HAL Personal Cruise Consultant - I'm not happy

[Sleepladypalmdesert]

I was just wondering, you said you received an email from this PCC after you returned from your last cruise. Who booked that last cruise for you?

 

Schwabby

 

I also received a letter in snail mail from a HAL PCC to offer help with our next cruise. We are not yet ready to book....okay I am a liar, I am ready but just can't commit yet due to work responsibilities....but I, and my DH both received seperate letters from a PCC asking for b'ness.

[chloes nana]

I also received a letter in snail mail from a HAL PCC to offer help with our next cruise. We are not yet ready to book....okay I am a liar, I am ready but just can't commit yet due to work responsibilities....but I, and my DH both received seperate letters from a PCC asking for b'ness.

how did you book your last cruise? through HAL or a TA?

[jrzebird]

I have booked our 3 cruises directly with HAL and have had nothing but pleasant experiences. HOWEVER, my request that my DBF and I receive separate emails, confirmations and cruise docs was denied each time (we do not live at the same address). I was told that only one person can receive these when you have the same booking number, and they will NOT send each passenger their own confirmations and documents. This has been consistent over the last three years.

[the2ofus]

jrzebird, I was told two years ago that if you ask at the time of booking they will honor the request. If you ask later it will cost $25 for the extra paperwork involved to add the second address. When I protested, the person checked with their supervisor and the fee was grudgingly waived because I insisted that from the outset I had requested separate documents.

 

I have also been told that their system only allows for one e-mail address per booking number.

 

To my way of thinking, if each one pays their own way, they deserve all the personal attention and information. We live 500 miles apart. It shouldn't be my job to re-package and re-send my sis's documents or to make sure the e-mails all get forwarded to her timely.

[the2ofus]

Thank you everyone, for the great feedback. I'll follow up on your suggestions Thursday morning. Will let you know how it turns out.

[the2ofus]

ger_77, thanks for the reference to your thread. I haven't been visiting the board much through January and February and I missed it. It is nice to know that I am in good company and that there are good PCCs out there.

 

I allowed that the young man I was dealing with might have had the flu or just had a bad day but I am convinced now that he just is:

 

1.) too busy being a good PCC for too many people or,

2.) new and overwhelmed or

3.) just not up to the task

 

In any case, when I spend money on a cruise, I don't want to be worrying whether the person I'm dealing with knows what they are doing and is capable of following through.

[meterman2]

We had a terrible experience with a PCC. He was a young man as well. Never again. His initials were SB.

[tooalto]

We also had an invite from a PCC several years ago. She was very pleasant when I called to inquire about anothe cruise but couldn't match the price I had gotten elsewhere. When I booked our upcoming cruise, I called her again since the price we had gotten as a special for Mariners only was super. She vey competently handled our booking. Confirmations for both couples was immediate and correct. I'm getting e-docs for us ourselves and traditional for theother couple since they never sailed HAL before and so dont have the lovely blue folder. J. quickly removed the fuel surcharge when I asked, confirmed our dining and has answered any questions. Would I use her again? Yes, if the price is right. I've repeatedly been checking the price for our cruise and no, even using cruise compete, has come close to the "mariners Only Special" that we are holding.

[Jade13]

We had a terrible experience with a PCC. He was a young man as well. Never again. His initials were SB.

 

What do you consider a terrible experience?

[Jade13]

We also had an invite from a PCC several years ago. She was very pleasant when I called to inquire about anothe cruise but couldn't match the price I had gotten elsewhere. When I booked our upcoming cruise, I called her again since the price we had gotten as a special for Mariners only was super. She vey competently handled our booking. Confirmations for both couples was immediate and correct. I'm getting e-docs for us ourselves and traditional for theother couple since they never sailed HAL before and so dont have the lovely blue folder. J. quickly removed the fuel surcharge when I asked, confirmed our dining and has answered any questions. Would I use her again? Yes, if the price is right. I've repeatedly been checking the price for our cruise and no, even using cruise compete, has come close to the "mariners Only Special" that we are holding.

 

I have never seen Mariner Only specials. How did you receive this? Was it by email?

[taxmantoo]

Agree with what? Hammy asked only what the difference is; Jim explained it well.

Answers to what? Prices for what? OP didn't allege anything about different answers or prices. She posted that her PCC isn't providing the service she requested---which is to provide a confirmation of her booking, and that each party should get their own copy.

 

I apologize if my words caused confusion. What I meant to say was that I do not really see a difference between a PCC and any other agent when calling HAL. If I have a question, isn't it fair to assume that both would answer in the same manner? If looking for a cruise and a quote, couldn't I expect them to quote me the same price.

 

I agree the level of service may be more cordial and friendly with a PCC, but ultimately I should be paying the same price.

[kryos]

I have booked our 3 cruises directly with HAL and have had nothing but pleasant experiences. HOWEVER, my request that my DBF and I receive separate emails, confirmations and cruise docs was denied each time (we do not live at the same address). I was told that only one person can receive these when you have the same booking number, and they will NOT send each passenger their own confirmations and documents. This has been consistent over the last three years.

Well, that's simple. Can't you have two different booking numbers? That's how it's done when two unrelated people share a cabin ... such as when you are using the guaranteed share program.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[whogo]

I've said it before, and I will say it again. Why would anyone want a TA that is part of the cruise line and their management structure? It's not like you are getting your cruises cheaper through him. Guess what? Doesn't matter what travel agent you use. The cruise cost the same amount regardless. Oh, you might save a couple of bucks if the agency has some group space offering some special bennies, but that's about it. Otherwise, the PCC charges you the same amount as the travel agent down the street ... because the price is the same for all.

 

Where people in the travel industry distinguish themselves is through the service they are willing to offer their customers. Are they willing to help the customer find some independent tours doing the kind of things they want to do? Are they willing to arrange a private guide and driver for a family with a special needs individual in the group who maybe can't negotiate buses? Are they willing to pre-arrange a special anniversary dinner, complete with cake and balloons at the Pinnacle for a client who requests this?

 

It is with things like this that one TA distinguishes herself from the TA down the block ... not through price. So, frankly, I can't imagine using a cruise line's PCC ... only because his loyalties are not with me. They are with the person signing his paycheck each week, and sadly that's not me. So, I will always take the back seat as far as he's concerned.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

Forgive me for asking, rita, are you a travel agent?

[Rutland Gate]

We have been using a Holland America Line Personal Cruise Consultant for the past three years. Cruises have included the Panama Canal, Eastern and Western Carribean, The Baltic, and The Mediterranean. In each case communication was easy, special requests were met, our travel companions (four consistent ones) were well treated. Pricing was adjusted down during the time of our booking on three occasions, which in one case resulted in our first Deluxe Verandah Suite. That experience was so valuable we have made that category of Suite our standard. We started using a Holland America Cruise Consultant when our Travel Agent went out of business, due to the cut in airline commissions and the influence of the internet. I feel that the HAL Cruise Consultants have more than filled the gap for us. Our Consultant knows who we are and what we want, and gets it for us.

[meterman2]

What do you consider a terrible experience?

 

We were booking a 10 day cruise with another couple. We were assigned a PCC. It was a brochure sale price, so it was just a matter of selecting the cabins and dining times. This was at the onset of AYWD (we were booking over a year in advance). The PCC insisted that there wasn't any "fixed dining", but he would gladly enter our preferences. He assured us that we would not have a problem getting the time we wanted, to just call when we get on board. We proceeded with the booking despite being skeptical of the dining arangements. I checked around, here and on HAL's website and called him back, only to get the same "song and dance" from him. After more checking, I copied "dining options" from the HAL website and e-mailed those to him, asking him to double check. He didn't respond.

 

Shortly thereafter, my wife and I went on a HAL cruise (booked online). While on the cruise I checked with the "on board consultant" regarding the issue.

• The on board consultant "rolled her eyes" and stated that "of course we could have our preference (late fixed)
  
• When checking, she found that the other couple (my sister & brother-in-law) had not even a preference listed or were they "cross referenced" with us. (I made their booking seperately and was very specific)
  
• After getting home (he still never responded to previous e-mail) I complained to a supervisor and only then did he respond.
  
• Never a contact again.
  
• Although I gave him my sister's e-mail, she never got any notifications (e.g. fuel surcharges, surcharge recinded, etc)
  
• We were never notified when final payment was due(he never explained that we had to initiate this (our first time booking directly w/HAL-we thought our credit cards would be automatically charged)
  
• When I got the e-mail from HAL w/ our booking, I e-mailed him asking if we had to re-submit our credit cards. He NEVER responded.
  
• Finally, I called, spoke to someone else and got it straighten out, one day before we lost our booking.
  
• AFter that, although he NEVER responded to my e-mail question he sent me an e-mail "introducing himself" and stating that he was aware (according to his records) that we were interested "in booking a cruise" and if that was still true, to call him, he would gladly assist us.
  

Conclusion: There are god PCC's and bad ones. With this one, it wasn't the fact that he was inept, it was his lack of response and his failure to check on something that I made clear was important to us.

[Jade13]

We were booking a 10 day cruise with another couple. We were assigned a PCC. It was a brochure sale price, so it was just a matter of selecting the cabins and dining times. This was at the onset of AYWD (we were booking over a year in advance). The PCC insisted that there wasn't any "fixed dining", but he would gladly enter our preferences. He assured us that we would not have a problem getting the time we wanted, to just call when we get on board. We proceeded with the booking despite being skeptical of the dining arangements. I checked around, here and on HAL's website and called him back, only to get the same "song and dance" from him. After more checking, I copied "dining options" from the HAL website and e-mailed those to him, asking him to double check. He didn't respond.

 

Shortly thereafter, my wife and I went on a HAL cruise (booked online). While on the cruise I checked with the "on board consultant" regarding the issue.

• The on board consultant "rolled her eyes" and stated that "of course we could have our preference (late fixed)
  
• When checking, she found that the other couple (my sister & brother-in-law) had not even a preference listed or were they "cross referenced" with us. (I made their booking seperately and was very specific)
  
• After getting home (he still never responded to previous e-mail) I complained to a supervisor and only then did he respond.
  
• Never a contact again.
  
• Although I gave him my sister's e-mail, she never got any notifications (e.g. fuel surcharges, surcharge recinded, etc)
  
• We were never notified when final payment was due(he never explained that we had to initiate this (our first time booking directly w/HAL-we thought our credit cards would be automatically charged)
  
• When I got the e-mail from HAL w/ our booking, I e-mailed him asking if we had to re-submit our credit cards. He NEVER responded.
  
• Finally, I called, spoke to someone else and got it straighten out, one day before we lost our booking.
  
• AFter that, although he NEVER responded to my e-mail question he sent me an e-mail "introducing himself" and stating that he was aware (according to his records) that we were interested "in booking a cruise" and if that was still true, to call him, he would gladly assist us.
  

Conclusion: There are god PCC's and bad ones. With this one, it wasn't the fact that he was inept, it was his lack of response and his failure to check on something that I made clear was important to us.

 

Bob, I would have sent this to HAL's CEO, but they read CC. Btw, does this person still work for HAL?

[meterman2]

Bob, I would have sent this to HAL's CEO, but they read CC. Btw, does this person still work for HAL?

 

I still get spam promotions from him when HAL has a sale, so I guess he still works there.

[rosegrower]

Yikes! :( I think I might have the same PCC as the OP! I used PCC for the first time, booked a cruise on February 27 and have not received any confirmation at all. After reading these posts, I have sent an e-mail to him. I hope he replies, it is making me nervous. I have not gotten credit card bill yet so that does not help.

[ger_77]

Bob, I would have sent this to HAL's CEO, but they read CC. Btw, does this person still work for HAL?

 

I still get spam promotions from him when HAL has a sale, so I guess he still works there.

 

Yes, he still works for HAL - he's the same one we couldn't get responses from. Thankfully our new PCC is doing a much better job than SB did. After repeated queries, we finally received an email from him advising us of a 3 day sale . . . not exactly what we were hoping for.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[the2ofus]

Just a follow-up note. I called Kristina today around noon EDT, and asked if she could take over as my PCC, as she was recommended to my by a poster on Cruise Critic. She said she would be pleased to do so. However, I must first follow procedure by speaking with a supervisor. She transferred me to the supervisor's number, after first giving me the name and telephone extension. I reached the supervisor's voice mail and left a message explaining the situation. I have not yet heard back from the supervisor.

 

More info to follow - when I hear from the supervisor.

 

By the way, my PCC is not SB, but the last name begins with B.

[ger_77]

I'm sure you won't be sorry you switched to Kristina. You might want to send your soon-to-be ex PCC an email advising of your change, just out of courtesy. We did when the other fellow said he would work "in tandem" with the original, and of course we never received a reply.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[jrzebird]

jrzebird, I was told two years ago that if you ask at the time of booking they will honor the request. If you ask later it will cost $25 for the extra paperwork involved to add the second address. When I protested, the person checked with their supervisor and the fee was grudgingly waived because I insisted that from the outset I had requested separate documents.

 

I have also been told that their system only allows for one e-mail address per booking number.

 

To my way of thinking, if each one pays their own way, they deserve all the personal attention and information. We live 500 miles apart. It shouldn't be my job to re-package and re-send my sis's documents or to make sure the e-mails all get forwarded to her timely.

 

I DID ask when we booked, but was told what you were, the system only allowed for one email address per booking number. Actually, we were fine with that, since all I did was forward the emails to him. In fact, when we booked our flights, the same thing applied.

 

As for the documents, we didn't each pay our own way. My DBF paid the entire thing, and I received the docs because I booked it! :rolleyes: Again, it really didn't matter.

 

A funny aside on that, our last 2 cruises, only I got a Mariner pin in my blue pouch! I wrote to the Mariner Society contact and they mailed out DBF's within a day. We didn't bother to write for another one for the last cruise, because we realized they really don't mean anything other than a nice souvenier.

[Spinner2]

Could someone who knows the identity of the above-mentioned "SB" drop me an e-mail so I can ask about this person? Our much-loved HAL PCC retired recently (that was Toni B) and we've been assigned a new one with the SB initials. Right now an e-mail (my first request) to SB has gone unanswered for a week but I don't want to mention a name in case this an unrelated situation. If it's the same SB though, I'd like to know.

 

I'm marney at wilde dot org

 

marney

[the2ofus]

A short while ago I received a call from the supervisor. I explained my dissatisfaction with the PCC and my concern that if he was so lax at the outset of our relationship, I had no confidence that he would be more responsive in the future. She expressed surprise that he had not provided the confirmations until repeatedly nagged and stated that was unlike him and she would speak with him.

 

I said I would prefer to work with Kristina at this time and she willingly agreed that the change could be made. She was very complimentary of Kristina's work. She will ask Kristina to call each of us on Monday. Hopefully, everything will work out well from now on.

 

Thanks to all for your help!

[pipedreams62]