Booking Hal thru an agency - I have problems

[Begete]

On Thursday, my husband and I booked the Sydney - New Zealand - Sydney cruise on HAL through a travel agency departing Sydney on the Volendam January 20, 2010.

 

I am beginning to think this was a mistake, and that we should have booked directly with HAL. However, when we added up the cost of the cruise as per the HAL online info, the cost of airfare, and the cost of 3 nights in Sydney, it appeared that the Agency was the better deal.

 

Here is the problem: We hoped to spend additional time in Australia after the cruise and after the 3 nights the Agency provides at the Sydney Hilton. We would very much like to visit the Great Barrier Reef before our return to the US and possibly Ayers Rock. We were told by the agency we could pay a $100 "deviation fee" and change our return flight to a later date.

 

So we called HAL to ask if we could sign up for HAL's post cruise excursion to either of those sites and were told "no", they were not excurions, but extensions, and because we were the agency's customers rather than HAL's they were not allowed to assist us. The agency offers no "extensions." Is this peculiar to the HAL/Agency relationship, or is this some HAL policy that applies to everyone who does not book directly with them?

 

I feel like we have been caught in the grilled cheese sandwhich sequence of that Jack Nicholson film....

 

If the Agency doen't offer a competing extension, why won't HAL sell us one? We are also unhappy with the Agency because no one there has return either e-mail or phone calls since Thursday when we have been inquiring about this. In fact, no one answers their phone at all! I checked the Epinions site last night and wish I had checked it sooner, but we had such glowing reviews of the Agency from a friend, we never thought to check.

 

Finally, another question. I love Cruise Critics' Roll Calls and have participated in the past, but even though there are active roll calls for all of the same HAL cruises on other dates in January and February, almost no one is participating in the one I found for January 20. It seems that our cruise may be a segment of a longer HAL cruise. Is it permissible to join a roll call if you are on that cruise only for a portion of it? Could that be why there is little participation on the January 20 roll call?

 

Thanx in advance for any replies/advice.

[Begete]

OK, Joanie. I am a dunce, but I do not see your signature containing an e-mail below. :-)

 

First - I don't think we can transfer our reservation from the Agency to HAL. I read the same reviews you did of the Agency at Epinions.com, unfortuately AFTER we paid the deposit.

 

We used their services after they were highly recommended by a friend who has taken 3 trips with them, so it never occurred to us to check other refeences. I fear that was a huge mistake. However, I have read some unflattering reviews of HAL right here in Cruise Critic which initially led us to check out Princess, but Princess's similar cruises to the same ports including Australia on the dates we wanted to travel were totally sold out.

 

If you think there is a way of transferring our reservation back to Holland directly, without losing our deposit, we would do that, especially with the most common complaint at Epinion being that the Agency would cancel paid for plans at the last minute and try to rebook the passengers on a completely different tour and refuse refunds. I am especially worried since the catagory we chose is showing sold out at both the Agency and HAL websites, and we just book August 28.

 

Point me to your e-mail and I will send you mine if you think HAL could be of any assistance.

 

Thank you

[Host Walt]

A brief note of explanation. Cruise Critic does not permit discussions about travel agents, whether the discussions are positive or negative. Because her experience is becoming increasingly common we wanted to make sure the discussion could continue. The original poster asked that we edit out her agency's name so as to permit its remaining on the board and generating ideas and suggestions.

[fun_seeker]

Begete,

We booked a HAL extension on our HAL Alaskan cruise as did ten other people on our cruise. The bus showed up to take us where we were supposed to go, but when we got there we found out that HAL had neglected to make reservations for us. Nothing like killing a day in Seward while HAL got around to sending a bus for us five hours later.:mad: Fortunately, the rest of the cruise was enough to hook us on cruising. The moral of the story for us was don't depend on HAL for anything but the cruise. "Extensions" are not what HAL does best IOHO.

[Wayfairers]

We independently saw Australia in 2000 with no problems. I suggest you forget booking an extension, rebook your flight and you plan a trip to Ayers Rock and the Barrier Reef. When we went (it could have changed by now) Ayers Rock was set up so that one company ran the hotels and excursions and you booked your trips to see Ayers and the Olgas when you booked your room. The hotel sent a shuttle to meet the plane. It was simple to do. As for the Barrier Reef, we booked a snorkeling trip with no problems. Australia is an easy country to see.

[Bill S]

Begete--it is not a problem to start or to join a roll call for a segment of a longer cruise. Please join us on the roll call for the segment that begins on Jan 20. :)

I hope that you can get your post-cruise excursion/extension situation sorted out.

[Admin]

A brief note of explanation. Cruise Critic does not permit discussions about travel agents, whether the discussions are positive or negative. Because her experience is becoming increasingly common we wanted to make sure the discussion could continue. The original poster asked that we edit out her agency's name so as to permit its remaining on the board and generating ideas and suggestions.

Hi Walt. To add to this...posting your e mail address and telling members to e mail you for a recommendation or posting your e mail address and asking for a recommendation is not allowed either. I know...I wish we could too. :o Thanks for your understanding.

[Begete]

Hi Admin and Host Walt -

 

Will you please explain how member may exchange e-mail addresses with one another? There must be some permitted procedure.

 

Thank you

[SDHALFAN]

Hi Walt. To add to this...posting your e mail address and telling members to e mail you for a recommendation or posting your e mail address and asking for a recommendation is not allowed either. I know...I wish we could too. :o Thanks for your understanding.

 

Yes, indeed. I got suspended for three days because I told a CC poster, and friend, to e-mail me privately and I would give her the name of a reliable TA.

 

Turns out that the TA I was recommending is one of CC's prime advertisers and when I told them of my experience they were not happy campers at all.

 

Valerie:confused:

[Begete]

I am so confused. When we went on a Celebrity Cruise some years ago, and all met here on CC for roll call, we all exchanged addesses. I can't recall other than posting our addesses, how we did that.

 

It was wonderful because about a dozen CC couples made all of our shore excursion plans together and saved tons of money. So how did we legally exchange addesses?

 

Please administrator - answer?

[aussiedisneyfan]

I think you can happily exchange emails address on the forum to chat in general, your rollcall, tips etc, but are not supposed offer your email or ask for one to discuss travel agents.

 

We too have organised shore tours through email and also set up a list of cabins numbers, which we would not have wanted posted all over the site.

[brucory]

It is fine to display your email address as long as it does not have to do with asking about recommendations for agents.

 

:D:D:D

[jhannah]

To the OP I would say to pay the air deviation fee and change your flight back home. Then arrange for your own lodging and sightseeing. Search online at places like Trip Advisor for ideas.

[Swedecruiser]

So we called HAL to ask if we could sign up for HAL's post cruise excursion to either of those sites and were told "no", they were not excurions, but extensions, and because we were the agency's customers rather than HAL's they were not allowed to assist us. The agency offers no "extensions." Is this peculiar to the HAL/Agency relationship, or is this some HAL policy that applies to everyone who does not book directly with them?

 

I feel like we have been caught in the grilled cheese sandwhich sequence of that Jack Nicholson film....

 

If the Agency doen't offer a competing extension, why won't HAL sell us one? We are also unhappy with the Agency because no one there has return either e-mail or phone calls since Thursday when we have been inquiring about this. In fact, no one answers their phone at all! I checked the Epinions site last night and wish I had checked it sooner, but we had such glowing reviews of the Agency from a friend, we never thought to check.

 

 

Regarding the above and for clarification. Anything that HAL offers such as extended stays and pre or post night packages can be booked through your agency. HAl is only redirecting you to your agent so that they can take care of booking these for you.

 

The fact that your agency doesn't return calls or emails would be cause for concern, but since they were the ones who orginally made the booking HAL is just sticking to their policies.

[IRL_Joanie]

So we called HAL to ask if we could sign up for HAL's post cruise excursion to either of those sites and were told "no", they were not excurions, but extensions, and because we were the agency's customers rather than HAL's they were not allowed to assist us. The agency offers no "extensions." Is this peculiar to the HAL/Agency relationship, or is this some HAL policy that applies to everyone who does not book directly with them?

 

I feel like we have been caught in the grilled cheese sandwhich sequence of that Jack Nicholson film....

 

If the Agency doen't offer a competing extension, why won't HAL sell us one? We are also unhappy with the Agency because no one there has return either e-mail or phone calls since Thursday when we have been inquiring about this. In fact, no one answers their phone at all! I checked the Epinions site last night and wish I had checked it sooner, but we had such glowing reviews of the Agency from a friend, we never thought to check.

 

 

Regarding the above and for clarification. Anything that HAL offers such as extended stays and pre or post night packages can be booked through your agency. HAl is only redirecting you to your agent so that they can take care of booking these for you.

 

The fact that your agency doesn't return calls or emails would be cause for concern, but since they were the ones who orginally made the booking HAL is just sticking to their policies.

 

 

Just for the record of clarification. HAL is working with the OP to try and help her in whatever way they can.

 

Let's just keep our fingers crossed that she is able to get everything fixed.

[Storylady]

To the OP I would say to pay the air deviation fee and change your flight back home. Then arrange for your own lodging and sightseeing. Search online at places like Trip Advisor for ideas.

 

Having gone to 3 different islands on the Great Barrier Reef, I agree with Jim. Pay the air deviation and book your own plans.

 

Keep in mind that the islands closest to the Great Barrier Reef are still 90 minutes away by boat.

 

Green Island near Cains is the closest to the mainland. But years ago when we were making plans to visit the Reef, information on Green said that the Crown of Thorns Starfish had destroyed lots of the coral.

 

We stayed on Dunk Island, family resort. Beaches were nothing spectacular as I remember. We then went to Hamilton Island. Nice beach in front of our hotel. But the snorkeling and diving on the Reef are 90 minutes by boat or 30 minutes by helicopter. The helicopter flight was worth it. We flew over the Whitesunday Islands which were incredibly beautiful.

 

But the best snorkling and diving was on Heron Island. Heron is right on the reef. Most of this tiny island is a bird sanctuary. The reef was only a 6 minute boat ride. You couldn't snorkle off the beach as it was too shallow and the island was surrounded by coral. But the snorkling and the diving was the best of the entire trip. An Australian friend recommended Heron Island.

 

For all of the above Islands and ordinary TA or yourself can book air and hotel reservations. At the hotel, you can book your trips to the Reef.

 

Same would apply to Ayers Rock. Check out the hotels in the area. They should list the tours offered from their hotel. You don't need a tour to go to the reef or Ayers Rock.

 

Hope this helps.

[Begete]

Joanie - I don't think the HAL rep understood what I was asking. I wasn't complaining about the $100 deviation fee. I was complaining that HAL would not allow us to book a post cruise extension from HAL after our own travel agent said they would not do it!!

 

Storylady - how did you make your independant plans? Don't want to get anyone in trouble, so please e-mail me at begete@aol.com.

[brucory]

Begete,

 

Did you manage to organise an extension to your stay in Australia through your travel agent?

 

If you are going to do independent travel in Australia, there are lots of different websites you could try.

 

For domestic airlines, try http://www.webjet.com.au or the main airlines themself, http://www.qantas.com.au or http://www.virginblue.com.au

 

If you organise your own air from the USA, some of the airlines have a "see Australia" fare which will give you a couple of free flights in Australia, allowing you to see what you choose.

 

At the moment there is a massive airfare war going on across the Pacific, as there are 2 new airlines, so I would guess that you will get a much better deal booking direct than through HAL.

 

For hotels, try http://www.wotif.com.au

 

Tours are easy to organise at both Ayers Rock and the Great Barrier reef and can be organised during your stay through your hotel concierge. As someone else mentioned, most of the hotels at Ayers Rock are privately owned and are fairly pricey - You really only need 1 to 2 nights there to see all that you would want to. A good way to do this is to book a package of air and hotel, which can be done through the airlines websites.

 

As Jhannah mentioned, tripadvisor is a good place for more information.

 

Also, you will be pleased to know (based on a previous thread) that smoking is less tolerated here than most other countries...

 

Before you venture down under, be sure to watch the following:

 

 

:D:D:D

[Begete]

Thank you Brucory - just the info we needed!!