Poor Communication Regarding Cancelled Cruise

[idiebabe]

Well said.

 

Twenty years ago, leaving booked passengers in the dark until everything was sorted out might have worked, but in this day and age, social media spread information far too rapidly. As soon as the decision was made and the first email sent out, it was only a matter of hours before the information spread. Rather than reducing the number of calls being placed by customers to determine what was going on, the decision not to notify everyone probably resulted in a greater number of calls being placed. As you say, an email to all booked passengers and their TA's where applicable with a request that they not contact HAL until a certain date or until HAL could provide more detailed information and options in a subsequent email would have reduced passenger anxiety and lead to a far smoother and less acrimonious period of adjustment.

 

Well said to both you and Jacqui! My thoughts exactly!

[knittinggirl]

My offer for our Incan Empires in 2020 was a joke. They wanted us to cruise only a few weeks after we returned from Voyage of the Vikings. And the alternates I suggested were priced way too high for us. Looks like our Volendam will end up getting cancelled.

 

 

I guess since they had a price hike (24-days jumping to 35-days) on the Voyage of the Vikings, they could do the same on the Volendam.

[cccole]

Sad but true.

I don't know about your experience with airlines but my experience is that airlines have become very good at notifying passengers when their flight is delayed or cancelled. They often are able to communicate several times within an hour. I am a bit technologically challenged so possibly airlines use a technology that gives them this advantage. Maybe HAL could look into it, computers have made everything so much easier for everyone if they choose to use them. JMO Cherie

[Andi Land]

We live in digital world, notification to all affected parties should have occurred at the same time and before news leaked through social media. The Prinsendam has been for sale for many months. A plan should have been in developed long before the sale was completed on how to notify guests. Why files of email lists of all affected guests and their TAs with the letter explaining the change and options available was not developed is beyond me.

 

I agree. I’m still waiting on my email regarding cancellation. Since mine is for October 2019, I figure I can wait it out a bit. I’m just curious how long it will take them.

[Stratheden]

I agree. I’m still waiting on my email regarding cancellation. Since mine is for October 2019, I figure I can wait it out a bit. I’m just curious how long it will take them.

In the meantime what are they doing with your deposit? Perhaps you could do with the interest, not them?

[RocketMan275]

In the meantime what are they doing with your deposit? Perhaps you could do with the interest, not them?

Well, you could put that deposit at interest, maybe 0.25%.

[Andi Land]

In the meantime what are they doing with your deposit? Perhaps you could do with the interest, not them?

I absolute agree. What’s worse is that I can login and continue to make payments. Since I’ve already mentally picked out my replacement itinerary I’m not okay with leaving it as is.

[cruisersMandW]

We were supposed to be on the 24 day Rotterdam too. It was the first time I ever booked a cruise more than a year in advance because of it's uncommon itinerary. DH would be able to go back to see the places he served in the USN.

 

We did get the e-mail on 7/2 and got misinformation on the first call. But luckily, a few calls later we're booked on another totally different bucket list cruise.

 

Good luck OP and others affected. Maybe you'll also end up with a dream trip.

[bUU]

I don't know about your experience with airlines but my experience is that airlines have become very good at notifying passengers when their flight is delayed or cancelled. They often are able to communicate several times within an hour. I am a bit technologically challenged so possibly airlines use a technology that gives them this advantage. Maybe HAL could look into it, computers have made everything so much easier for everyone if they choose to use them. JMO Cherie

The airlines are a lot further along but they are there because it has become profitable to do so. As this past week has shown me, that's not the case for cruise lines. We lost internet service for several days, and when I say, "we," I'm including the Neptune lounge concierges. Not only are their systems designed to offer less functionality than comparable systems on airlines, but their processes are designed to provide a much slower remediation when there are problems. It just isn't important enough for cruise lines to spend more for better.

 

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

[cbr663]

OK I am going to state some common sense here.... If HAL sent out an email all at once or say even in a two day period to every single passenger and their Travel Agents that is on one of the sailings that is involved in the change stop to think of the mass calling into HAL. First off this is hundreds of passengers, they would have to have the plan set in place of what will be offered already and where they can move them. Then logistically how many people do you suppose they would have to have manning the phones to answer and assist these passengers calling? How many hours are your willing to wait on the phone to have someone assist you.

Believe it not they have done this a few times. There is a process to this madness of delay.

You are far better to wait till HAL has contacted you. While I agree the TA that called into HAL should have been told the correct information it takes time to move and make offers to each and every passenger.

HAL may have sent out an email stating one's voyage was effected and that they would be contacting you shortly letting you know your options, but we all know that would cause problems and not stop people from calling in.

Thankfully not everyone reads Chat Boards and HAL will get around to contacting everyone and be offered a reasonable good offer getting close to what they had prior.

 

I agree with you that HAL has done this a few times. It was only late 2015 that HAL deployed two ships out of its fleet, so HAL should be more than familiar and have the experience and systems in place to handle the deployment of its smallest ship out of its fleet.

 

This is the company that touts its values as "Striving for and achieving excellence in all aspects of company operations" and "We not only do things right, we do the right things."

 

Dealing with call volumes from concerned passengers is an easy task in today's call centre environments. Options for each passenger would have been determined before the announcement was even made.

 

Of course it is a lot of work. HAL has been there before, and will again. A proactive approach that puts the passenger first would have ensure that all affected passengers would have been contacted prior to the Facebook announcement. That, for me anyway, is "achieving excellence and doing the right things."

 

Instead, we see examples of passengers like the OP not being contacted and then being provided with incorrect information. The is a reactive approach and a poor one at that.

 

With thousands of dollars tied up in many cruises and personal and professional lives often re-arranged, I am sure you can understand why some people simply choose not to sit back and wait for HAL to contact them.

[sammiedawg]

OK I am going to state some common sense here.... If HAL sent out an email all at once or say even in a two day period to every single passenger and their Travel Agents that is on one of the sailings that is involved in the change stop to think of the mass calling into HAL. First off this is hundreds of passengers, they would have to have the plan set in place of what will be offered already and where they can move them. Then logistically how many people do you suppose they would have to have manning the phones to answer and assist these passengers calling? How many hours are your willing to wait on the phone to have someone assist you.

Believe it not they have done this a few times. There is a process to this madness of delay.

You are far better to wait till HAL has contacted you. While I agree the TA that called into HAL should have been told the correct information it takes time to move and make offers to each and every passenger.

HAL may have sent out an email stating one's voyage was effected and that they would be contacting you shortly letting you know your options, but we all know that would cause problems and not stop people from calling in.

Thankfully not everyone reads Chat Boards and HAL will get around to contacting everyone and be offered a reasonable good offer getting close to what they had prior.

 

Well said.

 

Holland America probably wanted to notify everyone ASAP but the holiday week changes timeframes. Travel agents take time off for the 4th of July. Anyone booked through a TA will have their communication routed through the TA.

The canceled or reconfigured cruises are a year plus away. Air cannot be booked this far out. You can cancel. Look for something else.

I understand many are disappointed.

[Jade13]

When numerous passengers have been advised by email several days earlier that their cruises have been cancelled, the OP's expectation that the Redeployment Department should also be aware of the cancellation is eminently reasonable.

 

 

 

Agree!

 

 

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[Cruzaholic41]

We lost internet service for several days

 

The heavens were looking out for us those days.

[Fouremco]

:):):)

[teacherman]

I also was on a cruise when I received an e-mail telling me my Rotterdam cruise next summer was cancelled and I would receive new booking information within 2 days. I received the new booking via e-mail, as promised. I actually like the new itinerary better. I also received a small shipboard credit for the trouble.

 

I was on a cruise (RCCL) enjoying free drinks for 3 1/2 hours each day, spending time with family, being at sea, etc. The cancellation was a little bit of a shock, at first, as this has never happened to me previously. It was, and is, really no big deal. I do have questions about cabin re-assignment, and that is in another thread which I hope some of you can answer.

[KroozNut]

The heavens were looking out for us those days.

 

:'):')

[Alberta Quilter]

I was booked on the same cruise as the OP. On Monday, I received not one but two emails from HAL cancelling the same cruise. We determined quickly that none of the suggested itineraries were going to work for us for various reasons. On Tuesday morning, I emailed my PCC and advised we would not be rebooking. We had paid the deposit through a FCD of $100 pp and topped it up for the other $200 pp. the FCD was put back on our accounts. The other $400 was refunded to the credit card. She had said it could take up to five days for the refund but I did receive it in two days.

[Stratheden]

The heavens were looking out for us those days.

 

:'):'):'):'):')

[JeffElizabeth]

Seems like everyone should have time to rebook. We just added a new cruise for June 2019.

[idiebabe]

The heavens were looking out for us those days.

 

:'):'):')

[ithaca gal]

I agree with you that HAL has done this a few times. It was only late 2015 that HAL deployed two ships out of its fleet, so HAL should be more than familiar and have the experience and systems in place to handle the deployment of its smallest ship out of its fleet.

 

This is the company that touts its values as "Striving for and achieving excellence in all aspects of company operations" and "We not only do things right, we do the right things."

 

Dealing with call volumes from concerned passengers is an easy task in today's call centre environments. Options for each passenger would have been determined before the announcement was even made.

 

Of course it is a lot of work. HAL has been there before, and will again. A proactive approach that puts the passenger first would have ensure that all affected passengers would have been contacted prior to the Facebook announcement. That, for me anyway, is "achieving excellence and doing the right things."

 

Instead, we see examples of passengers like the OP not being contacted and then being provided with incorrect information. The is a reactive approach and a poor one at that.

 

With thousands of dollars tied up in many cruises and personal and professional lives often re-arranged, I am sure you can understand why some people simply choose not to sit back and wait for HAL to contact them.

 

Thank you.

[Aquahound]

The heavens were looking out for us those days.

 

:'):') You just won the internet! :'):')

[JimnKaren]

I found out about our cancelled Rotterdam cruise on Cruise Critic. I informed my TA and she had not been informed of anything. A phone call got the information that it had been cancelled and they had not sent any notification to her. My Mariner status thing still showed that as an active booking!!

 

My thought was, if they are that confused in Seattle about this, they I don't want to wait to see what things they might do as replacements (fleet-wide). I was offered two, much more expensive (per day) itineraries. Wrong! I want what I booked. Boo! Hiss!

 

Jim

[sandyss]

I found out about our cancelled Rotterdam cruise on Cruise Critic. I informed my TA and she had not been informed of anything. A phone call got the information that it had been cancelled and they had not sent any notification to her. My Mariner status thing still showed that as an active booking!!

 

 

 

My thought was, if they are that confused in Seattle about this, they I don't want to wait to see what things they might do as replacements (fleet-wide). I was offered two, much more expensive (per day) itineraries. Wrong! I want what I booked. Boo! Hiss!

 

 

 

Jim

 

 

 

We had 2 Rotterdam cruises affected. When we rebooked on the Zuiderdam, the cost of the comparable cabin was more expensive, and we were given our “protected” fare on both cruises. The only difference in cost was port charges (due to the changed ports). On one of the cruises, we saved a small amount on port charges and on the other, we pay a small additional amount for port charges.

 

We still need to try to improve the cabin that we were assigned on the Zuiderdam. The new cabin is a connecting cabin, which we normally avoid.

 

 

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[kazu]

We had 2 Rotterdam cruises affected. When we rebooked on the Zuiderdam, the cost of the comparable cabin was more expensive, and we were given our “protected” fare on both cruises. The only difference in cost was port charges (due to the changed ports). On one of the cruises, we saved a small amount on port charges and on the other, we pay a small additional amount for port charges.

 

We still need to try to improve the cabin that we were assigned on the Zuiderdam. The new cabin is a connecting cabin, which we normally avoid.

 

 

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This makes no sense. You and others have posted about reassignments and the price being the same?

 

Yet you are going from a smaller ship to a larger one which should (assuming the same itinerary) result in a lower cost I would think?

 

Very strange.

 

I haven't seen a Vista ship be the same price as an R ship before but maybe I have missed the boat? ;)