I might not be choosing HAL again

[Sue's Mom]

Originally our cruise was supposed to be taking in three ports of call in Mexico and this was the reason we chose this particular cruise. Then I learned from the TAs webside that the itinerary had been changed altogether and was now the Caribbean. "OK" we thought, not too bad - it was still a bargain.

 

I had already chosen our excursions for Dominica, a choice between the tubing and the rowboat excursion. On checking the HAL website the tubing was not available. "Never mind" I thought, we can do the river rowboat instead. NOT SO. This has been taken off.

 

Out of sixteen excursions in the shore excursion brochure for Dominica we are now left with a choice between five.

 

I am really disgruntled about this and, if we had any choice about a refund, I would cancel immediatly. I feel as if we have been totally misled. I dare not tell our travelling companions about this. I am going to let them find out for themselves! :mad:

[bkreader]

Sue's Mom,

This is too bad. I hope your cruise turns out to be great anyway. Try and be optimistic - maybe you will have the time of your life. Please let us know how it went when you come back. - Jane

[xpcdoojk]

I would imagine that there are a lot of independent tour operators that you can book excursions with. Have you checked out the Dominica port section here at CC? That would be the first place I would start and then do a search for the Dominica tourism sites on the internet. I think you are stressing over something that you can do on your own. I rarely use cruiseline tours anymore.

 

Good luck.

 

jc

[Sue's Mom]

jc, I would agree with you about booking privately. I will have to look into the "river tubing".

 

It is also a matter of principle. I feel as though we have been "conned". (Is that expression recognised in the US?)

 

When I recover my equilibrium, I will look into the other options. I won't be beaten!

[jhannah]

Then I learned from the TAs webside that the itinerary had been changed altogether and was now the Caribbean.

Have you confirmed this with HAL? Websites can get screwed up. If it checks out, then I'd imagine that this is all part of the fallout from the recent hurricanes. Ports have been switched around like crazy to accommodate repairs and lots of ship clamoring for the same ports of call. It's not pretty, I know ... and I certainly understand your extreme disappointment. We choose cruises by itinerary, too, and the ports are important to us in that regard. I do hope your TA's website is wrong. But if not, I hope you will be able to make adequate excursion arrangements and have a wonderful sailing.

[Sue's Mom]

We received this news by email from our TA.

 

I am beginning to calm down a bit now. But I am a "morning" person and will think better after a night's sleep. Here in the UK it is 20.50.

[xpcdoojk]

jc' date=' I would agree with you about booking privately. I will have to look into the "river tubing".

 

It is also a matter of principle. I feel as though we have been "conned". (Is that expression recognised in the US?)

 

When I recover my equilibrium, I will look into the other options. I won't be beaten![/quote']

Sure conned is a perfectly understood word.:D

 

Jhannah is probably correct that the changes are the results of all of the damaged ports of call. I imagine that the contractors are already fully contracted that HAL uses in the secondary ports. I think it would be a good idea to make your arrangements on your own, and do it quickly as others will discover what you have discovered. Remember days at the beach can always be a great fill in in the caribbean, a little snorkeling, drinking a cold island beer and hanging out is pretty good too!

 

jc

[sail7seas]

There was severe damage to alot of the Caribbean from recent hurricanes. All of the cruiselines have had to make adjustments. HAL is no different. They are doing the best they can to find ports for all of their ships to call at and for there to be reliable and trustworthy locals operating tours.

 

 

I understand your disappointment (we, too, have had changes in our itineraries) but know that it not being done to purposefully 'con' anyone.

 

We all should bear in mind it is clearly written in all cruiseline literature they reserve the rights (always) to change, alter, cancel any and all proposed port calls and itineraries and have no need to even give any reason at all. That is one risk of cruising which always exists.

 

 

Good luck. I hope things work out happily for you and your group and that you all have a wonderful time.

[marybeach]

I'm on the same cruise, and I don't recall ever seeing any Mexican ports....this 11/26/04 Volendam sailing has always been HMC, St. Thomas, Tortola, Dominica, Barbados and Nassau. That is why I chose it, as we did western last year. This cruise is listed as Eastern Caribbean (Eastfarer). I hope your TA did not misinform you or confuse you. I don't think HAL did the switching of ports. I understand the frustration with ship's tours, and, that is one reason we rarely take them...we either rent a car or hire a local taxi. I've also seen ship's tours cancelled while one board due to lack of participation. Then you don't have time to look at alternatives. Now, that's a bummer. (Do they use that phrase in the UK?) You're going to have a wonderful cruise, Sue's Mom! Any cruise is better than being at work!!!

 

Cheers!:)

[BCEagle78]

Marybeach,

 

I am booked on the 11/26 Volendam cruise. We originally booked the cruise in Feb of 2004. At that time, it was scheduled as a 10 day Western Caribbean cruise.

 

Sometime during the spring, we were notified that the itinerary had been changed to an Eastern Caribbean itinerary. There was no explanation.

 

I can see by viewing the availability on the HAL website that this cruise still is far from sold out. When we were notified of the change, it seemed a lot of people canceled. They have been promoting this as an Eastern Caribbean cruise ever since.

 

You must have booked during the summer or later.

[peaches from georgia]

The same thing that BCEagle describes occurred with a Volendam March Westfarer cruise to the Western Carib. After having had the western itinerary posted and booked by many, I'm sure, it was changed to an Eastfarer. And it was before this fall's storms, so port damage had nothing to do with it.

 

It was confusing because some TA sites listed that week in March as a Volendam Eastfarer and some still had it as a Westfarer for a very long time after the change was made.

Unfortunately the Volendam no longer does that Westfarer itinerary as of now.

[Sue's Mom]

it not being done to purposefully 'con' anyone

 

S7S. I just feel that if I had known in April what I know now, I would not have booked. Hindsight is like 20/20 vision - a wonderful thing! :) Thank you for your good wishes.

 

Remember days at the beach can always be a great fill in in the

caribbean, a little snorkeling, drinking a cold island beer and hanging out is pretty good too

. jc - Sounds good to me too.

 

marybeach - yes "bummer" is used here too. :D

 

Looking at the big picture that is life, I don't suppose it matters much. ;)

 

Cheers everyone.

[digby]

"I dare not tell our travelling companions about this. I am going to let them find out for themselves!"

 

Do you think that's fair? I wouldn't if I were them.

[Sue's Mom]

The change in the itinerary is "due to birthing conflicts", according to the email I received.

 

Our friends are not even looking at the shore excursions until they board the ship. Perhaps I had better warn them - I don't really like to be the bearer of bad news and this is the second time I have had to do this on this cruise. :(

[anngie]

This sounds like false advertising to me. I would be so upset if I had scheduled a Western Caribbean cruise and it was changed to an Eastern itinerary. Most people choose an itinerary based on a specific reason like going somewhere that they have not been before.

I completely understand why our next cruise, the Westerdam December 5 itinerary has been changed. It is because of hurricane damage but it does not look like this one is changed for that reason.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sue's Mom

So sorry about the changes in your cruise.

We are among those who had the Volendam change after we booked it. In fact we booked back-to-backs on the Volendam. We bought our airline tickets and then found out that the western itinerary had been changed to a southern one.

[marybeach]

Well, I stand corrected.

 

You are right that I booked later in the summer and that is all I saw. I'd be ticked off if the TA didn't let me know. How do you find out these things :rolleyes: unless you are compulsive like me and keep checking for price drops, cabin assignments, etc.? I'd feel yanked, too, as all of you who experienced this.

 

I love the western Caribbean cruise because we both love Cozumel and Grand Cayman, but try to pick islands we have never been to. If there were no alternatives and you'd already purchased airline tickets, it seems like some adjustment could be made to make it a bit less painful. It's called PR.

 

It should be interesting hearing comments from people on board who are using a GPS and are nowhere near where they thought they'd be....oh, I can already hear the talk around the pool.....

[Sue's Mom]

Mary

 

We booked in April. I was checking the HAL site for shore excursions and first of all found that Key West was off the agenda. Disappointment no. 1.

 

Some short time later I checked HAL again and that was when I discovered that the itinerary had been changed altogether. Disappointment no. 2. I was the one who let our TA know!

 

So disappointment no. 3 was the final straw. I just lost it, I'm afraid.

 

I just have to remember that the cost for the total vacation, (airfare, hotel, cruise and wine) is so low. In the next day or so another two friends of ours are flying to the Canary Islands (about a four hour flight) and staying in a four star hotel but only bed and breakfast for only £150 (sterling) per person less than we are paying!

[Sue's Mom]

KK

 

How did you feel about that?