How do you replace your Personal Cruise Consultant?

[baggal]

We want to book a cruise.  My husband called our HAL PCC last Monday.  There's a voice mail response from her that she's very busy and to send an email.  So I waited 2 days and sent an email.  No response.  Not even an automatic response.  Its now a full week since my husband's first call.  However, in the past she would randomly call,  especially during peak periods of COVID, inquiring if we wanted to book a cruise.

 

And yes, I would much prefer to use a TA, but the one we used pre-COVID is no longer working as a TA and I haven't been able to find a good replacement.  But I definitely want to replace this PCC as soon as possible.  How do I go about getting a different, and hopefully more efficient one?

 

 

[DaveOKC]

Have you tried calling the PCC line - 800-355-3017?  Ask for supervisor and ask to be reassigned.

 

[baggal]

12 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

Have you tried calling the PCC line - 800-355-3017?  Ask for supervisor and ask to be reassigned.

 

No I haven't.  Thanks for the information!

[KAKcruiser]

Or you could just call central reservations and book it there.

[crystalspin]

6 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

Or you could just call central reservations and book it there.

Definitely not the same as a PCC.

 

When I got no call from mine after e-mailing her (last week, to refare under the Celebration Sale), I called today and got a voice message that she is out of the office for another two weeks! Good for her! She said to call the PCC number and stay on the line. I did not have to ask for a manager, a nice fellow took care of my two (or three) requests -- three bookings but one was the identical refare. I had all my booking numbers in front of me, and it was smooth as silk with only maybe 3 minutes on hold first. 

[BobbiSox]

I gave up years ago on trying to work with my 'personal' cruise consultant. Personal implies a one-one-one, but it's probably more like the same one PCC for everyone. I don't rememember ever having a phone conversation. I always got a recorded message saying she was 'away from the office'. Maybe I was just having bad luck all those dozens of times I called over the years. I don't expect the PCC's services have gotten any better since Covid showed up. I'm happy for those who actually have made contact, and received helpful information, but I wasn't one of them. 

[DaveOKC]

8 minutes ago, BobbiSox said:

I gave up years ago on trying to work with my 'personal' cruise consultant. Personal implies a one-one-one, but it's probably more like the same one PCC for everyone. I don't rememember ever having a phone conversation. I always got a recorded message saying she was 'away from the office'. Maybe I was just having bad luck all those dozens of times I called over the years. I don't expect the PCC's services have gotten any better since Covid showed up. I'm happy for those who actually have made contact, and received helpful information, but I wasn't one of them. 

Do not give up.  Ask HAL to reassign you to someone else.  I had three different PCCs over the years and all were good to work with - some even great!  They all returned my calls the same day, unless out of the office and then the voice mail message gave me someone else to call if I needed help.

[iancal]

I would not have the patience for that nonsense.

 

if you are going to get on line TA service from HAL you may as well benefit financially from  dealing with an efficient and responsive on line TA/Agency.

Edited June 14, 2022 by iancal

[hbsurfcitycruiser]

I absolutely love our PCC. Are we allowed to recommend anyone? Like mention names here?? Because you could try to ask for mine.

[Lindancer]

6 hours ago, hbsurfcitycruiser said:

I absolutely love our PCC. Are we allowed to recommend anyone? Like mention names here?? Because you could try to ask for mine.

I love mine too.  She knows I'm high strung (a worrywart) so always gets back to me asap in one way or another - even if it's a short email telling me she'll call me later.  She has already called me way after she should have left for the day.  I selfishly don't want to give her name, though.  With all the stuff Holland America's got going on (like all those cancelled flights), I think she's busy enough!

[*Miss G*]

On 6/13/2022 at 8:58 AM, baggal said:

I definitely want to replace this PCC as soon as possible.  How do I go about getting a different, and hopefully more efficient one?

 

You could also contact the Mariner Society and they will help out:

 

Mariner_Society@hollandamerica.com

800-547-9139

[baggal]

Thanks for all your advice.  Its now Wednesday, a full week since I emailed her and over a week since my husband called.  I'm making my calls today.

[65 Gator]

We are scheduled for an October cruise.  Sent email a couple of weeks ago to ask if the booking was still good to go.  No response.  Called my PCC and the recording said that this person no longer works for HAL.  This is the second time my PCC "no longer works for HAL"...  I respect the nightmare of working through Covid, but resent that nobody reached out, proactively, to let us know that we no longer had a PCC.

 

I called a local travel agent and she called HAL.  She was told that the booking was in place for too long and she could not assume the booking.

 

Sorry for the rant but, as a 4-star Mariner, I expected a little better service.  Thanks for this thread... 

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, 65 Gator said:

We are scheduled for an October cruise.  Sent email a couple of weeks ago to ask if the booking was still good to go.  No response.  Called my PCC and the recording said that this person no longer works for HAL.  This is the second time my PCC "no longer works for HAL"...  I respect the nightmare of working through Covid, but resent that nobody reached out, proactively, to let us know that we no longer had a PCC.

 

I called a local travel agent and she called HAL.  She was told that the booking was in place for too long and she could not assume the booking.

 

Sorry for the rant but, as a 4-star Mariner, I expected a little better service.  Thanks for this thread... 

HAL changed their policy earlier this year I think, that you only have a short period of time to change your booking to a TA from a HAL PCC.  I think too many people were doing this to take advantage of some extra perks, with HAL PCC doing all the work setting it up.

 

Since your booking is not until Oct, can you cancel with HAL and rebook with your TA?

[65 Gator]

51 minutes ago, DaveOKC said:

HAL changed their policy earlier this year I think, that you only have a short period of time to change your booking to a TA from a HAL PCC.  I think too many people were doing this to take advantage of some extra perks, with HAL PCC doing all the work setting it up.

 

Since your booking is not until Oct, can you cancel with HAL and rebook with your TA?

HAL said you have to move to TA within 60 days.  I am reluctant to rebook as I like the Neptune we have and there were only two available when we booked.

[DaveOKC]

27 minutes ago, 65 Gator said:

HAL said you have to move to TA within 60 days.  I am reluctant to rebook as I like the Neptune we have and there were only two available when we booked.

I understand about the Neptune - location can be important.  You could try a dummy booking and see what is avialable right now - HAL has improved their website recently and you can see which cabins are open fairly easily.

 

[DaveOKC]

2 hours ago, 65 Gator said:

HAL said you have to move to TA within 60 days.  I am reluctant to rebook as I like the Neptune we have and there were only two available when we booked.

Another thought - call the PCC number and ask to be reassigned due to your PCC quitting - likely they have already done so.  800-355-3017

[65 Gator]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

Another thought - call the PCC number and ask to be reassigned due to your PCC quitting - likely they have already done so.  800-355-3017

Thanks ...  I will try that tomorrow...

[Turtles06]

On 6/13/2022 at 9:30 AM, DaveOKC said:

Have you tried calling the PCC line - 800-355-3017?  Ask for supervisor and ask to be reassigned.

 

That is exactly what I did about a year ago. I explained to the supervisor that the PCC who’d been assigned to me when our terrific PCC left did not respond to calls or emails and that, when I did manage to reach her, she gave me incorrect information. The supervisor assigned a new PCC to me. 

[iancal]

We tend to vote with our feet and with our wallets.

 

There is not much point in hitting your head against a brick wall.  
 

Find a travel agency or a travel agent who does not ignore you and who will treat you like a real customer instead of an inconvenience.  

 

 

Edited June 17, 2022 by iancal

[*Miss G*]

38 minutes ago, iancal said:

Find a travel agency or a travel agent who does not ignore you and who will treat you like a real customer instead of an inconvenience.  

 

 

👇

 

On 6/13/2022 at 8:58 AM, baggal said:

And yes, I would much prefer to use a TA, but the one we used pre-COVID is no longer working as a TA and I haven't been able to find a good replacement.

 

 

[baggal]

OP here.  The end result is none of our phone calls and emails have gotten a response.  Today my husband tried to call the PCC number provided in an earlier post on this thread.  He said there was no opportunity to ask to speak to a supervisor.  I didn't believe him so I just tried calling myself.  You only have two options.  You can dial your PCC directly if you know the extension or you can access the PCC directory.  That's it.  No way to leave a message, or horrors, speak to a living, breathing person.

 

I'm done.  Unless HAL comes up with an offer we can't refuse in the next month or so, we're going elsewhere.  What a shame.

[*Miss G*]

13 minutes ago, baggal said:

OP here.  The end result is none of our phone calls and emails have gotten a response.  Today my husband tried to call the PCC number provided in an earlier post on this thread.  He said there was no opportunity to ask to speak to a supervisor.  I didn't believe him so I just tried calling myself.  You only have two options.  You can dial your PCC directly if you know the extension or you can access the PCC directory.  That's it.  No way to leave a message, or horrors, speak to a living, breathing person.

 

I'm done.  Unless HAL comes up with an offer we can't refuse in the next month or so, we're going elsewhere.  What a shame.

 

Did you try the Mariner Society number & email?  They’re super responsive.

[baggal]

33 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Did you try the Mariner Society number & email?  They’re super responsive.

No. Thanks but I'm done chasing after HAL.

[Don Kehote]

11 hours ago, baggal said:

No. Thanks but I'm done chasing after HAL.

I don't understand this.  Why didn't you just either book with someone else on the general reservation line, or use the internet?  Was there a reason you needed a supervisor when calling the PCC line?   I suppose I just don't get what the benefit is of booking through a PCC instead of booking through reservations - the end result seems like it would be the same to me, but I'm new to HAL.