Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

HAL “Bad Request” Error Message

forevercruising1

By forevercruising1,
in Holland America Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

forevercruising1

forevercruising1

Posted
Posted

Hello!  Recently, I am continually getting the following error message when searching cruise options on the HAL website:

 

“Bad Request

Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand.
Size of a request header field exceeds server”

 

I am using my iPad and my MacBook and have been getting the same error message on both.  On the top address bar, the iPad shows “400 Bad Request”.

 

Have any of you had similar issues and, more importantly, does anyone have advice regarding the solution?

 

Thank you!!  🙂🚢🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rodndonna

rodndonna

Posted
Posted
32 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I have had to switch to Firefox browser recently to have a problem free experience at the HAL website.  I usually use Safari on my iPad 

 

Same for me. I have been getting the error lately as well in Firefox, but no problems with Safari.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Haljo1935 "Live from...." Rare

Haljo1935

Posted
Posted (edited)

I frequently get the "400 Bad Request" no matter what device I use - phone, tablet or computer. All 3 use different browsers, so it's not just Chrome. I haven't tried Firefox (tablet can't run it) but will try.

I usually don't get it using Incagnito Mode, but occasionally do. 

Clearing cache and cookies doesn't help.

I used to get it mostly late night and early mornings, but lately, as recently as yesterday, I get it in the middle of the day.

Frustrating...

Edited by Haljo1935
Typo
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
PigsCanFly

PigsCanFly

Posted
Posted

I was trying to cancel an excursion I had made and got similar message.  Surprisingly, I then tried on my phone in the navigator app and was successful.  Usually, my experience is the opposite, Navigator app does not cooperate and the website does.  Who knows what will happen next week?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GatorMomInNC

GatorMomInNC

Posted
Posted

I had this same thing yesterday trying to cancel and book excursions!!! Drove me nuts.  Finally called HAL and they did it for me over the phone, but the HAL rep asked me about what browser I was using and cookies.  I am the LEAST tech savvy person in the world, but I do know how to use "incognito" window (because otherwise every time I look at a cruise on the NCL website they call me!) and I used that and was able to book online - so maybe it doesn't use cookies?   My husband then cleared all my cookies for me so I haven't tried since then....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sea42

Sea42

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

I think the solution is to wait for Monday, for the (single?) IT person to reboot their system!

 

It's not you; it's them.

Yeah, I've learned not to even bother with the website on weekends. Truly frustrating

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bundtkate "Live from...." Rare

bundtkate

Posted
Posted

IT person here! This is on HAL's end. Servers usually set a limit on the size of a request to avoid overload as well as mitigate malicious requests. Website developers estimate what size a request is likely to be at the largest and set that limit to something somewhat larger to account for edge cases. Even when best efforts are made, sometimes requests come in larger than expected, even when valid.

In the case of canceling an excursion, there's little that you can do to improve things since the size of your request is likely outside your control, but with searches. doing your initial search with fewer filters (for example, searching for the right dates and destination but skipping out on looking for specific ships) may help reduce that size. After your initial search, you can filter down again with (hopefully) another smaller request. This may not work if HAL sends all search parameters with every request (which they may well do), but if they only send what's new it could help.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
forevercruising1

forevercruising1

Posted
  • Author
Posted
10 hours ago, bundtkate said:

IT person here! This is on HAL's end. Servers usually set a limit on the size of a request to avoid overload as well as mitigate malicious requests. Website developers estimate what size a request is likely to be at the largest and set that limit to something somewhat larger to account for edge cases. Even when best efforts are made, sometimes requests come in larger than expected, even when valid.

In the case of canceling an excursion, there's little that you can do to improve things since the size of your request is likely outside your control, but with searches. doing your initial search with fewer filters (for example, searching for the right dates and destination but skipping out on looking for specific ships) may help reduce that size. After your initial search, you can filter down again with (hopefully) another smaller request. This may not work if HAL sends all search parameters with every request (which they may well do), but if they only send what's new it could help.

 

I usually limit my filters and I have tried different browsers and I continue to get the same error message.  I wish I understood more of what you're talking about!  🙂

Thanks for the information -- I'll keep trying different things!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
bundtkate "Live from...." Rare

bundtkate

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, forevercruising1 said:

I wish I understood more of what you're talking about!

Honest, I don't know enough to help significantly so you're likely not missing out on much. I understand the general source of these sorts of errors, but the specifics depend on how HAL built/designed their service so anything I suggest will be an educated guess at best. If I ever ran into it myself, I might be able to learn more, but alas I've yet to see it. On the off chance it helps, I'm on Windows 10 and I use Firefox with the uBlock Origin adblock extension installed. I'm not sure whether the extension would help in this case, but ads are awful anyway so I can't see any harm in trying it. It's available for both Firefox and Chrome on macOS and Windows and can also be installed in Firefox on Android. I don't think iOS or iPadOS have extension support for any browser, unfortunately. And if I ever do run into, I'll be sure to go into full tester mode, see what I can figure out, and report back. 😂

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rodndonna

rodndonna

Posted
Posted

I have been having the problem as well and have been for a while, but seem to be OK with Safari.

 

 The other thing I just noticed this morning is that my "Favourites" which I flag are not getting saved in Chrome or Firefox, but in Safari they are still there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Real NHDOC

Real NHDOC

Posted
Posted (edited)

It's an issue with cookies and HAL's terrible website coding. 

 

If you clear the cookies from HAL and go back to the HAL website it should work, at least it has always worked for me.  In firefox you have to go to settings, then privacy and security and wait for manage data to become available then search for Holland America choose remove selected and save changes...voila then it will work again until next time. 

 

When you go back to HAL's site just accept only strictly necessary cookies and shut all of the others off.  That should help extend the time between having to reset again.

 

Maybe when their IT guy gets in from recess he will fix it.

Edited by Real NHDOC
  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...