HAL Has Lost Another Repeat Cruiser

[twinkletoes4445]

As I've read through these many posts, it seems to me that if HAl had done as suggested above, everyone would have felt heard and acknowleged. A simple, "I'm sorry you had this experience" would have probably been sufficient to keep the OP satisfied. When one receives an apology, it's hard to continue being angry. IMO.

 

Exactly.

 

Posters come here for a variety of reasons...and when there is an issue, and they post about it there are always a few posters that want to sing the praises of HAL and diminish the complaint of the OP, or explain away the compaint, or make it sound as if it's not a valid complaint. This is the stuff (quoted below) that's totally uncalled for.

 

This is a forum, and we're here to share the good, bad and ugly. I don't really feel it benefits the forum to try and put down those that post their experiences...the negative ones. I think it's rather pompus of some posters to say the things they do-in response to a post where that person has had a negative experience.

 

None of them ruined our cruise nor made me feel I had to write nasty letters to corporate nor post diatribes on the board.

 

An "I'm sorry" would go a long way. Or just ignore the post. One of the reasons we chose HAL was because for the most part, the posters on this board are so civil to one another (and we figured this would be more or less the type of person that we'd encounter on the cruise, and it was. But there are a few here that don't fit that bill. Sadly.

 

But as with everything in life, there are always bullies...we see them on the playground when we were kids...we see them in the workplace...we see them everywhere. By God, your problem can't exist because I said so!!! lol

 

It's sad and I really pity people that do post about a bad experience. :(

[toz]

Amen, twinkletoes. The OP's post was hardly a diatribe.

[twinkletoes4445]

Amen, twinkletoes. The OP's post was hardly a diatribe.

 

Trust me, soon some HAL's Army will be riding in to lop off my head!! I don't get it...people have issues that they'd like resolved (or at least addressed). Stuff happens. All this charter bump and dump was new to me. But now I know it's something that's out there.

 

This is knowledge about cruising that I am happy to have.

 

You're right...the OP's post wasn't a diatribe. The OP had concerns and voiced them.

[NoNoNanette]

*Wildly applauding Heather and Twinkletoes*

 

(As well as other like-minded CC'rs.)

 

There are times that HAL cheerleaders are like a pack of wolves. :( It can be quite discerning to new posters who haven't figured out all of the personalities on this forum.

[twinkletoes4445]

*Wildly applauding Heather and Twinkletoes*

 

(As well as other like-minded CC'rs.)

 

There are times that HAL cheerleaders are like a pack of wolves. :( It can be quite discerning to new posters who haven't figured out all of the personalities on this forum.

 

They are like wolves. My God, they need to give it a rest. If I had something go wrong, the last thing I want is someone here telling me I am full of it.

 

I can't tell you how many valuable pieces of information I have gleaned from here over the years. And many of these things came from posters who had a problem of some kind. It's up to me to decide what I want to take away from this info...not try and beat the poster over the head and convince them they are lying, wrong...or misinformed.

 

It's annoying. I know I take a beating by some of the posters...just a few...and there have been many times I've hesitated just saying to someone, "I'm sorry you had a problem." Because I know for a fact that I will be toasted like a marshmallow (in short order). And it's like the flying monkeys from OZ...if one shows up, a couple more will appear in short order.

 

I totally feel sorry for the newbies, they have no clue what they are walking into if they say something negative. Like you said, they don't know the personalities yet. And they may never...they may just run for hills and never look back.

[fcorey]

This is a forum, and we're here to share the good, bad and ugly. I don't really feel it benefits the forum to try and put down those that post their experiences...the negative ones. I think it's rather pompus of some posters to say the things they do-in response to a post where that person has had a negative experience.

 

You're lucky you get a vacation, there are poor people all over the world that would love to be on a cruise. So shut up.

 

 

 

I completely agree (there I go again) :)

 

darn, that second part sounds an awful lot like me.....:rolleyes:

 

It's annoying. I know I take a beating by some of the posters...just a few...and there have been many times I've hesitated just saying to someone, "I'm sorry you had a problem" because I know for a fact that I will be toasted like a marshmallow in short order.

 

You should never feel like that, Everyone's point of view should carry the same value here. (let me go extinguish that campfire....) Host Walt told me that he views the forum kind of like a sporting event in that there are fans for each team, and some get a bit...over zealous...I have to agree that its a good analogy. It does bother me when I see comments get a bit personal, and I know I've written some things that had I thought about it I probably shouldn't have because they came across as rather terse or rude. I wouldn't treat someone like that in person so I shouldn't do it here. It is nice to see people stick up for others, but its sad that things some times degenerate to a point where you feel it necessary.

 

It wasnt that long ago that I was new here and I know how that feels.

[twinkletoes4445]

I completely agree (there I go again) :)

 

darn, that second part sounds an awful lot like me.....:rolleyes:

 

LOL...We have been agreeing a lot lately. :)

 

Yeah, and the second part is like me...especially after having kids in college for 10 years. I'm lucky the only boat I see isn't the Tidy Bowl guy in his little boat.

 

 

 

You should never feel like that, Everyone's point of view should carry the same value here. (let me go extinguish that campfire....) Host Walt told me that he views the forum kind of like a sporting event in that there are fans for each team, and some get a bit...over zealous...I have to agree that its a good analogy. It does bother me when I see comments get a bit personal, and I know I've written some things that had I thought about it I probably shouldn't have because they came across as rather terse or rude. I wouldn't treat someone like that in person so I shouldn't do it here. It is nice to see people stick up for others, but its sad that things some times degenerate to a point where you feel it necessary.

 

It wasnt that long ago that I was new here and I know how that feels.

 

For whatever reason, when I post an "I'm sorry" post, I do get targeted by a couple of posters. Why, I do not know. There can be 10 other posters that say the exact same thing...and bingo...I'm the one who gets slammed.

 

That's interesting about what Walt said. And it makes sense.

 

And honestly, your posts are great. They are not terse or rude. You enjoy "discussing" things, but you don't hit below the belt. And that's what I try and do.

 

And I remember my newbie days (somewhere along the line I lost 5,000 posts, so I've posting for a bit-but then again, maybe that's not a good thing...I may have too much time on my hands!) and how hard they were.

 

I think a lot of this is just my personality. What I lack in height, I more than make up in tenacity. I've always been there to go to bat for the underdog. I hate bullies...and I'd take a hit for someone if it meant that the bully would take a hike.

 

I just wish posters would be civil. If you don't agee...ignore the person with the complaint.

[Host Walt]

Folks, opinions and cruise experiences are just like noses; everyone has one, none are ever the same and there is no such thing as a wrong one.

 

That said, the HAL boards have a well earned reputation for being, generally, the most civil of the major cruise line boards on Cruise Critic. In cases such as this where a person has a cruise experience that he/she wants to share, please accept it as just that, a summary of an experience.

 

Please view the discussion as if it were occurring at dinner on board and treat the discussants with the dignity that you would normally treat your table mates at dinner.

 

Thanks.

[twinkletoes4445]

Gottcha, Walt. :)

 

But I worked hard on my Top Ten list. I had a feeling most of our posts would be gone by today. We were having way too much fun last night. :)

[Host Walt]

Please read this extract from our Cruise Critic Community Guidelines:

 

...If you have any questions or comments regarding our posting guidelines or any content found on our message boards please be sure and let me know. I'll be happy to discuss them with you.

 

...You should also know that the discussion of our management policies and procedures -- including post deletions-- is considered off-topic discussion for our cruise boards and will also be removed without notice. As mentioned above, all decisions regarding any action taken by management shall remain final.

 

Looking forward to reading about all of your cruise journeys!

 

LauraS

Community Manager

Cruise Critic

Community@cruisecritic.com

 

I, and/or Laura, would be pleased to discuss our policies with you by email.

 

Thanks.

[twinkletoes4445]

Please read this extract from our Cruise Critic Community Guidelines:

 

 

 

I, and/or Laura, would be pleased to discuss our policies with you by email.

 

Thanks.

 

I understand completely. Like I said, I pity the poster that has a complaint. But HAL's board is probably one of the most civil here. :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Sorry, Walt. I really do try to stay within CC guidelines. Sometimes I forget:( .

 

Twinkletoes, we have a thread on the CC LBYC board that I really think you'd enjoy. I'm guessing this from your post about eating just fruits and veggies lately:D . My email is in my signature.

[twinkletoes4445]

Sorry, Walt. I really do try to stay within CC guidelines. Sometimes I forget:( .

 

Twinkletoes, we have a thread on the CC LBYC board that I really think you'd enjoy. I'm guessing this from your post about eating just fruits and veggies lately:D . My email is in my signature.

 

Walt...I led Heather to the dark side.

 

I'll check it out the thread you mentioned. It's been going very good...so far. :)

[RevNeal]

<Long Whistle>

How did I miss this one?

 

The OP's letter to HAL and HAL's less than adequate response reminds me of the letter I received from HAL regarding my problems relative to my Ryndam cruise this past March. HAL's response was significantly lacking in specificity to what I had written in my letter. In my case it was: form letter A + form letter B - subset from Letter C = "No" Letter to RevNeal. It was annoying, to say the least.

 

It doesn't take a newbie or not knowing personalities here in order to be castigated for daring to post one's detailed letter to HAL and HAL's crappy response.

 

As for the details:

 

1. Yes, compensation was given by the Front Desk. Good.

2. The bad attitude of the Internet Manager was "utterly beyond acceptable."

3. HAL has policies (governed by CDC regulations) regarding sick crew members. Just from what I've read from the OP's message, it sounds like the fellow should have been barred from work within cabins or in food service. This issue is a critical one that HAL needs to investigate and address. Sick crew working in food service or cabin service is an automatic failure for a ship being inspected by CDC.

 

(Oh, and in a note to some of the remarks I've read here ... a mask isn't always an indicator of illness. I once had a Steward who wore a mask in his duties because the perfumes and other such chemicals that some women and men wear severely irritated the guy's allergies.)