HAL's new online booking system?

[erewhon]

As soon the the itinerary details page comes up there is a deck plan button on the left side. It is between itinerary button and the dining and onboard activities button. Click on this deck plan button and you can chose any deck to see the cabin numbers complete with the stateroom legend.

 

When I click on Deck plans for Noordam, then Rotterdam Deck, the only categories visible are Veranda VB, VD and VE and Interior staterooms, the Neptune Suites and Pinnacle Suites must be hidden behind the photo of the Noordam.

[Lizzie68]

Perhaps the web site is different for Canada than for the U.S. Could HAL be trying different options for different areas.

 

 

I don't think HAL's techie department know what the hal they are doing.:rolleyes:

[lazey1]

At the front page of the HAL website, I select Destination, Date and Search.

Then for instance I click on a 14 night Australia/New Zealand cruise.

Clicking the green Details button, opens to the page with coloured photos of the stateroom categories, and basic prices.

Clicking the green Continue button opens to the "This is a Legal Agreement" page, clicking the Accept button opens to the blank blue page.

 

That is the total amount of information for which ever cruise I try to find pricing for.

 

Interesting, I followed you through this process and when I clicked on the green Continue button it open to "Book your Cruise" then I can complete a "dummy Booking"..

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Interesting, I followed you through this process and when I clicked on the green Continue button it open to "Book your Cruise" then I can complete a "dummy Booking"..

 

My guess is that the new site is optimized for certain operating systems. I seem to have more trouble with it on my Windows 7 laptop than on my Windows 8 phone. Neither, however, work as well as the old site did on either OS.

[JB&JLG74]

The taxes are listed on the first page when you pull up the general cruise schedule. The basic price for the 4 or 5 room categories are listed and right under that, to the left, is the tax amount. You see that before you even click the "details" button to take you into the booking sequence. They are just presenting the info in a different way than we are used to seeing. I found it easy to navigate. You are choosing by actual room location and given a price for that. The old way, you chose a price by a letter category and then had to go to the deck plan to see where rooms with that letter were located. This just presents the prices by location rather than letter categories.

 

I guess I am the Lone Ranger here, but I don't see a problem. Just takes getting used to. And I like the fact that if you enter your mariner# it fills in a lot of info they have on file for you.

 

I guess I just don't get it. I tried to do a booking for the June 7, 2015 sailing on the Zaandam. We like to be forward on the lower promenade, but we want to have a full view. This means a EE room (3319 to 3326). When I ask for forward on the lower promenade the only rooms that show up are yellow (H). It is not that there are no EE rooms. If I enter a specific room, eg 3321, it will continue with the booking and ask for my dining preferences, bed preferences, etc. All can figure is that I need to have the Zaandam's deck plans open in a second window and then march through all 8 cabin numbers until I get to one that is available. There ought to be a way to see everything that is available in my chosen location and deck but it is beyond me to figure out how to do that. And why would they be trying to sell me the cheaper cabin (H instead of the EE)?

[erewhon]

Interesting, I followed you through this process and when I clicked on the green Continue button it open to "Book your Cruise" then I can complete a "dummy Booking"..

 

I see that you are in USA, HAL must have a different website for those of us in other countries.

[erewhon]

Again this morning (Thursday 21st August) a message in red, on the front page of the HAL website stating they are currently experiencing technical difficulties with cruise bookings and are working to resolve issue.

And another apology for any inconvenience.

[Chelly]

I guess I just don't get it. I tried to do a booking for the June 7, 2015 sailing on the Zaandam. We like to be forward on the lower promenade, but we want to have a full view. This means a EE room (3319 to 3326). When I ask for forward on the lower promenade the only rooms that show up are yellow (H). It is not that there are no EE rooms. If I enter a specific room, eg 3321, it will continue with the booking and ask for my dining preferences, bed preferences, etc. All can figure is that I need to have the Zaandam's deck plans open in a second window and then march through all 8 cabin numbers until I get to one that is available. There ought to be a way to see everything that is available in my chosen location and deck but it is beyond me to figure out how to do that. And why would they be trying to sell me the cheaper cabin (H instead of the EE)?

 

You are correct. I've found the only way to accomplish an informed booking is to have complete deck plans open as well as the booking site.

[erewhon]

Another day with no access on the HAL website.

[Hgwells01]

Good grief, what a nightmare, gave up on it and rang HAL Aust in the end, did work out my cruise had gone down so got the lower price applied but this new booking process is horrid.

[Euby]

Has anyone in the US been able to add hotels to the reservation if flying in the night before? I don't even see the option.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Another day with no access on the HAL website.

 

 

Strange

I was on HAL's site from 9 - 10 PM (PA - eastern time zone) and didn't have any problems. (Your time for last night shows up as 11:30 PM our time)

[erewhon]

Strange

 

I was on HAL's site from 9 - 10 PM (PA - eastern time zone) and didn't have any problems. (Your time for last night shows up as 11:30 PM our time)

 

I posted that this morning, after sending another e-mail to HAL re problems with the website.

 

We seem to have a different website from you, I am unable to proceed further than the "This is a Legal Agreement" page,......only get a blank blue page, instead of the "book your cruise" page.

 

Before the alterations to the website, was always able to check pricing for any cruise, after clicking on the "accept" button on the "Legal Agreement" page.

[Stratheden]

I posted that this morning, after sending another e-mail to HAL re problems with the website.

 

We seem to have a different website from you, I am unable to proceed further than the "This is a Legal Agreement" page,......only get a blank blue page, instead of the "book your cruise" page.

 

Before the alterations to the website, was always able to check pricing for any cruise, after clicking on the "accept" button on the "Legal Agreement" page.

 

I was able to select a cabin (after trying about 20 cabin Nos) and I stopped when they asked for guests name and address. I am using an iPad and Safari. No problems getting past the Legal Agreement page.

[Lizzie68]

The new website seems to be geared to the US market only. Obviously there are issues when using it from another country. They've had messages posted that they are working on the issues so it's clear they do exist. Hopefully they get it fixed soon. In the meantime - the website is a huge step back and certainly not thought through by the so-called techs.

[jmps]

I, too, find the site very poor to find pricing and options. It looks great but function is poor. Too bad.

[erewhon]

I continue to send e-mails with my queries.

Received a reply to one message within 24 hours.

[nana541]

Been trying for 2 days to make a reservation, I hate needing to call....

 

Just keep getting error messages!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[acm3rd]

New HAL site cruise search sucks! I use other cruise sale sites to work around it for my planning. Just my 2 cents.

[kjw869]

New HAL site cruise search sucks! I use other cruise sale sites to work around it for my planning. Just my 2 cents.

 

That's what I do. It's sad we have to go through all this to get info on booking a cruise. What were they thinking. :eek::eek:

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG Note 3 usings Forums mobile app.

[erewhon]

Another message in red printing on the front page of the website, that they are working on the issues, and another apology.!!!!

[OVgirl]

I've also noticed that if I insert a specific cabin number and look for availability, the site will show it as available but I did not see a price until after inserting all personal info.

 

I would rather see pricing immediately so that I can look at other cabin prices at the same time.

[john2003]

I encountered the new site today and it was not a positive experience. I think it makes it much more difficult to understand the pricing situation on a particular sailing but maybe that is the corporate intent.

 

It is good that some find it an improvement but at this point, I am not in that camp.

[macdons]

I find the site totally exasperating. I go on HAL cruises 3-4 per year. Typically I scope out the cost for others that join us as well. Some cabins are for 3 some for 2 and one is a single. It takes a very long time for me to put in names and dining option to actually find a cabin and a price. This change that they are attempting is losing business on a grand scale I am guessing. I do hope that they get it squared away soon. In 2014 no one has the time or patience to muddle around with this. WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW IS THE COST AND WHAT IS AVAILABLE-THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO MUCH TO ASK.

[sail7seas]

I tried to price a cruise the other night. It was so cumbersome proceeding through the process just to get a price, I got disgusted and gave up. They are in the business of selling cruises but they sure aren't making it any easier on the 'buyers'.

Edited August 27, 2014 by sail7seas