HAL customer service

First time with HAL and I'm already getting discouraged. I asked a simple question and got three different answers. Aren't their reps al trained the same way?

Welcome to dealing with Seattle. Rest assured that the ships operate more smoothly.

If it's the kind of question that comes under general knowledge, why not ask it here? You'll get an answer, and several corrections if it's wrong. There will be a consensus.

LOL - I echo Ruth C's post.

I've gotten a lot of good reliable info on the board over the years. Calling the general Seattle number - I've often said, call 3 people get 3 answers.

Mariner's Society, shipboard services is different than that thankfully.

but, definitely ask here. We are happy to help with our experiences on board.

HAL's reps are not all trained the same.

Many of them don't stay long and many of them have never been on a ship.

Thanks. My minor dilemma is with the ship transfers. We're taking a cruise on the Koningsdam next June. I called once to ask if I could get a transfer from my hotel in Rome to Civitavecchia port. I was told yes no problem, on a second call I was told no we don't pick up at that hotel because you have to book air & hotel with HAL for the transfer. On the third call nope, wrong hotel but we will pick you up at another designated hotel at a price for a one night stay that boggles the mind. I forwarded the first email and waiting for a reply. For the price they quoted me for the hotel in Rome with transfers I expect caviar & champagne.:cool:

For the price they quoted me for the hotel in Rome with transfers I expect caviar & champagne.:cool:

No offense, but if you are trying to control costs you might explore non-ship providers...of which there are many, many discussed here on CC.

No offense, but if you are trying to control costs you might explore non-ship providers...of which there are many, many discussed here on CC.

Agree. It is very commonly discussed here that ship's transfers are way over priced. Doing it yourself is almost always a better deal. Not sure why you would think the transfers should pick you up at any hotel you happen to have booked...the buses would have to make potentially dozens of stops.

Your question to the reps is fine. However, it is not possible to train the people who answer the phone in all the info people ask about. People ask some incredibly unique and specialized questions...no one can know all the answers. Asking here taps a much better pool or resource of experience.

I have used the HAL transfer to the ship many times over the years, but have always had to approach it in one of these two ways:

1.) I have booked the HAL hotel pre-cruise, and the transfers both from airport to hotel, and hotel to pier are included, and

2.) I have booked my hotel on my own, and on embarkation day have made my way back to the airport and picked up the previously booked HAL transfer at arrivals. I have given HAL my airline and arrival time, but on embarkation day---not the day I actually arrived.

In Rome you would not want to use this method unless your hotel was near the airport, well outside of Rome.

In neither case did I have HAL air.

The one time I was in the HAL hotel but not on a HAL pre-cruise hotel package, I was not allowed to purchase a HAL transfer from the hotel to the pier.

Thanks. My minor dilemma is with the ship transfers. We're taking a cruise on the Koningsdam next June. I called once to ask if I could get a transfer from my hotel in Rome to Civitavecchia port. I was told yes no problem, on a second call I was told no we don't pick up at that hotel because you have to book air & hotel with HAL for the transfer. On the third call nope, wrong hotel but we will pick you up at another designated hotel at a price for a one night stay that boggles the mind. I forwarded the first email and waiting for a reply. For the price they quoted me for the hotel in Rome with transfers I expect caviar & champagne.:cool:

The funny thing is that technically all three gave correct answers, just not complete.

If you had booked the hotel with HAL then you would get a transfer (of course he never checked what the pre stay hotel was and if you had booked it through HAL.

The second gave accurate information for your hotel, no because they only do it for those that book through HAL.

Third was also correct that you could get a transfer from their pre-stay hotel, but not a cheap one.

Go to Rome Cabs.

http://www.romecabs.com/

Book your transfer. The cost may sound expensive but when compared to 2 people on a shuttle it is quite reasonable.

You will have an immaculate limo to yourselves with a great driver. We have used them twice and wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

The one time I was in the HAL hotel but not on a HAL pre-cruise hotel package, I was not allowed to purchase a HAL transfer from the hotel to the pier.

Was this trying pre-trip or trying once at the hotel?

HAL is not alone in giving different answers to the same question. For our HAL cruise earlier this summer, we decided to stay in a hotel the night before flying because otherwise we would have had to leave home for the airport at about 4 in the morning. When I asked when their airport shuttle ran (we were paying for one night plus parking for 9 days and a shuttle both ways), I was told a time too late to work for us. Later I was told an even later time. And then I was told that it ran 24 hours a day. It turned out that for those who paid for the parking the 24 hours a day was the right answer. The other answer was right for those who were only using the shuttle and not paying for parking.

I don't know your circumstances but my DH and I twice took the train from Termini to Civitavecchia. We took an express which stopped just a couple of times and the trip was about 45 minutes (IIRC) and less than $15/pp. The walk from the train station to the port entrance was less than 15 minutes and very pleasant. There is a bus inside the port to take you to your ship.

However, you should be aware that some tracks require walking down a flight of stairs to get under the tracks and up a flight to the street side. We did this three years ago and there was no elevator then.

After 20 plus cruises we have yet to buy a cruise line (any line) pre or post hotel package. We find the pricing of overseas hotels to be in left field. Our take is that the cruise lines prey on some customers anxieties about travelling to a foreign country. Language issues, etc. Most times we see the packages in Europe priced at about 3X over what you will pay if you do it on your own. The internet makes it so easy. It really comes down to your personal preferences and how much you value the convenience of the cruise line offer.

One thing though...always check that the hotel is not some business hotel outside the preferred tourist area. Once, on business in Rome, we noticed a fair number of cruisers who had been sold the Sheraton Golfo.. Not a great location. No doubt they paid top dollar. Well...at least there was a hotel bus service that took patrons to the tourist area. Likewise in FLL at the Westin Ft. Lauderdale beside I95.

Was this trying pre-trip or trying once at the hotel?

Both.

When HAL refused to sell the hotel to pier transfer prior to the cruise I was advised to talk to the HAL rep in the hotel lobby, and she would probably sell one to me. She wouldn't/couldn't.

So, I took a cab, but would much rather have had the HAL transfer. It was then that I began the practice of returning to the airport (if it was a reasonable distance from the hotel) and picking up the transfer from there.

Agree. It is very commonly discussed here that ship's transfers are way over priced. Doing it yourself is almost always a better deal. Not sure why you would think the transfers should pick you up at any hotel you happen to have booked...the buses would have to make potentially dozens of stops.

 

Your question to the reps is fine. However, it is not possible to train the people who answer the phone in all the info people ask about. People ask some incredibly unique and specialized questions...no one can know all the answers. Asking here taps a much better pool or resource of experience.

I was assured by the rep I spoke to that the hotel I had booked was the hotel that HAL offered with their package. I pointed that out in my second post. Although having cruised a number of times, we only took a ship transfer once and it was post cruise to the airport. For all of our cruises, we flew in at very least one day prior to sailing and always booked hotels ourselves. I have read posts about Romacabs and that's what we'll do. DW and I are Italian, so language is no problem. The hotel we booked looks lovely and I got a great rate using my acquired points with Expedia. Worse comes to worse and we decide to go elsewhere, I have free cancellation. Thanks for all the tips.

Well it looks like the HAL customer service came through. I received not one but two emails confirming that the hotel w're staying at is in fact the interim transfer pick up. Let's hope they don't change their minds.