Your Image of HAL in Ten Years?

[sail7seas]

What with the changes we've seen in the last ten years, what changes do you expect to see in the next ten years?

 

I expect it will be at least 5 years until another brand new ship joins the fleet. I expect we could see a Costa ship or two with a blue hull before that time.

 

I expect all food service will be a la carte. You want an omelette, burger or whatever, pay for it like in any restaurant.

 

What changes do you visualize?

[kazu]

I suspect formal nights may be changed to 'formal optional' or cocktail evening or some such thing. I can't see a la carte myself - but what do I know?

 

Guessing that there will be more need for the specialty restaurants though and, if you want top of the line food that is where you will have to go.

 

Of course, if all of the Hal cruisers have 'one foot in the grave' as people like to claim then Hal could be out of business as there may not be enough people to cruise on it:rolleyes:

[isujim]

7seas

 

I agree ala carte is coming...........sooner rather than later. Some lines like RCCL already are testing the water with a $15 steak on the MDR menu and now I've heard on some of the larger ships they are offering as an option Maine Cold Water Lobster for an additional price.

 

I also think at some point HAL will have to decide what general direction to go. As our generation gets older (10 years is a long time).......they will have to decide what "identity" they want and market that identity whatever it is. On our first cruise on HAL last year, I loved the ship (Eurodam), loved the service and it almost felt like I was cruising 25 years ago..........

 

that said, I even felt then they were in the start of an identity crisis......

 

I also agree it would not surprise me if a few Costa ships made it's way into the HAL brand fleet.

 

I also suspect HAL will tighten up it's wine policy and look for that to be not necessarily a new revenue source, let's just say an enforced revenue source with more limits on what customers are allowed to bring in.

[mamaofami]

I have no image of myself in ten years, but as far as HAL goes:

 

1. No wine or soda allowed to be carried on board.

2. No smoking anywhere. (Can't come soon enough)

3. No formal nights.

4. Food might not be included in the cruise fare.

5. Hotel charge will not be able to be taken off.

6.Towels will have to be paid for when going off ship.

7. You will pay for the evening shows.

8. No free room service, if room service at all.

 

Airfare will cost so much that there will be fewer people cruising.

[cmdchiefthom]

Don't sell HAL short when it comes to the younger generation. My three sons started cruising aboard HAL in high school, and although we also took them on NCL because it had a younger crowd typically, they still preferred HAL. They absolutely loved formal nights and dressing in their Tuxes, because it was too cool to dress for dinner. Sure they also had fun on NCL, but when my youngest proposed to his fiancee, it was at sea, and after he's married on 23 June, he leaves for Rome, and his honeymoon cruise aboard the Noordam. His choice of ships and itinerary. Ten years from now, who knows, he might be taking his first born on a HAL cruise to show the kid what elegance and refinement is.;)

[DFD1]

Good thread idea. Should be interesting to read.

 

I would not ventue a guess about HAL in the future.

[outoftowner]

I would not mind if no smoking on the whole ship was the norm and if the hotel charges were no longer optional.

 

But if within ten years the food becomes a la carte and/or room service is no longer included and/or we are expected to pay for the shows, we will not be on Holland America or any cruise line that pulls something like that. We would just vacation inland in many different locations. Airfare would be the same. Since airfare is going up, I hope the cruise lines expand their ports of departure so as to make it easier to cruise to different locations.

[mudscraper]

Too many whippersnappers in their 50s and 60s running around the ship!!

[aliaschief]

The only image I can picture is that we are both still alive and sailing on a Dam ship!:D

[mamaofami]

The only image I can picture is that we are both still alive and sailing on a Dam ship!:D

 

I'm with you on that.

[innlady1]

What with the changes we've seen in the last ten years, what changes do you expect to see in the next ten years?

 

I expect it will be at least 5 years until another brand new ship joins the fleet. I expect we could see a Costa ship or two with a blue hull before that time.

 

I expect all food service will be a la carte. You want an omelette, burger or whatever, pay for it like in any restaurant.

 

What changes do you visualize?

 

Gosh, I just hope I'm around in 10 years to enjoy yet another cruise! :o

[innlady1]

The only image I can picture is that we are both still alive and sailing on a Dam ship!:D

 

I'm with you there, too, Chief! :rolleyes:

[PathfinderEss]

the only image i can picture is that we are both still alive and sailing on a dam ship!:d

' ditto'

[Crusin Kelly]

I hope that we can keep the HAL sprit alive into the next dozen years. The class, the luxury, the service, the food.... Let the other lines stoop to the crusing trends and keep HAL a cut above... if that means that their prices have to be a bit higher to keep the standards higher... let it be so. Some people are willing to pay more to get more. Let the "discount" cruise lines stoop to nickle and dimeing their guests... In the long run, the cost will equal out... pay me now, or pay me later...

 

I hope that HAL, along with Cunard can continue to set the standard and keep the spirit of luxury cruising alive. Keep formal nights, retain a staff that genuinely cares for their guests, attract a culinary council to keep the food quality high, continue to call on quality ports and avoid the cookie cutter approach to cruising... Holland America Lines - a step above the rest.

 

That is just my hope and prayer for the future of HAL.

[sail7seas]

Gosh, I just hope I'm around in 10 years to enjoy yet another cruise! :o

 

 

I'm with you on that.

 

 

 

Carol

 

 

 

 

Me, too. :)

[Seago2]

People have hit on a lot of good points here. I don't think we'll see the end of free food by a long shot, but the stratification of offerings will continue, with a surcharge for the good stuff.

 

Formal night is already optional if you get down to brass tacks. Has someone in a blazer with an open collar ever been turned away on F night? I think as the 70-75 year olds become 85 the people my age (49 right now) will begin to make up the bulk of passengers. I'm sure ten people will object but I think it's safe to say we are far less formal, and our idea of what is formal is different. How could it now be? It's an entire generation removed.

 

I think HAL has to do what it can to market to younger people before, as someone said below, the bulk of the passenger base becomes too old to cruise. If not, I see an end to the bigger ships. HAL is known for its longer voyages in smaller ships and obviously only retired people can cruise for 100 straight days. Retirement is a concept that is falling by the wayside as more people become independent contractors, move from job to job, or, sadly, lose their jobs. No one works for 40 years at the same place anymore, not by a long shot. People are living and working longer. I work with many lawyers in their mid to late 70's. My grandfather retired at 62.

 

Paying for the evening show is a hilarious concept. I avoid the proverbial show like the plague. But my son and his GF are sailing on Allure this December (looks like I dodged that bullet, much as I love cruising with them) and they have to make show reservations (I think we all know this). Not a huge leap to tack a fee on to that card swipe, is it?

 

I think the most likely things to happen in the immediate future are higher port costs and other seemingly legit costs that can be buried in the cruise price; making do with less crew, to the detriment of the crew; and tightened up meal times (I remember when QE2 had a midnight buffet every night). I don't think we'll see a room service surcharge. The crew comes relatively cheaply and can always be overworked.

[sail7seas]

 

<snip>

I think HAL has to do what it can to market to younger people before, as someone said below, the bulk of the passenger base becomes too old to cruise. If not, I see an end to the bigger ships. HAL is known for its longer voyages in smaller ships and obviously only retired people can cruise for 100 straight days. Retirement is a concept that is falling by the wayside as more people become independent contractors, move from job to job, or, sadly, lose their jobs. No one works for 40 years at the same place anymore, not by a long shot. People are living and working longer. I work with many lawyers in their mid to late 70's. My grandfather retired at 62.

 

<snip>

 

 

 

Oh Wow, what a good point. The 40 something year olds and those younger are not likely to retire in large numbers at 62 or 65 or even 67. I think you are so right they will work longer and will not have the time for HAL's long cruises. They won't have generous pensions and the like that the present senior class enjoys in some large number.

 

However, the smart ones who are today taking care of themselves and not smoking well may grow into old age in good very shape. They may not be able to take long cruises at 67 but they likely will be healthy and hearty enough to take those cruises at age 75 even more than many today. (Yes, I know there are some 85 year olds with amazing youth and energy but many are frail and sickly.)

 

It's going to be interesting watching how HAL reconfigures as I feel sure they are in the process as we speak. I hope I'm around long enough to watch.... :)

 

I think HAL's fleet will shrink as the "S" and "R" class ships eventually get sold off, they may not be replaced. Seems little question IF they are replaced it will be with much larger ships than 55,000 tons. But then they will have to fill the larger ships....... hmmm.

 

[Seago2]

Oh Wow, what a good point. The 40 something year olds and those younger are not likely to retire in large numbers at 62 or 65 or even 67. I think you are so right they will work longer and will not have the time for HAL's long cruises. They won't have generous pensions and the like that the present senior class enjoys in some large number.

 

However, the smart ones who are today taking care of themselves and not smoking well may grow into old age in good very shape. They may not be able to take long cruises at 67 but they likely will be healthy and hearty enough to take those cruises at age 75 even more than many today. (Yes, I know there are some 85 year olds with amazing youth and energy but many are frail and sickly.)

 

But many of "us" are fat. Many people my age and younger cruise to eat. I know cruising is responsible for 30 pounds plus on my 5'10" frame. It has set into motion really bad patterns of eating and with a cruise every 4-6 months it doesn't even seem worth it to diet only to gain it all back...

 

ATTENTION: FIRST WORLD PROBLEM ALERT (complete with rationalizations)

 

So even though we may be eligible to live longer due to less smoking and better preventive care throughout our lives, we also have knees that are shot early, sleep apnea, hypertension, diabetes, and other limiting things that are due to food addictions. Food addicts love to cruise!

 

My grandparents had a real retirement in Florida and had loads of friends around. We just cruised with a bunch of retired people who reminded me of my dear departed grandparents. I went to their old condo in Lighthouse Point on the way to the terminal. I can't imagine having that much money and after raising five kids I only started to practice in 2003. Retirement is probably 25 years away for me. That spells shorter itineraries;).

 

My grandmother would have died a thousand deaths if she was thirty pounds overweight. I know people who are easily 100 pounds overweight and they are running around doing the same work I do. That is a cultural shift over two generations and that has to have some serious impact on life expectancies. I just filled out my comment card after our last cruise and it had three options for "why I want to cruise". 1. To get away from it all and relax. 2. To see new places. 3. To sample cuisines and eat fine foods. I am paraphrasing here, but 1 of the three choices was to EAT! The cruise lines are coveting a consumer group who is overweight and from what I have gathered, will have serious mobility issues fairly early on.

[sail7seas]

:D But, Seago.....

 

They took away our trays in Lido. ;)

 

How can we carry piles of food without our trays?!!!!

 

(kidding, of course.)

[woody73]

 

. . . I think HAL has to do what it can to market to younger people . . .

Ten years from now, I can see HAL offering 70's music. Not music for people in their 70's, but music from the 70's.

 

Woody

[Seago2]

:D But, Seago.....

 

They took away our trays in Lido. ;)

 

How can we carry piles of food without our trays?!!!!

 

(kidding, of course.)

 

Did I not tell you that I have a PhD in the Buffet Arts? I used to be a waitress! I can carry five desserts in one hand, my 7 Seas friend. I become like an octopus when I hit a Lido Buffet. Trays, shmays. It's just another challenge, that's all it is. Stack, pile, and fan out. Repeat.

[djhsolara]

It's going to be interesting watching how HAL reconfigures as I feel sure they are in the process as we speak. I hope I'm around long enough to watch.... :)

 

I think HAL's fleet will shrink as the "S" and "R" class ships eventually get sold off, they may not be replaced. Seems little question IF they are replaced it will be with much larger ships than 55,000 tons. But then they will have to fill the larger ships....... hmmm.

 

 

While I know many love the smaller ships, we love the Vista and Signature ships. We've never been on anything smaller, so we don't know that type of experience, but we know we love the size of V and Sig ships.

 

I don't think they would have problems filling larger ships. How often do you hear of ships sailing that are not booked? Oasis and Allure are still priced higher than their competition and sailing full. I do not hope that HAL goes mega like that...but stays to about the size of Sig.

 

Now to the original point at hand...in ten years I think...

 

1) The smaller ships will be going away from HAL.

 

2) There will be more dining experiences available (just as now they are offering the Cabana Club, which is a special evening on the Sig Ships).

 

3) They may not be adding specific venues, but turning non-highly-used venues into revenue-generating venues OR having venues be used for a multi purpose (such as the Cabana Club concept right now...Cabanas rented out during the day and then the area used for this dining concept in the evening).

 

4) Have a private lounge similar to the Neptune but open to anyone who pays a fee to enter (not just suite guests). It would offer the snacks, etc similar to the Neptune but would also include a bar that serves alcoholic beverages that are not available elsewhere on the ship (maybe like molecular drinks, etc or specialized wines, etc).

 

5) Maybe they will turn the Spa Stateroom area into a more specialized area like the Haven on NCL. Those guests may have their own special courtyard area and perhaps a hot tub or small pool of their own.

 

Just some thoughts...

 

:) :)

[Seago2]

Just another small thought- you would think they would find a way to revolutionize the casinos a bit. In Vegas- if I get near Wheel of Fortune video slots I am hooked. Have you all ever seen the multi player one? People gather around to watch people play those. If they can confine the smokers to one area, or ventilate better, amd have better games, maybe they could make them more enticing. We do all love our trivia and pub quizzes. Everyone was playing the NYT trivia. Games of skill and games of chance are very popular.

[sail7seas]

While I know many love the smaller ships, we love the Vista and Signature ships. We've never been on anything smaller, so we don't know that type of experience, but we know we love the size of V and Sig ships.

 

 

I Agree. We love Noordam and really lilke Eurodam. We sailed Nieuw Amsterdam two cruises over Thanksgiving so while I love "S", Maasdam, we also like the larger ships, as well.

 

 

 

I don't think they would have problems filling larger ships. How often do you hear of ships sailing that are not booked? Oasis and Allure are still priced higher than their competition and sailing full. I do not hope that HAL goes mega like that...but stays to about the size of Sig.

 

 

 

I agree with this as well.

 

 

Now to the original point at hand...in ten years I think...

 

1) The smaller ships will be going away from HAL.

 

2) There will be more dining experiences available (just as now they are offering the Cabana Club, which is a special evening on the Sig Ships).

 

3) They may not be adding specific venues, but turning non-highly-used venues into revenue-generating venues OR having venues be used for a multi purpose (such as the Cabana Club concept right now...Cabanas rented out during the day and then the area used for this dining concept in the evening).

 

4) Have a private lounge similar to the Neptune but open to anyone who pays a fee to enter (not just suite guests). It would offer the snacks, etc similar to the Neptune but would also include a bar that serves alcoholic beverages that are not available elsewhere on the ship (maybe like molecular drinks, etc or specialized wines, etc).

 

 

Interesting..... maybe. I could possibly see something like that created.

 

 

 

 

5) Maybe they will turn the Spa Stateroom area into a more specialized area like the Haven on NCL. Those guests may have their own special courtyard area and perhaps a hot tub or small pool of their own.

 

Just some thoughts...

 

:) :)

[sail7seas]

Did I not tell you that I have a PhD in the Buffet Arts? I used to be a waitress! I can carry five desserts in one hand, my 7 Seas friend. I become like an octopus when I hit a Lido Buffet. Trays, shmays. It's just another challenge, that's all it is. Stack, pile, and fan out. Repeat.

 

 

:D Multi-talented. Sounds like an adventure 'doing' lunch with you in Lido. Sounds like lots of fun!!!! :)