Official: Oosterdam has been re-deployed April-Nov. 2017

[tgeonetta]

I certainly would but HAL won't talk to me - everything was booked onboard but since then given to our usual travel agency - as neither really seem to earn their commission I have already regretted that second part! I have contacted guest relations in Seattle myself by e-mail and will call the travel agency again - but I'm getting rather fed up with the hassle - will look at other cruise lines now for the birthday present I'm planning to give away :cool: . The main problem is that we'll have to switch from a 7-day-cruise to either 12 or 15 days. And as the prices are inflated right now because of Explore4 I'm not willing to pay in full for a cruise that has several ports in their itinerary we have already visited several times or are apt to change to whatever ( Koningsdam=Istanbul!!!). So I might be better off with waiting until that promotion expires to get a really fair rate again or look elsewhere.

But be it as it is - congratulations to you and the good deal they gave you!! :)

 

Same here, I got fed up and just booked with RCL, they have a decent Labor Day sale going on now.

[RocketMan275]

And as the prices are inflated right now because of Explore4 I'm not willing to pay in full for a cruise that has several ports in their itinerary we have already visited several times or are apt to change to whatever ( Koningsdam=Istanbul!!!). So I might be better off with waiting until that promotion expires to get a really fair rate again or look elsewhere.

But be it as it is - congratulations to you and the good deal they gave you!! :)

 

Little known secret. You can book a cruise with or without the $xplore four. You just have to ask for the rate without the promo. The savings vary depending upon the itinerary.

[Lady Arwen]

I certainly would but HAL won't talk to me - everything was booked onboard but since then given to our usual travel agency - as neither really seem to earn their commission I have already regretted that second part! I have contacted guest relations in Seattle myself by e-mail and will call the travel agency again - but I'm getting rather fed up with the hassle - will look at other cruise lines now for the birthday present I'm planning to give away :cool: . The main problem is that we'll have to switch from a 7-day-cruise to either 12 or 15 days. And as the prices are inflated right now because of Explore4 I'm not willing to pay in full for a cruise that has several ports in their itinerary we have already visited several times or are apt to change to whatever ( Koningsdam=Istanbul!!!). So I might be better off with waiting until that promotion expires to get a really fair rate again or look elsewhere.

But be it as it is - congratulations to you and the good deal they gave you!! :)

 

HAL is offering the same per diem rate that you paid on Oosterdam, so the online prices are not what you would pay. Your travel agent dropped the ball on this one. They should have called HAL immediately...told them the cruise you wanted to substitute and made sure the price was not the current price. Many people received upgraded cruises at the same price, received additional OBC and kept any perks or promos that they had with the original booking on Oosterdam. HAL provided a special phone number......not the general reservation line, they cannot do it for you......who know how to rebook these cruises and give you the very best deal possible. It's not too late to have your TA call HAL and negotiate a cruise for you. Just make sure you call the Accounting Department phone number and not the reservation line.

[frankc98376]

HAL is offering the same per diem rate that you paid on Oosterdam, so the online prices are not what you would pay. Your travel agent dropped the ball on this one. They should have called HAL immediately...told them the cruise you wanted to substitute and made sure the price was not the current price. Many people received upgraded cruises at the same price, received additional OBC and kept any perks or promos that they had with the original booking on Oosterdam. HAL provided a special phone number......not the general reservation line, they cannot do it for you......who know how to rebook these cruises and give you the very best deal possible. It's not too late to have your TA call HAL and negotiate a cruise for you. Just make sure you call the Accounting Department phone number and not the reservation line.

 

Lady Arwen is 100% correct. HAL can not and will not talk to you when you move your booking to an agent. Once you transferred the booking HAL only communicates through that agency. Your agent would have been notified of the change and should have gotten back to you immediately to start negotiation with HAL (actually should have already have several options from HAL when they call)

 

Europe is getting softer for bookings with the current situation in the world and Alaska bookings are way up as people are choosing to stay closer to home. HAL has a responsibility to the stockholders to maximize returns.

 

The TA dropped the ball here- I'd be on their doorstep and not quietly. Why leave HAL because of a TA error? This is the main reason we stick with our PCC- sure we could get a little extra OBC from an agency but when something like this occurs is it worth it? Our PCC would have already setup different options before calling us.and all would have been taken care of quickly and painlessly.

 

BTW you don't have to pay the higher fare for Explore 4- you can ask them to remove the promotion and pay a reduced fare.

Edited September 5, 2016 by frankc98376

[Lady Arwen]

Lady Arwen is 100% correct. HAL can not and will not talk to you when you move your booking to an agent. Once you transferred the booking HAL only communicates through that agency. Your agent would have been notified of the change and should have gotten back to you immediately to start negotiation with HAL (actually should have already have several options from HAL when they call)

 

Europe is getting softer for bookings with the current situation in the world and Alaska bookings are way up as people are choosing to stay closer to home. HAL has a responsibility to the stockholders to maximize returns.

 

The TA dropped the ball here- I'd be on their doorstep and not quietly. Why leave HAL because of a TA error? This is the main reason we stick with our PCC- sure we could get a little extra OBC from an agency but when something like this occurs is it worth it? Our PCC would have already setup different options before calling us.and all would have been taken care of quickly and painlessly.

 

BTW you don't have to pay the higher fare for Explore 4- you can ask them to remove the promotion and pay a reduced fare.

 

Thank you for re-iterating what I've been saying for quite some time. All these bookings through TAs should have been taken care by now. A good TA would have negotiated one heck of a good deal for their clients. I, also, prefer to book with HAL directly. I always have a handle on my reservation and I don't have to rely on a TA to jump in on my behalf. The extra OBC/gifts mean nothing if they're not working for you when stuff happens!

[grayjay]

HAL is offering the same per diem rate that you paid on Oosterdam, so the online prices are not what you would pay. Your travel agent dropped the ball on this one. They should have called HAL immediately...told them the cruise you wanted to substitute and made sure the price was not the current price. Many people received upgraded cruises at the same price, received additional OBC and kept any perks or promos that they had with the original booking on Oosterdam. HAL provided a special phone number......not the general reservation line, they cannot do it for you......who know how to rebook these cruises and give you the very best deal possible. It's not too late to have your TA call HAL and negotiate a cruise for you. Just make sure you call the Accounting Department phone number and not the reservation line.

 

(bolding by me)

 

Could you please ( or someone else - Lady Arwen??) write out that special phone number for me so that I can push my travel agent in the right direction. The agency has been quite good but their service has deteriorated since they have gotten too big for personalized service.

Thank you again and if there's a solution, I'll post it!

[Lady Arwen]

Phone number for Customer Accounting Department

 

1-888-663-5384 They are closed today because of the holiday, but will re-open tomorrow.

 

I accidentally called the main reservation line on Friday because I wanted to upgrade our cabin. The agent really had no clue and she said it would be an additional $2600.00 Canadian per person to move up from oceanview gty to spa oceanview! She spoke to a supervisor when I told her this was not correct. She came back immediately and transferred my call to the right department. I was able to upgrade for $160.00 Canadian per person. So trust me, you must call the Customer Account Department!

[grayjay]

Phone number for Customer Accounting Department

 

1-888-663-5384 They are closed today because of the holiday, but will re-open tomorrow.

 

I accidentally called the main reservation line on Friday because I wanted to upgrade our cabin. The agent really had no clue and she said it would be an additional $2600.00 Canadian per person to move up from oceanview gty to spa oceanview! She spoke to a supervisor when I told her this was not correct. She came back immediately and transferred my call to the right department. I was able to upgrade for $160.00 Canadian per person. So trust me, you must call the Customer Account Department!

 

 

Thank you soooo much for such a quick answer! I have just finished writing a strongly-worded e-mail to my travel agency and hope they will now work a bit faster and more efficiently. (They don't know yet I'll fire them anyway :cool: )

If not, I'll try calling myself after Labor Day and hope for the best i.e. that they'll speak with me...

[Lady Arwen]

Thank you soooo much for such a quick answer! I have just finished writing a strongly-worded e-mail to my travel agency and hope they will now work a bit faster and more efficiently. (They don't know yet I'll fire them anyway :cool: )

If not, I'll try calling myself after Labor Day and hope for the best i.e. that they'll speak with me...

 

Good luck! Please let me know how you make out. Fingers crossed for you!

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

A situation such as this is the reason I book online or direct with HAL and keep the booking with HAL. If a problem, I am notified early and can deal direct with them. I like to manage my own booking and not have to wait for a third party to be the go between.

[tgeonetta]

HAL is offering the same per diem rate that you paid on Oosterdam, so the online prices are not what you would pay. Your travel agent dropped the ball on this one. They should have called HAL immediately...told them the cruise you wanted to substitute and made sure the price was not the current price. Many people received upgraded cruises at the same price, received additional OBC and kept any perks or promos that they had with the original booking on Oosterdam. HAL provided a special phone

number......not the general reservation line, they cannot do it for you......who know how to rebook these cruises and give you the very best deal possible. It's not too late to have your TA call HAL and negotiate a cruise for you. Just make sure you call the Accounting Department phone number and not the reservation line.

 

I had a promotion of FREE HAL provided air and explore 4, which they are not honoring on a new cruise. :mad: The rate per day was higher because of these amenities. They are only willing to transfer that higher rate to a new sailing without the additional perks.

[haleygirl]

Thanks to Lady Arwen for the Accounting department's phone number as I might have to resort to calling them too. Both HAL and my TA have not responded back to my emails. My anger is that I only booked the 7-day Spain cruise in early August 2016 so why hadn't HAL already have taken that particular cruise off the itinerary instead of allowing clients to book the cruise and then take the sailing off later in August. I would understand it if I had booked the cruise one year out. I am really disappointed, like the others, who had to find out through other means and not notified directly by HAL or our TAs that the Oosterdam would not be sailing in Europe. I need to make other arrangements but will not be able to do any planning until I know that HAL would be refunding my full deposit. Thanks for allowing me to vent.

[grayjay]

Thanks to Lady Arwen for the Accounting department's phone number as I might have to resort to calling them too. Both HAL and my TA have not responded back to my emails. My anger is that I only booked the 7-day Spain cruise in early August 2016 so why hadn't HAL already have taken that particular cruise off the itinerary instead of allowing clients to book the cruise and then take the sailing off later in August. I would understand it if I had booked the cruise one year out. I am really disappointed, like the others, who had to find out through other means and not notified directly by HAL or our TAs that the Oosterdam would not be sailing in Europe. I need to make other arrangements but will not be able to do any planning until I know that HAL would be refunding my full deposit. Thanks for allowing me to vent.

 

(bolding by me):

I booked the Oosterdam cruise about 24-48 hours before it was cancelled - and the cruise consultants onboard - I booked on our last day onboard - either didn't know or didn't say anything. I even got the e-mail confirmation by HAL's reservation department including invoice etc. via my travel agency. A few hours later the cancellation popped into my e-mail account. Weird!

[haleygirl]

Grayjay, that is totally weird that the HAL cruise consultant didn't know that the cruise you booked wasn't available. It is really bad planning and bad business that HAL does this sort of business practice. I will have to find another cruise to take my daughter for her graduation from medical school.

[Lady Arwen]

Grayjay, that is totally weird that the HAL cruise consultant didn't know that the cruise you booked wasn't available. It is really bad planning and bad business that HAL does this sort of business practice. I will have to find another cruise to take my daughter for her graduation from medical school.

 

When I called to rebook our cruise, the rep told me that they had only been notified of this change that morning. For some reason, HAL head office told no one until the very last minute. I can't blame the booking agents on this one, they were as much in the dark as we were.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

When I called to rebook our cruise, the rep told me that they had only been notified of this change that morning. For some reason, HAL head office told no one until the very last minute. I can't blame the booking agents on this one, they were as much in the dark as we were.

 

Imagine all the work that has to be done when a ship is redeployed and the effects on another ship's schedule, in this case the Amsterdam in Alaska - especially having to make sure there is space available in the ports on the new itinerary selected. I am sure this takes time and the head office does not want to make announcements to anyone until everything is in place.

[Cindy]

When I called to rebook our cruise, the rep told me that they had only been notified of this change that morning. For some reason, HAL head office told no one until the very last minute. I can't blame the booking agents on this one, they were as much in the dark as we were.

 

 

 

I'm sure they kept it very quiet…there's no way they wanted that information to leak out before they were ready to make the announcement.

 

 

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[fann1sh]

I just received an overwrought *NEWSFLASH!* from a large travel agency ballyhooing -

 

"It means that if you act fast, you can get in on one of the most spectacular LAUNCH EVENT promotions as the Oosterdam opens for the first time for its

March 31, 2017 - November 11, 2017 sailings.

 

Great rates and fabulous perks, but only for a short time until Holland America can build some base on these now empty sailings."

 

They mention the Explore4 perqs as if they're somehow unique to the redeployment, but neglect to mention the booked passengers on the previous sailings until the last line, with regard to those "empty" sailings.

 

Anyone else skeptical about big bargains for those stepping into our beleaguered fellow posters shoes?

 

 

 

 

[haleygirl]

When I called to rebook our cruise, the rep told me that they had only been notified of this change that morning. For some reason, HAL head office told no one until the very last minute. I can't blame the booking agents on this one, they were as much in the dark as we were.

 

I totally agree with you that the booking agents were unaware of the ship's changed itinerary. It's the management that kept all the changes quiet but I'm sure that the booking agents had to face the front line of angry passengers which is so unfair to them.:mad:

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I can't recall a single instance of a re-deployment from any of the major cruise lines where the front line agents knew anything in advance. It is standard procedure to sell cabins up until they are ready to announce the changes. Occasionally a stop sell will go into effect a week or so beforehand, but even when that happens until the "official" announcement is made no one really knows whats going on.

 

Re-deployments are a necessary evil of the cruise industry - whether it is a result of changing booking habits, safety concerns, emerging markets, etc. I'm not sure there is a "good" way to handle them - once a sailing goes on sale and subsequent changes have to be made someone will be displaced, inconvenienced and get upset. I think the key is how the cruise line handles the displaced passengers!

[bennybear]

Phone number for Customer Accounting Department

 

1-888-663-5384 They are closed today because of the holiday, but will re-open tomorrow.

 

I accidentally called the main reservation line on Friday because I wanted to upgrade our cabin. The agent really had no clue and she said it would be an additional $2600.00 Canadian per person to move up from oceanview gty to spa oceanview! She spoke to a supervisor when I told her this was not correct. She came back immediately and transferred my call to the right department. I was able to upgrade for $160.00 Canadian per person. So trust me, you must call the Customer Account Department!

 

Thanks too for this. Glad they have looked after you. I wish I had booked directly with HAL. Our Volendam March Asia cruise was redeployed and we were given no explanation and we have air already, We were offered some OBC, but I am still not really satisfied. I will probably write a letter. I think each situation is different depending on how much notice is given and how big the change.

[tgeonetta]

I've been working with my travel agent on a rebook from this fiasco. They tell me to stay patient and they will take care of us. Fingers crossed.

 

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[Lady Arwen]

I've been working with my travel agent on a rebook from this fiasco. They tell me to stay patient and they will take care of us. Fingers crossed.

 

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Why is it taking your travel agent so long to get things rectified? Most of us had this accomplished within hours or a day or two. They will take care of you how? Sounds like your travel agent is dragging their feet on this one. I'd insist that things get moving and you expect some action now not later!

[tgeonetta]

Not sure why it is taking this long. I was originally on a 7 day with explore 4 and air included. When they tried re booking they wouldn't honor those promotions. Not sure what the outcome will be, but I'll keep you posted.

 

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[grayjay]

Same for me - no luck so far with either the travel agency's efforts (:mad:) and what HAL offered.:(

The two alternative cruises we had chosen as possibilities are both double the price of what we paid, as HAL will only honor the per-diem-rate and both cruises are significantly longer.One of them on Westerdam is the exact price as given in the catalogue... I think we'll graciously decline and look for greener pastures elsewhere now.

Obviously it much depends on both your travel agent and the cruise nitpickers at Holland America when some people have been successful and others haven't. Today I read on a German cruise forum that someone was able to re-book at very favourable rates for a Northern Europe cruise instead of the Oosterdam which was definitely excluded in the e-mail sent by HAL. Things like that make me furious because it's unfair even if I'm happy for the customer who got the good deal. I'll try that as a last resort because I can easily find three cruises to Northern Europe I'd be willing to book at those daily rates promised...

If not, it's goodbye Holland America and Hello, Azamara or Celebrity again for a while!