Security and Identity issues on HAL

[kazu]

Kazu---check his post number 51 about halfway down. It refers to a CC meeting notice in the daily programme and that it was initiated by HAL because there were 15 posts on a CC roll call. That is what confused me.

 

The CC and FB meetings were to be combined.

 

I've never seen that Sapper and if the day comes when they change my meet and greets - I won't be a happy camper ;)

 

 

I've done a few and we have never been added to the FB group and who the heck wants to meet on embarkation day? (FB M & G'sThat is a scary thought! I try to select dates and times that are convenient and hopefully will not have a problem in the future.

 

If I do, they will be informal M & G's ;)

[headhunterke]

Does HAL have a shared-singles program where they try to find room mates later for a reduced fare, but require you pay for a solo single fare up front in case they do not?

 

I just heard from a colleague who also is starting out as a TA, and as far as he knew, this program has been discontinued on HAL

[sapper1]

I've never seen that Sapper and if the day comes when they change my meet and greets - I won't be a happy camper ;)

 

 

I've done a few and we have never been added to the FB group and who the heck wants to meet on embarkation day? (FB M & G'sThat is a scary thought! I try to select dates and times that are convenient and hopefully will not have a problem in the future.

 

If I do, they will be informal M & G's ;)

 

I feel the same way and would not be inclined to attend a CC meeting that was to be combined with a FB group.

[shrimp56]

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?

 

I agree entirely. We are missing information. Absent that . . . I have my doubts.

[startwin]

I feel the same way and would not be inclined to attend a CC meeting that was to be combined with a FB group.

 

I no longer join the facebook groups, but from what I recall, they meet on embarkation day, which is rather strange. I do remember when we had a very successful roll call on our Z cruise, we toyed with the idea of inviting the facebook group to our M&G, and voted on it. Some were members of both. In the end we didn't, which is probably just as well as we had over 100 people there just from our roll call which took over much of the Crows Nest.

Edited December 7, 2013 by startwin

[sevenseasnomad]

[quote name='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.[/quote]

Good heavens! What a mix-up, both for the OP and for ellieanne. My question: How could this happen? When we all check-in, we have to give passport #, full name as it appears on passport, (and that name better match the name on the original booking), and credit card for purchases. Even if someone elects to pay in cash, there should be no mix-up once the key cards are issued because every time someone makes a purchase aboard ship, they swipe those cards, correct? Supposedly, all of it is tracked by computer.

In addition, there is the picture ID. If it doesn't match an individual, I would assume any mistake would be caught at pier check-in or inital embarkation. (BTW, we have lariats we each wear with clear plastic over our key card. When it's time to embark or disembark (many times during ports), we hold up the card. Ship personnel never touches the card; they simply scan.

I'm not doubting mix-ups can't occur. They do. Our TA paid for items that were never delivered to us or were delivered to our son's cabin by mistake. Since she always gives itentical gifts for each cabin, one of us got cheated. We never received the gifts, and she was one furious TA when we told her. But for cabins to be mis-assigned? Goodness! I wouldn't have handled it as well as the OP did. Would someone with more cruising experience please explain how this is possible? Legal? Putting 3 persons in a two-person cabin on a possibly full ship should be illegal when I consider lifeboat #s.

As many have said, this is the wildest experience I've ever read about on cc. OP, please let us know how it's resolved for you, i.e. free cruise or heavy discount on future cruise. Edited December 7, 2013 by sevenseasnomad

[newlaxfan]

Yikes!! I had no idea this sort of prolonged error was even possible! OP -- you've been remarkably calm in this thread while answering people's questions. I hope you get a satisfactory resolution from HAL. I can't imagine how much time and energy you spent trying to sort out their error!