Holland America Line

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:  this is the same response given to us on board which I rejected.  I reject it because it doesn't address the missed port-of-calls that I paid for.  $100 plus port fees does not come to 20% of the port-of-calls that I contracted for with Holland America when I bought the cruise.  The reason we missed these port-of-calls is due to Holland America's responsibility of mechanical problems (not due to weather or acts of God).  I do not accept the offer of 20% on future cruises because I should be refunded for the cruise I took not for a future cruise that I may not take (will there continue to be problems that are Holland America's responsibility and they just continue to provide future discounts).  I can get discounts by waiting for a sale or a cruise at the list minute (cruises are heavily discounted near the sail date).  I should be refunded 20% - $100 and port of calls refunded earlier.  That amount comes to $1216 for both my Mother and I -- that is fair and it's important that Holland America treats it's customers fairly. I look forward to going on future cruises if this issue is resolved fairly.Sincerely,[redacted]

July 11, 2017 Mr. & Mrs. [redacted] Email: [redacted].[redacted]@sportex.cl   Revdex.com case #[redacted]   RE: Case [redacted]        Booking: [redacted] Dear Mr. & Mrs. [redacted],   Thank you for contacting us regarding your ms Zuiderdam sailing. It’s...

disheartening to learn of the disappointment you encountered. Please accept our sincere apologies for the difficulties you’ve detailed.   We would like to apologize for your disappointment with the cleanliness of the vessel during this recent cruise. We deeply regret any resulting dissatisfaction or inconvenience. We follow thorough procedures to maintain both the vessel’s interior and exterior, and we utilize rigorous training and supervision. Our Housekeeping Staff works diligently to keep our vessels up to the company’s long-time standards; we are very sorry that in this case we did not reach that goal. We have forwarded your helpful comments to the appropriate management for our improvement, and we will redouble our efforts to maintain the condition and appearance of all onboard areas on each of our ships.   We are also concerned that some of the food served on board your recent cruise did not meet your expectations. Our chefs endeavor to offer a variety of dishes to please every palate, and we are very sorry that you were disappointed. We realize that dining is a favorite element of cruising for many of our guests, and our Culinary Council, composed of celebrated chefs from around the world, was instituted to present culinary initiatives and enticing signature recipes to be featured in all of our dining venues. We apologize again for your dissatisfaction, and are confident that on your next sailing with us you will find your dining experiences to be truly outstanding.   In light of your correspondence, we have registered all of your complaints against this sailing. We have also forwarded a copy of your correspondence to the appropriate senior management for their information and corrective action where necessary.   As compensation for the difficulties you experienced, you have asked for a refund. As I am sure you are aware, the cruise fare you paid covers several facets of your sailing, such as your stateroom, dining, port visits, access to public areas and activities on board the ship, films and stage shows, as well as a host of other shipboard amenities and services. As such, while we sincerely regret the difficulties you faced, we are unable to honor your specific request, and are very sorry to disappoint you in this matter.   However, as a gesture of goodwill, and as a token of our sincere apologies, we would like to offer you a dinner in the Pinnacle Grill and onboard credits in the amount of $200.00 per person, to show our concern for your experience. While the credits are valid for 2 years from the date of this communication, your cruise does not need to depart within this timeframe; you only need to have a new booking in our system by the expiry. The credits are connected to your Mariner numbers and will automatically apply to your next Holland America Line reservation, yet we do encourage you or your travel professional to verify this special offer at time of booking to ensure the record is properly noted.   Again, please accept our apologies for your disappointing holiday. We hope the issues you faced won’t deter you from sailing with us again so we may have an opportunity to create for you the positive experience we know our sailings can offer.   Kind regards,     Christine F[redacted] Special Advisor Office of the President

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:Sincerely,[redacted]
 
[redacted],
Thank you for your quick action of my complaint ID [redacted].  I do not know whether it was Mr. M[redacted] or Ms. B[redacted] who responded to you, so I am not aware if the issue was sufficiently addressed by Ms. B[redacted].
Either way I am not satisfied with HAL’s explanation or their interpretation of their cruise contract.  I have been a traveller for over 40 years.  I have stayed in many hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, resorts and staterooms during this period. 
In my travels there have been several incidents where I have been at fault for damage to my own personal possessions: a dropped camera, a damaged lens, damage to the contents of my suitcase when items have cracked or spilled, etc.  I always assume full responsibility for these incidents.
I challenge HAL’s contention that I negligently left my IPad on the bed.  It has always been my experience that room attendants take care and responsibility for personal guest items that may obstruct their tidying or cleanup of a guest room.  Good staff are trained by management and expected by management to do this. Management in turn takes responsibility in incidents where this does not happen.
The one other occasion where a similar incident occurred to me was during my stay at a small inn in Vienna, Austria seven years ago.  A set of fine crystal I had purchased was knocked off the desk by the attendant cleaning the room cracking two of the glasses.  The management accepted full responsibility for the accident and reimbursed me for a new set at a cost of several hundred euros.
I have two eye witnesses that can attest to the fact that my IPad was left, undamaged, on my bed the morning of September 26th and had sustained damage upon our return.
At this point, I would like to know that my complaint has been received and responded to directly by Ms. B[redacted].
[redacted]

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:I never said that I disint agree with the tipping policy, In fact we are very good tippers and  Believe that the service industry should be tipped for their hard work. That being said, we tipped over 300 in cash while on the ship not realizing that tips were being taken out daily on top of what we were tipping in cash. Also, we smelled raw sewage for the majority of our cruise and from reading other reviews, it is apparently a common problem. We will not be cruising Holland America ever again and therefore the 150 in credit is not a resolution to this issue. 
Sincerely,
[redacted]

January 27, 2016
Ms. [redacted]
[redacted]
Ocala, FL 34476-9330
Email: [redacted]@bellsouth.net
RE: Case 1-[redacted]
       Booking: [redacted]
Dear Ms. [redacted],
Thank you for your reply. We are very sorry to hear about your husband. Please know we are thinking of you both during this time.
Steiner Management is the best company to contact with these further concerns you have. We would recommend you following up with them directly to let them know of your situation. Again, here is their contact information for your convenience. We have forwarded your response to them and we are confident that they will be able to assist you with how to proceed from here.
The Onboard Spa by Steiner
Attn: Shelle M[redacted] - Customer Service Representative
Steiner Management Services
[redacted]
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Email:[redacted]@steinerleisure.com
Phone: 305 358 9002 ext [redacted].
Toll-free: 855-848-3059
Website: www.timetospa.com
Kind regards,
Nicole T[redacted]
Special Advisor
Office of the President

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:Holland America continues to ignore the fact that they are in breach of contract.  They have yet to address the document page I previously attached showing that the no smoking policy extended to the verandas.  Their last response suggested I was “dissatisfied with the current smoking policy”.  That is incorrect.  I was satisfied with the policy that we were presented with during our online check-in.  The shipboard personnel chose to ignore the policy as presented to us.  In Holland America’s response to the Revdex.com, they have offered to “treat” us to an upgraded dinner on board a future cruise.  But that offer is unsatisfactory as #1 it is highly unlikely we will ever sail on Holland America again and #2, its value is about 5% of the compensation we are asking for.   Holland America states there is nothing more they can do for our disappointment.  I find that hard to believe.  Holland America is basically stating, we don’t care, we don’t have to care as we already have your money.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

July 30, 2015Miss [redacted]Berkeley, CA 94704-1450 RE: Case [redacted]         Booking: [redacted] Revdex.com reference: #[redacted]Dear Miss [redacted], We have received your follow-up communication with theRevdex.com regarding your cancelled ms Westerdamcruise.  Please know that the telephone conversation between Mr. [redacted]and our Reservation Agent was listened to and while at the beginning he did sayhe thought you could remain on the ship without a Canadian visa, he did adviseyou that you needed to independently verify whether or not you needed aCanadian visa.  It addition, as written on page 2 of your bookingconfirmation:2. Eachcountry has its own entry requirements, and guests are personally responsibleto have the necessary documents when boarding. Holland America Line highlyrecommends that all guests carry a passport that is valid for at least sixmonths beyond the completion date of your travel, proof of requiredimmunizations & visa(s) and proof of eligibility to enter Canada (forapplicable itineraries). Guests traveling on any Yukon Land+Sea Journey whichincludes a flight between Dawson City, Yukon, Canada and Fairbanks, Alaska, USAare required to have a valid passport in order to clear immigration and customsfor entry at the airport. However, as a one-time exception, we would like to extend Future CruiseCredits to you and Mr. [redacted] in the amount of $649.00 per person, to show ourconcern for your experience. Please know this amount represents the base cruisefare paid for this booking. These credits may be applied to the cruise fareonly of a new Holland America Line cruise or Land+Sea Journey booking, and arecombinable with other applicable credits. While the credits must be applied toa new booking by July 29, 2016, your cruise does not need to depart within thisyear’s time. Although you may choose any stateroom category, this offer isdependent upon availability and cannot be transferred or refunded. These credits may not be used for deposits, taxes, CancellationProtection, Home City Air, or other optional programs. For your convenience,they are built in association with your Mariner numbers and will automaticallybe credited toward your cruise fare. We kindly ask that this special offer beverified at time of confirmation to ensure your booking is properly noted. It is always troubling when a guest has a less thansatisfactory experience, and we hope this response will reflect our commitmentto provide the most dependable service possible. Thank you again for giving us this opportunity to addressyour concerns. We sincerely hope to be given the opportunity to welcome youaboard again very soon under happier circumstances.Best regards,     Christine F[redacted]Senior AdvisorOffice of the President

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Sincerely, [redacted]

March 11, 2016
RE: Case [redacted]
       Booking: [redacted]
Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for contacting us regarding your ms Zuiderdam sailing departing February 5, 2016. We appreciate you letting us know of your experience.
We are very sorry that...

you were mistakenly led to the incorrect shore excursion by a tour guide and charged more. We empathize with the frustration and confusion this caused. Please know that Holland America Line contracts with outside vendors to offer excursions for our guests. We don’t conduct these excursions ourselves; they are owned and operated by independent companies from ashore. We simply coordinate the booking of excursions as a courtesy to our guests, and we truly regret your dissatisfaction.
While we are unable to offer a refund for the difference in shore excursion costs, as you and Mrs. [redacted] did not encounter our best, we would like you to enjoy a lunch in the Pinnacle Grill restaurant and a $100 Shore Excursion Credit each on a future sailing with us. As such, please let this communication serve as confirmation that you are entitled to these amenities. And for your convenience, they will be attached to your Mariner Society numbers, [redacted] & [redacted], and are valid for 2 years from the date of this communication We ask that you, or your travel professional, verify these offer with the Reservation Agent when booking your next cruise so that the booking may be discounted accordingly.
Additionally, we noticed that you had become ill during this sailing and hope you experienced a speedy and full recovery. We know the impact illness can have on a vacation and we want to thank you for remaining isolated in your stateroom while you were ill. This simple precaution is tremendously helpful in our efforts to inhibit the spread of viral illness on board.
As you were advised by our shipboard staff, it is our policy to compensate guests who are asked to remain isolated in their staterooms by providing a Future Cruise Credit based on the fare paid and the number of days the guest is isolated. Consequently, we are pleased to extend to you a Future Cruise Credit in the amount of $359.80. This credit may be applied to the cruise fare only of a new Holland America Line cruise or Land+Sea Journey booking, and is combinable with other applicable credits. While the credit must be applied to a new booking by May 11, 2017, your cruise does not need to depart within this years’ time. Although you may choose any stateroom category, this offer is dependent upon availability and cannot be transferred or refunded. The credit may not be used as for deposits, taxes, Cancellation Protection, Home City Air, or other optional programs. For your convenience, it is built in association with your Mariner number and will automatically be credited toward your cruise fare. We kindly ask that this special offer also be verified at time of confirmation to ensure your booking is properly noted.
Thank you again for contacting our office with your concerns, and please let us know if we can be of further assistance.
Kind regards,
Lenee L[redacted]
Special Advisor
Office of the President

June 5, 2015Dr. [redacted]Scarsdale, NY 10583-5743RE: Case 1-[redacted]        Booking: [redacted]Dear Dr. [redacted],Thank you for contacting the Revdex.com regarding your ms Maasdam sailing departing May 23, 2015. We deeply regret your...

continued dissatisfaction with your concerns, and hope this communication is better received. As we have discussed, and as you were advised by the captain, due to the higher than expected number of cases of gastrointestinal illness among guests, caused by norovirus, we offered to reimburse you in full for your cruise fare if you chose not to sail. Alternately, we had also offered to reschedule your sailing for another date. At no time did any of our crew advise you that we would reimburse you for travel expenses incurred in returning home, and this was also explicitly explained to you in the terminal by a member of our onboard Guest Relations staff.  For this specific sailing, the embarkation was delayed to allow for specialized cleaning and sanitizing procedures developed with the Centers for Disease Control. In addition, due to the higher than expected number of cases of gastrointestinal illness, we aggressively took precautions on board to limit the spread of the illness as this generally runs its course over 24-48 hours. We understand your primary reason for cancelling was your concern of returning from your cruise ill, and we regret that you felt the measures we took were insufficient enough for you to continue with your vacation. We are aware that you are seeking reimbursement for your travel expenses. As this is considered a personal disembarkation, all expenses incurred are your responsibility. While we have issued a 100% refund of all amounts paid to Holland America Line, we are not in a position to offer any compensation or reimbursement for your travel expenses. We are committed to providing the most dependable service possible and we sincerely hope that you will decide to include Holland America Line in your future travel plans. Once again, we thank you for contacting our office. Best regards,

August 6, 2015
Ms. [redacted]
[redacted]
Austin, TX 78757-3206
Email: [redacted]@gmail.com
 
RE: Case [redacted]
       Booking: [redacted]
Dear Ms. [redacted],
 
Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention following your voyage...

on the ms Amsterdam.
 
We deeply regret your continuing displeasure with the billing of the wireless internet on board. After reviewing your account, our records show that there were three successful transactions on June 21st, 22nd, and 25th, for the following amounts of time: 39 minutes, 3 minutes, and 43 minutes. Whenever our guests encounter difficulties with any issue we encourage them to consult with the staff on board. We have reviewed the refund issued on board to your account, and are disappointed that you found this gesture insufficient. While we are not in a position to issue any further refund, we assure you that we will present your experience to all appropriate management for their reference.
 
We thank you for your correspondence, and also for choosing Holland America Line. Though we are sorry this response could not be more positive, we do hope you consider us for future trips.
 
Best regards,
 
 
Connor N[redacted]
Special Advisor
Office of the President

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:  Holland America Line, you have given me no written proof (or any documentation of any sort) that I have done anything that should prohibit me from cruising on the 10 Carnival owned cruise lines.  Apparently, I revealed that I suffer from depression on one or two post cruise surveys dating back to 2004, and I made a suggestion that your cruise line have a therapist on board for passengers or crew who may need the services of a therapist.   You have singled me out as a "potential tragedy" with no reason to believe that is true.  As I have said, I have learned to live with depression for the past 30 years, and cruising has been a very important part of my recovery process.  That is when I am very relaxed, happy, and comforted.  Little did I know that my honesty on the surveys would come back around to kick me in the butt, all in an attempt to help you, other passengers, and the crew.  Do you know at least 1 in 5 people have mental illness?  Do you know you are discriminating against me only because I have an illness of the brain, one that is extremely common and treatable?  Do you realize how unfair this is, how egregious a decision this is?  This is 2016, and you are sadly misinformed about mental illness.  A vast majority of us are of no harm to ourselves or others.  You go above and beyond to accommodate all kinds of physical illness and ailments, but a simple depression?  Banishment from cruising?  What are you thinking?  You need to be educated about mental illness and stop the discrimination, stigma, and mistreatment of those of us who you happen to find out have some sort of mental illness.  In Mom's and my 30 years of cruising, there has not ever been ONE SINGLE incident of any sort, NONE!!  We abide by all rules, are quiet nondrinkers, nonsmokers, who read and wave watch.  We go to bed early, arise early, do our early morning walk, and find our spot to read.  That's about it.  Why would you do this to us, especially now when Mom is 84 and I am 60.  Life is too short.  I so want to continue to enjoy the time I have left with Mom doing our favorite thing; cruising.  And those 10 cruise lines are the ones within our budget.  I still think you, HAL, are the best cruise line for us.  You say you "are not in a position to alter" your decision" about the "do not book list".  Why not?  You MADE the decision!!!  Your behavior, HAL, is inhumane and unjust to all of us with mental illness, a very treatable physiological illness of the brain.  If you think that singling out a few people here and there with depression and putting them on a "do not book list" will alter the average 23-24 "passenger and crew" overboard numbers (suicide) per year, you are sadly mistaken.  You are sailing into stormy waters, for sure. 
 
I want to know exactly why you are so adamant about your decision about me.  I want written documentation of some sort.  I have a right to know why our favorite, ritualistic, cruise vacations are now so suddenly a thing of the past.  Send me, please, what you are basing your shocking and unbelievable decision on.  I am a human being, not a monster, not an alien, just a human being.  I deserve some respect and kindness.  I deserve to be treated like you would want to be treated.  Please communicate with me.  What is really going on?  I am an honest person, as you found out on the surveys.  Please be honest with me.         Sincerely,[redacted]

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Sincerely, [redacted]

June 12, 2015Mr. [redacted]El Cerrito, CA 94530-2339 RE: Case[redacted]        Booking: [redacted]Dear Mr. [redacted], This is in response to your latest communication regardingyour msWesterdam cruise. We deeply regret your continuing...

dissatisfactionwith your experience, and with our previous response. Once again, we sincerelyapologize for the disappointment you encountered on this sailing. Once again, we are very sorry that you were denied boardingon this cruise because you lacked the proper documentation. However, mostdocumentation requirements are established by the governments of the variouscountries we visit, and we are not able to waive these requirements for ourguests. As noted in our brochures and on our website under EssentialDocumentation, travelers are responsible for understanding and satisfying allrequirements concerning passports, visas, and immunizations. Because HollandAmerica Line is not able to publish all up-to-date regulations related to eachtraveler’s specific situation, we consistently recommend verifying alldocumentation requirements with official organizations prior to sailing. Again,we sincerely regret any difficulty you experienced related to lack ofdocumentation. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you aboard in thefuture. Best regards, DebraC[redacted]SpecialAdvisorOffice of the President

No it is resolved satisfactory.

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because:we were told by their accessibility in writing in advance that the tours were available. We then got on ship and their director told us these tours are not available to us. The idea of weather being the problem is not true. They told us one thing before cruise and baited us and switched.  
 
 
 
Sincerely,[redacted]

Dear Mr. [redacted],
Thank you for contacting the Revdex.com regarding your ms [redacted] sailing. It’s disheartening to learn of the disappointment you encountered.
We understand your disappointment with the issues that arose on your cruise. While we always strive to honor the...

original itinerary, issues sometimes arise which require us to alter a sailing. As noted in your cruise contract, we do reserve the right to alter an itinerary for any number of valid reasons. As you know, each guest was refunded the Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses for the missed ports. Also, as a gesture of goodwill each guest was offered a Future Cruise Credit for 20% of the base fare paid and $100 per person onboard credit on this sailing. We regret if some of our guests feel the goodwill gesture offered isn’t adequate but to keep the compensation equal among all guests and uphold the integrity of company policy, we unfortunately are not in a position to offer additional compensation. We hope you will take advantage of the future cruise credit and join us aboard another sailing. If there are any further issues you would like to discuss, please feel free to contact our Guest Relations Department at 800-599-8256 and we would be happy to review your case again.
Thank you again for contacting the Revdex.com. We look forward to welcoming you aboard another sailing very soon.
Kind regards,
Kellianne K[redacted]
Special Advisor
Office of the PresidentTell us why here...

September 25, 2015Ms. [redacted]West Chester, PA 19382-5550 RE: Case[redacted]        Booking: [redacted]Revdex.com Reference: [redacted] Dear Ms. [redacted], We have received your follow-up communication regarding yourms Veendamcruise. We truly regret that our previous correspondence has not met with yourapproval, as it was certainly not our intent to cause further frustration. Please know that we will be happy to make an exception; inlieu of our offer of Future Cruise Credit in the amount of $1000.00 per personwe have requested a refund in the same amount. This will be posted to Mr.[redacted]’s card ending in [redacted] and should be completed within two weeks. While it is always difficult for us to hear about thedisappointments our travelers may encounter on our sailings, the GuestRelations Department was created to listen to our guests’ comments, bothpositive and negative, so that our company may continue to grow with guestsatisfaction in mind. We do hope that this final attempt to resolve your issueswill meet with your approval, and we hope that you will continue to includeHolland America Line in your travel plans. Best regards,  Christine F[redacted]Senior AdvisorOffice of the President

Complaint: [redacted]I am rejecting this response because: Look at attachment the price on the priceline website for much better cabines is a lot less then what I paid and comes with much more benefits then what I got this not a good practice specialy since when I purchased from your  web site and called they sad any price changes world be honered. Well much better cabines with a lot more perks are selling for a lot less. Also it took you almost 3 weeks to answer. This is not a satifary response you did not change any sing or offered.Sincerely,[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com,Attached please find a copy of the response we sent on August 3, 2015. It was addressed to the leader of their travel group, who sent the original correspondence with the same issues. We gave the [redacted] the same compensation as everyone else in their group.Please let us know if we can be...

of further assistance.Kind regards,Adrian A[redacted]Guest RelationsHolland America Line
RE: Case [redacted]
       Bookings: [redacted]
       Bookings: [redacted]
       Bookings: [redacted]
       Bookings: [redacted]
 
Dear Mrs. [redacted],
 
Thank you for the phone call regarding your ms Oosterdam sailing on June 28, 2015.
 
First and foremost, we apologize that you did not experience our best, and we regret that you felt we came up short in our delivery. We acknowledge your input and we truly appreciate that you have taken the time to share your thoughts and observations for us, to name a few: the on board maintenance, plumbing issues you faced, and the food quality. Everything we have learned in 140 plus years, such as our five-star dining and impeccable ships are some of the reasons Holland America Line has been ranked as one of the highest-rated premium cruise lines. Our goal is to ensure that all guests completely enjoy their time with us, and on behalf of Holland America Line, we are very sorry that we let you down.
 
Feedback is important to us and is definitely considered in the ongoing evaluation of our service and product. And most importantly, our company thrives on constructive comments such as yours. This way, we are able to maintain our high standards. Yet, instead of trying to respond to each of your concerns one-by-one, let me assure you that all appropriate senior management has been made aware for their review, consideration in future planning, and corrective action as necessary.
 
However improbable a future cruise with Holland America Line may seem to you at this time, we would like to offer you a gesture of goodwill for your disappointment. As such, we would like to extend Future Cruise Credits to you in the amount of $250.00 per person for each person in the aforementioned bookings. These credits may be applied to the cruise fare only of a new Holland America Line cruise or Land+Sea Journey booking, and are combinable with other applicable credits. While the credits must be applied to a new booking by one-year from the date of this correspondence, your cruise does not need to depart within this year’s time. Although you may choose any stateroom category, this offer is dependent upon availability and cannot be transferred or refunded. These credits may not be used for deposits, taxes, Cancellation Protection, Home City Air, or other optional programs. For your convenience, they are associated with your Mariner numbers and will automatically be credited toward the base fare of your next Holland America Line cruise reservation. We kindly ask that this special offer be verified at time of confirmation to ensure your booking is properly noted.
 
Additionally, as discussed during our telephone call today, though outside our normal procedures, we can review any request for this credit to be moved to one of our sister cruise lines.
 
Thank you again for contacting our office and bringing your issues to our attention. We assure you that we appreciate your comments, and hope that you will give us another opportunity to create the positive experience we know our sailings can offer.
 
Best regards,
 
 
Debra C[redacted]
Special Advisor
Office of the President