Anyone have any luck getting through to big box TA?

[Kfrech]

At least the message now says your wait will be longer than 1 hour....instead of less than 1 hour like yesterday.

[lgsshedden]

38 minutes wait time today

called first thing

they were very helpful

could not transfer our booking to a future cruise directly as the taxes are so different so we are getting a refund less our initial non-refundable deposit that HAL will now hold as a FCC

so, persist: its busy but everyone seemed very helpful especially considering the volume of calls they are handling

[StLouisCruisers]

We spent two days trying to get through on 2 different cell phones.  After three hours on hold they would drop your call due to "technical issues".  Finally yesterday at 2 hours and 59 minutes on hold, one of our phones was next in line and an agent came on!  Hurray!  We needed to refare under the Pack These Values promo (to gain gratuities), and then make final payment.  We are unable to make final payments on the Big Box TA website.  Hasn't worked for a year for us.  Anyway, after quite a bit of time having the agent go back and forth with HAL with all the particulars, final payment was made and we were finished.  DH figured out we'd spent 17 hours total on hold with two phones to get to that place.  

[Kfrech]

Good to know. I’m on hold now with both my landline and my cell phone. When I called through my cell phone, I was actually given the option of receiving a call back in 1 hr and 20 minutes. We’ll see which one picks up first!

[Kfrech]

I’m just looking to cancel at this point, so it should be fairly easy. I’m 97 days out. 
 

For us, the virus isn’t scary. We are both in good health. It’s the possibility of being quarantined. 
 

We’ll revisit cruising when all this blows over. 

[bEwAbG]

No wonder the phone systems are overwhelmed, if everyone is using multiple lines.

 

If you're still outside the final payment window and not sailing in the next few weeks, I'd either wait until closer to when you have to cancel or call on a weekday instead of a weekend.

[CRUZBUDS]

We are trying to cancel the Oosterdam for next Saturday, so we were stressed about getting through.  Yesterday we had two 3 hour stints ending with the technical issues hang up  Then we got the we'll call you back recording - estimate 154 minutes - of course there was no call back.

 

This morning we were on the line at the crack of 6:00 AM and were told the wait was less than 2 minutes -- 2:45 someone  picked up and is helping us as I write this.  She said they had 720 lines on hold.   I really believed their system was down or they were not answering.  I was shocked that they picked up -- and very relieved.  

 

We're good now - and so sorry for the situation 

 

 

 

[Kfrech]

Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury on being on hold for extended periods of time during the work week. I'm a teacher and can't imagine my third graders sitting patiently and waiting for me!

 

Our full refund date is the 14th of March, so we still have some time. However, with how long this is taking for everyone involved, I want to get this resolved sooner rather than later.

 

What I don't understand is why the Big Box TA doesn't give HAL passengers the same option they have for RC, Princess and Celebrity who are sailing before 5/31 who wish to cancel. Those passengers send an email and receive a link with additional instructions. It certainly would free up a lot of agents.

 

I agree--it's a terrible situation for all.

[CRUZBUDS]

HAL was later to offer the revised cancellation policy -- I think it was Friday afternoon.  We got our notification from HAL after 5:00 PM Friday.  We are guessing that HAL would be added to the automated cancellation system soon. 

 

The agent that helped us said they are working 10 hour days - unusual for them - they don't get much OT.   

 

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by CRUZBUDS
addition

[Mtn2Sea]

Last week I called to make a payment for a cruise next year.  The message indicated the wait was 60 minutes.  I hung up since I had other things to do.  The next day I called again and received the message that the wait was 68 minutes, but this time I was given the option to receive a call back.  I chose that option, but when they stated the number they would call back, it was all wrong.  The option to use a different number was offered, so I chose that.  Right as I was finishing inputting my number, I heard someone say hello.  I didn’t realize how lucky I was to get through to an agent until I read this thread!

[Cruzin with BQ & CQ]

2 hours ago, Kfrech said:

 

 

 

Quote

 

 

What I don't understand is why the Big Box TA doesn't give HAL passengers the same option they have for RC, Princess and Celebrity who are sailing before 5/31 who wish to cancel. Those passengers send an email and receive a link with additional instructions. It certainly would free up a lot of agents.

 

I agree--it's a terrible situation for all.

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by Cruzin with BQ & CQ

[Kfrech]

3 hours later and we are cancelled with all money being refunded since we were more than 90 days out. 
 

Very easy phone call since we weren’t rebooking anything. I was on the phone with the agent for less than a minute and received email confirmation of our cancellation. 

[Cruzin with BQ & CQ]

I noticed that as well. My guess is that the link that is provided goes directly to the specific cruise line for the purpose of cancelling. I’m guessing HAL doesn’t have the technological where with all to handle that.

 

I finally got through yesterday after a 4 hour wait, but was able to cancel.

[JR42]

On 3/8/2020 at 2:23 PM, Cruzin with BQ & CQ said:

I noticed that as well. My guess is that the link that is provided goes directly to the specific cruise line for the purpose of cancelling. I’m guessing HAL doesn’t have the technological where with all to handle that.

 

I finally got through yesterday after a 4 hour wait, but was able to cancel.

Lucky you

I have been trying to cancel since Friday. Can’t get through  called again this morning at exactly 9:00 et said 2 min wait(sure) 1 hour 45min later was disconnected Called back not receiving any calls

At least I have some time yet cruise is not till 3/27.

 

Janet

[TiogaCruiser]

Just called the Big Box and the wait is over 3 hours. (This is the one with the Kirkland house brand.)

 

The voice mail is  instructing to send an email with your name to: cruisecancel at (store name) dot com

 

Fill in “(storename) with the name of the BigBox!)

 

They will send you a link with instructions and are processing in order of sail date.

 

 

Edited March 13, 2020 by TiogaCruiser

[zeen978]

We have done this also. There is a link right from the website so you may not need to email them first. My concern is that there is no dated confirmation on when it was sent. We have until Monday to cancel before entering a penalty phase.  Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but I would really like something dated in hand and not hear down the road that they never got it. I will give it another day and then try to call again. Three hour wait time seems to be what I keep running into also.

[zeen978]

I just wanted to do a follow up on this..I submitted the cancellation request at around 7pm last night and just got the cancellation at 12:30pm today.  They were very prompt so my apprehension was unwarranted.  

[TiogaCruiser]

Great 

I sent mine in right before posting this morning 

 

[TiogaCruiser]

I decided to try the link you refer to and in filling out the form the final part is your agreement to a FCC. As this is not what I want (I want to exercise my HAL Platinum and try to recoup the 10% from my credit card) I bailed out. Now hoping my initial email that did not specify to exercise Platinum isn't acted upon without getting back to me. I sent a second email and really don't expect it will catch up to the initial email. 😞

 

[TiogaCruiser]

Correcting above email to cancel. It is 

cruisecancel at costcotravel dot com

 

 

This leads to an automatic link to the form on the website as Zeen said above. There is no place to invoke use of the CFAR insurance, only take the FCC. 

Edited March 13, 2020 by TiogaCruiser

[Btimmer]

I followed the process of sending the email in on Sunday and Thursday I received the cancellation confirmation.  However, the confirmation document says I have to rebook by March 31, 2020 not the December 31, 2020 date that Orland Ashford's letter to me says.  I'll wait a few more days to try calling in to get this rectified.  

 

While I'm a big fan of this agent and I get it that we're in unprecedented waters, I find it unacceptable that in this modern age, that simple requests or questions can't be handled by an email or even a fax instead of waiting on hold for multiple hours.  The cancellation request was a terrific example of a good way to handle the basic cancellation issue.

[AncientWanderer]

11 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

I followed the process of sending the email in on Sunday and Thursday I received the cancellation confirmation.  However, the confirmation document says I have to rebook by March 31, 2020 not the December 31, 2020 date that Orland Ashford's letter to me says.  I'll wait a few more days to try calling in to get this rectified.  

 

While I'm a big fan of this agent and I get it that we're in unprecedented waters, I find it unacceptable that in this modern age, that simple requests or questions can't be handled by an email or even a fax instead of waiting on hold for multiple hours.  The cancellation request was a terrific example of a good way to handle the basic cancellation issue.

 

I've had some other travel things to unravel -- hotels, airfare -- and have also been surprised that the instruction is still to call.  I wonder if they just hope people will give up rather than wait forever on the phone.  

We're probably all making a mental note of those companies who have been easy to deal with in a crisis.

[TiogaCruiser]

Actually I did get through in about 25 minutes wait and was efficiently helped to cancel. The Agent was thorough and was a bit surprised about HAL's platinum return being so good. It makes sense that one has to call if one wants to use the CFAR- there is far too much difference in the different line's plans and too likely the customer may not understand why they don't get the total fare back. 

 

Despite how often HAL's Platinum is bashed on this forum (not as much recently as in the past), for some situations it is a very good fit. The cost of the plan was well worth the return and peace of mind for me. In addition, I had not yet bought my supplemental evacuation plan, so all the better.

 

If HAL decides to plow ahead and sail regardless, I'm not going on that portless or port-poor journey. 🙂