What is a reasonable timeframe to expect a response from HAL's president?

[iancal]

Agree completely. I would not expect any response other than a thank you for your letter, our goal is to be excellent, sorry, we will try harder ..yata yata yata.

 

The usual bumph. Computer generated letter and signature. Plus an impressive sounding title under the name to make the customer feel that their complaint was reviewed by someone they perceive as senior vs a clerk who simply logs the letter and ticks of the boxes that determine what appropriate sentences are included in the computer generated response.

 

Takes a minimum amount of time then on to the next letter/response.

[POA1]

Spend $6 and send a physical letter certified with return receipt requested. It greatly increases the speed of the response in almost every case.

[iancal]

Why do that in order to get a computer generated response to a very minor issue?

 

The President will never see the letter. Nor will any senior people. It will get sorted out by the clerical staff and responded to in a way that they deem appropriate.

 

Hopefully the President and those on mahogany row have better things to do that read and respond to complaints about a bus tour. If they do this might explain some of the challenges facing HAL.

[Seas2mountains]

The President will likely only get personally involved if a person dies or is seriously injured and a lawsuit is involved. Do you honestly believe they would have time read letters about a contracted bus that was late and got lost? The person responsible at the port may look into it but nobody is going to do much about a late bus.

 

Think of the number of passengers who cruise each week. Not everything goes perfectly. Keep that in mind the next time you travel as that's why you plan for traffic delays, miscommunication at ports between the cruise line and their travel vendors like bus companies and people new on the job due to a shortage of workers for those jobs. Years from now and with more travel experience, you'll look back and laugh at yourself for not only writing a letter but posting about it for a late bus.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[sail7seas]

The first "explanation" is that we were waiting for a "special bus". When the natives got restless around the 1 1/2 hour mark they said it was "on the way from the holding area", which was repeated for the next 1 1/2 hours.

 

 

Was there no way to grab a taxi and go on your way/ You could have written letters when you ggot back (saME as you did anyway) to request refund of the tarnsfer fee you paid HAL. TTHAT IS ALL THAT CAN BE DONE FOR YOU At this point, anyway.... money..

 

 

 

thanks for answering my question..

[avian777]

T... Years from now and with more travel experience, you'll look back and laugh at yourself for not only writing a letter but posting about it for a late bus.

 

Sad to say, I think this is wishful thinking on your part, especially given the somewhat shrill (IMO) tone of OP's Posts.

[kazu]

No I did not ask for and do not expect compensation. What I expect is an acknowledgement that this was egregious and an explanation as to why it happened. I don't think that is unreasonable. I'm not sure why you feel such cynicism- I/we do not complain often about anything.

 

I totally agree with you.

 

I fear they will say that Shore Excursions are contracted and out of their control - I hope not.

 

I hope you will come back and post what the response is.

[sail7seas]

Let's gues.s......... "So sad, so sorry. " :sigh ?

[VennDiagram]

... HAL seriously dropped the ball on the transfer from Vancouver to Seattle.

...

 

Was there no way to grab a taxi and go on your way/....

 

You probably missed the "Vancouver to Seattle" part of the original post, so I bolded it in the quote above.

 

 

OP, it looks like you got an answer, to some degree, about when to expect a response. I too would want an explanation. I hope you get one. IME though, sometimes all HAL offers is a shoulder-shrug, wrapped in words about how they value your comments and your business.

[oaktreerb]

If you pay in advance for a service you expect to receive that service. After our experience in the transfer line we were wishing we had done early disembark (dealing with our own luggage) and hailing a taxi.

 

HAL sales reps promote their transfers to the point of charging you for the transfer when you book your cruise. When I priced a cruise out of my home port I had to remind the service rep that I did not need to pay for a transfer.

[Dancing Shoes]

I would wait about 3-4 weeks. I will say, "Going to the top" regarding a late transfer bus is a bit much. If they compensated you something, just be grateful for that.

[Stratheden]

Sad to say, I think this is wishful thinking on your part, especially given the somewhat shrill (IMO) tone of OP's Posts.

 

What was 'shrill' about the OP's posting. :rolleyes: I thought it was to the point and well said. It certainly wasn't nasty like some of the unnecessary replies have been.

Emailing guest relations would be as good as putting a note in a bottle and throwing it overboard. I would always write to the President - hopefully he is intelligent enough to have delegated 'response to complaints emails' to someone with a bit of nouse and the authority to deal with them in the appropriate manner.

[avian777]

What was 'shrill' about the OP's posting. :rolleyes: I thought it was to the point and well said. It certainly wasn't nasty like some of the unnecessary replies have been...

 

IMO the tone of OP's Posts were "somewhat shrill". Likewise, IMO Posts that are not "nasty" can nonetheless be "somewhat shrill".