HAL's new online booking system?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Have to agree with this. With all the good info I read on this board, are there any suggestions as to how best to check pricing? Thanks.

 

 

 

I haven't found any quick ways to check anything like we used to be able to.

[Krazy Kruizers]

as you know by not putting in one's mariner # and info different higher prices usually show up.. it is a sad game that HAL plays from their marketing department by holding back cabins making certain cabins available on segments of a longer cruise but not on the entire cruise that now has spread to the website

 

 

I lined up 2 computers and did one dummy booking with all the information left blank -- got a price for an SA -- very few choices of cabins shown.

Then on the other computer I submitted all my information -- got the cabin I wanted -- got a price.

Using our Mariner numbers -- price was higher!!

[Lizzie68]

I lined up 2 computers and did one dummy booking with all the information left blank -- got a price for an SA -- very few choices of cabins shown.

 

Then on the other computer I submitted all my information -- got the cabin I wanted -- got a price.

 

Using our Mariner numbers -- price was higher!!

 

I have found in the past that inputting your Mariner number results in a higher price. That is disgraceful when you consider you are supposed to be a valued, loyal customer but you get penalised for it.

[regnig]

Oh my the new site is just AWFUL! :eek:

 

I spent too many of my working years as a computer engineer and my users would have slayed me if I had come up with something that made them feel like "mushrooms". It used to be very easy to switch from category to category and compare prices (memo to HAL: more money in your coffer). Additionally the way the new software makes you pick location is the most unfriendly user interface I've seen in a long time. Really can't find anything good to say about the change. Wonder how much HAL paid for that cr_p! :mad:

[Windsailer]

For checking prices before we book I use the big box site, and for checking after booking I subscribe to the fishy site. I seldom use the HAL site for anything. And once I find a cruise, I book with my TA who always beats the boxy site.

[OVgirl]

I spent some time on their site and found the flow not very user friendly.

As has been mentioned, that "Save and Continue" button should be much higher up the page. You don't even realize there is one until you sit watching the page do nothing for a bit. HAL please move it up the page beside the cabin category selection.

 

And I think HAL should include the cabin category when they show a cabin number.

 

Hope they are listening.

[Laminator]

I lined up 2 computers and did one dummy booking with all the information left blank -- got a price for an SA -- very few choices of cabins shown.

Then on the other computer I submitted all my information -- got the cabin I wanted -- got a price.

Using our Mariner numbers -- price was higher!!

 

I have found in the past that inputting your Mariner number results in a higher price. That is disgraceful when you consider you are supposed to be a valued, loyal customer but you get penalised for it.

 

I have just dummy booked 5 different cruises and the price I am getting with my mariner number is the same price I received without putting my mariner number is.

 

Is it possible that is a "cache" problem. When my IT team changes my site I will not see the changes unless I clear my cache.

[bcd2010]

My 2-cents worth, as someone who creates web sites for family/friends/non-profits/others-who-don't-pay-big-bucks ;):

 

With the ever-increasing use of different devices (smart phones, tablets, etc.) to access the internet, companies are redesigning their sites to accommodate different display formats. This is very hard to do well - they focus on getting the display right for these devices and severely compromise the desktop/laptop view. It's happening on Etsy (I have 2 shops there) and the results are awful.

 

And yes, making it more difficult for booked guests to determine price drops is likely to be an additional "enhancement".

[Laminator]

My 2-cents worth, as someone who creates web sites for family/friends/non-profits/others-who-don't-pay-big-bucks ;):

 

With the ever-increasing use of different devices (smart phones, tablets, etc.) to access the internet, companies are redesigning their sites to accommodate different display formats. This is very hard to do well - they focus on getting the display right for these devices and severely compromise the desktop/laptop view. It's happening on Etsy (I have 2 shops there) and the results are awful.

 

And yes, making it more difficult for booked guests to determine price drops is likely to be an additional "enhancement".

 

Most large companies have a separate site designed specifically for mobile commerce. When a site specifically designed for mobile commerce launches you'll generally see an m.domainname.com address. Carnival has a mobile specific site. HAL...Not yet....But maybe it is coming. You're right about display. Just getting the site to display correctly in the different browsers is a pain.

 

HAL should have sent out an email to their past cruisers asking for comments on the new site. Actually an initial survey to past guests to find out who uses the site often and from that survey an email with a link to a beta site asking for comments on the new booking interface.

Edited August 9, 2014 by Laminator

[jaguarstyper]

Most large companies have a separate site designed specifically for mobile commerce. When a site specifically designed for mobile commerce launches you'll generally see an m.domainname.com address. Carnival has a mobile specific site. HAL...Not yet....But maybe it is coming. You're right about display. Just getting the site to display correctly in the different browsers is a pain.

 

HAL should have sent out an email to their past cruisers asking for comments on the new site. Actually an initial survey to past guests to find out who uses the site often and from that survey an email with a link to a beta site asking for comments on the new booking interface.

 

Actually, the trend of separate mobile and desktop sites is dead and buried. The current trend is to create "reactive" sites that work properly on all form factors. Its far too costly to maintain a discrete mobile site. My company is currently spending millions of dollars to redesign their websites to be reactive. It's not an easy thing to do, but nothing worth millions of dollars of investment is going to be easy.

[POA1]

Actually, the trend of separate mobile and desktop sites is dead and buried. The current trend is to create "reactive" sites that work properly on all form factors. Its far too costly to maintain a discrete mobile site. My company is currently spending millions of dollars to redesign their websites to be reactive. It's not an easy thing to do, but nothing worth millions of dollars of investment is going to be easy.

I think you mean responsive design. :)

[jaguarstyper]

I think you mean responsive design. :)

 

Yes, you are correct, my bad. I'm not the most technical person and I'm not the one doing the design and construction, I'm just the one paying the bill. ;) I guess I should have a better knowledge of what I'm buying, right? :o

[Fouremco]

Using our Mariner numbers -- price was higher!!

Interesting to see this comment as even with the old system I found that I was quoted the exact same fare whether or not I ticked off senior or entered my Mariner number.

[POA1]

Yes, you are correct, my bad. I'm not the most technical person and I'm not the one doing the design and construction, I'm just the one paying the bill. ;) I guess I should have a better knowledge of what I'm buying, right? :o

Nope. Just trying to help. I knew what you meant. :)

[SilvertoGold]

Interesting to see this comment as even with the old system I found that I was quoted the exact same fare whether or not I ticked off senior or entered my Mariner number.

 

With a 5 star mariner number I get the same or lower pricing.

[PetNanny]

I haven't found any quick ways to check anything like we used to be able to.

 

After I posted my question, I checked three websites and found one that gave the info I wanted without inputting name, etc. Then I called HAL and was pleasantly surprised. Quick response with a breakdown.

 

Thanks!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have found in the past that inputting your Mariner number results in a higher price. That is disgraceful when you consider you are supposed to be a valued, loyal customer but you get penalised for it.

 

I totally agree with you.

[Lizzie68]

I just spent time on their trying to figure out a cruise. Does anyone know where you find the amenities for the categories, or even where the categories are listed? I can't find either, and only get as far as having to put in payment details (not gonna do that!) so perhaps it is past there.:confused:

[shrimp56]

Well they have made it so there is no such thing as a dummy booking. You have to put in your information to get a price from what I say. Basically they're making it harder for us to see what we are doing. If it's to make a mobile friendly site, make a mobile app as airlines and others have done and leave the main site the &^(*&^^$ alone.

[Jalex63]

Once I saw this, I had to go and take a look too. Don't think I particularly care for it either, but probably will grow used to it in the long run. Looks to me like HAL is trying to do away with thinking of cabins as being in a particular category and now just want to sell them based upon location on the ship? I did find that the fee's and charges are listed early in the process, but you have to look for them and then do the math yourself if you are not going all the way in to the booking.

 

Personally, I always use a TA to book, but do use the web site to compare so that when I contact my TA I already know what I want. Made it easy for me, don't know how well it will work out with this site.

 

Biggest benefit of the TA IMHO is that I always get an on-board credit from them and their insurance is about half the cost of HALs plans.:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

I just spent time on their trying to figure out a cruise. Does anyone know where you find the amenities for the categories, or even where the categories are listed? I can't find either, and only get as far as having to put in payment details (not gonna do that!) so perhaps it is past there.:confused:

 

After you select a cruise and date -- the next thing you see is the itinerary -- there are pictures across the top of this page showing some of the categories -- click onto one of them and you will see descriptions of all the categories.

[Laminator]

Actually, the trend of separate mobile and desktop sites is dead and buried. The current trend is to create "reactive" sites that work properly on all form factors. Its far too costly to maintain a discrete mobile site. My company is currently spending millions of dollars to redesign their websites to be reactive. It's not an easy thing to do, but nothing worth millions of dollars of investment is going to be easy.

 

I understand that is the way we are heading. As POA states a "responsive" site. The wave of the future. My site design goal was to get people to click on the "purchase" button. HAL seems to have forgot that.

[DaveOKC]

We should all post our thoughts on the new site on HAL's facebook page. Then perhaps they will get the message! I already did.

[Lizzie68]

After you select a cruise and date -- the next thing you see is the itinerary -- there are pictures across the top of this page showing some of the categories -- click onto one of them and you will see descriptions of all the categories.

 

 

Thanks KK, guess I missed that. I will go back and have another go.

[rkacruiser]

Unless their site becomes much more user friendly, rather than looking up cruises and prices on my own, I am going to be contacting my travel agent much more frequently for information that I used to be able to obtain on my own. If many do this, without booking after obtaining such information, this is going to make the travel agent community less than pleased.

 

Carnival Cruise Lines, when they made some marketing changes, ended up alienating many in the travel agent community. And, they have been working in recent months to woe them back.

 

Both Mr. Arison and Mr. Frank in the past and now Mr. Donald keep emphazing to the analysts who follow CCL in the financial community that the Corporation identifies and follows "best practices" among the operating companies.

 

This new web site is an example of a "best practice"?