HAL's new online booking system?

[jaguarstyper]

I was just perusing HAL's website looking for a possible cruise in 2015 and I noticed their online booking system has been totally redesigned. Perhaps I'm just not used to it, but I find it to be extremely cumbersome. It does have some nice features, but there appears to be no way to see the total fare in the booking screens. It used to appear in the right hand side and updated anytime you made changes. Now, I cannot see the total price anywhere. Its impossible to do any kind of price comparisons. Its terribly useless the way it is now.

 

What's up with that?

Edited August 8, 2014 by jaguarstyper

[Storylady]

It is okay if you already know exactly what time of accommodation you want such as inside, Ocean view, veranda and where on the ship you want to be. But it is totally useless for those of us who want to browse different locations before deciding to book. I definitely do not like it.

[TiogaCruiser]

Just looked at it on iphone and I agree. It kind of reminds me of a different lines website. Don't remember which maybe princess. Or a TA.

Edited August 8, 2014 by TiogaCruiser

[taxmantoo]

WOW! For once I can say I liked something before better and not feel like an old person bucking progress. This new site is truly awful.

Edited August 8, 2014 by taxmantoo

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

When did it change?

[Stakeout]

whoever re-designed the HAL website today must be on drugs--and I'll give them a tip--better be on painkillers....change for the sake of change... unbelievable ... I just got off the phone with at least 3 different departments at HAL voicing my total displeasure with the new website...

 

it is almost as if they did it on purpose making it more difficult to check out what's available onboard a particular cruise.. more so for long time Mariners/cruisers than for the first timer...

 

at first the site looks the same.. until you go to the booking part where you enter your mariner #.. total chaos.. nothing works.. I tried plugging in a particular cabin.. then another and another that I know are available.. and nada.. nothing happens...

 

BTW if you call HAL and get a reservations agent they'll tell you that the website is being worked on at this moment.. I think not.. I already posted on HAL's FB page.. we'll see how long that'll stay up

 

probably designed by the same mental midgets who did the upgrades putting extra cabins and taking out the Seaview Pool on the Veendam with all the problems and plumbing leaks that it caused...absolutely ruined the ship...

Edited August 8, 2014 by Stakeout

[Stakeout]

When did it change?

 

I was on it last nite and it was the old site.. went on it today and noticed the change...

[jimmy2x]

Have to agree - the changes remind me of the Princess site which is even more cluttered and incomprehensible.

 

Another reason for using one of the larger on-line TA's which link directly to decent deck plans and allow you to see the available cabins easily.

[Stakeout]

Just looked at it on iphone and I agree. It kind of reminds me of a different lines website. Don't remember which maybe princess. Or a TA.

 

looks like Princess to me also

[Oceanwench]

Coincidence: I was looking at the Princess site today. I've never tried to book a cruise on the site, but I was curious to see what cabins were open on a certain cruise.

 

It was so annoying, and I said to myself, "I am so glad HAL's site isn't like this."

 

So this is bad news to me. :(

[PathfinderEss]

What the hay...........I can't go any further then the cruise info......what is Hal doing.........I hope this is just temporary, this is horrible.

[VMax1700]

Apart from the price being missing from the screen, I like it!

 

I specially like the way the deck plan shows during the booking and that selecting a room from the deck plan is interactive to the booking.

 

Also shows which cabins are 'open' and which are booked already.

 

Now, just add the accumulated price and we are good to go!

Edited August 8, 2014 by VMax1700

[jaguarstyper]

Apart from the price being missing from the screen, I like it!

 

I specially like the way the deck plan shows during the booking and that selecting a room from the deck plan is interactive to the booking.

 

Also shows which cabins are 'open' and which are booked already.

 

Now, just add the accumulated price and we are good to go!

Agreed, I think they have the right idea, but they have a lot of clean up to do.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Apart from the price being missing from the screen, I like it!

 

I specially like the way the deck plan shows during the booking and that selecting a room from the deck plan is interactive to the booking.

 

Also shows which cabins are 'open' and which are booked already.

 

Now, just add the accumulated price and we are good to go!

 

I kind of agree with you. Definitely would like to see the total price before you have to put in all the data. It is a lot like the Princess site. Guess all the Carnival brands are going to look alike in a lot of ways. It is better than NCL which I think has the worst online booking site followed by RCCL.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I would just call up :):)

[Stakeout]

Apart from the price being missing from the screen, I like it!

 

I specially like the way the deck plan shows during the booking and that selecting a room from the deck plan is interactive to the booking.

 

Also shows which cabins are 'open' and which are booked already.

 

Now, just add the accumulated price and we are good to go!

 

the old site did all that in a concise e-z to read and use way.. this new site is 'all over the place' .. when cabins show up on a certain deck you have to click on each cabin to see what price it is--in other words it doesn't show what Category of Cabin and the corresponding price.. that to me is not nice and regressing

[Stakeout]

I would just call up :):)

 

that is the alternative but not for me as I like to search on my own to see what is available before making that call not hang on a phone for an hour asking questions --is this available..is that available..

[Stakeout]

I kind of agree with you. Definitely would like to see the total price before you have to put in all the data. It is a lot like the Princess site. Guess all the Carnival brands are going to look alike in a lot of ways. It is better than NCL which I think has the worst online booking site followed by RCCL.

 

we were looking at a Cunard cruise to hook up with a HAL cruise in Europe this past spring... if you want to see a 'poorly designed website' just go to Cunard's site-- horrendous ....owned also by Carnival

[SilvertoGold]

Ugh.

 

What is the improvement here?

Very detrimental to the ability to see at a glance relevant pricing info.

 

If I find the specific cruise I want, I used to be able, at a glance, to see a comparison of say, all outside pricing from HH to C. Now, how do I do this?

 

Talk about ruining a good thing!

[rkacruiser]

What the hay...........I can't go any further then the cruise info......what is Hal doing.........I hope this is just temporary, this is horrible.

 

This was my precise experience as well! Could not even get to pricing and initially even had difficulty logging in!

 

Why companies feel they have to fix what is not broken is hard to understand. Maybe just to justify someone's employment?

[Sea Belle]

Okay, you've made me curious so I'm on my to look at it....

[rkacruiser]

I even tried to print an itinerary in order to send it to a friend who is not online and the website's "print this itinerary" would not communicate with my printer. I tried twice--at two separate log-in sessions.

[rogerthornhill]

I still like the Princess site better. At least there I can check what they are offering as to air.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I hate HAL's new site!!

[Loreto]

I agree!!!! I turned on the web page to check on our upcoming cruise and looking at a 2015 European cruise and got an immediate headache!

 

I called HAL and told the agent what I think of the new web page, and the fact that it makes searching for cruises very tedious. Also said this upcoming cruise may be our last with HAL. She said she would pass the comments along.

 

Their old format was perfect...why mess with it?:(

 

Karen