Security and Identity issues on HAL

[boulders]

Op, WOW! A really awful WOW. Can not imagine walking into my room and having someone else in there

 

And then to be told by the front desk that they weren't going to do anything about it! :eek::eek:

[pris993]

All I can say what a mess, I would have been very unhappy.

[Scrapnana]

Op, WOW! A really awful WOW. Can not imagine walking into my room and having someone else in there

 

My mother and I had that happen on the Queen Mary. We thought we had a two berth cabin but it was a 4-berth and we shared with two other females. But that was 1962 and it was somewhat common then (only we did not know that before we boarded). I would be livid if it happened today - especially after paying a single supplement!

[MommaBear55]

This is one of the few threads on CC that I can truly say should be labeled "outraged" or "horrendous treatment". You seem much calmer about than I would be! At the least you should get full refund for the cruise. Not only did you not get what you paid for, you also spent a significant amount of your vacation time straightening out their error. Please keep in touch and let us know the outcome.

[seeriteR]

Please keep in touch and let us know the outcome.

 

Yes, please let us know.

 

My folks booked an inside on a Costa ship 3 years ago. After settling in, the room steward told them they would have to go to another room. My mom asked why but the steward didn't know. Later, the head room steward knocked on their door and told them they were in the wrong cabin. Mom said, Not at all, this is our cabin as shown on our boarding card. He said, I'm sorry maam but you will have to leave this cabin. We have prepared another cabin for you. Mom said, Let's see it.

 

My folks checked out the other cabin and my mom stood her ground and said this cabin is no better than the one we already have. We're not moving.

 

Then the hotel manager came and told my folks they had to leave because someone else wanted this cabin. Mom told him to tell the other people they could have the other cabin because she wasn't moving. The manager relented and my folks stayed put.

 

I realize my story is a bit different than OP's, however, HAL should have been able to straighten this out very easily right from the start. Too bad you had to go through this.

Edited December 1, 2013 by kzf3m8

[Cindy]

What a bizarre incident! This is one of the strangest stories I've heard in almost 14 years on CC. I'm sorry you had to go through this!

[kazu]

You don't pay for a solo. You pay a fixed rate(percentage). And if they don't find you a roommate the fare remains the same. When I did it earlier this year the single share was about 175% and the Single occupancy rate was 200%.

 

 

Wow! If I was paying that amount I wouldn't expect to have company.

 

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info

 

I would think that 175% is probably a better deal for HAL than the last minute get aways that some people do as couples.

 

Puts a whole new light on travelling as a single and the challenges they face.

 

Thanks for the info. I always thought they were solo

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

I don't knoq what would have happened if this happened to me. what a horrible vacation

 

 

Mary

[nana541]

Wondering if the OP thought she paid the Full Solo Supplement but was actually apart of the "roommate" program??? And I think she said she booked directly with HAL and not thru a TA or thru some Cruise Program....

OP did you have copies of your booking invoice with you? And showed it to the Front Desk staff and they would not fix it but it took "other passengers " to fix the room problem ???

 

Boy what a mess, but there are some pieces to this puzzle that are missing. Can you clear things up with the missing details.

[TiogaCruiser]

Wondering if the OP thought she paid the Full Solo Supplement but was actually apart of the "roommate" program??? And I think she said she booked directly with HAL and not thru a TA or thru some Cruise Program....

OP did you have copies of your booking invoice with you? And showed it to the Front Desk staff and they would not fix it but it took "other passengers " to fix the room problem ???

 

Boy what a mess, but there are some pieces to this puzzle that are missing. Can you clear things up with the missing details.

 

The Single Share program is to put 2 people together. OP states there were 2 others (making 3 with her) and only 2 twin beds. That really redefines the word "cozy." (One has to wonder how the life boat allocation fit into this- but the lodging and sleeping arrangements are totally unacceptable as OP states them. (I'm still curious as to where the supervisor and the front desk staff thought everyone was going to sleep........ what a pajama party.)

 

In the past there have been people coming to the forum to say they were bumped or told they would have to share a cabin with a party they were traveling with if they were to remain on the cruise and when more info came out it was that they had booked via Interline. That does not sound like it is the case here- OP stated the other two were from the large group AND she did not know them.

Edited December 1, 2013 by TiogaCruiser

[nana541]

I don't doubt that something very strange happened to the OP. Just think that there is a very important piece to the puzzle that is not here....

Have certainly never heard a story this strange on CC or any other forum?

[TiogaCruiser]

Wow! If I was paying that amount I wouldn't expect to have company.

 

I didn't know that. Thanks for the info

 

I would think that 175% is probably a better deal for HAL than the last minute get aways that some people do as couples.

 

Puts a whole new light on travelling as a single and the challenges they face.

Thanks for the info. I always thought they were solo

 

Forgive me for going OT: I believe the percentage is based on the cruise (and totally my guess but the probability that they will be able to match. Had they done so and the potluck roomie had paid the same fare, HAL would have gotten a pretty good return for the cabin.) The cruise i am describing was sold out at one point (big group and high demand cruise) before they opened another sailing. The single share rate for the newly opened trip was only $85 less (for 3 weeks) than paying the full single supplement. That was when bookings opened. The rack rate was also less but it was essentially the same cruise.

[stlouistravelers]

This is truely odd. I cant imagine that anyone would tell you that they could not do anything about the room situation. Then to instruct you to unpack. It would appear that this could be a career decision on the part of the front desk. Did you talk to the hotel manager? I would like to hear the outcome of this situation should you be willing to come back and share.

[startwin]

This thread stirred up a memory of my very first HAL cruise way back when (I think it was a coastal repositioning) where on embarkation day we shared the elevator with a lady - and suitcase - who was extremely angry because she had been put in a room with a stranger. She said it wasn't the first time, and she had demanded to be moved. We were aghast - never having cruised before, and not sure whether to believe her or not. I recall being very confused by it all. I guess she was telling the truth.

[OlsSalt]

I don't doubt that something very strange happened to the OP. Just think that there is a very important piece to the puzzle that is not here....

Have certainly never heard a story this strange on CC or any other forum?

 

What was strange to me was to have a Princess cruiser pop up a few minutes later with no prior history here who had sailed HAL only once 10 years ago, just happen upon this OP post and give her strong advice about protesting her credit card charge for full fare reimbursement. That struck me as odd. Anyone else?

 

As always, until one hears both sides of any story presented here, one is hearing only one side of the story. :cool:

[amoba]

Thank you to all for the input and many kind words. I am happy to clear up any details and answer any questions as there are more specific incidents in the whole saga. I didn’t want to start off writing volumes and tried to keep to the main points. Please ask if it seems something is missing. I’ll try to answer as much as possible here in one posting rather than replying to each individually. And again, I'm so sorry for that typo about the year. This just happened October 2013.

 

I fully intended on keeping my key card at the end of the cruise, as I often do, but I became distracted with the delay and their insistence that I was in a different room than what I was telling them and I forgot to ask for it back, after it was scanned with someone else's photo and name. As you say, it was the best evidence of the identity and security problem. I've usually been allowed to keep those cards but sometimes they don't return them, as was the case this time.

 

During my previous 45-50 days sailing with HAL, I’ve had “anytime” dining and my room number was requested at dinner until the staff got to know the passengers and memorized our cabin numbers. This time I had fixed seating and the same was true; the first 3 or 4 times, cabin number requested and then they’d say it as I approached, once memorized. If they thought I was missing at 5:35 pm, I wonder why they didn’t check the dining room first, as I was always there, at first seating, instead of announcing my full passport name and cabin number. What is the real purpose of requiring room numbers when entering the MDR for dinner?

 

Yes, I would hope that my experience on this cruise would differ greatly from others as it was indeed horrendous. My reason for posting was to see if this ever happened to others - sometimes, rarely, or never. I did not expect anything like this could happen and was very upset when told by the front desk that nothing could be done. I didn’t know to ask for someone higher than the supervisor and would be interested to know what the HD office is – thank you for this tip. I might have been naïve in thinking that my only recourse was the front desk. So sorry, but please tell me what "OP" stands for also.

 

The other two passengers were women traveling together. When I met them about 3 or 4 days into the cruise, they told me they’d been delayed boarding because of this problem so we were never in the room at the same time. We had lots of stories to exchange by the time we met. They were really nice, especially as we were sharing so many common problems, charges on our bills, etc.

 

Yes, my initial reaction to the room assignment was that it was unbelievable, especially when no one at the front desk would listen to me nor help me. After meeting the other women, I found out that The Nation Cruise Seminar representative intervened and made someone listen and so then, we got our correct room assignments. Yes, they were part of a large group. Otherwise, I felt that I would have had to sleep on the floor in the hall as the room the 3 of us were assigned, had been chosen by the other women and rightfully belonged to them. I know this sounds crazy and melodramatic but according to the front desk, the ship was sold out and the room assignment emailed to me a few days before the cruise had been negated by HAL selling that room to someone else.

 

During the 20+ years I’ve been cruising, I’ve always paid for a guaranteed single cabin. Several cruise lines, like Princess, do charge 200% of the twin rate for a single cabin. HAL charges a little less, about 160% - 190%, depending on the cruise and category. I’ve never signed up for the twin share – find a roommate option although I’ve heard that exists on some cruise lines. I definitely did not sign up for a share option on this Veendam cruise and never thought I could be put in with other people. Another thing the front desk stated to me when I asked for help getting my room, was that my “guarantee” was only for a category, not a single room, and they could put me anywhere they liked as long as it was at least in the category for which I’d paid. She also said they could sell my room to other passengers after giving me the particular room assignment. I’m quite certain this was incorrect but the supervisor would not relent. Thank goodness for the help the other women were able to get as we ended up having a nice cruise, except for the continuing identity and billing problems and security issues. Thanks again for all the help and suggestions, especially about disputing the charge of the entire cruise.

 

Does anyone have a comment or insight into HAL's assertion that the problem was my fault because I checked-in incorrectly under the wrong name? How could this be possible when my boarding pass matched all my government issued ID, passport and passport card?

[nana541]

You did not do anything wrong, other than being too polite and not raising hell with Senior staff (hotel director). And you certainly DID NOT check in under a different name, not even possible unless maybe you are an identical twin sailing together.

 

OP = Original Poster (that's you) :)

 

Wow I am just at a loss as to how screwed up this whole situation is....please keep us up to date if anything further comes from HAL. As to disputing you credit card charges, ya that's not gonna work....

 

I am thinking that HAL has a dept that deals with "issues" and the front line phone agents aren't gong to be much help as they are basically "clueless". Hopefully another poster can give you advice as to who you should write to about this awful experience.

 

Thankfully in spite of everything you managed to make Lemonaid out of Lemons and had a good cruise!

[OlsSalt]

…. Please ask if it seems something is missing. I’ll try to answer as much as possible here in one posting rather than replying to each individually.

……..

The other two passengers were women traveling together. When I met them about 3 or 4 days into the cruise, they told me they’d been delayed boarding because of this problem so we were never in the room at the same time. …..

 

Yes, my initial reaction to the room assignment was that it was unbelievable, especially when no one at the front desk would listen to me nor help me. After meeting the other women, I found out that The Nation Cruise Seminar representative intervened and made someone listen and so then, we got our correct room assignments. ….]

 

OP: On my HAL Veendam cruise Oct 5, 2012 from Boston to Quebec City, I was put in a room with 2 twin beds and 2 other people, strangers to me, even though I’d paid nearly double for a single and different cabin. When I asked the front desk for help in getting the room I’d booked, they refused, stating there was nothing they could do. I asked for a supervisor who informed me that they’d sold my room to someone else so I might as well unpack in the wrong room as there was almost no chance of someone cancelling in order for me to get a different room.

 

 

////////Okay, here are still some questions I haven't been able to sort out:

 

Where did you sleep the first night? And where did you finally end up for the rest of the cruise. I can't quite follow the trail of events here. (OP means original post or original poster).

 

It has also been our experience we just show our ship card to the security agent, not hand it to them since their hands are holding the scanner device. More of a wave and click operation with the card never leaving our hands. But maybe this is just the way we do it.

 

Thanks for any follow up on that first confused day to when you finally got to unpack in the cabin you got to keep for the rest of the trip. I can appreciate the shock of opening a cabin door to find other people had already moved in.

 

Just when we were having a recent discussion about a possible theft of an electronic device from a cabin but unable to figure exactly out how people could get in to do the deed, besides the cabin stewards themselves. This cabin number mix up, and you being able to enter someone else's cabin is a security lapse.

 

Sorry it happened.

Edited December 1, 2013 by OlsSalt

[ellieanne]

I have never had a problem with being in the wrong room, but I have been on a cruise with someone in a similar numbered room having the same name as I do. I was in Cabin 1001 and the other "me" was in Cabin 10001. What was interesting was we had the same middle initial as well. The actual name must have been different though.

 

We frequently got each other's notices and ship-based communications. Also, charges were mis-posted all the time. I always save the receipts from the charges, so I could prove very easily which ones were truly mine. It was not as big an inconvenience as the original poster had, but it did make for an interesting cruise.

[sapper1]

What was strange to me was to have a Princess cruiser pop up a few minutes later with no prior history here who had sailed HAL only once 10 years ago, just happen upon this OP post and give her strong advice about protesting her credit card charge for full fare reimbursement. That struck me as odd. Anyone else?

 

As always, until one hears both sides of any story presented here, one is hearing only one side of the story. :cool:

 

I often lurk on other cruise line boards but have only ever posted once or twice. However, if I ever saw a situation this strange during a lurking session and felt I had a helpful suggestion, I might reply. We are not restricted to posting just here.

Edited December 1, 2013 by sapper1

[peaches from georgia]

We've never been in the wrong room, but my key card one time showed a picture of someone else when it was scanned at one of the ports. The security agent never batted an eye and said 'well, that's not you' and let me right on the ship. I wonder how often these computerized key cards get messed up.

[Essiesmom]

I'm not a fan of social media, refused to do MYSpace, will not tweet (or text) nor do I want to join Facebook. However, on other forums here at CC, people who are not getting taken seriously through email or snailmail or phone have got results by posting on Facebook. Seems like a lot more people see the situation there than on CC, and the cruise line sits up and takes notice. Just a thought. EM

[nana541]

I'm not a fan of social media, refused to do MYSpace, will not tweet (or text) nor do I want to join Facebook. However, on other forums here at CC, people who are not getting taken seriously through email or snailmail or phone have got results by posting on Facebook. Seems like a lot more people see the situation there than on CC, and the cruise line sits up and takes notice. Just a thought. EM

 

I don't know if HAL monitors this board, sadly some Big Business types think they know all and certainly know more than their customers....

 

I would love to think a HAL person might read this very strange tale and think something sounds very wrong and decide to look into it!!

 

Sadly it's not likely :(

Edited December 1, 2013 by nana541

[the2ofus]

I am guessing the problem occurred because there was a large group booked through The Nation. There may have been cancellations or changes in their bookings up to the last minute. Something in their bookings probably did not transfer correctly to the main HAL site, so when the OP received her guarantee cabin assignment there may have still been some The Nation bookings in process.

 

Depending on the ship, I have found the Front Office staff helpful or clueless. If clueless, it is hard to get them to listen seriously to your concern much less act on it. The suggestion to go up the chain of command to the Hotel Manager is a good one. I will remember it.

[tangerinebunny]

It also helps to write down the names of the people that you deal with.

 

This sounds as though someone at HAL made an error that they then attempted to bluff their way through. If that is the case, someone on a higher level needs to know.