Westerdam took the wrong route - is this fair compensation ?

[SnowbirdsinTraining]

My parents were on this cruise so I'll have to ask about the letter and FCC. They did not mention to me so I doubt they received this. This was their first cruise with HAL, so HAL possibly only provided letters and accompanying FCC to those with higher Mariner status (my assumption here). The choice of OBC should have been provided as I'm not certain my parents will cruise HAL again. 

 

Their itinerary states Scenic Cruising the Inside Passage for the full day on Friday May 10th (and not just overnight) after Ketchikan but before Victoria, BC and that should have been the case. 

 

I've cruised with HAL several times and have enjoyed my experiences. Hearing about this error and that no one on the bridge caught this until it was too late is shocking. I am cruising with HAL in the near future and luckily it's not on the Westerdam...

Edited May 13 by SnowbirdsinTraining

[ferretktf]

7 hours ago, electro said:

Just did a TA on NCL the was suppose to stop at Gibraltar and Alicate and then finish in Rome.

Because of an engine issue, we travelled too slow that last 24 hours before Gibraltar so the stop was canceled, which meant the cruise only had 1 port stop in the 12 day crossing. 

We didn't even get the port fees refunded let alone any compensation.

I thing 10% FCC is pretty generous.

Lois

NCL never give anything for missed ports….when by rights they should refund the port fees. We got nothing for missing Bermuda in December.
 

I was on HAL last year in Israel when the attack happened. HAL credited two days Port Fees as OBC.
 

 

[Mary229]

1 hour ago, cbr663 said:

This incident was mentioned on another social site several days ago.  The Captain did indeed screw it up and the ship was off course.  The ship went around in circles for a while and when the Captain finally addressed the ship they admitted to the mistake and was told by Corporate that to readjust and sail the inside passage would make them late for Victoria.  That any ship Captain would make such a mistake is, for me anyway, beyond comprehension.

 

I think whenever compensation is offered by the cruise lines it should be offered as either an immediate, refundable OBC or a FCC.  Sometimes the incidents can be so off putting that a passenger will never sail again and to offer a FCC to those passengers is to effectively deny any real compensation.

 

Read the letter on page 1.  

[BermudaBound2014]

23 minutes ago, ferretktf said:

NCL never give anything for missed ports….when by rights they should refund the port fees. We got nothing for missing Bermuda in December.
 

I was on HAL last year in Israel when the attack happened. HAL credited two days Port Fees as OBC.
 

 

 

I have gotten port fees returned on NCL several times, but it's not a blanket policy. Depends on the port. Same thing on RCL. There have been times I have gotten port fees returned and times received nothing. 

[Miss Vickie]

8 hours ago, peajay said:

We have just returned home from the Westerdam transpacific cruise from Tokyo via Alaska to Seattle. A very nice enjoyable cruise despite some rough seas and mediocre weather. However after  visiting three Alaskan ports and on the way to Victoria, the itinerary was to cruise through the inner passage. This was widely advertised as one of the cruise highlights and the best opportunity to see marine wildlife, we bought two souvenir mugs that were special for the cruise showing the cruise map and ports visited and  quoting the inside passage specifically

Unfortunately the crew  made an error and sailed west of Vancouver island, so no inner passage cruise for us. The captain announced that they made a mistake and tried to get a pilot at the last minute but none were available. He told us we would get a letter delivered to our cabin detailing the compensation. We did not get the letter and after persisting, guest services reluctantly gave us one. The offer is 10 % of the cruise cost given as FCC. Many people were really frustrated and angry and several that we talked to were very unhappy with the offer, for them, like us, they did not receive one of the highlights of the cruise. This is the first HA cruise we have taken, so I am interested to see opinions. For me this isn't compensation, because we get nothing if we don't buy another cruise, so this is basically a marketing inducement to buy another cruise. On other lines where ports have been missed that were no fault of the cruise line (unlike this one) we received OBC as immediate compensation. We travelled from Europe and at our time of life, we are unlikely to ever cruise Alaska again.  People that had done the inner passage previously, sadly told us that we missed the most picturesque part.

 

Even if you do go through the inner passage, it can be hit or miss. Our passage was rainy, cloudy and foggy the whole way through. And no wildlife to be seen.

[electro]

41 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I have gotten port fees returned on NCL several times, but it's not a blanket policy. Depends on the port. Same thing on RCL. There have been times I have gotten port fees returned and times received nothing. 

I have gotten port fees back pre covid but it seems that they are not refunding them anymore. Some friends were on a Panama Canal cruise in the fall, they missed 2 port and didn't get a refund either.

[Torquer]

This is definitely one of the most remarkable sagas I have ever read on the HAL board.  It is incomprehensible that this error could have been made in the first place, then that the captain would publicly admit to it, and finally that HAL would offer compensation is also amazing.  I am guessing the fact the captain admitted to the mistake is what drove the compensation.  I am speculating that only people who complained actually got that letter offering FCC.

[Crashe]

Never been compensated for missed port, usually weather related.  Don’t feel there is any difference.  I remember a particularly windy day where Royal Caribbean sailed away after three tries then we did the same after three tries on Princess.  Interesting topic though….

[AncientWanderer]

18 minutes ago, Torquer said:

This is definitely one of the most remarkable sagas I have ever read on the HAL board.  It is incomprehensible that this error could have been made in the first place, then that the captain would publicly admit to it, and finally that HAL would offer compensation is also amazing.  I am guessing the fact the captain admitted to the mistake is what drove the compensation.  I am speculating that only people who complained actually got that letter offering FCC.

 

We didn't complain and we got a letter.

[Taters]

1 hour ago, Torquer said:

This is definitely one of the most remarkable sagas I have ever read on the HAL board.  It is incomprehensible that this error could have been made in the first place, then that the captain would publicly admit to it, and finally that HAL would offer compensation is also amazing.  I am guessing the fact the captain admitted to the mistake is what drove the compensation.  I am speculating that only people who complained actually got that letter offering FCC.

I was on this cruise.  First there was an announcement throughout the ship, and even into the cabins (where I happened to be at the time), where the mistake was announced along with a mention of upcoming compensation for everyone. Later that day we all received letters in our cabins.  Neither I nor my husband complained about missing the Inside Passage.

[Blackduck59]

Wow, I took the time to read this whole thread. I also read "The Letter" everyone commenting should do that first. I'm afraid any "scenic cruising" would have been during the short hours of daylight when entering Queen Charlotte Strait and the daylight before arriving in Victoria keeping in mind that sunrise around here at this time of year is 0530 hrs. The rest would be in the dark. I think there would have been a very big problem if the Victoria port call was missed, being that it is required for the PVSA. I still haven't heard anyone say anything about the Port Visit which for several reasons was way more important than "scenic cruising"

[RuthC]

14 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I think there would have been a very big problem if the Victoria port call was missed, being that it is required for the PVSA.

Not on this cruise, as the PVSA didn't apply. The cruise originated in Japan, not the US. Even if it had originated in the US, at a different port than the disembarkation port, the ship/passengers would have met the 'distant foreign port' rule by stopping in Japan. 

[Blackduck59]

1 minute ago, RuthC said:

Not on this cruise, as the PVSA didn't apply. The cruise originated in Japan, not the US. Even if it had originated in the US, at a different port than the disembarkation port, the ship/passengers would have met the 'distant foreign port' rule by stopping in Japan. 

Thank you Ruth, I forgot that it was not an "Alaska" cruise; but a much longer cruise with Alaskan ports at the end. That being said Victoria is a pretty nice port stop, if it is more than a couple hours in the evening.

[oaktreerb]

6 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Thank you Ruth, I forgot that it was not an "Alaska" cruise; but a much longer cruise with Alaskan ports at the end. That being said Victoria is a pretty nice port stop, if it is more than a couple hours in the evening.

Agree that Victoria is a pretty nice port stop.  One of my favorite places to visit for the day!

[Seasick Sailor]

Hmmm.. I wonder who our captain will be on our 53 day Westerdam cruise on Sept 1st???

[Horizon chaser 1957]

My husband and I are both retired marine workers. This is extremely unusual.

Edited May 14 by Horizon chaser 1957

[bcummin]

I am sorry that you are heartbroken.

Things happen.  What is done is done.

Try to concentrate on the good parts of the cruise that you have enjoyed.

May your future be perfectly joyful.

Barbara

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, Seasick Sailor said:

Hmmm.. I wonder who our captain will be on our 53 day Westerdam cruise on Sept 1st???

 

 

Captain Bart Vaartjes is scheduled 

 

[ron57nie]

We were on this cruise as well. So many here jumped to the conclusion that the OP had no doubt misunderstood what the captain really said, well he said it, and it was broadcast to every room on the ship, he took full responsibility and did not "lie" about why and what happened, in fact I found his forthright explanation a breath of fresh error. The op's question was "is this fair"?

 

Everyone's fair is different, for me it felt fair. the best whale sighting I have seen on Alaska cruises were in the inside passage, they were close and plentiful, but I have seen them, they haven't and likely never will. If he never said many people would not even know what they missed.

 

Another fact is about half the passengers did a 14 day circumnavigation around Japan and the trans pacific 16 day follow on. The 16 day transpacific was 1/2 the price of the first 14 days. A OV room was under $1000 for the 16 days so think $100 off your next cruise, nothing i would jump at.

For the room we booked for 30 days we should get around $800. Enough to do something, although at this point i haven't seen anything posted to my account. It also said you must book it and use it within a year. 

 

My point is not everyone will get any significant benefit from this offer. 

Finally, when someone has 40 posts, it took a lot for them to post something, those of you with many thousands of posts are often quick to pounce, back off a bit please!

[asebastian]

2 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

Captain Bart Vaartjes is scheduled 

At least not Captain Wouter van Hoogdalem who stuffed up our stop at Komodo Island (Singapore Indonesia Discovery cruise) in Nov-Dec last year by disallowing anyone not on a ship excursion from taking the tender to the island (vague safety reasons were provided even though people with mobility issues were seen getting into the tender). After a lot of complaints, we received a letter of apology signed by the captain as well as USD250 non-refundable OBC to each passenger. We were literally 2 days from ending the cruise in Singapore so there was a rush to the shops to spend the OBC! I would have preferred the money to be in the form of FCC.

[Haljo1935]

11 hours ago, SnowbirdsinTraining said:

My parents were on this cruise so I'll have to ask about the letter and FCC. They did not mention to me so I doubt they received this. This was their first cruise with HAL, so HAL possibly only provided letters and accompanying FCC to those with higher Mariner status (my assumption here). The choice of OBC should have been provided as I'm not certain my parents will cruise HAL again...

It's unfortunate your parents experienced this "itinerary change." I really don't think only passengers with higher Mariner status would have been given the credit - all passengers regardless of status experienced the same change.

When I've had itinerary changes and other issues that resulted in credit being given, I've not been given a choice of what form I wanted to receive the credit (OBC, FCC...) it has simply been issued. While OBC may have been preferred, I see nothing wrong w/the credit not being "passenger choice."

I hope your parents enjoyed the cruise and do give HAL another chance. They may want to check their Mariner account to see if the credit is there.

Edited May 14 by Haljo1935
Typo

[pmjnh]

3 hours ago, ron57nie said:

We were on this cruise as well. So many here jumped to the conclusion that the OP had no doubt misunderstood what the captain really said, well he said it, and it was broadcast to every room on the ship, he took full responsibility and did not "lie" about why and what happened, in fact I found his forthright explanation a breath of fresh error. The op's question was "is this fair"?

 

Everyone's fair is different, for me it felt fair. the best whale sighting I have seen on Alaska cruises were in the inside passage, they were close and plentiful, but I have seen them, they haven't and likely never will. If he never said many people would not even know what they missed.

 

This was clearly a very unusual situation. Clarification of what the situation was, by reading the letter, allows a much better discussion on the facts, rather than on speculation.  You are right that everyone's idea of "fair" is different. 

On another note, you were very, very lucky to see such abundant wildlife in the inside passage. We have sailed the inside passage 6 times and never saw any wildlife and we were outside on deck every time.

[pmjnh]

1 hour ago, asebastian said:

We were literally 2 days from ending the cruise in Singapore so there was a rush to the shops to spend the OBC! I would have preferred the money to be in the form of FCC.

 

Or automatic return to credit card as the port fees are..

Edited May 14 by pmjnh

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

18 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

The letter DOESN'T say they crew made a wrong turn. It says, in essence, the home office plotted the Inside Passage (but apparently didn't book the pilot). The crew plotted the Pacific route west of Vancouver.

 

The offer is pretty generous. 10% of a 15 or 20 day cruise? For missing the Inside Passage? Pretty generous.

I agree with you ...

[peajay]

13 hours ago, Miss Vickie said:

Even if you do go through the inner passage, it can be hit or miss. Our passage was rainy, cloudy and foggy the whole way through. And no wildlife to be seen.

Yes agreed weather can be hit or miss but this was our first gloriously sunny day, as forecast, so we were all aware that we missed better Alaskan sights (close proximity to beautiful landscapes) than we had seen up to that point, and an improved chance of finally seeing marine life. That is what helped to anger many onboard