Glossy Pretty Cruise Brochures......

[sail7seas]

Am I the only one that cares that HAL seems to be discontinuing printing brochures?

 

I have heard there will no longer be brochures as we know them including discontinuation of Cruise Planner.

 

Yes, I get it about electronic everything but I will miss the cruise planner. I probably won't miss the usual 'Americas' etc brochure but DH and I are still those who like to sit in a comfy chair and browse the brochure to choose our cruises. I don't like jumping all over the HAL site to check this and that itinerary. :(

 

So many things we are saying bye-bye to these days.

A vote please....

 

Who cares and who does not? I hope it's just me.

[RuthC]

I like the paper brochures, and especially like the Cruise Planner. If I didn't have a booklet to flip through, how would I know where I want to go next? Usually I decide by seeing something that strikes my fancy when I'm otherwise not doing anything.

I really can't see me taking the initiative to click on the HAL website and purposefully study it. That's just not how I choose a cruise.

[vbmom87]

I agree they are nice and I too love to have everything you need in one place to browse. Unfortunately from an environmental point of view they are wasting a lot of our precious natural resources.

 

However, I doubt that is behind the decision to end printing them. I am quite sure it has more to do with profit. The cruiselines must not want to spend the money anymore on them. Perhaps not enough people really bother using them. In the process, more people will be losing their jobs, which is the part I really regret. Our economy will never come back if we keep getting rid of more and more jobs.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I hope they don't discontinue the Cruise Planner as I find it easier to see all cruises offered in one place that isn't online. Maybe it's an age thing. There did seem to be a lot of brochures at the Future Cruise Consultant's area on our recent Amsterdam cruise.

[sail7seas]

I was told the Cruise Planner is being done away with along with all the brochures we are accustomed to.

 

The FCC had a display of brochures on our recent Maasdam cruise but those are the 'existing' and apparently last of them.

 

[DiploTraveler]

Maybe they'll come out with an iPad friendly site where we can "flick" through the catalog.

[Amuse Bouche]

Oh, I love my brochures!

 

Remember the Sears Dream Book full of Christmas gifts? The HAL brochures are my adult version of that.

You need the visual pictures of your destinations! I'm planning on taking a Baltic cruise sometime in the next three years because the brochure photos made me interested enough to get online and check it out further.

Bad call on HALs part if they stop sending them out.

[surfsidemary]

I care. I think they are making a mistake. So many of us with the time and money to cruise are of the "paper-oriented brain" generation.

 

Yes, I can go to the website, but I am more likely to have my interest sparked in the first place by perusing a brochure.

 

I wonder if they'd consider a compromise: Print some booklets and distribute them to brick and mortar travel agents to lend out to their clients.

[jhannah]

I understand the economies of cash and natural resources that are involved in printing paper anything these days. But selecting a cruise online is simply not as convenient as having a book. The cruise planner allows us to glance through and see the itinerary maps at a glance, one after the other. This really helps narrow down our choices by seeing which ports are visited. I will also lament the demise of the cruise planner. The other brochures don't matter that much to me.

[IRL_Joanie]

Since they are in such tiny print and I cannot read them anyway, I say Kudos to HAL for saving money by having them go bye bye instead of raising the fares to keep printing them.

 

I can sit and gaze at the brochures on line, with the font increased and dream away:)

 

And yes, I am quite aware that I will be in the minority on this matter, but remember I cannot read the printed ones anyway so for me it is not a loss. Sorry all...

 

Joanie

[DiploTraveler]

I think the main advantage to the catalog are the pictures of all the beautiful places you can cruise to with HAL. I usually ignore the text since there's almost always updated info online anyway. However, on the website in it's current form, you have to choose a region or a ship before seeing pics. I wish they had a way to just browse a bunch of pretty pictures to inspire me to go on a specific ship or itinerary.

 

Since they are in such tiny print and I cannot read them anyway, I say Kudos to HAL for saving money by having them go bye bye instead of raising the fares to keep printing them.

 

I can sit and gaze at the brochures on line, with the font increased and dream away:)

 

And yes, I am quite aware that I will be in the minority on this matter, but remember I cannot read the printed ones anyway so for me it is not a loss. Sorry all...

 

Joanie

[SilvertoGold]

I rely on the brochures to give me exact ideas of what I want to book. Comparison is easy, itineraries are front and center. I do not like having to bop all over the HAL website as an alternative.

 

Discontinuation of the Cruise Planner is really a puzzle. This is the basic overview of all HAL offerings and a 4 star perk! I use mine all the time!

[YXU AC*SE]

Perhaps because I have the luxury of a 32" monitor, I actually prefer the electronic versions. The only time I ever seem to have a glossy paper one is when I stop by the FCC's desk on ship to snag one.

 

A 'one-page-has-all' link to HAL's brochures may be found here: http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-destinations/EBrochures.action (including the lamented Cruise Planner.) They are downloadable either as Adobe Air documents, or as .pdfs, should you prefer that format.

 

A quick Google® tip for you ... if you want to limit your search to a specific site (say, hollandamerica.com) for a specific search reference (for instance, I don't know, a brochure), if in the search field you type "site:hollandamerica.com" and "brochure" (minus the quotation marks), you will limit your search to HAL's website. :D Their complete listing of brochures (the link above) was third on the list.

 

Scott.

[hpf]

I care. I think they are making a mistake. So many of us with the time and money to cruise are of the "paper-oriented brain" generation.

 

Yes, I can go to the website, but I am more likely to have my interest sparked in the first place by perusing a brochure.

 

I wonder if they'd consider a compromise: Print some booklets and distribute them to brick and mortar travel agents to lend out to their clients.

 

I feel you've just said it all. At least that's the way I'm thinking.

Helen :):):)

[Rowsby]

I like the printed brochures....

It is so much easier to flip thru the pages and compare cruises before getting on-line for more details.

 

If HAL wants to off-set costs....then charge for the brochures. They could be purchased thru the Holland America website.

I would be more than willing to pay....

[DutchByAssociation]

Am I the only one that cares that HAL seems to be discontinuing printing brochures?

 

I have heard there will no longer be brochures as we know them including discontinuation of Cruise Planner.

 

Yes, I get it about electronic everything but I will miss the cruise planner. I probably won't miss the usual 'Americas' etc brochure but DH and I are still those who like to sit in a comfy chair and browse the brochure to choose our cruises. I don't like jumping all over the HAL site to check this and that itinerary. :(

 

So many things we are saying bye-bye to these days.

A vote please....

 

Who cares and who does not? I hope it's just me.

 

Let's keep it really simple...

 

If you have been told the brochures are being discontinued, you were given incorrect information.

 

There's a bit of a rearrangement, but paper brochures are not being discontinued.

 

Can't go into more because they have not been released yet (soon!) but paper brochures currently (or will very soon) cover through quite a bit of 2013

[DutchByAssociation]

I agree they are nice and I too love to have everything you need in one place to browse. Unfortunately from an environmental point of view they are wasting a lot of our precious natural resources.

 

However, I doubt that is behind the decision to end printing them. I am quite sure it has more to do with profit. The cruiselines must not want to spend the money anymore on them. Perhaps not enough people really bother using them. In the process, more people will be losing their jobs, which is the part I really regret. Our economy will never come back if we keep getting rid of more and more jobs.

 

Quite a few decisions are based on environmental policies we have as a company...

 

Without starting any battles or hijacks:

Trays in the lido

Express Docs

Consolidation of brochures ('The Americas' for example)

Sustainable seafood

 

are just a few of the approaches that have been taken because of Environmental policies.

 

No one has ever claimed that some of these haven't created some savings as well, but you sound as though things can only be one or the other and they are not mutually exclusive.

[DutchByAssociation]

I was told the Cruise Planner is being done away with along with all the brochures we are accustomed to.

 

The FCC had a display of brochures on our recent Maasdam cruise but those are the 'existing' and apparently last of them.

 

 

You were not given completely accurate information, although depending on how the FCC had it explained to them, they may have stated it as best as they knew

[localady]

Let's keep it really simple...

 

If you have been told the brochures are being discontinued, you were given incorrect information.

 

There's a bit of a rearrangement, but paper brochures are not being discontinued.

 

Can't go into more because they have not been released yet (soon!) but paper brochures currently (or will very soon) cover through quite a bit of 2013

 

Great to hear, as I have been know to do a great deal of dreaming (as well as purchasing ;)) because of those lovely cruise planners! :D :D

[shandryl]

I love the cruise planner. I carried it with me!! in my backpack. Its like the (Sears wish book at Christmas time) to me. I never get tired of looking at the cruise planner.........LOL

 

I spend lots of my lunch hours at work looking at the cruise planner checking on HALS web site at the same time. I am a cruise junkie at heart.

 

If HAL does do away with the planner.......I could always go to HALS website......Seems these days that more and more information is being made more available on line and companies all over are going paperless when ever possible. (just saying)

[DizzyDallasDi]

Without starting any battles or hijacks:

Trays in the lido

Express Docs

Consolidation of brochures ('The Americas' for example)

Sustainable seafood

 

are just a few of the approaches that have been taken because of Environmental policies.

 

Okay, I'll bite....what is "sustainable seafood?" I'm picturing recycled shrimp made to look like lobster and my favorite krab meat made to look like crab meat. ;)

 

Seriously, what is sustainable seafood?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our TA still gets copies of the brochures and sends us a new one as soon as she gets them.

As for the cruise planner -- especially the ones on the ship -- the ones I have seen are out dated -- don't contain the new schedule changes.

[YXU AC*SE]

Seriously, what is sustainable seafood?

 

Sustainable seafood is fish / shellfish caught (or farmed) in a way that can be sustained over the long-term without compromising the health of the marine ecosystem. Think about the North Atlantic fishery in Canada, where cod have been overfished to the point of extirpation. The Canadian fishery is closed to allow the northern cod stock to recover, however factory trawlers can still fish beyond the 200-mile territorial limit. That cod is available for sale (mainly in Europe) -- and as consumers we can chose to buy it or not.

 

Scott.

[mamaofami]

I'm hoping DBA is correct. I love looking through those planners. Right now I have one for 2011-2012 on my desk.

 

too would like to know what sustainable seafood is.

[sail7seas]

Let's keep it really simple...

 

If you have been told the brochures are being discontinued, you were given incorrect information.

 

There's a bit of a rearrangement, but paper brochures are not being discontinued.

 

Can't go into more because they have not been released yet (soon!) but paper brochures currently (or will very soon) cover through quite a bit of 2013

 

 

So, we will still be able to receive a paper copy of a Cruise Planner for 2012-2013?

Are you telling us the replacement is an 'equal replacement' as far as ease of seeing cruise offerings.

The description I got sounds like a very different thing. Should we think we will still get a format like the cruise planner minus the glossy and pretty pictures?

 

I don't care about the glossy or the pretty pictures nearly as much as I care about an orderly format where we can select our future cruises. Going to the website to jump around looking for itineraries to compare is not the way I want to choose cruises.

The cruise planner is the one I most care about.

 

 

 

 

 

You were not given completely accurate information, although depending on how the FCC had it explained to them, they may have stated it as best as they knew

 

 

 

 

It was not a FCC who told me. Please don't assume it was.