Customer Service Disaster on Nieuw Statendam trans Atlantic Crossing

[Fogtownrog]

My spouse and I were guests on the April 8th Sailing from Lauderdale to Barcelona on our first cruise with HAL.  We are experienced cruisers and wanted to give HAL a go.  Heard the entertainment was especially great which it was.  
sadly after crossing the Atlantic I slipped and fell while on my own walking around Cadiz.  Outside the Cathedral I took a bad fall and was taken to a local hospital by ambulance. I was treated within 2 or 3 hours and sent back to the ship. While in the hospital I texted my spouse who went to the ship reception desk seeking help as I needed assistance.  They did meet my taxi with a customer service manager and a wheel chair as I wrecked my knee and could not walk. I then asked to stop by the ships health center and received excellent care there. They provided me with pain medication, a pair of crutches and self care instructions.  I asked for a urinal as I wasn’t sure if I could step up into the bathroom and they didn’t have one. Instead they gave me a screw top can of water and told me to use that. I asked for a bed pan and they gave me one that was made of cardboard along with a bio waste bag. The nurse kindly wheeled me back to our cabin. All good, but things went downhill from this point on. 
 

After settling in my cabin I called customer service and spoke to the customer service manager who did help me back to the ship and asked her if the ship could loan me a wheel chair and she responded “no, but you can rent one for $100 per day!”  I immediately reacted and said I could rent a BMW for that amount!  I told her that smells of price gouging and extortion!  I can’t do that. She apologized and blamed a third party vendor.  So a day went by and I thought that I should make arrangements for getting off the ship upon arrival in Barcelona.  The same customer service agent apologized and said they offer no wheelchair service on that day.   I was really horrified as I really didn’t think I could walk. I became irritable and told her that I won’t vacate the cabin if I can’t get assistance and reminded her of the American Disabilities Act. I then forced myself to cry and apologized for getting angry and begged her to help.  She said she would see what could be done.  She called me back and said she could have someone wheel me to the gangway, and I responded by saying that’s great but I still won’t be able to get off the ship without assistance. She said she would get back to me.  Grrr.  But I told myself to be patient and perhaps prayers might work.  Finally they came back and said they can make arrangements to wheel me off the ship to the terminal. Our prayers were answered, but wait, not so fast.  The attendant showed up at our cabin at 7:45 as promised and took me off the ship and through passport control and stopped about 100 yards from the exit and said he had to go back to the ship.  I pleaded with this employee but he wouldn’t budge. I had no choice but to walk the last 100 yards which seemed like a mile.  I was dizzy and started having balance issues but made it to my car and driver who took over. He was great and arranged for a porter and then delta took over and provided excellent assistance to the plane and upon arrival their team member wheeled me through customs and to curb helping us with all our baggage.  Thank you Delta.  As far as HAL goes, as much as I loved our cabin, the Lincoln Center, the Ocean Bar and BB King I have to say, good-bye HAL.  Never again. Don’t treat me like this and expect me to comeback. 

[KAKcruiser]

I am sorry you got hurt.  But, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do and if you need a wheelchair to get around, then you have to pay for it.  The wheelchairs are rented by a third party and they set the rates.  Also, there are strict rules for how far a HAL employee can take a passenger in the terminal.  I believe these rules are set by the port authority and not the cruise line.  

[FOPMan]

I’m sorry you fell, but am unsure what you expect.

 

First, the ADA has only limited applicability to ships, with a significant focus on equitable access to pricing and tickets and the number of accessible cabins aboard ship.

 

Second, the ship is under no obligation to provide a wheelchair for your exclusive use. The ship generally does not have wheelchairs available to rent-the availability of one should be looked on as fortunate. $100 for service on demand seems reasonable, especially as a convenience.

 

Ships’ staff have limits in what they may do in foreign ports without themselves clearing customs.

 

 

[Fogtownrog]

I worked in Customer Care for a major US airline which continually receives customer service awards.  I handled a lot of disability cases and would move mountains to help our customers.  We would never use a vendor who would charge that type of fee.  We would negotiate with anyone to make sure the customer was taken care of.  I’d also follow up with the customer after the fact.  HAL didn’t show any empathy or care. One customer (dis)Service manager even told my spouse that HAL can’t offer wheel chair service off the ship as if they did that everyone would ask for that.  

[OlsSalt]

Did I read this right, you "faked crying" in order  to get leverage?

[CruiserBruce]

Sorry you fell, and it severely affected the balance of your cruise. What exactly was your injury?

 

Hmmm...a disaster? I don't think so. You just didn't get everything you wanted. Bluffing the ADA, a US law that has little or nothing to do with this situation. Faking crying? 

[Laminator]

28 minutes ago, Fogtownrog said:

I worked in Customer Care for a major US airline which continually receives customer service awards.  I handled a lot of disability cases and would move mountains to help our customers.  We would never use a vendor who would charge that type of fee.  We would negotiate with anyone to make sure the customer was taken care of.  I’d also follow up with the customer after the fact.  HAL didn’t show any empathy or care. One customer (dis)Service manager even told my spouse that HAL can’t offer wheel chair service off the ship as if they did that everyone would ask for that.  

The key is you worked in the US. I am still waiting for a wheelchair to the gate at Schipol from last June. I am also not sure what the ADA has to do with anything in a foreign country. I would have taken the sure thing and spent the $100 and rented the wheelchair. 

[oakridger]

I was very grateful to HAL  last fall when they wheeled me off the ship with an injured knee....twice.  And yes, the HAL employees are limited to how far into the terminal they can go by each country's laws.  Best of luck on your recovery, but HAL did fulfill any "responsibilities" they had to you.

 

~Nancy

[Mary229]

I have rented wheelchairs for my mother.  When I took her to the Med on Oceana that was the price. Oceana was quite clear - use the vendor provided, there would be none on ship other than that or too bad.   Yikes!  I bought her a travel wheelchair.  

[puppycanducruise]

Sorry this happened to you.  I hope you heal quickly.

[kazu]

I am sorry for your recent experience.

 

the others are correct - the crew providing you with wheel chair assistance are only permitted to take you so far.  But there is usually a port person there to take over and take you the rest of the way in their own wheelchair.

 

I hurt my foot in Barcelona and had wheelchair assistance to board which was provided by the port staff.  I am at a loss why it wasn’t available for you  disembarking unless the port was unable to provide it.

 

I couldn’t rent a wheel chair in advance due to the last minute incident and timing so asked HAL for one.  I was charged just under $400 for the 14 day cruise.  I’m wondering if this is the set price for a cruise by the company that provides them and, if that is the case, since you were already in Cadiz - with just a few days to go to ge to Barcelona the $100/day was levied?  Just a guess on my part.

 

 While, it seemed like a lot of money to me, I paid it.  I needed the chair and knew that they were provided by “X at Sea” (can’t remember the name, sorry) so I put up and shut up.  Had you done the same, you could have wheeled (or been wheeled) to guest services to discuss the wheel chair disembarkation.  I find it is easier to accomplish things face to face (and avoid misunderstandings) than on the phone.  

 

I am shocked that there was no wheelchair disembarkation offered. HAL always has wheel chair disembarkation on every cruise I have been on.  I’m at a loss on that one.  Normally you are expected to be at the Pinnacle Bar to be wheeled off.  Could the fact that you needed to be wheeled from your room (as you didn’t have a chair) have caused complication and some confusion?

 

Not having a wheel chair may have compounded things in more than one way for you.  

 

Being hurt on a cruise is no fun and being in a wheel chair is not great but at least it lets you enjoy the ship a bit.

 

I was helped by many staff on the Oosterdam - wheeled to my room  and other spots by many staff happily.  I didn’t have to ask.  If they saw me, they asked where I was going and immediately said I’ll take you.

 

 I am sorry your experience service wise was not as good as mine.

[ontheweb]

Out of curiosity, wouldn't renting a wheelchair under these circumstances be something that travel insurance would cover? I am sure if it was part of a hospital bill it would be covered.

[DaveOKC]

I once had to rent a wheelchair for my Mom at the last minute on HAL (it was boarding day).  The entire HAL staff was very helpful though the whole process and the wheelchair person even met me on the gangway to give me the chair since we had already boarded.

Also, a HAL rep stationed in the hotel we stayed at across the street from the terminal borrowed a wheelchair from the hotel, wheeled my Mom through the terminal, through checkin and onto the gangway, where she handed her off to one of the ship's crew with a ship wheelchair, who took her right to her cabin.

 

It was a excellent experience in Vancouver and made us strong HAL supporters.

Edited April 25, 2023 by DaveOKC

[FOPMan]

I am pretty much a full-time wheelchair user, on a ship, or not.

 

As you experienced, perhaps only briefly, living with a disability is both challenging and expensive.!Your experience is not that unusual for individuals who rely on wheels daily Technology is expensive. The batteries for my wheelchair are $350+. The wheelchair is worth more than many cars.

 

$100 may seem expensive, but it was there when you needed it, and that comes at a cost. You didn’t state whether the official end of the cruise was Barcelona or that you disembarked early or you “self walked-offf.”

 

Deviating from the normal process creates problems. You wanted was was best for you- not that you shouldn’t- but that isn’t the normal workflow.

[Fogtownrog]

37 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Out of curiosity, wouldn't renting a wheelchair under these circumstances be something that travel insurance would cover? I am sure if it was part of a hospital bill it would be covered.

We had contacted the insurance company and they started a case, but never heard back.  I really couldn’t leave the cabin due to the pain anyway. As well to get into a wheelchair would have required me to walk to the corridor, the pain from which, wasn’t worth the effort.  I entertained myself by watching TV and calling room service!