Why Does HAL Hate NYC?

[Viesczy]

Other lines (NCL and Carnival) can charge a much lower per diem than HAL. To compete, Noordam's per diem rate would have had to be lowered to an unacceptable level to produce HAL's superior product. Notice Princess is no longer doing the Caribbean from NYC either.

 

(snip) Sail7Seas but in this case she is correct. If HAL could make money sailing from NYC, the Noordam would still be here.

 

^quoted for truth.

 

All dollars and sense.

 

You are brand A, you charge $$$. Brand B charges $$. Brand C charges $. You're least apt to be chosen/make money due to being the most expensive. That's why Princess & HAL are out of NYC, crowded marketplace where they're being undersold.

 

I dunno if I agree that HAL is a superior product, they all have their "sweet" spots and "sour" spots. I wouldn't dawdle booking a cruise on the major lines if it was something that tickled our fancy. I'd sail the Concordia if they re-floated her though... :o

 

Derek

[Boytjie]

I think NYers and others like me would be will to part with $$$ if they saw something worth purchasing that could not be found elsewhere.

 

I am a New Yorker and I haven't found much I wanted to buy on any ship. ;)

[Topsham]

I think NYers and others like me would be will to part with $$$ if they saw something worth purchasing that could not be found elsewhere.

 

 

EXACTLY!!!

 

 

If they had kept the fares up they could have attracted passengers willing to pay extra for a bit better food and serviice than can be found on the other ships. Unfortunateloy you cannot charge higher fares when you keep cutting corners and reducing standards!

 

HAL could have offered a unique product on the Bermuda run. Their choice not to.

[knitlady037]

We cruised 2 times on the Noordam out of NY and once out of FLL. Loved all 3 cruises but the hassle and expense of flying made us decide to try NCL. If you sail in suites, there is no comparison to the service. HAL is enjoyable in a suite or a regular cabin, but NCL is definitely a step above when it comes to treating their suite passengers. We have cancelled our future cruises with HAL and booked NCL cruises. Even if we ate in the specialty restaurants every night, it would still be a bargain compared to the price of full suites on HAL. That and a 1/2 hour ride to the pier swayed us.

[FoxyTerrier]

We cruised 2 times on the Noordam out of NY and once out of FLL. Loved all 3 cruises but the hassle and expense of flying made us decide to try NCL. If you sail in suites, there is no comparison to the service. HAL is enjoyable in a suite or a regular cabin, but NCL is definitely a step above when it comes to treating their suite passengers.

 

NL,

 

Very interesting post - can you please provide us all with more details regarding the NCL higher level of service?

 

Thanks

[knitlady037]

NL,

 

Very interesting post - can you please provide us all with more details regarding the NCL higher level of service?

 

Thanks

 

We have stayed in SC and SA suites on HAL. On NCL you can have breakfast and lunch in Cagney's, which is their steakhouse during dinner hours. On HAL, only the Pinnacle was available for breakfast only. While the Neptune is very nice,mhaving the option of calling your butler to bring you anything you need is wonderful. The little snacks brought to your room at 4 pm each day are a nice touch also. When we reached ports, you could also request an early escort from the ship by the concierge. The concierge always checked to make sure our reservations were right and our meals were satisfactory. on our last trip, ships services called our cabin every day to make sure our trip was going well.

I love HAL, but our last trip on NCL was the best cruise we have had. Just a few of the differences I can name off the top of my head.

[babywewe]

I'm a new Yorker who just sailed her first HAL cruise and I'm hooked. But this news makes me sad. My husband and I like cruising because it's affordable from NYC because we don't need to fly. We also don't need to deal with the time and hassle that flying involves.

 

It's sad that HAL will no longer be a NYC choice.

[dakrewser]

Don't expect a lot of sympathy from non-New Yorkers. WE have to fly to any port HAL uses, so for us NY would be no different than Ft Lauderdale, San Diego, Vancouver or Amsterdam.

[mamaofami]

We have stayed in SC and SA suites on HAL. On NCL you can have breakfast and lunch in Cagney's, which is their steakhouse during dinner hours. On HAL, only the Pinnacle was available for breakfast only. While the Neptune is very nice,mhaving the option of calling your butler to bring you anything you need is wonderful. The little snacks brought to your room at 4 pm each day are a nice touch also. When we reached ports, you could also request an early escort from the ship by the concierge. The concierge always checked to make sure our reservations were right and our meals were satisfactory. on our last trip, ships services called our cabin every day to make sure our trip was going well.

I love HAL, but our last trip on NCL was the best cruise we have had. Just a few of the differences I can name off the top of my head.

 

COULD YOU BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT LEVEL OF SUITE YOU ARE TAKING ABOUT? lOOKING AT THEIR SITE, THERE SEEMS TO BE MORE THAN ONE LEVEL. i WOULD LOVE TO FIND SOMETHING WHERE i DON'T HAVE TO FLY AND NY IS THE PERFECT PORT FOR US. (sorry about the caps).

[rafinmd]

Don't expect a lot of sympathy from non-New Yorkers. WE have to fly to any port HAL uses, so for us NY would be no different than Ft Lauderdale, San Diego, Vancouver or Amsterdam.

 

Actually, I've used Amtrak from BWI close to a dozen times to NYC for cruises (3 more times booked), including 1 on the Rotterdam. Very convenient.

 

Roy

[3rdGenCunarder]

I'm a new Yorker who just sailed her first HAL cruise and I'm hooked. But this news makes me sad. My husband and I like cruising because it's affordable from NYC because we don't need to fly. We also don't need to deal with the time and hassle that flying involves.

 

It's sad that HAL will no longer be a NYC choice.

 

Well, you get sympathy from me. I know just how you feel. Our first two cruises were on HAL (to Bermuda) and we loved them. When HAL gave up its NYC berth that time (early 80s?), we were very sad to see them go. Fortunately, there were still other good cruises out of NYC back then. Now it's all monster ships. No thank you!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

If HAL had trouble filling a ship to the Caribbean from NYC, I think it's because people look at an itinerary with sea days vs. other itineraries (our of FL) where there are fewer sea days, and choose the itinerary with more ports. During the winter, the first and last sea days on a NYC-Carib cruise will be cold.

 

I don't mind the extra sea days, even if it's cold for some of them. I love sea days! But I think a lot of cruisers see them as wasted days and want to be on island time right away, even if it means they have to fly to the ship.

I agree.

[California Dreamin]

Putting in my 2 cents worth from California.

 

I would MUCH rather fly into FLL for any cruise than to fly into JFK and get to the cruise terminal. The cruise terminal in FLL is only 10 minutes from the airport and there is less of a chance your flight will be affected by weather and/or air traffic.

The only advantage NYC had were non-stop flights from the west coast. There are now non-stops from LAX to FLL; don't know about SFO connects.

[Sir PMP]

'Once again at the end of Aug. we will find NYC with out a HAL ship to call its own.'

 

The 'Euro' dam is coming in from 'Euro'pe in September.. But NYC is just way too expensive, HAL should go back to Hoboken like in the old days..

[3rdGenCunarder]

'Once again at the end of Aug. we will find NYC with out a HAL ship to call its own.'

 

The 'Euro' dam is coming in from 'Euro'pe in September.. But NYC is just way too expensive, HAL should go back to Hoboken like in the old days..

 

Hoboken? How long ago was that? There's no pier now that can handle anything more than a cross-Hudson ferry. Building a new pier would be much more expensive than paying NYC port taxes. And there'd probably be dredging costs/issues, too.

 

I remember their old location in lower Manhattan (pier is still there, but HAL doesn't use/own it). I don't remember a Hoboken terminal.

[scanditaly]

have come to my mind. One is the weather. I realize that there is/are difficult weather situations all over the world, but here on the West Coast, we get a bit edgy when it comes to flying in somewhere where there may be a snowstorm over spring break. Arriving one day early may not even be enough.

 

Regarding the mention of Hamilton; I have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. So, you folks are right on target with that one. Ignorant people looking for the best deal/highest value is likely a logical reason for the demise of HAL in NYC. I know when researching our various cruises over the years I have always included HAL in the mix, but never chosen them. I will pay more attention in the future as to exactly why.

Thanks, OP, for an interesting topic:)

[rkacruiser]

Prior to Pier 40 on Manhatten, the HAL ships did dock at a pier in New Jersey. That was pack in the 1940's and 50's, maybe even going into the early 1960's.

 

Shame that they stopped using Pier 40 inasmuch as it was an excellent facility with easy parking on the same level as embarkation.

[hypercafe]

I believe he was joking. The Hoboken pier was from the 20,s or 30's.

[schmolex]

It is not that HAL makes no money sailing from NYC, it is that they can make MORE money sailing from Ft. Lauderdale. Lower costs could easily drive this.

If you had an asset, like a multi-million dollar cruise ship, you would sail it where you could get the largest return on your investment. That is part of your obligation to the stock holders.

[padrek]

I don't know their reasons this time; however 20 years ago when they pulled their ships out of NYC they gave two reasons officially:

1. Too many slowdowns and other problems with various maritime unions etc in NYC

2. too many of the passengers who boarded from the NYC area were difficult and abusive to their crew members thus creating problems which they preferred to avoid.

Thus they moved their ships and did not sail again from NYC for many years. Some years ago they returned, and now have again retreated from the NYC market.

[knitlady037]

COULD YOU BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT LEVEL OF SUITE YOU ARE TAKING ABOUT? lOOKING AT THEIR SITE, THERE SEEMS TO BE MORE THAN ONE LEVEL. i WOULD LOVE TO FIND SOMETHING WHERE i DON'T HAVE TO FLY AND NY IS THE PERFECT PORT FOR US. (sorry about the caps).

 

We usually book the lowest priced penthouse suite. Last time I was able to upgrade to the deluxe owners suite on the Star. What a fabulous suite if you can afford it. I happened to check the NCL site at the right moment and did not pay any upgrade fee. This upgrade gave us liquor, (3 bottles) water, soda, 2 actual bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Square footage of this room was around 800. We had neighbors in the next suite that were CC members also so this was party central for 12 days. Our fabulous butler and concierge arranged numerous parties for us. We had a blast! Our meet and greet was attended by over 150 people.

On the Gem we stayed in an aft penthouse suite. Also great service by a really friendly crew. I didn't notice any difference in the service between being in the next to the top suite or the cheapest suite. For our next cruise, which was booked in at the last minute, we are staying in an oceanview. No balcony cabins on the Star accommodate 4-same as the Veendam so I will be able to make an informed comparison of service.

In April we are doing a repo on the Dawn. It leaves from Tampa and returns to Boston. We are booked in the SJ familymsuite. The cabin is huge and will sleep 6 with no problem. This is the least expensive full suite cabin on,the ship and still gets full suite amenities.A one way flight and a short train ride home is worth it for this 12 day repo. On the Star we flew to Tampa and returned to NY. That was awesome. No worries about suitcase weight and a 1/2 hour ride home.

Sorry I rattled on but I tried to give you as much info as I could. Any further questions, just ask.

[jvrap]

I think one big issue is that HAL seems to cater to an older market. When you have RC, Carnival, etc., here, which cater to the younger and family market, the other disadvantages of being a cold weather port put it all over the edge.

 

Haven't been on HAL yet myself, but open to trying.

I have zilch interest in visiting Bermuda. Wouldn't mind a tropical island one occasionally, but not being much of a beach person I am willing to travel to meet the ship that is going where I want to go. I live in NYC, so most cruises leaving here are going where I don't particularly want to go.

[HamOp]

Thanks, OP, for an interesting topic:)

 

You're very welcome. I never thought it would last this long!

[mamaofami]

We usually book the lowest priced penthouse suite. Last time I was able to upgrade to the deluxe owners suite on the Star. What a fabulous suite if you can afford it. I happened to check the NCL site at the right moment and did not pay any upgrade fee. This upgrade gave us liquor, (3 bottles) water, soda, 2 actual bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Square footage of this room was around 800. We had neighbors in the next suite that were CC members also so this was party central for 12 days. Our fabulous butler and concierge arranged numerous parties for us. We had a blast! Our meet and greet was attended by over 150 people.

On the Gem we stayed in an aft penthouse suite. Also great service by a really friendly crew. I didn't notice any difference in the service between being in the next to the top suite or the cheapest suite. For our next cruise, which was booked in at the last minute, we are staying in an oceanview. No balcony cabins on the Star accommodate 4-same as the Veendam so I will be able to make an informed comparison of service.

In April we are doing a repo on the Dawn. It leaves from Tampa and returns to Boston. We are booked in the SJ familymsuite. The cabin is huge and will sleep 6 with no problem. This is the least expensive full suite cabin on,the ship and still gets full suite amenities.A one way flight and a short train ride home is worth it for this 12 day repo. On the Star we flew to Tampa and returned to NY. That was awesome. No worries about suitcase weight and a 1/2 hour ride home.

Sorry I rattled on but I tried to give you as much info as I could. Any further questions, just ask.

 

Thank you very much. Your rambling :):)was very helpful. DH wants to consider another line and I would like to be able to sail from NY, so thank you again.

[readytogo2]

^quoted for truth.

 

All dollars and sense.

 

You are brand A, you charge $$$. Brand B charges $$. Brand C charges $. You're least apt to be chosen/make money due to being the most expensive. That's why Princess & HAL are out of NYC, crowded marketplace where they're being undersold.

 

I dunno if I agree that HAL is a superior product, they all have their "sweet" spots and "sour" spots. I wouldn't dawdle booking a cruise on the major lines if it was something that tickled our fancy. I'd sail the Concordia if they re-floated her though... :o

 

Derek

But doesn't Cunard still leave out of New York? They are definitely more than Brand A.