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Frustration with Booking Family Retreat Cabana --- HAL Bait & Switched Us


cruzin4us
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Out of curiousity.... can you share what you experienced?

 

Yes, I am not lying...

Eurodam April 2017 the repo from San Diego to Vancouver. First call - nothing available at all, all cabanas booked. Second call - nothing available for just the repo, had to be the entire transit. Third email - no pricing available. Fourth email - contact us in a week. Fifth email - nothing available. Sixth email - surprise - there IS a cabana available and we do have pricing for just the repo...

This strung out for 3 weeks. When dealing with any entity where I don't get a proper response, I HUCA and I escalate... (In case you are not familiar with this protocol, it is Hang Up, Call Again. Works well with airlines and hotels).

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I suspect you say this with good intentions, but I think it is awkward. If someone approached me and started questioning why I had their cabana, I'd be pretty put off personally. What would the end goal of your approach be, I ask out of curiosity.

 

If I were in this situation, I wouldn't ask "How did you get my cabana?" I'd go over and ask if I could see what the family cabana looks like, since they were not available and I had to take 2 regular ones. And if the person said something about getting lucky on a late cancellation, I'd say how nice--not "THIS IS MINE." But you can bet I'd go to the front desk and ask to speak to someone about it.

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If I were in this situation, I wouldn't ask "How did you get my cabana?" I'd go over and ask if I could see what the family cabana looks like, since they were not available and I had to take 2 regular ones. And if the person said something about getting lucky on a late cancellation, I'd say how nice--not "THIS IS MINE." But you can bet I'd go to the front desk and ask to speak to someone about it.

 

 

The only resolution is if OP goes to ffont desk affer discovering it is, indeed,occupied is for those people to lose use of the acbana. That would be entirelly too awkward a thing to do to anyone, IMO. OP does not know how or why she lost the ca ana but she should not punish people who may have done nothing wrong., as far as she knows. How would that make them feel and do what to tteir enjoyment of the cruise? No point to going go the desk once it is known there are other people using it.

 

I agree she absolutely should not question or comment it was to have been her cabana but casuaal chit chat between cruisers c an leadtto a new buddy and who know s what the occupant of cab ana might offer in terms oF THEIR STATUs if hey are the Vip that OP has suggested she believes is what happened EVEN if so, I do not think OP should mention any connection to thag c abana. She c an c omplimdent it, ofer good wishes theg roup ednjoy it and tell that she and her family are in ttwo side by side cabanas. Wbho knows but they may actually like each other and become new pals.

Edited by sail7seas
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The only resolution is if OP goes gtgo ffont cdesk affer discovering it is, inded,occupied is for those people to lose use of the cbana. t Thatr would be entirelly too awkward a thing to do to anyone, IMO. OP xodes nogt knows hows or why she losf tthe ca ana but shde should not punish people who may have done nothing wrong. How would that make them feel and do what to tteir enjoyment of the cruise? No point to going go the desk once it is known there are other people using it.

 

I agree she absolutely should not question or comment it was to have been her cabana but casuaal chit chat between cruisers c an leadtto a new buddy and who know s what the occupant of cab ana might offer in terms oF THEIR STATUs if hey are the Vip that OP has suggested she believes is what happened EVEN if so, I do not think OP should mention any connection to thag c abana. She c an c omplimdent it, ofer good wishes theg roup ednjoy it and tell that she and her family are in ttwo side by side cabanas. Wbho knows but they may actually like each other and become new pals.

 

Mostly, I'd want to satisfy my curiosity. I wouldn't ask for the people to have it to be turfed out. But I'd want to make sure that somebody at HAL is aware of what happened. I might wait until after the cruise and write a letter of complaint with the additional info that somebody booked the cabana after it had been given to me. It wouldn't do me any good, but maybe it would make them more careful so that they wouldn't mess up someone else's reservation in the future.

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Mostly, I'd want to satisfy my curiosity. I wouldn't ask for the people to have it to be turfed out. But I'd want to make sure that somebody at HAL is aware of what happened. I might wait until after the cruise and write a letter of complaint with the additional info that somebody booked the cabana after it had been given to me. It wouldn't do me any good, but maybe it would make them more careful so that they wouldn't mess up someone else's reservation in the future.

 

 

After the cruise, sure but the suggesttion was to go to front office. THAT is during t he cruisee.

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This may have been in the thread and I missed it, but is the cost of two normal cabanas the same as the family one?

 

If it's not, make sure you get your money back for the difference. Also, WRITE up a letter expressing your disappointment to the beverage manager. (Pretty sure the cabanas are under his purview.) Hand deliver the letter to the front desk. I'd skip the front desk personnel. You're still going through the proper channels as the front desk isn't in the channel to begin with.

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I suspect you say this with good intentions, but I think it is awkward. If someone approached me and started questioning why I had their cabana, I'd be pretty put off personally...

 

Totally agree - what good would it do OP to interrogate the cabana occupants? After all, it was not their mistake that caused the mix-up. And accosting them in this manner will likely make them feel badly or embarrass them and, ultimately, will do nothing to resolve the problem.

Of equal importance is that people with true class would never do something so rude and tacky ... JMO

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Well, here is what we've decided to do.

 

1. We've called Ship Services and were supposed to receive a call back from a Supervisor (that never happened)

2. We've written a letter to Ship Services and cc'd our TA along with the person that made the original reservation.

3. Since it's a weekend, we can't do anything further.

 

We definitely won't confront the people that are assigned to the Family retreat cabana. We will however take this as far as we can until we can go no further. Had they notified us right away of the overbooking we wouldn't be nearly as upset, but for them to take over 3 months to notify us, this is totally unacceptable in my opinion.

 

I guess I'm going to go down fighting on this one.....

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This whole situation has to be frustrating and disappointing. Calling it bait and switch is misleading. Here's the definition of bait and switch: "the action (generally illegal) of advertising goods that are an apparent bargain, with the intention of substituting inferior or more expensive goods".

 

 

I really don't think that's what happened here.

 

 

To the OP, you have to do what you think is best for your family and situation, but don't let it ruin your cruise.

 

 

Roz

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Totally agree - what good would it do OP to interrogate the cabana occupants? After all, it was not their mistake that caused the mix-up. And accosting them in this manner will likely make them feel badly or embarrass them and, ultimately, will do nothing to resolve the problem.

Of equal importance is that people with true class would never do something so rude and tacky ... JMO

 

Acccosting? Really? What do o you picture or imagine. KIndly read my above postt. In no way do I suggest being confrontational or 'acc osting anyone. :eek: Vivid imaginatiions at work. Where did these images of violence come from? Le's please lose them. TThanks. :( Do you not picture calm,, polite, chit chat?

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Yes, I am not lying...

Eurodam April 2017 the repo from San Diego to Vancouver. First call - nothing available at all, all cabanas booked. Second call - nothing available for just the repo, had to be the entire transit. Third email - no pricing available. Fourth email - contact us in a week. Fifth email - nothing available. Sixth email - surprise - there IS a cabana available and we do have pricing for just the repo...

This strung out for 3 weeks. When dealing with any entity where I don't get a proper response, I HUCA and I escalate... (In case you are not familiar with this protocol, it is Hang Up, Call Again. Works well with airlines and hotels).

 

I totally get HUCA slidergirl, I have done it myself but...

 

This is a different situation than the OP's. In your case...

 

May I suggest that they were not going to allocate cabanas to a repo cruise until they saw what was booked?

 

If everyone booked on the whole cruise wanted the cabanas, they wouldn't have been available is my best guess.

 

Once some booked that were getting off earlier (I use San Diego in my example of these cruises but it may not apply in this case) and there were openings, then the cabanas would open.

 

they don't open stuff for repos right away until they see what is available. JMVHO though.

 

How did it turn out? Did you enjoy the cabana?

Edited by kazu
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Mostly, I'd want to satisfy my curiosity. I wouldn't ask for the people to have it to be turfed out. But I'd want to make sure that somebody at HAL is aware of what happened. I might wait until after the cruise and write a letter of complaint with the additional info that somebody booked the cabana after it had been given to me. It wouldn't do me any good, but maybe it would make them more careful so that they wouldn't mess up someone else's reservation in the future.

Exchanging some chit-chat with the occupants might even reveal that they did, in fact, book the family cabana before the OP did. If so, if might make OP feel a little better that it was her family that lost out.

That would not excuse HAL taking so long to let her know, and offer the resolution, but it could calm the waters somewhat.

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If you have two "side by sides" can you raise the canvas on the two inside "walls" and make it more like one big cabana?

 

I'm not sure if you can or not....the pictures look like they are solid partitions. It looks like the Lido cabanas can be opened up, but I'm not sure about the retreat.

 

Do any of you know the answer to this?

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I'm not sure if you can or not....the pictures look like they are solid partitions. It looks like the Lido cabanas can be opened up, but I'm not sure about the retreat.

 

Do any of you know the answer to this?

It's not really canvas. It's more of a plastic or acrylic wall.

 

505cf80131b0c64a8af740531dbf977c.jpg

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We rent the retreat cabanas on every cruise. They are a perfect place to have privacy - some ships have showers and a private bathroom... get a rear facing cabana for the breeze - we found the side cabanas too warm. On occasion we asked and were allowed to move to one of the two family size cabanas on each side. The service is amazing !

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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I'm not sure if you can or not....the pictures look like they are solid partitions. It looks like the Lido cabanas can be opened up, but I'm not sure about the retreat.

 

Do any of you know the answer to this?

The Nieuw Amsterdam "Cabana Club" Retreat dividers are solid partitions (as opposed to curtains of any type) but the Lido Cabanas just have cloth curtains between them.

 

However, for anyone who might be interested in the Koningsdam Retreat Cabanas - those were built with canvas dividers which were already tattered and torn when we were on the Koningsdam last January. Hopefully they have replaced them with something sturdier (and more private) than the canvas dividers, but I doubt it.

 

The solid divider is one of the reasons that we prefer the original design of the Retreat Cabanas, such as on the Eurodam and the Nieuw Amsterdam. The other big factor for us is that the original Retreat Cabanas have their own small round table and two chairs WITHIN the Retreat Cabana. We really did not like the Koningsdam layout with tables outside in the common area, rather than within the privacy of your own Retreat Cabana. I am hoping they don't design the Nieuw Statendam Retreat Cabanas like the Koningsdam's.

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Clarification on the Koningsdam Retreat Cabanas - one side is a solid partition and the other side is a canvas curtain. I suspect they were designed this way for people who are traveling together, have booked adjoining cabanas and want to have the curtain between open.

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