juliecat Posted September 7, 2006 #1 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I booked a cruise for later this month on HAL using the online booking engine and then transferred the booking to my agent (spur of the moment trip). I included air and transfers in the booking and the invoice listed it as paid in full (as of 8/1). The invoice lists air add-on and my home airport but does not state the airports that I'm flying to or from (the cruise in Vancouver to LAX so round trip would be an obvious default and the tranfers are for both airports). I just got a frantic call from my TA telling me that HAL says the air is one way in the booking and I need to pay another $160 for the air the other direction. There was no way to book one way air on HAL.com, so I could not have made this selection. I called HAL myself. They admit this was a computer error but will not honor the price on the invoice. The customer service agent says I have to have my travel agent call back and speak to a supervisor; she will not deal with me since I transfered the booking to an agent. Do I have any hope of the cruiseline honoring the original contract? I am a Mariner, but it doesn't seem to be worth much. Any advice? Julia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarps14 Posted September 7, 2006 #2 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Definitely need to set up a three-way call between your TA, yourself and HAL. That way you can hear directly what there response is to your TA and you're not getting info second hand. In my opinion, if you have it in writing then there isn't much they can say different. JMO. I hope it works out for you!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted September 7, 2006 #3 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Julia........Were you aware of the error at the time you were booking? Did you know that there was a computer glitch and you were thinking you would get the return fare included for no extra cost? I'm only asking so I can understand. That is all. Did you think you were getting something for nothing at the time you made the booking or did you honestly believe you were booking and paying for round trip air and transfers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliecat Posted September 7, 2006 Author #4 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I thought I was paying for round trip air. I went back to the on-line booking page this evening, and I don't even see an option for one way air. The price for the air was very close to ( ~$30 more) the PDX-VAN plus LAX-PDX air price I pulled up on expedia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammybee Posted September 7, 2006 #5 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Agree with tarps 14. You need a three-way call and you need it ASAP. None of this sounds plausable. If HAL had an error, then HAL is going to eat the cost of the return trip and chaul it up to the cost associated with identifying the error. Most of the time itis less costly to book air independent of any cruise line whichis why most do so. Please keep us posted on how this turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted September 7, 2006 #6 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Do you agree that the proper price for the round trip air and the transfers (as compared to expedia and other site prices) really should be $160 higher than what your invoice says? Do you think the price they are asking you pay is the proper sum that should have been charged? Can you book that air and transfers for much less anywhere else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliecat Posted September 7, 2006 Author #7 Share Posted September 7, 2006 The original pricing in the booking was $209 for air plus $40 for transfers. I could book the round trip air today for $201 (would have been lower if I had booked the air 5 weeks ago when I booked the cruise). The new price they want me to pay is $369. If I had been given the $369 price at the time of booking, I would have booked independent air and just purchased the transfers from HAL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruzincurt Posted September 7, 2006 #8 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Sounds like a computer glitch in the booking. I don't understand why you would transfer the booking to a TA in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
refman Posted September 7, 2006 #9 Share Posted September 7, 2006 just wondering why you booked on-line and then transferred to a travel agent? hal will only deal with the agent now and i`m not sure you`ll get the same level of open communication that you started with from the initial booking or am i missing something? you did the research and then gave the commision to an agent for the work you did. just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliecat Posted September 7, 2006 Author #10 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I have a TA I use several times a year; just like to keep business going his way and have someone to turn to in case something goes wrong (like when the airline lost my luggage on the way to a cruise in Europe). Occassionally he gets me some perks, but that's not the main reason I use a TA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy cruzer Posted September 7, 2006 #11 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Your invoice would not list destination airports, remember the cruiseline reserves the right to fly you just about anywhere and then bus you to the ship -right like Seattle rather than Vancouver and you don't know where until the tickets arrive. therefore there is really no way for you to have known there was an error in the price. On something like this, you need to decide what you want to do. Are you alone or are more people involved are their arrangements ok. I think the 3 way call is an excellent idea. You need to know before the call if you are willing to walk away from this reservation. If you are, I think you can get them to honor the invoice or at least provide an OBC of at least $100, refund your air fare and let you book it yourself. Also don't forget to get a credit for the transfers too if you want to just do those yourself too. If you can't walk away from the trip, you will probably just need to get an air and transfer refund and do those yourself. I think you can walk away from this reservation and rebook with anyone including Hal if you want to if the principle of thing gets to you. Good luck, and let us know what you decide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
refman Posted September 7, 2006 #12 Share Posted September 7, 2006 well, i hope all turns out for your cruise, but ive always used hal after getting slammed and scammed by a local family owned agency who could`nt of screwed things up more unless it was intentional.GOOD LUCK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliecat Posted September 7, 2006 Author #13 Share Posted September 7, 2006 If you can't walk away from the trip, you will probably just need to get an air and transfer refund and do those yourself. The cruise is 21 days away; would they still allow me to change this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sail7seas Posted September 7, 2006 #14 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Probably not. Do you agree that the proper price for the round trip air and the transfers (as compared to expedia and other site prices) really should be $160 higher than what your invoice says? Do you think the price they are asking you pay is the proper sum that should have been charged? Can you book that air and transfers for much less anywhere else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LAFFNVEGAS Posted September 7, 2006 #15 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Julia, Not sure where you live but if the price they claim you paid was just a one way to Vancouver, would it be cheaper just to buy a one-way home from LAX. I know living in Las Vegas the part of our flight from LAX to home was very cheap. I actually purchased my own tickets many months ago with a non-stop on Air Canada to Vancouver then Lax to LAS on TED. I paid $185 per person, we felt we got a really good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakrewser Posted September 7, 2006 #16 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Just tell them to cancel the air and book your own... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy cruzer Posted September 7, 2006 #17 Share Posted September 7, 2006 The cruise is 21 days away; would they still allow me to change this? OK I am assuming that you want to go on the cruise and that you don't mind booking the air yourself from your question. also assuming that you paid by credit card. When you and your TA talk to a Hal supervisor, get them to tell you exactly what the problem is and how much more money they think you owe. If they again tell you they had a problem and did not quote the air amount correctly and that they want 160 more for the airfare. Then you have to explain to them that you do not intend to pay any more for the air. I think you are concerned that hal will demand more money or cancel the entire reservation therefore take the time to make sure that the cruise is not part of the discussion. That you and hal are only taking about the air fare and the cruise, port and taxes are fine the way it are. Then explain that you would like to see one of the following: You want hal to honor their agreement/contract/invoice because you believe that they are legally required to and that you could go to your credit card company and disbute the charge but would prefer that they take care of the mistake. If they say that they won't honor the invoice, get them to refund the air and transfers, then you can rebook that yourself. But also tell them that their computer's mistake is going to cost you time and money. It has cost you the time researching air fares and dealing with hal to try to get this resolved. then ask them for compensation and let them make an offer. know what you think is appropriate I think probably $100 OBC, they may offer a Pinnacle Grill dinner or bottel of wine or something and this can later be converted into a OBC, so just decide what you think is good enough ahead of time. Bottomline they are requesting more money from you. As far as I can tell they really can not do this, I think they are allowed to pass on fuel surcharge or airline fees that gets added after booking time but other than that if the fares go up or down they are supposed to live with it. Plus you know that they are collecting enough money that they will not lose money they just won't make the profit on air that they are used to. I really think they will be happy to get out of the air mess and just sell you the cruise with port and taxes. Before you get off the phone with them make sure that you know exactly to the penny how much is staying on the invoice and how much is going to be refunded. I think that they may even be able to email the new invoice to the TA while you wait on the phone to confirm that is correct. So this is the worse case as I see it. If hal threatens to cancel the entire reservation because they want more money, then I would be very angry. It's not right for them to not honor the air agreedment but to hold the entire thing hostage would make me angry. I would personally not do business with them if they were to do that. I would call my credit card and protest the charge and I then I would spend some time writing letters. But I do not think the worse case is going to happen. I think you will only be talking about the air fare and transfers and you will reach an agreement. Good luck! And hope I could help a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allis154 Posted September 7, 2006 #18 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Having dealt with a HAL computer gliche last year, I don't you will any satisfaction. My advice? Cancel the HAL air and book it on you own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy cruzer Posted September 7, 2006 #19 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Hi, julie, one last thing. everyone including my self is suggesting that you will probably be better off booking the air yourself. However please be careful and not tell hal that you are cancelling anything. Please read my email and make sure that they are telling you that they want more money or want to be released from the air part of your contract. If you come into the deal saying that you want to cancel something and you are 21 days from sailing they may try to charge you the cancellation fees, they could make all their profit off the cancellation fees. so just take some time and go through it with them slowly, and make sure that you don't ever use the cancel word. say that you want a refund to let them out of the air obligation. ok!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hojo's redbeard Posted September 7, 2006 #20 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Sounds like HAL has some serious issues with their computer glitches costing cruisers money. The glitch involved with my booking cost me over $300. If HAL doesn't learn how to fix the glitches for one, and more importantly, handle them properly when they do happen, they are going to see people opting for the competition more readily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted September 7, 2006 #21 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Don't know if she can really cancel the air at this time. OP mentioned that she is leaving at the end of the month, booked this cruise as a last minute deal, and it is all ready paid in full. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted September 7, 2006 #22 Share Posted September 7, 2006 julicat Do keep us informed as to what you find out or decide to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaandam_2 Posted September 7, 2006 #23 Share Posted September 7, 2006 having used the hal website in the past, i can say there is NO option for one-way air. the website allow you to enter your departure city, then quotes prices with and without air. those are the only options. HAL screwed up on this one, and they should honor their quote. of course, HAL's contract lets them out of any obligation but they should do the right thing on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newmexicoNita Posted September 7, 2006 #24 Share Posted September 7, 2006 AS a TA myself, it is nice that you booked and then gave the business to your local Travel Agent. I can guarantee you he appreciates this. Now, to your problem: I hope you can get it clearned up especially if you have found a better price, but my gut feeling is you can't. No one can hold a company responsible for computer glitches. Not fair maybe but normally the case. I don't think you can cancel the air this late either, but good luck and let us know how things come out. NMNita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy cruzer Posted September 7, 2006 #25 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Hi, Nita, Do you think that HAL can hold the passenger responsibile to pay more for the airfare? Are you saying that she must pay the $160 or lose her deposit because of their computer glitch? she is not trying to get a better price, just the price that she was quoted at booking or a refund for the airfare. I think Julie has alot more choices that just coughing up more money or losing a deposit. I outlined those earlier. I am very interested in hearing more of your opinion. thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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