Call to Cancel Cruise -- HAL Too Businesslike?

I just got off the phone with a HAL representative to cancel a Caribbean cruise we had booked for January. (Yep, 2 of our ports-of-call were hit by hurricanes). Anyway, I appreciate such conversations being businesslike, but I was surprised that the HAL rep was SO businesslike. She took my booking number, cancelled the reservation, and told me that my deposit had been credited back to my credit card--that's it. There as no, "Oh, I'm sorry to hear you have to cancel." or "Can we book you for another cruise?", etc. I suppose they are simply getting inundated with cancellations for winter cruises in the Caribbean, but I just expected a different conversation when I cancelled.

I just got off the phone with a HAL representative to cancel a Caribbean cruise we had booked for January. (Yep, 2 of our ports-of-call were hit by hurricanes). Anyway, I appreciate such conversations being businesslike, but I was surprised that the HAL rep was SO businesslike. She took my booking number, cancelled the reservation, and told me that my deposit had been credited back to my credit card--that's it. There as no, "Oh, I'm sorry to hear you have to cancel." or "Can we book you for another cruise?", etc. I suppose they are simply getting inundated with cancellations for winter cruises in the Caribbean, but I just expected a different conversation when I cancelled.

Why would a business person on a phone ca ll speaking with someone she does not know lhink they should be warm and cuddly and hold your hand? SHE might well have 5 calls backed up waiting to speak with a rep. Most of us, these days, want our call ansswered, dealt with efficiently and professionally. She did what was was required of her. she did what you needed from her. She did fine, IMO

Many of us would think it inappropriate or her to make other than business comments. I don't expect, in the world of corporate Ameirca to have more than my business tended to an d am thrilled when that happens. Clearly, YMMV.You are looking in the wrong pladce if you esxpect a corporate phone rep to get all sugary and interersted in your personal issues. IMO.

Very sorry you hadtto cacrel your cruise.

How did you book: HAL online, HAL rep, HAL PCC or your own TA?

I would think HAL would want to ask if you had another cruise in mind, but no.

Hope you can cruise HAL sometime in the future.

I suppose they are simply getting inundated with cancellations for winter cruises in the Caribbean, but I just expected a different conversation when I cancelled.

Why would a business person on a phone ca ll speaking with someone she does not know lhink they should be warm and cuddly and hold your hand? SHE might well have 5 calls backed up waiting to speak with a rep. Most of us, these days, want our call ansswered, dealt with efficiently and professionally. She did what was was required of her. she did what you needed from her. She did fine, IMO

Many of us would think it inappropriate or her to make other than business comments. I don't expect, in the world of corporate Ameirca to have more than my business tended to an d am thrilled when that happens. Clearly, YMMV.You are looking in the wrong pladce if you esxpect a corporate phone rep to get all sugary and interersted in your personal issues. IMO.

 

 

Very sorry you hadtto cacrel your cruise.

Agree completely, sail7seas!!!

Smooth sailing :):):)

How did you book: HAL online, HAL rep, HAL PCC or your own TA?

 

I would think HAL would want to ask if you had another cruise in mind, but no.

 

Hope you can cruise HAL sometime in the future.

The person handling the cancellation call may not usually book cruises. If tthat is not in her' job description', she gets tied up tryign to transfer the call and the calls she is supposd to be handling might be backing up.

Most businesses - let alone cruise lines - practice good PR especially as it affects the bottom line in future bookings. I have had to cancel a cruiser and got much better interaction than you did.

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I just got off the phone with a HAL representative to cancel a Caribbean cruise we had booked for January. (Yep, 2 of our ports-of-call were hit by hurricanes). Anyway, I appreciate such conversations being businesslike, but I was surprised that the HAL rep was SO businesslike. She took my booking number, cancelled the reservation, and told me that my deposit had been credited back to my credit card--that's it. There as no, "Oh, I'm sorry to hear you have to cancel." or "Can we book you for another cruise?", etc. I suppose they are simply getting inundated with cancellations for winter cruises in the Caribbean, but I just expected a different conversation when I cancelled.

She took care of you very efficiently and then went on to handle the next caller. She did not open the door to a longer conversation. Maybe the phone lines were busy, maybe it was break time for her, maybe the number of calls she takes is part of her employee evaluation. Working a call center phone line is frequently a stressful job. Most calls are not as easy as cancelling a cruise for a very justifiable reason. “We hope to see you back on Holland America soon” would have been nice but it could have led to further conversation.

Be thankful it is not like cancelling cable TV. HAL did not transfer you to someone whose job it is to see that you don't cancel.

Most businesses - let alone cruise lines - practice good PR especially as it affects the bottom line in future bookings. I have had to cancel a cruiser and got much better interaction than you did.

 

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JMO but I think, an efficient phone rep who does precisely what you request t in short order is good PR for a company.. Add to that simple courtesy and politeness and what more does one need from a low level phone rep? Many are overworked, under appreciated and poorly trained, IMO. IF the caller is serious about wanting to book a replacement cruise, wouldn't he/she, they have said so? Where does responsiblilty fall on the caller? All of us have called one company or another, sat on the phone llistening to the repeated recording how imporant our call is to them and we wait, wait, wait for a rep to pick up the phone............. If one does not say early in the call what they want, the phone rep has to get onto the next call.... it might be you waiting for them to pick up.. :) . It is poor PR when we have to wait excessive time to get a live person on the phone,

JMO but I think, an efficient phone rep who does precisely what you request t in shortr order is good PR for a company.. Add to that simple courtesy and politeness and what more does one need from a low level phone rep? Many are overworked, under appreciated and poorly trained, IMO.

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When I had to cancel my April Eurodam cruise just a few days before embarkation (due to having to care for, and euthanize, my dog due to an aggressive cancer), I didn't expect HAL to go all empathetic on me. I knew my options and what I would get back. I will say the agent I had did have to suffer through me breaking out bawling because I was still so distraught over the loss of my only companion I'd had for 11 years. She handled everything professionally - looked up my reservation, saw what I had pre-paid, and told me what I would receive back on my credit card.

Call Center staff handles so many calls, some quick and easy, some long and drawn out, some with folks trying to phish for freebies. Their calls are monitored by supervisors. They are supposed to be professional and speak according to their training manuals. It sounds like your agent did exactly that.

It's often better to conduct the call in a businesslike matter. Some callers would go into far too many details about why they are cancelling a cruise. The Hal rep just wants to do their job and move on.

Sandra

There is not much personal attention going into business communications these days. It's all menus and robots, and when you do get a person, you are very lucky to have your request professionally, accurately, and courteously handled the first time you call. Most times you need to call back again to fix the mistake or mistakes the first person you talked to created. IMO, I find it a very cold and impersonal world out there these days. Case in point: My father passed away in August and I had to make any number of calls to various companies and organizations to settle his affairs. Only about 25% of the people I managed to talk to even bothered to say "sorry for your loss", which I thought was standard and polite to say to someone who lost a relative.....even in a business situation. So, if the HAL rep politely and accurately handled your request in a timely manner, I guess that is all you can hope for these days. I am sorry you felt the need to cancel your cruise, I am sure you were looking forward to it like we all do when we go on a nice vacation. Hopefully you can find suitable substitute plans and leave the cruise you were planning to a future date when the Caribbean recovers a bit from this tragic storm.

Most businesses - let alone cruise lines - practice good PR especially as it affects the bottom line in future bookings. I have had to cancel a cruise and got much better interaction than you did

I agree. A little bit of empathy is a good thing for a cruise company when customers need to cancel. I'm not talking about an all-out cryathon. Just maybe a simple statement like "oh, I'm sorry you have to cancel."

Don't get me wrong...I think this is a small thing and I wouldn't go running to Cruise Critic to start a thread on it if my call was like the OP's. But I do understand the point they're making...and I guarantee any of the people going to bat for HAL here would also feel a little unappreciated on a call like that...they just won't admit it. ;)

When I had to cancel my April Eurodam cruise just a few days before embarkation (due to having to care for, and euthanize, my dog due to an aggressive cancer), I didn't expect HAL to go all empathetic on me. I knew my options and what I would get back. I will say the agent I had did have to suffer through me breaking out bawling because I was still so distraught over the loss of my only companion I'd had for 11 years. She handled everything professionally - looked up my reservation, saw what I had pre-paid, and told me what I would receive back on my credit card.

 

Call Center staff handles so many calls, some quick and easy, some long and drawn out, some with folks trying to phish for freebies. Their calls are monitored by supervisors. They are supposed to be professional and speak according to their training manuals. It sounds like your agent did exactly that.

I want to extend my sympathies on the loss of your beloved pet. We have all lost faithful furry companions and it is very stressful and painful to bear. I hope you hold their memory close in your heart always.

I appreciate a customer service rep who is efficient and does what I need with no mistakes, long waits etc. However, I also like to feel that I "mattered" to the company I was dealing with, so maybe a "Thank you for being a loyal HAL customer, and we hope to see you back again soon" would be a nice touch. Simple, takes only ten seconds to say but gives the impression that my business matters to the company. It's obvious that some others feel differently, but that's my opinion.

I'm sure my rep would be thrilled to hear she didn't do a good job - in your opinion.

 

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I am quite sure your rep, whomever she might be, has no interest in my thoughts abbout howgood a job she did or did not do. Anymore than I care what she thinks of my opinion., . I am just as entitled as everyone else to have and to to post my opinion. As long as I am not making attacks at CC'ers, am followin g the rules here and do not target some poster, I hope, I will continue to to be permitted to post here Why would I care what some nameless, faceless rep thinks of my or anyone's opinion as expressed here?

Be thankful it is not like cancelling cable TV. HAL did not transfer you to someone whose job it is to see that you don't cancel.

You have THAT right. :D

I appreciate a customer service rep who is efficient and does what I need with no mistakes, long waits etc. However, I also like to feel that I "mattered" to the company I was dealing with, so maybe a "Thank you for being a loyal HAL customer, and we hope to see you back again soon" would be a nice touch. Simple, takes only ten seconds to say but gives the impression that my business matters to the company. It's obvious that some others feel differently, but that's my opinion.

Everyone's opinion here is equally as valid as everyone else's and you do make a good point.

I agree that a simple "Sorry you have to cancel" would have been nice. But I'd take OP's conversation any time over a push to not cancel or to change the booking to a different cruise.

I suspect, as OP said, they're inundated with calls to cancel or change cruises. They've probably heard complaints about substitute ports enough times that they may be relieved to NOT hear why the person is cancelling.

I want to extend my sympathies on the loss of your beloved pet. We have all lost faithful furry companions and it is very stressful and painful to bear. I hope you hold their memory close in your heart always.

thank you. I still cry once in awhile; I did my annual fall leaf peep trip and I realized he wouldn't be with me and the tears came out. Halloween will probably be another water faucet - he won't be around to wear his flashing stars headset to greet the neighborhood kids.

I was actually appreciative of how professional and short and "to the point" my agent was. Made a difficult phone call much easier and less stressful. I really don't care how others perceive their calls or my call. Maybe HAL needs to add some options to their call centers: "press 1 for native English speaking representative", "press 2 for straight-forward representative", "press 3 for Chatty representative," etc. ;) (don't get me started on the English speaker - just had to deal with an "offshore" tech support person the other night :eek::eek::eek:)

ETA: IrishEyes - I somehow overlooked the part of your post where you Father passed away and your "adventures" in trying to get affairs settled. It always sounds trite, but I am sorry for your loss. Some people just do not feel comfortable nor know how to handle speaking to someone who has suffered a loss. Myself - I'm very uncomfortable when I have to speak to someone who wants to cancel a reservation due to a death in the family, a medical emergency, wedding called off, and recently, hurricanes and fires in their town. I know they have more calls to make, better things to use their time doing, so I try to be quick, but professional.

There is not much personal attention going into business communications these days. It's all menus and robots, and when you do get a person, you are very lucky to have your request professionally, accurately, and courteously handled the first time you call. Most times you need to call back again to fix the mistake or mistakes the first person you talked to created. IMO, I find it a very cold and impersonal world out there these days. Case in point: My father passed away in August and I had to make any number of calls to various companies and organizations to settle his affairs. Only about 25% of the people I managed to talk to even bothered to say "sorry for your loss", which I thought was standard and polite to say to someone who lost a relative.....even in a business situation. So, if the HAL rep politely and accurately handled your request in a timely manner, I guess that is all you can hope for these days. I am sorry you felt the need to cancel your cruise, I am sure you were looking forward to it like we all do when we go on a nice vacation. Hopefully you can find suitable substitute plans and leave the cruise you were planning to a future date when the Caribbean recovers a bit from this tragic storm.

I hope you have many wonderful memories to give you comfort.

I wish half our employees would have been polite and businesslike. I never asked for them to be warm, fuzzy employees, but a businesslike attitude would have gone a long way.

... and I guarantee any of the people going to bat for HAL here would also feel a little unappreciated on a call like that...they just won't admit it.