HAL's website response to Zuiderdam inquiry

[runnerodb83]

Just off a 1 nighter on the oosterdam. Our toilet worked occasionally. At first you had to push the button 4 or 5 times, then you would hear trickling in the wall, and it would eventually flush. Later that night, no problems. This morning, no flushing at all. We overheard other folks in rooms near us having the same problems when they were talking with cabin stewards.

 

Haven't been on HAL in several years, might not go back on for several more years. This was just the tip of the iceberg.

[Northshorecruisers]

It's disturbing to read the poor reports on Zuiderdam as we sail her July 28th. Whatever the issues are, I hope they are corrected soon. On past HAL cruises I have always seen crew working constantly on the ship to maintain and correct any issues.

 

I still plan to sail the Zuiderdam and take my chances. I think that LaffNVegas is sailing soon, so we'll have another well respected CCer on board to let us know what's going on.

[Valley Girl of VA]

Do you honestly believe that HAL is going to admit that they have a major problem on a ship? They might as well shoot themselves in the head. The people that are reporting these problems are respected posters not some fly by night one post wonder. What exactly would you consider as proof positive? If it's from HAL I think both you and I will be dead before that happens.

 

Lore, I know that when we cruised together on the NA in February, I had experienced problems as did some of my friends on a different floor. We had a strong odor that smelled just like sewerage. Apparently ours was in the middle ofd the ship on the port side. Other people would have said that ere was no odor. Crew members had told us that it existed on the previous cruise as well. IT did take a few more days to fix it. We could have had 2 different experiences - I smelled it and you didn't but I would never call you a liar - just 2 different experiences on the same sailing.

 

Jane

[cruz chic]

Lore, I know that when we cruised together on the NA in February, I had experienced problems as did some of my friends on a different floor. We had a strong odor that smelled just like sewerage. Apparently ours was in the middle ofd the ship on the port side. Other people would have said that ere was no odor. Crew members had told us that it existed on the previous cruise as well. IT did take a few more days to fix it. We could have had 2 different experiences - I smelled it and you didn't but I would never call you a liar - just 2 different experiences on the same sailing.

 

Jane

I'm not quite sure what you are trying to say here. I'm not the one that doesn't believe that there are issues on the Z:confused:. I don't think I ever said you were lying about it. I've attached the thread I think you are talking about. I can find nothing in it that would even make you believe I doubted you. Can you please help me out?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1586158&highlight=jane+and+amsterdam&page=2

[cruisin'girl]

I'm not quite sure what you are trying to say here. I'm not the one that doesn't believe that there are issues on the Z:confused:. I don't think I ever said you were lying about it.

I think you reading something that isn't there, lorekauf. I think Valley Girl is only saying that different people on the same cruise have entirely different experiences. Hence you get the 'no problems on the ---dam' and 'lots of problems on the ---dam' posts for the same cruise. You and she had different experiences on the NA cruise, but she would never say you didn't experience exactly what you said you did, like that one poster here is saying Sapper is lying because that was not his experience on the same ship. that is all she was saying, therefore agreeing with you.

[cruz chic]

I think you reading something that isn't there' date=' lorekauf. I think Valley Girl is only saying that different people on the same cruise have entirely different experiences. Hence you get the 'no problems on the ---dam' and 'lots of problems on the ---dam' posts for the same cruise. You and she had different experiences on the NA cruise, but she would never say you didn't experience exactly what you said you did, like that one poster here is saying Sapper is lying because that was not his experience on the same ship. that is all she was saying, therefore agreeing with you.[/quote']

If that is the case then I misunderstood. Seems like I've spent a good part of this weekend being called an apologist for the cruise line on my recent cruise roll call. It seems I can't win.

[RedmondCruiser]

Yes, and Phillip is the be all and end all? I've poked holes in a few of his stories so please excuse me if I don't believe everything he writes. Just like HAL I'm sure they think if they deny what's going on it will go away. Do you honestly believe that HAL is going to admit that they have a major problem on a ship? They might as well shoot themselves in the head. I have cruised extensively and yes I have had a non functioning toilet most recently on my Veendam cruise on April 22/12. It lasted an hour or two if that. The people that are reporting these problems are respected posters not some fly by night one post wonder. What exactly would you consider as proof positive? If it's from HAL I think both you and I will be dead before that happens.

 

Sorry but I have always found Philip 217's comments to be very enlightening and a real accurate source of information on these boards. I wish he would post more.

If you believe that 540 cabins did not have AC then thats your perogative --- doesn't make sense to me. Sorry !

My mother in laws health issues took presidence otherwise we would have been on this cruise, and probably enjoying a problem free cruise, as always. ---- If all they are reporting is correct then maybe your right and I have good karma following me.

[Wakepatrol]

Lore, I know that when we cruised together on the NA in February, I had experienced problems as did some of my friends on a different floor. We had a strong odor that smelled just like sewerage. Apparently ours was in the middle ofd the ship on the port side. Other people would have said that ere was no odor. Crew members had told us that it existed on the previous cruise as well. IT did take a few more days to fix it. We could have had 2 different experiences - I smelled it and you didn't but I would never call you a liar - just 2 different experiences on the same sailing.

 

Jane

 

 

It wasn't "Just Like Sewage"

 

 

IT WAS SEWAGE! I've smelled it on every cruise on every line

 

(I guess that's my claim to fame on this discussion:o)

[Tarpeian Rock]

I certainly will be anxious to read what a couple of people here find out on Monday when they call Ship Services.

I have been following the threads on the Zuiderdam.

 

 

 

We're not on Zuiderdam until November, so best wishes to those sailing her in the next few weeks. Following these threads has us kinda bummed; we've never anticipated a cruise with so many "crossed fingers" before. On one hand, it's easy to think "Well, by November, they'll . . . ." On the other hand, the reports have been sooooo persistent.

[jrzebird]

I have no reason to think that the posters currently on the Zuiderdam have an agenda or aren't telling the truth. I am sure that they are experiencing problems. I doubt that the problem is as widespread of some think.

 

I JUST got off of the Zuiderdam, after a lovely 11 day Panama Canal cruise. I experienced no problem with toilets, and neither did any of the many, many people I spoke with. There were a few public bathrooms where one of 3 or 4 stalls were out of commission, but none that I saw were completely closed. If there was a system failure, it happened after we disembarked on April 20th.

 

The AC was spotty, and warm in the center of the ship and too cold in some venues, but nothing unbearable. My cabin, and each person I spoke to, had no problems. The only complaint I heard was one couple from our roll call who had a cabin on Deck 1 and were kept awake by loud noises from below all night. It took them almost a week to get the problem straightened out.

 

As I said, I don't doubt that there are problems, and I don't think anyone has an agenda, I'm just saying what I experienced 2 weeks ago. I would get back on tonight, if I could.

[SwissMyst]

It wasn't "Just Like Sewage"

 

 

IT WAS SEWAGE! I've smelled it on every cruise on every line

 

(I guess that's my claim to fame on this discussion:o)

 

There are places on the two Crystal Cruise cruises on the Symphony were you get that bilgy funking smell too. It is something to do with being on ships. i have smelled it from time to time on other ships too from river cruises to other cruise lines and HAL on occasion too, mainly when the ship is not moving.

[MR NW GUY]

DBA who is an employee of HAL must, in a way monitor/watch comments here as he (sometimes) responds to queries/posts, (as he has done in the post immediately preceeding your post)! ;) By the way DBA can you confirm that there indeed have been 'cutbacks' in staffing onboard HAL ships as seems to be the consensus here on the HAL CCB? :confused:

Thanks for the info. I am kind of new to the Holland Boards.

[Valley Girl of VA]

I'm not quite sure what you are trying to say here. I'm not the one that doesn't believe that there are issues on the Z:confused:. I don't think I ever said you were lying about it. I've attached the thread I think you are talking about. I can find nothing in it that would even make you believe I doubted you. Can you please help me out?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1586158&highlight=jane+and+amsterdam&page=2

 

Sorry to be confusing. I KNEW that you believed me. I'm just saying that two different people could have vastly different experiences on the same ship and same sailing. Therefore, we shouldn't say anyone is lying because we are not in their room or personally experiencing what they are. I do appreciate your support and again I'm sorry if I was confusing you.

[twinkletoes4445]

I shrugged off early reports of problems (back around the holidays), but in my opinion the reports of major system problems have been too persistent and pervasive for it to be people with ulterior motives. When there are one or two reports of problems amidst generally positive reviews those can usually be discounted or explained, but I think there are too many people reporting the same types of problems for the reports to not be true.:(

 

I hesitated even posting our issues here. We read the reports. I know that there are people who will complain about anything, but when you get people saying the same thing over and over again, there's a problem. I thank those that took the time to post their concerns. Thankfully, our toilet did flush, but it had to be flushed twice each time it was used. The furniture in our suite was a mess. There is a problem with the air-conditioning, at least in our cabin. Sometimes our room was hot, and sometimes it was perfect. Hubby did talk to someone on the ship about the air conditioning. We were in HMC with the NA. We happened to talk to a couple and they asked which ship we were on. I told them. They then launched into a conversation about the problems they had on their Z cruise the year before.

 

We met another lovely CC member and they had major housekeeping issues. I am thankful our room stewards were amazing. We came away with the feeling after this cruise that the staff was way overworked. It left a bad feeling with us. I hesitate saying this because I know some posters will come back and say that the conditions that these folks come from are worse and they are lucky to have a job. They are lucky they have these jobs, but that's no excuse for HAL to work them to death.

 

I don't think for one moment that everyone on the ship is going to have a problem. But there have been enough complaints about the same issues that we shouldn't have to cross our fingers and hope for the best.

[room010]

I don't think "George" from HALs call centre was even a real person. It's all written in bland auto-reply speak. Lots of words that don't actually say anything.

 

Poor old Zuiderdam does seem to be copping some flak recently. I can't believe it's all an anti-HAL conspiracy. My TA books a lot of HAL cruises and he reports a lot of unhappy customers recently, not just from the Z. the word is that the cost cutting HAL is being forced to implement across the board is now becoming very obvious.

[kazu]

We have been on over 35 HAL cruises and have NEVER had an ongoing problem with airconditioning or plumbing. The fellow who is currently on the Zuiderdam is stating that entire floors are out of useable toilets for extended periods of time. Sorry but I don't buy it. Any problems in these areas have generally been short term or nonexistent. I seriously wonder if some of these people have alternative motives.

 

WOW:eek: I have been on a number of cruises on HAL including the Zuiderdam and not had issues either BUT just because we haven't had issues doesn't mean that everything is fine now. I appreciate Startwin taking the time and money to post and let us know what is going on.

 

These are regular posters who have very good integrity, love HAL and would have no reason or motive to post anything but what is actually happening. There is no question in my mind that there are serious issues on this cruise and the passengers have my sympathy.

[Australian family]

Yes HAL employees do read these boards.

 

I was talking to a HAL employee in the Sydney, Australia office (which HAL only opened last year), and he was telling me how he reads these boards all the time. He said he has only been working for a HAL for less than 12 months, but he regularly reads these boards. Obviously staff are told about this board, and obviously are encouraged to read them. He told me he is yet to do a cruise with HAL.

[cruz chic]

Sorry to be confusing. I KNEW that you believed me. I'm just saying that two different people could have vastly different experiences on the same ship and same sailing. Therefore, we shouldn't say anyone is lying because we are not in their room or personally experiencing what they are. I do appreciate your support and again I'm sorry if I was confusing you.

Thanks for clarifying that. Some days it doesn't take much to confuse me:D.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I don't think "George" from HALs call centre was even a real person. It's all written in bland auto-reply speak. Lots of words that don't actually say anything.

 

Poor old Zuiderdam does seem to be copping some flak recently. I can't believe it's all an anti-HAL conspiracy. My TA books a lot of HAL cruises and he reports a lot of unhappy customers recently, not just from the Z. the word is that the cost cutting HAL is being forced to implement across the board is now becoming very obvious.

Sadly it is not just HAL that clients are coming back with complaining of cut backs. Right now the most complaints I have heard was RCI, then Princess, HAL is probably running right behind NCL. Oddly the cruise line with the least amount of complaints is Carnival at least from those I have spoken to. I have even had luxury line complaints in recent months that they just are not what they use to be.

[iancal]

If you are expecting HAL to answer your question in a forthright manner then I hope that you are not holding your breath.

 

HAL is no different than all other cruise lines. Do you really expect them to acknowledge an issue? What you will get is hundreds of words from what is referred to as a 'drawer statement'.

 

Written by Customer Service, reviewed by Sales, PR, and Legal. Then distributed to the front line CSR's and management with specific instructions not to deviate in any way from the prepared text. It will say absolutely nothing.

 

Very similar to going to the desk on a cruise with an known problem only to hear the age old tune 'oh, that is the first time that we have heard of this issue'.

 

Acknowledging a problem (or as some like to say an issue, or a concern) implies a duty to either resolve the problem or provide some compensation, or both. No cruise line want to go there. Besides, it is very contradictory to those glossy brochures.

[fann1sh]

This thread exemplifies why I'm spending less time here.

 

A few years ago, a newbie who posted here about maintenance/repair issues would be given a polite hearing. There might be some veiled skepticism, but no one would flat out say "That can't be true."

 

Today, posters who've been here for years are being scrutinized, because if things were that bad, it would be on the NEWS? :rolleyes:

 

Many ships home port in Canada, and I can assure you: CBC doesn't have a reporter who scours the internet to monitor the cruise ship toilet situation.

 

I know some people here don't regard *me* as a reliable source, because "You're friends with HER. I don't like HER."

 

It's a shame this wonderful board is, in many cases, being taken over by high school personality issues.

[rafinmd]

Sadly it is not just HAL that clients are coming back with complaining of cut backs. Right now the most complaints I have heard was RCI, then Princess, HAL is probably running right behind NCL. Oddly the cruise line with the least amount of complaints is Carnival at least from those I have spoken to. I have even had luxury line complaints in recent months that they just are not what they use to be.

 

Bon voyage and do keep us posted on what you find.

 

Roy

[SwissMyst]

NB: a while back it was the poor old Maasdam that was getting constantly maligned until a series of posters who had recently actually cruised on her shed some light on the mysterious anti-Maasdam hysteria by reporting everything was in fact fine.

 

Now it looks like it is the Zuiderdam's turn to be the Maligned Ship of the Month. Whatever. The problem appears to be hyperbole - taking a not unusual incident and bloviating it into a unrecognizable weapon of mass destruction.

 

A few toilets become non-functioning in the public restrooms morphs into the entire deck affecting all cabins having non-functioning toilets and for the entire cruise, with HAL showing not one speck of concern.

 

Mass hysteria has gripped the county in the past in times of fear and uncertainty in the past. These are troubled times.

 

And certainly anyone so incredibly frightened ahead of time by such hysteria claims will suit their own emotional needs best by canceling their reservations and taking their money elsewhere, instead of nattering without foundation on this board when they have no actual experience to support their anti-HAL claims.

[canadianbear]

NB: a while back it was the poor old Maasdam that was getting constantly maligned until a series of posters who had recently actually cruised on her shed some light on the mysterious anti-Maasdam hysteria by reporting everything was in fact fine.

 

Now it looks like it is the Zuiderdam's turn to be the Maligned Ship of the Month. Whatever. The problem appears to be hyperbole - taking a not unusual incident and bloviating it into a unrecognizable weapon of mass destruction.

 

A few toilets become non-functioning in the public restrooms morphs into the entire deck affecting all cabins having non-functioning toilets and for the entire cruise, with HAL showing not one speck of concern.

 

Mass hysteria has gripped the county in the past in times of fear and uncertainty in the past. These are troubled times.

 

And certainly anyone so incredibly frightened ahead of time by such hysteria claims will suit their own emotional needs best by canceling their reservations and taking their money elsewhere, instead of nattering without foundation on this board when they have no actual experience to support their anti-HAL claims.

 

and good morning to you too

[kazu]

This thread exemplifies why I'm spending less time here.

 

A few years ago, a newbie who posted here about maintenance/repair issues would be given a polite hearing. There might be some veiled skepticism, but no one would flat out say "That can't be true."

 

Today, posters who've been here for years are being scrutinized, because if things were that bad, it would be on the NEWS? :rolleyes:

 

Many ships home port in Canada, and I can assure you: CBC doesn't have a reporter who scours the internet to monitor the cruise ship toilet situation.

 

I know some people here don't regard *me* as a reliable source, because "You're friends with HER. I don't like HER."

 

It's a shame this wonderful board is, in many cases, being taken over by high school personality issues.

 

Patricia - please stay around an post. You are totally right - CBC doesn't have a reporter scouring this type of stuff;) The only time ships get on the news is when they are sinking, stuck and need to be towed or passengers rescued.

 

Discomfort means nothing to the news. There are a lot more horrific things happening in the world (unfortunately)