forevercruising1 Posted August 20, 2023 #1 Share Posted August 20, 2023 Hello! Recently, I am continually getting the following error message when searching cruise options on the HAL website: “Bad Request Your browser sent a request that this server could not understand. Size of a request header field exceeds server” I am using my iPad and my MacBook and have been getting the same error message on both. On the top address bar, the iPad shows “400 Bad Request”. Have any of you had similar issues and, more importantly, does anyone have advice regarding the solution? Thank you!! 🙂🚢🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare QuattroRomeo Posted August 20, 2023 #2 Share Posted August 20, 2023 I've been getting weird messages like you stated, and searches that don't go through, for quite a while. Using android tablet and pc. Has taken forever to book shore excursions or search new cruises! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted August 20, 2023 #3 Share Posted August 20, 2023 I have had to switch to Firefox browser recently to have a problem free experience at the HAL website. I usually use Safari on my iPad 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodndonna Posted August 20, 2023 #4 Share Posted August 20, 2023 32 minutes ago, Mary229 said: I have had to switch to Firefox browser recently to have a problem free experience at the HAL website. I usually use Safari on my iPad Same for me. I have been getting the error lately as well in Firefox, but no problems with Safari. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Haljo1935 Posted August 20, 2023 #5 Share Posted August 20, 2023 (edited) I frequently get the "400 Bad Request" no matter what device I use - phone, tablet or computer. All 3 use different browsers, so it's not just Chrome. I haven't tried Firefox (tablet can't run it) but will try. I usually don't get it using Incagnito Mode, but occasionally do. Clearing cache and cookies doesn't help. I used to get it mostly late night and early mornings, but lately, as recently as yesterday, I get it in the middle of the day. Frustrating... Edited August 20, 2023 by Haljo1935 Typo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColonyGirl2 Posted August 20, 2023 #6 Share Posted August 20, 2023 I get it too and clearing cookies has worked for me. For a while.... Rinse and repeat 🙃 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Roz Posted August 20, 2023 #7 Share Posted August 20, 2023 I'm having the same problem. Can't even search for a cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted August 20, 2023 #8 Share Posted August 20, 2023 I have been getting it too, after I already have done some searching. I just switch browsers and this seems to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadarocks Posted August 20, 2023 #9 Share Posted August 20, 2023 Yep. Almost constantly lately. Truly the worst website I deal with. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PigsCanFly Posted August 20, 2023 #10 Share Posted August 20, 2023 I was trying to cancel an excursion I had made and got similar message. Surprisingly, I then tried on my phone in the navigator app and was successful. Usually, my experience is the opposite, Navigator app does not cooperate and the website does. Who knows what will happen next week? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boze9999 Posted August 20, 2023 #11 Share Posted August 20, 2023 It IS indeed one of the worst functioning websitesI have never ending problems with Safari Like others, if I switch to Chrome almost all the problems disappear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorMomInNC Posted August 20, 2023 #12 Share Posted August 20, 2023 I had this same thing yesterday trying to cancel and book excursions!!! Drove me nuts. Finally called HAL and they did it for me over the phone, but the HAL rep asked me about what browser I was using and cookies. I am the LEAST tech savvy person in the world, but I do know how to use "incognito" window (because otherwise every time I look at a cruise on the NCL website they call me!) and I used that and was able to book online - so maybe it doesn't use cookies? My husband then cleared all my cookies for me so I haven't tried since then.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crystalspin Posted August 20, 2023 #13 Share Posted August 20, 2023 I think the solution is to wait for Monday, for the (single?) IT person to reboot their system! It's not you; it's them. 1 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea42 Posted August 20, 2023 #14 Share Posted August 20, 2023 5 minutes ago, crystalspin said: I think the solution is to wait for Monday, for the (single?) IT person to reboot their system! It's not you; it's them. Yeah, I've learned not to even bother with the website on weekends. Truly frustrating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted August 20, 2023 #15 Share Posted August 20, 2023 Just on today. Had issues with two different browsers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare bundtkate Posted August 20, 2023 #16 Share Posted August 20, 2023 IT person here! This is on HAL's end. Servers usually set a limit on the size of a request to avoid overload as well as mitigate malicious requests. Website developers estimate what size a request is likely to be at the largest and set that limit to something somewhat larger to account for edge cases. Even when best efforts are made, sometimes requests come in larger than expected, even when valid. In the case of canceling an excursion, there's little that you can do to improve things since the size of your request is likely outside your control, but with searches. doing your initial search with fewer filters (for example, searching for the right dates and destination but skipping out on looking for specific ships) may help reduce that size. After your initial search, you can filter down again with (hopefully) another smaller request. This may not work if HAL sends all search parameters with every request (which they may well do), but if they only send what's new it could help. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ottahand7 Posted August 20, 2023 #17 Share Posted August 20, 2023 I ran into it with my Android and my Windows 11 computer. Just trying to pay for my cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Banditswife Posted August 20, 2023 #18 Share Posted August 20, 2023 I almost always get that "400 bad request." But I can log into my husband's PC which uses the same browser - works fine most of the time. Frustrating, since I do all the planning & searching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oofroggie Posted August 21, 2023 #19 Share Posted August 21, 2023 I have had the same problem for a few weeks now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forevercruising1 Posted August 21, 2023 Author #20 Share Posted August 21, 2023 10 hours ago, bundtkate said: IT person here! This is on HAL's end. Servers usually set a limit on the size of a request to avoid overload as well as mitigate malicious requests. Website developers estimate what size a request is likely to be at the largest and set that limit to something somewhat larger to account for edge cases. Even when best efforts are made, sometimes requests come in larger than expected, even when valid. In the case of canceling an excursion, there's little that you can do to improve things since the size of your request is likely outside your control, but with searches. doing your initial search with fewer filters (for example, searching for the right dates and destination but skipping out on looking for specific ships) may help reduce that size. After your initial search, you can filter down again with (hopefully) another smaller request. This may not work if HAL sends all search parameters with every request (which they may well do), but if they only send what's new it could help. I usually limit my filters and I have tried different browsers and I continue to get the same error message. I wish I understood more of what you're talking about! 🙂 Thanks for the information -- I'll keep trying different things! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forevercruising1 Posted August 21, 2023 Author #21 Share Posted August 21, 2023 Thanks, everyone -- at least I know that I'm not alone! I've tried Safari, Firefox, duckduckgo and Chrome and all do the same thing. Very frustrating, as many of you have said... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare bundtkate Posted August 21, 2023 #22 Share Posted August 21, 2023 2 minutes ago, forevercruising1 said: I wish I understood more of what you're talking about! Honest, I don't know enough to help significantly so you're likely not missing out on much. I understand the general source of these sorts of errors, but the specifics depend on how HAL built/designed their service so anything I suggest will be an educated guess at best. If I ever ran into it myself, I might be able to learn more, but alas I've yet to see it. On the off chance it helps, I'm on Windows 10 and I use Firefox with the uBlock Origin adblock extension installed. I'm not sure whether the extension would help in this case, but ads are awful anyway so I can't see any harm in trying it. It's available for both Firefox and Chrome on macOS and Windows and can also be installed in Firefox on Android. I don't think iOS or iPadOS have extension support for any browser, unfortunately. And if I ever do run into, I'll be sure to go into full tester mode, see what I can figure out, and report back. 😂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deliver42 Posted August 21, 2023 #23 Share Posted August 21, 2023 I've been having that problem on and off for a couple of weeks now. I'm using Chrome on a desk top. When I try to go to cabins, I get the error message. Very frustrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodndonna Posted August 21, 2023 #24 Share Posted August 21, 2023 I have been having the problem as well and have been for a while, but seem to be OK with Safari. The other thing I just noticed this morning is that my "Favourites" which I flag are not getting saved in Chrome or Firefox, but in Safari they are still there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Real NHDOC Posted August 21, 2023 #25 Share Posted August 21, 2023 (edited) It's an issue with cookies and HAL's terrible website coding. If you clear the cookies from HAL and go back to the HAL website it should work, at least it has always worked for me. In firefox you have to go to settings, then privacy and security and wait for manage data to become available then search for Holland America choose remove selected and save changes...voila then it will work again until next time. When you go back to HAL's site just accept only strictly necessary cookies and shut all of the others off. That should help extend the time between having to reset again. Maybe when their IT guy gets in from recess he will fix it. Edited August 21, 2023 by Real NHDOC 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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