Itinerary Change 1 Day after Final Payment / Not Honoring Promotion

[Stateroom_Sailor]

It was announced 1 day after final payment that Skagway would be dropped from our upcoming 14 night Alaska cruise, and replaced by Victoria, BC.  While the situation may have been out of their control, the timing is suspicious for many of us.  Most would prefer an alternative for more time in Alaska, as some already live in BC, or are seeing Victoria during the first leg of their B2B.  We were originally in Sitka on May 17th, which was shifted to May 16th, so one option could have been an overnight.

 

Here is my larger complaint, some of us booked during the 150th Anniversary Sale, which included a free White Pass Rails tour for cruises that stopped in Skagway.  Since Skagway is being dropped, so is the perk.  The cruise actually got cheaper in December when the promotion was over, which luckily we took advantage of, having recently done the full Yukon Cruise Tour.  Everyone else seems to be out of luck.  I am pretty sure that excursion was built into the price of the Skagway cruises during the promotion, maybe not $1:$1, but certainly accounted for.  These passengers should be given an equivelant excursion credit.

 

 

[Real NHDOC]

This is a problem with HAL.  They will routinely wait until the last payment is due (usually the 90 day window closes) and then announce changes.  They did this on a 45 day south pacific cruise we were on last year.  Fortunately for us we booked the cruise after the changes were announced but lots of people who booked before the 90 day window were very (justifiably) angry. 

 

It's really a terrible way to treat customers.  I would certainly elevate my complaint if I were you.  If you make enough noise you'll get noticed but with HAL you sometimes have to be a very squeaky wheel to get any grease.  Good luck! 

[Seasick Sailor]

It has been known the Skagway rock slides had extensive damage and rebuilding efforts are apparently going well. Trying to partially open.

 

I'm sorry you are disappointed. Skagway and rails are a great tour. 

[PACD_JG]

What's even more suspicious.  There are only two ships docked in Skagway on May 10 (which I assume was the day you were supposed to be there).  May 5 and 9 have 3 ships...so there goes that argument.

 

https://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/SKG-Skagway-2023.pdf

[Shippy]

  I was just checking on this yesterday.

We are on the cruise after yours.

There is still a lot of problems from the rock slides in Skagway. There are supposed to be 4 ships docked there the day we are.

I will bet that 2 will be cancelled...may be ours ???

Perhaps the cruise lines are not being notified much in advance as the articles that I read indicate that Skagway is really trying to make an effort to accommodate as many ships as possible.

   I would not mind Victoria as a substitute. Th U.S. dollar is very strong right now against the Canadian one.

[FlaMariner]

Similar frustration with two of our HAL Caribbean cruises since the unpleasantness.

 

Key West stayed on the itinerary until after final payment then we got to experience Bimini on one cruise and Freeport on the other.....yuck.

 

But according to our contract we all know that ports are not guaranteed.

[regnig]

4 hours ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

It was announced 1 day after final payment that Skagway would be dropped from our upcoming 14 night Alaska cruise, and replaced by Victoria, BC.  While the situation may have been out of their control, the timing is suspicious for many of us.  Most would prefer an alternative for more time in Alaska, as some already live in BC, or are seeing Victoria during the first leg of their B2B.  We were originally in Sitka on May 17th, which was shifted to May 16th, so one option could have been an overnight.

 

Here is my larger complaint, some of us booked during the 150th Anniversary Sale, which included a free White Pass Rails tour for cruises that stopped in Skagway.  Since Skagway is being dropped, so is the perk.  The cruise actually got cheaper in December when the promotion was over, which luckily we took advantage of, having recently done the full Yukon Cruise Tour.  Everyone else seems to be out of luck.  I am pretty sure that excursion was built into the price of the Skagway cruises during the promotion, maybe not $1:$1, but certainly accounted for.  These passengers should be given an equivelant excursion credit.

 

 

Do we know for certain that HAL is not compensating them in some way?

[cruisemom42]

Problems in Skagway notwithstanding, this habit of HAL's is of long standing and is very annoying to say the least. Especially for those of us who do a lot of planning for the best experiences ashore. I suppose the only thing worse is when you know there are difficulties with a port in advance but HAL insists up til the last minute that ships will make scheduled stops there (I'm looking at you, Tunisia, after the Arab Spring and events there). Then when you board, you find a note on your bed telling you those stops have been canceled. Often with no alternative provided. And it is so delightful trying to get in touch with private guides to cancel (or make changes if the itinerary is further scrambled) while at sea...

 

Almost always these changes occur just after final payment, and I cannot believe that EVERY SINGLE TIME the line was "just" informed.....  It is clearly an attempt to keep passengers on side until it is too late to cancel without penalty.

 

 

[Native Floridian 26]

This is not unique to HAL.  We were on a Mediterranean cruise on MSC in November and we had 3 changes that occurred.  Instead of leaving from Marghera near Venice, they left from Trieste a couple of hours away.  Instead of stopping at Split, Croatia, we went to Zadar, and instead of ending up in Marghera we went to Trieste again.  They blamed the first two on weather, but there was no compensation.  In fact leaving from Trieste and returning there cost MSC much more money, because they had to bus everyone to the new port because we were told to show up at the original port in Venice. 

[CNSJ]

Changes happen.  Timing may be poor with respect to payments.....but....

 

We had several changes on Westerdam Transpacific in fall of 2022.  I do believe they try their best to make things work. ***  In our case, when a schedule change caused by local politics prevented us fro visiting one island in Papua New Guinea, the Captain worked it out to get us a second full day win the Conflict Islands....total paradise....there were few complaints.

 

When weather prevented us from tendering into Moreton Island which was just a beach day.... the Captain kicked  up speed and got us an extra full day in Sydney.  The extra day was docked right downtown next to the Opera House and at foot of Harbor Bridge.  Then we moved in middle of night to White Bay terminal to disembark.

 

Best Captain ever (in every possible measurement on this trip) ....Captain Wouter Van Hoogdalem!

 

 

*** a few days before end of cruise we had later from Captain crediting all with $500 OBC and a 10% FCC of our cruise fare paid.  Great customer service action IMHO.

Edited February 11, 2023 by CNSJ

[FlaMariner]

....agree it is not just a HAL issue.....On Sky Princess TA cruise last March (2022) Princess kept insisting we would be visiting Casablanca although no cruise ships were stopping (Covid).  As we departed Maderia and our next stop was Casablanca, the Captain announces that unfortunately we had just learned that we would not be able to make our port call in Casablanca and Gibralter was added and tours were instantly available for sale......

 

It all smells fishy but the contract does read that ports are not guaranteed.....

 

 

[shack]

6 hours ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

It was announced 1 day after final payment that Skagway would be dropped from our upcoming 14 night Alaska cruise, and replaced by Victoria, BC.  While the situation may have been out of their control, the timing is suspicious for many of us.  Most would prefer an alternative for more time in Alaska, as some already live in BC, or are seeing Victoria during the first leg of their B2B.  We were originally in Sitka on May 17th, which was shifted to May 16th, so one option could have been an overnight.

 

Here is my larger complaint, some of us booked during the 150th Anniversary Sale, which included a free White Pass Rails tour for cruises that stopped in Skagway.  Since Skagway is being dropped, so is the perk.  The cruise actually got cheaper in December when the promotion was over, which luckily we took advantage of, having recently done the full Yukon Cruise Tour.  Everyone else seems to be out of luck.  I am pretty sure that excursion was built into the price of the Skagway cruises during the promotion, maybe not $1:$1, but certainly accounted for.  These passengers should be given an equivelant excursion credit.

 

 

 

I would bet Victoria will be the best port you visit.  Absolutely great port with lots to do.  Don't miss Victoria & Burtchart Gardens in season - stunning.  Also Fish Store on Fisherman's Wharf is great for seafood lunch.  So much nicer, laid back, and civilized than Vancouver - and without the vagrancy.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

2 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

....agree it is not just a HAL issue.....On Sky Princess TA cruise last March (2022) Princess kept insisting we would be visiting Casablanca although no cruise ships were stopping (Covid).  As we departed Maderia and our next stop was Casablanca, the Captain announces that unfortunately we had just learned that we would not be able to make our port call in Casablanca and Gibralter was added and tours were instantly available for sale......

 

It all smells fishy but the contract does read that ports are not guaranteed.....

 

 

 

Well, Princess is also owned by Carnival...  

 

As far as MSC, we had a cruise booked with them for an entire day, followed by a shakeup with a change in what was offered at each perk level.  People in the middle of their cruise had coupons and amenities rejected, as cuts were made overnight fleet wide.  It is not a line known for integrity.  "Well, MSC does it too," should never be acceptable.    

[Stateroom_Sailor]

5 hours ago, regnig said:

Do we know for certain that HAL is not compensating them in some way?

 

We have a passenger on our roll call that called HAL to see if they could transfer the White Pass Rails perk  to an excursion in a different port, and were told no.

[kevingastreich]

3 hours ago, CNSJ said:

** a few days before end of cruise we had later from Captain crediting all with $500 OBC and a 10% FCC of our cruise fare paid.  Great customer service action IMHO.

We've had similar.  We thought it was fair.

[shack]

1 hour ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

 

We have a passenger on our roll call that called HAL to see if they could transfer the White Pass Rails perk  to an excursion in a different port, and were told no.

 

No bueno

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, Stateroom_Sailor said:

 

Well, Princess is also owned by Carnival...  

 

As far as MSC, we had a cruise booked with them for an entire day, followed by a shakeup with a change in what was offered at each perk level.  People in the middle of their cruise had coupons and amenities rejected, as cuts were made overnight fleet wide.  It is not a line known for integrity.  "Well, MSC does it too," should never be acceptable.    

I guess it's just MSC doing their matching thing. 🤦‍♂️

[Real NHDOC]

FWIW, HAL (more precisely Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, part of Carnival) owns the Skagway scenic rail so they should have the inside scoop on when the train can run and when it can't.  We got stuck on one of the excursions when a rockslide blocked the rails for our return and were stuck on the train for several hours not knowing how we would get back to town but luckily they cleared it.  We didn't have our passports with us and since we were in the Canadian part of the tour Canada wouldn't let us off the train to take a bus back so it would have been an international incident if the rails weren't cleared, LOL. 

 

They gave us a full refund for the excursion and some other goodies too.  That's when we found out they own the whole thing.

Edited February 12, 2023 by Real NHDOC

[Blackduck59]

7 hours ago, shack said:

 

I would bet Victoria will be the best port you visit.  Absolutely great port with lots to do.  Don't miss Victoria & Burtchart Gardens in season - stunning.  Also Fish Store on Fisherman's Wharf is great for seafood lunch.  So much nicer, laid back, and civilized than Vancouver - and without the vagrancy.

 

I haven't been to Skagway and if we ever go back to Alaska we would want that port on the itinerary. I'm thinking that train trip is the highlight.

We live in Victoria, it is our home and we sometimes wonder why we spend money to go elsewhere.

I have to remind people that Butchart Gardens is at least 45 minutes away from the cruise port so that would be a large part of your day. There are lots of gardens in Victoria most of them are free. Beacon hill park and Government house come to mind.

So don't think that Victoria is a poor substitute for Skagway, unfortunately we don't have a vintage scenic train to ride. We do have little harbour ferries that are fun though.

[ontheweb]

9 hours ago, Real NHDOC said:

FWIW, HAL (more precisely Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, part of Carnival) owns the Skagway scenic rail so they should have the inside scoop on when the train can run and when it can't.  We got stuck on one of the excursions when a rockslide blocked the rails for our return and were stuck on the train for several hours not knowing how we would get back to town but luckily they cleared it.  We didn't have our passports with us and since we were in the Canadian part of the tour Canada wouldn't let us off the train to take a bus back so it would have been an international incident if the rails weren't cleared, LOL. 

 

They gave us a full refund for the excursion and some other goodies too.  That's when we found out they own the whole thing.

How did you get on the train? I remember when we did that excursion, we had to show our passports to be allowed to board.

[Real NHDOC]

7 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

How did you get on the train? I remember when we did that excursion, we had to show our passports to be allowed to board.

I don't remember all of the details as it's been a few years now.  I think I recall there being a couple of tour options - we were on the shorter one which may not have required passports (and maybe the requirements have changed since then).  The train wasn't supposed to stop anywhere.  I do vividly remember them discussing the possible options for getting us back included us getting onto a bus but that the Canadian authorities didn't want us to get off the train in Canada without passports so that option wasn't pursued.  Fortunately after a few hours on the train we were able to return to town.  But we did learn at that time that the train was owned by the cruiseline. 

[ontheweb]

12 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

I don't remember all of the details as it's been a few years now.  I think I recall there being a couple of tour options - we were on the shorter one which may not have required passports (and maybe the requirements have changed since then).  The train wasn't supposed to stop anywhere.  I do vividly remember them discussing the possible options for getting us back included us getting onto a bus but that the Canadian authorities didn't want us to get off the train in Canada without passports so that option wasn't pursued.  Fortunately after a few hours on the train we were able to return to town.  But we did learn at that time that the train was owned by the cruiseline. 

I guess my question is how did Canada allow you into Canada without showing a passport.

[Real NHDOC]

As I said I don't recall all of the details, just that we weren't allowed off the train in Canada and the people onboard weren't required to have passports to get on.  Maybe the loop we were on wasn't supposed to go into Canada but would have required some deviation to allow us to get off because the track going back was blocked. 

 

Anyway, I think I was confused about the rockslide issue that was raised in this thread.  Now I see there were rockslides that affected the port and the ability of cruise ships to dock there.  Nothing to do with the train, so sorry for my deviation. 

Edited February 12, 2023 by Real NHDOC

[Real NHDOC]

Interesting story about the dock issues:

 

https://www.ktoo.org/2022/08/19/rockslides-are-battering-a-skagway-cruise-ship-dock-and-crushing-the-towns-economy/

 

Now I know why those shipping containers were there!

[CNSJ]

It seems the shipping containers are to protect people walking down pier inside.  The containers take the brunt of any rockslides.