HOLLAND AMERICA - Rotterdam Penthouse - There is hope !

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MARKandROGER

Guest
Well,

I was very surprised that the phone rang.
It was a gentleman from Holland America in Seattle. :)
He read my ship review here on cruise addicts and wanted to talk to me about my experience. He was genuinely concerned about my comments, otherwise he would not have gone to the trouble to find our phone number in Holland Americas records.

I appreciated that he took the time, and listened. I told him my concerns. I told him what other suite passangers had told me too. He says he will bring my comments back to the powers to be.

He assures me that Holland America does not want to lose their loyal following and I had the feeling they know that some of their cut backs in the last little while were not the wisest choices. He acknowledged that the cutbacks were driven by the lower fares they were getting.

He told me that Holland America wants to get back their previous status of "luxury" and I gathered we can expect there will be some changes coming soon.

Kudos to him, I hope Holland America listens to him.

I would be happy if they do, and then Roger and I could feel good about trying Holland America again (this time to Russia - which we are already looking at brochures for with Seabourn and Crystal)

I hope they change soon, and I hear of the changes before we get around and book.

They should hire Roger (I can go along :)) to test their ships and their service policies and get the customer point of view instead of their corporate view. JUST AN IDEA!?

As a very good friend who was in the corporate world for many years and often saw the customer being the last consideration, would say .... "HELLO, WAKE UP, who is the customer here???, you need to service the customer, otherwise they are gone!"

I think this Gentleman heard me.
Cruise@ddicts is being heard.

I just wanted to give everyone the other side of the story too. Keep your fingers crossed!
:) :) :) :)
Mark



Post Edited (06-16-03 21:52)
 
O

olderpilot

Guest
Good for you! We will give Seattle some more to read when we get back Labor Day weekend From Oosterdam's voyage #2

In all seriousness, the lower fares are driving the service cutbacks. The reason the fares are low are several. First and foremost is extreme overcapacity throughout the industry. When one line cuts fares to fill the berths others have to follow to stay competitive. If you notice, Crystal and Radisson are cutting fares too.

Then , of course, the global problems and a slow economy have exacerbated the situation. Recent Wall Street analysts have noted a firming in bookings, which will lead to higher fares, which, hopefully will lead to improved service.

Unfortunately, today's CEO serves two masters, the customer and the stockholder. Both are demanding more and more. It is a delicate balancing act. If black ink doen't flow to the bottom line there will be no ship's for the customer. Conversely, if the price and service aren't competitive there will be no customers for the ship. That's why they pay them the big bucks!

OP
 
S

ShipMaven

Guest
Mark,

I'm indeed pleased to read this.

While I don't doubt what you reported about your cruise, that simply was very A-typical of Holland America.

As you gain more experience cruising, you'll see that glitches can occur from time to time (hopefully, rarely)...but it's how they're handled that can make the difference.

So... :thumb Please keep us informed of what happens. And best wishes with whatever you choose for your Baltic/Russia cruise.
 
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sage

Guest
Mark,

Thank you so much for sharing the information about your phone call from HAL. I'm sure that you told them exactly what they needed to know to better serve their cliental. It also provides hope that things will change for the better, and I guess there is someone out there reading our boards. It will be interesting to see if changes take place with future cruises.

Sage
 
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wendyandbarry

Guest
M&R
It is nice to know that they (HAL) is concerned enough to have people reading the boards, I have not been on enough HAL cruises to have had problems with them, but with our upcoming cruise in September I have to admit that I was a little worried when I learned what happen to you.
My wife has been working with one person inside HAL, because of our group gets bigger every week it seems, and she should be able to help as much as she can.
It is so hard for the people who are shore bound to know how the changes they are making are affecting the Guests, and it is nice to know there is concern on there part and hopefully the changes will be to the good.


Barry
 
M

MARKandROGER

Guest
Well here we are a few weeks later, and I have heard nothing from Holland America.

That makes me think that the follow up phone call from Holland America employee was a lot of wind, and a lot of hot air.

I would have expected a letter from the gentleman, summarizing the situation, and the results of his meeting with the Vice President of Holland America.

NOTHING!
Hmmmm
What does that tell me?
Keeping a customer isn't that important.

As a first time cruiser and picking the Penthouse, I would think they would want to keep us and would make some efforts to do so. But then again, I am not Holland America!

:)
Mark
 
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sail7seas

Guest
I'm wondering how much communication you feel is warranted? You received a telephone call; they read what you had written and were concerned to learn all of your comments; you shared your opinions with them; at what point have you shared with them everything you wished to express?

I know I'd start to get a little annoyed with too much conversation that begins to become repetitive. I would assume they got my points, held their meetings and decided what changes they wish to make (or not make) predicated upon what info I had shared.

I would not have expectations they would feel obliged to share with me details of any meeting they may have had. I have no experience or special knowledge about running a cruiseline. I don't know what the HAL person's opinion about your private conversation was. But, I would think he assumes you have other things to expend your energy and concentration on than what changes HAL may make. I doubt they usually "account" to passengers about such things.

They probably have other pax to contact re: other ships and episodes of which they became aware.

Seeing the number of ships HAL has, the number of folks who sail each week, all of us should realize they only have just so much energy to expend upon each of us individually.

Sorry , but I think they have been responsive to you.



Post Edited (07-12-03 14:06)
 
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peaches

Guest
Mark,

I would not have been surprised if you had gotten a short 'thank you for your comments and suggestions and hope you will sail HAL again' letter as a follow-up, but am not shocked that you did not get that. Nor would I have particularly expected it. I certainly would not have expected him to advise you of any executive meetings or decisions made re PS amenities/services or any specific changes HAL planned to make in the future. Frankly I thought the phone call was more than most cruise lines would do, including Crystal and Seabourn, and that it was a fine gesture by this HAL employee.

The phone call came, not as a response to any correspondence, complaint, or inquiry from you directly to HAL, but simply from his reading your comments on an internet message board, which really was above and beyond what most cruiselines would do. He heard your complaints, admitted that there had been some cutbacks, and agreed to take your suggestions into consideration with higher management. I think that was fair and am not sure what else you expected to happen. If you were expecting a promise of specific actions/amenities be made to you personally if you would sail HAL again, no, I don't think that is reasonable or warranted. Yes, the penthouse is expensive and many of your suggestions I am sure will be considered by HAL, but when you have sailed other lines I think you will find you will pay a lot more for the degree of service you might have been expecting to receive.

Keep us informed of your future cruises!

Peaches
 
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Cruzman

Guest
I gotta agree with Sail7Seas and Peaches on this one! I'm concerned that your expectations regarding this matter are a little unrealistic, IMHO.
 
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