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| Disaster on the ms Zuiderdam |
17 April (I know it has been...),
18 April (I am enjoying...),
21 April (Holland America sinks...),
22 April (HAL tries to drown ...),
29 April (I spent today...),
30 April (Today in Ephesus...),
2 May (Now that I have...),
5 May (The
Zuierdam continues...)
Below is a copy of the letter I sent to HAL regarding all the problems on the Zuiderdam during the 22-day cruise:
TO: Holland America
FROM: Dr. Lawrence F.
Laban
DATE: 14 May 2015
RE: Problems on
ms Zuiderdam, 14 April-5 May 2015
As you are aware, my 22-day cruise on board the ms Zuiderdam
was a complete disaster from beginning to end.
The ship, which had been in dry dock for repairs and reconstruction, was
totally unfit to carry passengers. I
made the booking believing that I would be on a vacation cruise (this was my 14th
Holland America cruise), but instead was forced to spend 22 days on a construction
site. Not only was I a victim of the
specific problems indicated below, but I was
in a continual state of stress and discomfort from the construction noise and
closed areas on the ship for the entire 22 days.
Summary of Main Issues:
I was not notified
until after boarding that
significant sections of the ship would be closed for the complete 22 days
(including the Crow’s Nest and Explorations Lounge for a week, and large
portions of the Observation Deck for the entire cruise). Because there were no veranda cabins available
when I booked the cruise, I had specifically discussed with [your agent] that
I would accept a “blind” booking of an ocean view and would be using the decks
for all the scenic portions of the cruise, which would allow me to take photos
from both sides of the ship. If I had been notified before I left North
America on 12 April, I would have cancelled the trip. Even had I been
told in Rome, before boarding, I would have requested a refund and spent a
relaxing three weeks in Italy and Greece (probably for less money than the cost
of the cruise). How cowardly and
dishonest of HAL to wait until passengers had boarded to let us know about the
problems. If HAL had notified
passengers, I bet very few would have cancelled, and the company would have
received kudos for being honest instead of all the complaints and grumbling I
heard. And there is ample evidence that
staff on the ship knew of the incomplete state of affairs at least several days
before the start of my cruise on 14 April.
Front Office Staff—including those at the desk as well as
managers who often hid in their offices—were untruthful about the situation
involving upgraded cabins and were not at all helpful during the specific
crisis (which they continued to address as an “inconvenience”) of the flooding
of cabins at midnight on 22-23 April.
I requested to be sent home from Venice at the halfway mark
of the cruise. Although [agent in Seattle] indicated that she would check on this (in fact it was her suggestion), I never
heard a single word from anyone on board the ship regarding this option, but
instead had to occupy three different cabins (involving moving all my things
without suitcases) and spend time when I should have been on shore making sure
that my property was safe.
The stress of being on a construction site (loud noise in the lounges on
sea days; unpleasant odors from construction materials; piles of construction
materials on various decks) for the entire cruise, made this the most
unpleasant trip I have ever taken in my many years of both independent travel
and cruising (17 cruises since 2007; 14 on Holland America).
Chronology of Serious Problems on ms Zuiderdam
14 April.
No one to meet me at Rome airport, even though I confirmed my transfer
reservation with HAL personnel at the airport when I arrived on the 13th.
After waiting two hours in the arrival lobby where I was told HAL personnel
would meet me, I was forced to take a last-minute car service at €140 (in
addition to the $79 I prepaid HAL). I was never reimbursed for this expense.
14 April. Was not notified until after boarding that significant sections of the ship would be closed for the complete 22 days (deck sections I had specifically discussed with agent in Seattle). If I had been notified before I left No. America on 12 April, I would have cancelled the trip. How cowardly and dishonest of HAL to wait until passengers had boarded.
14 April. Because I booked this trip only two weeks prior, I was aware that my cabin would be only ocean view rather than with a verandah. That was fine, except when I entered the cabin, the TV was cracked across the entire screen and the safe had been locked by previous passenger. So much for your inspecting rooms before boarding.
14 April. At 10pm the toilet would not stop flushing or making horrible noises. I was given the equally awful choice of using public facilities during the night--a health issue--or trying to sleep with the constant grinding of the toilet mechanism.
15 April. No one comes to fix toilet until I aggressively approach front desk near noon. Entire toilet had to be reconstructed (the lid was not installed properly even after the toilet was fixed and I had to hold it down with my hand or risk it failing to flush).
15 April. Spoke with front office about getting new cabin--at that time I told her it was not about money and I would be willing to pay whatever supplement was required (even though my dissatisfaction was based on HAL’s failure to inform me about the state of the ship). She said she would have to research the question and get back to me. She did not get back to me for three days, and then only after I had talked with [her manager]. Needless to say, she offered not a word of apology.
18 April. Met with [customer relations manager], who told me no cabins were available. If this was true, how was I able to be moved into 5054, which clearly had been empty for days (there was a collection of “Today on Location” brochures on the bed, when the flooding catastrophe occurred on 22 April)? More and more duplicitous behavior.
22-23 April. At midnight I awake to revolting smell and 4" of water spreading throughout 1094 into the hallway. The bathroom was the only dry place. My suitcases under the bed--put there by HAL personnel--were totally ruined. And who knows what unhealthy vapors emanated through my clothes and personal property. I was told to move to 5054. Notice the verb; I was not offered any help in moving anything out of the cabin. Additionally, I had to walk down from Deck Five twice because my new keycard would not work (and since I was wearing only a bathrobe and slippers, it could not be the result of any electronic device I might have had).
23 April. Had to remove my belongings from 1094 by cart, since I do not have any suitcases. Spent most of the day sorting out my things which were simply strewn across the bed and floor in 5054, instead of enjoying time in Split. At this moment I am still waiting for a response to my request to be placed in a permanent cabin--I don't want to keep moving around--or to be totally reimbursed with new airline tickets to leave the ship in Venice. I am tired of living in chaos with my stuff spread out all over bed and floor.
24 April. [Manager] informs me he has purchased replacement luggage and it will be delivered to 5054. Spend afternoon in Venice; spend all evening packing. Told I must be out of room as early as possible tomorrow; certainly by 8am.
25 April. Toilet is not working in 5054 as I get ready to vacate. By the time I can get into 7008--problems with key card--I am too tired and stressed to go ashore. I won't leave until I am sure my cabin is ready and luggage delivered, and then there is just not enough time given that it takes at least 45 minutes to get to Ferrovia and that's just at the farthest point from St Mark's. We have to be back on board at 2:30 although we are not scheduled to depart until 4pm.
25 April. Toilets on deck 7--where I am now located--stop working for several hours during afternoon/evening. I learn that Crow's Nest and Exploration Lounge have reopened, although I somehow "missed" the announcement and no written information was given.
Additional Issues
14 April. Was not notified until after boarding that significant sections of the ship would be closed for the complete 22 days (deck sections I had specifically discussed with agent in Seattle). If I had been notified before I left No. America on 12 April, I would have cancelled the trip. How cowardly and dishonest of HAL to wait until passengers had boarded.
14 April. Because I booked this trip only two weeks prior, I was aware that my cabin would be only ocean view rather than with a verandah. That was fine, except when I entered the cabin, the TV was cracked across the entire screen and the safe had been locked by previous passenger. So much for your inspecting rooms before boarding.
14 April. At 10pm the toilet would not stop flushing or making horrible noises. I was given the equally awful choice of using public facilities during the night--a health issue--or trying to sleep with the constant grinding of the toilet mechanism.
15 April. No one comes to fix toilet until I aggressively approach front desk near noon. Entire toilet had to be reconstructed (the lid was not installed properly even after the toilet was fixed and I had to hold it down with my hand or risk it failing to flush).
15 April. Spoke with front office about getting new cabin--at that time I told her it was not about money and I would be willing to pay whatever supplement was required (even though my dissatisfaction was based on HAL’s failure to inform me about the state of the ship). She said she would have to research the question and get back to me. She did not get back to me for three days, and then only after I had talked with [her manager]. Needless to say, she offered not a word of apology.
18 April. Met with [customer relations manager], who told me no cabins were available. If this was true, how was I able to be moved into 5054, which clearly had been empty for days (there was a collection of “Today on Location” brochures on the bed, when the flooding catastrophe occurred on 22 April)? More and more duplicitous behavior.
22-23 April. At midnight I awake to revolting smell and 4" of water spreading throughout 1094 into the hallway. The bathroom was the only dry place. My suitcases under the bed--put there by HAL personnel--were totally ruined. And who knows what unhealthy vapors emanated through my clothes and personal property. I was told to move to 5054. Notice the verb; I was not offered any help in moving anything out of the cabin. Additionally, I had to walk down from Deck Five twice because my new keycard would not work (and since I was wearing only a bathrobe and slippers, it could not be the result of any electronic device I might have had).
23 April. Had to remove my belongings from 1094 by cart, since I do not have any suitcases. Spent most of the day sorting out my things which were simply strewn across the bed and floor in 5054, instead of enjoying time in Split. At this moment I am still waiting for a response to my request to be placed in a permanent cabin--I don't want to keep moving around--or to be totally reimbursed with new airline tickets to leave the ship in Venice. I am tired of living in chaos with my stuff spread out all over bed and floor.
24 April. [Manager] informs me he has purchased replacement luggage and it will be delivered to 5054. Spend afternoon in Venice; spend all evening packing. Told I must be out of room as early as possible tomorrow; certainly by 8am.
25 April. Toilet is not working in 5054 as I get ready to vacate. By the time I can get into 7008--problems with key card--I am too tired and stressed to go ashore. I won't leave until I am sure my cabin is ready and luggage delivered, and then there is just not enough time given that it takes at least 45 minutes to get to Ferrovia and that's just at the farthest point from St Mark's. We have to be back on board at 2:30 although we are not scheduled to depart until 4pm.
25 April. Toilets on deck 7--where I am now located--stop working for several hours during afternoon/evening. I learn that Crow's Nest and Exploration Lounge have reopened, although I somehow "missed" the announcement and no written information was given.
Additional Issues
I realize that cruise lines must change with the times and that
passengers must adjust their expectations.
But there were many changes on the Zuiderdam (from all my previous
cruises) that contradict the advertising claims and slogans of the company. These may not be as dangerous and dishonest as the problems described
above, but they indicate HAL’s failures in continuing its traditions. I wonder, in fact, if the Company is fully aware
of changes made on individual ships.
◦ No live music on decks during sail-aways or days at sea, merely a disc
jockey with headphones.
◦ No cloth coverings on chairs during formal nights. I was told by Asst Dining Room Manager that
when new chairs were placed during dry-dock, no one thought about ordering new
covers that would fit the chairs.
◦ On the last formal night forward elevators (all four of them) refused
to stop at Deck 7 (where I was located), although they seemed to stop at every
other floor (I couldn’t invent these things if I tried).
◦ Although I indicated on the first night of the cruise that I would
like to have a bottle of Pellegrino at dinner each night, twice during the cruise I was told that the ship had run out of
Pellegrino.
◦ Problems with laundry not following instructions regarding hangers/folding. This may sound picky, but why do you give
passengers a choice when the staff does not read the paperwork?
◦ You are probably tired of complaints about your wifi service, but you
will continue to get them until you provide better service. (If you keep up with the industry you will know
that many cruise lines are now offering free wifi on their ships). I understand that it cannot be as fast as on
shore (although I wonder why free dockside wifi on the pier is so much faster
than the ship’s service, even when docked).
But having to pay almost 45 minutes worth of time before the system even tells me it isn’t working (on the first day
of the cruise), so I can log off, is outrageous. (A positive note: at least you are now offering an unlimited time
package, of which I was not aware when I first signed on, and thus spent twice
the amount of money I should have--close to $400.).
◦ On the whole, [destinations specialist], was very helpful. But she gave completely wrong information so confidently about using public bus
service from Athens to Pireaus (even though the staff on the Prinsendam, docked
next to us, were aware of the fact that the bus does not start running until
the next day) When I later asked her about why she did not
have current information, her response was, “well, you never know in
Greece.” It might have been helpful for
her to express that caution before advising passengers so confidently.
◦ Tickets for pre-paid excursions were not delivered to my cabin. After two day and several phone calls to the
excursions desk, I had to retrieve them myself.
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