL would not just move two bookings into one.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Still not sure if client/op even understand what for sure was refunded and about the port fees/taxes.[/SIZE]

[solocanadian]

[B][SIZE=4][COLOR=purple]:):DYou could offer me a free upgrade to a pent house but I would not accept if I had to share it with my late mother, God rest her soul. She was the snoring champion of Canada![/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]

[IRL_Joanie]

[quote name='LAFFNVEGAS'][SIZE=3]I have briefly read thru this, a few things stick out as major errors made between the TA and the OP. But I would say one of two things happened. Either one the TA who was most likely offered a bonus from HAL to do this agreed to move them and she may have first thought they were being moved to a S Suite then realizied it was just a Verandah Suite not deluxe. Or the most likely explanation is when she explained to the OP the offer the TA may have been thinking it was for a S Suite and client said yes, she calls HAL to change, then calls client back and says they are changed but re-explains what they have and it is not what he thought or the TA thought and now too late.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Trust me in the begining it was just an [B]OFFER[/B]. There would not have been any demand or Take it or Leave it. There are numerous offers going on right now for move overs but HAL would not just move two bookings into one.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Still not sure if client/op even understand what for sure was refunded and about the port fees/taxes.[/SIZE][/quote]


[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=Blue][B]Thank you for explaining what I think many of us feel is also the more likely explanation:)

Joanie[/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[sail7seas]

[quote name='Typhoon1']When someone sorts this all out, be sure to let the rest of us know.[/quote]


[B] Yes, Please. :)

[/B]


[quote name='mamaofami'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]If you want to be sure you get what you paid for, book with a reputable TA to begin with. I can't imagine my TA agreeing to such a thing if she knew we wanted two cabins. Do your homework before you book.[/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]


[B] How does one know they have a bad TA until the TA does something bad? Whenever any of us hires a professional to represent us at whatever, we expect they are competent, honest and will handle our task well.

Until they do not, we expect they're 'good'.
No?

[/B]

[styles27]

Since my sister left the business, I always book directly with the cruiseline.

They have some very good travel consultants and I like being the first one to hear "an offer" if there is one.

I'm too much of a control type person to give that power to a travel agent.

It's very easy for a TA to mess up and place blame on the cruiseline.

[kazu]

Wow - interesting thread - I think Lisa hit the nail on the head with her post. I've been on ships that were overbooked and the offers started flowing - WE NEVER HAD TO ACCEPT ANY OFFER OR LOSE OUR STATEROOM unless we chose to accept the offer. Something has gone wrong here - either between the TA and HAl or the OP and the TA.

I feel for the op - but I really, really don't think that HAL is at fault on this one. Something else has happened - Lisa's explanation makes a lot of sense:D

[mamaofami]

[quote name='sail7seas']

[B] How does one know they have a bad TA until the TA does something bad? Whenever any of us hires a professional to represent us at whatever, we expect they are competent, honest and will handle our task well.

Until they do not, we expect they're 'good'.
No?

[/B][/quote]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3]
You are right, Sail. It does go for any professional we hire.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[Boytjie]

[quote name='solocanadian'][B][SIZE=3][COLOR=purple]The single suppliment is 200%, not 100%. Also my TA who does large volume with Hal does not show taxes & port charges as a separate item - just a total. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/B][/QUOTE]

Not to nitpick, but the supplement is 100%: the fare for 1 person + the supplement of another 1.

[Laminator]

Here is the problem that no one has mentioned. The reason the OP was made this offer is because the ship is sold out. It would not be to HAL's benefit to offer 2 cabins for upgrade as they would not have picked up an additonal cabin. HAL is only looking to gain a cabin in this instance so the OP thinking he was getting two cabins is illogical.

I think we put the majority of the blame here on the TA for not explaining it correctly.

[bcd2010]

[quote name='YubaSutter']Why didn't the OP start out by sharing 1 cabin with mother? Why would a mother and child buy 2 cabins and pay for two single supplements? Makes no sense to me.[/quote]

[quote name='solocanadian'][B][SIZE=4][COLOR=purple]:):DYou could offer me a free upgrade to a pent house but I would not accept if I had to share it with my late mother, God rest her soul. She was the snoring champion of Canada![/COLOR][/SIZE][/B][/quote]

Other possible reasons:

CPAP machines can be noisy and interfere with the other's sleep (I've read that they're quieter now).

Before the new rule about no smoking in the cabins, I wouldn't have shared a cabin with my mother because she smoked.

Early bird vs night owl.

One or the other pax may want to bring someone back to the cabin.

[sail7seas]

[quote name='bcd2010']Other possible reasons:

CPAP machines can be noisy and interfere with the other's sleep (I've read that they're quieter now).

Before the new rule about no smoking in the cabins, I wouldn't have shared a cabin with my mother because she smoked.

Early bird vs night owl.

One or the other pax may want to bring someone back to the cabin.[/quote]


[B] Maybe they each want their own bathroom. ;)

Maybe they are apt to get on each other's nerves from time to time and time apart will make their trip enjoyable for both?

Who knows? We're only having a bit of fun guessing. :o [/B]

[hrhdhd]

[quote name='YubaSutter']Why didn't the OP start out by sharing 1 cabin with mother? Why would a mother and child buy 2 cabins and pay for two single supplements? Makes no sense to me.[/quote]

Obviously, you have never traveled with [I]my[/I] mother. :rolleyes: