Frustrating week with HAL and HAL.com

[booboo29]

Wow! I, like many of you, have been experiencing frustrations over the past week or so with HAL's website. I was booking a cruise online last week and got to the payment page and was kicked off. I could not then get back on the site.

 

I called the 800 number and finally got a person who was happy to take my reservation. The cabin and catagory I had tried to book online were no longer available. I settled for something else that he assured me I would love.

 

I thought more about it and called the 800# back on Friday to switch cabins because I was unhappy with the location of the cabin. I got through to a person and was informed that I had booked my cruise with one of HAL's "Personal Cruise Consultant" and I could only speak with him. I was not aware of this when I did it. I just called the number and made a reservation like I have done 6 or 7 other times with no problem. They connected me to the consultant and his voice mail totally threw me. It said, "I am very busy this week and if you are calling to book a new cruise leave me a message otherwise, because of my heavy workload, call back and speak to my co-worker." I could not belive this.

 

I called back and left the co-worker a message. I called back again this AM after successfully getting online and seeing that the cabin I wanted was still available and got the co-worker. She said, "Ohhh, I remember you left me a message, but I can not help you. You must speak to your "Cruise Consultant." She was able to connect me to him, and he informed me that although I was able to get onto the HAL site, it is not working properly and it is showing things that are not available and "no one should trust the website."

 

I understand that the HAL website thing is a problem right now, but I hate the fact that I am now committed to this "Cruise Consultant." Especially since he has made it VERY clear that he is interested in booking new business only.

 

There.....I feel better now. I am still looking very much forward to my vacation in 60 some days, but I think people should be pretty careful using the HAL site. It really sounds like a mess.

 

Jennifer

[peaches from georgia]

I would be a very unhappy camper, Jennifer. I think you should be able to transfer your entire booking to an outside TA and then that person could handle a change of cabin for you. I know you can do this if you book another cruise through HAL when you are on a ship.

 

You really don't want to be dealing with message machines and be unable to get ahold of the HAL person handling your booking in a reasonable amount of time. HAL really needs to get their act together on the website and on the phone!

[BCEagle78]

If you have the booking number, I believe that you can ask a local travel agent to have the booking transferred so that you can manage the reservation through the local TA.

 

I know when we booked a cruise directly with HAL, we were able to transfer the booking and it worked out fine.

 

Not sure if it will work out with you but I might consider at least trying this approach.

[djallar]

Two weeks & I'm still waiting for my "Personal Cruise Consultant" to return my email. Meanwhile, I used a TA to book my next cruise.

 

That "View & Verandah" sale must really be going well...

[FlorenceItaly]

I don't think she can transfer to a TA since she has made final payment...is that correct? According to her time clock she cruises in 65 days.

 

Marie

[booboo29]

Thanks all for responding. I think I will handle things differently in the future. I did pay the whole thing when I booked it as we are only 65 days out.

 

As I said in the beginning, I always call and book for myself and I feel like this "Personal Cruise Consultant" pulled a fast one. I wish I would have known that I would need work with him exclusively and not be able to call the regular 800# with questions.

 

I didn't receive a copy of my confirmation on my email, as promised, so I am excited to have to try to catch him again tomorrow.

 

YIPEE!!!:rolleyes:

 

Jennifer

[jhannah]

I hope all turns out well for you. My suggestion is that you write a letter to HAL letting them know of this experience. It is the worst example of customer service I've seen in a long while.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad you were able to post everything here and get it off your chest.

 

Do write HAL a nice letter informing them of all that has happened to you over the last couple of weeks. Hope you get track of dates, names, etc.

[booboo29]

Hello again,

 

I did keep track of names, dates, etc and I did write a letter to HAL. Nothing too over the top. I just wanted them to be aware of the situation and how the program is not working.

 

Thanks again for you good ideas!

 

Jennifer

[HeatherInFlorida]

Jennifer, I think you are being extremely patient about this. I would be absolutely furious and by now would have placed at least a dozen calls. It's almost certain that when you called the first time in frustration with the HAL website, the cabin you wanted was definitely available. The reason it didn't show as available was because you had essentially booked it even though you couldn't get past the next page. I know this because something similar happened to me.

 

The HAL rep should have told you that and you could have called the next day or so and booked it. But the rest of this nonsense about speaking with a specific "cruise consultant" is unbelievable. What possible reason would you book directly with the cruiseline at their inflated prices if you can only speak with one individual who only wants new bookings??

 

Definitely transfer this booking to a TA. Find one you like (and you'll probably find a better price than the HAL site) and transfer it. In the meantime, I would do exactly what you're doing in trying to follow through with HAL.

[booboo29]

Thanks Heather,

 

It is funny that you mention that about the cabin being still available. I wondered that too. Because I had made it so far in the booking process, I automatically assumed that it was probably "stuck" somewhere in the computer system along with the rest of my reservation.

 

I think, all told, it has been about 15 phone calls by now and I still need my confirmation.

 

UGH!:eek:

 

Jennifer

[KAKcruiser]

I had been booking my cruises with the general reservations staff at HAL for years when these personal cruise consultants came on the scene. I had exactly the same thing happen to me. I had booked a cruise and when I called back to make a change I was told that since I had booked through a personal cruise consultant, I had to make any changes through him. I said, "WHAT?" After not being able to get through to him, I called back general reservations and insisted that I had not requested any personal cruise consultant and they agreed to make the change. Now whenever I call HAL to make a reservation I ask if I am speaking to a personal cruise consultant. If they say yes, I hang up. The regular telephone staff works out fine and I don't want to be dependent on dealing with one individual.

[HeatherInFlorida]

I'm really grateful for this thread because this is something I did not know and it's so great to be warned. If HAL ever goes the way of Celebrity and the pricing is basically the same throughout, I would be tempted to book directly.

 

I will be positive that I'm not booking with a Personal Cruise Consultant. Yikes:eek: !

 

Thanks for posting, Jennifer.