Is HAL looking to disappoint Have it All Passengers

[Ipeeinthepools]

I’m currently on the Rotterdam and the hostess booking Specialty Restaurants is frustrated.  We are just finishing Day 3 on the Rotterdam and the hostess bookings all of the Specialty Restaurants is frustrated.  The Specialty Restaurants are nearly completely booked with people. Booking Have it All packages before they board and others that are cash paying customers.  The reality is that people show up to book a restaurant from the Have it all promotion or someone with a lot of OBC can’t book restaurants because there isn’t any room.  It seems like HAL has over promised the specialty dining under Have it All and is disappointing a lot of passengers that hope to book once onboard.

[KAKcruiser]

If they can't deliver on the promise of the specialty restaurant dinner, they should refund the value of that dinner.

[iflyrc5]

The 5 Star also get 2 free meals in specialty restaurants and we can't book them before boarding as we must pay for them at time of booking.  Happened to friends on a recent cruise as they were not able to use their 5 Star benefit because of sold out specialty restaurants.

[colin v]

I'm sure there are many factors that are contributing to the problem. Pent up demand, reading reviews of poor MDR experiences on Cruise Critic, ship loads of OBC floating around from the last 3 years, over selling HIA (maybe it was too cheap)?  I would say there are close to 100 reasons before you would get to Holland America looking to disappoint HIA guests.  Maybe I'm wrong.

 

My parents just returned from the Rotterdam and ate at the special restaurants 4 nights. Normally that would be a big fat 0 for them.  They tried for more and it was sold out. 

 

For 5 star - can you book in advance, pay and then request a refund on board?

[Pee-ah]

I have the "Have it all Package" and booked dinner prior to my cruise this week. You dont have to wait-to till you are on board i guess it's a case of first come first serve.

 

Edited January 28, 2023 by Pee-ah

[kazu]

Sailed on the Koningsdam for 3 B2B cruises and all the specialties were sold out by day 2 except for some 9 pm slots.  We were able to sweet talk our way into Tamarind and Canaletto by visiting personally - no idea if having Club Orange had anything to do with it or not.  Coouldn’t use my 5* benefit.

 

friends stayed on the week after and when they got home, they told me they couldn’t get any specialty dining at all. They do anytime dining as they traditionally do a fair bit of specialty dining & of course, couldn’t use their 5* benefits.

[kazu]

4 hours ago, colin v said:

For 5 star - can you book in advance, pay and then request a refund on board?

 

You can - but it can be a challenge to get refunded on some ships.  

[PolythenePam57]

Have HIA for a July cruise and have already booked the included dinner (on the app). It would have been very disappointing to try and have been unable to book a prepaid dinner once onboard.

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, PolythenePam57 said:

Have HIA for a July cruise and have already booked the included dinner (on the app). It would have been very disappointing to try and have been unable to book a prepaid dinner once onboard.

Apparently you and I are smarter than the average bear.  Many people didn’t book ahead and are now disappointed.  It’s the same message for anyone hoping to use OBC to book specialty restaurants, go straight to the booking desk as soon as you board.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

4 hours ago, kazu said:

 

You can - but it can be a challenge to get refunded on some ships.  

I agree. I have found since the restart that most Guest Relations staff and Neptune Lounge Concierges have no clue about 5-star benefits. Luckily on my recent Konigsdam cruise, the Concierge was able to get my discounts for me. But it can be a battle which we shouldn't have to endure.

[ChinaShrek]

With HIA and the crowded ships, it is probably necessary to book everything in advance: all specialty dinners, shore excursions, spa appointments, etc. I'm sure some people have done this for years but this doesn't allow for things that come up during the cruise. 

[Florida_gal_50]

42 minutes ago, SJSULIBRARIAN said:

I agree. I have found since the restart that most Guest Relations staff and Neptune Lounge Concierges have no clue about 5-star benefits. Luckily on my recent Konigsdam cruise, the Concierge was able to get my discounts for me. But it can be a battle which we shouldn't have to endure.

You got that right.  The person I believe was the front desk manager on the koningsdam was woefully uninformed.  She told me the 5 star discount could only be used at the pinnacle even after I showed her online that wasn’t true.  Even a couple of the front desk personnel knew better.

[Florida_gal_50]

I don’t know why have it all people would be disappointed.  You can book online before the cruise for specialty or shorex.  If you don’t seems that’s on you.

[Cruiz'nBaers]

We just booked a cruise for February 2024 and purchased the HIA package.  We have found it to be a good value for us.  It’s not free, we are paying for it, if HAL is overselling it, do not place the responsibility of limited availability in the specialty restaurants on the passengers who have bought and paid for this benefit.  This will be our third cruise on HAL since cruising started up again, we had no trouble getting reservations on either of our first two cruises.  I guess we will book our 3 dinners in advance when reservations open up.  We can always try to change things around once onboard.  We try not to have anything reserved on the Gala or dressy nights, the MDR usually has a nicer menu on those nights.  We’ll see how it goes.

Edited January 28, 2023 by Cruiz'nBaers

[EatonDoolittle]

27 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I don’t know why have it all people would be disappointed.  You can book online before the cruise for specialty or shorex.  If you don’t seems that’s on you.

 

Exactly. I booked my HIA dinners and shore excursions months ago. 

Specialty restaurants booking up well before the sailing is nothing new, and certainly not exclusive to HAL  ships. 

 

It's like the people who come in to a show or movie as the lights are dimming and get annoyed  because they  can't find 4 seats together in the prime locations. Think ahead, people, and take some responsibility for yourself. 

Edited January 28, 2023 by EatonDoolittle

[PACD_JG]

5 minutes ago, EatonDoolittle said:

It's like the people who come in to a show or movie as the lights are dimming and get annoyed  because they  can't find 4 seats together in the prime locations. Think ahead, people, and take some responsibility for yourself. 

It's like the 4 and 5 star mariners and/or the suite guests think they deserve the entitlement.  Maybe they do, and there are already several cruise lines that provide that ship within a ship benefit.  Easier to complain than switch though...

[3rdGenCunarder]

26 minutes ago, PACD_JG said:

It's like the 4 and 5 star mariners and/or the suite guests think they deserve the entitlement.  Maybe they do, and there are already several cruise lines that provide that ship within a ship benefit.  Easier to complain than switch though...

 

4 and 5 star mariners have spent a lot of money with HAL over the years. HAL offers certain amenities for this loyalty. It isn't "entitlement," it's what people have been told they will get. This isn't a new program, so staff should be aware of the benefits. 

 

I did see that Pinnacle was full most nights on my recent cruise. I booked in advance with HIA, so I had no trouble getting the time I wanted. If 5 star mariners have to wait until they're onboard to get their free specialty dinners, then they have to put that on the to-do list for embarkation day and hope good time slots are still available. That doesn't seem like good recognition for a lot of days sailed and money spent onboard. 

 

What about the 50% off for 4 stars? Can I book that online in advance, or do I have to wait until I'm onboard if I want to use the discount?

[kazu]

31 minutes ago, PACD_JG said:

It's like the 4 and 5 star mariners and/or the suite guests think they deserve the entitlement.  Maybe they do, and there are already several cruise lines that provide that ship within a ship benefit.  Easier to complain than switch though...

 

Huh?  All the 5*’s want is their benefit of their specialty dining they have earned with their spending and time on HAL.  And they are entitled to it, like it or not.

[kazu]

3 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

What about the 50% off for 4 stars? Can I book that online in advance, or do I have to wait until I'm onboard if I want to use the discount?

 

You can book in advance, pay full price and then receive your 50% credit on board in the form of refundable OBC.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Just now, kazu said:

 

Yo can book in advance, pay full price and then receive your 50% credit on board in the form of refundable OBC.

 

Thanks. I'll add that to my list of CC wisdom.

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I don’t know why have it all people would be disappointed.  You can book online before the cruise for specialty or shorex.  If you don’t seems that’s on you.

Tough crowd.

[Hlitner]

27 minutes ago, PACD_JG said:

It's like the 4 and 5 star mariners and/or the suite guests think they deserve the entitlement.  Maybe they do, and there are already several cruise lines that provide that ship within a ship benefit.  Easier to complain than switch though...

Woah nellie!   Your comment makes little sense.  4 and 5* Mariners earned their benefits by meeting the requirements set forth by the cruise line....a contract of sorts.  That has absolutely nothing to do with "ship within a ship" concepts (we have done a few on other lines).  In fact, even on MSC in their Yacht Club, folks who are Diamond (akin to 5* Mariners on HAL) get extra benefits such as a free meal in a specialty restaurant.

 

The problem is that HAL is simply selling HIA packages that should be "capacity limited."  HAL is well aware of the number of 5* Mariners on a cruise and each is entitled to two meals in the Pinnacle or other alternative venues.  On a short cruise there are simply not going to be enough slots in the alternative restaurants to meet the promised meals for those who booked HIA + 5*,  And both 4 and 5*s are also entitled to a 50% discount in the specialty restaurants.  

 

 

[PACD_JG]

IMHO, the problem is HAL could really give two damns about their loyal mariners.  They'll be back (or die first) regardless of how little HAL's loyalty program rewards.

[Hlitner]

2 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

You can book in advance, pay full price and then receive your 50% credit on board in the form of refundable OBC.

That assumes that one can get the folks at Guest Relations to properly do their accounting job.  Over the years there have been more than a few posts of folks that have had lots of difficulty or were never able to get their money refunded.  I do not understand why HAL has so many issues with accounting and software.  5* Mariners should be able to book their free meals online (in advance) and not be charged.  This kind of simple programming is not rocket science.  We also recently posted another HAL accounting issue where an excursion that is "Wait Listed" cannot later be used as part of the HIA credit.  The way it now works is that the cruiser will be charged (direct to their credit card) any excursion where they clear the wait list and then will later have to beg to get a refund once aboard.  It will be interesting to see if this is another of those issues where Seattle makes promises (i.e. "you will be able to get credit once aboard") and the onboard staff have no clue as to the promise.

 

Bottom line is that this is "bush league" accounting and sub-standard computer programming.

 

Hank

[Mary229]

Multiple dining venues along with HIA is spreading the crew and therefore the sevice thin.  There is only so much room on a ship for kitchens, there is only so much capacity for crew.  I assume we have the same number of kitchen/dining personnel per capacity as we had 20 years ago.  How on earth do they think they can maintain standards with that math?