Nieuw Amsterdam Feb 1 Sailing Cancelled

[VTcruisenut]

Our FEb 5th cruise all of the sudden has sold out categories on it, wondering if some of the displaced passengers are going to be joining us?  We are on the Veendam the 5th thru the 12th

[xmasteach]

Guess our Feb 2 Nieuw Statendam cruise will be a bit crowded!  😎

[HappyInVan]

1 hour ago, xmasteach said:

Guess our Feb 2 Nieuw Statendam cruise will be a bit crowded!  😎

 

The more the merrier! Enjoy!!

[kevingastreich]

1 hour ago, xmasteach said:

Guess our Feb 2 Nieuw Statendam cruise will be a bit crowded!  😎

Yes, everything is filling up fast because of the NA Feb. 1st. cancellation. We always book a specific cabin instead of a "guarantee". I guess this is another good reason to do so.

[3rdGenCunarder]

8 hours ago, daisy-mae said:

 

 

I'm just wondering if it was a case of blocking the available cabins for those dates before they were booked, then working with the guests to arrive at a suitable outcome.

 

I think you're right. When I saw the first post about the cancellation, I went to the HAL site to see what other cruises were available in Feb. Not surprisingly, the NA cruise did not come up. Neither did the Feb 1  Zuiderdam cruise. I didn't know about that cruise until I saw posts about people being move to it. So I think HAL pulled the Zuidy  cruise out of inventory as soon as they cancelled the NA cruise. 

 

There is no ideal solution here. HAL can't manufacture cabins out of thin air. The four options that I've seen on the other thread do give passengers a reasonable slate of choices. I don't understand why we're seeing so many people saying they weren't told about the cancellation and weren't given those choices. HAL should have given everyone the same offers.

 

[LocoLoco1]

I'm left wondering; "What would I do..." Probably depends on if I was retired with no plans or had a busy schedule. Hmm.

[SSKJ572]

34 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I think you're right. When I saw the first post about the cancellation, I went to the HAL site to see what other cruises were available in Feb. Not surprisingly, the NA cruise did not come up. Neither did the Feb 1  Zuiderdam cruise. I didn't know about that cruise until I saw posts about people being move to it. So I think HAL pulled the Zuidy  cruise out of inventory as soon as they cancelled the NA cruise. 

 

There is no ideal solution here. HAL can't manufacture cabins out of thin air. The four options that I've seen on the other thread do give passengers a reasonable slate of choices. I don't understand why we're seeing so many people saying they weren't told about the cancellation and weren't given those choices. HAL should have given everyone the same offers.

 

 

[SSKJ572]

I was wondering if we were given many choices because we have a travel agent that has worked with HAL for many years.  She has a lot of contacts there and was even able to speak to a few people at HAL on Saturday to get items clarified.  I cannot come up with any other reasons. 

[mimianderson]

If someone could be so kind as to let me know what those 4 choices are, OR to provide a link to the "other thread", I would appreciate it.  It will be helpful when I speak to my TA tomorrow.   My TA says he is holding something for me - with more details to come.

 

I want to make one thing perfectly clear - my issue with HAL is NOT that they have had a technical problem and had to cancel the cruise.  Stuff happens and that is why, as a company, there should be alternate plans for communication and remediation in place.  HAL seems to be hit or miss in both departments.  We have the technology in place today to determine whether emails have been received and READ - Celebrity requires me to link back to them when they have a message of importance.  HAL apparently doesn't or doesn't care.  It seems to be hit or miss and the onus has been placed on the passenger to make themselves aware of this problem and to pursue a solution.  I really think that is bad customer service.   

[SSKJ572]

26 minutes ago, mimianderson said:

If someone could be so kind as to let me know what those 4 choices are, OR to provide a link to the "other thread", I would appreciate it.  It will be helpful when I speak to my TA tomorrow.   My TA says he is holding something for me - with more details to come.

 

I want to make one thing perfectly clear - my issue with HAL is NOT that they have had a technical problem and had to cancel the cruise.  Stuff happens and that is why, as a company, there should be alternate plans for communication and remediation in place.  HAL seems to be hit or miss in both departments.  We have the technology in place today to determine whether emails have been received and READ - Celebrity requires me to link back to them when they have a message of importance.  HAL apparently doesn't or doesn't care.  It seems to be hit or miss and the onus has been placed on the passenger to make themselves aware of this problem and to pursue a solution.  I really think that is bad customer service.   

 

[colbe]

30 minutes ago, mimianderson said:

 

I want to make one thing perfectly clear - my issue with HAL is NOT that they have had a technical problem and had to cancel the cruise.  Stuff happens and that is why, as a company, there should be alternate plans for communication and remediation in place.  HAL seems to be hit or miss in both departments.  We have the technology in place today to determine whether emails have been received and READ - Celebrity requires me to link back to them when they have a message of importance.  HAL apparently doesn't or doesn't care.  It seems to be hit or miss and the onus has been placed on the passenger to make themselves aware of this problem and to pursue a solution.  I really think that is bad customer service.   

mimianderson could you please tell us who told you that the email had gone to 'the wrong address'? Thank you.

[mimianderson]

My TA located in Miami Florida when he responded to my "SOS" email on Saturday early evening.  When he spoke to HAL, they verified the email to which the notice had been sent and it was an old defunct email for him at their company.  My personal experience with HAL email has also been bad.  I changed my personal email address over 4 years ago and despite multiple attempts to change my email through my online HAL account, through the Mariner direct telephone line and through our TA, emails have continued to be sent to my old address.  Interestingly, my room downgrade reassignment (the only notice I've received directly from HAL) was sent to my current address.  

[dobiemom]

2 hours ago, mimianderson said:

If someone could be so kind as to let me know what those 4 choices are, OR to provide a link to the "other thread", I would appreciate it.  It will be helpful when I speak to my TA tomorrow.   My TA says he is holding something for me - with more details to come.

Start at post #392. 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2718206-did-they-fix-nieuw-amsterdams-azipod-or-is-she-sailing-with-one-operational/page/16/ 

 

[Dunelm]

How terribly disappointing!  My spouse and I book Neptune suites, and since an illness we take out a lot of insurance for cancellations, etc.  It is interesting to me that Boeing is having mega-issues with its 737 Max, and for months now their problems have resulted in flight changes and so on.  I have a nephew who is a pilot.  He believes that some of the problems have to do with an over-reliance on computerized technology.  Could this be a problem with ships?  I have no idea.

[DeeniEncinitas]

14 hours ago, mimianderson said:

My TA located in Miami Florida when he responded to my "SOS" email on Saturday early evening.  When he spoke to HAL, they verified the email to which the notice had been sent and it was an old defunct email for him at their company.  My personal experience with HAL email has also been bad.  I changed my personal email address over 4 years ago and despite multiple attempts to change my email through my online HAL account, through the Mariner direct telephone line and through our TA, emails have continued to be sent to my old address.  Interestingly, my room downgrade reassignment (the only notice I've received directly from HAL) was sent to my current address.  

I thought of you this morning and I hope 🤞 all goes well today and you get answers and clarifications. Please let us know how everything goes for you! 
Sending positive thoughts.

Denise😊

[Copper10-8]

14 hours ago, mimianderson said:

...................................

 

I want to make one thing perfectly clear - my issue with HAL is NOT that they have had a technical problem and had to cancel the cruise.  Stuff happens and that is why, as a company, there should be alternate plans for communication and remediation in place.  HAL seems to be hit or miss in both departments.  We have the technology in place today to determine whether emails have been received and READ - Celebrity requires me to link back to them when they have a message of importance.  HAL apparently doesn't or doesn't care.  It seems to be hit or miss and the onus has been placed on the passenger to make themselves aware of this problem and to pursue a solution.  I really think that is bad customer service.   

 

Me thinks the erroneous email address of your TA is the main culprit of this very late communication and associated subpar customer service on HAL's part. I wish you the best and hope things will work out to your satisfaction! 

[MisterBill99]

3 hours ago, Dunelm said:

How terribly disappointing!  My spouse and I book Neptune suites, and since an illness we take out a lot of insurance for cancellations, etc.  It is interesting to me that Boeing is having mega-issues with its 737 Max, and for months now their problems have resulted in flight changes and so on.  I have a nephew who is a pilot.  He believes that some of the problems have to do with an over-reliance on computerized technology.  Could this be a problem with ships?  I have no idea.

 

I'm not an expert but I'm pretty sure that the azipod issues are mechanical.

[Dunelm]

3 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

I'm not an expert but I'm pretty sure that the azipod issues are mechanical.

Thanks for helping out.

[Vict0riann]

16 hours ago, mimianderson said:

My TA located in Miami Florida when he responded to my "SOS" email on Saturday early evening.  When he spoke to HAL, they verified the email to which the notice had been sent and it was an old defunct email for him at their company.  My personal experience with HAL email has also been bad.  I changed my personal email address over 4 years ago and despite multiple attempts to change my email through my online HAL account, through the Mariner direct telephone line and through our TA, emails have continued to be sent to my old address.  Interestingly, my room downgrade reassignment (the only notice I've received directly from HAL) was sent to my current address.  

We have had the same problem.  DH changed his email address, and stuff is still going to the old one, it appears.  Fortunately, he does have a way to "peek" at it occasionally, and see what he is missing.  We have had to notify every department, individually, i.e. Mariner's Society, PCC, etc.  There doesn't seem to be central contact list.  Our PCC sends everything to me now - we hope!

Edited January 13, 2020 by Vict0riann

[SSKJ572]

We just talked to our travel agent again. We decided on Thursday to go on the Zuiderdam for one week and then transfer to Nieuw Amsterdam second week. HAL has confirmed we will get 100% future cruise credit for that one week. We were previously told it was 50%. Although this has all been a hassle, we are happy with the future cruise credit of 100% as we have Neptunes and it will be a lot of credit. We are guaranteed Neptune for both weeks, but haven't been assigned cabins yet. 

[grest]

are other dates cancelled as well?

[Himself]

20 hours ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

I'm not an expert but I'm pretty sure that the azipod issues are mechanical.

I am sure the azipod must be replaced.  I suspect the new azipod had to be ordered and a special dry dock had to be set up so the preplacement had to be scheduled.  That is why HAL cancelled the cruise.

[MisterBill99]

30 minutes ago, grest said:

are other dates cancelled as well?

 

No.

[MisterBill99]

9 minutes ago, Himself said:

I am sure the azipod must be replaced.  I suspect the new azipod had to be ordered and a special dry dock had to be set up so the replacement had to be scheduled.  That is why HAL cancelled the cruise.

 

Agreed.

Edited January 14, 2020 by MisterBill99

[Roz]

Anxious to hear back from the OP as to what her TA was able to do for her, and what HAL offered.