HAL's new online booking system?

[TiogaCruiser]

Do you mean that the prices are available in a drop down box on the page with the photos of the cabin categories?

 

All I can see to click on is "View Stateroom details" and

"Stateroom Options", and "know the stateroom you want?"

 

When I enter a stateroom number, and the room is available it immediately opens to the page for Bed Arrangement and Dining preference.

There is no drop down box below the cabin number.

 

Tap or click the picture of the cabin category. Then scroll down and submit. Deck plans should come up. Choose the part of the ship (click or tap) you want and then the deck. Then tap or click the cabin. Available cabins are shown. They are different colors, likely category. Like someone else said, there is no key.

 

I'll recheck the flow tomorrow when my real machine is on. Am going from memory. The application is more like one designed for touch screens.

[erewhon]

TiogaCruiser and Lizzie68,

Thanks for your replies.

 

Am now unable to progress any further on the HAL website than the page stating "This is a legal agreement between you and Holland America Line", when I click on the accept button a blank page appears, so HAL must be having more problems with the site.

 

I will try to check again tomorrow.

 

Have booked a pre-cruise hotel today, so very simple and easy, unlike HAL:mad:

[keeponcruising]

I hate it and think it is cumbersome also. I think they designed it so that you are forced to call someone.

[Chelly]

Below is the reply I received from HAL after writing about my displeasure of the new booking site: I agree it is likely the standard response before applying digit to delete key:

 

Dear Ms.

 

Thank you for your recent correspondence with Holland America Line. We appreciate your comments and feedback regarding our new design for the booking system. We sincerely apologize for the frustration you have experienced. We have forwarded your email to our web design team. They collect and review all guest feedback to make improvements with the design.

 

Again, we apologize for any frustration this has caused.

 

Please let us know if we can be of further assistance. Again, we appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts. Holland America Line hopes to welcome you onboard in the future.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Tiffanie

Holland America Line

U.S. and Canada: 877-724-5425

International: 206-286-3900

Mon-Fri 5am-7pm PST

Sat-Sun 6am-5pm PST

[jaguarstyper]

Chelly, that is the exact same response I received, word for word, letter for letter.

[Chelly]

Chelly, that is the exact same response I received, word for word, letter for letter.

 

Not at all surprised.

[Linda&Vern]

You got that right. It's really cumbersome - whereas before the total was there, port taxes first and then price per person. PITA.

 

I do like all cabins showing (assuming they really are) but the rest is tedious.

Jacqui - I played with the new site for a long time late last night. In my opinion, they never show more than 10 cabins in whatever location you choose. I "think" the 10 cabins max replaces the 6 cabin max from the old system. Said another way, no matter what cruise, what location, I never found more than 10 available cabins.

[Linda&Vern]

Did anyone figure out how to see:

 

(1) Cabin categories (ex: C, D, E, EE, F etc.)

 

(2) A key to cabin symbols - those symbols on the "old" system that showed partial view, shower only, etc. The symbols are on the 1/3 deck map that comes up showing the cabin number ... but nowhere can I find the key to those symbols.

[kazu]

Jacqui - I played with the new site for a long time late last night. In my opinion, they never show more than 10 cabins in whatever location you choose. I "think" the 10 cabins max replaces the 6 cabin max from the old system. Said another way, no matter what cruise, what location, I never found more than 10 available cabins.

 

Interesting = thank you. I was looking at our cruise and of course there are not that many categories left.

 

Ahh so we assumed (including me) that when we saw more they were showing more and of course, they are not.

 

thanks so much for the insight and the report.

[cruz chic]

Jacqui - I played with the new site for a long time late last night. In my opinion, they never show more than 10 cabins in whatever location you choose. I "think" the 10 cabins max replaces the 6 cabin max from the old system. Said another way, no matter what cruise, what location, I never found more than 10 available cabins.

 

Thx for the info. It sure seemed odd that they were showing all cabins because my November cruise looks very full. That may be correct but I have to think there would still be quite a few guarantees. Princess is much better because you do see all cabins. Of course some will go to guarantees.

[rkacruiser]

Until I learn of a far more improved resolution in this "improved" HAL web site, I refuse to waste any more of my time doing research on HAL's web site.

 

My travel agent has assured me that "You are not bothering me" when I told her that I may be asking for pricing requests on a variety of cruises since the HAL web site is so poorly designed. Maybe if more of us would make such requests to our travel agents without definitive bookings, the travel agent community would rise up and inform Seattle that some web designers either need to get the site properly fixed or be in the process of up-dating their resumes.

 

As I have said earlier, Carnival Cruise Lines made the travel agent community upset and it led to some important marketing changes. Maybe now that same pressure needs to be applied to Holland America Line.

[erewhon]

This afternoon I have tried to log in at the top of the HAL site Front Page, but can only insert the e-mail address, as the space for the password is blocked by the advertising pictures.

Then I logged in via the online check in feature, now it will not accept me trying to Log out.

 

Again today I can progress no further on the website. than the "This is a legal agreement " page, when I click on accept, just a blank blue page.

 

What a waste of time the HAL site is.

 

There are plenty of other options available for a holiday than cruising HAL.

[Island Lovers]

I have tried to achieve results and answers with searching the new website over the past two weeks. But I don't have time to do my business this way! Even when researching cruises more than a year in advance, there are very few cabin options displayed. Category isn't shown. It is a very inefficient site, is time consuming and gives less information than the previous HAL program, and it takes much more time. Please bring back the old program until the new system is tested and proved superior. As it is now, I can't use HAL's website for research, very disappointing.

[erewhon]

On the HAL website, I am now unable to find any way to contact HAL in Seattle, the only address that appears when I click on "Contact" is the address for the HAL agent in this country.

[legalslave]

I'm not fond of the new site either. Sure do miss being able to type in a cabin number to see if the cabin I want is available.

 

Diane

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

I staunchly dislike it as it does not price the cruise properly until after one enters all the passenger's details, which is tedious if you just want to quickly see how much a given voyage costs once all the fees and taxes have been added on (imho they should quote the original per person price with taxes and fees, so, for example, instead of saying voyage X is $5,499.00 per person, I'd much rather they go it is $6,249.34 per person all in), but now you have to enter all the information to book any voyage before getting a proper price quote. As I usually travel in a party of three, going through this process is even more necessary as third berth pricing is not on the initial webpage.

 

I much preferred the older system.

Edited August 16, 2014 by bahrain_not_dubai!

[fuzzywuzzy]

Tap or click the picture of the cabin category. Then scroll down and submit. Deck plans should come up. Choose the part of the ship (click or tap) you want and then the deck. Then tap or click the cabin. Available cabins are shown. They are different colors, likely category. Like someone else said, there is no key.

 

I'll recheck the flow tomorrow when my real machine is on. Am going from memory. The application is more like one designed for touch screens.

 

You may be on to something there! On our last cruise HAL was really pushing touch screen Microsoft technology in their computer classes. I know they have a deal with Microsoft.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

You may be on to something there! On our last cruise HAL was really pushing touch screen Microsoft technology in their computer classes. I know they have a deal with Microsoft.

 

Sounds like the new website might be optimized for Windows 8? I still have 7...

[BlackJack2]

Let me begin by saying that I hate the new booking section of HAL’s website. I need to see the price of the cruise and cabin selections without going thru the entire booking process. With all the complaints about the new booking system, will HAL change it back and does HAL look at comments left on the Cruise Critic boards?

[kjw869]

Let me begin by saying that I hate the new booking section of HAL’s website. I need to see the price of the cruise and cabin selections without going thru the entire booking process. With all the complaints about the new booking system, will HAL change it back and does HAL look at comments left on the Cruise Critic boards?

 

Hopefully! Next time they will not let a 5-year-old design their website.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG Note 3 usings Forums mobile app.

[kura]

I staunchly dislike it as it does not price the cruise properly until after one enters all the passenger's details, which is tedious if you just want to quickly see how much a given voyage costs once all the fees and taxes have been added on (imho they should quote the original per person price with taxes and fees, so, for example, instead of saying voyage X is $5,499.00 per person, I'd much rather they go it is $6,249.34 per person all in), but now you have to enter all the information to book any voyage before getting a proper price quote. As I usually travel in a party of three, going through this process is even more necessary as third berth pricing is not on the initial webpage. .

 

In Australia the price is always shown as the final price with all taxes etc included...therefor we only have to double the per person price.

[Nan-L]

It doesn't even give you the catorogy choice.

I really don't like it at all

[Nan-L]

I like to choose my cabin by location and catacory then compare where I want to be at which class. This gives you NO options. I bate it and will not use it

[Island Lovers]

I surrender! After many hours of frustration, I cannot obtain pricing, compare cabin costs quickly, categories, etc. I spent 87 minutes on the phone today with HAL (including time on hold) regarding a currently booked cruise and also placing a future cruise deposit on another. The person was very helpful and did admit that the new website has "bugs" which they are working on. Now, I'm trying to access cabin selection online for over a year away and cannot price and compare. Why would there be absolutely no verandah cabins mid ship and only two verandah cabins forward? This is a nightmare. Why should travel planning be so stressful and time and energy consuming? I dare say that HAL is chasing people away for the past two weeks. Meanwhile I'm venturing to other cruise websites in an attempt to gather information. All of this was readily available on HAL's previous website which functioned very well.

[erewhon]

I surrender! After many hours of frustration, I cannot obtain pricing, compare cabin costs quickly, categories, etc. I spent 87 minutes on the phone today with HAL (including time on hold) regarding a currently booked cruise and also placing a future cruise deposit on another. The person was very helpful and did admit that the new website has "bugs" which they are working on. Now, I'm trying to access cabin selection online for over a year away and cannot price and compare. Why would there be absolutely no verandah cabins mid ship and only two verandah cabins forward? This is a nightmare. Why should travel planning be so stressful and time and energy consuming? I dare say that HAL is chasing people away for the past two weeks. Meanwhile I'm venturing to other cruise websites in an attempt to gather information. All of this was readily available on HAL's previous website which functioned very well.

 

You are steps ahead of me, again today can only proceed as far as the "This is a Legal Agreement" page, only get a blank blue page when I click on "accept".

 

A week ago, on the website I could access a way to contact them, that has been removed, so now I cannot contact them directly via the website.