Website Problems

[Kynana]

Every time I go on the HAL website, select a cruise and make the "Ocean View" selection, it takes me to a page that gives me a price for for a guaranteed stateroom. If I click on the option to "Change Stateroom" and select my own room, all it does is spin and spin and spin. Is anyone else having this problem? This has been happening to us for months. I rarely go on the site for this reason.

[Love the beach]

I haven't been able to get onto the website at all for at least a week....just a spinning wheel.

[Kynana]

I haven't been able to get onto the website at all for at least a week....just a spinning wheel.

 

This situation has been going on for months since the website was "updated." How in the world a world-class company can have such a poor website is beyond me.

[CherryG]

I was having that problem for days, but now I can see other choices.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes, this has been a problem for months.

Have you tried different browsers?

[Kynana]

I was having that problem for days, but now I can see other choices.

What other choices?

I am so frustrated. If I log in with my username and password and do a search, it doesn't allow me select my own stateroom. If I log out and go in anonymously, I can. This has been happening for months.

[Kynana]

Yes, this has been a problem for months.

Have you tried different browsers?

 

No. I use Safari and shouldn't have try different browsers. I'm beginning to wonder if HAL uses high school students to design and maintain their website.

[syesmar]

Sometimes accessing the site from a link in a HAL email works. Good luck! :D

[SFO Peter]

Safari user here. No problem once figured out the "layout". On Thursday was able to change cabin selection, search for cabin, reserve specific cabin and place on 24 hour hold. Then asked my TA to go get the reservation the next day. Mind you I did use at least two non HAL websites to find available cabins that were not shown on the HAL website.

 

Peter

[Kynana]

I've tried accessing the site from the frequent HAL emails that I receive. I've tried logging in directly from the site. I think I understand the "layout," but with either method I can only get so far IF I'm logged in. Like you, Peter, I like to do my own searching and then contact my TA.

Peter, would you be willing the share the two non HAL websites that you use to find available cabins not shown on the HAL website?

[boards]

I am accessing the website fairly well now, especially after yesterday when I figured how to print our documents. The spinning is confusing though. I think that maybe when trying to change rooms and you get a spinning wheel, it might mean there is not a room available. Maybe some day Hal will tell us what it means.

[OlsSalt]

I am accessing the website fairly well now, especially after yesterday when I figured how to print our documents. The spinning is confusing though. I think that maybe when trying to change rooms and you get a spinning wheel, it might mean there is not a room available. Maybe some day Hal will tell us what it means.

 

Exactly. Last night I went in to see the sold status on our upcoming Maasdam cruise and while some deck and cabin choices were labeled sold out, others not labeled sold out just delivered the endlessly spinning ball if you wanted to book a specific cabin. They claim they still have guaranty cabins in some classes, but refuse to let you pick a cabin in those still unsold cabin categories.

 

Pay full fare for a Neptune Suite and not get to see where that cabin is located? I don't think so.

[jayhawk66]

I’ve never figured out how to see sold cabins and available cabins by type. Any tips on how to do that?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[OlsSalt]

I’ve never figured out how to see sold cabins and available cabins by type. Any tips on how to do that?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

First of all you have to stop looking for "cabins". HAL website now insists we call them "rooms". You have to do a dummy booking, pretend you are going to sign up for a cruise. The website will give you an option to choose your "room" by various categories and then provides a very confusing menu of decks, sections of the ship and this will finally drill down to choosing your "room" from the remaining inventory they present at that time.

 

This inventory changes due to any number of reasons so you may want to to back multiple times if there is a particular location and cabin you are interested in.

 

It defaults you first to a guaranty cabin of their selection, but with careful attention on your part it does ask you if you want to "edit" this guaranty default choice - only then can you start viewing the actual cabins that are presented for your own choice. But you have to be prepared to chop up this experience and click between various decks, and forward, middle and aft option sub-categories for each deck.

 

I think the new HAL website hates its potential customers and throws up roadblocks at every turn, including switching to new and confusing vocabulary, commands and directions.

 

What they could have done is eliminate this whole forward, middle and aft sub-categories. They could have just offer each full deck, with a single click "choose your cabin" option. No more automatic "defaults". New passengers simply do not know enough to know to get out of what the website initially forces them into - like defaulting to only Explore4 premium pricing - how is a new customer to know what the heck that is at first blush - they are looking for prices, not optional packages.

[cruisebie]

Safari user here. No problem once figured out the "layout". On Thursday was able to change cabin selection, search for cabin, reserve specific cabin and place on 24 hour hold. Then asked my TA to go get the reservation the next day. Mind you I did use at least two non HAL websites to find available cabins that were not shown on the HAL website.

 

 

 

Peter

 

 

 

Would you mind posting how to do that? I found I can choose the cabin type if I go to to room tab before clicking on book, but I've never figured out how to get anything other than a guaranteed cabin. If I try to click on change stateroom and then on select your cabin, I get the whirling circle of doom. Also most of the time, if I log in I'm only able to see restricted fares and none of the other options.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[*Miss G*]

Would you mind posting how to do that? I found I can choose the cabin type if I go to to room tab before clicking on book, but I've never figured out how to get anything other than a guaranteed cabin. If I try to click on change stateroom and then on select your cabin, I get the whirling circle of doom. Also most of the time, if I log in I'm only able to see restricted fares and none of the other options.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Are you using an older iPad?

[Bretty]

The problem I’m having when I use the website is that I’m getting a price for a cabin / room (Neptune), and then see it’s a guaranteed with no number assigned. When I click to select my cabin the price then increases by £200-£300 GBP per person, which I find very annoying! And I’m not choosing cabins on the deck closest the the Neptune concierge lounge either.

 

On another note, since someone mentioned Explore4, I took my first cruise earlier this year to Alaska and we booked the Explore4 package. My partner doesn’t drink alcohol but I thought he might use it for soft drinks, but he didn’t. He stuck mainly to tea and water. So it’s not looking quite so appealing this time around and we’re looking to book a Norwegian Fjords Cruise. Also, the OBC this time around, for suites, is a lot less, $200 per suite this time, compared to $500 per suite last time. It’s not such a good deal at all this time around.

 

Does anyone know if, when logged in, there is a way of accessing pricing without the Explore4 package, or do I need to call HAL?

 

Thanks.

[*Miss G*]

Not sure if you’re seeing the same thing as we see in North America, but if you scroll down the page during category selection you should see two radial buttons; one for restricted fares and one for the current promo.

[*Miss G*]

The problem I’m having when I use the website is that I’m getting a price for a cabin / room (Neptune), and then see it’s a guaranteed with no number assigned. When I click to select my cabin the price then increases by £200-£300 GBP per person, which I find very annoying! And I’m not choosing cabins on the deck closest the the Neptune concierge lounge either.

 

Try clicking on Edit Cabin and choosing another in another section or deck. The price changes depending on which cabin you choose.

[cruisebie]

Are you using an older iPad?

Yes, it's about 5 years old which is ancient in the world of technology, I guess. Safari is updated, though.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

[Bretty]

Not sure if you’re seeing the same thing as we see in North America, but if you scroll down the page during category selection you should see two radial buttons; one for restricted fares and one for the current promo.

Unfortunately I’m not seeing any buttons to show alternative fares. The booking engine says to log in to see full range of pricing options (already logged in!), but I do it again, and ut shows me as logged in but still only giving the current promo. Ho hum...

[*Miss G*]

Yes, it's about 5 years old which is ancient in the world of technology, I guess. Safari is updated, though.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

The reason I ask is that I had the same problem with an older gen iPad that couldn’t update to the newest OS, but I don’t have that problem with a new iPad running the current OS.

[cruisebie]

The reason I ask is that I had the same problem with an older gen iPad that couldn’t update to the newest OS, but I don’t have that problem with a new iPad running the current OS.

Thanks for letting me know that. This may be a good excuse for getting a new one.[emoji1]

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

[OlsSalt]

Should not a marketing website let users know up front what platforms they expect them to use in order for their system to not be a total disaster? Or does it make sense to send prospective users down several different pathways up front depending what works? Like a nice, plain vanilla, no whistles bells or exploding maps and distracting visuals "old" website for older devices?

 

(Thank you HAL at least for Son of New Wesite 2 which works more like the old website but is limited to only those who have already booked - aks run the gauntlet in the Garden of Beasts and Spinning Balls.)

 

Something could be added to the new opening page - please go buy a new, very up to date device first, if you expect to have this website to even begin to work for you - that would be customer friendly.

[SFO Peter]

I've tried accessing the site from the frequent HAL emails that I receive. I've tried logging in directly from the site. I think I understand the "layout," but with either method I can only get so far IF I'm logged in. Like you, Peter, I like to do my own searching and then contact my TA.

Peter, would you be willing the share the two non HAL websites that you use to find available cabins not shown on the HAL website?

===

 

Big box store that sells roast chicken and gas. The other sells car insurance. Sorry don't think I am allowed to name websites here.

 

Peter