Oprah, Godmother of Nieuw Statendam

I think frequent Carnival cruisers might not be as opposed to the big Oprah tie-in to their ships because Carnival seems to attract much younger cruisers and that younger generation is very "celebrity conscious." They like that stuff. Maybe HAL is trying to attract these younger people by thrusting a celebrity into the mix. To me, that's a half-baked idea because Carnival is so different than HAL. But we'll see if the ships are full of ardent Oprah fans of all generations. Time will tell.

 

Edit to add: I bet really the Carnival cruiser's reaction to Oprah would be, "Why did they pick that old broad?" LOL Different cruise lines altogether!

So true! Carnival's Godmother of the new Ship, Horizon, is Queen Latifah. So you're probably right "Oprah, the "old" broad!"! lol

I think frequent Carnival cruisers might not be as opposed to the big Oprah tie-in to their ships because Carnival seems to attract much younger cruisers and that younger generation is very "celebrity conscious." They like that stuff. Maybe HAL is trying to attract these younger people by thrusting a celebrity into the mix. To me, that's a half-baked idea because Carnival is so different than HAL. But we'll see if the ships are full of ardent Oprah fans of all generations. Time will tell.

 

Edit to add: I bet really the Carnival cruiser's reaction to Oprah would be, "Why did they pick that old broad?" LOL Different cruise lines altogether!

I totally agree with you. Younger generations tend to be more star struck than older generations. Besides, it's Carnival. I'm sure there would be some protest to her partnership but for the most part, I don't think Carnival cruisers give a crap about Godmothers.

Thank you Cruzaholic41.

Finally it has been said!

This is very true.

Besides the fake ads from the cruise lines, all the mess comes from the sales businesses that have to "lable" the products on their shelves before presenting them to their customers ("dummies" by definition).

And of course travel agents may not know exactly what they are selling.

Following the "lables", they may send you to an overpriced floating sink "for a luxury cruise", or to an overcrowded floating anthill "for a budget cruise".

In fact one can find more of a "luxury cruise" on a large ship, and on the other hand save more by taking a cruise on a ship under "premium" lable.

Nothing is more misleading than following the lables and stereotypes.

 

Never say "cruise line", say what ship! Our cruise on a Luxury Ship of Love and Romance.

Yep. Pretty much. In the beginning, our 3 classes were mass market, premium and luxury. HAL was premium with Celebrity and Princess due to more upscale food and the presence of regular guest lectures.

However, with the decrease in food quality and not so regular lecturers, we decided to create another category between mass market and premium. HAL, X and Princess fell to that category. I think we called it upscale.

Premium became lines like Oceania.

The fifth class we added was expeditionary to cover lines like Nat Geo and Celebrity’s expeditionary fleet.

But as you pointed out, this was all advertising gimmick. CLIA never gave solid guidance on who was what. As far as I know, cruise line classes are still at the discretion of the travel agencies.

A perfect illustration to my post above: incomparable is compared.

Not just because the Cunard product is at least one star above the best Carnival ship, but because (fairly) identified product is compared with an unidentified amorphous "Carnival offers" (that themselves differ like day and night).

With all respect. :)

 

Pardon me if my opinion was not clear enough for you in my comparison of Cunard Britannia Class and Carnival....

In my experience on the Queen Mary 2, and the Carnival Vista, I had a standard inside cabin. The cabin's were of equal size, and furnishing. The included restaurant venues offered equal quality and choice of food. The service rendered by the cabin steward's and dining room stewards were equal. The entertainment and other facilities on board were equal. Different in decor, but just as enjoyable. The same would hold true, for ocean view, and standard balcony cabins as well. It is only when you get into the high priced balcony and suite cabins that Cunard has a much superior product. Again, JMHO...

I just had occasion to visit the HAL website, and saw the photo of Orlando Ashford with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I'm surprised no one has taken issue with that. "Self-made and self-promoting religious celebrity takes political stand against apartheid." At least he's not bewigged.

Roz :evilsmile:

Give it time. ;)

I just had occasion to visit the HAL website, and saw the photo of Orlando Ashford with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. I'm surprised no one has taken issue with that. "Self-made and self-promoting religious celebrity takes political stand against apartheid." At least he's not bewigged.

 

Roz :evilsmile:

Do you recall the vitriol posed when Ashford was named president? That was something else ...

Do you recall the vitriol posed when Ashford was named president? That was something else ...

No I don't, but I can only imagine.

Roz

Do you recall the vitriol posed when Ashford was named president? That was something else ...

I don't remember vitriol. I remember discussion as would take place when changes are being made, since this is a HAL forum. No vitriol.

Do you recall the vitriol posed when Ashford was named president? That was something else ...

No, I don't.

I DO remember posters with a great deal of cruising, and especially HAL cruising, experience questioning how someone with NO experience in the cruise industry was going to lead the line.

No, I don't.

I DO remember posters with a great deal of cruising, and especially HAL cruising, experience questioning how someone with NO experience in the cruise industry was going to lead the line.

Yes, I do as well recalling this discussion. Maybe, it is a "modern" business trend? Appoint someone who has not been a part of that industry? The retired CEO of Delta Airlines, Mr. Anderson, is now the CEO of Amtrak.

Lots of angst on both this Message Board about Mr. Ashford's appointment to this august position as well as on the Message Boards of the Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum concerning the appointment of a former airline executive to operate Amtrak is much the same as to the concerns and views posted.

That's the way it is where I work. A few years ago lots of young people with no experience in the industry and/or no management experience were brought in to whip us oldsters into shape. You would have thought no one over the age of 35 was capable of an original thought or knew what they were doing.

I just roll my eyes :rolleyes: a million times a day and just go about my business. I was there before they arrived and I'll be there after they leave.

Roz

That's why it is good to have a well rounded management team...those with experience, balanced with those with contemporary view....all are vital to success.

That's why it is good to have a well rounded management team...those with experience, balanced with those with contemporary view....all are vital to success.

This message may have been entered via voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

That's why it is good to have a well rounded management team...those with experience, balanced with those with contemporary view....all are vital to success.

Well-said, bob brown.

I am thrilled to be booked on the HAL cruise that Oprah's christening in January.

Is anyone going? We need to start a new roll call!! See you on board. : )

For the record, I am no fan of Oprah, her politics or her New Age hokum. She was a poor choice to be the new public face for Holland America on those grounds. She is also a part-time neighbor in my community. We have a different picture of her, than the one held her media fan base. Just like Tina Fey's exaggerated representation of Sarah Palin, I have a hard time getting SNL Maya Rudolph's exaggerated version of Oprah out of my mind too. Yech.

I am guessing you did not listen to Ms. Winfrey's eulogy at the memorial service of Maya Angelou. You would have heard her tell how Angelou recognized that Winfrey had "faith in the God who put the rainbow in the clouds." So, is that what you call "New Age?" If so, I am with Winfrey.

I am guessing you did not listen to Ms. Winfrey's eulogy at the memorial service of Maya Angelou. You would have heard her tell how Angelou recognized that Winfrey had "faith in the God who put the rainbow in the clouds." So, is that what you call "New Age?" If so, I am with Winfrey.

This whole controversy is, when you dig down into it, in many ways, a struggle for control, in this case, a struggle for control over the direction of the cruise line. It's a bit silly since none of those weighing in here really have any conscious control - those who don't like the changes have no control and those who do like the changes aren't actually "controlling" anything, but rather "flowing like a river" (and it is the "river" that has control).

bUU: Great observation! I like the "river" metaphor. Life is like a river, hitting some rocks on its way to an ocean. Would like that ocean to be filled with love. One day!

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That's why it is good to have a well rounded management team...those with experience, balanced with those with contemporary view....all are vital to success.

Yep. As I like to say(though I'm altering it somewhat) people live in their cruise ship bubble..and that includes who is running said cruise line. Orlando unpopular?Goodness yes.So is Oprah.But because of that bubble, it's hard for some to wrap their head around the idea of either of those people being associated with Holland America.

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Can you please elaborate on what this means? I am honestly mystified. Thank you.

Those are(IMO) garbage posts. Nothing to say unless it's bashing Oprah or HAL. :(

Those are(IMO) garbage posts. Nothing to say unless it's bashing Oprah or HAL. :(

Your constant bashing of people who don’t care for Oprah has gotten very tiresome. You really need to move on and learn to accept that people have differing opinions than you.

I am accepting of other people's opinions..it's just that the super cruiser,HAL loves me whiners but I hate Oprah and all of the changes posters are..for lack of a better word..annoying.