jeh10641

On 9/13/2024 at 2:20 PM, Aew0431 said:

Hi Jim,

 

We live in Groningen, also in the Netherlands. Way up north. But now we are on the Nieuw Statendam! And you?

 

Erika

Hi, Erika,

We are near Seattle in the Northwest part of mainland U.S. We are about 1500 miles north of Los Angeles. It is the home of HAL in the U.S. Our next cruise is on Koningsdam in January 2025 round-trip to Hawaii from San Diego. 

Jim

21 hours ago, Aew0431 said:

I'm sorry. Read the part about laundry and reacted to that. It's the laundry form (HAL) I'm talking about. Do I keep one before doing it in the laundry bag or complete. 

Hi, Aew0431,

We always keep a copy. I do not remember which color. We have never had a problem but I would rather be safe than sorry.

We spent a week in Amsterdam a year ago. Loved the city, the people and the food. Where do you live?

Jim

50 minutes ago, Aew0431 said:

One question about the form. Do I keep one of the three layers of the form, or do I put it in complete?

Which form are you talking about?

Jim

I, too, just put my card in a shirt pocket. I never buy a shirt without a pocket. I spent most of my working years as a sales rep so needed a place for pens, business cards, etc. Even in retirement I still need a pen for writing and sometimes business cards.

Jim

9 hours ago, Crew News said:

Thanks for posting your views of your cruise.  It helps others in their planning. 

 

On many HAL ships, Specialty coffees are available from 7:00 - 9:00 AM in the Pinnacle Bar on Deck2.  Check the back page of your Daily Program to see what time the Pinnacle Bar opens.

 

Finding tables in the Lido works best by tag teaming:  leaving one person to hold the table and then take turns getting food.  You can always take food back to your stateroom.

 

The Lido also has several 8-top community (sharing) tables near the exit to the outdoor pool.  Feel free to ask if you can join those seated there.  It is an opportunity to meet fellow passengers. 

 

It is my experience that there are always open tables by the indoor pool at breakfast time.  As a solo, I eat there several times each cruise. 

 

Have you tried the Taco Bar next to the indoor pool?  A big plate of nachos for afternoon snacks in your stateroom is a real treat.

 

Have you seen the new Pinnacle Grill Menu (blue decor) on your Navigator app?

Hello, Crew News,

Great tips. My wife and I tag team in the Lido Buffet once we find a table. I am not a coffee drinker (even though I live in Starbucks home area) but the Pinnacle Bar sounds intriguing for my wife. We have dined outside near the Lido, weather permitting. Indoor poolside not so much. Too noisy. Except when dining at NY Pizza/Deli (not really NY pizza or deli).

Jim

31 minutes ago, simonaitch said:

I have 2 complimentary meals in Pinnacle and Canaletto, whats the policy regarding tipping ?

I know if you purchase a meal in Pinnacle or Canaletto, an extra 18% is included for the gratuity. I do not know how it works if you have a complimentary meal. It is possible, you could be charged extra for the gratuity.

Jim

4 hours ago, Mary229 said:

They do not allow unopened plastic disposable bottles of water onboard.  This refers to typical bottled water you buy by the case at the supermarket.  If you bring them you do so at your own risk.  They can be much more strict at embarkation than at visited ports 

 

they do allow canned water or boxed water

As usual, you cut right to the chase with great information.

Jim

I have not sailed on HAL since 2021. What I think they mean, no plastic bottles but it is okay to bring water in cans or paper containers. Never a problem for us since I drink Iced Tea on board. I do not bring water. When I do drink water on board, it is water from the ship in their provided glasses. No containers of water used by us.

22 hours ago, jonyboy said:

It was a few years since we did the Alaska cruise but at that time they had an unlimited option.  Do they still have that?

Hi, jonyboy,

The price I mentioned was the cost per day for the unlimited package for our Koningsdam cruise coming in January 2025.

Jim

On 8/10/2024 at 5:39 PM, Steerpike58 said:

Well that's interesting, and I think contradicts what I've read previously (but can't be sure at this point). Being able to order a latte in the Lido with breakfast would be perfect! I will have the HIA package so it should be covered.  So - in the Lido, I understand it's self-service for the food, but are there roaming waiters ready to take drinks orders at breakfast? That would be great! 

On past HAL cruises (last 12/21), there were servers in the buffet for drink orders as well as self-service options.

Jim

On 8/9/2024 at 11:03 AM, Steerpike58 said:

A mundane question ... does HA have a laundry room for self-service laundry, and more to the point - do they have ironing boards and irons for passenger use? We just got back from a Viking cruise and while I didn't use their self-serve laundry, I did touch up all my shirts with their iron and it was very convenient. We're on the Oosterdam - Vista class. 

The HAL laundry package amounts to about $8.50/day. You can send out stuff every day. We use it. Pack less. Helps at airports with less weight. 

Jim

Here is more pennies' worth of my thoughts. Never been on Princess so will not offer any comments other than this. I just spoke to a person at HAL viz-a-viz my upcoming cruise. She had worked for 25 years at Princess in Onboard Events for their corporate office in SoCal. The pandemic cost her her job. When cruising restarted, Princess did not take her back saying she did not have enough experience! Really? 25 years? On the other hand, she said HAL is a much better employer in that they are told that "Yes" is more important than "We cannot do that" (Princess philosophy). She sounded happy.

On our last cruise on Anthem OTS in October, our boarding time in Southampton (around 11 AM) was less than 10 minutes from baggage drop to on board.

Disembarkation in New Jersey took 2 hours with the line extending all around the ship. There was no reason given. My thought it was either a police or a medical issue. We experienced no lines for any activity onboard. 

There were over 4,000 passengers on board but because there was SO MUCH to do, I did not get to many of the activities I wanted even though we were onboard for 15 nights. Some activities we did more than once because we enjoyed them so much (mainly music shows).

Each to his or her or their own.

Jim

I looked at Club Orange as an option (suites are way beyond my budget) and the only benefit I see for me is embarkation and tendering priority. Neither of those are worth the fees. For Club Orange dining on Pinnacle Class ships, there is a private dining room with one or two daily specials not available in the MDR. However, we like to add specialty dining venues to our trips as they are "special". That means paying extra for meals twice as often as I care to do. We are not drinkers and my internet needs are simple.

HAL offers us the type of cruising we like, quiet with enough entertainment options. We are in our 80s with no grandkids. Our son has grand pets. If the opposite was true and we were younger, perhaps the bells and whistles of larger ships might be attractive to us. The so-called premium lines also might be more attractive to us if our budget could afford them as well.

Jim 

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

That was the case in April (Koningsdam) and May (Nieuw Amsterdam) but slowed on the last two days as other passengers were submitting their single bags of laundry.

Thanks.

Jim

5 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

You are correct. It is the website terms and conditions office that is in Seattle. Thank you. 

My pleasure. I enjoy your posts.

Jim

On 7/14/2024 at 12:20 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Not necessarily.

 

The July 2024 orderbook just came out and the only new builds added recently were smaller ships of viking, regent 7 seas, and crystal. 

 

It does seem like there is a dichotomy emerging. The mass market lines are all building larger ships. But, the luxury lines are in the game and placing orders continuously. Those of you who like sailing on smaller ships will have plenty of new builds to choose from, but the ticket price will be higher.

 

Ironically NCL is building the most new ships with RCL behind. CCL is in the distance. As mentioned, CCL's new strategy is to increase passenger capacity in Carnival, P&O, and Aida. I don't foresee a new HAL ship on the horizon as quickly as many here do.

 

 

 

Here's a list of the new builds (I don't believe this list has the recent orders added yet, but you can see the trend). Luxury lines are expanding their fleets with smaller ships and the orderbook for smaller ships is not lacking.

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-ship-orderbook/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since you posted this, carnival just announced several new ships in the 8,000-passenger range. That is larger than many small cities/towns.

Jim

On 7/12/2024 at 4:08 PM, cbr663 said:

 

This resonates with me.  Not only are more and more cities pushing back hard against cruise ships and the entire industry, the events of the last few days have left me wondering what will happen next.  Cruise passengers in Barcelona were sprayed with water pistols by protestors and the Seven Seas Voyager cruise ship was recently surrounded by protestors sailing in smaller boats and was unable to dock in the port of Concarneau and the ship was forced to sail away and bypass the port.  Seems like an escalation to me and cruise lines seem totally unprepared.

 

I also have many friends who are experienced cruisers who are all sharing that their enjoyment levels have plummeted due to over crowded ships and ports.  It has me wondering how much longer they will continue to cruise.

I, too, have heard that ports are trying to cut back on the number of cruisers. However, it seems to me that the number of cruisers versus the number of total tourists shows that the latter is many times more than the former.

Jim

On 7/11/2024 at 6:05 PM, TRLD said:

HAL and Princess have different niches and the targeting of the two lines are getting further apart with the design decisions of the Sun class Princess ships. 

 

HAL has actually been successful in bringing their age demographics down since they launched music walk.   Princess on the other hands demographics have been getting older.  Probably one of the reasons Princess is trying to attract some younger cruisers with the design decisions on the Sun.  Not clear if they know how to make use of them though.

 

Pretty clear that with the decisions and the size Princess is giving up some of their current destinations ports.  They have also been bringing their average cruise length down as ships sizes have gotten larger.  That leaves HAL pretty much along with the combination of average ship size, number of destination ports (more than 100 more than Princess and 200 more than Celebrity), and average cruise length.

I have heard from multiple sources that one of Family/Kid areas on Sun princess hass not opened and is likely to never open. It may have to be re-purposed.

Jim

On 7/11/2024 at 4:25 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

Interesting tid bit: I believe that HAL and Seabourn actually share the same office address and Princess is a block away. 

Unless something has changed recently, I believe that Princess was based in California. HAL and Seabourn are in the same Carnival Cruise Line division.

Jim

On 7/11/2024 at 1:00 PM, CNSJ said:

@Sir PMP I am reserving my veto of the merger should it occur as well.  I would force myself to pack a Tuxedo in my suitcase and sail Cunard first.  @The Inside Cabin would be happy if we all did. 

Oh no! Not the tuxedo! Never again for me. Once was enough. 

Jim

On 7/11/2024 at 7:04 AM, CNSJ said:

From all accounts I read, tourism is up, particularly North Americans taking longer and more expensive vacations/holidays and even the shoulder seasons are becoming more and more crowded.  Cruise line bookings across most US cruise lines are booming in all markets, and cruising is a value when you look at the cost of hotels and meals.  We see more crowded - sold out ships and fares are up. Three years ago many said the industry would die due to COVID.

 

Cruise lines are feeling the benefit of the boomers spending of their savings/investments more and the following generations just spending.

Carnival Corp is starting to pay down debt, and is ordering large ships for Princess and Carnival.  So what about new HAL ships?

 

HAL has 11 ships, the oldest being 25 years old (Volendam, and R-Class ship).  The R class are great for world cruises and they have a loyal following amongst long term HAL cruisers.  I have only sailed the older Rotterdam VI  (R-Class), and enjoyed it.  Other than the older Rotterdam V which sailed from 1959-1997 (more than 37 years) - HAL rarely keeps a ship more than 25-28 years, and Volendam is now getting older.  

 

What is on the horizon for HAL new ships?  Cunard's Queen Anne is on her first season and is a grand ship based on the HAL Pinnacle Class, adding about 15% more tonnage and an equal number of additional passengers.  She shares a great deal of hull/mechanical systems as her little sisters which is a plus for Carnival Corp who owns both lines.  Cost per berth vs revenue per berth is the basic cruise line financial equation.  Ships like Konningsdam generally have a lower cost per berth than ships like Volendam as you only need one Captain, one Chief Engineer etc., and newer ships are built to be run more economically.  At about 113,000 Tons Queen Anne is "mid-sized" when you compare the average of the new builds delivered/on order for 2024-2027 is close to 170,000 tons.  

 

** As Princess, NCL, and Celebrity shed their "mid-sized ships" fans of the ~80,000 - 100,000 tons ships will be looking for a new homes they can only find mega ships within their favorite line.

 

I predict we will see HAL order a new ship in the coming year based on the Queen Anne stretching of the Pinnacle class (after all, how long can the go without a ship named Amsterdam?). It will allow HAL to retire one of the R class within a year or two and perhaps hold one for world cruises even after the next ship is delivered.  HAL doesn't Zuiderdam just wrapped up world cruise, so the lessons learned from a Vista class world cruise are documented.  

 

Thoughts out there??

 

Six of you will write to build ships like Prinsendam, but that's just counter-financially sound for HAL/Carnival Corp. Today that's Seabourn's territory.  Yes, it is about money in the end. 

 

 

Hi, CNSJ,

Once again, a thoughtful discussion. Thanks. We were on a larger ship in October 2023 (Anthem OTS, transatlantic, 15 nights) for a transatlantic. Full ship and then some (no lines that I remember until disembarkation day which was awful).

I had plans to try/visit so many things but found myself doing what I really enjoy from prior cruises. Never saw/visited bumper cars, Flow Rider, I-Fly, etc., to my chagrin. HAL ships are more my style and comfort level. The entertainment was top-notch on Anthem.

Broadway shows are great but seen once on a cruise is enough. Never cruise less than 10 or 11 nights. HAL's Music Walk has been a favorite as I do not mind HEARING the same music. My style of music runs from Big Band Swing to 50s and 60s rock to classical to country. I cannot get enough of all of those categories.

Economics is what drives cruise ship sizes, but the new mega ships might not be able to get into the smaller ports. We are port-goers but not beach/pool sitters. We love to learn about the history, culture and people of a port/country. As a stockholder, I applaud the mega ships. As a cruiser, I do not. I think more Pinnacle sized ships would benefit HAL.

Do not get me started on casinos. 90% of Americans do not smoke, yet cruise companies cater to the 10% that do for their casinos. I think on HAL ships, there are way more nonsmokers than on a Carnival Fun Ship. I, for one, would be more willing to visit a nonsmoking casino and spend there. On our Rotterdam cruise, the smoke spilled out to the Music Walk and shops making them almost unusable for us. I am a reformed smoker!

Jim

Hi, All,

We discovered unlimited laundry for a set price on our first HAL cruise together on Westerdam. We do not cruise on HAL without it.  wish that other cruise lines (Royal, for instance) offered that option. On our Koningsdam cruise on January 28, 2025, it came to $8.50/day. What it does is to allow us to PACK LESS. Helps with flights also. On Rotterdam in 2021, we sent out in the morning (before 9 AM) and it was returned the same day. Has that changed?

Jim

19 hours ago, CNSJ said:

The whole space ratio thing is bogus because it's based on volume to passengers.

 

The ship's "space ratio" (by definition) is the enclosed space (measured in ft3/cubic feet) per passenger. 

 

Deck space in square feet to passengers is what counts.  A grand six story atrium has six times the volume of a comparable space with one ten foot high interior.  The big new ship from RCI, X, and NCL have tons of dead air space.  Thats why some HAL ships appear to have lower space rations but seem less crowded.  

 

Thanks for your service.

Jim

22 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

 

 

1. I agree that a "4 or 5 star" hotel may not be "better" *for me* than some 3 stars. When it comes to hotels,  an elevator that works, AC that does the same, and a reasonably safe neighborhood are most important and non-negotiable for me (unfortunately this eliminates a lot of 3-star and even 4 and 5 star hotels in Europe).  None of these issues are a problem on a cruise ship (usually there is a pretty safe neighborhood on all ships :).

Then,  in order of priority, comes a a bath tub (all else equal, I'll pick a 3 star with a tub over a 5 star without one), an in-room coffeemaker, a mini-fridge or mini-bar, and an 'open' feeling in my room (e.g., instead of looking at a wall, I'd rather look out at a parking lot in a hotel).

If I'm driving, add easy parking to the list (not a problem on a cruise ship).

 

In America, I'm quite comfy in a Hampton or Hilton Garden Inn

Usually to get all my criteria (especially AC), this means at least a 4 star hotel in Europe.  

 

2. But mainstream cruise lines can still meet all of these if I get a higher level cabin, usually a balcony and above. 

And when it comes to cruising, the "lower" rated relatively large HAL and Princess lines on average offer more bath tub opportunities (per diem spent) than the more modern small luxury ships (apparently as much as I love bath tubs, most "luxury" cruisers prefer big showers, so new construction has gone that route).

 

Unfortunately I also hate standing in lines (I have trouble just standing a long time, even though I can walk a lot), and unfortunately when it comes to cruising, that is what can raise prices  for me.

 I have enjoyed so much of my HAL cruises (I thought the food was more reliable and definitely more diverse than on all but one luxury line).   But even in a HAL suite, I could not  avoid long tender return lines, and lines at the bars in peak times (which is when I'm interested). 

 

So I'd like to ask those who have sailed in suites on both HAL and Princess (I have friends doing Princess, but am just starting to explore booking it for myself), if you're in a balcony or above, and in particular if you were in a suite, *on a full ship*, on which cruise company, HAL or Princess, did you stand in line more, e.g., for tender returns, bar drinks, excursions, and other venues? Or were they pretty much the same, give or take?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, "Catlover54",

I tried unsuccessfully to answer this on my phone. I am now back on my desktop. When I travel in the U.S., Hampton Inns, Best Westerns, Holiday Inns, et al are just fine for my needs. When I travel in Europe, I look for hotels that have a little history (NO COOKIE CUTTERS!).

For instance, in Florence I booked a hotel built by a Russian Prince as a palace 400 years ago, in Vienna, a hotel that has been owned by the same family for over 200 years and in London, a hotel owned by the Duke of Bedford since it was built in the 1780s. We do not travel to Europe in the summer, so A/C is not a problem. A lift/elevator is a plus but not a gamebreaker.

Jim

3 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

 

 

1. I agree that a "4 or 5 star" hotel may not be "better" *for me* than some 3 stars. When it comes to hotels,  an elevator that works, AC that does the same, and a reasonably safe neighborhood are most important and non-negotiable for me (unfortunately this eliminates a lot of 3-star and even 4 and 5 star hotels in Europe).  None of these issues are a problem on a cruise ship (usually there is a pretty safe neighborhood on all ships :).

Then,  in order of priority, comes a a bath tub (all else equal, I'll pick a 3 star with a tub over a 5 star without one), an in-room coffeemaker, a mini-fridge or mini-bar, and an 'open' feeling in my room (e.g., instead of looking at a wall, I'd rather look out at a parking lot in a hotel).

If I'm driving, add easy parking to the list (not a problem on a cruise ship).

 

In America, I'm quite comfy in a Hampton or Hilton Garden Inn

Usually to get all my criteria (especially AC), this means at least a 4 star hotel in Europe.  

 

2. But mainstream cruise lines can still meet all of these if I get a higher level cabin, usually a balcony and above. 

And when it comes to cruising, the "lower" rated relatively large HAL and Princess lines on average offer more bath tub opportunities (per diem spent) than the more modern small luxury ships (apparently as much as I love bath tubs, most "luxury" cruisers prefer big showers, so new construction has gone that route).

 

Unfortunately I also hate standing in lines (I have trouble just standing a long time, even though I can walk a lot), and unfortunately when it comes to cruising, that is what can raise prices  for me.

 I have enjoyed so much of my HAL cruises (I thought the food was more reliable and definitely more diverse than on all but one luxury line).   But even in a HAL suite, I could not  avoid long tender return lines, and lines at the bars in peak times (which is when I'm interested). 

 

So I'd like to ask those who have sailed in suites on both HAL and Princess (I have friends doing Princess, but am just starting to explore booking it for myself), if you're in a balcony or above, and in particular if you were in a suite, *on a full ship*, on which cruise company, HAL or Princess, did you stand in line more, e.g., for tender returns, bar drinks, excursions, and other venues? Or were they pretty much the same, give or take?

 

Thanks in advance.