Hollow America Zuiderdam

[debijaynes]

In my experience (on both sides of the fence-giving and getting) it all depends on how you ask for that refund/credit/consideration. Come in with a chip on your shoulder and no matter what the issue is-well you have a long row to hoe to get your refund. Come in with the right attitude and you'll get all you asked for and much much more. Whenever I have had any issue with HAL I put it in writing and get a prompt response with an answer and many times credits etc that I NEVER ASKED FOR. He used the ship, they cleaned up after him and fed him and I think 75% was quite generous.

What's next-- a weather refund for the instant gratification crowd?

[LMaxwell]

I think 75% was quite generous.

 

If you had asked for and the company agreed to 100% refund you may not feel 75% was quite so generous. I simply believe that HAL, or Ford Motor Company, or Verizon Fios, or any other business should honor what they make an agreement for.

 

Whether you feel he is entitled to a full refund or not is a matter of opinion; but changing the agreement is bad business and not what I would label as generous.

[cruisin'girl]

Holland America is VERY shortsighted. They are saving pennies by not treating their customers right and in the process are losing dollars or soon will be. They can't continue to not maintain their ships in good working order and expect that word won't get around about ships like the Zuiderdam and others.

[wpmccoy]

LOL, Joanie. Does this mean you aren't going to the Prom with me, either?

[wpmccoy]

Neptune suite 7087.

[wpmccoy]

Please------cabin number

 

 

 

It was Neptune suite 7087.

[iancal]

What utter nonsense that a 75 percent refund is adequate because the OP ate some meals on the ship. The OP had the suite from hell. HAL should simply admit the issue and pony up with a full refund, an apology, and some sort of future cruise credit as an incentive (not that the OP is likely to try another disasterdam cruise like the one he just escaped) to try HAL again.

 

First of all, HAL simply FAILED to provide a working cabin. Secondly, the OP incurred travel costs getting to the embarkation port, not to mention potential waste of valuable vacation days. Not to mention a ruined vacation.

 

Would any of those HAL cheerleaders like to incur these costs PLUS have a ruined vacation. I think not....but they seem to have a cavalier attitude if it is happens to some other hapless victim.

 

It is bad enough that HAL continues to sell product that they know to be substandard. Even worse that they nickel and dime when as a company they get caught out in a customer satisfaction issue like this. I have always been under the impression that HAL was a better company than this.

Edited January 3, 2014 by iancal

[CoronaCRZR]

The root of this problem comes down to either bad maintenance, bad design/build, or just over use of the equipment running 24/7.

 

One would think the ship should be designed to run 24/7 with high quality equipment from the get go, for many years. I have heard the useful lifespan of a cruise ship is somewhere around 25 years.

 

The problems on the Zuiderdam certainly do not seem to be isolated to just that HAL ship when it comes to non flushing toilets and flaky A/C.

I have read many reports on other HAL ships with the same issues.

 

I also know that many of the HAL ships are build by Fincantieri in Italy, with the exception of the Prinsendam.

 

I wonder if there may be a design problem with these ships regarding A/C & toilet infrastructure.

 

I visit a number of boards here on other lines, but I must say the HAL board tops the list in customer complaints regarding A/C and non functional toilets.

 

Proper & timely maintenance is also a big factor in making sure all continues to function well.

When I was on the Zuidy earlier this year I was in SY 6083 and had no issues with the A/C or toilet.:D

 

I took the behind the scenes tour and was quite surprised to see so many machines broken or being worked on. One guy was buried deep inside one of their main washing machines, I noticed one dryer not operational.

Some pressing equipment had a broken sign on it......:eek:

 

I guess it may all be about PREventive maintenance.

[startwin]

Holland America is VERY shortsighted. They are saving pennies by not treating their customers right and in the process are losing dollars or soon will be. They can't continue to not maintain their ships in good working order and expect that word won't get around about ships like the Zuiderdam and others.

 

They must be starting to feel the fallout from these issues.... 2 fairly recent cruises on this ship were reported to be only 50% full. Word gets around the cruising world fast.

[innlady1]

I truly think the OP deserved a 100% refund...without question. No one should have less than optimum a/c in their stateroom...especially in a very warm environment.

 

I recall reading here a while ago about a CC poster who said they'd never cruise the Panama Canal again because it was unbearably hot and humid. Given those conditions, one should at least be able to have respite from the heat in their stateroom.

 

The OP paid for the airfare to Fort Lauderdale, presumably a hotel and meals before hand, taxis, etc. Plus counted on the vacation to be up to par, I am sure. To only get a 75% refund is not right. Especially since they made their 1st complaint 15 minutes after boarding...and nothing was resolved.

 

Edited January 4, 2014 by innlady1

[MermaidWatcher]

Try another HAL ship.

 

Just ensure that it is not Zuiderdam or Veendam.

 

And, from another recent post, the Prisendam also appears to have ac issues.

Edited January 4, 2014 by MermaidWatcher

[MermaidWatcher]

In my experience (on both sides of the fence-giving and getting) it all depends on how you ask for that refund/credit/consideration. Come in with a chip on your shoulder and no matter what the issue is-well you have a long row to hoe to get your refund. Come in with the right attitude and you'll get all you asked for and much much more. Whenever I have had any issue with HAL I put it in writing and get a prompt response with an answer and many times credits etc that I NEVER ASKED FOR. He used the ship, they cleaned up after him and fed him and I think 75% was quite generous.

What's next-- a weather refund for the instant gratification crowd?

 

That's right..... the greedy freeloader used the ship all the way until he could go awol at the first port.

Why didn't he just pack his bags and jump overboard, or steal a lifeboat :D ?

As for "instant gratification", just how grateful should he be that HAl was gracious enough to knowingly put him a cabin with non functioning mechanicals ? Perhaps he should have offered them to charge his credit card an extra 10% customer service fee for the privilege of being selected for one of their "en suite sauna" cabins. :mad:

Once again, these are not unfortunate breakdowns that happened at sea, these passengers are being knowingly put in cabins that have no ac when they board, and the track record indicates that this has been an ongoing business practice for a while.

[kazu]

We were on the Zuiderdaam last January in the Penthouse and there was minimal to no A/C - we had 4 fans in the room. Really wasn't what we were expecting - but we dealt with it.

 

This year - No HAL for us - we're going to NCL.

 

 

 

That's a shame. We had that cabin 2 or 3 years ago. No issues. Obviously there have been big changes over the last few years. Sad to be in this cabin and still have issues!

[trixiee]

If it's that bad, why hasn't some savvy law firm started a class action law suit yet?

Under-handed business practices, broken promises... :confused:

[kazu]

What utter nonsense that a 75 percent refund is adequate because the OP ate some meals on the ship. The OP had the suite from hell. HAL should simply admit the issue and pony up with a full refund, an apology, and some sort of future cruise credit as an incentive (not that the OP is likely to try another disasterdam cruise like the one he just escaped) to try HAL again.

 

First of all, HAL simply FAILED to provide a working cabin. Secondly, the OP incurred travel costs getting to the embarkation port, not to mention potential waste of valuable vacation days. Not to mention a ruined vacation.

 

Would any of those HAL cheerleaders like to incur these costs PLUS have a ruined vacation. I think not....but they seem to have a cavalier attitude if it is happens to some other hapless victim.

 

It is bad enough that HAL continues to sell product that they know to be substandard. Even worse that they nickel and dime when as a company they get caught out in a customer satisfaction issue like this. I have always been under the impression that HAL was a better company than this.

 

I don't see too many HAL cheerleaders supporting this situation other than one.

 

Most of us seem to think that the OP should have a full refund.

 

I only see one that doesn't have that opinion - but I might have missed a post:confused:

Edited January 4, 2014 by kazu

[Tarpeian Rock]

If it's that bad, why hasn't some savvy law firm started a class action law suit yet?

Under-handed business practices, broken promises... :confused:

 

 

 

Yes, I have been wondering why Jim Walker, that maritime lawyer who runs the "Cruise Law News" website reporting the foibles and flaws of the cruise industry -- I'm surprised that he hasn't taken this on.

[startwin]

If it's that bad, why hasn't some savvy law firm started a class action law suit yet?

Under-handed business practices, broken promises... :confused:

 

If you read the full cruising contract, you'll have your answer. It was drawn up by a lawyer and is pretty iron-clad. There's probably not a lawyer anywhere willing to take it on and waste his time on fighting it.

Edited January 4, 2014 by startwin

[Boytjie]

I also know that many of the HAL ships are build by Fincantieri in Italy, with the exception of the Prinsendam.

 

I wonder if there may be a design problem with these ships regarding A/C & toilet infrastructure.

 

Fincantieri has built cruise ships for HAL, Carnival, Costa, Princess, Disney, P&O and Cunard.

[innlady1]

I don't see too many HAL cheerleaders supporting this situation other than one.

 

Most of us seem to think that the OP should have a full refund.

 

I only see one that doesn't have that opinion - but I might have missed a post:confused:

 

 

You didn't miss a thing, Jacqui. He/she is the person who complained in another thread that the temps and humidity in the Panama Canal would put an end to their cruising there. Go figure.

Edited January 4, 2014 by innlady1

[sail7seas]

delete

Edited January 4, 2014 by sail7seas

[Fishfindergirl]

No one has asked Did they try to offer you a different room? Or were you on a full ship? Just wondering in case I'm ever in your shoes.

[idiebabe]

No one has asked Did they try to offer you a different room? Or were you on a full ship? Just wondering in case I'm ever in your shoes.

 

Since we will be cruising on her in a little over a week I'm curious, too, if another room was offered. Did they offer to move you and also give you OBC? How did it get to the point that you wanted to leave the Ship? I understand that having a/c problems would be very upsetting but if they could have moved you, offered OBC, etc. and you were enjoying other aspects of the cruise, I don't understand why you would not remain onboard! :confused:

 

Also, what happened with your BIL and SIL? Did they end their vacation and fly home with you, too? You mentioned that their room was not much better with A/C issues and they were in 7089. If they did, what was the outcome with them?

 

You mentioned this was your first cruise on HAL. What other cruise lines have you cruised on? I'm curious, too, if there were other things that you didn't like about HAL and especially the Zuiderdam and did that also weigh in on your decision to Debark in Aruba?

 

It's a big decision to cut short a cruise! I've cruised about 50 times (HAL 5x) and if they offered to move me, gave me substantial OBC and I kept those Neptune Suite perks (even if I ended up in an Inside Room as long as the A/C was working), I wouldn't have jumped Ship in Aruba!

 

Look forward to hearing your responses! :)

Edited January 4, 2014 by idiebabe

[whogo]

Refresh my memory, please. I seem to remember that a long time poster recently cruised on the Zuiderdam and determined that there are no air conditioning problems.

[sapper1]

Refresh my memory, please. I seem to remember that a long time poster recently cruised on the Zuiderdam and determined that there are no air conditioning problems.

 

They must have turned it on for one cruise only. :D

[whogo]

No. The poster stated that it was not and had never been a problem with the Zuiderdam, it was a problem with the individual. Does this ring a bell with anyone?