First (last?) time HAL paranoia

[hammybee]

Interesting, do you get the docs earlier than the rest of us (ie: before the penalty free cancellation period has lapsed) so as to read the fine print before purchasing your vacations??

 

Are these listed in a brochure? Are those subject to change without notice??? You are right REV, I too do not trust anyone and that is why Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance is very important when the fine print is supposedly stacked against the vacationer as has been suggested in this thread by many???

 

You are right Dippy. All cruise lines could do a better job of communicating their terms and conditions than they do. It is available online but most folk either do not bother to read the fine print or may not even be aware.

[whogo]

Interesting, do you get the docs earlier than the rest of us (ie: before the penalty free cancellation period has lapsed) so as to read the fine print before purchasing your vacations??

 

Are these listed in a brochure? Are those subject to change without notice??? You are right REV, I too do not trust anyone and that is why Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance is very important when the fine print is supposedly stacked against the vacationer as has been suggested in this thread by many???

HAL's cruise tour contract is here: http://www.hollandamerica.com/policies/cruise.do

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

These events happen on all cruise lines. Passengers get their money back. And life goes on.

Indeed they do (as I have mentioned several times), and indeed it does. The difference, as I have repeatedly stated, is that most cruiselines offer some sort of recompense to the disappointed passengers, which HAL chose not to do.

 

As I previously said, HAL is not the only cruise line in the sea. If you persist in worrying about what happened to some passengers, you really might want to consider a fresh start and cancel your HAL cruise and sail with another carrier.

Thanks for your input. :)

[dippy]

HAL's cruise tour contract is here: http://www.hollandamerica.com/policies/cruise.do

 

Thank you very much, this link is very useful and has cleared up confusion on my part and hopefully many on this thread. I will definitely read the fine print on future vacation purchases and any other purchases that I make. Thanks for the clarification to my questions. I will definitely ask my TA, who is receiving a commission and according to a previous post working for me, to clearly explain to me all the fine print that I should be aware of.

[whogo]

Here is my favorite part of the cruise contract: "We periodically photograph or otherwise film people participating in Cruises, Cruisetours and/or HAL Land Trips for retail, marketing, promotional, publicity and training purposes. Without any requirement that we compensate you or obtain any additional approvals from you, we are authorized to include photographic, video recordings and other visual portrayals of you, as well as voice recordings included with any videos, in photographs, videos, DVDs or other mediums that we sell at retail or utilize for marketing, promotional, publicity and/or training activities."

 

It is probably just as well I don't look like a movie star. I'd hate to end up in advertisement. I avoid all cameras.

[DizzyLizzy]

Without meaning any offense to the OP, you posted a hypothetical question to begin with....and now, without having taken a single Holland America Cruise, you offer your opinion regarding their customer service department? Hearsay is not admissable in court, and should not be here either. I'd rather hear from acutal guests as to how they were treated by HAL. And seriously, after seven cruises you have so much experience?

Please. I talk regularly to those who have more than 300 days on HAL....and they don't show any hesitation in rebooking. The Noordam price thing was a big disappointment to those of us who thought a better solution would have been appropriate. Honor the mistake, yes, I agree...BIG mistake ...could have been great PR if handled correctly. And this was a very unusual event, not policy. And for some of us who actually have been on more than a few HAL cruises, and 20 or more other cruise of other companies, own stock in several cruise lines, and have had past "issues" in which we actually dealt with the HAL and other customer service departments directly, I wonder why do you worry? GO AND ENJOY!

DL

[DizzyLizzy]

Bon chance.

DL

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

And seriously, after seven cruises you have so much experience? Please.

Wow . . . and this is without meaning any offense? :confused:

 

At any rate, I certainly never claimed to be a cruising guru, only to have had first-hand experience with the customer relations of three major cruiselines.

 

So let me apologize yet again for voicing my concerns, and for having cruised only seven times, and for whatever else I may have said or done, or not said or not done, that has ruffled so many feathers. I certainly didn't foresee this becoming a three-page thread. :o

[CDRMark]

snip...

So let me apologize yet again for voicing my concerns' date=' and for having cruised only seven times, and for whatever else I may have said or done, or not said or not done, that has ruffled so many feathers. I certainly didn't foresee this becoming a three-page thread. :o

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Your concerns are your concerns, and customer service is too often an oxymoron.

But, did you actually expect to toss a grenade into a room full of people ready to jump on it and not get this reaction? You seem wiser than that.

Cruise or don't cruise.

Ultimately you have no choice. Life Happens

Cheers and be well.

MarkB