What's changed on Holland America?

Hi, We are considering a cruise on Westerdam in May 2019. We haven't cruised with HAL since 2011.

We have witnessed the cuts occurring on many mainstream lines and we'd appreciate your views on what has changed for the worse and better.

What are the gratuities? Has anyone any examples of drink prices?

What nice touches do they have - I remember ice-cream at lunch times being doused with liqueurs (don't suppose they still do that)

We are looking at a Signature Suite, does anyone have any pictures they could upload please?

Thanks for any input :)

We had a long break from HAL and went back in December. Our biggest disappointment was in the main dining room service, with the quality of the food (in the MDR) running a close second. (It didn't help that we had previously sailed with Cunard, where the service was stellar.) If the goal was to chase us out to the paid dining, they have succeeded. They also stopped the unlimited wine you were allowed to bring on board, but that's not surprising.

 

I like the changes in the Lido buffet where the servers do the honors, and it was nice to see that the cabin stewards are still amazing at what they do.

 

Google "hal facts" for pictures and menus. Also check out the cruise critic picture board. You will find lots. POA1 has posted lots of drink menus and pricing. Gratuities are $15.00 per day per person for a suite.

Yes, there are changes on HAL just like all the cruiselines. Sorry, no Grand Marnier on ice cream anymore. You can't bring on all the wine you can carry. Now, it's one 750ml bottle per adult to drink in your cabin. Any other wine is $18.00 per bottle corkage fee. Formal nights are pretty much gone, too. Instead it's Gala nights where you can dress up if you want to, but a lot of people will just do smart casual. Other nights, you can wear jeans in the MDR.

The Westerdam is an older ship, but it's typically HAL. She has a few wrinkles and such but you will like her, I'm sure. Food is still quite good, but not as good as it used to be. Entertainment is just okay, but it was never a highlight of a HAL cruise. Your other questions will be answered by those who have more experience with suites.

Yes, I was quite surprised to see what some were wearing to the dining room on both regular and "formal" nights. Had not expected that at all. I guess it goes hand-in-hand with the reduced service and food quality. If you're going to dress like you're going to a cafeteria then your expectations will be met.

boy are you in for and ear full hear --'HAL has gone down hill' HAL is downsized way too much etc etc.

Have things changed at HAL - yes -- as every where else. We just got off the Maasdam -

Wonderful trip

Great food - Amazing service - you won't find any better unless you go very small all inclusive.

Ship was in fine shape and clean and sharp - Entertainment was fine - I don't cruise for entertainment

Never been in a suite but I bet they are wonderful.

PLEASE don't listen to all the nay sayers - HAL is still a great line.

boy are you in for and ear full hear --'HAL has gone down hill' HAL is downsized way too much etc etc.

Have things changed at HAL - yes -- as every where else. We just got off the Maasdam -

Wonderful trip

Great food - Amazing service - you won't find any better unless you go very small all inclusive.

Ship was in fine shape and clean and sharp - Entertainment was fine - I don't cruise for entertainment

Never been in a suite but I bet they are wonderful.

PLEASE don't listen to all the nay sayers - HAL is still a great line.

I dont think that we are nay sayers, just giving our opinion and our experiences. What is amazing service and great food to you may not be quite the same to others. The OP asked for our personal input. HAL is a terrific cruiseline, but not the best.

The Westerdam has under gone some changes. The library is mostly gone from the Crow's and Exploration's Cafe is now part of the bar area.

Cabanas have been added along with more cabins. Northern Lights Disco is gone -- it is now the Gallery Bar. The Piano Bar is gone -- it is now the Billboard Onboard. The Explorer's Lounge has changed -- most of it is the Lincoln Stage Center and a small part is the Explorer's Bar.

The Pinnacle Grill is now $35 per person and the Canaletto is now $15 per person.

boy are you in for and ear full hear --'HAL has gone down hill' HAL is downsized way too much etc etc.

Have things changed at HAL - yes -- as every where else. We just got off the Maasdam -

Wonderful trip

Great food - Amazing service - you won't find any better unless you go very small all inclusive.

Ship was in fine shape and clean and sharp - Entertainment was fine - I don't cruise for entertainment

Never been in a suite but I bet they are wonderful.

PLEASE don't listen to all the nay sayers - HAL is still a great line.

 

Yes, HAL has slid a bit as a result of cost-cutting and simultaneously going after a larger market -for whom traditions, such as dressing up just a big for dinner, are a nuisance rather than an attraction.

 

However, since all lines have slid in the same (downwards) direction, if you preferred HAL in the past, you are likely to find it still preferable to the alternatives.

boy are you in for and ear full hear --'HAL has gone down hill' HAL is downsized way too much etc etc.

Have things changed at HAL - yes -- as every where else. We just got off the Maasdam -

Wonderful trip

Great food - Amazing service - you won't find any better unless you go very small all inclusive.

Ship was in fine shape and clean and sharp - Entertainment was fine - I don't cruise for entertainment

Never been in a suite but I bet they are wonderful.

PLEASE don't listen to all the nay sayers - HAL is still a great line.

 

The OP asked for differences and mostly that's what's been given. Most are pretty verifiable, not just "opinion".

 

HAL still tries to provide excellent service, but I find that they are stretched a bit thin in places, making it a different experience than it was when the OP last sailed. There are fewer servers in the MDR, so service is slower, and the menu is arranged so as to encourage folks to order fewer courses (minimizing long back and forths from the kitchen for each course).

 

Fares have not increased much; consequently the food budget has also stayed much the same -- meaning they have to do more with less.

 

There are fewer daytime activities on board, because there are fewer cruise staff.

 

Also less music at various times of day, although at least HAL has added some new musical venues and shows.

 

As others have said, many other things have changed as well, including the wine policy (and HAL does not have a great wine list). The jury seems to still be out on the libraries -- lots of different answers on whether they are going, staying, or limping along without much oversight.

 

There seem to have been fewer complaints about maintenance issues on ships recently, so I take that as a positive sign.

 

Overall, HAL still does a good job for a mass market line and has better itineraries and larger cabins than many similar lines.

HAL is a great cruise line. Clearly it is not a premium cruise line and has had similar cutbacks to all the rest in the pack. We see a move to the lowest common denominator. HAL, with their new ships, seems to be trying to move forward.

 

Our belief is that HAL is still good value depending on the ship and the cabin. We would not pay top dollar for a larger cabin or suite on HAL. Our preference would be to buy a standard cabin on a premium line.

 

One area where we feel that HAL is very much lacking and well behind the pack is their frequent cruiser benefits, or should I say lack thereof. Lots of small items, but few tangible benefits from our perspective. We don't care about lapel pins, medals, lunches that we have already paid for, or recognition events.

Thank you for all your responses. It is much as I guessed from experience of other lines and why generally we choose to sail with Oceania these days.

However we quite like the itineraries offered and as long as my expectations are realistic I am sure we can have an enjoyable cruise with HAL.

Shame about the ice-cream and liqueurs :(

Edited August 20, 2017 by Glenndale

Hi, We are considering a cruise on Westerdam in May 2019. We haven't cruised with HAL since 2011.

We have witnessed the cuts occurring on many mainstream lines and we'd appreciate your views on what has changed for the worse and better.

What are the gratuities? Has anyone any examples of drink prices?

What nice touches do they have - I remember ice-cream at lunch times being doused with liqueurs (don't suppose they still do that)

We are looking at a Signature Suite, does anyone have any pictures they could upload please?

Thanks for any input :)

 

Signature Suites have been remodeled on Westerdam. When you look for pics look for recent ones and also try checking the Oosterdam for recent pics.

 

We had an SS on Oosterdam last Fall after the Odam's remodel and the room was wonderful. Lots of added USB and outlets, nicely decorated, etc. The rooms now have Interactive large screen TV's, too. HAL now has the "Navigator" on your Ipad or phone and you can book Ressie's at the Specialty Restaurants, book Shore Excursions, check the daily happenings, check your Onboard Account, etc.

 

Yes, there have been cutbacks with some of the "special" touches as there have been on many lines as well as in the Entertainment area. We sailed Westerdam in February (before the remodel) and the Crew and Staff were great! We had nights in the MDR where the food was just o.k. (but sometimes it's what one orders) and other nights where the food was very, very good! Pinnacle did not disappoint! We went a few times and the food and Service were excellent!

 

Happy Hour is still at 4 pm and another HH later in the Evening. It went up a $1 and now is Buy one, get the 2nd one for $2. Still a good deal, IMO!

 

Hope you have a great Cruise!

boy are you in for and ear full hear --'HAL has gone down hill' HAL is downsized way too much etc etc.

Have things changed at HAL - yes -- as every where else.

Yes, HAL has slid a bit as a result of cost-cutting and simultaneously going after a larger market -for whom traditions, such as dressing up just a big for dinner, are a nuisance rather than an attraction. However, since all lines have slid in the same (downwards) direction, if you preferred HAL in the past, you are likely to find it still preferable to the alternatives.

This is key, and far too often missing from people's sharing of their experience. Saying a cruise line has "slid" is meaningless without an indication of "compared to what", and that "compared to what" is so critically important to the reader when the reality is, as you said, the whole industry has shifted in the same direction. I know some folks don't like being that clear about their comments, because doing so makes their comments have less impact, but the reason why that's the case is because those comments should have less impact: "I have so much more pain now," is very important and critical, if it is in comparison to a few minutes ago - an acute onset of pain could be something very troubling. "I have so much more pain now," in comparison to when I was twenty or thirty, is less worth of concern.

 

Our hope is that by sharing our experiences here we can help each other enjoy our vacations better. Making unqualified comments that can be interpreted either as something critical or something to be expected is not anywhere near as helpful as being very clear about your concerns and what you're using as a frame of reference for your comparisons. Having said that, I think, though, that in this thread, the context should be pretty clear, just based on the context of the OP itself.

Thank you for all your responses. It is much as I guessed from experience of other lines and why generally we choose to sail with Oceania these days.

However we quite like the itineraries offered and as long as my expectations are realistic I am sure we can have an enjoyable cruise with HAL.

Shame about the ice-cream and liqueurs :(

 

If you want some comparisons and before you wonder if my comments will be negative, I like Hal, introduce yourself on our mutual cruise vacation in November. I have been on all the Vista ships and the R class ships and would be happy to answer any questions.

Yes, I was quite surprised to see what some were wearing to the dining room on both regular and "formal" nights. Had not expected that at all. I guess it goes hand-in-hand with the reduced service and food quality. If you're going to dress like you're going to a cafeteria then your expectations will be met.

 

Dress seems to go along with the changes in society since 2011. :D It was hard enough to get everyone dessed formal back then, Now it is likely out of the question. Not only have cruise lines changed.......... cruisers have, as well, society in general has changed. I always wore long dresses,and other formal wear , my DHwore a tuxedo back, then.. The most I wear now is a cocktail dress , if that.

No more deck barbecues or extravaganzas of chocolate or desserts. They are just spinning up a fleet-wide chocolate parade to be on the last gala night of each cruise where they present trays of little chocolate treats in the public/music venues after dinner.

 

They still have

- turn-down service in your room with chocolates and tomorrows program;

-lots of beautiful flower arrangements around the ship;

-classical music, a few ships with the new Lincoln Center Stage quintets, other ships with the Adagio duo (no longer a quartet)

-free room service with hot breakfast items available, although there are now fewer options available, and there are some pay-for items on the room service menu

-free delivery of MDR items to your room if requested during MDR times

-daily afternoon tea

-daily news print-outs, although you have go find them yourself at the front desk, the Lido or the library

-libraries, albeit without librarians

-free Windows computer classes

-Indonesian and/or (depending on the length of your cruise) Filipino crew shows

-full circuit walking promenade decks with deck chairs (except for Koningsdam)

.... These are some of the things I may miss when we cruise on other lines, depending on which lines those are.

 

Since 2011 HAL has added:

-Open Dining times have been instituted as a option to traditional Early or Main fixed seatings.

-All rooms are available upon embarkation (11:30, unless unforeseen difficulties occur)

-Drink packages are now available for those who desire them

-Many ships have the made-to-order New York Pizza place on Lido deck

As mentioned above, the Lido buffet selections are nearly all served to you, so there is minimal passenger handling of utensils; drinks are (usually) brought to your table. (They no longer have the first 48 hours on board as "code red" no passengers touch anything which they had for several years but I"m not sure if they had that in 2011. )

 

I trust you will find many things to enjoy on your upcoming cruise even though times have changed. m--

What hasn't..............;)

If you want some comparisons and before you wonder if my comments will be negative, I like Hal, introduce yourself on our mutual cruise vacation in November. I have been on all the Vista ships and the R class ships and would be happy to answer any questions.

Hi, I joined the roll call in March for the TA (booked on board last September) and I will also be sailing with you on Marina in May :)

I've cruised on 5 of the R ships and travelled with 12 different lines, just not recently on HAL. The last cruise with them was in 2011 and I anticipate that the bean counters at Carnival will have been paring down the product.

From the responses so far it seems that in spite of cutbacks people are still happy to cruise with HAL - sadly change is inevitable but the essence remains.

I wanted to get a feel of what to expect from more recent HAL cruisers, no big problem if the food quality has slipped a little, might mean I put on less weight :D

Hi, I joined the roll call in March for the TA (booked on board last September) and I will also be sailing with you on Marina in May :)

 

I wanted to get a feel of what to expect from more recent HAL cruisers, no big problem if the food quality has slipped a little, might mean I put on less weight :D

 

I sailed on HAL in April on the Eurodam and in June to Bermuda on the Veendam and last November on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

Each cruise, I had a different opinion of food and service. The main dining room on Veendam in June was the best I can remember. I had taken to doing nothing but the specialty restaurants. The Pinnacle on the Veendam this June was not up to par. If you were going on Nieuw Amsterdam or Eurodam, I would say you have to try Tamarind - don't think Westerdam is getting it.

Americas Test Kitchen is fun and their Dive In and New York Pizza are new since you sailed. Only ship I have liked the pizza.

If the weather will be warm, I highly recommend the Retreat Cabanas.

I sailed on HAL in April on the Eurodam and in June to Bermuda on the Veendam and last November on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

Each cruise, I had a different opinion of food and service. The main dining room on Veendam in June was the best I can remember. I had taken to doing nothing but the specialty restaurants. The Pinnacle on the Veendam this June was not up to par. If you were going on Nieuw Amsterdam or Eurodam, I would say you have to try Tamarind - don't think Westerdam is getting it.

Americas Test Kitchen is fun and their Dive In and New York Pizza are new since you sailed. Only ship I have liked the pizza.

If the weather will be warm, I highly recommend the Retreat Cabanas.

 

 

I just sailed Veendam and found the MDR service and menu selection much to my pleasure. We had esscellent dining team, I liked the mens, preparatrion, plating and quality of our meal s in mDR. I am far from an inexpeienced cruiser and have loads o cruisers in my history. I wouldd sail Vendam again and left quite saisfied BUT for Pinnalce which I though to be the worst Pinnacle espeience I ever endcounteresd maNY, MANY pINNALCE DINNERs THROUGFH the years but this vEENDAM WAS MOS T UNpleasant as well as not likeing my steak. No one cared except for me. :)

 

I liked the pizza , Lido lumnch was fine, IMO Cbvin was well kept up by the stewards and all worked as espected in my cabin.

A very comprehensive review by RMLincoln, well done.

A very comprehensive review by RMLincoln, well done.

Thanks, but it's certainly not exhaustive. I hope others add to my thoughts to complete the picture. Maureen

What hasn't..............;)

The super friendly, helpful crew members. This is still the biggest positive (to me) reason to sail HAL.

Also added on Westie in her dry-docks since 2011:

Canaletto in the starboard forward part of the Lido Restaurant;

25 new balcony (18) and inside (7) cabins on Observation Deck behind the Crow’s Nest;

Retreat Cabanas replacing the sunbathing canvas areas on Sports Deck;

The “Music Walk” concept with Lincoln Center Stage in the forward part of the former Explorers Lounge;

An "Explorers Bar” in the aft part of the former Explorers Lounge;

Billboard Onboard incl. “Dueling pianos” instead of the Sports Bar and part of the Casino and a Casino Bar instead of the Piano Bar;

The Gallery (Arts) Bar instead of the Northern Lights night club;

The full “Market Place”concept in the Lido Restaurant incl. new furnishings and carpet;

Shore excursions changed to ‘Journey’s ashore’;

Front Office changed to ‘Guest Services’;

Vista (show) Lounge changed to“The Mainstage”;

“Explorations Central” with ‘the Hub’, ‘Destinations Display’,‘Virtual Bridge’, ‘Theater EXC,’ ‘Journeys Ashore’ and ‘the Library’, in addition to the ‘Explorations Café’ in the Crow’s Nest;

"Rijksmuseum atSea" in the Deck 1 Atrium floor incl. the removal of her Atrium Bar and relocation of shorex and the future cruise consultant to the Crow's Nest;

The installation of LED screens in the main show lounge and new staging with LED lighting in the Crow’s Nest and Ocean Bar; The latter two also received new upholstery and wall coverings;

New furniture, soft furnishings and draperies in penthouse;

Re-upholstery of all lounges;

New carpeting in suite staterooms, the Greenhouse Spa & Salon, the Ocean Bar, Pinnacle Bar, Crow’s Nest, Explorers Lounge, Neptune Lounge and Atrium;

Refurbishment of all 12 public elevator cabs incl. LED lighting;

Suite upgrades and enhancements, incl. new sofa, lounge and desk chairs, carpeting and wall covers, a quartz stone top on the desk, dresser, nightstands and makeup vanity.

Electronic upgrades include a USB outlet added to the bed's headboard, LED reading lights and a lighted closet rod.

A Bose iPod docking station, in-cabin coffee and espresso machine in PS and NS suites.

An interactive TV system on large LED flat-screen TV’s with complimentary movies on demand as well as access to the daily program and shipboard information incl. restaurant overviews, spa services and guest billing;

Bathroom enhancements

A very comprehensive review by RMLincoln, well done.

Indeed! Not to mention the post by copper 10-8. What you can learn on these boards is remarkable.