HAL- CUSTOMER SERVICE- DISGRACEFUL!

[Rambozo68]

20 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Why haven’t you checked your bank account?  That would be my first go to.  Usually the bank notes the credit within 7 days after they actually receive it then post it to your account soon thereafter. If you are awaiting a paper bill that could be 60 days

Hi Mary, I'm not sure what you've picked up from your question. Checking my account was the first thing I did! And I've checked it every few days since! The money hasn't been returned! And more importantly, NOBODY from HAL will respond to my emails!

[Laminator]

Why aggravate yourself. Call your CC company and explain the issue to them. Give them the fluff about how you are concerned there may be some sort of fraudulent activity is involved because HAL is a very reputable company and you have not received your refund. Let them do the work for you. 

[Rambozo68]

40 minutes ago, Laminator said:

Why aggravate yourself. Call your CC company and explain the issue to them. Give them the fluff about how you are concerned there may be some sort of fraudulent activity is involved because HAL is a very reputable company and you have not received your refund. Let them do the work for you. 

A nice calming response indeed. A route to explore. Cheers Laminator!

[Lido deck main]

1 minute ago, Rambozo68 said:

A nice calming response indeed. A route to explore. Cheers Laminator!

Hi @Rambozo68 I had booked an end of cruise transfer to the airport for a cruise in June 2025, I changed my mind and decided to do an excursion which included the transfer.  So I cancelled the transfer and did not receive my refund, I waited a week then called the HAL accounting department at 1-888-663-5384.  They were able to initiate the refund, (it wasn’t in the works until I called), so maybe call them, they work Monday to Friday just until 5:00pm.  

[Mary229]

4 hours ago, Rambozo68 said:

I haven't checked with bank yet,

This is where I got the notion.  

[Rambozo68]

17 minutes ago, Lido deck main said:

Hi @Rambozo68 I had booked an end of cruise transfer to the airport for a cruise in June 2025, I changed my mind and decided to do an excursion which included the transfer.  So I cancelled the transfer and did not receive my refund, I waited a week then called the HAL accounting department at 1-888-663-5384.  They were able to initiate the refund, (it wasn’t in the works until I called), so maybe call them, they work Monday to Friday just until 5:00pm.  

Thanks Lido, I'll give them a call. 

[Alberta Quilter]

Some of us, from the Volendam Jul 27 - Aug 20/24 cruise are also waiting for credits to be credited to our credit card..  not waiting as long as the OP, though.  Two people from the roll call called in to HAL and were told that after a system upgrade, the credits bounced back.  They were going to try again but, if it didn’t work, a cheque would be sent at the end of September.  Perhaps, it’s a similar situation for the OP.

[Rambozo68]

8 minutes ago, Alberta Quilter said:

Some of us, from the Volendam Jul 27 - Aug 20/24 cruise are also waiting for credits to be credited to our credit card..  not waiting as long as the OP, though.  Two people from the roll call called in to HAL and were told that after a system upgrade, the credits bounced back.  They were going to try again but, if it didn’t work, a cheque would be sent at the end of September.  Perhaps, it’s a similar situation for the OP.

Hi Alberta, good to know and timing is very similar. Thanks. I'll follow this up. 

[Laminator]

I will never understand HAL. Their IT team is awful. I have a test website where any software update or upgrade is launched and tested to make sure it works properly before it is moved to my live site. What they do makes no sense to me.

[dfish]

41 minutes ago, Alberta Quilter said:

Some of us, from the Volendam Jul 27 - Aug 20/24 cruise are also waiting for credits to be credited to our credit card..  not waiting as long as the OP, though.  Two people from the roll call called in to HAL and were told that after a system upgrade, the credits bounced back.  They were going to try again but, if it didn’t work, a cheque would be sent at the end of September.  Perhaps, it’s a similar situation for the OP.

Thank you for this information.  I am also waiting for a refund.  My final statement says it was applied to my credit card, but there is no evidence of that.  Usually if things aren't posted yet the CC company will list it as pending, but there is nothing there.  The final statement says that if the amount to be refunded is over $10.00 a check will be issued.  So, I don't know what to think since it also says it was applied to my Visa card.

 

1 hour ago, Lido deck main said:

Hi @Rambozo68 I had booked an end of cruise transfer to the airport for a cruise in June 2025, I changed my mind and decided to do an excursion which included the transfer.  So I cancelled the transfer and did not receive my refund, I waited a week then called the HAL accounting department at 1-888-663-5384.  They were able to initiate the refund, (it wasn’t in the works until I called), so maybe call them, they work Monday to Friday just until 5:00pm.  

 

Thank you for this information.  I will give it a little more time and then call them.

 

20 minutes ago, Laminator said:

I will never understand HAL. Their IT team is awful. I have a test website where any software update or upgrade is launched and tested to make sure it works properly before it is moved to my live site. What they do makes no sense to me.

They are more than awful.  

[AV8rix]

1 hour ago, Laminator said:

I will never understand HAL. Their IT team is awful. I have a test website where any software update or upgrade is launched and tested to make sure it works properly before it is moved to my live site. What they do makes no sense to me.

Well, it's me again.  On with the same information every time there's a reference to HALs "IT team".

 

Bottom line is that there is no HAL IT team.  CCL outsourced IT to Capgemini way back in December 2016 and it has been a disaster ever since then.  Capgemini is nominally a French firm but they in turn outsource the actual coding/maintenance to India. 

 

 

[Laminator]

11 hours ago, AV8rix said:

Well, it's me again.  On with the same information every time there's a reference to HALs "IT team".

 

Bottom line is that there is no HAL IT team.  CCL outsourced IT to Capgemini way back in December 2016 and it has been a disaster ever since then.  Capgemini is nominally a French firm but they in turn outsource the actual coding/maintenance to India. 

 

 

I outsource my IT to India. Doesn't matter how you want to slice it but the buck stops with me. It is my business and therefore my responsibility. That is the same with HAL.

[ellieanne]

Depending on your bank and how they process transactions, it can take over a month to get refunds credited back to your account.
My cruise last year ended with a refund and it took fully 5 weeks to process the refund and over 4 weeks to clear the hold on the credit card.

The process may be out of both your bank and Holland America's hands. While the delays are frustrating, I would absolutely wait 6 weeks for refunds if you are dealing with international banks and/or credit cards.

[Wehwalt]

Whenever possible, we take any credits out in cash and leave a slight amount we owe HAL. While some countries chance their currencies on a regular basis, dollars don't go out of fashion. I'd rather have the money with us than rely on HAL.

[VMax1700]

38 minutes ago, Wehwalt said:

Whenever possible, we take any credits out in cash and leave a slight amount we owe HAL. While some countries chance their currencies on a regular basis, dollars don't go out of fashion. I'd rather have the money with us than rely on HAL.

This is what we do too!  Check the app or stateroom TV and see the amount of Refundable OBC and ask for a cash refund.  Always handy to have dollars!  Any non refundable is donated to the crew fund.  

[Rambozo68]

4 hours ago, ellieanne said:

Depending on your bank and how they process transactions, it can take over a month to get refunds credited back to your account.
My cruise last year ended with a refund and it took fully 5 weeks to process the refund and over 4 weeks to clear the hold on the credit card.

The process may be out of both your bank and Holland America's hands. While the delays are frustrating, I would absolutely wait 6 weeks for refunds if you are dealing with international banks and/or credit cards.

Wow! I find it astonishing that anybody should need to wait that amount of time to get their own money back! Thanks for your comment! 😊

[OMYx3]

We have had the exact same experience. Returned on 8/24 and have a close to $1,000 refundable credit for excursion cancelled due to weather. Multiple emails to guest relations with ZERO response. Called guest relations and they couldn’t give me any timing and said, “you just need to be patient.”  When I asked to speak to a supervisor, she said escalation wasn’t available. So frustrating. 

Edited Saturday at 08:19 PM by OMYx3
Typo on date

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, OMYx3 said:

We have had the exact same experience. Returned on 8/24 and have a close to $1,000 refundable credit for excursion cancelled due to weather. Multiple emails to guest relations with ZERO response. Called guest relations and they couldn’t give me any timing and said, “you just need to be patient.”  When I asked to speak to a supervisor, she said escalation wasn’t available. So frustrating. 

If all else fails, escalate to your credit card provider.

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 hours ago, OMYx3 said:

We have had the exact same experience. Returned on 8/24 and have a close to $1,000 refundable credit for excursion cancelled due to weather. Multiple emails to guest relations with ZERO response. Called guest relations and they couldn’t give me any timing and said, “you just need to be patient.”  When I asked to speak to a supervisor, she said escalation wasn’t available. So frustrating. 

 

Was this an excursion from the actual cruise or a pre/post land tour? For some reason, the pre/post credits take a long time. Any time I've had an excursion from the ship cancelled, the credit went back to my card right away. I don't see a good reason for the difference, since it's all booked through HAL, but it's what people are reporting. 

[OMYx3]

Yes, ours was for a glacier helicopter trek arranged through and paid to HAL. It was cancelled in Juneau the day of the excursion due to weather. On the ship, they said it would be refunded to our credit card within a few days. We are now at 3 weeks. 

[richwmn]

1 hour ago, OMYx3 said:

Yes, ours was for a glacier helicopter trek arranged through and paid to HAL. It was cancelled in Juneau the day of the excursion due to weather. On the ship, they said it would be refunded to our credit card within a few days. We are now at 3 weeks. 

I'm actually surprised that they told you the money would be refunded to your credit card. Usually the cost of the canceled excursion is placed in your onboard account so you can spend it elsewhere. It is then refunded at the end of the cruise if anything is left over.

 

[POA1]

On 9/12/2024 at 3:49 PM, AV8rix said:

Capgemini is nominally a French firm but they in turn outsource the actual coding/maintenance to India. 

 

Not just India, but also Ireland, Egypt, Pakistan and other countries. Your point about outsourced IT is correct though.

[Rambozo68]

11 hours ago, richwmn said:

I'm actually surprised that they told you the money would be refunded to your credit card. Usually the cost of the canceled excursion is placed in your onboard account so you can spend it elsewhere. It is then refunded at the end of the cruise if anything is left over.

 

Ours was refunded to our onboard account and should have been refunded to my credit card post holiday.

 

Yesterday I called the number supplied above by Lido Deck. I got through quite quickly, but they told me I'd have to speak to Guest Relations. After being transferred, I got the automated "we are very busy, it might take 30 mins to an hour to speak to an advisor". 

After an hour and 6 minutes of my life that I'll never get back I had to hang up to go and do something else. 
 

6 weeks on and I'm no further forward. Tomorrow I'll contact my credit card company. And I won't be using HAL again!
 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

I thought if you pre-booked it on a credit card, it went right back to the card, but if you booked it on board, then it went into the OBC account. 

[OMYx3]

We pre-booked through HAL using our credit card.  Like Rambozo68, they refunded it to our onboard account and said it was a refundable credit that would be refunded to our credit card within a few days after the end of the cruise (which was Aug 24).  The experience Rambozo68 talks about is exactly our experience.  After waiting on hold and actually talking to someone, all they can say is "you need to be patient."  And at least 4 e-mails to guest relations with ZERO response.  The cruise was great up until this point.  If they would respond and simply explain why there is a delay in refunding the money and when we can expect to receive it, we would be fine with that.  But to not respond at all isn't a good way to treat your customers.