Is it possible that HAL has the worst customer service/guest relations department in the cruise industry?

[frbob]

Every time I try to reach HAL's customer service dept I end up holding and holding and holding. Same with CHAT. What's up with HAL???

[Don Kehote]

Is it possible?  Sure. I would encourage you to give our friends at Virgin a call, just to see.

[aliaschief]

Same complaints on some other cruise lines. They laid off a lot of people during the pandemic and now have personnel problems hiring new employees and in many cases inexperienced workers

I have some cruises booked with Azamara and same complaints. Enough the President of the line sent an apology and explanation of how they trying fix it.

Frustrating indeed but sign of the times with many businesses.

[Wakepatrol]

I’ll Keep Holding On

[oaktreerb]

So far my Personal Cruise Consultant (PCC) has been very accessible and helpful.  He seems to know the HAL systems pretty well and he works from home.  Being able to work from home is a great benefit for experienced employees of many companies.

[AV8rix]

48 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

So far my Personal Cruise Consultant (PCC) has been very accessible and helpful.  He seems to know the HAL systems pretty well and he works from home.  Being able to work from home is a great benefit for experienced employees of many companies.

Likewise, I haven't had any problems reaching my AWESOME PCC.  But I've had the same one for 12 years.  I'm one of the lucky ones.  Mine wasn't a casualty of the pandemic layoffs like so many of the others.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

All the cruise lines are having problems getting trained personnel not only for the call centers but for the ships as well. I long ago learned to call when HAL opens which is 6AM Pacific time and have never had to wait at that hour. 

 

Regarding the ships WCB has commented on what they have heard and over on the Princess boards the current thread on the sailing of Sapphire Princess reports the Captain told the Meet and Greet of the problems encountered in getting crew since so many had to find other jobs during the pause or went with other cruise lines because Princess was not calling them back.

 

Hopefully this will all sort out in a couple of years IMO.

[Mary229]

I know HAL has now contracted services, they introduce themselves as such.  It is hard to get American workers, plain and simple.  I call very early in morning just as they open and usually get someone within 10 minutes.

 

something is going to have to change but I am not really sure what can happen right now

[mightycruisequeen]

Honestly, I've never had a reason to call HAL customer service until the pandemic hit.  I'll bet that they're not only short-handed, but they've got millions more calls coming in than usual.  

 

[Homala]

I’ve had to call customer service a number of times over the last few weeks due to the need to cancel a cruise. Sometimes there was a bit of a hold, but never really very long. I just finished what is hopefully my last call for this matter and, not only was it handled quickly, but HAL took care of us better than I had ever anticipated. So right now I’m pretty much in love with HAL. My only recommendation is to call as soon as they open as possible and be as nice to them as you hope to be treated. It worked great for me. Best of luck!

[Horizon chaser 1957]

From everything I’ve dealt with or heard about, competition is very fierce for that title these days. HAL isn’t even a top contender.

[NCTribeFan]

Get yourself a PCC and let them handle things.  That's what they do.  My long-time guy left while we were in the middle of adding HIA to my Rotterdam TA next spring.  I called his old number and got someone who said a new PCC would be assigned to me shortly and would give me a call.  She did and, so far, she's been good.

 

Anyone who complains about HAL's customer service has obviously never cruised with MSC.  Neither my current TA nor my former TA will even work with them.  And it was this way BEFORE the shut down.  

[MAVIP]

20 hours ago, frbob said:

Every time I try to reach HAL's customer service dept I end up holding and holding and holding. Same with CHAT. What's up with HAL???

Maybe the same as with many other companies: it seems that a lack of personnel is the reason everywhere. Fired and have other jobs amd I donot blame them (nor the companies that tried to survive.)

[AFNavigator]

1 hour ago, MAVIP said:

Maybe the same as with many other companies: it seems that a lack of personnel is the reason everywhere. Fired and have other jobs amd I donot blame them (nor the companies that tried to survive.)

I always found HAL's customer service to be slow and frustrating...until my last experience.  I called one evening last month regarding a reprice.  Expecting a lengthy hold time, I was surprised to have an actual voice answer less than 10 seconds from completing the phone menu choices.  She said I would need to speak to someone from another department so she forwarded me there.  Once again, expecting a lengthy hold time, I got a live person within seconds of the transfer.  We went over the reprice options--which saved me over $400 more than i had expected from having done a dummy booking--and completed the entire call start to finish in under 10 minutes!

[PasadenaDave]

It would not be so annoying if the message wasn't We are currently experiencing a higher level than expected call volume, we appreciate your patience.....  

 

The higher wait times is fully expected and likely the call volume is the expected level.  If they would allow one to leave a message to get a call back in the order the message left, then there would not be such animosity.

 

I also had challenges with phone answered by guest services and in room dining on the ship.

 

Customer Service failed

[Tennessee Titan]

Only until you call someone else.....

[fieldsofclover]

OP definitely doesn’t live in a Comcast service area 🤔 Thankfully everything I’ve encountered in the cruise industry has been forgettable by comparison.

Edited September 29, 2022 by fieldsofclover
emoji bonus

[jimmy2x]

We are 4 star with HA all through TA’s. . Before booking our Feb cruise, thought I’d give giving a PC a shot. Could never get the same person twice. Back to my online TA. Who ALWAYS calls me back the same day. And gives both good service and a good price. 

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, fieldsofclover said:

OP definitely doesn’t live in a Comcast service area 🤔 Thankfully everything I’ve encountered in the cruise industry has been forgettable by comparison.

Or in a Spectrum service area. 😢

[FlaMariner]

I "left the reservation" earlier this year and cruised Princess for the first time.

 

Service from Princess pre-cruise was horrible and the onboard experience with that Medallion piece of trash onboard was a joke.

 

I quickly ran back to Holland America Line and will never leave the reservation again....nor will I complain about phone hold time.  Lesson learned for us. 

[Mary229]

22 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

I "left the reservation" earlier this year and cruised Princess for the first time.

 

Service from Princess pre-cruise was horrible and the onboard experience with that Medallion piece of trash onboard was a joke.

 

I quickly ran back to Holland America Line and will never leave the reservation again....nor will I complain about phone hold time.  Lesson learned for us. 

I sailed another line and toured with another tour company this summer.  Yep, there are some shoddy outfits out there, all with 5 star reviews and ratings too. 

[JeffElizabeth]

13 hours ago, jimmy2x said:

We are 4 star with HA all through TA’s. . Before booking our Feb cruise, thought I’d give giving a PC a shot. Could never get the same person twice. Back to my online TA. Who ALWAYS calls me back the same day. And gives both good service and a good price. 

We used to use PCC's and always had great service but now use a TA and have better service, she is also ready to get us better cost savings and better benefits.