Attn. Zuiderdam - St Thomas 11pm Port Time - Cruisers

[superstein61]

We are all screwed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

As many of you know, HAL has been flipping many of its Zuiderdam Eastern Caribbean itinerary's - So even though they still blatantly publish a 8am - 11pm St Thomas port call followed by a 7am-6pm Tortola port call - they have been switching these ports and leaving from both at 6pm. A PURE BAIT AND SWITCH ADVERTISING TACTIC.

 

Numerous folks have written to inquire about upcoming cruises and were either not responded to or told of no change.

 

I was one of those told of no change on my cruise in a few weeks.

 

TODAY - I found out otherwise. IN FACT - HAL IS SWITCHING THESE PORTS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR !!!.

 

I quote:

 

Unfortunately, the schedule change that affected the sailings we listed below, has now been extended to also include all of the ms ZUIDERDAM Eastern Caribbean sailings for the rest of this year. The ms ZUIDERDAM will now be in Tortola at 7:00am until 6:00pm on Tuesday and in St. Thomas from 7:00am until 6:00pm on Wednesday. We are truly sorry that this change is a disappointment for you. However, as explained in our below response, our brochures state, "situations may arise which, in our opinion, make it necessary for us to cancel, advance, or postpone a scheduled departure, change itineraries or make substitutions involving, hotels, restaurants, ports of call..."

 

This is truly a disappointing and revolting change for many folks who booked this cruise specifically due to the late 11pm St Thomas departure.

 

I hope you join my in filing false advertising complaints with the Federal trade Commission and the Washington State Attorney General's office

[gizmo]

I know that clause has always been there, but the least they could do it explaine why. I would like to know what the "situations" are that caused the change.

[superstein61]

Gizmo - I agree. They did not provide me any explanantion in the email I rec'd.

 

As i have said before, I can certainly understand changes due to weather, unforeseen circumstances, etc - but to basically advertise and sell this itinerary for more than a year - offering something no other ship matched (ie the 11pm St Thomas departure) - and then start changing it in April without warning - and no official notice for the rest of the year until today is just plain wrong. I leave in 2 weeks. I have no choice but to continue on - as has anyone who has paid in full and is inside the cancellation period.

 

This is particulalrly upsetting to me - because I book based on itinerary and price - and we passed up some other deals becuase we wanted the long port time in St Thomas.

 

HAL certianly has some explaining to do

[tammar]

I'm sorry. I can understand why your upset, but what I don't understand is what is their to do in St Thomas at night, other than to go to dinner. Am I missing something? Is there something new to do in St Thomas at night. I know the downtown area is not safe at night. So you have me curious.:confused:

[Roadwork]

I would not be interested in the night life on St.Thomas, BUT the extended hours gives a person a much longer time to do things during the day and gives a person the opportunity to do things they might not do if the ship left early.

 

For all those that planned on a long day I am sorry this happened. :(

[superstein61]

Tammer - thanks.

 

Well, mainly we wanted to spend the extra time on St Johns. By not leaving until 11pm - we could have stayed on St Johns as long as we wanted, had dinner there, taken a 9pm ferry back and still made it back to the ship in plenty of time - now we have to be sure to rush back on the 3pm ferry. Thats a big change and ruins the plans we made for visiting several places we wanted to go to in St Johns. So basically we have to cut some things out that we were really looking forward to

[srpilo]

Son of a B#$*@..

 

I just Yesterday recieved another e-mail response, this time from a supervisor that I demanded to speak with.. And he said, "I stick by what "Jennifer" stated in her original reply, and that is, Zuiderdam has and will continue to call on St Thomas on Tuesdays from 08:00am til 11;00pm" ... I swear to god that was less than 24 hrs ago from a supposed Supervisor !!!!..

 

@#/&$#%! Incrediible !!!!!

 

 

One question "Superstein61" was information also conveyed in an e-mail, and if so, could you e-mail me a copy, so I can RAM IT DOWN his lying throat.. yeah right, supervisor my A$$.. Way to go HAL !!

 

Srpilo@hotmail.com

 

Thanks ..

[superstein61]

Srpilo - yes, unfortunately I rec'd that email this afternoon.

 

I will give HAL one piece of credit (even though I am very upset about this)- and that is they sent this email because they had previously told me otherwise (according to the new email). So at least they were responsible now in following up and correcting their earlier response to me.

 

So while I will be happy to forward the email - why don't you wait and see if you get a correction email from HAL. I am curious if they will - especially since you asked to hear form a supervisor

[tammar]

Wow! thank you for the info. I did not know they had a ferry that late from St. Johns. Now I understand your dissappointment.

 

But now I am getting cross messages. We are sailing on the Z Aug 14th. Guess we will have a plan A and a plan B lol. What else can we do?:confused:

[drk]

We too booked this cruise because we wanted to spend a real day in St. Johns and not have to rush back to the ship. Our cruise is not until 12/11 but we have paid in full and will have to get a refund as well as pay a cancellation fee to the online agency we used with the booking. I have also emailed HAL in this regard. I feel your pain. We would much rather just skip Nassua which would give the ship plenty of time to stay late in St. Thomas on Wednesday and sail back to Ft. L with 2 sea days.

[KAKcruiser]

I would happily accept the St. Thomas switch if they would substitute St. Maarten for Tortola. I love the St. Thomas and St. Maarten combination that the Zuiderdam did last year.

[Tatka]

I don't know how reliable i-cruise.com is (although I like them as a agency) but

they list 3 different Eastern Ceribbean itinerary:

 

July 17,31 FLL - HMC - Day at Sea - Tortola - St Thomas - Day at Sea - Nassau - Fll

 

August 14 - Dec 11 FLL - HMC - Day at Sea - St Thomas - Tortola - Day at sea - Nassau - Fll

 

December 24 FLL - HMC - Day at Sea - St.Thomas - St.Maarten - 2 Days at Sea - Fll

[superstein61]

Tatka - Well, i just received that email from HAL this afternoon saying they were changing all cruises on the Z thru year end- so I am sure it will take time for all the travel agency sites to update their sites with the revised itinerary.

 

Of course - who knows - I guess HAL could always change again given the fiasco this has been- but I am just passing on what the email I rec'd said

[MandyGirl]

:confused: Any clue what the "situation" was that "arised" to cause HAL to "make it necessary ...to change itineraries"??? :confused:

Ugh - We were one of those, too, who had specifically booked for the longer port time in St Thomas so we could enjoy St John without rushing back. :( Having taken a land vacation on St John, we truly enjoy spending time there - including in the evenings. Plus we married there on cruise #3. Cruz Bay does have good nightlife, and it is a peaceful type of nightlife after the other cruiseships leave - which made this itinerary all the more appealling to book.

 

Fortunately, we don't leave until Thanksgiving week, so I appreciate learning well in advance to adjust my independently booked plans for Tortola / St John. However, like many of you, I wish HAL would have been honest at the time we were booking in June since the flip-flop was already being done (but not advertised). I booked this cruise through BPC so I don't know if I'll even receive notice from them on the change - and I believe they charge a fee for changing cruises even outside the cxl date.

I wonder why HAL doesn't extend Tortola - so that those who do a daysail all day (typically 9A-4P) still have time to see Tortola before dark or enjoy a leisurely drink (Painkiller) at Pusser's? Or does Tortola have local regulations for all ships to be departed by a certain time?

Sorry for you folks just getting this short notice. :mad: This disappoints me, too. I never received a reply from the email I sent HAL, so at least someone here got a reply and could share here! Thank goodness I wasn't planning my St John wedding on THIS cruise!

[vjb223]

I also am dissapointed, we arranged charters and car rentals based on their schedule and called last week and they said no changes. It is hard to plan on other tours on your own. The change is def. NOT weather wise. Darn, now have to start all over in two ports and yes staying in St. Thomas to have more time in St. John was one of the reason booked. vjb

[Mrs B]

We leave on the 17th and our TA called this morning to inform us of the change in itinerary. She had received a call from HAL requesting that all passengers be called and notified of the change.

[Florida Lady]

JUST RECEIVED THIS RESPONSE FROM HAL RESERVATIONS

 

7/15/2004 2:20:26 PM Eastern Standard Time

From: Hal_Reservations@HollandAmerica.com

 

Thank you for your inquiry regarding the ms Zuiderdam departing August 14, 2004.

 

Currently, the ms Zuiderdam's schedule is as follows:

 

DAY | DATE | CITY | ARRIVE | DEPART

---------------------------------------------------------

SAT 08/14/04 FT LAUDERDALE 5:00PM

SUN 08/15/04 HALF MOON CAY 8:00AM 4:00PM

MON 08/16/04 AT SEA

TUE 08/17/04 ST THOMAS, US V.I. 8:00AM 11:00PM

WED 08/18/04 ROAD TOWN, TORTOLA 7:00AM 6:00PM

THU 08/19/04 AT SEA

FRI 08/20/04 NASSAU, BAHAMAS 12:00PM 7:00PM

SAT 08/21/04 FT LAUDERDALE 8:00AM

 

*****Please be advised this is subject to change.

 

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. Our valued Mariner's comments or suggestions are always welcome and very much appreciated. For over 130 years Holland America has upheld a reputation for five-star service and unequaled cruise itineraries. Our award-winning fleet sails to Alaska, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, Mexico, Europe, Canada & New England, South America, and Around the World. We look forward to welcoming you onboard again in the near future.

 

Thank you for your continued patronage!

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

Teresa

Internet Department

Holland America Line, Inc.

(877) SAIL-HAL

[srpilo]

Ok according to Florida Lady's e-mail , we're back to where we started...:confused:

 

 

 

What a Mickey Mouse company..

Srpilo

[MandyGirl]

Maybe they can just flip a coin at the end of lifeboat drill each Saturday to determine which comes first - St Thomas or Tortola?? :rolleyes:

[Thumpr]

Me and my wife are doing this itenerary Aug 28, We have not recieved anything regarding this, we recieved our cruise papers last week and the itenerary is the same as when we booked, If this is true i will be very upset

I guess if enough people complain they might change it back. I hope they do I was looking forward to the long stay in St. Thomas!!!

[kryos]

I would not be interested in the night life on St.Thomas, BUT the extended hours gives a person a much longer time to do things during the day and gives a person the opportunity to do things they might not do if the ship left early.

 

For all those that planned on a long day I am sorry this happened. :(

Thank God I booked shore excursions through HA. I would assume they will have to make good on any that can't be done now because of leaving earlier. I don't have my listing here right now, but some might finish up pretty close to departure time.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[doone]

Well, I hope my itinerary doesn't change for St. Thomas on my Zuiderdam cruise next March. If it does, it will be ok, we'll make it work, but we will also be disappointed.

 

I am curious to know the situations as well as to why this change!!!

[MandyGirl]

Thumpr - I think I read on a post where some recent Zuiderdam cruisers did not find out about their port swap until after boarding even though their documents showed the original itinerary.

Side note on Immigration:

The best thing I have read thus far is that if you do Tortola first, then St Thomas, then you now have to go through Immigration before disembarking in St Thomas... (wouldn't have to with the original itinerary)... but they now give you a card where you can go ahead and get off the ship. :) Last year on our Maasdam cruise, they had to clear the ENTIRE ship before ANYBODY could get off in our already short Key West port... and you always have those few cabins who think the rules don't apply to them and disregard their names/cabin numbers being called overhead dozens of times. So the ship disembarked two hours late but still left Key West on time. If what I have read about Zuiderdam in St Thomas clearing Immigration recently, that will be so nice to be able to get off the ship after clearing Immigration and not have to wait extra hours.

[MandyGirl]

One more thing... I have used this link for years and have found it to be quite accurate. It might help looking at future months to see what they are showing for Zuiderdam... Tuesdays or Wednesdays. This site is updated on a monthly basis (at the end of each month to depict the following month). I'm sure HAL must communicate with port officials of their schedule.

http://www.*****/general_usvi/getting_here/usvi_cruise_ship.php

[viennacruiser]

We are also booked on the Z in March 05, I really was looking forward to a long day in St John, we went 2 years ago, going on our own without the ships tour..

If not I guess a day in St Thomas in March is better than a day in Virginia in march !!!!