Kynana

This is not speculation.

I couldn't see them taking away that benefit without some notice either, but I've talked to a person at the Mariner desk, a reservation agent and my travel agent contacted them. All three answers were the same. No 50% discount on wine packages for 4 and 5 star Mariners. 

I don't see how they can eliminate the benefit if it is still offered on their website, but they say they have. Period. False advertising. This is our first full cruise as a 4 star Mariner. The two benefits we worked to receive were the laundry and the wine package. If the wine package is no more, we're definitely looking into other cruise lines. Our loyalty will be a thing of the past. 

Evidently it's just been eliminated according to guest services with no explanation. How they can still offer it online in the Mariner area descriptions is terrible. Very deceiving. 

Has anyone heard the news that HAL has abruptly eliminated the 50% discount on wine packages for 4 and 5 Star Mariners, although the perk is still listed on the HAL website in the Mariner section?

I thought I'd try one more time on the HAL site and experienced the same problem. If I log on, I can't get beyond the guarantee stateroom area. My computer is up-to-date, so the problem nothing to do with that. I deleted the cookies on my computer the HAL website thinking that might help, but that did nothing.

How Holland America can operate efficiently and profitably with such a sorry website is beyond me.

I've tried accessing the site from the frequent HAL emails that I receive. I've tried logging in directly from the site. I think I understand the "layout," but with either method I can only get so far IF I'm logged in. Like you, Peter, I like to do my own searching and then contact my TA.

Peter, would you be willing the share the two non HAL websites that you use to find available cabins not shown on the HAL website?

Yes, this has been a problem for months.

Have you tried different browsers?

No. I use Safari and shouldn't have try different browsers. I'm beginning to wonder if HAL uses high school students to design and maintain their website.

I was having that problem for days, but now I can see other choices.

What other choices?

I am so frustrated. If I log in with my username and password and do a search, it doesn't allow me select my own stateroom. If I log out and go in anonymously, I can. This has been happening for months.

I haven't been able to get onto the website at all for at least a week....just a spinning wheel.

This situation has been going on for months since the website was "updated." How in the world a world-class company can have such a poor website is beyond me.

Every time I go on the HAL website, select a cruise and make the "Ocean View" selection, it takes me to a page that gives me a price for for a guaranteed stateroom. If I click on the option to "Change Stateroom" and select my own room, all it does is spin and spin and spin. Is anyone else having this problem? This has been happening to us for months. I rarely go on the site for this reason.

I use the Feedback link on the right side of the HAL webpage to register my displeasure, and I do that just about every time I try to research a cruise. I click on the lowest rating for each category and relate the problem I am having. It may not help, but it sure makes me feel better!

I was booking a cruise and was being offered a price as a guarantee. When I tried to change it from the guarantee to picking a room, it just did the spinning circle of doom and would never load (tried two different browsers). Funny thing is that I could get to the "choose your own room" page if I wasn't signed into my account. I finally used the link for the "old" site and was able to book for the same low price as the guarantee but chose the room I wanted.

There's a link for the old site? I would love to have that.

The HAL website is worse than horrible. Trying to check on a cruise price is exhausting. For some reason the powers that be think that all off us are interested in a Guarantee. When I attempt to select my own stateroom (at a large increase in price), all the page does is spin and spin and spin.

There's something seriously wrong at Holland America when they can't even present a decent website for their customers.

The new HAL website is TERRIBLE. Logging in is an excruciating experience. It doesn't take my saved emailed or my password. I have to retype each multiple times to log in. Then when I do, it's painful to do a search and then end up with a Guarantee. Then there's the process of selecting an ocean cabin in a specific category and seeing the price sometimes double. I'm flabbergasted that HAL would allow their name to be placed on such a poorly designed website. Then older one was clunky and frustrating, but in comparison with the new one, it was much much better. I give up.

We are scheduled for a cruise on the Dream on June 21, 2015. I have been reading what I can on CC about this ship and itinerary and have a few questions. First of all, thanks to all of you who leave wonderful reviews of the cruises - it's so much fun reading/learning about the specific cruises. However, the more I read, the more questions I have. Our cruise will visit Roatan, Belize and Cozumel. Now for the questions.

 

I've read that sometimes the ship won't stop at Belize due to weather conditions. If they opt not to stop there, do we just have an extra sea day and how early would we know that we won't be tendering? Is it a frequent issue that the ship doesn't stop there?

 

We are planning on a cave tubing trip in Belize. I'm not athletic at all and have become quite overweight lately. Will the hike and cave tubing be difficult for a middle-aged, pudgy girl?

 

We will be traveling with our 3 kids (15, 19, & 22). Our 15 year old son is not outgoing with people he doesn't know. Do many teens actually use the facilities for the 15-17 year old age group? We aren't cruising with any other families we know and his older brother & sister will likely ditch him. Just worried he will not have fun on the ship. Any suggestions for kids his age?

 

We have two cabins on the Vista deck (9th level). One is a port side balcony room midship. I've read about the Lanai deck being a problem for some balcony rooms above it - but will it be an issue for a 9th level room? Is smoking from that deck going to affect our balcony?

 

Is there a site to look up specific concerns on individual cabins on individual ships?

 

Again, I love the reviews I'm reading, but then they make me "worry" about issues that may not even affect me.

My husband and I are taking our 16 (almost 17) year old grandson on the same cruise. I am also concerned about him interacting with other kids his age. He is very much into video games and computers, so we're hoping he will find others with the same interests. I've read that it's important to get them to the teen area at the beginning of the cruise.