Really Disappointed with HAL.........

[Peggy Sue]

S7S - Thanks for sharing your princess experiences. Can certainly understand your current desire to skip Princess given your experience. I agree that how a crew interacts with the passengers is a key element of the overall cruise experience. We love chatting with the staff, learing about their home and families and appreciate that they make an effort to understand what we like .. we met delightful bar staff on the Volendam...they had our preferences down after the second day and we had lots of fun with the staff..we ran into them all over the ship, and it was great to be greeted with a gracious smile and greeting. We've never experienced poor service on HAL. There may be some areas that need more help...like the dining room, but the staff that is there certainly did a great job taking care of our needs.

 

We almost booked the Westerdam, but it's going back to the same islands we've visited on our last two cruises. Wanted to give the Western Caribbean a try this time. We saw the Veendam was sailing a Western..but wondered about he age of the ship.

 

Enjoy planning your summer get-away! I think we deserve a little warm sun after all this snow and cold temps....don't you! (So, what did we plan last fall for our next cruise .... Alaska! But, we are looking forward to the experience...and stocking up on warm layers!)

 

Thanks,

Peggy Sue

[sail7seas]

Peggy Sue....

 

We were on a 12 day cruise on Veendam in January and would return to that ship without hesitation. She is the youngest of the "S" class ships and is wonderful. Our plumbing and a/c were fine in our cabin and we think her a great ship. We have been on far newer ships that have had far more problems. Veendam's condition really is fine IMO

 

If that is any help to you in deciding about booking her.

 

And yes...I sure do agree we need some warmth, sun, heat.....We need Spring SOON!!! But, we just heard the weather report and seems we are in for two more storms over the upcoming weekend. ughh!!!

[kryos]

I'm sure they took a bloodbath last year with all the hurricanes, and that is probably one of the reasons. Another is that Alaska is apparently more lucrative for them, so it's best for HAL from a cash flow standpoint to position more of their ships there during the season.

You're not kidding, a blood bath. The cruise I was on ... a b2b on the Zuiderdam ... the first week of the b2b ended up getting extended from Saturday to a Monday disembarkation because of Hurrican Francis. The second cruise was shortened and because of that only about 650 pax decided to make the trip. I'm sure that between all of the credits they had to give out ... not to mention the passengers who got an extra 2.5 days tacked onto their cruise that first week, totally free of charge ... even free of auto tips ... HAL really lost money. Then, that first week of September cruise ... only 650 passengers on that huge boat! Frankly, I'm surprised they even sailed. Could it have been worth it? And, I heard these weeks were not the only ones where HAL lost out (as did many other cruiselines). It was just a very active hurricane season.

 

So, it's understandable to me why HAL wouldn't be operating in the Carribean next summer. Just too risky from a financial standpoint, though one would have to wonder if last year could have been a "once in twenty years" occurrence. Maybe HAL will go back once they see a couple of calm hurricane seasons in these parts of the ocean.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kgjg]

Unfortunately, El Nino is still with us, although it is weakening more and more each week. We are expected to have El Nino conditions through June and that means that it could possibly be more of the same for the Caribbean and the East coast hurricane wise.

 

It should fall back to a neutral condition by the middle of the Summer, but it will be too late for the sailing season to reposition and make a profit. Ahhh profit, that's the problem. Look at it this way. HAL cannot pay us to ride their boat, they are expected to make some money for their trouble. Carib is too big a gamble this Summer.

 

BVI is alive and well and only a plane ride away. You can hop from island to island with local transportation. That would be a good alternstive.

[peaches from georgia]

To simply gauge the profit margin by the amount of the discount overlooks the obvous IMO

 

Clearly I was NOT gauging HAL's profit margin or the decision to move their last remaining ship cruising the Caribbean in the summer to Alaska on the discounting of cabins ALONE. There are a variety of reasons that would go into this decision- all impacting on HAL's profit margin re Caribbean cruises vs. Alaskan. Another poster had said that cabins are not discounted in the Carib during the summer. I said some categories are indeed discounted, to varying degrees.

 

However, I clearly stated there were SEVERAL reasons that the Zuiderdam might not be as profitable in the Caribbean as in Alaska and that HAL bases their decisions on their profit margin.

______________________________________________

QUOTE: peaches from georgia- ......

 

The Caribbean in the off-season is full of problems, mainly having to discount cabins to get people on the ships in the summer, the potential for hurricane liabilities, and I agree with JDee that there is no doubt a lot less $$$ is spent on board by young families-for booze and casino- which is where the profit for the cruiseline is. Alaska- it's high season in the summer and if the Zuiderdam can make more money there, which is no surprise, that is where it will be sent.

[Sinbad37]

I was wondering if you have pictures of your "Hurricane

Cruise" experience?

Being a former sailboater, I personally would not choose to be in the Caribbean on any ship during that time of year.

 

As others have posted, the resort type vacation seems a better choice with many advantages. There are many places that you cannot really enjoy without staying awhile. I like the island hopping idea too!

 

Hope you or others who have Hurricane Photos while on cruise will post.

Thanks.

[stefhef]

I don't know where people get this idea that there is no profit in kids onboard. First, if they are sharing a cabin with the parents, that is pure profit, as the stewards only need to bring a few more towels and make up two more beds, but HAL charges hundreds of $$. They don't eat much, and trust me, it isn't 4 orders of lobster tails and doubles on the escargot, as I have read on other email threads that some adult passengers do.

 

We always take two cabins so that the kids have their own and there are enough bathrooms to go around. No money lost to HAL there - 4 adult fares. Then there are the soda cards, the $40/day that each kid wants to play bingo, the souvenirs from the ship's shops, and let's not forget the arcades. And for my daughter (and other girls I've seen onboard), there's the salon. Then there's the excursions (if you take them, which we seldom do), in which HAL usually charges the same price as the adult price. And last time (Feb. 2005), although I took seven rolls of pictures, we bought 10 pictures from the ship's photographer, as how can you leave those beautiful pictures of your children behind (we are especially suckers for the new all white background that they had on the Zuiderdam). Overall, I would say that the kids' per diem on extras is just as much as many adults, and maybe more so. [And we aren't smuggling liquor onboard either].

[FCOWHER]

Stefhef, the costs you list are significant. They pale in comparison to 1 adult who enjoys a few belts b4 dinner, and 3-4 more drinks while spending two hours in the casino. While the soda cards, photos, and arcade games can add up they certainly dont affect the bottem line the way the casino does. That is why the Disney cruises are so expensive, no casino. Just the same for every child on a ship there is usually an adult spending quite liberally. I think there is just too much competetion for the summer vacation dollars. Every resort on the east coast is stocked full of families during ther summer months. So the bottem line on HAL moving the ships must be must be the bottem line. Joe V.

 

 

Serenade of the Seas 12/31/05

Zuiderdam 4/23/05

RCI - 2 times

Princess - 3 times

QE2 - 1 time

Royal Majesty - 1 time

Carnival - 1 time

[sail7seas]

Lots of good points here.

 

Hurricane season is officially from June through the end of November. That is a full six months of the year. While June and July are not considered 'height of the hurricane season', nor is the end of October through November, there certainly have been some storms during those months.

Do you think the cruiselines will avoid the Caribbean for half the year permanently?

[HeatherInFlorida]

I don't think so, Sail. I honestly believe they're "testing the waters" ... trying new things. As I said before, if Alaska gets over penetrated that won't be profitable either.

 

But there's no question that the lines will go where the money is. They'll look at the numbers and it's my personal belief that they'll be back here in the next 2 to 3 years (unless of course we continue to have bad hurricane seasons). Don't forget that there are a lot of weather forecasters telling everyone we're in for it over the next 10 to 20 years. I think the cruiselines listen to that.

[PrincessMelody]

Not to nitpick Kryos, but we were on the Zuiderdam cruise that was extended 2.5 days, and we WERE charged autotips for those days...and believe me, everyone was still drinking, spending gobs of cash in the casino, and buying lots of stuff from the shops, eating in the Pinnacle, buying pictures, etc...so it wasn't a TOTAL loss for HAL:rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Trinity .......

 

Is your avator your photo? If so, I have to compliment your beautiful hair. :)

[PrincessMelody]

Hi Sail...

Yes that is me in the avatar...taken last summer. My hair is a bit longer now though. Thank you so much for the sweet compliment!!:) You really made my day!!

 

[Himself]

Sorry to hear of disappointments with HAL.

 

I--Himself--was on the Zuiderdam in late May and Early June of 2003 and I found a full compliment of pax both weeks. In fact we were over capacity. Capacity is figured two to a room and 924 rooms they come up with capacity of 1848. Many children were on board and in parents room. I am not complaining. I thought it was refreshing to see so many children on a HAL ship and seeming to enjoy it. So, I don't think money is the problem. I suspect the Hurricane Season has much to do with it but I have NO inside information. And if having three mega ships in Alaska turns out to be a "bust" in 06, who knows where they will be in 07. Maybe one will be in the Caribbean.

Next year the Zuiderdam and the Volendam will be doing the "inside passage" out of Vancouver.

The Ryndam, Statendam, and Veendam will go between Vancourver and Seward, returning two Vancouver every other week. Now the priest from Joliet who does chaplanices--need I mention his name--was Chaplain on the Ryndam for two weeks in 2001 and just loved this cruise. Some pax stayed on for two weeks. Usually they go Vancouver to Seward and then travel inland in Alaska and another group boards at Seward after Alaska time and comes back. The Gulf of Alaska can be rough but the Sea is the Sea. One week it was rough and the next week smooth.

 

 

In 2006 the OOSTERDAM, ZAANDAM and WESTERDAM will do a week out of Seattle. I think everything else will be in Europe or Eastern Canada.

We will see how it works out. Where will I be in 2006. The Lord only knows and he ain't tellin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Himself

[Himself]

Just went to HAL news releases to verify my info. 8 ships in alaska (as listed in privious reply. The Maasdam will be doing Eastern Canada (but not drinking "Canada Dry" [smile]) That is the Ninth ship.

The Noordam will be doing Europe along with the Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Prisendam. That accounts for the fleet in 2006. Now if those Vista class ships are not packed in Alaska in 2006, Hal may re-evaluate.

 

Himself