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Insanity of Onboard Account Check-In Page

rj42

By rj42,
in Holland America Line

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rj42

rj42

Posted
Posted

So I've been having faint signs of hope that HAL might actually have a user-friendly check-in process online. They used to send you to a check-in page without automatically filling in your cruise code, so I'd have to go back into a separate page to look that up. Now I just have to input my name, because that's still too complex for HAL to do.

 

It actually works now, until the onboard account page. Then I get 'you have 15 minutes to complete this page'. Then in the cards section where every other website in creation offers to store a saved credit card, HAL makes you input a new card every time. Fortunately, every other website in creation allows me to autofill my credit card info on my Chrome browser. So I do that, try to save, and get 'your session has expired'...20 seconds after starting. Then I sigh, mumble an expletive, make sure my ad-blocker is turned off, and then laboriously input every field. Click save, then '403 Access Forbidden'. 

 

Every other cruise website in creation allows me to search by number of passengers, so they might attract solo passengers and families. Every other cruise website in creation tries to get you to a booking page as quickly and easily as possible, whereas HAL leads you an on interactive map of your itinerary, and even when I manage to actually get to a booking page, I've found no way to change cabin types--every other cruise website in creation lists all the different cabin prices and encourages you to upgrade. 

 

Every other cruise website in creation tries to make loyal cruisers like an honored and valued guest. When I try to look up the basic information in My Account, such as details, bookings, and Mariner status, I always get "Your request cannot be processed. Please try again later", or "You must answer different questions and your answers cannot be the same across questions". 

 

I can only conclude that as part of their endless cost-cutting measures, HAL has outsourced its website management to the Indonesian MDR mint/dinner-gong guys in the usher suits as something to do in their non-dinner time. 

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Aquahound

Aquahound

Posted
Posted

I've been reading of the website horrors for months on this board but finally got to experience it myself in the past couple weeks with a last minute cruise I booked.  I encountered those same issues.  Now that my online check-in is done, when I go in to look at my booking, all the links and photos on their page are stretched and distorted.  It doesn't look very professional.

 

Just trying to figure out what room I was assigned was a bit of a hassle.  

 

I don't get it.  How can such a large company have such a user unfriendly website?

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iflyrc5

iflyrc5

Posted
Posted

Just logged into my account using Chrome on my PC and no issues at all.   There are some things that are not very friendly and yes doing the registration can take some time - they keep asking for passport/emergency contact/ etc..  can't they just keep this in the system and just ask me to confirm and change if needed.  Leaving 2 weeks from today for 46 days on the Rotterdam.

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3rdGenCunarder "Live from...." Rare

3rdGenCunarder

Posted
Posted

I can usually get through the whole voyage personalizer process easily until it comes to the credit card. I click save or next or whatever it is and it goes back to the page with all the blanks empty. Only the credit card page. HAL, don't you want my money???

 

OP, you said that there's no way to choose a cabin. There is, but it's hard to figure out. You have to find the small print to click on "change my cabin" or something like that. Then, for some reason the next page asks you to choose if you want them to select your cabin or if you want to select it. Hello, I just clicked "change my cabin," yes I want to choose! Then you get to where you can see HAL's default assignment and make changes. The process to make the change is cumbersome until you learn how to use the side choice boxes, and remember to always click "next." 

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cormike1

cormike1

Posted
Posted

I am fine going through all the pages of checking in.  It could also be a security thing where they are not allowed to keep certain information such as your credit card #.  Any time I book a cruise with HAL it is always like I am booking my first cruise with them and have to enter every bit of data all over again.  I do find the web site frustrating sometimes when trying to do a mock booking to find out differences in prices between cabin categories but that is about it.

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canadianbear

canadianbear

Posted
Posted

I just tried to fill in our flights & credit card.  Everything else went fine but those two-wouldn’t accept our flight.  When got to credit card info said I had 15 minutes to complete which I did in under 3 minutes and it said my time expired.  Absolutely ridiculous.   I’ll try in another week and if I can’t ill get my PCC to do it.  

 

HAL-get your stupid website WORKING.  So very frustrating.

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Judyrem

Judyrem

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 hours ago, rj42 said:

So I've been having faint signs of hope that HAL might actually have a user-friendly check-in process online. They used to send you to a check-in page without automatically filling in your cruise code, so I'd have to go back into a separate page to look that up. Now I just have to input my name, because that's still too complex for HAL to do.

 

It actually works now, until the onboard account page. Then I get 'you have 15 minutes to complete this page'. Then in the cards section where every other website in creation offers to store a saved credit card, HAL makes you input a new card every time. Fortunately, every other website in creation allows me to autofill my credit card info on my Chrome browser. So I do that, try to save, and get 'your session has expired'...20 seconds after starting. Then I sigh, mumble an expletive, make sure my ad-blocker is turned off, and then laboriously input every field. Click save, then '403 Access Forbidden'. 

 

Every other cruise website in creation allows me to search by number of passengers, so they might attract solo passengers and families. Every other cruise website in creation tries to get you to a booking page as quickly and easily as possible, whereas HAL leads you an on interactive map of your itinerary, and even when I manage to actually get to a booking page, I've found no way to change cabin types--every other cruise website in creation lists all the different cabin prices and encourages you to upgrade. 

 

Every other cruise website in creation tries to make loyal cruisers like an honored and valued guest. When I try to look up the basic information in My Account, such as details, bookings, and Mariner status, I always get "Your request cannot be processed. Please try again later", or "You must answer different questions and your answers cannot be the same across questions". 

 

I can only conclude that as part of their endless cost-cutting measures, HAL has outsourced its website management to the Indonesian MDR mint/dinner-gong guys in the usher suits as something to do in their non-dinner time. 

I tried to check in on line the other day and it was as convoluted as you said, and as I got to the point of actually inputting my CC information in, it rejected every one of my CCs and I had to call them.  All my cards are FINE!  I told the rep that I have never encountered such a ridiculous web site and they need to simplify it ASAP!

Edited by Judyrem
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sevenseasnomad

sevenseasnomad

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, MikeD4134 said:

12 cruises and counting, never had a problem with the website.  It saves all my info except the credit card, which is fine with me, one less place for a hacker to steal my info.

 

1 hour ago, Wayfairers said:

Haven’t had issues in the past, hoping whatever is going on gets resolved before I do online checkin for next year’s cruises.

Same here.  No issues.  I don't want my credit information saved for security reasons.  We check in in less than three months, so I hope if there is a problem, it's resolved.  Sorry other people are having problems.  It is frustrating when technology doesn't work as efficiently as it should.

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dfish

dfish

Posted
Posted

Usually I have no problem and no, I don't want my CC information saved by HAL, but it won't let me put it in.  I am having the same problem as OP.   It says I have 15 minutes to input the information and as soon as I do, it tells me that I have to start over because my time expired.  

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canadianbear

canadianbear

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, MikeD4134 said:

12 cruises and counting, never had a problem with the website.  It saves all my info except the credit card, which is fine with me, one less place for a hacker to steal my info.

Never had an issue either in all our cruises until today.  It’s pathetic and I filled in their “feedback” telling them what is happening.  Everyone that is having issues should do their feedback as well.  

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caribill

caribill

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, MikeD4134 said:

 It saves all my info except the credit card, which is fine with me, one less place for a hacker to steal my info.

 

8 hours ago, dfish said:

I don't want my CC information saved by HAL

 

Guess what? 

 

HAL is saving your credit card information once you enter it. They have to since that is the card they will use for ship charges.

 

They just don't populate the check-in screens with that info, But yes, they do save it.

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Cruising Is Bliss

Cruising Is Bliss

Posted
Posted (edited)

I just ticked we would be using cash and we gave them our credit cards when we checked-in. No problems doing that, if you ticked cash just hand them your credit cards at the pier and they take care of it right there.

 

HAL's entire customer facing computer operation is a dumpster fire. For at least a week in July the disability accommodation form could only be submitted using Chrome. According to the customer service rep I talked to, it was due to inadvertent problems with a software "update" that they hoped to (and eventually did) fix.  I told him HAL's entire combined web design and IT depts seem to consist of five monkeys in a single trench coat and he said he wouldn't disagree with that.

Edited by Cruising Is Bliss
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Sue from Canada

Sue from Canada

Posted
Posted
On 9/16/2019 at 5:17 PM, canadianbear said:

I just tried to fill in our flights & credit card.  Everything else went fine but those two-wouldn’t accept our flight.  When got to credit card info said I had 15 minutes to complete which I did in under 3 minutes and it said my time expired.  Absolutely ridiculous.   I’ll try in another week and if I can’t ill get my PCC to do it.  

 

HAL-get your stupid website WORKING.  So very frustrating.

When I went to enter my credit card info every thing went fine until I have to put my card number in.  The field won't let me.  Zip, nada, rien.  So, I went back up on the screen and ticked off "I'll pay my account in cash."  Once I get on board I'll have to go to the Front Office and switch that over to my credit card.  Grrrrrr.

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dfish

dfish

Posted
Posted

The first time I tried the cash option it wouldn't even let me do that.  I had to go out, come back in and try again.  I was able to do the cash option then.   I'll straighten it out at the pier.  Now, I just hope it will let me enter my sister's passport information.  It keeps mine on file, but not hers.

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Judyrem

Judyrem

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, Cruising Is Bliss said:

I just ticked we would be using cash and we gave them our credit cards when we checked-in. No problems doing that, if you ticked cash just hand them your credit cards at the pier and they take care of it right there.

 

HAL's entire customer facing computer operation is a dumpster fire. For at least a week in July the disability accommodation form could only be submitted using Chrome. According to the customer service rep I talked to, it was due to inadvertent problems with a software "update" that they hoped to (and eventually did) fix.  I told him HAL's entire combined web design and IT depts seem to consist of five monkeys in a single trench coat and he said he wouldn't disagree with that.

'Five monkeys in a single trench coat"  ROTFLMAO😁

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