HAL Website Problems

[Kynana]

Is anyone besides me having a problem with the HAL website? Sometimes the headings for the cruises will show conflicting itineraries. Sometimes not the correct search criterion, such as specific ship, month, etc. Today I tried to go through the process of trial booking a cruise and then changing the guarantee cabin to one of my choice to find out what the price would be. Yesterday I got a message telling me to try another time, and today all I am getting is a spinning spinning spinning ball. This is not the first time the site has given me fits. 

[ottahand7]

Had the same problem with the dummy booking yesterday.  Even when it doesn't spin just trying to choose another deck or section of the ship is a puzzle.  I ended up going to a pdf of the deck plan and found the cabin I wanted and then entered it in.  Only way I could get a quote for a cabin I wanted.   

[cruisebie]

I have that same spinning ball problem when I try to choose a cabin when I'm using my iPad which is several years old. If I use my desktop with IE I'm sometimes able to get past it to choose section, deck and cabin.  It's certainly a frustrating process.

[Kynana]

This same problem with the website has been going on for a long time. It gets better and then reverts again to a high frustration level. I can't understand why Holland America continues to employ the same inept website managers. I don't see how it could not be costing them money to lose potential customers who search their cruise itineraries on the Internet........or should I say try to search their cruise itineraries. 

[baggal]

I just tried to see a different date for an itinerary and couldn't.  Holland America - are you reading Cruise Critic today?

[3rdGenCunarder]

The dreaded spinning ball. Yup, I've had to deal with that. I'm thinking about next winter's cruise, but when I go to check on it, I get so frustrated I give up. I do intend to return and try again, but I wonder how many people say "forget this!" and go to another cruise line site. Although I've heard complaints about some of the other lines, too.

 

[Kynana]

2 hours ago, ottahand7 said:

Had the same problem with the dummy booking yesterday.  Even when it doesn't spin just trying to choose another deck or section of the ship is a puzzle.  I ended up going to a pdf of the deck plan and found the cabin I wanted and then entered it in.  Only way I could get a quote for a cabin I wanted.   

I can't even get that far. As soon as I click on the option to change/select a new stateroom, the ball starts spinning and will continue for forever and a day. I just tried again. So frustrating. 

[Djptcp]

I had some similar issues about 5 hours ago, but did manage to book a 7-day Cuba cruise on the Veendam. Took a bit of time for it to take my credit card and had to do it several times before I finally got a confirmation. Received the email confirmation and the booking is listed on the HAL website. A continuing issue I've had lately is selecting a cruise from my list and going back to the list to look at the rest of my list  - took me back to all the HAL cruise listings instead so I had to start over. Frustrating.

[Kynana]

36 minutes ago, Djptcp said:

 A continuing issue I've had lately is selecting a cruise from my list and going back to the list to look at the rest of my list  - took me back to all the HAL cruise listings instead so I had to start over. Frustrating.

Yes, that's another issue. Don't dare go back and change anything or add anything. The site reminds me of someone with a terrible case of absentmindedness! It gets all confused and can't operate unless I go back the the very beginning, log in again and begin my query all over again. 

[SilvertoGold]

Well, I did find an Alaska cruise, 7 days. The map shows a Panama Canal cruise and the pricing is $64 pp + tax.  Of course this is high because it is in CND. 

 

The search gets into a loop that you can't get out of unless you  log out and come back in.  Really quite a waste of time.

[cruisebie]

Some people have said that they are able to navigate better if they try different internet browsers, like Chrome or Firefox.   I haven't tried that yet.  But it seems counterproductive to have a website that won't work with almost any browser.

[Kynana]

I received from an email from HAL offering special fares. I clicked on it, went to the site and got the message that said "These special fares, not open to the general public, are available on select sailings. For a limited time book a suite and receive prepaid gratuities! To receive these offers, please login. Offers expire April 26, 2019."
The page shows page 1 of 1155 cruises but nowhere to log in to see the "select sailings for the special fares!!!! 
The HAL site is terrible. I sent a feedback message, but it never helps. 
 

[syesmar]

Kynana,

Yes.  Have had issues getting the sale prices to consistently show up!  Here’s a Thread from Saturday with a little more info: 

I believe the fares are coded from the Email so you don’t have to be logged in (and when I did, sometimes the price was different).  I advise calling HAL to confirm pricing for sailings you are interested in.  It’s a shame we can’t trust the site, as prices change from minute to minute:)

 

Edited April 15, 2019 by syesmar