12/8/14 Amsterdam - oh dear

[sail7seas]

This just wasn't right! We choose our cabin carefully including which side of the ship it's on - being moved to the other side would be huge for me.

 

Worse, is that once the decision was made to allow the occupying passengers to remain in the room, the HD & staff and/or Guest Services should have gone into overdrive to see that everything was officially shifted to the new room assignment. When problems became apparent (due to cabin manipulation by HAL and not something the displaced passengers caused) a staff member should have been assigned solely to them until everything was as it should be. The lack of concern over the missing oxygen was especially disturbing to me.

 

This situation gives me 2nd thoughts about HAL's slippage. If any line would have acted totally helpfully I'd have put Cunard and HAL at the top of my list.... HAL's fallen wayyyyyy down the "good service" list for me.:(

 

 

Once they made the choice to permit the occupying guests to remain in that cabin, they should have gone into high gear to make Linda&Vern notification and settling in go smooth as silk. They 'took' from Linda&Vern with no notice and without their consent and then failed to facilitate them receiving that which they had carefully planned. This is an example of the worst possible Customer Service and there should be determination of exactly who should have done a better job.

 

Someone should have met them at the gangway or at check in, explained the situation and escorted them to their newly assigned cabin. That crew person should have determined at that point if there were any items that needed attention. I don't give a hoot how busy the front office may be on embarkation day. Too bad. They treated these guests very poorly. This is no 'Signature of Excellence'.

 

Edited December 9, 2014 by sail7seas

[CowPrincess]

I am so sorry to hear of your experience :( I am glad that things are, more or less, now organized. I hope the rest of the cruise goes smoothly, and I hope the apologies to you for this mess are sincere and meaningful.

[Ocean Dancer]

Once they made the choice to permit the occupying guests to remain in that cabin, they should have gone into high gear to make Linda&Vern notification and settling in go smooth as silk. They 'took' from Linda&Vern with no notice and without their consent and then failed to facilitate them receiving that which they had carefully planned. This is an example of the worst possible Customer Service and there should be determination of exactly who should have done a better job.

 

Someone should have met them at the gangway or at check in, explained the situation and escorted them to their newly assigned cabin. That crew person should have determined at that point if there were any items that needed attention. I don't give a hoot how busy the front office may be on embarkation day. Too bad. They treated these guests very poorly. This is no 'Signature of Excellence'.

 

 

Excellent post.....I agree totally. The entire staff was probably consumed with the dog issue,same ship, that poor Linda & Vern fell through the cracks, BUT no excuse.

 

Linda & Vern, you deserve the Neptune Suite for a free upgrade;) Hope Vern has good lookin legs for his MDR experience! Have a great cruise.

[sammiedawg]

Once they made the choice to permit the occupying guests to remain in that cabin, they should have gone into high gear to make Linda&Vern notification and settling in go smooth as silk. They 'took' from Linda&Vern with no notice and without their consent and then failed to facilitate them receiving that which they had carefully planned. This is an example of the worst possible Customer Service and there should be determination of exactly who should have done a better job.

 

Someone should have met them at the gangway or at check in, explained the situation and escorted them to their newly assigned cabin. That crew person should have determined at that point if there were any items that needed attention. I don't give a hoot how busy the front office may be on embarkation day. Too bad. They treated these guests very poorly. This is no 'Signature of Excellence'.

 

 

I was about to post a similiar thought but as usual Sail said it perfectly.

It sounds like the little guys, room stewards, were the ones that did the leg work to find the equipment?

Linda and Vern were shabbily treated, we're talking about needed durable medical equipment going missing in this massive foul up.

[1of4]

Wow this is just unacceptable. Honestly it just doesn't make the mark. I am so sorry to read that HAL just doesn't care about its customers anymore.

 

I have always believed that if a cabin was booked then the person wishing to stay on board had to move. To find out that not only did they not allow you to pay for an upgrade, they did not even inform you of the change.

 

The only possible reason I can imagine is that the dog lady was in that cabin and it is just not suitable for human occupation. But if that was true then an upgrade should have been automatic.

 

I truly hope you can enjoy your vacation...and HAL wakes up!

[Juanita462]

We had problems on the Amsterdam and went to see Krystal Mensink and she gave us a choice of 3 cabins for a move - and provided help for the move - problem solved. the front desk did nothing for us so now we take any problems right to the hotel manager or the customer relations person. Krystal and Henk have been very good and we are always glad when they are onboard.

 

We would be furious if they ignored our booking and dumped us into another cabin and didn't provide the things ordered. We started cruising with HAL in

2002 and notice a huge difference in quality of service and treatment of

passengers since then.

[sail7seas]

I AM ONLY SPECULATING but I would be willing to put my neck out to say the people who occupied Linda&Vern's cabin for the long cruise, likely dug their heels in and 'demanded' they were not moving. They well could have 'told' front office it wouldn't make any difference for newly arriving guests to go to the other cabin and made such a stink and such a pain in the neck, front office agreed.

 

At that point, they probably all felt whipped by those other people, hated the whole deal and only wanted to wash their hands of it.

 

Linda&Vern arrived and no one wanted to step forward into another quagmire about this 'confiscated' cabin.

 

It is indefensible but I'd think it could be close to what happened.

They are now ashamed and embarrassed and unwilling to admit how poorly they handled the situation.

 

[sail7seas]

We had problems on the Amsterdam and went to see Krystal Mensink and she gave us a choice of 3 cabins for a move - and provided help for the move - problem solved. the front desk did nothing for us so now we take any problems right to the hotel manager or the customer relations person. Krystal and Henk have been very good and we are always glad when they are onboard.

 

We would be furious if they ignored our booking and dumped us into another cabin and didn't provide the things ordered. We started cruising with HAL in

2002 and notice a huge difference in quality of service and treatment of

passengers since then.

 

I started sailing HAL in about 1991 .... LONG before "Signature of Excellence". ;) :D

 

[Wakepatrol]

Geez- What a way to start. I certainly hope things smooth out and you have the best cruise ever:)

[PathfinderEss]

We are still missing some luggage, but found O2 machine, refrig, distilled water and shore tkts. Thankful for the terrific Room Stewards. Mail is addressed to original room - not new room.

 

HOWEVER - after getting mostly settled - some guy calls and says "you can move now if you want." I think not. No one talks to each other here.

 

To be clear - we are in the same type of room we booked, but other side of ship. I offered full price for Neptune Suite, just to get Neptune Lounge staff to help - but Front Desk laughed. We have now been on ship over 5 hrs. and are exhausted. The frustration is that no one will own up to the problems - we are left looking like WE made a mistake. :(

 

DH will wear shorts in the Dining Room for dinner tonight if the rest of luggage is lost. Oh please, don't give him a hard time!

 

I am thankful to hear things are settleing down a bit and they have found all your room request. Hopefully by tomorrow this all will be behind you and you can start enjoying your cruise. I will say this though, when you get home you should be writing a letter to the President of Hal and explain everything that happen to you in detail.

[sail7seas]

I am thankful to hear things are settleing down a bit and they have found all your room request. Hopefully by tomorrow this all will be behind you and you can start enjoying your cruise. I will say this though, when you get home you should be writing a letter to the President of Hal and explain everything that happen to you in detail.

 

Isn't the new HAL President currently on Nieuw Amsterdam? ;)

 

Who wants to guess his luggage wasn't lost? :D

[LMaxwell]

This is some Motel 6 type shenanigans. I'm going to venture a wild guess and say the Hotel Director has not given the OP time of day yet.

[SilvertoGold]

I would like to know how long before the end of the Pacific Rim cruise did the pax decide they would stay on for the next cruise.

 

I doubt it was the day before San Diego. Certainly the ship must have had some warning and plenty of time to get things settled.

 

We were reassigned on a guarentee the night before a cruise (about 6 pn) and the ship did not have everything changed over to the new cabin when we boarded the next day at noon. Gracious apologies and everything was taken care of by dinner time.

[Lizzie68]

This is absolutely dreadful and inexcusable behaviour on the part of HAL and the front office and Hotel staff.

 

Just speculating here but I am wondering if the previous occupant of the cabin was the dog.... and the cabin is not available due to requiring a major deep-clean and de-flea. I guess it is possible. I cannot imagine anyone deciding at the last minute to cruise on and refusing to move - and being allowed to dig their heels in.

[frankc98376]

I am thankful to hear things are settleing down a bit and they have found all your room request. Hopefully by tomorrow this all will be behind you and you can start enjoying your cruise. I will say this though, when you get home you should be writing a letter to the President of Hal and explain everything that happen to you in detail.

 

Hopefully you will see a generous OBC for what you went through.

 

Sadly if you write to Seattle you will likely get a very polite "form letter" from Christine Ferris generously offering you a free Pinnacle dinner on your next cruise. If you press the issue you will probably be offered an upgrade in the same type of cabin you book on your next cruise.

 

If you make enough "noise" you may be offered a $200-$400 cruise credit on a future cruise.

 

I know this from painful experience (some may remember our painful experience in 2013. For having normally such fantastic on board crews HAL customer service falls sadly behind. Arrogant and uncaring was the general impression I got. I have friends that called Applebees recently about a bad dinner and got better service and resolution (a Senior VP at their HQ called them).

[Essiesmom]

Doesn't HAL have a Facebook presence? I'm not on Facebook, but I would think this might get wider exposure if it was presented there...EM

[Cruzin Terri]

What a mess! Did the whole crew change after the Grand Pacific and Far East Voyage?

I think Mr. Ashford and company are on the wrong ship!!!!

Terri

[PathfinderEss]

Isn't the new HAL President currently on Nieuw Amsterdam? ;)

 

Who wants to guess his luggage wasn't lost? :D

 

Yes I believe your right Sails and I'm positive his luggage did not get lost.

 

Hopefully you will see a generous OBC for what you went through.

 

Sadly if you write to Seattle you will likely get a very polite "form letter" from Christine Ferris generously offering you a free Pinnacle dinner on your next cruise. If you press the issue you will probably be offered an upgrade in the same type of cabin you book on your next cruise.

 

If you make enough "noise" you may be offered a $200-$400 cruise credit on a future cruise.

 

I know this from painful experience (some may remember our painful experience in 2013. For having normally such fantastic on board crews HAL customer service falls sadly behind. Arrogant and uncaring was the general impression I got. I have friends that called Applebees recently about a bad dinner and got better service and resolution (a Senior VP at their HQ called them).

 

I'm sure they will do well writing to the President. Only twice have we felt we need to do that in 20 years of cruising with Hal and both time we were compensated nicely for all that we went thru.

Not that it makes up for all they have gone thru, it doesn't but their story need to be told to the New President, as was stated by Sails this is not the 'signature of excellent' treatment they advertise.

Edited December 9, 2014 by PathfinderEss

[Tante Amalie]

You have been treated poorly and deserve some form of compensation. I think you'll get it, but you may have to be proactive. Having problems on the first day is tough, as most people are tired from traveling and just want to settle in and relax. I'm sorry this happened to you.

 

I just got off the Amsterdam today and it's possible there is some sort of post-Grand Asia malaise occurring. However, I found the staff to be among the friendliest and most helpful we've ever had.

 

You should definitely go see Henk (Hotel Manager) or Krystal (Guest Relations). They are both very reasonable people and I bet they will take care of you. I heard that the ship is full for the next cruise, so they may have limited options for offering cabins. You really should get upgraded to a higher category. Good Luck.

[KAKcruiser]

Someone on another post said that the dog was staying in cabin 3431. Could that have been your cabin?

[icat2000]

 

You should definitely go see Henk (Hotel Manager) or Krystal (Guest Relations). They are both very reasonable people and I bet they will take care of you. I heard that the ship is full for the next cruise, so they may have limited options for offering cabins. You really should get upgraded to a higher category. Good Luck.

It would appear on the dog saga thread that Krystal is not very professional at all.

[Jade13]

Boarded the Amsterdam to find someone else living in our booked cabin. Oh – front desk says we moved you from Port to Starboard. Person in your room has been there for 70 days and is staying on. Well good for them. But I did pay for THIS cruise and that cabin. Finally said ok – went to new cabin. Everything I ordered is missing. Rental oxygen machine rejected by occupant of MY cabin. Oh goodie. DH out looking for it. No refrig for meds. No distilled water. No luggage. No help. 4 trips to front office. Lots of smiles – again no one seems to care.

 

All talk is of the Grand Trip. No talk of this new 14 day trip. Not even a Mariner’s Luncheon. The staff acts like they never heard of one. Seems this is the end of a voyage – not a new exciting one for us!

 

HAL – what have you done to us?

 

Unbelievable! Now that is a real issue that warrants a meeting with the Hotel Director and a letter to headquarters.

[1of4]

Isn't it in the cruise contract that you can not occupy you cabin after the cruise you paid for? It is denying the request to pay for and move that has really made me question HAL and its seemingly lack of concern for their customers comfort and health.

 

Has the cruise line resorted to "you pay your money and take your chances type of vacation experience that I would expect from our local Fairs??

[bcd2010]

Someone on another post said that the dog was staying in cabin 3431. Could that have been your cabin?

According to the HAL web site deck plans, 3431 is an aft cabin in the middle of the back of the LP deck - so probably not the cabin OP booked since they talk about being moved to the other side.

[Boytjie]

Just speculating here but I am wondering if the previous occupant of the cabin was the dog.... and the cabin is not available due to requiring a major deep-clean and de-flea.

 

 

WILD speculation...