HAL ship services poor

[spendalot]

Well today I called ship services to get a menu list of gifts and liquor packages to purchase. I was ignored, put on hold,had to call back then had to endure a "snippy" "snooty" customer service agent(ha!) Then was transferred to an equally arogant supervisor and ended up deciding to purchase my gift items for our group from an outside vendor. When your in business it is just plain______________ to be rude to someone trying to spend thier money with you.

I'm asking our great CC members to help me locate a good vendor for San Diego

 

Perhaps HAL should move this department to an area of the country where people value thier jobs and dont need to talk down to the customer.

[ekerr19]

Wow! I must say this surprises me. I have had fantastic experiences with Ship Services, as recently as last week. I was fortunate enough to have Becky take my call - and she remembered me from our Cabana booking last April on the Maasdam!

 

I ordered a wine package for my parents upcoming circle Hawaii cruise and told her how they had been waitlisted for 1st seating and she looked and was happy to inform me that they had gotten 1st seating. I called my Mom and she was so thrilled.

 

Maybe you should give them another try - ask for Becky, she is just awesome.

[MaryEllen1952]

I haven't used ship services yet but have called HAL several times about booking a cruise and people were very nice to me.

[cru1s1ng]

I called yesterday to order champagne and flowers for my 3/31/05 maasdam trip. They, like everyone else were nice. They must've been having a bad day.

[spendalot]

I'm glad you hav had ggod luck. Can anyone reccomend an outside vendor?

[DFD1]

Too bad. I believe you must have gotten a rotten apple. I've used them from time to time over several cruises and have always been treated well.....Not always happy with the item I ordered, but treated well.

 

I'm sorry it happened to you. It's experiences like that that dim the pleasure of your trip.

[Krazy Kruizers]

It has been awhile since we called ship services. But when we did, we never had a problem.

Sorry to hear about your problems.

[KAKcruiser]

I have had contact with HAL ships services many times and they have always been extremely helpful and nice. You must have had a highly unusual experience. Why not try again?

[dakrewser]

I'm glad you hav had ggod luck. Can anyone reccomend an outside vendor?

 

As you can see, no one here has ever felt the need to use an outside vendor.

 

"Once bitten, twice shy" is the old saying, but you might just want to try one more time. If that doesn't work, contact your regular florist and have them work with someone in San Diego to design and deliver a bon voyage package.

 

You could also download the order forms and email your request to ships' services...

[heyabbott]

You can download the menu of gifts and liquor from their website.

[jaguarstyper]

You can call any florist to have arrangements delivered to the ship. I dont think you can have liquor delivered to your stateroom. Wine and Champagne, maybe. I have never had a problem with Ship Services. They have always been extremely helpful and pleasant. I would suggest you give them a second chance.

 

Tim

[spendalot]

Thank-you everyone. I was able to locate a florist who does ship deliveries. As it turns out I will be saving money too.... Thanks

[doone]

This suprises me as well. I have found ships services to be nothing more than pleasant and helpful. Like we all can have, this agent may have had a bad day. Hope your other dealings with HAL will be nothing less than pleasant.

[ExpCruiser]

Dear spendalot: After the embarkation, most of the HAL services are poor. Sorry to be negative, but this is what it is. The posters on your thread must be shills for HAL. There is just no RESPONSE (I've had from HAL) that meets a business person's level of expectation. Glad you found a local rep (and saved $$$).

[wander]

ExpCruiser,

 

But spendalot was not talking about Ship's Services after embarkation. The OP was about pre-cruise contacts, as were the responds until yours.

[ekerr19]

Dear spendalot: After the embarkation, most of the HAL services are poor. Sorry to be negative, but this is what it is. The posters on your thread must be shills for HAL. There is just no RESPONSE (I've had from HAL) that meets a business person's level of expectation. Glad you found a local rep (and saved $$$).

 

Why in the world would you say that? Because many of us did not have poor experiences?

 

We are also talking about PRIOR to embarkation in this scenario. Many of us read about your poor experience on the Noordam a couple of years ago and then your admittedly "decent" cruise on the Maasdam - sorry it wasn't up to your expectations, but why are still here comdemning every aspect of life onboard a HAL ship?

 

I am a business person and I find HAL response to my needs to be above normal standards and expectation, so if you are speaking on behalf of all us "business" people, please leave me out. :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

While I certainly have a couple of issues with HAL's service, it certainly doesn't extend to Ship's Services. I called them several times before our last cruise and had nothing but delightful conversations with them. We actually got into friendly conversations and they couldn't have been nicer.

 

If I had Spendalot's experience, I think I would have just called back another time and started out all over again. Having worked in customer service for many years, I know you can have a bad day:o . I wouldn't take the chance of an outside vendor without a firm recommendation from someone who has used them.

 

And of course, they do have their gift order form available online so that's always another good option.

[doone]

I agree with Ekerr, we are only putting down our own experiences. I have not had a poor HAL representative, why lie and say I did when we didn't, just to justify yours??? I am not saying that the Op didn't have a bad experience, I just haven't.

[heyabbott]

Dear spendalot: After the embarkation, most of the HAL services are poor. Sorry to be negative, but this is what it is. The posters on your thread must be shills for HAL. There is just no RESPONSE (I've had from HAL) that meets a business person's level of expectation. Glad you found a local rep (and saved $$$).

 

I wouldn't say the folks here are shills, but they wouldn't be here if they didn't truely like the product. I haven't yet experienced HAL but from many of the posters' comments they seem to have had seconds on the HAL Kool-Aid. There's not alot of criticism or even objectiveness. But that's the nature of message boards. The Choir preaching to the converted. Very helpful comments and advice but also alot of loyalty.

[dakrewser]

Dear spendalot: After the embarkation, most of the HAL services are poor. Sorry to be negative, but this is what it is. The posters on your thread must be shills for HAL.

 

That is libel. It's actionable. But, as a "business person" you should know that. Must keep your lawyer busy, eh?

 

-dave

"If I throw a stick, will you leave?"

[spendalot]

Maybe I did not explain that I had called back.( Three times) It was the third time needing to call back that began the unhappiness I felt. I love HAL once I am on the ship and we are mariners and have cruised enough to know who is good and who needs help. , however no matter how well all of you have experienced HAL ship services in the past my experience was plain ol , no excuses poor. Sorry HAL lovers that is the reality. I also thought you may be shills .

 

My experience was legitimate.......

[ekerr19]

I also thought you may be shills .

 

My experience was legitimate.......

 

Oh please, shills? Many folks have been posting on this board for a long time - they can hardly be called "shills".

 

BTW - MY experience is legitimate too. Sorry you had a bad one, I hope your cruise goes well. :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Do you know I had to look "shills" up? Here's what Google says:

 

"One who poses as a satisfied customer or an enthusiastic gambler to dupe bystanders into participating in a swindle."

 

C'mon. So now HAL is a swindler? This is all getting beyond ridiculous. I have read the good, the bad and the ugly about HAL on these boards ... and if it leans at all, I think it's a bit more toward the ugly.

 

Happy cruising, everyone.

[dakrewser]

Maybe I did not explain that I had called back.( Three times) It was the third time needing to call back that began the unhappiness I felt. I love HAL once I am on the ship and we are mariners and have cruised enough to know who is good and who needs help. , however no matter how well all of you have experienced HAL ship services in the past my experience was plain ol , no excuses poor. Sorry HAL lovers that is the reality. I also thought you may be shills .

 

My experience was legitimate.......

 

No one else seems to be able to substantiate what you're claiming, still no one has denied that you may have had a bad experience - so why start insulting the people you turned to for help?

 

Since, in fact, no one else has offered a story of poor service - perhaps it wasn't the customer service rep who was wrong?

[zebra36]

I will admit up front that I am a HAL fan, however, the OP related his experience and was seeking help in finding an outside source. All of the "well that has not been my experience" stuff does not addres the ? and seems to imply that there is something wrong with the OP. Glad to see that the Op has found an alternate source and was able to save a few bucks to boot.

 

Frank