Will someone tell TA to quit saying HAL is for the old

[airlink diva]

I know that this thread is not a new one, but I have to just express myself.

I'm so sick and tired of TA who try to place HAL in a certain market. I'm in my mid 30's and love to travel, esp crusing. Out of all the cruiselines I traveled on, HAL is at the top of my list.

I have a group of girlfriends that want to take a cruise in November (I can't go because of my trip on the Maasdam in January 2007). All except one have cruise before, but never on HAL. I suggested HAL by telling them about all the wonderful things that they will enjoy and even comparing it to the other lines that they sailed on. I also had them to check out this website and view the reviews on HAL. I told them that yes that you will have some mature people, but that's on any ship (On my cruise on Carnival in April, two of my tablemates were over 70). They all agreed to book on HAL for a fall cruise.

Guess what, the TA that they went to book the cruise with, told them no and tried to push another cruiseline. She stated that HAL ships consist of very boring narrow minded people and they would regret booking on HAL. When they told her that I and another friend sailed on HAL before and told of the wonderful time that we had, her reply was that our trips were just a fluke and not the norm. They didn't book the cruise with this TA (they wrote a letter to the management of the travel agency about her) and booked online. Now they are nervous because of this TA.

Yes HAL is a different cruise experience than the other liners, but it's for everyone, regardless of age. On my HAL cruise, I can say that the mixture of cruisers was great. I saw my share of wheelchairs and walkers, but also the ipod, tattoe cruisers.

I'm sorry, but I had to get that off of my chest

[hammybee]

I too cruise with people that will not consider HAL bacause TA's told them similar stories.The TA's have never been on HAL and they keep pushing Carnival or RCCL. I figure one of these years they will conced that we all have "crossed-over" to the mature side and they will come home to HAL.

[kryos]

Please don't take offense to this ... but in some respects, I have to side with the TA. Of course, she shouldn't be so narrow minded and make a blanket statement that HAL is only for the elderly, but I think she's just trying to make sure your friends understand what they are getting into. HAL is not like many other cruise lines ... in fact, that's why we enjoy it so much.

 

Many of my friends know I cruise. They know I frequent these boards and am familiar with some of the cruiselines. To be honest, if I have a friend with a family, consisting of young children or teenagers, I don't recommend HAL for them. I generally recommend RCCL ... or even Disney if they have money to burn. If I have a younger friend ... single ... or maybe married, but not yet with kids, then I might suggest HAL, but I will first ask what they are looking for.

 

The fact of the matter is that HAL is not for everybody. Many young 30somethings want a little "excitement" on their cruises. They want the upbeat, party-type atmosphere ... the non-stop activities poolside, the late night goings on ... and all that jazz. These people would honestly be very disappointed on HAL. Generally, HAL's ships roll up the carpet shortly after midnight ... especially the non-Vistas. They'd be far better off on Carnival or RCCL.

 

I didn't begin cruising until I was in my late 40s ... so for me, HAL was perfect. I'm not a party person ... never was even when I was much younger ... so I was lucky to happen upon HAL for my first cruise. But that had nothing to do with a travel agent ... I had to select the ship that was hosting the writer's conference I wanted to attend ... and that ship happened to be HAL's Rotterdam. I fell in love with cruising and with HAL, and have taken more cruises since. Had I happened upon a Carnival ship, things may have been different, and that may have been my only cruise.

 

So, please ... don't be too rough on your travel agent. She just wants to make sure that your friends get the cruise experience they are looking for ... and, to be honest, she's looking out for her own skin too. If she doesn't give them recommendations, and they take a HAL cruise only to hate the experience ... they're gonna come right back to her furious ... "why didn't you warn me that HAL was primarily for older folks?" She's gonna get a lot of grief and she's just trying to avoid that.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[gizmo]

 

Yes HAL is a different cruise experience than the other liners, but it's for everyone, regardless of age. On my HAL cruise, I can say that the mixture of cruisers was great. I saw my share of wheelchairs and walkers, but also the ipod, tattoe cruisers.

 

Disagree. Age is a factor. Hal IS in a different market than RCL or Carnival. Many people could find Hal boring. No pool music blaring all day at the pool, no hairy chest contests, no shooters offered after dinner, no rock climbing walls etc. On the majority of my cruises on Hal, the ship was somewhat dead at midnight. My cruises on NCL were completely different.

I do realize not everyone wants this regardless of age, but there are more mid 30's that would prefer more of a party type cruise than someone 55 +.

 

I think the TA was wrong with the statement "boring narrow minded people" which is way off base. The TA was not wrong to try and steer them to another line, but it wasn't handled very well.

[Bramcruiser]

I think your friends did the best under the circumstances. Only by letting management aware of the situation and taking your business elsewhere can you ensure that the agent like this one will get the message. It sounds to me that the narrow minded one in this case was the TA and not the HAL passengers she was referring to. The reality is that we need more people doing what your friends did. A polite disagreement and a well worded letter works wonders compared to a yelling match.

[bdcbbq]

My wife and went to visit a TA to get some information and mentioned that we were thinking of a cruise on HAL. Her response "You're to young for HAL", My wife are both in our early 50's. I told her that's what we liked about HAL. I consider a TA's job is to provide a service. Although whatever that service is, they should execute our desires and not try to change them. I don't mind a suggestion, but to try to change my mind more than once. That's a no go.

[FoxyTerrier]

I agree with the original poster. HAL can be a wonderful experience for younger cruisers.

 

We started cruising on HAL in our early 40s and with our teen age son. I can't tell how many times we rolled into bed after 2am after spending the evening at the Crow's Nest or Disco. Sure the average passenger is 50s, 60s, 70s plus but every cruise we go on there are more and more 20s, 30s and 40s. Plus there seems to be lots of teens - maybe it's because we travel during school breaks. Now DS is a young adult and hung out with lots of college age kids when on the Noordam - I would save there were at least 30+ of them that he knew.

 

DH and I were married in our mid-20s and by then I was very tired of the party scene. I really don't think I would want to hang out with that crazy drunken crowd at any age - well maybe in college I would. I realize maybe I'm different than the normal person because I have always loved traveling and staying in wonderful places and enjoyed fine dining - even as a child. Benefits of being an only child perhaps.

 

TA might suggest HAL is different than others, but to say "very boring narrow minded people" I take offense to that. But on the other hand if TA push this then there will be more cabins for all us HAL lovers.

[Bramcruiser]

To the two(so far) who stated that the TA might be right: I can't disagree in principle that the TA was doing a job in letting the travellers know their options based on the perceptions out there that HAL is a floating retirement home. A good TA would undoubtedly be finding out what kind of experiences a traveller is looking for and where a proper fit would be. However, based on the story told to us (and it can be argued we don't have all the facts), it sounded like this agent was just instantly putting up the no-HAL barrier and making up her mind as so many bad customer service people tend to do.

 

I agree a discussion is necessary up front to prevent the "Why didn't you tell us?" scenario as Rita so plainly described.

 

I know a lot of young people who would love HAL and not necessarily party all night long on some other line. So the agent should have asked questions. If this agent didn't do that portion of her job then the customers have every right to put their complaint down on paper and take their business elsewhere to someone who will listen.

[Namvet4]

Caveat Emptor…!!!! A consumer has the responsibility to find out as much about the product as they are comfortable in knowing before the purchase. That said, a good TA, brick and mortar or online, provides proper service to you, the consumer, by offering facts and opinions about the cruise line, the specific ship, itinerary and passenger makeup. All of this is to match your needs with what is perceived to be the best fit. Those TA’s who offer their opinions without fact or first hand knowledge are to be taken with a grain of salt. IMHO, it is the responsibility of HAL to change the perception about the demographics of its customers and the atmosphere and lifestyle aboard their ships. Remember, the TA is an “agent”, selling you a product and earning compensation.

 

BTW.... That TA that airlink-diva referred to, IMHO, did not do the job and did a dissservice to the consumer

". . . stated that HAL ships consist of very boring narrow minded people and they would regret booking on HAL. . . " No professionalism exhibited here :(

[Navy_Chief]

I respect your opinion but perhaps it would be better for the TAs to simply state the differences in the lines and what they offer instead of the demographics. Did we stop to consider that maybe it's all these TAs SAYING it's for the elderly that's causing a demographic issue in the first place? Frankly, I don't look at it that way and really don't think it's an issue, but I have cruised on HAL. I chose the Rotterdam because it was the right itinerary at the right time. It had little to do with anythng else. Both my DW and I enjoyed that cruise dispite the change in itinerary to go to Naples instead of Gibraltar. :D

[satchiesmom]

A TA's job is to give information, not opinion. The owner of the first agency at which I worked would make blanket statements such as the OP's friends heard. Need I mention that he is no longer in business? Yes, people should know what they are getting into and the agent should discuss the general demographics of each cruise line considered, but to assume that the client doesn't know what he or she wants and that the agent knows better is just not good business. We are there to guide and to be of assistance in any way we can, that is our primary job.

 

Susan

[Tricia724]

I have to laugh at all the comments about the lack of late night activity on HAL compared to other lines. When I sailed for the first time on RCCL this past year on Explorer OTS, I fully expected the ship to be jumping at night because there were a lot of younger people on the ship. Two nights that week we went into the main lounge in the evening, and both nights it emptied out about 11:30 pm like a plague had come through. We thought all the action must be at the disco so we stuck our head in the door......empty. By midnight the ship was every bit as dead as any HAL ship I've ever sailed. Maybe not the norm, but that's the way it was on our cruise. There was, however, a band at the pool during the afternoon which was loud.....so maybe that brought the excitement level up a notch.

 

Another thing that may or may not be a factor in TAs trying to dissuade people from taking HAL......on more than one occasion we have had a TA tell us that HAL is hard to deal with. This goes back over five years to a local TA, as well as a couple of online TAs we have used since. All of them have tried to push us towards Princess. I really don't know anything about the commissions the TAs make, but sometimes I get the impression that other lines are more generous to the TAs than HAL....or at least more flexible.

Even knowing that we sail HAL frequently, when we mention a particular destination we are interested in, the TAs always ask us if we have considered another line.

 

So....sometimes I believe the TAs are sincere in trying to match up their clients with the cruiseline....and sometimes I think there may be something else behind it.

[cruisequeen10]

When cruising first started it was yes for the seniors that have been retired. Over the years, the younger set have finally got on the bandwagon and started cruising as well. Of the 18 cruises I have been on, yes the majority are all over the age of 65. So what. We all get along (or most of us do). When we get to be in the senior ages, other people will be referring to us. My travel agent has never opposed to whatever cruise I wanted to do. One time she wanted me to go on the portion of the cruise she was going on (I wanted NZ/Australia and she wanted the Australia/Tahiti). I always dreamed of going to Australia and I won out. Age doesn't matter. You always see families travelling with their children.

[fcorey]

I think its fine for a TA to give some suggestions, but it is not their place to try to change your mind. Particularly if you have researched what you are looking for and have made up your mind based on outside sources such as CC. We had a similar experience with our local AAA office, one of my friends manages their websites so we thought we'd give them a try. Right off, she tried to change us to Carnival or RCCl. My wife told her absolutely no way would she ever go on Carnival again. The TA then said "well have you been on HAL?" to which my wife answered "no", then the TA said "then you dont know what you are talking about". To which I asked "have you been on a HAL cruise?" and she sheepishly said "no" then I said "so how can you know if it will be right for us since you havent taken the time to ask us what we are looking for?"

 

At this point one of the managers came over as she heard what I said, she asked if she could help, but I simply said we would take our business elsewhere. We used a local (next state over) online TA, just in case.

 

Granted, we are in our mid-thirties, and dont look like we would be in the HAL demographic but we've made our decision based on feedback from several people and postings here. Had the TA asked what we were looking for then she would have realized that HAL or Celebrity were a closer fit for us. She had a mindset that you're the wrong age and dont know what you want, "HAL is for old people" was the exact phrase she used, I think that her attitude was more offensive than the statement, but I was still put off and wasnt about to spend my money there.

[NapTown Jim]

When I booked our honeymoon cruise my TA advised me that HAL generally catered to more older people. I told her I didn't care and was booking it mostly for the itenerary. I'm 36, the DW is 41 and we had a great time! I did not care for much of a night life. In fact, the latest we stayed up was for the 11pm Filipino crew show and we were often in bed before that.

 

When we returned the TA asked us what we thought and we told her it was fantastic and would do it again in a heartbeat. Diva's story sounds typical among agents who do not sell alot of HAL or want to sell other lines...but this comment...

 

She stated that HAL ships consist of very boring narrow minded people and they would regret booking on HAL

 

was way out of line. If I was that agent's customer, or potential customer I would have walked out the door immediately.

[bepsf]

Years ago, Carnival sent out "mystery shoppers" to TA's - when the shopper asked for a fun vacation, if the TA suggested a Carnival cruise, the TA would get $100 cash right on the spot!

I can see where a good TA might offer suggestions as to what line might be appropriate if someone came in and had no idea what cruise to book - but to outright contradict a client who obviously has their mind made up is just a bad idea.

Reminds me of the story my Dad tells of when he went to buy his first brand-new car. He went to he Mercury dealer near my grandparents home in Illinois and told the salesman that he wanted to order a Monterey (the full-sized model at that time) for my Mom. The salesman told him that a Monterey was for "old men" (M&D were 30 and 31 at the time) and that he should get her a Montego (the mid-size)...

Dad ordered Mom's Monterey from the dealer in Michigan near where we lived - & they loved that car for the 12 years they had it.

;)

[avalon1025]

I'm 36 and have sailed HAL my whole life, been on all of the other cruise lines and always come back to HAL and always have a great time. I've never stayed up later on a cruise than I did on the Westerdam last march!

[Maryandi]

The last time we were on the Volendam in March, I paid attention to the ages I saw the most . The 50's and 60's were more numerous than the 70's & 80's but HAL played the WW11 musak system non-stop :( .

 

I don't think they realize that their age groups are a changin'. I don't mind a mixture of age groups music but this non-stop WW11 gets to you. That music was our parents music, so play a little of theirs and alternate it with ours. Or better yet a little silence once in awhile would be nice, too.

 

I always mention it in the 'remarks' and it never changes :(

 

M.A.

[FoxyTerrier]

played the WW11 musak system non-stop :( .

 

M.A.

 

Where do they play this? On the elevator? I don't recall hearing musak anywhere, but maybe I just tune it out. That's my parents music too - maybe I've grown used to it.

[Roz]

As a baby boomer, one of my fears is that I'll be sitting in a nursing home 40 yrs. from now, and they'll still be playing Glenn Miller. :D

 

Roz

[RuthC]

As a baby boomer, one of my fears is that I'll be sitting in a nursing home 40 yrs. from now, and they'll still be playing Glenn Miller. :D

 

Roz

One of my fears is that they won't.:(

 

I wish I could find a place on the ships where WWII music was the norm. Even in the piano bars I find music from a later era.

Guess I'm just a throw-back.

[hammybee]

As a baby boomer, one of my fears is that I'll be sitting in a nursing home 40 yrs. from now, and they'll still be playing Glenn Miller. :D

 

Roz

 

My fear is that we will be trying to do The Electric Slide with Walkers.

[cruznon]

It always helps to do research and listen to others' experiences to help you decide which line to choose. If a TA was pushing a cruise line I didn't want, I'd leave also.

Wowzo, I doubt that music on HAL will change soon. Such a large % of return Mariners stay with HAL because they like the "product." I have noticed that music in the Crow's Nest is more "modern" --especially late at night.

(Just me, but I flee to other areas of the ship when I hear country music. )

It's good that different lines do offer cruise experiences to fit a variety of customers. :) It's great when a TA can offer knowledgeable advise, after learning what potential cruisers want and expect from their cruise holiday.

[bepsf]

One of my fears is that they won't.:(

 

I wish I could find a place on the ships where WWII music was the norm. Even in the piano bars I find music from a later era.

Guess I'm just a throw-back.

 

Don't worry Ruth...

Some of us "youngsters" like the older music in some venues too

***hates when they try to play Beetles in the Ocean Bar***

[thomasale]

The last time we were on the Volendam in March, I paid attention to the ages I saw the most . The 50's and 60's were more numerous than the 70's & 80's but HAL played the WW11 musak system non-stop :( .

 

I don't think they realize that their age groups are a changin'. I don't mind a mixture of age groups music but this non-stop WW11 gets to you. That music was our parents music, so play a little of theirs and alternate it with ours. Or better yet a little silence once in awhile would be nice, too.

 

I always mention it in the 'remarks' and it never changes :(

 

M.A.

 

Bring Ipod on next cruise!!! :)