LocoLoco1

I recently had HAL book everything for a Trans-Atlantic plus Hotel, transfers etc. I never did that before. All done in about 30/min over the Phone. Only a tad $higher$ than booking myself Q: Is HAL melding into a 1-stop Travel Agency with their own out-sourced PCC’s?? Mine was/is great.

As a regular cruiser I see it thusly: So maybe CCL or ?? disappear on paper; but then so did ENRON, yet their pipelines kept on flowing. Railroads folded, but the trains kept running (often much faster and better maintained track). Several cruiselines are recently no more, but their higher quality vessels sailed on. Yes, excess capacity can be cruel to the weak, but putting bodies in a quality bunk will continue no matter what Logo is on the funnel. It will probably be a cut-throat coupla years for the survivors, and I certainly wouldn’t want to be in the business. I’m booked for November.

Iancal, Indeed. It will serve loyal HAL cruisers well to be careful with their monies. Here’s hoping the industry survives. Aside from CCL’s debt leisure travel in general is becoming less user-friendly and certainly not cheaper. That’s serious headwinds.

Watching CCL stock bounce around $9.80/share here on Friday. MY thoughts: Despite deep pocket financiers getting hellishly high interest from their bonds there are other wonks obviously thinking it’s still worth $9.80/share. So be it, my November cruise is booked; but surely my nonchalance will sink if the Dining Rm. goes to paper napkins

Hammocks. Great, unless you have Sciatica. Wine: I must confess, a pitcher of Sangria with a stir stick is my idea of wine.

BermudaBound… The Business model looks broken. My booked TransAtlantic may soon offer me clues to whether the ‘Onboard Experience’ will take a hit. I’m Guessing it will. Can CCL control Debt or Fuel expense? No. Port $Fees$. No. Headcount? Yes. Dining surcharges? Yes. Refurbishing? Yes. Tour/Transfer charges? Yes. Nonetheless, there may come the moment when deep pocket investor’s demands collide with the Debtors inability to pay.

Original Post pondered the possibility of a CCL Corporate ‘Reorganization’. As a HAL cruiser, assuming you $paid$ with a CreditCard and you indeed get aboard, would it REALLY matter ??

Being broke has consequences. I have a ‘Freebie’ Casino cruise due in Nov. HOWEVER, I will not buy any Airfare or Hotels yet. CCL is probably toast, but the nicer ships will sail. Hard to fathom them being mothballed, but corners will be cut everywhere methinks.

If all you need is a place to ‘Burn One’ Holland-America has the Aft Pool area on the Starboard side set up with Ashtrays. Next to the outdoor Bar

PRINSENDAM on a Trans-Atlantic was fabulous for us, but V’dam is no Prinsendam. Methinks account it’s age Volendam will be out of HAL fleet soon and so maybe a HAL newbie would enjoy a newer vessel’s Bling-bling. We do.

Maybe go with the KONINGDAM or newer. Volendam is getting a bit ‘mature’

I think HAL or a similar line will survive: There IS a huge ‘Senior Set’ of cruisers with $$$ who want it sedate, but can’t afford 5-star or Yacht-like cruising. On such a cruiseline teens and kids are not part of the deal.

Most HAL cruisers seem to most comfortable with a Nursing Home ambiance. I (age73) found it very hard to find anyone up for a B-ball shoot around or even brisk hikes when ashore. I was firm with my 40ish kids… please look elsewhere.

I thought Pre-testing was a nightmare, not knowing if all the planning and arrangements etc etc. might be wasted account a Positive test at the last minute. That and then being masked for 20+ days was barely worth the effort. More of an ordeal than a vacation. Lots of our cruisemates felt likewise.

A week on a Mega-ship or a week strolling the Aisles of a Wally-World?? Probably a toss-up at this late date. Our recent 28-day had numerous confined to quarters.

Sorry, Ukraine. That’s how the Press words it. Their words.. not mine.

Back to my Query: Is the Volendam full of Lithuanian refugees and a HAL staff? I haven’t been keeping up…

MyApologies: It could be. Selling older vessels across the lines with dated layouts and fewer cabins is more likely.

My reply to original question: It could be. Selling older vessels (with dated layout and 1114,

Yes. Accurate.

In reality, It can be much more complicated. Now for MY personal experience: At the very last moment a HAL cruise was cancelled that I booked. Our Airfare/Hotel at FLL was refunded, plus of course, the cruise and generous FCC’s. IMHO, some PAX got hosed and only received what their TRIP INSURANCE fine-print offered them. Didn’t seem fair, but that’s what happened. Strange, eh?? Let’s face reality cruisers, CCL is worth $9/Billion and change. It has $30/Billion in debt. I have not yet packed my bags for my V’dam cruise of Nov. 5, 2022, but my fingers are crossed.

My VOLENDAM Nov 5, 2022 T/A booking was confirmed this week. HAL has been known to cancel cruises at the last hour simply to book a Corporate function.etc. V’dam is getting on in years. I wouldn’t be surprised if my T/A cruise is cancelled.

Volendam’s current usage has me wondering; is it on it’s last legs with HAL??

I couldn’t agree more. CCL is at $8/bucks and change and not $25 for a reason.

We LOVE the HydroPool experience. However, it is much, much nicer if your Cabin is closeby or better yet, right next door. Also, consider just booking it day-by-day once aboard. We prefer Poolside lounging and the outdoor Hotubs combined with a few sessions in the Thermal-whatever Hydropool.