Follow-up to horrible cruise with HAL

[Gsel]

My best advice is let it go. Every experience be it travel or staying home is what YOU make it. I have traveled a lot in my work and for pleasure and have found I get what I give, if I am nice to someone it comes back to me.

[scooter6139]

Sean, buddy, it's time to move on.  Learn and adapt for the next cruise, which obviously will not be on HAL. Just an FYI - You will be dealing with the same vendors on every other mainstream cruise line (spa and Casino), as they have all those contracts already.  

[Wehwalt]

 

7 hours ago, Cruiser Sean said:

I filed an official complaint with HAL. My complaint requested a return call from a customer service manager. I also submitted reviews across multiple websites, many that sent the review directly to HAL (these were done about 2 weeks ago). I also contacted Halcruises on X and they submitted a request for a manager to call me. I've followed-up with HAL customer service and had my complaint escalated. 

No disrespect whatsoever intended, but HAL may feel there is nothing left to say.

[Toad]

@Cruiser Sean I think you have the solution, as you stated in a previous post! Since you have “ Never had a problem” with Carnival, it seems much better suited to meet your needs as those of your family.  Stick with them for your cruising vacations.  
Personally I have never cruised with Carnival, and am unlikely to, but I have tried many other lines and continue to return to HAL.  

[cccole]

I have nothing to add from my posts on your previous thread except...don't "cut off your nose to spite your face".  A couple years back there was a poster on the HAL forum that ranted and raved about how horrible HAL was and stated it was his LAST HAL cruise.  He cruised HAL and other lines.  Well, that person now includes HAL in his cruises.  When "the grass looks greener on the other side"  sometimes it's not.  Wishing you many memories from family vacations.  Cherie

[ghstudio]

If you continue to want to escalate, I suggest you google "elliott report" and look for Holland America contact info and advice.

[Petronillus]

3 hours ago, sunviking90 said:

I don’t think you ever said what exactly you wanted to happen for you other than to be contacted and “heard”.

I have thought throughout that this is the crux of OP's problem.

 

Some years ago there was a tv sitcom called "Dinosaurs." It was roughly patterned after "The Honeymooners," but with all the characters as animated puppets. They diverted one episode into a scenario on the origin of warfare. "War," it turns out, is an acronym standing for "We Are Right!"

 

OP has invested so much time and energy into his campaign of vilification while rejecting every form of compensation that I'm left to conclude that what he's seeking from us is validation and vindication. Sorry, but I for one can't oblige.

[Genghis Khan]

I always demand to see The Manager. Have you tried that?

[jlawrence01]

3 hours ago, sunviking90 said:

You likely won’t hear anything for a long time, if at all. This is the new reality of customer service in the mass market cruise industry. There isn’t enough manpower to handle the issues that arise now that everyone and their dog (literally sometimes) has decided to cruise post covid. 
I don’t think you ever said what exactly you wanted to happen for you other than to be contacted and “heard”. Were you expecting compensation beyond what you were offered on board? You would be better off to have a specific, realistic expectation of what you want, then as I already said in a post on your other thread, contact the higher ups through the contact info on Elliott.org. This will get you a response, I almost guarantee. I also suggest keeping emotion and the emotions of your family members out of it, but just be factual on how they failed to fulfill their promises to you. I wouldn’t expect apologies, or admitting failures, because that just isn’t how they roll these days. They’ll give you something to get rid of you and hopefully keep you happy.

I have resorted to using the Elliott.org contact info twice with Princess, and once with HAL, when months went by without responses or resolutions. My issues were a little more “concrete” though (bill error resolution, no replies re promised covid per diem not given, etc).

 

 

I have dealt with Chris Elliott over the years on a couple of issues.  For him to help, the complaint has to be very specific and clear.  He has little patience for rants in general.

 

Also, you have to actually lay in it what you are looking for.

[Catlover54]

4 hours ago, Cruiser Sean said:

Thank You. Your post was extremely helpful. I've never considered a travel agent, especially since it is very easy to book your own travel. However, it does seem as if you might have better recourse with the cruise industry, if you have have an agent and you have issues on your cruise. Again, thank you. I'll consider this as we book our Alaskan cruise...which will obviously have to be with Princess. I don't necessarily mind that all these lines are owned by Carnival, as we have cruised with Carnival several times and never had an issue.

 

I am glad you found my posts helpful.

One of many other benefits of using a travel agent (TA), other than having them deal with a lot of the headaches, is that they typically offer some kind of OBC, or at least a bottle of champagne on boarding, or some other little perk (ask about it before using them). My TA also knows a lot about certain areas and countries because she's been there and also has had TA feedback from others on what the real story is (useful feedback that can go beyond the sales pitch of the web presence). She can also coordinate a long itineary (pre and post cruise hotels, transfers) if you like, or just parts if you want to use miles or hotel points on your own. 

There are youtube videos (and discussions on CC) about the many other benefits of TAs

They don't cost anything to your bottomline. 

 

The only thing I don't like about using a TA is that for some cruises which I want to book on the spur of the moment (e.g., after months of procrastination, finally making a decision at 8PM on a Saturday night of a long weekend when I see that there is only one cabin left in my chosen category, or there is a special "first come first limited serve" offer), the TA  may not be immediately available (they may be on a TA discounted cruise with their family!), so I just go ahead and book online or with the cruise line and then transfer the booking to the TA later (most lines let you transfer within 30 days of a booking as long as final payment hasn't been made, some allow more time).

I also tend to get impatient when something seems to be taking a long time and I worry about losing my spot (e.g., when a "luxury" line changed the disembarkation port short notice, I was keen to get my most convenient fight booking  change completed before all the seats were gone).

But the bigger agenices usually have a backup person to help  (maybe not always the best and the brightest on the off hours, but someone), and this is not an issue most of the time. 

I also have booked some foreign cruise lines directly, where the TA doesn't speak the language but I do (even though documents are supposed to come in both languages, I do it directly just to avoid communication confusion if their rep for the USA is not very strong).

A TA can also warn you about hidden costs and potential "surprises".

 

Take care.

[Andi Land]

Who did you email? The one time I needed to make an after cruise complaint I emailed officeofthepresident@hollandamerica.com

 

i will say that my issue was more severe than what you reported in your previous thread and I received a response within about two weeks. 

[Destiny0315]

 

2 hours ago, Petronillus said:

OP has invested so much time and energy into his campaign of vilification while rejecting every form of compensation that I'm left to conclude that what he's seeking from us is validation and vindication. Sorry, but I for one can't oblige.

[ellieanne]

As far as I can tell, you rejected all offers for compensation, which were generous considering everything.
You said your shore excursions were all refunded, and your drinks were all comped, and the overcharges at the spa/salon were corrected. Aside from the fact that you had to ask for these to be corrected, there is nothing more for HAL can do about these.
There is the option to make dinner reservations, and that is the better option for larger parties, even at land-based restaurants. Your decision to not take that step cannot be blamed on the staff in the restaurants, especially if your large party wants to eat at popular times. I really don't see what you want HAL to do about the wait times in the dining room.

 

When I complained to an obudsman about an issue, the thing they asked first after hearing the problem, was "What to do you want as an outcome?" This was an eye-opening revelation about complaints - in addition to stating the issue, you need to state what could be done to either rectify the situation or make you as whole as possible.
What do you want as an outcome? A free cruise or a partial refund is not realistic. You took the cruise, and aside from the relatively minor issues (in the grand scheme of life), had a decent experience, especially ashore in port.
If all you do is list the things that made the cruise terrible with no suggestions or expectations other than "Call me so I can yell at you in person," there is nothing for HAL to respond to.