Bad call hal

[LMaxwell]

My post most certainly was to do with the website. It was in direct response to LMaxwell stating "But going by HAL's site and reviews of this and similar itineraries it is very easy to see why someone would believe they'd be taken past the lava flow." As I said, I've gone to HAL's site and found nothing that would support that claim, and was inviting LMaxwell to share with us the related references.

 

When I'm back to a computer where I can cut and paste links this week, sure. For now you'll have to just follow the instructions I posted and see the information I have seen. Many reasonable and / or non-seasoned people would be lead to a similar expectation as OP.

[Fouremco]

When I'm back to a computer where I can cut and paste links this week, sure. For now you'll have to just follow the instructions I posted and see the information I have seen. Many reasonable and / or non-seasoned people would be lead to a similar expectation as OP.

:o

 

As you seem so sure, I thought that I'd go back to the website again and try a different approach to my search. I subsequently found the following:

 

 

This is also a 17-Day Circle Hawaii cruise, but clearly has a different routing than the one I provided in an earlier post. Different dates, different routes I guess. The itinerary doesn't speak about a sail by, but the map certainly shows the ship taking the southerly route.

 

While all of the cruises heading south over the equator after leaving Hawaii are shown on the website as taking the northern route from Hilo, I now agree that it is possible that the OP's expectations were influenced by other Hawaiian cruises shown on HAL's website, just as you have said.

[LMaxwell]

Not just HAL's site, but if you run a Google search you will see articles from third party professional sites that mention lava flows. I'm not saying HAL promised this. I am saying for a non-enthusiast / casual observer there's plenty out there to build the expectation.

[Umbarger]

I finally got to talk directly to the captain. Our itinerary was supposed to be Hilo to Kona going the Southern route past the lava flow according to the itinerary map. However a few days before leaving the itinerary changed to Kona to Hilo for some reason.

 

Anyway I asked the Captain why he skipped the Lava flow. He said " It was not on the itinerary" I said fine but it was only 50 miles more to go by the lava flow and have happy HAL cruisers. He replied. "Yes, only 50 miles."

 

That was it. He would not say anything more to me. I was very kind. I just wanted to know. He was not nice to me. It sounded like he was fed up with the question.

 

Going to Hawaii and not seeing the lava flow is like going to Alaska and not seeing a glacier. I have been on around 7 Hawaii cruses on different lines. They all went to the lava flow except this one.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Thanks for coming back to tell us what you learned, even if it wasn't much. If there were a lot of unhappy passengers, the captain probably was tired of being asked about it. But he's supposed to be nice to passengers. He could have said "I'm sorry but..." and given an explanation. If the itinerary was changed so close to sailing, I would think Seattle told him why.

[Boytjie]

Anyway I asked the Captain why he skipped the Lava flow. He said " It was not on the itinerary" I said fine but it was only 50 miles more to go by the lava flow and have happy HAL cruisers. He replied. "Yes, only 50 miles."

 

That's about a 3 hour deviation from the schedule. That's not nothing.

[WpgCruise]

He was not nice to me. It sounded like he was fed up with the question.

 

Sometimes there just isn't a very nice way to hear NO

 

We can often hear what we want to hear. Perhaps your impression of "not nice to me" could very well be the Captains impression of "I was asked a question and answered the question"

 

If this is the biggest problem the O.P. is having with the cruise, bless their hearts the rest should be pure joy.

[3rdGenCunarder]

That's about a 3 hour deviation from the schedule. That's not nothing.

 

So maybe the "yes, only 50 miles" was sarcastic?

[Fouremco]

I finally got to talk directly to the captain. Our itinerary was supposed to be Hilo to Kona going the Southern route past the lava flow according to the itinerary map. However a few days before leaving the itinerary changed to Kona to Hilo for some reason.

 

Anyway I asked the Captain why he skipped the Lava flow. He said " It was not on the itinerary" I said fine but it was only 50 miles more to go by the lava flow and have happy HAL cruisers. He replied. "Yes, only 50 miles."

 

That was it. He would not say anything more to me. I was very kind. I just wanted to know. He was not nice to me. It sounded like he was fed up with the question.

So, the itinerary was changed in advance of the cruise. As HAL doesn't make changes on a whim, or just to annoy its passengers, a reasonable person would conclude that there was a sound reason for the change. Why then would you choose to challenge the Captain for following the revised itinerary and ask him why he "skipped" the lava flow? Then, having been told the reason, why would you continue to challenge him?

[Bill B]

As HAL doesn't make changes on a whim, or just to annoy its passengers, a reasonable person would conclude that there was a sound reason for the change.

 

There was - a savings of several thousand dollars in fuel.

Edited November 3, 2016 by Bill B

[3rdGenCunarder]

There was - a savings of several thousand dollars in fuel.

 

Of course the extra sailing time uses more fuel. But Seattle only figured that out a few days before the cruise???

 

Perhaps like the itinerary that was sailed was the intended plan all along, but HAL put out bad information which led to an expectation that was not met. So then they said "the itinerary was changed" to cover the mistake. A cruise line can make any itinerary change they want/need to, we all know that. But an explanation would have been better PR.

[Winters in NZ]

In the words of Mick Jagger, "You can't always get what you want."

 

Also in the words of Mick Jagger in the same song, "we're gonna vent our frustration" and also " you just might find you get what you need ".

 

So perhaps some of Umbarger's fellow passengers, as she stated, will be giving Celebrity another look next time.....and perhaps they will get what they want.

[Cruise Junky]

So, the itinerary was changed in advance of the cruise. As HAL doesn't make changes on a whim, or just to annoy its passengers, a reasonable person would conclude that there was a sound reason for the change. Why then would you choose to challenge the Captain for following the revised itinerary and ask him why he "skipped" the lava flow? Then, having been told the reason, why would you continue to challenge him?

 

She didn't Challenge him, she asked a question. Jeeezzeee

[boards]

And you wonder why the Captain isn't seen walking a ship very much??

[Bill B]

And you wonder why the Captain isn't seen walking a ship very much??

 

It's a great job (if it wasn't for the customers).

[kevingastreich]

I finally got to talk directly to the captain. Our itinerary was supposed to be Hilo to Kona going the Southern route past the lava flow according to the itinerary map. However a few days before leaving the itinerary changed to Kona to Hilo for some reason.

 

Anyway I asked the Captain why he skipped the Lava flow. He said " It was not on the itinerary" I said fine but it was only 50 miles more to go by the lava flow and have happy HAL cruisers. He replied. "Yes, only 50 miles."

 

That was it. He would not say anything more to me. I was very kind. I just wanted to know. He was not nice to me. It sounded like he was fed up with the question.

 

Going to Hawaii and not seeing the lava flow is like going to Alaska and not seeing a glacier. I have been on around 7 Hawaii cruses on different lines. They all went to the lava flow except this one.

 

Well, at least it wasn't a bad cruise! (judging by your tag line)

[kazu]

She didn't Challenge him, she asked a question. Jeeezzeee

 

Ummmm.....telling the captain it's only 50 miles is a bit challenging after he's already answered the question, no? Unless you are an experienced captain. Who knew what was entailed in that 50 miles. How much $ it cost, risks, etc.

 

There is so much lava to see in Hawaii that it's pretty hard to miss unless you are staying on the ship. I was done with lava after 2 days on our last cruise and was just going for beauty. different strokes ;)

[Cruise Junky]

Ummmm.....telling the captain it's only 50 miles is a bit challenging after he's already answered the question, no? Unless you are an experienced captain. Who knew what was entailed in that 50 miles. How much $ it cost, risks, etc.

 

There is so much lava to see in Hawaii that it's pretty hard to miss unless you are staying on the ship. I was done with lava after 2 days on our last cruise and was just going for beauty. different strokes ;)

 

 

He didn't answer the question, he completely sluffed it off. You're forgetting the itinerary showed that until a few days before departure. I feel passengers deserved to know why and she asked and got sarcasm.

[kazu]

He didn't answer the question, he completely sluffed it off. You're forgetting the itinerary showed that until a few days before departure. I feel passengers deserved to know why and she asked and got sarcasm.

 

 

No, I didn't forget anything.

 

I suspect that either he had been fired upon by other passengers and was fed up or he is not a "social" captain.

 

If the itinerary was changed on him, what do you want him to say? He can't point the finger at Seattle.

 

Sarcasm is a second hand account. We weren't there. From what the OP said, it sounded like he gave a straight answer, not sarcastic. Captains aren't usually rude by nature - to the point, possibly, but not sarcastic nor rude.

Edited November 4, 2016 by kazu

[Fouremco]

He didn't answer the question, he completely sluffed it off. You're forgetting the itinerary showed that until a few days before departure. I feel passengers deserved to know why and she asked and got sarcasm.

He certainly did answer her question: he told her that the lava flow wasn't on the itinerary, which was a precise and truthful answer. She then told him that it was "only" an extra 50 miles, which he agreed to. It's beyond me how you twist this to being sarcastic.

 

If you go back to the post and reread it, you'll see that Umbarger didn't even ask the key question: why was the itinerary changed.

[Cruise Junky]

He certainly did answer her question: he told her that the lava flow wasn't on the itinerary, which was a precise and truthful answer. She then told him that it was "only" an extra 50 miles, which he agreed to. It's beyond me how you twist this to being sarcastic.

 

If you go back to the post and reread it, you'll see that Umbarger didn't even ask the key question: why was the itinerary changed.

 

But it was on the itinerary when people booked. I still feel it deserved an explanation

[serendipity1499]

She didn't Challenge him, she asked a question. Jeeezzeee

 

How do you know that she never challenged the Captain? Were you there?

 

IMO her question was a challenge to the Captain..

 

No, I didn't forget anything.

 

I suspect that either he had been fired upon by other passengers and was fed up or he is not a "social" captain.

 

If the itinerary was changed on him, what do you want him to say? He can't point the finger at Seattle.

 

Sarcasm is a second hand account. We weren't there. From what the OP said, it sounded like he gave a straight answer, not sarcastic. Captains aren't usually rude by nature - to the point, possibly, but not sarcastic nor rude.

 

I agree Jacqui! I've never seen a rude Captain or crew on any cruise, but I've seen many rude & challenging Psgrs..

 

What others forget is; the cruise the OP was on was NEVER scheduled to go by the Lava flow & 50 miles at sea is many extra hours & fuel consumption..

 

As I said in a previous post, the Captain was "damned if he did & damned if he didn't" since others had criticized the fact all they saw was steam on a previous cruise..

 

Some Psgrs. can be unusually demanding of crew.. No explanation was due!

Edited November 4, 2016 by serendipity1499

[3rdGenCunarder]

How do you know that she never challenged the Captain? Were you there?

 

IMO her question was a challenge to the Captain..

 

 

 

I completely agree Jacqui! What others forget is; the cruise the OP was on was NEVER scheduled to go by the Lava flow & 50 miles at sea is many extra hours..

 

(bold is mine) Wasn't it? She was told the itinerary was changed a few days before sailing. From what she has said, everything else was as advertised, so it seems that the change in route was that itinerary change.

 

Blame me, not Cruise Junky, for the interpretation as sarcasm. I asked in an earlier post if it was sarcasm. Sure reads like it to me, but since nobody answered my question, I guess I'm the only one who saw it that way.

 

I still say that passengers could have been given some explanation, even something as vague as "operational reasons." SOMETHING so that passengers would know that their disappointment had been recognized. You know how surveys ask "Did we make you feel that we value you as a customer?" Well, this is the kind of thing that makes people say NO.

 

Part of the captain's job is PR. Okay, so he was tired of being asked why they didn't sail by the lava flow. But if he had offered some sort of explanation right away, he wouldn't have had to put up with passengers asking him about it.

[serendipity1499]

But it was on the itinerary when people booked. I still feel it deserved an explanation

 

Are you sure that it was on the itinerary when people booked because the route does not show it! Please show us a copy of the exact itinerary where the lava flow is mentioned?

 

It was my understanding, It was never on that itinerary. & that cruise was always scheduled for the Northern route.. Therefore, no explanation was due..!

 

However, if you can prove me wrong then I will acquiesce to you..

Edited November 4, 2016 by serendipity1499

[Cruise Junky]

Are you sure that it was on the itinerary when people booked because the route does not show it! Please show us a copy of the exact itinerary where the lava flow is mentioned?

 

It was my understanding, It was never on that itinerary. & that cruise was always scheduled for the Northern route.. Therefore, no explanation was due..!

 

However, if you can prove me wrong then I will acquiesce to you..

 

Post 79 by the OP. I seem to be one of the few taking the OP's word and the map posted on the previous page.